Influenza A virus (IAV) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) are two major upper respiratory tract pathogens responsible for exacerbated disease in coinfected individuals. Despite several studies showing increased susceptibility to secondary bacterial infections following IAV infection, information on the direct effect of S. pneumoniae on IAV in vitro is unknown. This is an important are...

Patients infected with influenza A virus (IAV) are at increased risk for bacterial superinfections, and this occurs in association with depressed polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMNL) function. Recently, we reported that in vitro exposure of human W N L to granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) reverses IAV-induced cell dysfunction. The present study used an established animal m...

Viruses are obligatory cellular parasites. Their mission is to enter a host cell, to transfer the viral genome, and to replicate progeny whilst diverting cellular immunity. The role of ubiquitin is to regulate fundamental cellular processes such as endocytosis, protein degradation, and immune signaling. Many viruses including influenza A virus (IAV) usurp ubiquitination and ubiquitin-like modif...

Host defenses against viral infections depend on a complex interplay of innate (nonspecific) and adaptive (specific) components. In the early stages of infection, innate mechanisms represent the main line of host defense, acting to limit the spread of virus in host tissues prior to the induction of the adaptive immune response. Serum and lung fluids contain a range of lectins capable of recogni...

BACKGROUND Influenza A viruses (IAV) result in severe public health problems with worldwide each year. Overresponse of immune system to IAV infection leads to complications, and ultimately causing morbidity and mortality. OBJECTIVE Curcumin has been reported to have anti-inflammatory ability. However, its molecular mechanism in immune responses remains unclear. METHODS We detected the pro-i...

Influenza A virus (IAV)-induced severe disease is characterized by infected lung epithelia, robust inflammatory responses and acute lung injury. Since type I interferon (IFNab) and type III interferon (IFNk) are potent antiviral cytokines with immunomodulatory potential, we assessed their efficacy as IAV treatments. IFNk treatment of IAV-infected Mx1-positive mice lowered viral load and protect...

BACKGROUND Influenza A viruses (IAV) are important pathogens responsible for economic losses in the swine industry and represent a threat to public health. In Argentina, clinical, pathological, and virological findings suggest that IAV infection is widespread among pig farms. In addition, several subtypes of IAV, such as pH1N1, H3N2, δ1H1N1, and δ2H1N2, have been reported. OBJECTIVES To evalu...

Influenza A virus (IAV) infections are a common cause of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). Oxidative stress is increased in COPD, IAV-induced lung inflammation and AECOPD. Therefore, we investigated whether targeting oxidative stress with the Nox2 oxidase inhibitors and ROS scavengers, apocynin and ebselen could ameliorate lung inflammation in a mouse model ...

INTRODUCTION Saliva is a potentially important barrier against respiratory viral infection but its mechanism of action is not well studied. METHODS We tested the antiviral activities of whole saliva, specific salivary gland secretions, and purified salivary proteins against strains of influenza A virus (IAV) in vitro. RESULTS Whole saliva or parotid or submandibular/sublingual secretions fr...

Influenza A virus (IAV)-induced severe disease is characterized by infected lung epithelia, robust inflammatory responses and acute lung injury. Since type I interferon (IFNαβ) and type III interferon (IFNλ) are potent antiviral cytokines with immunomodulatory potential, we assessed their efficacy as IAV treatments. IFNλ treatment of IAV-infected Mx1-positive mice lowered viral load and protect...