Development of molecular and serological assays for diagnosis and surveillance of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus
| dc.contributor.advisor | Burt, F. J. | |
| dc.contributor.advisor | Jansen van Vuren, P. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Pieters, Danelle | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2015-11-16T10:31:28Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2015-11-16T10:31:28Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2015-05 | |
| dc.description.abstract | Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) an arthropod-borne virus associated with haemorrhagic disease in humans. The global distribution of CCHFV correlates with that of ticks from the Hyalomma genus. CCHFV infection is diagnosed by detection of viral nucleic acid using reverse-transcription polymerase-chain-reaction (RT-PCR) or other molecular assays, by virus isolation from infected cell culture or suckling mouse brain or by detection of anti-CCHFV antibodies using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or immunofluorescence assay (IFA). High biocontainment facilities are required for virus isolation and preparation of whole virus native antigen for use in serological assays. Currently, treatment is limited to supportive therapy. CCHFV is currently emerging and re-emerging in many regions, which emphasize the requirement for safe, reliable and inexpensive assays to increase diagnostic capacity and monitor emergence of the virus. A nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA) molecular assay for detection of CCHFV ribonucleic acid (RNA) was developed. The assay can be performed without the requirement for sophisticated laboratory equipment. A commercially available enzyme mixture and buffer were compared with a more cost effective and easier to obtain in-house enzyme mixture and amplification buffer. Specificity of the NASBA assays were determined by testing viral RNA extracted from Vero cell culture infected with genetically diverse southern African CCHFV strains. A total of 41/48 samples tested were positive. Sensitivity of the NASBA assays was determined using dilutions of viral RNA and transcribed RNA to detect minimal copy number that could be amplified. The NASBA assay was able to detect at least 3.7 RNA copies. Diagnostic application of the NASBA assays was investigated by amplifying RNA extracted from clinical samples and the results compared with two commercial real-time RT-PCR assays. A total of 20/22 samples tested positive using the NASBA whereas the commercially available assays were able to amplify 22/22 samples. Subsequently, the inhibitory effect of sera on the amplification of CCHFV RNA using the NASBA assay was investigated using sera spiked with transcribed RNA. Two expression systems were investigated for the expression of recombinant CCHFV nucleocapsid protein (NP) for use in serological assays. The baculovirus expression system was initially investigated. The open reading frame of the S segment of a CCHFV strain was codon optimized for expression in insect cells. A pFastBac HT B transfer vector containing the optimized CCHFV NP gene was prepared and used to transform DH10Bac™ Escherichia coli cells to transpose the optimized CCHFV NP gene to a bacmid. The recombinant bacmid was utilized to transfect Spodoptera frugiperda 9 cells. The cell lysates were analysed, however, no expression of the CCHFV NP could be confirmed. A mammalian expression system was subsequently investigated. A pcDNATM 3.1D/V5-His-TOPO.CCHFV.NP construct was used to transfect baby hamster kidney-21 cells. Expression of CCHFV NP was detected in transiently transfected cells using IFA and serum collected from a convalescent CCHFV patient. To profile the immune response against CCHF viral proteins, 15 sera collected from convalescent patients at various times after onset of illness were tested for antibody against CCHFV NP and glycoproteins (GP) using commercially available slides. The antigen slides were prepared from transfected cells expressing recombinant CCHFV NP and GP. Antibody against CCHFV GP and NP were detected in all samples. End point titers of anti-CCHFV NP and GP were determined for two serum samples. Commercially available slides are expensive and therefore have limited application for testing large numbers. Application of in-house antigen slides prepared from transfected cells expressing CCHFV NP were tested using IFA and 14 sera collected from convalescent CCHFV patients. All sera tested positive, suggesting that preparation of a stable cell line expressing CCHFV NP is warranted for application in detection of antibody against CCHFV. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.sponsorship | National Health Laboratory Service Research Trust Fund | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11660/1667 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_ZA |
| dc.publisher | University of the Free State | en_ZA |
| dc.rights.holder | University of the Free State | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Hemorrhagic fever | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Serology | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Hemorrhagic fever -- Molecular diagnosis | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Arbovirus infections | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Dissertation (M.Med.Sc. (Medical Microbiology and Virology))--University of the Free State, 2015 | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Tick-borne diseases | en_ZA |
| dc.title | Development of molecular and serological assays for diagnosis and surveillance of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus | en_ZA |
| dc.type | Dissertation | en_ZA |