title: Microbiota is an essential element for mice to initiate a protective immunity against Vaccinia virus.
abstract: The gastrointestinal tract of vertebrates harbors one of the most complex ecosystems known in microbial ecology and this indigenous microbiota almost always has a profound influence on host-parasite relationships, which can enhance or reduce the pathology of the infection. In this context, the impact of the microbiota during the infection of several viral groups remains poorly studied, including the family Poxviridae. Vaccinia virus (VACV) is a member of this family and is the causative agent of bovine vaccinia, responsible for outbreaks that affect bovines and humans. To determine the influence of the microbiota in the development of the disease caused by VACV, a comparative study using a murine model was performed. Germ-free and conventional, 6- to 7-week-old Swiss NIH mice were infected by tail scarification and intranasally with VACV. Moreover, immunosuppression and microbiota reposition were performed, to establish the interactions among the host's immune system, microbiota and VACV. The data demonstrate that the microbiota is essential for the effective immune response of mice against VACV in intranasal inoculation and to control the virus at the primary site of infection. Furthermore, this study is the first to show that Swiss conventional mice are refractory to the intranasal infection of VACV.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maurício T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana C S P
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Graziele P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rafael S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Calixto
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Danilo B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Éricka L S
authors.initials: ÉL
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Giliane S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Trindade
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jacques R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Nicoli
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Erna G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Kroon
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Flaviano S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil jonatas.abrahao@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jônatas S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Abrahão
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000382:microbiology*; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D064307:Microbiota / Q000276:immunology*; D014615:Vaccinia / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D014616:Vaccinia virus / Q000276:immunology*
keywords: Vaccinia virus; germ-free mice; microbiota; virus–microbiota interactions