DEVELOPMENT OF A RHESUS MONKEY MODEL FOR IN UTERO CHIKUNGUNYA VIRUS INFECTION

University Of California At Davis, Davis CA

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Abstract

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-borne alphavirus associated with epidemics of debilitating arthralgia in humans. From 2005-2007, a CHIKV genotype from East Africa crossed to India, leading to an outbreak with 2 million human cases reported. In addition to the outbreak magnitude, novel neurological syndromes were identified, including fetal encephalopathy associated with neonatal transmission. It remains to be determined whether the novel syndromes are the result of increased virulence, altered tissue tropism or are merely reflective of the outbreak size and improved case reporting. Although a CHIKV mouse model has recently been developed, non-human primates possess physiological characteristics more reflective of humans, thus allowing for a more accurate representation of human CHIKV tropism and clinical syndromes.