This Week in PLOS Pathogens and NTDs: Spatio-temporal Dynamics of Cholera in Haiti, Rabies Epidemiology in the Philippines, FeS Cluster Biogenesis Pathways, HIV Envelope Incorporation and More
Viruses in the Philippines. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 7(4): e2144. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0002144
New articles publishing in PLOS NTDs this week:
Dr. Jean Gaudart and colleagues describe and analyze the spatio-temporal dynamics and underlying factors associated with the first year of the 2010 cholera epidemic in Haiti. Environmental factors, such as rivers and rice fields, appeared to play a role in disease dynamics exclusively during the beginning of the epidemic, but varied from place to place as time passed, suggesting the need for rapid and exhaustive case tracking.
The elimination of rabies by 2020 is a national goal of the Philippines and understanding the phylogeography of this virus is important for establishing a more effective and feasible control strategy. Dr. Mariko Saito and colleagues conducted a molecular epidemiological study to locate three major rabies clades and two distinct genogroups around the country.
Dr. Bonnie Webster and colleagues report on the hybridization between a human (S.
haematobium) and two ruminant schistosomes (S. bovis and S. curassoni). Hybridization can lead to phenotypic characteristics that can influence disease epidemiology and control success, highlighting the importance of monitoring these evolving hybrid zones.
New articles publishing in PLOS Pathogens this week:
Iron-sulfur (FeS) clusters are among the most ancient and versatile protein cofactors. FeS cluster biogenesis pathways are extremely well conserved, and are invariably essential for viability. In this Pearl Dr. Teegan Dellibovi-Ragheb and colleagues compare the subcellular organization of FeS cluster biogenesis pathways in the diverse organelles of eukaryotic pathogens.
Cryptococcus is the leading cause of fungal meningitis in immunosuppressed patients, but why it frequently infects the central nervous system to cause fatal meningitis is not known. This study by Dr. Tong-Bao Liu and colleagues lays an important foundation for understanding how fungi respond to available host inositol and indicates the impact of host inositol acquisition on the development of cryptococcal meningitis.
The HIV envelope glycoprotein is specifically incorporated onto assembling virions in relevant cells such as T lymphocytes in a manner that requires its long cytoplasmic tail, yet the mechanism underlying this specific incorporation has remained unknown. Dr. Mingli Qi and colleagues identify a trafficking complex required for HIV envelope incorporation and for the formation of infectious HIV particles.