Viral reservoirs

Multiple pathogenic viruses are identified in a large set of pangolins, which shows that trading pangolins for scales or flesh may increase the risk of emergence of viral infections.

Antiretroviral therapy alone is insufficient in curing HIV-1 infection, due to latent viral reservoir persistency. Here, authors explore the post-virologic control of combining active and passive immunisation with vesatolimod, in a SHIV-infected rhesus macaque model.

Changes in climate and land use will lead to species aggregating in new combinations at high elevations, in biodiversity hotspots and in areas of high human population density in Asia and Africa, driving the cross-species transmission of animal-associated viruses.

A clinical study shows that immunotherapy with anti-HIV-1 antibodies maintains prolonged viral suppression after anti-retroviral treatment is discontinued and affects the size and composition of the intact but not the defective proviral reservoir.