Our Targets
- Viruses
Analysis of vector insects’ habitat, isolation and identification of new viruses.
Genetic and molecular analysis of host cells function in virus infections. - Flies
Development of new method for preventing fly attacks (especially around barns).
Target: Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), Bovine Leukosis
Newly identified arboviruses
Next-generation sequencing technique enable us to find new viruses. We further try to isolate “live viruses”.
Tarumizu tick virus Fujita et al., 2017
Reoviridae, genus coltivirus.
found from H. flava tick in Japan. Tarumizu tick virus are thought to be distributed wide area of Japan. Pathogenicity and symptoms of this virus has not been identified yet.
Kabuto mountain virus Ejiri et al., 2018
Phenuiviridae, genus phlebovirus.
found from A. testudinarium tick in Japan. Kabuto mountain virus belongs to the same group of SFTS virus but rather similar to Uukuniemi group viruses. Injection of Kabuto mountain virus to suckling mice caused severe symptoms but infectivity to human and other animals has not been determined.
Oz virus Ejiri et al., 2018
Orthomyxoviridae, genus thogotovirus.
found from H. flava tick in Japan. Oz virus is phylogenetically close to Bourbon virus. Pathogenicity and symptoms of this virus has not been identified yet.
Insect viruses
Not all the virus in insect shows pathogenicity. Moreover, only a part of viruses have negative effects for their hosts. We are also interested in those non-pathogenic viruses.
Bustos virus Fujita et al., 2017
found from Mansonia mosquito in Philippines. Bustos virus is a member of Negevirus group. Bustos virus shows extremely rapid amplification in mosquito cultured cells.
Shinobi tetravirus / Menghai rhabdovirus Fujita et al., 2018
found from mosquito cell culture. Infection of these virus does not affect on the growth of mosquito cells but change susceptibility for flavivirus infections.