Biosafety and Health最新文献

{"title":"A metagenomic approach for microbial risk assessment and source attribution in high-risk ports of entry environments","authors":"Xiaozhou He ,&nbsp;Ran Zhang ,&nbsp;Jie Dong ,&nbsp;Wei Zhen ,&nbsp;Li Zhu ,&nbsp;Junkai Ren ,&nbsp;Xuejun Ma ,&nbsp;Feng Wang ,&nbsp;Shuang Zhang ,&nbsp;Ke Xu ,&nbsp;Feng Qiu ,&nbsp;Qiudong Su ,&nbsp;Jian’an He ,&nbsp;Weimin Zhou ,&nbsp;Guizhen Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.bsheal.2025.07.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bsheal.2025.07.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The epidemiological characteristics of emerging infectious disease outbreaks in recent years have underscored the critical importance of controlling imported infectious diseases. In this study, we implemented dynamic tracking of microbial invasions by monitoring environmental microbes at the customs and ports. From July to September 2024, a total of 126 environmental samples were collected from three ports of entry in Shenzhen, China. Metagenomic analysis detected 55 non-viral microbial communities and 12 viral taxa. Among these, 26.8 % of the bacteria, 100 % of the fungi, 71.4 % of the protists, and none of the archaea exhibited potential pathogenic properties. Viruses were the most prevalent, including bacteriophages (100 %), unclassified viruses (96.8 %), giant viruses (27.8 %), fungal viruses (4.8 %), and vertebrate viruses (1.6 %). No statistical differences were observed in viral distribution across areas (<em>χ²</em> = 18.70, <em>P</em> = 0.541), sites (<em>χ²</em> = 14.02, <em>P</em> = 0.597), or ports of entry (<em>χ²</em> = 10.27, <em>P</em> = 0.247). However, viral distribution varied significantly across three sampling months (<em>χ²</em> = 21.06, <em>P</em> = 0.002), with a higher proportion of giant viruses detected in July. Thirty-nine and forty microorganisms were identified across the six areas and five sites, respectively, with relatively few area/site-specific microorganisms. Four distinct disinfection level zones were categorized: relatively safe zone, less safe zone, general disinfection zone and key disinfection zone. Two strains of viruses with potential pathogenicity were identified: pigeon circovirus and Influenza A virus (H4N2). This study established a metagenomics-based surveillance framework for microbial risk assessment in high-risk port environments and proposed a four-tier disinfection strategy to prioritize high-contact zones. Our findings highlighted environmental metagenomics as a critical complement to traveler screening and provided early warning signals for the prevention and control of imported infectious diseases.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36178,"journal":{"name":"Biosafety and Health","volume":"7 4","pages":"Pages 228-237"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144895627","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Inactivation of BSL-2 and BSL-3 human pathogens using FATHHOME’s Trinion Disinfector: A rapid and eco-friendly ozone-based dry disinfection approach","authors":"Kabita Adhikari ,&nbsp;Elizabeth Zhou ,&nbsp;Majid Khan ,&nbsp;Shubhasish Goswami ,&nbsp;Amir Khazaieli ,&nbsp;Blake A. Simmons ,&nbsp;Deepika Awasthi ,&nbsp;Subhash C. Verma","doi":"10.1016/j.bsheal.2025.07.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bsheal.2025.07.006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The role of personal protective equipment (PPE) in protecting against exposure to infectious agents and toxic chemicals is well-established. However, the global surge in PPE demand during the pandemic exposed challenges, including shortages and environmental impacts from disposable waste. Developing effective, scalable, and sustainable decontamination methods for the reuse of PPE is essential. Ozone has emerged as a promising, eco-friendly disinfectant due to its strong oxidative properties, rapid action, and residue-free breakdown into oxygen. This study evaluates the effectiveness of the FATHHOME Trinion Disinfector, an innovative ozone-based dry sterilization device, for inactivating pathogens on PPE materials, such as not resistant to oil 95 (N95) masks and face shields. The device’s bactericidal performance was tested against <em>Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium, Enterococcus durans, Enterococcus faecalis</em>, and <em>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</em>, achieving a 1- to 2-log reduction in these bacterial and fungal pathogens. A 30-minute ozone exposure cycle was found to attain maximum sterilization efficiency. We also demonstrated the disinfector’s efficacy against viral pathogens, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), adeno-associated virus (AAV), herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), and hepatitis B virus (HBV) on PPE surfaces. SARS-CoV-2 contamination on face shields and N95 masks decreased by 99.9 %, and AAV infectivity was nearly eliminated. Similar reductions were observed for HSV-1 and HBV. Overall, the findings confirm that ozone-based disinfection offers a rapid, scalable, and sustainable method for decontaminating PPE. These results support the establishment of standardized ozone disinfection protocols to enhance infection control, address PPE shortages, and minimize environmental waste.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36178,"journal":{"name":"Biosafety and Health","volume":"7 4","pages":"Pages 245-256"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144896229","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Random forest-based predictor selection and pneumonia risk probability assessment in acute respiratory infections: A cross-sectional study in Chongqing, China, 2023–2024","authors":"Yunshao Xu ,&nbsp;Yuping Duan ,&nbsp;Jule Yang ,&nbsp;Mingyue Jiang ,&nbsp;Yanxia Sun ,&nbsp;Yanlin Cao ,&nbsp;Li Qi ,&nbsp;Zeni Wu ,&nbsp;Luzhao Feng","doi":"10.1016/j.bsheal.2025.07.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bsheal.2025.07.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Progression of acute respiratory infection (ARI) to pneumonia increases severity and healthcare burden. Limited evidence exists on using machine learning to identify predictors from demographics, clinical, and pathogen detection data. This study aimed to identify pneumonia predictors in ARI patients using machine learning methods. This observational study was conducted in Chongqing, China, from September 2023 to April 2024. Outpatients and inpatients with ARI were recruited weekly. A random forest algorithm was used for predictor selection, followed by a logistic regression-based nomogram to analyze the probability of pneumonia. Among the 1,638 patients with ARI, those with pneumonia had higher rates of influenza A virus (IFV-A) (49.2 % vs. 39.6 %), influenza B virus (26.3 % vs. 18.6 %), and respiratory syncytial virus (6.1 % vs. 1.9 %) infection than those without pneumonia. In the subgroup of 79 patients with comprehensive blood tests, pneumonia was positively associated with hemoglobin (130.00 g/L vs. 124.00 g/L), blood urea nitrogen (5.73 mmol/L vs. 4.85 mmol/L), C-reactive protein (36.10 mg/L vs. 25.25 mg/L), procalcitonin (0.11 μg/L vs. 0.07 μg/L), and D-dimer (0.95  μg/L vs. 0.80 μg/L) levels, whereas pneumonia was inversely associated with neutrophils (4.20 × 10⁹/L vs. 4.76 × 10⁹/L), aspartate aminotransferase (22.50 U/L vs. 24.00 U/L), and uric acid (280.90 μmol/L vs. 330.00 μmol/L) levels. Elevated D-dimer levels (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.002, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 1.001–1.004) and IFV-A infection (aOR = 9.308, 95 % CI: 2.433–35.606) were significantly associated with increased pneumonia probability. In future clinical practice, particular attention should be given to ARI patients with elevated D-dimer levels and IFV-A infections.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36178,"journal":{"name":"Biosafety and Health","volume":"7 4","pages":"Pages 238-244"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144896228","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biosafety concept: Origins, Evolution, and Prospects","authors":"Wanying Gao ,&nbsp;Zongzhen Wu ,&nbsp;Kunlan Zuo ,&nbsp;Qiangyu Xiang ,&nbsp;Xiaoya Chen ,&nbsp;Lu Zhang ,&nbsp;Huan Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.bsheal.2025.07.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bsheal.2025.07.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biosafety is essential to ensuring the safe and effective conduct of biological research by minimizing risks associated with laboratory work and biological materials. This paper traces the historical and conceptual development of biosafety, from its origins in pathogen containment to its expansion into broader domains. In the modern context, biosafety also involves the regulation of genetically modified organisms and the strengthening of laboratory oversight mechanisms. Biosafety and biosecurity are closely related in origin. Biosafety focuses on biological risks within laboratory environments, ​​while biosecurity addresses biological risks associated with non-laboratory environments. The article summarizes the development of biosafety, extracting the evolution of its conceptual framework from a historical perspective, condenses and compares its scientific characteristics with those of biosecurity, and applies the methodology of science history to define its conceptual framework​​.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36178,"journal":{"name":"Biosafety and Health","volume":"7 4","pages":"Pages 209-217"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144896483","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Spatiotemporal patterns and influencing factors of genotypic resistance testing utilization among people living with HIV: A 10-year retrospective analysis at a tertiary care hospital in Beijing, China (2014–2023)","authors":"Defu Yuan ,&nbsp;Fei Zhao ,&nbsp;Shanshan Liu ,&nbsp;Li Li ,&nbsp;Hongxia Yan ,&nbsp;Lifeng Liu ,&nbsp;Tong Zhang ,&nbsp;Christiane Moog ,&nbsp;Bei Wang ,&nbsp;Bin Su","doi":"10.1016/j.bsheal.2025.05.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bsheal.2025.05.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Prior research indicated low genotypic resistance testing (GRT) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) utilization in China due to partial cost coverage under national antiretroviral therapy policies, limited testing accessibility, and financial barriers. Temporal and spatial data on GRT trends were also scarce. We analyzed GRT patterns among 6,895 untreated individuals at a tertiary hospital using Joinpoint regression, multivariable logistic modeling, and spatial analysis (GeoDa/SatScan). GRT rates showed a significant two-phase upward trend, increasing from 5.36 % in 2014 to 74.17 % in 2023, with an average annual percentage change of 31.30 % (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.001). Beijing residency (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.596, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 2.307–2.921) and older age were associated with higher GRT uptake. Specifically, ages 35–44 years (aOR = 1.207, 95 % CI: 1.026–1.420), 45–54 years (aOR = 1.335, 95 % CI: 1.104–1.613), and ≥ 55 years (aOR = 1.424, 95 % CI: 1.126–1.802) had significantly higher odds of testing. Lower testing rates were observed in individuals with lower education attainment (high school or technical secondary: aOR = 0.827; junior high school: aOR = 0.835; primary school: aOR = 0.695), unknown sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) history (aOR = 0.415), and non-heterosexual transmission routes (homosexual: aOR = 0.834). Spatial analysis identified GRT clustering across Beijing until 2021, with two space–time clusters identified in 2019–2023 and 2018–2022. This study demonstrates substantial increase in GRT uptake achieving more balanced district-level distribution since 2021. Age, educational attainment, STDs history, and transmission route influence GRT utilization. Improving access, reducing costs, and implementing targeted interventions are critical for optimizing testing and guiding antiretroviral therapy decisions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36178,"journal":{"name":"Biosafety and Health","volume":"7 3","pages":"Pages 192-198"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144480218","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"IncRNA IPAN antagonizes RIG-I/TRIM25-mediated degradation of influenza A virus PB1 to promote viral replication","authors":"Tingting Sun ,&nbsp;Shumin Chen ,&nbsp;Rui Zhou ,&nbsp;Saisai Guo ,&nbsp;Yilu Ye ,&nbsp;Jingyi Qiu ,&nbsp;Xiaoyu Li ,&nbsp;Shan Cen ,&nbsp;Jing Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.bsheal.2025.05.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bsheal.2025.05.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The productive infection of influenza A virus (IAV) requires the functional involvement of host long noncoding ribonucleic acids (lncRNAs). Identification of key cellular lncRNAs and elucidation of their molecular mechanisms in IAV replication are expected to expand our understanding of virus-host interactions and develop antiviral therapeutics. Our previous work has identified that influenza virus polymerase basic protein 1 (PB1)-associated long noncoding RNA (IPAN) associates with and stabilizes viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase PB1 of IAV, warranting efficient viral RNA synthesis. This provides a unique viral strategy of co-opting host lncRNA for replication, whereas the molecular pathways exploited by the virus are unknown. Here, we aim to further investigate the detailed mechanisms underlying IPAN-mediated PB1 stabilization. We employed cellular-level molecular interaction techniques to demonstrate that both retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) and tripartite motif-containing protein 25 (TRIM25) interacted with PB1 and co-operated to induce its degradation triggered by viral RNA synthesis. The experimental data obtained from RIG-I knockout cell lines and mutational analyses demonstrated RIG-I promoted PB1 degradation independently of its canonical signaling pathway, suggesting an “effector-like” antiviral activity of RIG-I. Furthermore, IPAN knockdown enhanced the association of PB1 with both RIG-I and TRIM25 to restore PB1 stability. These results collectively demonstrated that IAV hijacked host IPAN to protect PB1 from RIG-I/TRIM25-mediated antiviral degradation. Thus, our data reveal a mechanism of RIG-I and TRIM25 against IAV infection by degrading PB1 and highlight how IAV exploits host lncRNAs to evade immune surveillance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36178,"journal":{"name":"Biosafety and Health","volume":"7 3","pages":"Pages 199-208"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144480219","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Clinical prognostic value of TTV and HCMV but not EBV for outcomes in hospitalized HIV-positive patients","authors":"Qinghong Fan ,&nbsp;Guofang Tang ,&nbsp;Mengling Jiang ,&nbsp;Yujuan Xu ,&nbsp;Nenglang Pan ,&nbsp;Zhiwei Liang ,&nbsp;Chuyu Zhang ,&nbsp;Pinghong Li ,&nbsp;Feilong Xu ,&nbsp;Zhimin Chen ,&nbsp;Bo Liu ,&nbsp;Lingzhen Chen ,&nbsp;Youxia Li ,&nbsp;Chuo Li ,&nbsp;Fengyu Hu ,&nbsp;Feng Li","doi":"10.1016/j.bsheal.2025.05.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bsheal.2025.05.006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Opportunistic infections caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites, are commonly reported in hospitalized human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients, but their detrimental contribution to disease severity remains under explored. In this study, we examined the coinfection profiles of 126 HIV-positive patients with suspected respiratory, bloodstream, or neurological infections. Lower respiratory tract (LRT) samples, cerebrospinal fluid, and blood samples collected within the first seven days of admission were subjected to metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS). Additionally, a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection kit to identify ten commonly known respiratory pathogens was applied to the LRT samples. Of 126 HIV-positive patients, 111 (88.1 %) were coinfected with at least one known virus. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) (71/111, 64.0 %), human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) (64/111, 57.7 %), and torque teno virus (TTV) (63/111, 56.8 %) were the three most prevalent coinfected viruses. Fungal coinfections (58/126, 46.0 %) and bacterial coinfections (47/126, 37.3 %) were less frequent than viral coinfections. Higher viral loads of coinfection were associated with fungal coinfections (odds ratio [OR] = 2.573, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 1.150–5.757, <em>P</em> = 0.0214) and lower CD4⁺/CD8⁺ T cell ratios (OR = 0.048, 95 % CI: 0.005–0.429, <em>P</em> = 0.0067). Importantly, patients with higher loads of HCMV and TTV, but not EBV, exhibited worse clinical outcomes. Specifically, patients with HCMV reads per million (RPM) &gt; 0 and TTV RPM &gt; 5 exhibited significantly higher risks of poor prognosis and intensive care unit (ICU) admission. In contrast, EBV RPM showed no association with clinical outcomes in this context. In conclusion, HCMV and TTV may serve as prognostic biomarkers linked to poorer outcomes in HIV-positive patients. Detection of HCMV and TTV could predict clinical outcomes and improve patient management strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36178,"journal":{"name":"Biosafety and Health","volume":"7 3","pages":"Pages 173-182"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144480216","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Longitudinal profiling of host response and oropharyngeal respiratory microbiome reveals dynamic alterations during recovery from community-acquired pneumonia","authors":"Lizhe Hong ,&nbsp;Lijun Suo ,&nbsp;Kang Chang ,&nbsp;Hongyun Cao ,&nbsp;Jiahui Luan ,&nbsp;Fuxin Zhang ,&nbsp;Xiaofeng Yu ,&nbsp;Xiaohui Zou ,&nbsp;Bo Liu ,&nbsp;Bin Cao ,&nbsp;CAP-China Network","doi":"10.1016/j.bsheal.2025.05.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bsheal.2025.05.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a major global health concern, with limited understanding of longitudinal changes in host gene expression and respiratory microbiome throughout disease progression and recovery. To address this gap, we longitudinally collected CAP patients’ peripheral blood for transcriptome and oropharyngeal swabs for microbiome analysis from admission to 4 months post infection. Age- and sex-matched volunteers were recruited as controls. We observed CAP patients mounted rapid, effective, and moderate immune responses against infection. Coagulation activation and mitochondrial dysfunction were the striking pathways showing distinct difference in CAP patients compared to controls, and the latter was validated by lower adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of CAP patients. Although transcriptional perturbations gradually decreased, they did not fully recover during the follow-up period. Similarly, persisting oropharyngeal microbiome dysbiosis was observed, characterized by significantly lower alpha diversity and altered taxonomy distribution (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). CAP increased the relative abundance of <em>Streptococcus, Veillonella</em>, and <em>Peptostreptococcus</em>, while decreasing that of <em>Haemophilus</em>, <em>Neisseria</em>, and <em>Porphyromonas</em>. Integrated analysis of host response and oropharyngeal microbiome revealed that the relative abundance of <em>Haemophilus</em>, <em>Neisseria</em>, <em>Porphyromonas</em>, and <em>Stomatobaculum</em> were positively related to mitochondrial structure and function pathways, whereas the relative abundance of <em>Prevotella</em> declined over time in patients and positively correlated with anti-pathogen and interferon signaling pathways. These results underscore the persistent impact of CAP on both host immunity and oropharyngeal microbiome, even months after infection, emphasizing the need for long-term follow-up and targeted strategies to facilitate full recovery and restore homeostasis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36178,"journal":{"name":"Biosafety and Health","volume":"7 3","pages":"Pages 152-165"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144480330","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Host factor Rab4b promotes the replication of influenza A virus","authors":"Yilu Ye ,&nbsp;Tingting Sun ,&nbsp;Saisai Guo,&nbsp;Jianyuan Zhao,&nbsp;Xiaoyu Li,&nbsp;Jing Wang,&nbsp;Shan Cen","doi":"10.1016/j.bsheal.2025.03.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bsheal.2025.03.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rab proteins are involved in all facets of the vesicular transport process and play significant roles in different steps of the viral life cycle. Rab4b is a pivotal player in the endocytic recycling of proteins, whereas its roles in viral replication are still largely unknown. Our earlier work identified Rab4b as a host factor required to replicate the influenza A virus (IAV). Here, we further validated the impact of Rab4b on viral replication by silencing or overexpressing Rab4b. The results showed that silencing Rab4b significantly decreased IAV and influenza B virus (IBV) production. Overexpression of Rab4b enhanced IAV infection. We provided robust evidence to support the important role of Rab4b in facilitating IAV growth independent of the host innate immunity. Mechanism study revealed the involvement of Rab4b in the early steps of the IAV life cycle, including virus attachment, endocytosis of viral particles, virus-host membrane fusion, and nuclear import of viral nucleoprotein <strong>(</strong>NP). Furthermore, we found that Rab4b interacts with viral<!--> <!-->ribonucleoprotein<!--> <!-->(RNP) complexes, suggesting that Rab4b binds to RNP complex to facilitate viral replication. In summary, this work provided the first evidence to support the involvement of Rab4b in the IAV replication. Understanding the mechanisms underlying IAV and Rab4b interactions helps elucidate viral infection and pathogenesis and leads to the development of antiviral therapeutics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36178,"journal":{"name":"Biosafety and Health","volume":"7 2","pages":"Pages 122-131"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143869573","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An infant brucellosis meningitis caused by Brucella strain","authors":"Guowu Shen ,&nbsp;Xiaohua Zhao ,&nbsp;Jie Chen ,&nbsp;Xuehui Zhang ,&nbsp;Xin Wang ,&nbsp;Zhiguo Liu ,&nbsp;Zhenjun Li ,&nbsp;Canjun Zheng","doi":"10.1016/j.bsheal.2025.03.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.bsheal.2025.03.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Brucellosis poses a significant health threat to the population, particularly to vulnerable populations, including infants. In this investigation, we retrospectively analyzed the infection source and potential transmission route in a three-month-old infant with febrile seizure. Bacteriology methods, epidemiological survey, Rose Bengal plate test (RBPT), and standard tube agglutination test (SAT) were used to diagnose the disease, and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) was applied to identify the strain. The study revealed that the infant’s parents had been diagnosed with brucellosis due to occupational exposure to infected sheep. The <em>Brucella</em> strain was isolated and identified from the infant’s blood sample, confirming brucellosis meningitis. Post-treatment serum analysis showed RBPT positivity and SAT titer of 1:200 (+ +). The infant had no direct contact with livestock, with breast milk as the only dietary source; however, the detailed transmission route remained undetermined. Maternal-fetal transmission or contamination through breastfeeding, parental hand contact, clothing exposure, or other passive contamination modes may be potential transmission routes. Notably, the parents had a history of brucellosis and given that the infant ​presented with a fever of unknown origin, screening for brucellosis should have been prioritized. Following diagnosis, the infant was treated with ceftriaxone sodium (2.0 g/day) and rifampicin (0.5 g/day) for four weeks, ultimately achieving full clinical recovery. This case highlights the importance of brucellosis screening in infants presenting with unexplained fever, especially in families whose members have previously been diagnosed with brucellosis in endemic regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36178,"journal":{"name":"Biosafety and Health","volume":"7 2","pages":"Pages 117-121"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143869575","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}