Marcilio Jorge Fumagalli

• Rockefeller University

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-borne alphavirus that causes acute, subacute, and chronic human arthritogenic diseases and, in rare instances, can lead to neurological complications and death. Here, we combined epidemiological, virological, histopathological, cytokine, molecular dynamics, metabolomic, proteomic, and genomic analyses to inve...

The arrival of the Zika virus (ZIKV) in dengue virus (DENV)-endemic areas has posed challenges for both differential diagnosis and vaccine development. Peptides have shown promise in addressing these issues. The aim of this study was to identify the linear epitope profile recognized by serum samples from dengue and Zika patients in the E and NS1 pr...

Airway epithelial cells (AEC) infected with SARS-CoV-2 may drive the dysfunction of macrophages during COVID-19. We hypothesized that the direct interaction of AEC with macrophages mediated by CD95/CD95L or indirect interaction mediated by IL-6 signaling are key steps for the COVID-19 severe acute inflammation. The interaction of macrophages with a...

The current COVID-19 vaccines protect against severe disease, but are not effective in controlling replication of the Variants of Concern (VOCs). Here, we used the existing pre-clinical models of severe and moderate COVID-19 to evaluate the efficacy of a Spike-based DNA vaccine (pCTV-WS) for protection against different VOCs. Immunization of transg...

Airway epithelial cells (AEC) are the first in contact with SARS-CoV-2 and drive the interface with macrophage to generate inflammation. To elucidate how those initial events contribute to the immunopathology or to dysregulate the immune response observed in severe and critical COVID-19, we determined the direct and indirect interactions of these c...

Both T cells and B cells have been shown to be generated after infection with SARS-CoV-2 yet protocols or experimental models to study one or the other are less common. Here, we generate a chimeric protein (SpiN) that comprises the receptor binding domain (RBD) from Spike (S) and the nucleocapsid (N) antigens from SARS-CoV-2. Memory CD4 ⁺ and CD8 ⁺...

Flaviviruses are important human pathogens worldwide. Diagnostic testing for these viruses is difficult because many of the pathogens require specialized biocontainment. To address this issue, we generated 39 virus-like particle (VLP)- and nonstructural protein 1 (NS1)-secreting stable cell lines in HEK-293 cells of 13 different flaviviruses, inclu...

Background Only two naturally occurring human Sabiá virus (SABV) infections have been reported, and those occurred over 20 years ago. Methods We diagnosed two new cases of SABV infection using metagenomics in patients thought to have severe yellow fever and described new features of histopathological findings. Results We characterized clinical ma...

The emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants represents a constant threat to world public health. The SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant was identified in late 2020 in India; since then, it has spread to many other countries, replacing other predominant lineages and raising concerns about vaccination efficiency. We evaluated the sensitivity of the Delta variant...

The persistent circulation of SARS-CoV-2 represents an ongoing global threat due to the emergence of new viral variants that can sometimes evade the immune system of previously exposed or vaccinated individuals. We conducted a follow-up study of adult individuals that had received an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, evaluating antibody production an...

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) and Mayaro virus (MAYV) are closely related members of the Semliki Forest virus antigenic complex classified as belonging to the genus Alphavirus of the family Togaviridae. These viruses cause human disease, with sudden fever and joint inflammation that can persist for long periods. CHIKV is the causative agent of large ou...

Viral stability under stress conditions may directly affect viral dissemination, seasonality, and pathogenesis. We exposed airborne viruses, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), mumps virus, coxsackievirus B5, human rhinovirus A16, and respiratory syncytial virus, to different temperatures, UV light exposure time,...

The nucleocapsid (N) and the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the Spike (S) proteins elicit robust antibody and T cell responses either in vaccinated or COVID-19 convalescent individuals. We generated a chimeric protein that comprises the sequences of RBD from S and N antigens (SpiN). SpiN was highly immunogenic and elicited a strong IFNγ response...

The nucleocapsid (N) and the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the Spike (S) proteins elicit robust antibody and T cell responses either in vaccinated or COVID-19 convalescent individuals. We generated a chimeric protein that comprises the sequences of RBD from S and N antigens (SpiN). SpiN was highly immunogenic and elicited a strong IFNγ response...

This manuscript is an up-to-date review of experimentally validated linear and continuous epitopes identified from arbovirus members of the Flavivirus genus. We summarized 153 immunoreactive peptides from the Dengue virus, Zika virus, Japanese encephalitis virus, West Nile virus, and tick-borne encephalitis virus described in studies published from...

Paramyxoviruses have a broad host range and geographic distribution, including human pathogens transmitted by bats, such as Nipah and Hendra viruses. In this study, we combined high-throughput sequencing and molecular approaches to investigate the presence of paramyxoviruses in neotropical bats (Microchiroptera suborder) in Brazil. We discovered an...

Background Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) emerged in the Americas in 2013 and has caused ~2.1 million cases and over 600 deaths. A retrospective investigation was undertaken to describe clinical, epidemiological and virus genomic features associated with deaths caused by CHIKV in Ceará state, northeast Brazil. Methods Sera, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and...

The spread of SARS-CoV-2 in Brazil Brazil has been hard-hit by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. Candido et al. combined genomic and epidemiological analyses to investigate the impact of nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) in the country. By setting up a network of genomic laboratories using harmonized pr...

Brazil currently has one of the fastest growing SARS-CoV-2 epidemics in the world. Due to limited available data, assessments of the impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) on virus transmission and epidemic spread remain challenging. We investigate the impact of NPIs in Brazil using epidemiological, mobility and genomic data. Mobility-dr...

Background: Human infections by Mayaro virus (MAYV) occur by insect bites upon exposure to rural or sylvatic areas. Information regarding MAYV transmission is limited due to a lack of commercial diagnostic assays and diagnostic confusion on account of similarities of clinical signs with other co-circulating arboviral diseases. Methods: A serolog...

The Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a re-emerging arbovirus, in which its infection causes a febrile illness also commonly associated with severe joint pain and myalgia. Although the immune response to CHIKV has been studied, a better understanding of the virus-host interaction mechanisms may lead to more effective therapeutic interventions. In this c...

Mouse kidney parvovirus (MKPV) is a member of the provisional genus Chapparvovirus that causes renal disease in immune-compromised mice, with a disease course reminiscent of polyomavirus-associated nephropathy in immune-suppressed kidney transplant patients. Here we map four major MKPV transcripts, created by alternative splicing, to a common initi...

Picornaviridae family comprises single-stranded, positive-sense RNA viruses distributed into forty-seven genera. Picornaviruses have a broad host range and geographic distribution in all continents. In this study, we applied a high-throughput sequencing approach to examine the presence of picornaviruses in penguins from King George Island, Antarcti...

Background Arboviruses and protozoans can cause neurologic disorders in horses. In Brazilian Amazon, several horses presenting signs compatible with disorders caused by these infectious agents have been observed. Objective To contribute to the knowledge of this epidemiological picture, we sought to construct a serological diagnostic panel for neur...

Mayaro virus (MAYV) is an arbovirus that circulates in Latin America and is emerging as a potential threat to public health. Infected individuals develop Mayaro fever, a severe inflammatory disease characterized by high fever, rash, arthralgia, myalgia and headache. The disease is often associated with a prolonged arthralgia mediated by a chronic i...

Mouse kidney parvovirus (MKPV) is a member of the provisional Chapparvovirus genus that causes renal disease in immune-compromised mice, with a disease course reminiscent of polyomavirus-associated nephropathy in immune-suppressed kidney transplant patients. Here we map four MKPV transcripts, created by alternative splicing, to a common transcripti...

Mayaro virus (MAYV) is a neglected arthropod-borne virus (arbovirus) antigenically clustered into the Semliki Forest complex group of Alphavirus genus ( Togaviridae family), maintained in an unclear zoonotic cycle involving mosquitoes from Haemagogus genus as the main vector. The genome is constituted of a positive single-stranded RNA of 11.5kb in...

Birds are the natural reservoir of viruses with zoonotic potential, as well as contributing to the evolution, emergence, and dissemination of novel viruses. In this study, we applied a high-throughput screening approach to identify the diversity of viruses in 118 samples of birds captured between October 2006 to October 2010 in the North and Northe...

The Hepacivirus genus comprises single-stranded positive-sense RNA viruses within the family Flaviviridae. Several hepaciviruses have been identified in different mammals, including multiple rodent species in Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. To date, no rodent hepacivirus has been identified in the South American continent. Here, we describ...

Rocio virus (ROCV) is a highly neuropathogenic mosquito-transmitted flavivirus responsible for an unprecedented outbreak of human encephalitis during 1975-1976 in Sao Paulo State, Brazil. Previous studies have shown an increased number of inflammatory macrophages into the central nervous system (CNS) of ROCV-infected mice, implying a role for macro...

Ticks are ectoparasites spread worldwide and are well known as vectors of many viruses of great importance to human and animal health. However, the viral diversity in ticks is still poorly understood, particularly in South America. Here we characterized the viral diversity present in Rhipicephalus microplus parasitizing cattle in the southern regio...

The nearly complete genome sequence of a novel polyomavirus from blood samples of Akodon montensis and Calomys tener collected in Brazil was determined by high-throughput sequencing. This virus showed a typical polyomaviruses genome organization, and it was classified as a member of the genus Betapolyomavirus. Our results expand the host range and...

Background Chikungunya (CHIKV) virus is an important mosquito-borne virus causing outbreaks of acute febrile illness with arthropathy. The detection of specific antibodies against CHIKV is used for diagnosis after the acute viremic phase of the disease. However, a major challenge for serologic diagnosis of CHIKV and other alphaviruses is the cross-...

Rocio virus (ROCV) was the causative agent of an unprecedented outbreak of encephalitis during the 1970s in the Vale do Ribeira, Sao Paulo State, in the Southeast region of Brazil. Surprisingly, no further cases of ROCV infection were identified after this outbreak; however, serological surveys have suggested the circulation of ROCV among humans an...

Evaluation of survival rate after immunization with different flaviviruses. Mice (n = 40 per group) were infected once with the different flaviviruses known to circulate in Brazil. Groups (DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, DENV-4, BSQV, CPCV, ILHV, SLEV, YFV and ZIKV) were denominated according with the virus used for infection. (TIF)

Estero Real virus (ERV) was isolated in 1980 from Ornithodoros tadaridae ticks collected in El Estero Real, Sancti Spiritus, Cuba. Antigenic characterization of the isolate based on serological methods found a relationship with Abras and Zegla viruses and, consequently, the virus was classified taxonomically within the Patois serogroup. Given the f...

The Hepeviridae comprise single-stranded positive-sense RNA viruses classified into two genera, Orthohepevirus and Piscihepevirus. Orthohepeviruses have a wide host range that includes rodents, but previous studies had been restricted to rodents of the Muridae family. In this study, we applied a high-throughput sequencing approach to examine the pr...

Supplementary material Supplementary Figure 1. Maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree showing the evolutionary relationships of virus identified in our study with representatives of the Hepeviridae family using only complete RdRp protein. Phylogenies are midpoint rooted for clarity of presentation. The scale bar indicates evolutionary distance in num...

Parvoviruses (family Parvoviridae) are small, single-stranded DNA viruses. Many parvoviral pathogens of medical, veterinary and ecological importance have been identified. In this study, we used high-throughput sequencing (HTS) to investigate the diversity of parvoviruses infecting wild and domestic animals in Brazil. We identified 21 parvovirus se...

Parvoviruses (family Parvoviridae ) are small, single-stranded DNA viruses. Many parvoviral pathogens of medical, veterinary and ecological importance have been identified. In this study, we used high-throughput sequencing (HTS) to investigate the diversity of parvoviruses infecting wild and domestic animals in Brazil. We identified 21 parvovirus s...

The Anelloviridae comprises single-stranded DNA viruses currently grouped in sixty-eight species classified in twelve genera. They have been found in many vertebrate hosts including primates. In this study, we describe the application of the high-throughput sequencing to examine the frequency and diversity of anelloviruses in ro- dents, bats and op...

Cacipacoré virus (CPCV) is a potential emerging virus classified in the genus Flavivirus, family Flaviviridae. In the present study, we present the genetic characterization of a CPCV isolated from ticks (Amblyomma cajennense) collected from a sick capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) in São Paulo State, Brazil. The CPCV isolate shares the typical g...

Phlebovirus genus includes the Sandfly fever viruses and tick-transmitted uukuviruses. Sandfly fever group viruses have been isolated from various vertebrate species and from phlebotomines and occasionally alternative arthropods, e.g. mosquitoes, or ceratopogonids in the genus Culicoides. Uukuniemi serogroup viruses have been isolated from various...

ZIKA VIRUS INFECTION IN BLOOD DONORS AND PATIENTS WITH ACUTE FEBRILE ILLNESS IN RIBEIRÃO PRETO CITY, BRAZIL

Chapparvoviruses are a highly divergent group of parvoviruses (family Parvoviridae) that have recently been identified via metagenomic sampling of animal faeces. Here we report the sequences of six novel chapparvoviruses identified through both metagenomic sampling of bat tissues and in silico screening of published vertebrate genome assemblies. Th...

Dengue is a major worldwide public health problem, especially in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Primary infection with a single Dengue virus serotype causes a mild, self-limiting febrile illness called dengue fever. However, a subset of patients who experience secondary infection with a different serotype can progress to a more...