World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
Jessica A. Plante
World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
Sasha R. Azar
Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA; Center for Tissue Engineering, Department of Surgery, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
Divya P. Shinde
World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
Dionna Scharton
World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
Alice F. Versiani
Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
Natalia Ingrid Oliveira da Silva
Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
Taylor Strange
Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
Lívia Sacchetto
Laboratório de Pesquisas em Virologia, Departamento de Doenças Dermatológicas, Infecciosas e Parasitárias, Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, 15090-000, SP, Brazil
Eric B. Fokam
Laboratory for Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, Department of Animal Biology and Conservation, Faculty of Science, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon
Shannan L. Rossi
Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA; Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA; Center for Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
Scott C. Weaver
World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA; Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
Rafael E. Marques
Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory, Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials, Campinas, 13083-100, SP, Brazil
Mauricio L. Nogueira
Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA; Laboratório de Pesquisas em Virologia, Departamento de Doenças Dermatológicas, Infecciosas e Parasitárias, Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, 15090-000, SP, Brazil; Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory, Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials, Campinas, 13083-100, SP, Brazil
Nikos Vasilakis
Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA; Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA; Center for Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA; Corresponding author. Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA.
Ilhéus virus (ILHV)(Flaviviridae:Orthoflavivirus) is an arthropod-borne virus (arbovirus) endemic to Central and South America and the Caribbean. First isolated in 1944, most of our knowledge derives from surveillance and seroprevalence studies. These efforts have detected ILHV in a broad range of mosquito and vertebrate species, including humans, but laboratory investigations of pathogenesis and vector competence have been lacking. Here, we develop an immune intact murine model with several ages and routes of administration. Our model closely recapitulates human neuroinvasive disease with ILHV strain- and mouse age-specific virulence, as well as a uniformly lethal Ifnar−/− A129 immunocompromised model. Replication kinetics in several vertebrate and invertebrate cell lines demonstrate that ILHV is capable of replicating to high titers in a wide variety of potential host and vector species. Lastly, vector competence studies provide strong evidence for efficient infection of and potential transmission by Aedes species mosquitoes, despite ILHV's phylogenetically clustering with Culex vectored flaviviruses, suggesting ILHV is poised for emergence in the neotropics.
