Long-Term Arthralgia after Mayaro Virus Infection Correlates with Sustained Pro-inflammatory Cytokine Response

• Published in: PLoS neglected tropical diseases Vol. 9; no. 10; p. e0004104
• Main Authors: Santiago, Felix W, Halsey, Eric S, Siles, Crystyan, Vilcarromero, Stalin, Guevara, Carolina, Silvas, Jesus A, Ramal, Cesar, Ampuero, Julia S, Aguilar, Patricia V
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 23.10.2015; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Alphavirus - immunology; Alphavirus Infections - complications; Alphavirus Infections - pathology; Antibodies, Neutralizing - blood; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Arthralgia - immunology; Arthralgia - pathology; Chemokines; Child; Cytokines; Cytokines - blood; Disease; Female; Humans; Infections; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Middle Aged; Mosquitoes; Peru; Rodents; Studies; Surveillance; Vaccines; Young Adult; Peru
• ISSN: 1935-2735; 1935-2727; 1935-2735
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004104

Mayaro virus (MAYV), an alphavirus similar to chikungunya virus (CHIKV), causes an acute debilitating disease which results in the development of long-term arthralgia in more than 50% of infected individuals. Currently, the immune response and its role in the development of MAYV-induced persistent arthralgia remain unknown. In this study, we evaluated the immune response of individuals with confirmed MAYV infection in a one-year longitudinal study carried out in Loreto, Peru. We report that MAYV infection elicits robust immune responses that result in the development of a strong neutralizing antibody response and the secretion of pro-inflammatory immune mediators. The composition of these inflammatory mediators, in some cases, differed to those previously observed for CHIKV. Key mediators such as IL-13, IL-7 and VEGF were strongly induced following MAYV infection and were significantly increased in subjects that eventually developed persistent arthralgia. Although a strong neutralizing antibody response was observed in all subjects, it was not sufficient to prevent the long-term outcomes of MAYV infection. This study provides initial immunologic insight that may eventually contribute to prognostic tools and therapeutic treatments against this emerging pathogen.