Document text
Principal Investigator: Smriti Mehra
Organization: TEXAS BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Fiscal Year: 2024
Award: $30,808
Funding agency: NIH Office of the Director
Abstract – Core B: Viral Testing Core
The Viral Testing Core is a critical component for the maintenance of a Specific Pathogen Free (SPF) Indian
rhesus macaque (Ind RM) (Macaca mulatta) breeding colony. Rhesus macaques infected with the Simian
Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV) are the preferred animal model for AIDS studies and are used to examine many
aspects of viral pathogenesis, AIDS vaccine development, and exploratory new systemic and mucosal antiviral
therapies, including early events not readily studied in human patients. The presence of certain viruses can
confound the results of AIDS-related investigations. SPF colonies have been developed using state-of-the art
assays to eliminate animals with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), Type D simian retrovirus (SRV) simian T-
lymphotropic virus (STLV-1); and herpes B virus (Macacine herpesvirus-1), which is a potential health risk for
personnel handling the animals. The goal of the Viral Testing Core is to provide techniques and expertise to
assure the continuing SPF status of the Ind RM breeding colony at the Southwest National Primate Research
Center (SNPRC). In order to fulfill this goal, the following Specific Aims will be completed: Specific Aim 1: to
provide a reliable and sensitive in-house viral screening method. This screening method is intended to produce
reliable results in a fast turnaround time. We will continue to use the Charles River Laboratories (CRL) Multiplex
Fluorescent ImmunoAssay (FMIA) for serological screening of all animals, which represents one of the current
state-of-the-art surveillance techniques. Specific Aim 2: to increase the research value of the SNPRC Ind RM
breeding colony by expanding serology testing. The core is ever evolving in the use of state-of-the-art techniques
and expanding to detect other pathogens of interest. In recent years, we extended our serology testing to include
detection of antibodies against measles virus and Trypanosoma cruzi. Presence of antibodies to measles is used
to confirm immune responses to the colony active measles immunization effort. Serological screening for
antibodies to the causative agent of Chagas Disease, along with PCR confirmatory testing, is used to 1) assist
animal selection; 2) to determine the prevalence of this infection in the NHP colonies; and 3) to improve and
evaluate the effectiveness of our pest control system. Finally, SNPRC has recently screened the SPF colony for
SARS-CoV-2 by both serology and PCR. Following recommendations developed by the National Primate
Research Center Pathogen Detection Working Group, the Viral Testing Core has developed an algorithm that
incorporates results from the serological viral screening with both serological and PCR confirmatory assays.
Additionally, the Core will continue to participate in activities proposed by the national Breeding Colony
Management Consortium (BCMC), which frequently distributes serum panels for proficiency testing among its
laboratory members with the intent to monitor and ensure acceptable quality testing algorithms, reagents,
methods, equipment, and personnel.
Terms: <2019 novel corona virus><2019 novel coronavirus><2019-nCoV><AIDS><AIDS Virus><AIDS vaccine development><Acquired Immune Deficiency><Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome><Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Virus><Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome><Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Virus><Affect><Algorithms><American Trypanosomiasis><American trypanosome><Animal Model><Animal Models and Related Studies><Animals><Anti-viral Therapy><Antibodies><Antibody titer measurement><Assay><Bioassay><Biological Assay><Blood Serum><Breeding><COVID crisis><COVID epidemic><COVID pandemic><COVID testing><COVID-19 antibody><COVID-19 crisis><COVID-19 epidemic><COVID-19 era><COVID-19 global health crisis><COVID-19 global pandemic><COVID-19 health crisis><COVID-19 pandemic><COVID-19 period><COVID-19 public health crisis><COVID-19 testing><COVID-19 virus><COVID-19 years><COVID19 testing><COVID19 virus><California><Caribbean><Caribbean Sea Region><Caribbean region><Chagas Disease><CoV-2><CoV2><Consensus><Cooperative Agreements><Data><Decision Making><Development><Ensure><Equipment><Event><Exposure to><Goals><Grant><HIV><HSV-1><HSV1><Health><Herpes Simplex Type 1><Herpes Simplex Virus 1><Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1><Herpesvirus 1><Human><Human Immunodeficiency Viruses><Human Resources><Immune response><Immunization><Immunization Programs><Immunoassay><Immunological response><Immunology><Infection><Investigation><Investigators><LAV-HTLV-III><Laboratories><Lymphadenopathy-Associated Virus><M mulatta><M. mulatta><Macaca><Macaca mulatta><Macaque><Maintenance><Manpower><Measles><Measles virus><Methods><Modern Man><Monitor><Monkeys><Mucosa><Mucosal Tissue><Mucous Membrane><NIH><National Institutes of Health><Oregon><Parasites><Pathogen detection><Patients><Pest Control><Prevalence><Primates><Primates Mammals><Principal Investigator><Procedures><RT-PCR><RTPCR><Reagent><Recombinants><Recommendation><Reliability of Results><Research><Research Personnel><Research Support><Researchers><Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction><Rhesus><Rhesus Macaque><Rhesus Monkey><Risk><Rubeola><SARS corona virus 2><SARS-CO-V2><SARS-COVID-2><SARS-CoV-2><SARS-CoV-2 antibody><SARS-CoV-2 epidemic><SARS-CoV-2 global health crisis><SARS-CoV-2 global pandemic><SARS-CoV-2 pandemic><SARS-CoV-2 testing><SARS-CoV2><SARS-associated corona virus 2><SARS-associated coronavirus 2><SARS-coronavirus-2><SARS-coronavirus-2 epidemic><SARS-coronavirus-2 pandemic><SARS-related corona virus 2><SARS-related coronavirus 2><SARSCoV2><SHIV><SIV><Sampling><Serology><Serology test><Serum><Severe Acute Respiratory Coronavirus 2><Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome CoV 2><Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Corona Virus 2><Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Coronavirus 2><Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoV 2><Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoV 2 epidemic><Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoV 2 pandemic><Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-associated coronavirus 2><Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-related coronavirus 2><Severe acute respiratory syndrome associated corona virus 2><Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2><Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 epidemic><Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pandemic><Severe acute respiratory syndrome related corona virus 2><Simian Immunodeficiency Viruses><Simian Retroviruses><South American Trypanosomiasis><System><T cruzi><T. cruzi><Techniques><Testing><Time><Trypanosoma cruzi><U-Series Cooperative Agreements><United States National Institutes of Health><Vaccination Programs><Viral><Viral Pathogenesis><Virus><Virus-HIV><Washington><West Indies Region><Wuhan coronavirus><animal care><antibody against COVID-19><antibody against SARS-CoV-2><antibody against coronavirus disease 2019><antibody against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2><antibody based detection><antibody detection><antibody titering><antibody to COVID-19><antibody to SARS-CoV-2><antibody to coronavirus disease 2019><antibody to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2><assess effectiveness><coronavirus disease 2019 antibody><coronavirus disease 2019 crisis><coronavirus disease 2019 epidemic><coronavirus disease 2019 global health crisis><coronavirus disease 2019 global pandemic><coronavirus disease 2019 health crisis><coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic><coronavirus disease 2019 public health crisis><coronavirus disease 2019 testing><coronavirus disease 2019 virus><coronavirus disease crisis><coronavirus disease epidemic><coronavirus disease pandemic><coronavirus disease testing><coronavirus disease-19 global pandemic><coronavirus disease-19 pandemic><coronavirus disease-19 virus><coronavirus testing><detect antibodies><determine effectiveness><determine efficacy><developmental><effectiveness assessment><effectiveness evaluation><efficacy analysis><efficacy assessment><efficacy determination><efficacy evaluation><efficacy examination><evaluate effectiveness><evaluate efficacy><examine effectiveness><examine efficacy><germ free condition><hCoV19><herpes simplex i><herpes simplex-1><host response><immune system response><immunoresponse><improved><instrument><interest><member><model of animal><morbilli><nCoV2><pathogen><personnel><programs><reverse transcriptase PCR><rougeole virus><rubeola virus><screening><screenings><serology assay><severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 antibody><severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 global health crisis><severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 global pandemic><severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 testing><simian HIV><simian human immunodeficiency virus><specific pathogen free><testing for COVID><testing of COVID><viral RNA><viral infectious disease treatment><viral testing><virus RNA><virus pathogenesis><virus testing><work group><working group>