Multiple Cytomegalovirus Infections: Biological and Evolutionary Significance.

多重巨细胞病毒感染：生物学和进化意义。

• 批准号: nhmrc : 404090
• 负责人: A/Pr Alec Redwood
• 金额: $ 37.06万
• 依托单位: The University of Western Australia
• 依托单位国家: 澳大利亚
• 项目类别: NHMRC Project Grants
• 财政年份: 2006
• 资助国家: 澳大利亚
• 起止时间: 2006-01-01 至 2008-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://researchdata.edu.au/multiple-cytomegalovirus-infections-evolutionary-significance/99253
• 关键词: Multiple; Cytomegalovirus; Infections; Biological; Evolutionary

This project involves the study of cytomegalovirus (CMV) a common viral infection of humans which normally cause little disease. However in individuals whose immune system is suppressed (such as AIDS patients or transplant recipients), or in infection of pregnant women, CMV can cause serious or life-threatening disease in the patient or foetus. An interesting feature of CMV diseases in such patients is that enhanced viral growth and more severe disease is frequently associated with the presence of multiple strains of CMV in the patient. We suggest that mixed CMV infections provide a survival advantage to the virus, with different strains within the mixed infection assisting the growth of other strains. This would result in increased virus growth overall, and enhanced disease. To study the mechanisms by which multiple infections with different CMV strains may affect both the virus and the host, experiments will be performed using an animal model of CMV, murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV). We will examine the effect of the presence of multiple strains of virus on virus growth and distribution within the infected host. We will also determine if functional MCMV strains are capable of assisting non-functional strains to survive within the host. These studies are relevant to the design of a CMV vaccine, and will be valuable in revealing the ways in which viruses can co-operate within an infection.

该项目涉及巨细胞病毒（CMV）的研究，这是一种常见的人类病毒感染，通常很少引起疾病。然而，在免疫系统受到抑制的个体（如艾滋病患者或移植受体）或感染孕妇中，CMV可导致患者或胎儿严重或危及生命的疾病。在这些患者中CMV疾病的一个有趣的特征是，增强的病毒生长和更严重的疾病通常与患者中CMV的多个菌株的存在相关。我们认为混合CMV感染为病毒提供了生存优势，混合感染中的不同菌株有助于其他菌株的生长。这将导致病毒总体生长增加，并增强疾病。为了研究不同CMV毒株的多次感染可能影响病毒和宿主的机制，将使用CMV动物模型（鼠巨细胞病毒（MCMV））进行实验。我们将研究多株病毒的存在对病毒在受感染宿主体内生长和分布的影响。我们还将确定功能性MCMV毒株是否能够帮助非功能性毒株在宿主内存活。这些研究与CMV疫苗的设计有关，并且在揭示病毒在感染中合作的方式方面将是有价值的。