Exploring the ecology of Orthobunyaviruses in Virginia and their pathogenesis in murine and poultry models

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dc.contributor.authorLopez, Krisangelen
dc.contributor.committeechairAuguste, Albert Jonathanen
dc.contributor.committeememberYuri, Tamakien
dc.contributor.committeememberPaulson, Sally L.en
dc.contributor.committeememberEastwood, Gillianen
dc.contributor.committeememberEscobar Quinonez, Luis E.en
dc.contributor.departmentEntomologyen
dc.date.accessioned2025-01-08T09:00:45Zen
dc.date.available2025-01-08T09:00:45Zen
dc.date.issued2025-01-07en
dc.description.abstractCache Valley virus (CVV) is a vector-borne, negative-sense RNA virus, in the genus orthobunyavirus. Cache Valley Virus is a widespread pathogen in North America, and since its first isolation in 1956, has been associated with multiple epizootics of CVV in ruminants, leading to spontaneous abortions and congenital malformations. As such, CVV is a virus of high economic relevance, but little is known about fundamental aspects of its biology. To address this gap of knowledge, I conducted a series of studies to better understand the pathogenesis and ecology of CVV. This work is divided into two facets; the first is the development of animal models to assess the pathogenesis of CVV in various host species, and the second is vector surveillance to better understand the ecology of orthobunyaviruses within the Commonwealth of Virginia. In the first two chapters, I address the lack of small animal models to study CVV. First, I developed a murine model and an in utero model that mimic the natural progression of disease observed in CVV infection. In the second chapter, I study the growth kinetics of CVV in avian cell lines and in commercial poultry species. In the last chapter, I explore the distribution and diversity of mosquitoes and arthropod-borne viruses in Virginia. Overall, these studies provide insight into CVV pathogenesis and in utero transmission, the role of domestic poultry in the maintenance and amplification of CVV, and lastly, evidence of mosquito species range expansion, and high viral diversity across the Commonwealth of Virginia.en
dc.description.abstractgeneralThe world's deadliest animal is the mosquito. Mosquitoes can transmit a wide variety of diseases, including viruses. Cache Valley virus is a widespread virus in North America that can be transmitted by different species of mosquitoes. Cache Valley virus is associated with miscarriages and deformities in livestock, particularly in sheep, brain swelling, and death in humans. Nevertheless, studying Cache Valley virus to date has been very difficult as sheep and goats are the only available animals that show signs of illness, and they require large spaces to be studied. My research focused on developing a mouse and a bird infection model that could be used to observe how the virus grows, how the disease develops, and how it is passed down from parent to offspring. I also wanted to assess where Cache Valley virus circulates in nature in the Commonwealth of Virginia. To study Cache Valley virus circulation, mosquitoes were caught at multiple locations using Virginia as a study site and tested for the presence of virus. Although we did not detect Cache Valley virus in these samples, we found Jamestown Canyon virus, another important virus that has previously not been known to occur in Virginia. These studies allowed an in-depth look at Cache Valley virus ecology and shed light on the need for future mosquito monitoring across Commonwealth of Virginia.en
dc.description.degreeDoctor of Philosophyen
dc.format.mediumETDen
dc.identifier.othervt_gsexam:42388en
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10919/123919en
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjectanimal modelsen
dc.subjectarbovirusen
dc.subjectCache Valley virusen
dc.subjectmosquitoesen
dc.subjectsurveillanceen
dc.titleExploring the ecology of Orthobunyaviruses in Virginia and their pathogenesis in murine and poultry modelsen
dc.typeDissertationen
thesis.degree.disciplineEntomologyen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.leveldoctoralen
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophyen

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