Abstract
Viruses are the most abundant organisms on earth and are ubiquitous in all environments where life is present. They are capable of infecting all cellular forms of life, sometimes causing disease in the infected host. This thesis is broadly divided into two main sections with three projects representing work on viruses that are transmitted between humans and animals, and 3 three projects describing the search for (novel) viruses or a viral association in human diseases with no known cause. Common for all projects was the need for employing a range of different molecular tools examples of such being conventional PCR, real-time PCR, various multiplexbased systems, liquid phase microarray, and sequencing. Depending on project purpose either Sanger sequencing or second-generation sequencing was used.
In one study, samples from bats in Bangladesh were examined as part of a continuous surveillance program of wildlife, and with the purpose of preventing the next disease emerging from these animals. Numerous viruses were detected of which many were novel variants, thus reaffirming the notion that attention should be focused at these animals. Near-complete viral genome sequencing was performed in three studies and used for genome characterization and to infer the evolutionary relationship to other similar viruses. Finally, no known viruses were detected in one of the “human disease”-studies and although the other study is currently ongoing and at a very preliminary stage, results are encouraging.
In one study, samples from bats in Bangladesh were examined as part of a continuous surveillance program of wildlife, and with the purpose of preventing the next disease emerging from these animals. Numerous viruses were detected of which many were novel variants, thus reaffirming the notion that attention should be focused at these animals. Near-complete viral genome sequencing was performed in three studies and used for genome characterization and to infer the evolutionary relationship to other similar viruses. Finally, no known viruses were detected in one of the “human disease”-studies and although the other study is currently ongoing and at a very preliminary stage, results are encouraging.
| Original language | English |
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| Publisher | Natural History Museum of Denmark, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen |
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| Number of pages | 168 |
| Publication status | Published - 2013 |