Host response and molecular variation in respiratory and enteric virus infections
PI: Matti Waris, PhD, Docent, Department of Virology, University of Turku
Elina Lahti, MD, PhD
Riikka Österback, MSc
Minna Ylihärsilä, MSc
Maria Honkinen, BM
Suvi Harvala
Principal collaborators at Turku University Hospital:
Olli Ruuskanen, Ville Peltola, Aino Ruohola, Terho Heikkinen, Tuomas Jartti, Erika Isolauri
The goal of the project:
- Study the epidemiology and disease associations of circulating strains of clinically important respiratory and enteric viruses, focusing on respiratory syncytial -, rhino -, entero- and adenoviruses.
- Develop molecular diagnostic tools for virus groups, individual strains, and their phylogenetic analysis.
- Investigate host response to infection by profiling the expression of innate inflammatory markers and interferon-inducible proteins, such as MxA.
- Establish improved total picture of the infections by using extensive differential diagnostics, molecular typing, determination of host response parameters, and well-studied clinical outcome of the patients.
- Generate new insights for the treatment and prevention of respiratory virus infections.
Selected recent publications:
V. Peltola, M. Waris, R. Österback, P. Susi, O. Ruuskanen, T. Hyypiä. Rhinovirus transmission within families with children: Incidence of symptomatic and asymptomatic infections. J. Inf. Dis. 197:382–389, 2008.
A. Vallittu, J-P. Erälinna, J. Ilonen, A. Salmi, M.Waris. Evaluation of MxA protein assays for optimal monitoring fo IFN-beta bioavailability in the treatment of MS patients. Acta Neurol. Scand. 118:12–17, 2008.
A. Ruohola, M. Waris, T. Allander, T. Ziegler, T. Heikkinen, O. Ruuskanen. Viral etiology of common cold in children. Emerg. Inf. Dis. 15: 344–346, 2009.
E. Lahti, V. Peltola, M. Waris, R. Virkki, K. Rantakokko-Jalava, J. Jalava, E. Eerola, O. Ruuskanen. Induced sputum in the diagnostics of childhood community-acquired pneumonia. Thorax. 64:252–257, 2009.
H. Valkonen, M. Waris, A. Ruohola, O. Ruuskanen, T. Heikkinen. Recurrent wheezing after respiratory syncytial virus or non-respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis in infancy: a tree-year follow-up. Allergy. 64:1359–1365.
R. Österback, T. Vuorinen, P. Susi, T. Hyypiä, M. Waris. Coxsackievirus A6 in hand, foot, and mouth disease, Finland. Emerg. Inf. Dis. 15:1485–1488, 2009.
M. Ylihärsilä, T. Valta, M. Karp, L. Hattara, E. Harju, J. Holsa, P. Saviranta, M. Waris, T. Soukka. Oligonucleotide array-in-well platform for detection and genotyping human adenoviruses by utilizing upconverting phosphor label tecnology. Anal. Chem. In press.
E. Broberg, J. Niemelä, E. Lahti, T. Hyypiä, O. Ruuskanen, M. Waris. Severe pneumonia in a neonate due to rhinovirus C infection. J. Clin. Virol. doi:10.1016/j.jcv.2011.01.018