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C B Cropp

Publications and source records attributed to C B Cropp.

34 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Identification of new Guama and Group C serogroup bunyaviruses and an ungrouped virus from Southern Brazil.

From 1975 to 1978, 36 viruses were recovered from humans, bats, birds, sentinel mice and hamsters, and from mosquitoes collected in Coastal Brazil in the state of São Paulo. Identifications of 22 of these 36 viruses have been reported. Six of the remaining 14 isolates were shown to be Guama serogroup bunyaviruses. Two of these six were strains of a newly recognized virus for which the name Cananeia virus is proposed; another is a second newly recognized Guama serogroup virus for which the name Itimirim virus is proposed; a fourth is a strain of Bertioga virus and the other two are strains of Guaratuba virus. Before these studies Guaratuba virus was considered an ungrouped bunyavirus, but cross testing by complement-fixation demonstrated that this virus, and Mirim virus as well, should be considered members of the Guama serogroup. Another six viruses were shown to be strains of a single, newly recognized Group C bunyavirus for which the name Bruconha virus is proposed. Two strains of a single virus were shown by electron microscopy to belong to the family Bunyaviridae, but serologic relationships with other members of this family of viruses were not found; the name Enseada virus is proposed for this newly recognized agent.

Animals

Mode of entry of a neurotropic arbovirus into the central nervous system. Reinvestigation of an old controversy.

The mechanism by which neurotropic arboviruses gain access to the central nervous system remains uncertain, although it is generally assumed that viremic infection results in growth across or passive diffusion through brain capillaries. In contrast to the natural reservoir hosts of these arboviruses, clinical hosts (e.g., horses, humans) have viremias of very brief duration and low magnitude. We investigated the question of neuroinvasion in 5- to 6-week-old Syrian hamsters infected with St. Louis encephalitis virus (strain TBH-28). This model shares with the human disease low or undetectable viremia and many clinical and pathoanatomical features. The mortality rate after intraperitoneal inoculation of a moderate viral dose was 88%. No viremia was detectable by a sensitive assay in 31% of the animals. In the remaining hamsters, the mean peak viremia was 1.0 log10 plaque-forming units/0.05 ml and the mean duration 1 to 2 days. There was no correlation between viremia and outcome of infection, length of incubation period, or brain virus titer. Tissue infectivity studies showed a rise in titer in the olfactory neuroepithelium on day 4 postinoculation, then in the olfactory bulbs (day 5 postinoculation), and finally in the remainder of the brain (day 6 postinoculation). Specific immunofluorescence was demonstrated in the bipolar neurons of the olfactory epithelium, their dendrites, and in axon bundles of the olfactory nerves in the submucosa. By electron microscopy, virus particles and associated tubular structures were demonstrated within dendrites, perikarya, and axons of olfactory neurons, and to a lesser extent in macrophages and Bowman's gland cells in the lamina propria. In cells of Bowman's glands large numbers of virions were sequestered within secretory granules. Virus was recovered from nasal washings on day 4 postinoculation. Similar findings were obtained in weanling mice inoculated intraperitoneally with another (mouse-virulent) St. Louis encephalitis viral strain (77V-12908). These data taken together indicate that the olfactory pathway is the principal route of viral entry into the central nervous system. After peripheral inoculation a low-level viremia results in infection of highly susceptible cells in the olfactory neuroepithelium, allowing centripetal axonal transport of virus to the olfactory bulb, whence spread is unimpeded throughout the neuropil of the central nervous system. Infection of Bowman's gland cells in the olfactory mucosa and shedding of virus in nasal mucus may be an adaptation for nonarthropod-borne transmission, a feature of many flaviviruses.

Animals

Indirect fluorescent antibody test for the diagnosis of yellow fever.

The indirect fluorescent antibody (FA) test was evaluated for the serodiagnosis of yellow fever (YF) cases and for detection of antibodies after 17D YF vaccination. Results were compared with those of standard serological tests, reactions with heterologous flaviviral antigens were determined, and both IgM and IgG antibodies were measured. Spot slides of infected Vero cells were used as antigen substrate. In cases of primary YF infection, the FA test for IgG antibodies provided clear diagnostic results. Indirect FA tests with anti-IgG were more sensitive than the complement-fixation (CF) test and showed specificity comparable to the CF and neutralization (N) test. Cases of YF infection superimposed upon pre-existing heterologous flaviviral immunity developed broadly-crossreactive IgG antibodies. IgM antibodies were highly specific in cases of both primary infection and superinfection but were not consistently present. Most individuals without previous flaviviral exposure who received 17D vaccine failed to develop detectable antibodies by the indirect FA test; of those with pre-existing immunity, 79% developed IgG antibodies. The indirect FA test provides a simple, rapid diagnostic procedure which should be especially useful in one-site epidemiological investigations of YF outbreaks.

Antibodies, Viral

Arbovirus infections among laboratory personnel in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Laboratory-acquired infections encountered between 1963 and 1977 among personnel of the Virus Research Laboratory, Ibadan, Nigeria, are reported. Two cases of chikungunya infection occurred and one each with Dugbe, Wesselsbron, and dengue viruses. In each case, virus was isolated or development of antibody demonstrated. Among virus and two each to chikungunya and Rift Valley fever viruses, without experiencing any clinically recognized disease.

Adult

Diagnosis of eastern equine encephalomyelitis by immunofluorescent staining of brain tissue.

Brain tissues were obtained from 5 horses with clinical encephalomyelitis during an epizootic in southwestern Michigan in August-September 1980. These tissues were tested for virus by intracerebral inoculation of suckling mice and by examination of frozen sections and impression smears by the indirect fluorescent antibody (FA) technique. Eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus was isolated and detected by FA technique in brains of 3 horses which died or were euthanatized within approximately 24 hours of onset of the disease but not from 2 horses at 2 and 3 days after onset. The latter 2 animals had serum-neutralizing antibodies at the time of death. Seven areas of the brain of 1 horse were tested. The proportion of fluorescing cells in frozen sections correlated with infectivity titers. Impression smears were negative. Viral titers ranged from 10(5.7) to 10(10.0) suckling mouse intracerebral median lethal doses/g; highest titers and most intense fluorescence were present in the thalamus and pons, emphasizing the need to obtain selective samples of central brain structures for diagnostic examination. The FA technique appears useful for the rapid diagnosis of fatal eastern equine encephalomyelitis and may be applicable in laboratories not equipped for isolation of viruses.

Animals

Variation in virulence for mice and rhesus monkeys among St. Louis encephalitis virus strains of different origin.

The virulence characteristics of 67 strains of St. Louis encephalitis (SLE) virus isolated from various sources in North, Middle, and South America were compared in mice and rhesus monkeys. Each virus strain was titrated in mice exactly 21 days old and virulence was expressed as the ratio of intracerebral (ic)/intraperitoneal (ip) LD50. Virus strains fell into three groups: 1) high virulence (ic/ip LD50 ratio approximately 1.0); 2) intermediate virulence (variable mortality over a wide dose range); and 3) low virulence (ic/ip LD50 less than or equal to 0.00002). Virus strains isolated during Culex pipiens and Cx. nigripalpus--borne epidemics in the eastern United States were highly virulent for mice, whereas a high proportion of the endemic virus strains isolated from Cx. tarsalis in the western United States were attenuated. Virus strains isolated from birds (the usual host for SLE virus) were highly virulent, in contrast to strains from rodents and carnivores, which were attenuated. Isolates from humans exhibited variable virulence characteristics. In experimentally-infected mice, virulence correlated with high viremia, replication in extraneural tissues, and earlier neuroinvasion. Mouse virulence correlated with clinical and histopathologic markers of pathogenicity for ic inoculated rhesus monkeys. Monkeys immunized with nonpathogenic strains by subcutaneous inoculation were partially protected against ic challenge with a virulent virus strain. The virulence classification of SLE virus strains is discussed in terms of epidemiologic correlations. This classification provides a framework for future studies on the antigenic, genetic, and biochemical bases for SLE virus strain variation.

Animals

Recovery of Tonate virus ("Bijou Bridge" strain), a member of the Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus complex, from Cliff Swallow nest bugs (Oeciacus vicarius) and nestling birds in North America.

A second virus with distinct biological, serological, and physiochemical properties was detected as a minority viral subpopulation in specimens of Cliff Swallow nest bugs (Oeciacus vicarius) and nestling bird sera containing Fort Morgan (FM) virus. The second virus, detected by a breakthrough neutralization test employing FM antiserum, was present in 5 of 11 FM virus-positive pools of nest bugs and in 4 of 38 birds from Colorado and South Dakota. The concentration of the second virus was 10-fold to 1,000-fold lower than that of FM virus. The second virus, which was provisionally named "Bijou Bridge" (BB) virus was shown by conventional serological tests to be a member of the Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (VEE) complex, and by tests employing antisera to the E2 viral glycoprotein to be identical with Tonate virus, previously isolated from birds and mosquitoes only in French Guiana. Experimental infection of House Sparrows and Cliff Swallows showed that they develop brief BB viremias and antibodies. Oe. vicarius bugs were resistant to oral infection with BB virus. The epidemiological significance of recovery of Tonate virus in North American is discussed.

Animals

Viruses isolated from reptiles: identification of three new members of the family Rhabdoviridae.

The growth of four viruses isolated from lizards in Brazil (Marco, Chaco, and Timbo viruses) and Australia (Almpiwar virus) was studied in a variety of continuous cell lines of mammalian, reptilian, amphibian, and piscine origin. Although replication was found in certain cell lines derived from the coldblooded species, cytopathic effect (CPE) was absent or minimal and growth was less than or equal to that in mammalian cells. Those observations appear to limit the value of poikilothermic cells for primary isolation of viruses from field-collected, cold-blooded vertebrates or arthropods that feed upon them. The four reptilian viruses were found to be naturally occurring temperature sensitive agents, with optima for growth of approximately 30 degrees C. Electron microscope studies showed three of the viruses (Marco, Chaco, and Timbo) to be new members of the family Rhabdoviridae. Marco virus particles were conically shaped and resembled bovine ephemeral fever virus, and two lyssaviruses (Kotonkan and Obodhiang). Chaco and Timbo viruses were cylindrical viruses resembling other rhabdoviruses with particle lengths longer than the prototype VSV. No serologic relationships were found in cross complement fixation tests between these viruses, Marco virus, and 34 other rhabdoviruses.

Animals

Necrotizing myocarditis in mice infected with Western equine encephalitis virus: Clinical, electrocardiographic, and histopathologic correlations.

Western equine encephalitis (WEE) virus was found in myocardial tissue of adult mice during the first five days after inoculation of the virus, with a peak titer (5.0 log plaque-forming units/g) at 24 hr. Light microscopy revealed a multifocal necrotizing myocarditis with a prominent inflammatory response and hyaline and granular degeneration of myofibers. Electron microscopy showed cytoplasmic viral nucleoids and budding and free mature WEE viral particles. Serial electrocardiograms showed the development of disturbances of rate and rhythm, defects in conduction, marked elevation in the ST segment, and low voltage. Myocarditis has not been previously recognized as a complication of alphavirus infection in humans. and we found no evidence for myocardial damage in 11 persons with acute WEE virus infections studied electrocardiographically in 1975. Demonstration of myocarditis in the WEE virus-infected mouse, however, suggests the need to monitor human patients for possible cardiac involvement during future epidemics of WEE virus infection.

Animals

Experimental infection of house sparrows (Passer domesticus) with Rocio virus.

Rocio encephalitis is a new epidemic flaviviral infection of man, first described in São Paulo State, Brazil in 1975. The ecology of the viral transmission cycle remains largely unknown. Experimental studies were undertaken to assess the role of a wild avian species, the House Sparrow, as a maintenance or amplifying host. Approximately two-thirds of nesting and adult sparrows developed 2- to 3-day viremias of low to moderate magnitude (2.0--4.3 log/ml). Rocio-immune birds were not protected against challenge with St. Louis encephalitis (SLE) virus, but prior SLE viral infection prevented detectable viremia in birds challenged with Rocio virus. These studies provide some support for the hypothesis that birds are hosts for Rocio virus, but the House Sparrow probably plays a relatively minor role in viral transmission. Because sparrows are relatively inefficient viremic hosts, they would be expected to play a minor role in transmission should Rocio virus be introduced into the United States.

Animals