Ross River Virus

The alphaviruses are a group of 26 icosahedral, positive-sense RNA viruses primarily transmitted by mosquitoes [64]. These 700-A-diameter viruses are some of the simplest of the membrane-enveloped viruses, and members of this group cause serious tropical diseases with characteristic symptoms such as myositis, fever, rash, encephalitis, and polyarthritis [65]. The structures of two different alphavirus-Fab complexes have been determined by cryo-TEM Ross River virus (RR) and Sindbis virus (SIN) [66]. The amino acid sequences of the RR and SIN virus structural and nonstructural proteins are 49 and 64% identical, respectively [67]. The viral RNA genome and 240 copies of the capsid protein form the nucleocapsid core [68-73], and the El and E2 glycoproteins form heterodimers that associate as 80 trimeric spikes on the viral surface. Native SIN and RR lack the E3 glycoprotein because it disassociates from the spike complex after its display on the plasma membrane surface [74, 75]. El has a putative fusion domain that may facilitate host membrane penetration [76, 77]. E2 contains most of the neutralizing epitopes and is also probably involved in host cell recognition [78-80]. 

Vrati, S., Faragher, S. G., Weir, R. C., and Dalgamo, L. (1986). Ross River virus mutant with a deletion in the E2 gene Properties of the virion, virus-specific macromolecule synthesis, and attenuation of virulence for mice. Virology 151, 222-232. 

Vrati, S., Fernon, G. A., Dalgarno, L., and Weir, R. C. (1988). Location of a major antigenic site involved in Ross River virus neutralization. Virology 162, 346-353. 

Burness, A. T., Pardoe, I., Faragher, S. G., Vrati, S., and Dalgarno, L. (1988). Genetic stability of Ross River virus during epidemic spread in nonimmune humans. Virology 167, 639-643. 

RNA translocation, 467 RNA viruses, 4 Ross River virus, 5 Rotavirus, 414-415 architectural features of, 230 Rous sarcoma virus, 5 RSV. See Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) RYMV. See Rice yellow motde virus (RYMV)... 

Laboratory Centre For Disease Control, Office of Biosafety, Material Safety Data Sheet-Infectious Substances Ross river virus/O Nyong-Nyong virus, Minister of National Health and Welfare, Canada, September 1996. 

The saltmarsh mosquito pc. vigilax) is a major vector species of the Ross River virus (Epidemic Polyarthritis) in coastal Queensland, Australia. During summer months, widespread spraying of larvae populations is carried out by local authorities in coastal mangrove environments in an attempt to lower mosquito population levels and reduce the incidence of disease transmission. Given the... 

Evidence from the Analysis of Polyarthritis and Myalgia Post Ross River Virus Infection... 

Ross River Virus and Its Associated Disease Human Studies and Animal Infection Models for Evidence of a Chemokine Connection... 

Table 1. Summary of attempts at Ross River virus detection in clinical samples from patients suffering epidemic polyarthritis (EPA) and the nature of the associated cellular response to infection ... 

Abbreviations RRV, Ross River virus Ag, antigen Ab, antibody IFA, immunofluorescent antibody RT-PCR, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction NK, natural killer ERA, epidemic polyarthritis i.c, intra-cerebral. A survey of the literature between 1990-1999 showed no attemptsat recovering virus from human samples with clinical and epidemiological studies generally relying upon the detection of specific antibodies ... 

Figure 1. Infiltration of F4/ 80+ cells (monocyte/ macrophage) into the m uscle of Swiss outbred mice at day 8 post Ross River virus infection (which corresponded with the onset of clinical disease). Mice were subcutaneously inoculated at day 14-15 days of age with 10 plaque-forming units per mouse oftheT48 strain of Ross River virus. A) Sham-inoculated B) day 4 post Ross River virus infection C) day 8 post Ross River virus infection (200x magnification). Reprinted with permission from Lidbury BA et al. Macrophage-induced muscle pathology results in morbidity and mortality for Ross River virus-infected mice. J Infect Dis 2000 181 27-34. 2000 University of Chicago Press.

Table 2. Review of experimental Ross River virus studies in animal models Viral detection, pathology and identification of cellular infiltrates associated with infection and disease ... 

Abbreviations I FA, immunofluorescent antibody pi, post infection EM, electron microscopy sc, subcutaneous IHC, immunohistochemistry CNS, central nervous system RRV, Ross River virus... 

Amin J, Hueston L> Dwyer DE et al. Ross River virus infection in the north-west outskirts of the Sydney basin. Comm Dis Intell 1998 22 101-102. 

Fraser JRE. Epidemic polyarthritis and Ross River virus disease. Clin Rheum Dis 1986 12 369-388. 

Mims CA, Murphy FA, Taylor WP et al. The Pathogenesis of Ross River Virus Infection in Mice. I. Ependymal Infection, Cortical Thinning and Hydrocephalus. J Infect Dis 1973 127 121-128. 

Fraser JR, Ratnamohan VM, Dowling JP et al.. The exanthem of Ross River virus infection his-tology, location of virus antigen and nature of inflammatory infiltrate. J Clin Pathol 1983 36 1256-1263. 

Tesh RB, McLean RG, Shroyer DA et al. Ross River virus (To viridae Alphavirus) infection (epidemic polyarthritis) in American Samoa. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 1981 75 426-431. 

Aaskov JG, Ross PV, Harper JJ et al. Isolation of Ross River virus from epidemic polyarthritis patients in Australia. Aust J Exp Biol Med Sci 1985 63 587-597. 

Soden M, Vasudevan H, Roberts B et al. Detection of viral ribonucleic acid and histologic analysis of inflamed synovium in Ross River virus infection. Arthritis Rheum 2000 43 365-369. 

Seay AR, Griffin DE, Johnson RT. Experimental viral polymyositis age dependency and immune responses to Ross River virus infection in mice. Neurology 1981 31 656-660. 

Seay AR, Wolinsky JS. Ross River virus-induced demyelination I. Pathogenesis and histopathol-ogy. Ann Neurol 1982 12 380-389. 

Lidbury BA, Simeonovic C, Maxwell GE et al. Macrophage-induced muscle pathology results in morbidity and mortality for Ross River virus infected mice. J Infect Dis 2000 181 27-34. 

Lidbury BA, Mahalingam S. The specific ablation of antiviral ne expression in macropha s by antibody-dependent enhancement of Ross River virus infection. J Virol 2000 74 8376-8381. 

Rosen L, Gubler DJ, Bennett PH. Epidemic polyarthritis (Ross River) virus infection in the Cook Islands. Am J Trop Med Hyg 1981 30 1294-1302. 

Chrysophanic acid (l,8-dihydroxy-3-methylanthraquinone), isolated from the Australian Aboriginal medicinal plant Dianella longifolia, has been found to inhibit the replication of poliovirus types 2 and 3 (Picornaviridae) in vitro (Fig. 3.7 Semple et al. 2001). The compound inhibited an early stage in the viral replication cycle, but did not have an irreversible virucidal effect on poliovirus particles. Chrysophanic acid did not have significant antiviral activity against five other viruses which were tested Coxsackievirus types A21 and B4, human rhinovirus type 2 (Picornaviridae), and the enveloped viruses Ross River virus (Jogaviridae) and HS V-1 (Herpesviridae). 

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