US-UK BBSRC-NIFA Collab: Control of emerging bunyaviruses

虫媒病毒是由节肢动物媒介传播的病毒，如蚊子、叮咬的苍蝇或扁虱，可以感染人和牲畜。布尼亚病毒是虫媒病毒的一组，包括著名的裂谷热病毒，它在非洲的羊和牛中造成毁灭性的流行病，以及一种新的病毒，施马伦贝格病毒，它于2011年出现在欧洲，并在整个大陆迅速传播，导致流产、死产和小牛和羔羊畸形。为了为未来爆发的布尼亚病毒病做准备，我们需要了解为什么某些昆虫媒介能够传播特定的病毒，而其他媒介不能，以及当地的昆虫是否能够支持引入的病毒的传播。这将通过用不同的病毒感染不同的蚊子和蚊子物种来解决，并确定成功传播所涉及的因素。如果出现新的疫情，我们需要能够迅速做出反应，接种疫苗来控制疾病。我们将利用我们的能力对病毒进行基因改造，以产生减弱的病毒，这些病毒不再能导致疾病，但能够在宿主动物中诱导保护性抗体，以防止后续感染。候选疫苗将在绵羊身上进行疗效评估，并将为未来进一步开发疫苗确立一般原则。

Arboviruses are viruses transmitted by arthropod vectors such as mosquitoes, biting flies or ticks, and can infect both man and livestock. Bunyaviruses are one group of arboviruses and include the well-known Rift Valley fever virus that causes devastating epidemics among sheep and cattle in Africa, and a new virus, Schmallenberg virus, that appeared in Europe in 2011 and rapidly spread throughout the continent causing abortions, stillbirths and malformations of calves and lambs. In order to prepare for future outbreaks of bunyavirus disease we need to understand why certain insect vectors are able to spread a particular virus whereas others cannot, and whether local insects would be capable to supporting transmission of an introduced virus. This will be addressed by infecting different mosquito and midge species with different viruses, and determining the factors involved in a successful transmission. Should a new outbreak occur, we need to be able to respond rapidly with vaccines to contain the disease. We will use our ability to genetically modify viruses to produce weakened viruses that can no longer cause disease but are able to induce protective antibodies in the host animal that will preventive subsequent infection. The candidate vaccines will be assessed for their efficacy in sheep and will establish general principles for the development of further vaccines in the future.