Emergence of a virulent strain of West Nile virus causing fatal equine encephalitis in south-eastern Australia. In 2011 a large outbreak of encephalitis in horses occurred in south-eastern Australia that was caused by a new virus that is transmitted by mosquitoes and is related to West Nile virus, known to cause severe disease in humans and horses. This project will study this new virus and develop improved methods for diagnosis and control of this disease.
Linking immunomodulation and latency in alphaherpesvirus infection. Herpesviruses cause major diseases in humans and all domestic animal species. Latency forms a significant part of the evolutionary success of herpesviruses, by enabling transmission of the virus throughout the lifetime of the host. Our work has shown that an alphaherpesvirus protein can divert the host’s immune response to become more antibody-mediated and less T cell-mediated. This study explores the consequences of this immune ....Linking immunomodulation and latency in alphaherpesvirus infection. Herpesviruses cause major diseases in humans and all domestic animal species. Latency forms a significant part of the evolutionary success of herpesviruses, by enabling transmission of the virus throughout the lifetime of the host. Our work has shown that an alphaherpesvirus protein can divert the host’s immune response to become more antibody-mediated and less T cell-mediated. This study explores the consequences of this immune diversion, and examines whether this reduced T cell response enables the development of latent infections. Disrupting the virus-host balance by alterations to this conserved viral protein will enable novel approaches to controlling these economically significant viruses.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE180100512
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$365,058.00
Summary
Bird flu in avian species: understanding the mechanisms of disease. This project aims to understand the genesis and pathogenesis of influenza virus in avian species. The project will investigate the role of bacteria in influenza severity in chickens, the role of avian endothelial cells in the emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses and the susceptibility of Australia’s native black swans to influenza. This project will generate fundamental knowledge that may help reduce the severi ....Bird flu in avian species: understanding the mechanisms of disease. This project aims to understand the genesis and pathogenesis of influenza virus in avian species. The project will investigate the role of bacteria in influenza severity in chickens, the role of avian endothelial cells in the emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses and the susceptibility of Australia’s native black swans to influenza. This project will generate fundamental knowledge that may help reduce the severity of influenza in avian populations and provide a new insight into the anti-viral response of an iconic Australian bird species.Read moreRead less