Ross River virus: molecular and cellular aspects of disease pathogenesis.
Ross River virus (RRV) is a mosquito-borne alphavirus indigenous to Australia and the Western Pacific region and is responsible for several thousand cases of human RRV disease (RRVD) per annum. The disease primarily involves polyarthritis/arthralgia, with many patients also presenting with rash, myalgia, fever, and/or lethargy. The symptoms can be debilitating at onset, but they usually resolve within 3-6 months. Recent insights into the RRV-host relationship, associated pathology, and molecular biology of infection have generated a number of potential avenues for improved treatment. Although vaccine development has been proposed, the small market size and potential for antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) of disease make this approach unattractive. Recent insights into the molecular basis of RRV-ADE and the virus's ability to manipulate host inflammatory and immune responses create potential new opportunities for therapeutic invention. Such interventions should overcome virus-induced dysregulation of protective host responses to promote viral clearance and/or ameliorate inflammatory immunopathology.
Rulli
Nestor E
NE
School of Health Sciences, University of Canberra, Kirinari Street, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia.
Suhrbier
Andreas
A
Hueston
Linda
L
Heise
Mark T
MT
Tupanceska
Daniela
D
Zaid
Ali
A
Wilmes
Anja
A
Gilmore
Kerry
K
Lidbury
Brett A
BA
Mahalingam
Surendran
S
D018354:Alphavirus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007249:Inflammation; D008264:Macrophages; D051379:Mice; D010139:Pacific Islands / Q000453:epidemiology; D012398:Ross River virus / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes; D019562:Viral Load; D014765:Viral Vaccines
D014765:Viral Vaccines