Abstract
Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a contagious illness caused by several different viruses, including Coxsackievirus A16 and enterovirus 71 (EV71). These viruses typically infect infants and young children, although adults can also be affected. Infection usually results in a fever that precedes the development of small spots and blisters that form primarily on the hands, feet, and mouth. Most patients recover quickly. However, in rare cases, the infection can develop into viral meningitis or even a very serious polio-like paralysis or meningitis. In the current issue of Viral Immunology, Zhou and colleagues note that EV71-associated HFMD often results in serious neurological disease complications. To determine the mechanisms of action of EV71 in neurons, the authors have analyzed the genes expressed by neuronal cells that have been transfected with the virus. The authors show that a number of key genes were upregulated, including tumor necrosis factor, and suggest that their data highlight a number of promising targets for preventing the neuronal complications of HFMD.
Other articles in the current issue of Viral Immunology focus on other aspects of the host response to viral infection, with several focusing on hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections. Wahid et al. present data on the prevalence of untypable and mixed genotypes of HCV in Pakistan. Since HCV genotyping is a critical parameter that serves as a guide for treatment options, this study highlights the possibility that the emergence of new HCV quasi-species could explain the failure of some patients to respond to antivirals. Along similar lines, Omatola and coworkers have undertaken an epidemiological study in Nigeria to assess the seroprevalence of HCV, hepatitis B virus, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in healthy pregnant women. Their data reveal increasing HIV prevalence coupled with declining hepatitis C and B prevalence. Wójcik et al. have also studied HCV in patients with a view to understanding why it sometimes leads to liver steatosis. They note that current literature offers several contradicting opinions on the role of insulin signaling pathway in liver fibrosis. In the current article, the authors present evidence that neither insulin resistance nor hepatic expression of certain metabolic regulatory enzymes are related to HCV viremia.
Finally, Huang and colleagues have investigated the role of obesity in the immune response to influenza virus infection. The authors show that obesity attenuates lung antiviral immunity and hampers host recovery through the modulation of macrophage peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) expression. They speculate that drug targeting of macrophage PPAR-γ may be a promising therapeutic approach to treat severe influenza infection in obese patients.
I thank all the authors for their excellent contributions and all the reviewers who have worked to ensure the high quality of articles accepted for publication.