Background Direct‐acting antivirals (DAAs) have transformed the management of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, including in children. However, real‐world data from resource‐limited settings remain scarce. Methods We conducted a retrospective study of children with chronic HCV infection treated at the national pediatric hepatology center in Tirana, Albania, between 2007 and 2024. Patients were grouped according to treatment era: interferon‐based therapy or DAA regimens. Sustained virologic response (SVR), adverse events, and treatment duration were assessed. Results Twenty‐nine children were included (17 interferon era; 12 DAA era). SVR was achieved in 83% of patients receiving interferon‐based therapy and in all patients treated with DAAs. Adverse events were more frequent and clinically significant in the interferon group, whereas only mild events were observed in the DAA group. Treatment duration was substantially shorter with DAAs (8–12 weeks vs. 48 weeks). Conclusions This real‐world experience reflects the transition toward shorter, better‐tolerated, and highly effective therapies for pediatric HCV infection. While cross‐era comparisons are limited, the findings are consistent with the established efficacy of DAA regimens.
Background:Marek's disease (MD) remains a severe economic concern in poultry industry globally despite decades of vaccination strategies. Particularly challenging are viral infections due to Marek's disease virus (MDV) (Gallid alphaherpesvirus 2, GaHV-2) strains that can escape immune defenses in areas that do not have access to molecular surveillance data. Objective:This study performed molecular epidemiology of MDV in Iraqi commercial poultry based on extensive characterization of circulating strains, quantification of subclinical infection in vaccinated flocks, and phylogenetic sequencing to determine evolutionary relationships with local isolates. Materials and Methods:A cross-sectional surveillance on five commercial layer pullet flocks given the CVI988 vaccine took place from March to June 2024. A combined sample of 250 birds (50 birds per flock) was collected from Alrashdia in Baghdad Province. In this study, estimates were made for samples based on 5% expected prevalence, 95% confidence level, and 3% precision. Pulpy feather follicles and tissues were isolated for molecular detection of MDV meq oncogene by PCR amplification with known primers. Sanger sequencing was performed later and phylogenetic reconstruction carried out using the maximum likelihood technique. Results:Prevalence of subclinical MDV was 3.2% (8/250) in surveyed flocks, with significant operational heterogeneity (0%-6%). One flock had an acute clinical outbreak, and 86.7% of birds afflicted during the surveillance period showed paralysis. Molecular analysis revealed genetically homogeneous strain (Iraq/Baghdad/2024) with 99.8% nucleotide identity to Iranian very virulent isolates, with clustering in the very virulent pathotype clade and high bootstrap support (98%). Conclusion:This research describes the circulation of a very virulent, genetically uniform GaHV-2 strain capable of inducing vaccine breakthrough in Iraqi commercial poultry. The phylogenetic proximity to regional isolates suggests transboundary virus movement as a possible route of attack and highlights a gap in the level of molecular surveillance and optimization of Middle Eastern poultry production systems in immunization programs.
Several viruses belonging to the order Mononegavirales are recognized as highly pathogenic in humans and are often associated with lethal disease outcomes. Prominent examples include human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV), Ebola virus (EBOV), rabies virus (RABV), and Marburg virus (MARV). In addition to their clinical severity, these viruses are considered potential biological threats due to their high transmissibility and virulence. In this study, we performed a metatranscriptomic analysis of Culex and Anopheles mosquitoes collected at the DBB (Diretoria de Biodiversidade e Biotecnologia), São Paulo, Brazil. Our analysis revealed viral sequences associated with two families within Mononegavirales: Lispiviridae and Rhabdoviridae. Phylogenetic analysis of the Lispiviridae sequences identified six variants, designated CxLispV-SP_03, CxLispV-SP_09, CxLispV-SP_12, CxLispV-SP_13, CxLispV-SP_14, and CxLispV-SP_15, that formed a strongly supported monophyletic clade with Canya virus, suggesting the discovery of a putative novel viral lineage. Examination of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) domains in these sequences confirmed the presence of essential catalytic motifs. In contrast, the detected rhabdoviruses exhibited greater genomic structural heterogeneity, including the presence of accessory protein domains. Pairwise comparisons based on RdRp amino acid identity delineated four distinct groups among these sequences, pointing to substantial evolutionary divergence within the sampled rhabdovirus diversity. Together, these findings contribute to the growing characterization of mosquito-associated mononegaviruses and provide a genomic foundation to support future surveillance efforts and public health risk assessments related to vector-borne viruses.
This study presents a new molecular epidemiology dataset on the prevalence of selected viral pathogens, including Feline panleukopenia virus (FPV), feline calicivirus (FCV), and feline coronavirus (FCoV) (systemic feline infectious peritonitis [FIP]), in domestic cats in Sulaymaniyah, Kurdistan region, Iraq. From October 2024 to January 2025, a total of 145 clinically suspected cats aged 2-24 months presented to private veterinary hospitals were analyzed using quantitative PCR (qPCR) and reverse transcription qPCR (RT-qPCR) on blood, feces, oral swabs, and abdominal effusion. Our findings revealed that 86/145 (59.3%) cats were positive for at least one virus: FCoV (including FIP) was detected in 13/25 (52%) samples, FPV in 63/102 (61.8%), and FCV in 10/20 (50%). All categorical comparisons are presented with explicit numerical values (n and %), improving interpretability. Most positive cases were reported among younger cats (2-12 months). Additionally, infection prevalence was higher in nonvaccinated (25.9%) and stray cats (22.5%) compared with vaccinated cats (15.0%). Vaccination status was recorded; however, detailed vaccine type and schedule were not consistently available. These findings suggest a strong association between vaccination status and infection risk, underscoring the importance of immunization programs. This study establishes the first molecular baseline for feline viral infections in Sulaymaniyah and supports the development of targeted surveillance, vaccination strategies, and improved veterinary public health interventions in the region.
Marek's disease (MD) is a highly contagious neoplastic disorder of poultry caused by MD virus (MDV; gallid alphaherpesvirus 2 [GaAHV2]). Infection results in profound immunosuppression, neurological dysfunction, and the development of malignant T-cell lymphomas. Continued viral evolution has produced increasingly virulent strains capable of partially or fully evading current vaccines, leaving few options for controlling emerging variants. This highlights the importance of identifying new antiviral targets, particularly those involved in the nuclear trafficking events essential for GaAHV2 replication. The UL36 large tegument protein of alphaherpesviruses contains N-terminal nuclear localization signals (NLSs) thought to guide capsid transport to the nuclear pore complex. However, the specific mechanism by which GaAHV2 UL36 engages the host nuclear import machinery remains unclear. In this work, we defined the NLS within the N-terminal region of GaAHV2 UL36 and characterized its interaction with importin proteins. Through high-resolution crystallography and quantitative binding assays, we pinpointed the residues and structural motifs within UL36 that mediate recognition by importin-α (IMPα) and compared their affinities across different IMPα isoforms. Our structural and biochemical data show that the predicted N-terminal NLS of GaAHV2 UL36 is essential for IMPα binding. These findings provide a detailed molecular framework for host-virus interactions during GaAHV2 nuclear entry and offer potential avenues for the development of targeted antiviral strategies.
