Etiological agent and clinical characteristics of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in the southern Republic of Korea: a genomic surveillance study.

OBJECTIVES: High incidences of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) have been reported in the southern Republic of Korea (ROK). A distinct southern genotype of Orthohantavirus hantanense (HTNV) was identified in Apodemus agrarius chejuensis on Jeju Island. However, its association with HFRS cases in southern ROK remains elusive. We investigated the potential of the southern HTNV genotype as an etiological agent of HFRS. METHODS: Samples from 22 patients with HFRS and 193 small mammals were collected in the southern ROK. The clinical characteristics of patients infected with the southern HTNV genotype were analysed. Amplicon-based MinION sequencing was employed for southern HTNV from patients and rodents, facilitating subsequent analyses involving phylogenetics and genetic reassortment. RESULTS: High-throughput sequencing of HTNV exhibited higher coverage with a cycle of threshold value below 32, acquiring nearly whole-genome sequences from six patients with HFRS and seven A. agrarius samples. The phylogenetic pattern of patient-derived HTNV demonstrated genetic clustering with HTNV from Apodemus species on Jeju Island and the southern Korean peninsula, revealing genetic reassortment in a single clinical sample between the M and S segments. DISCUSSION: These findings imply that the southern HTNV genotype has the potential to induce HFRS in humans. The phylogenetic inference demonstrates the diverse and dynamic characteristics of the southern HTNV tripartite genomes. Therefore, this study highlights the significance of active surveillance and amplicon sequencing for detecting orthohantavirus infections. It also raises awareness and caution for physicians regarding the emergence of a southern HTNV genotype as a cause of HFRS in the ROK.

In vitro broad-spectrum antiviral activity of MIT-001, a mitochondria-targeted reactive oxygen species scavenger, against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and multiple zoonotic viruses.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 becomes a serious threat to global health and requires the development of effective antiviral therapies. Current therapies that target viral proteins have limited efficacy with side effects. In this study, we investigated the antiviral activity of MIT-001, a small molecule reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger targeting mitochondria, against SARS-CoV-2 and other zoonotic viruses in vitro. The antiviral activity of MIT-001 was quantified by RT-qPCR and plaque assay. We also evaluated the functional analysis of MIT-001 by JC-1 staining to measure mitochondrial depolarization, total RNA sequencing to investigate gene expression changes, and immunoblot to quantify protein expression levels. The results showed that MIT-001 effectively inhibited the replication of B.1.617.2 and BA.1 strains, Zika virus, Seoul virus, and Vaccinia virus. Treatment with MIT-001 restored the expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HMOX1) and NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NqO1) genes, anti-oxidant enzymes reduced by SARS-CoV-2, to normal levels. The presence of MIT-001 also alleviated mitochondrial depolarization caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection. These findings highlight the potential of MIT-001 as a broad-spectrum antiviral compound that targets for zoonotic RNA and DNA viruses, providing a promising therapeutic approach to combat viral infection.

The relationship between innercanthal dimension and interalar width to the intercanine width of maxillary anterior teeth in central Indian population.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Selection of proper sized maxillary anterior teeth is one of the difficult clinical steps in complete denture esthetics. Several studies have been reported to establish methods of estimating the combined width of maxillary anterior teeth. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine whether a relationship exists between the innercanthal distance (ICD) and interalar width (IAW) with the combined width of maxillary anterior teeth. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The maxillary anterior teeth of 600 adult subjects were examined. ICD was measured between the median angles of the palpebral fissure. IAW was measured between the ala of the nose at their widest point. The mean combined width of the maxillary anterior teeth was determined intraorally at their widest dimension. Pearson's correlation coefficients were calculated to determine the relationship between ICD, IAW and the combined width of maxillary anterior teeth (α =0.05). RESULTS: Although the Pearson correlation coefficients were relatively small, a significant relationship existed between innercanthal dimension and IAW (P < 0001). CONCLUSION: Within the limitations of this study, the results suggest that ICD and IAW cannot be used as a preliminary method for determining the width of the maxillary anterior teeth for edentulous patients.