Nidovirus infections: experimental model systems of human neurologic diseases.
The presence of terminally differentiated slow- and non-dividing cells in the central nervous system (CNS) provides a safe harbor for viral persistence and latency and constitutes a unique immunologic environment for viral infections. Studies of experimental model systems of viral infections of the CNS provide insight into mechanisms of viral persistence and immune-mediated pathology. Nidoviruses are comprised of 2 families of viruses, coronaviruses and arteriviruses, and are common pathogens of humans and a variety of animal species. Both families of viruses contain neurotropic strains that produce experimental neurologic diseases in rodents. These include acute meningitis and encephalitis; acute poliomyelitis; and chronic inflammatory, immune-mediated, demyelination. Coronavirus-induced demyelinating disease mimics many of the pathologic features of Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
Lavi
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Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia 19104-6100, USA.
Schwartz
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T
Jin
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YP
Fu
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D000818:Animals; D004266:DNA Virus Infections / Q000150:complications*; D004267:DNA Viruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D016679:Genome, Viral; D006801:Humans; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D014771:Virion / Q000378:metabolism; D014779:Virus Replication