Saffold virus (SAFV) is a single-stranded RNA human virus belonging to the family ''
Picornaviridae
Picornaviruses are a group of related nonenveloped RNA viruses which infect vertebrates including fish, mammals, and birds. They are viruses that represent a large family of small, positive-sense, single-stranded RNA viruses with a 30 ...
''. Discovered in 2007, it is the first human virus in the genus ''
Cardiovirus
Cardiovirus are a group of viruses within order ''Picornavirales'', family ''Picornaviridae''. Vertebrates serve as natural hosts for these viruses.
Taxonomy
There are currently six species in the genus:
* '' Cardiovirus A''
* '' Cardiovirus B' ...
'' and may provide a link to the development of
multiple sclerosis or other serious diseases in humans.
The Saffold virus was previously a member of the Theilovirus species but was re-classified in 2019 as an isolate of the species
''Cardiovirus D''. It has shown to affect the gastrointestinal tract and respiratory systems, and is found to be present early in life.
Discovery
SAFV was discovered by Morris S. Jones in 2007 while working at the
David Grant USAF Medical Center
The David Grant USAF Medical Center (DGMC) at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, California, is the United States Air Force's largest medical center in the continental United States and serves military beneficiaries throughout eight western sta ...
in the United States.
The virus was isolated from a stool sample taken in November 1981 from an 8-month-old female with
fever
Fever, also referred to as pyrexia, is defined as having a temperature above the normal range due to an increase in the body's temperature set point. There is not a single agreed-upon upper limit for normal temperature with sources using val ...
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
Encephalomyelitis is inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. Various types of encephalomyelitis include:
* '' Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis'' or ''postinfectious encephalomyelitis'', a demyelinating disease of the brain and spinal cord, ...
, in terms of catalyzing the development of human
multiple sclerosis or other serious diseases following infection early in life.
Strains
Eights strains of SAFV have been identified; these are named SAFV-1 through SAFV-8.
Of these strains, SAFV-1 has a global distribution. The other strains have only been isolated from specific locations.
Structure
SAFV is composed of 8050 nucleotide long single-stranded RNA, and in diameter is 30 nm long icosahedral shaped capsid.
Contained on both the 3' and 5' ends of the strand are
untranslated regions (UTR) with the 5' UTR side being 1040
nucleotides (nt) long and the 3' side being 120 nt long.
A poly(A) is located on the 3'UTR side, and contained on the 5'UTR side are
internal ribosome entry sites (IRES).
See also
*
Cardiovirus
Cardiovirus are a group of viruses within order ''Picornavirales'', family ''Picornaviridae''. Vertebrates serve as natural hosts for these viruses.
Taxonomy
There are currently six species in the genus:
* '' Cardiovirus A''
* '' Cardiovirus B' ...
*
Picornaviridae
Picornaviruses are a group of related nonenveloped RNA viruses which infect vertebrates including fish, mammals, and birds. They are viruses that represent a large family of small, positive-sense, single-stranded RNA viruses with a 30 ...
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q7398707
Cardioviruses