Immune modulation in primary vaccinia virus zoonotic human infections.
In 2010, the WHO celebrated the 30th anniversary of the smallpox eradication. Ironically, infections caused by viruses related to smallpox are being increasingly reported worldwide, including Monkeypox, Cowpox, and Vaccinia virus (VACV). Little is known about the human immunological responses elicited during acute infections caused by orthopoxviruses. We have followed VACV zoonotic outbreaks taking place in Brazil and analyzed cellular immune responses in patients acutely infected by VACV. Results indicated that these patients show a biased immune modulation when compared to noninfected controls. Amounts of B cells are low and less activated in infected patients. Although present, T CD4(+) cells are also less activated when compared to noninfected individuals, and so are monocytes/macrophages. Similar results were obtained when Balb/C mice were experimentally infected with a VACV sample isolated during the zoonotic outbreaks. Taking together, the data suggest that zoonotic VACVs modulate specific immune cell compartments during an acute infection in humans.
Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenida Antônio Carlos 6627, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
Juliana Assis
JA
Silva Gomes
Fernanda Fortes
FF
de Araújo
Giliane
G
de Souza Trindade
Bárbara Resende
BR
Quinan
Betânia Paiva
BP
Drumond
Jaqueline Maria Siqueira
JM
Ferreira
Bruno Eduardo Fernandes
BE
Mota
Maurício Lacerda
ML
Nogueira
Erna Geessien
EG
Kroon
Jônatas
J
Santos Abrahão
Rodrigo
R
Côrrea-Oliveira
Flávio Guimarães
FG
da Fonseca
D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014616:Vaccinia virus / Q000276:immunology*; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000821:virology*
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D007371:Interferon-gamma