Islam Hussein

Microbiotix Inc.

Clusters of acute non HepA-E hepatitis cases in previously healthy children have been reported globally. At least, 1010 cases were identified in 35 countries, 5% of those cases required liver transplantation and 2% died. The exact cause is not yet known, but there is circumstantial evidence suggesting that human adenovirus F41 (HAdV-F41) might be p...

Presently, there is no FDA- or EMA-approved antiviral for the treatment of human adenovirus (HAdV) ocular infections. This study determined the antiviral activity of filociclovir (FCV) against ocular HAdV isolates in vitro and in the Ad5/NZW rabbit ocular model. The 50% effective concentrations (EC50) of FCV and cidofovir (CDV) were determined for...

Human adenovirus (HAdV) infection is common in the general population and can cause a range of clinical manifestations, among which pneumonia and keratoconjunctivitis are the most common. Although mostly self-limiting, infections in immunocompromised individuals can be severe. No antiviral drug has been approved for treating adenoviruses. Filociclo...

Recombinant protein therapeutics, vaccines, and plasma products have a long record of safety. However, the use of cell culture to produce recombinant proteins is still susceptible to contamination with viruses. These contaminations cost millions of dollars to recover from, can lead to patients not receiving therapies, and are very rare, which makes...

The development of therapeutics for cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections, while progressing, has not matched the pace of new treatments of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections; nevertheless, recent developments in the treatment of CMV infections have resulted in improved human health and perhaps will encourage the development of new therapeuti...

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infections are widespread among the human population. Infection is persistent and mostly asymptomatic, except in immunocompromised individuals, particularly transplant patients, where significant morbidity and mortality can occur. Currently approved drugs for treating HCMV-related disease [including ganciclovir (GCV), v...

To determine the mechanism of action of third generation methylenecyclopropane nucleoside analogs (MCPNAs), DNA sequencing of HSV-1 isolates resistant to third generation MCPNAs resulted in the discovery of G841S and N815S mutations in HSV-1 UL30. Purified HSV-1 UL30 or HCMV UL54 was then subjected to increasing concentrations of MBX-2168-TP with r...

Enantiomeric 3-deaza-1',6'-isoneplanocins (C-3 unsubstituted 7a/7b and C-3 with a bromine 8a/8b) lacking the 4'-hydroxymethyl as mechanistically designed anti-viral targets have been prepared by utilizing the Ullmann reaction. Anti-Ebola properties were found for the D-like 7a and 8a and L-like 8b. All four products showed effects against human cyt...

Influenza A virus infections are important causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and currently available prevention and treatment methods are suboptimal. In recent years, genome-wide investigations have revealed numerous host factors that are required for influenza to successfully complete its life cycle. However, only a select, small number...

WST-1 assay absorbance data. Measured absorbance (A450 nm-A690 nm) for all biological replicates for each target or combination of targets at baseline, 24, 48, and 72 hours following siRNA transfection. (XLSX)

Individual and combinatorial mRNA knockdown in NHBE cells. (XLSX)

Titers for all virus strains and targets. Absolute viral titers for all twelve influenza strains and siRNA treatments. (XLSX)

Sampling of mallards in Alaska during September 2014-April 2015 identified low pathogenic avian influenza A virus (subtypes H5N2 and H1N1) that shared ancestry with highly pathogenic reassortant H5N2 and H5N1 viruses. Molecular dating indicated reassortment soon after interhemispheric movement of H5N8 clade 2.3.4.4, suggesting genetic exchange in A...

Methods used for study of rapid reassortment of high and low pathogenic influenza A virus among wild birds in Alaska before H5 clade 2.3.4.4 outbreaks, including sampling of wild birds, banding data and outbreak analysis, virus isolation and sequencing, multiple sequence alignment, down-sampling before tree phylogenetic reconstruction, Bayesian phy...

Low-pathogenic avian influenza viruses (LPAIVs) of the H5 subtype can mutate to highly pathogenic forms, potentially destabilizing the poultry industry. Wild migratory birds are considered a natural reservoir of LPAIVs capable of dispersing both high- and low-pathogenic forms of the virus. Therefore, surveillance and characterization of AIV in wild...

Duplicate or triplicate experimental replicates are commonplace in the high throughput literature. However, it has not been tested whether this is statistically defensible or not. To address this issue, we use probabilistic programming to develop a simple hierarchical model for analyzing high throughput measurement data. With the model and simulate...

Die Therapie von Dysgnathien bei Patienten im Erwachsenenalter nimmt einen stetig wachsenden Raum im kieferorthopädischen Behandlungsspektrum ein. Ebenso zahlreich wie die Gründe hierfür sind die zur Wahl stehenden Therapiekonzepte. Eines der Hauptanliegen erwachsener Patienten an die Therapie ist die Verbesserung des fazialen Erscheinungsbildes. D...

Despite evidence for avian influenza A virus (AIV) transmission between wild and domestic ecosystems, the roles of bird migration and poultry trade in the spread of viruses remain enigmatic. In this study, we integrate ecosystem interactions into a phylogeographic model to assess the contribution of wild and domestic hosts to AIV distribution and p...

Accession numbers of newly sequenced viruses. (PDF)

Mean migration rates of H3 subtype viruses between avian ecosystems across sampling locations. Statistically supported interactions are shown in bold. (PDF)

Mean migration rates of H6 subtype viruses between avian ecosystems across sampling locations. Statistically supported interactions are shown in bold. (PDF)

Ecotype, Latitude and Longitude of globally distributed samples (XLSX)

Bayesian relaxed clock phylogenetic MCC tree of global H9 HA gene sequences with taxon names. Purple bars on nodes indicate 95% Bayesian credibility intervals of divergence time estimates. (PDF)

Inferred migration rates and patterns for H6 subtype viruses sampled from wild and domestic animals. (A) Map showing statistically supported transitions between geographic regions by ecosystem. Line thickness corresponds to viral flow rates shown in S4 Table (thinnest <0.5; 0.5 to <1; 1 to <2; ≥2 thickest). (B) Density distribution of statistically...

Dataset descriptions and model extensions. This file contains details of the sampling procedures used and descriptions of the final datasets presented in this manuscript. (PDF)

Dataset summary before and after subsampling. (PDF)

Map showing global duck production density. (PDF)

Heat map showing source-sink dynamics/location/year. (PDF)

Root state probabilities as a function of number of taxa sampled from a particular state estimated during tip-state randomization procedure. The final dataset is shown in green and alternative state sampling procedures indicated in blue. Grey line indicates the prior expectation for the root location probability. Shaded area indicates empirical pos...

A) Mean state transition rates within and between ecosystems and B) root state probability using tip-state randomization for the H3 dataset. (PDF)

Mean state transition rates within and between ecosystems using tip-state randomization for the full dataset and alternative state sampling procedures (A-G). The number of sequenced used in each analysis were A) n = 73; B) n = 143; C) n = 260; D) n = 424; E) n = 564; F) n = 686; G) n = 791. (PDF)

(A) Histogram of H9 avian influenza isolates included in the full dataset per year by regions. (B) Histogram of H9 avian influenza isolates following subsampling included in the final dataset per year by regions. (PDF)

Inferred migration rates and patterns for H3 subtype viruses sampled from wild and domestic animals. (A) Map showing statistically supported transitions between geographic regions by ecosystem. Line thickness corresponds to viral flow rates shown in S3 Table (thinnest <0.5; 0.5 to <1; 1 to <2; ≥2 thickest). (B) Density distribution of statistically...

Bayesian relaxed clock phylogenetic MCC tree of global H3 HA gene sequences with taxon names. Purple bars on nodes indicate 95% Bayesian credibility intervals of divergence time estimates. (PDF)

Bayesian relaxed clock phylogenetic MCC tree of global H6 HA gene sequences with taxon names. Purple bars on nodes indicate 95% Bayesian credibility intervals of divergence time estimates. (PDF)

A) Mean state transition rates within and between ecosystems and B) root state probability using tip-state randomization for the H6 dataset. (PDF)

An influenza H3N8 virus, carrying mammalian adaptation mutations, was isolated from New England harbor seals in 2011. We sought to assess the risk of its human transmissibility using two complementary approaches. First, we tested the binding of recombinant hemagglutinin (HA) proteins of seal H3N8 and human-adapted H3N2 viruses to respiratory tissue...

This study reports on the genetic characterization of an avian influenza virus, subtype H12N3, isolated from an Eurasian green-winged teal (Anas crecca) in Japan in 2009. The entire genome sequence of the isolate was analyzed, and phylogenetic analyses were conducted to characterize the evolutionary history of the isolate. Phylogenetic analysis of...

GenBank Accession Numbers KM668060-KM668067 represent sequences from the 8 segments of Influenza A virus (A/green winged teal/Japan/9KS0643/2009(H12N3)). ##Assembly-Data-START## Sequencing Technology :: Sanger dideoxy sequencing ##Assembly-Data-END##

GenBank Accession Numbers KM668060-KM668067 represent sequences from the 8 segments of Influenza A virus (A/green winged teal/Japan/9KS0643/2009(H12N3)). ##Assembly-Data-START## Sequencing Technology :: Sanger dideoxy sequencing ##Assembly-Data-END##

GenBank Accession Numbers KM668060-KM668067 represent sequences from the 8 segments of Influenza A virus (A/green winged teal/Japan/9KS0643/2009(H12N3)). ##Assembly-Data-START## Sequencing Technology :: Sanger dideoxy sequencing ##Assembly-Data-END##

GenBank Accession Numbers KM668060-KM668067 represent sequences from the 8 segments of Influenza A virus (A/green winged teal/Japan/9KS0643/2009(H12N3)). ##Assembly-Data-START## Sequencing Technology :: Sanger dideoxy sequencing ##Assembly-Data-END##

GenBank Accession Numbers KM668060-KM668067 represent sequences from the 8 segments of Influenza A virus (A/green winged teal/Japan/9KS0643/2009(H12N3)). ##Assembly-Data-START## Sequencing Technology :: Sanger dideoxy sequencing ##Assembly-Data-END##

GenBank Accession Numbers KM668060-KM668067 represent sequences from the 8 segments of Influenza A virus (A/green winged teal/Japan/9KS0643/2009(H12N3)). ##Assembly-Data-START## Sequencing Technology :: Sanger dideoxy sequencing ##Assembly-Data-END##

GenBank Accession Numbers KM668060-KM668067 represent sequences from the 8 segments of Influenza A virus (A/green winged teal/Japan/9KS0643/2009(H12N3)). ##Assembly-Data-START## Sequencing Technology :: Sanger dideoxy sequencing ##Assembly-Data-END##

GenBank Accession Numbers KM668060-KM668067 represent sequences from the 8 segments of Influenza A virus (A/green winged teal/Japan/9KS0643/2009(H12N3)). ##Assembly-Data-START## Sequencing Technology :: Sanger dideoxy sequencing ##Assembly-Data-END##

Continuing outbreaks of pathogenic (H5N1) and pandemic (SOIVH1N1) influenza have underscored the need to understand the origin, characteristics, and evolution of novel influenza A virus (IAV) variants that pose a threat to human health. In the last 4-5 years, focus has been placed on the organization of large-scale surveillance programs to examine...

Hantaviruses are zoonotic category-A pathogens that cause highly fatal diseases in humans. The hantaviral genome encodes three viral proteins: RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp or L protein), nucleocapsid protein (N), and a glycoprotein precursor (GPC), which is post-translationally cleaved into two surface glycoproteins Gn and Gc. The cytoplasmic...

Hantavirus glycoprotein precursor (GPC) is posttranslationally cleaved into two glycoproteins, Gn and Gc. Cells transfected with plasmids expressing either GPC or both Gn and Gc revealed that Gn is posttranslationally degraded. Treatment of cells with the autophagy inhibitors 3-methyladenine, LY-294002, or Wortmanin rescued Gn degradation, suggesti...

Hantaviruses are emerging zoonotic pathogens that belong to the Bunyaviridae family. They have been classified as category A pathogens by CDC (centers for disease control and prevention). Hantaviruses pose a serious threat to human health because their infection causes two highly fatal diseases, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hant...

Hantaviruses, members of the Bunyaviridae family, are negative-stranded emerging RNA viruses and category A pathogens that cause serious illness when transmitted to humans through aerosolized excreta of infected rodent hosts. Hantaviruses have evolved a novel translation initiation mechanism, operated by nucleocapsid protein (N), which preferential...

Hantaviruses, members of the Bunyaviridae family, are negative-stranded emerging RNA viruses and category A pathogens that cause serious illness when transmitted to humans through aerosolized excreta of infected rodent hosts. Hantaviruses have evolved a novel translation initiation mechanism, operated by nucleocapsid protein (N), which preferential...

HIV-1 packages two copies of RNA into one particle, and the dimerization initiation signal (DIS) in the viral RNA plays an important role in selecting the copackaged RNA partner. We analyzed the DIS sequences of the circulating HIV-1 isolates in the GenBank database and observed that, in addition to the prevalent GCGCGC, GTGCAC, and GTGCGC sequence...

Feline herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1) is considered as the most common viral infection of domestic cats worldwide. It causes a disease characterized by upper respiratory and ocular clinical signs. Several attempts are currently underway to develop antiviral chemotherapy for treating FHV-1 infections. The availability of a rapid quantitative method for detec...

Feline herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1) is the causative agent of a severe ocular disease in cats for which a safe potent antiviral chemotherapeutic agent is highly demanded. The sensitivity of FHV-1 to inhibition by three anti-herpetic nucleoside analogues [acyclovir (ACV), penciclovir (PCV) and cidofovir (CDV)] was tested by means of yield reduction assay....

Feline herpesvirus-1 (FHV-1) causes a severe upper respiratory and ocular disease in cats. An effective antiviral compound is required for treating FHV-1 infections. The virus-encoded thymidine kinase (TK) is the molecular basis for selective activation of commonly used antiviral nucleoside analogue drugs, e.g. acyclovir (ACV), penciclovir (PCV) an...

This short review considers how the human herpesviruses were among the first viruses to be effectively treated by means of antiviral therapy although the ability of alphaherpsviruses to establish neuronal latency with reactivation remains the major obstacle to achieving a cure. Laboratory animals played an essential role in the development of herpe...

This short review considers how the human herpesviruses were among the first viruses to be effectively treated by means of antiviral therapy although the ability of alphaherpsviruses to establish neuronal latency with reactivation remains the major obstacle to achieving a cure. Laboratory animals played an essential role in the development of herpe...