Enhancement of Ebola virus infection by seminal amyloid fibrils
Abstract
During the 2014–2016 Ebola outbreak, multiple instances of male-to-female sexual transmission of Ebola virus (EBOV) were reported. While relatively uncommon, EBOV sexual transmission presents a major public health concern, as these transmission events occurred months after recovery. Further, sexual transmission was linked to a resurgence of EBOV disease in Guinea, which had previously been declared Ebola-free. However, the role of host factors involved in sexual transmission remains unknown. We find that seminal amyloids and semen greatly enhance EBOV infection and alter the virion physical properties, stabilizing viral infectivity and protecting the virus from drying. These results promote seminal amyloids as possible targets for intervention to prevent EBOV sexual transmission and seeding new infection chains that reignite an outbreak.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Jun 25, 2018
- Source ID
- 10.1073/pnas.1721646115
Entities
People
- Courtney Cohen
- James Shorter
- John M Dye
- Paul Bates
- Stephen M. Bart
Organizations
- Defense Threat Reduction Agency
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
- Gates Foundation
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
- United States Department of Defense
- University of Pennsylvania