Saffold virus
Saffold virus (SAFV) is a single-stranded RNA human virus belonging to the family Picornaviridae. Discovered in 2007, it is the first human virus in the genus Cardiovirus and may provide a link to the development of multiple sclerosis or other serious diseases in humans.[1]
| Saffold virus | |
|---|---|
| Virus classification | |
| Group: | Group IV ((+)ssRNA) |
| Order: | |
| Family: | |
| Genus: | |
| Species: | Cardiovirus B |
| Isolate | |
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Saffold virus | |
Discovery
SAFV was discovered by Morris S. Jones in 2007 while working at the David Grant USAF Medical Center in the United States.[2] The virus was isolated from a stool sample taken in November 1981 from an 8-month-old female with fever of unknown origin.
This is the first human virus in the genus Cardiovirus. Found to occur in high prevalence (>90%) among humans, by analogy SAFV may have effects similar to those observed in mouse TMEV-induced encephalomyelitis, in terms of catalyzing the development of human multiple sclerosis or other serious diseases following infection early in life.[1] Much more study will be needed.
Strains
Nine strains of SAFV have been identified; these are named SAFV-1 through to SAFV-9.
See also
References
- Kirkegaard, Karla; Zoll, Jan; Erkens Hulshof, Sandra; Lanke, Kjerstin; Verduyn Lunel, Frans; Melchers, Willem J. G.; Schoondermark-Van De Ven, Esther; Roivainen, Merja; Galama, Jochem M. D. (2009). Kirkegaard, Karla (ed.). "Saffold Virus, a Human Theiler's-Like Cardiovirus, is Ubiquitous and Causes Infection Early in Life". PLoS Pathogens. 5 (5): e1000416. doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1000416. PMC 2670511. PMID 19412527.
- Jones, MS.; Lukashov, VV; Ganac, RD; Schnurr, DP. (July 2007). "Discovery of a novel Human Picornavirus in a stool sample from a pediatric patient presenting with fever of unknown origin". Journal of Clinical Microbiology. 45 (7): 2144–50. doi:10.1128/JCM.00174-07. PMC 1933019. PMID 17460053.