Main description:

This volume provides researchers with the most updated understanding of the basics of West Nile Virus (WNV). Chapters focus on the biology, virology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, as well as the step-by-step molecular, cellular, and statistical methods to study WNV infection in cell culture, mosquitos, animal models, and human clinical specimen. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls.

Cutting-edge and comprehensive, West Nile Virus: Methods and Protocols aims to be a valuable resource for all researchers interested in learning more about this important and developing field.

Contents:

1. Introduction to West Nile Virus

Shazeed-Ul Karim and Fengwei Bai

2. Quantification of West Nile virus by Plaque-Forming Assay

Biswas Neupane and Fengwei Bai

3. Viral titer quantification of West Nile virus by immunostaining plaque assay

Na Li, Cheng-Lin Deng, Bo Zhang and Han-Qing Ye

4. Isolate and Culture Mouse Primary Neurons for West Nile Virus Infection

Farzana Nazneen and Fengwei Bai

5. Isolation of Murine Bone Marrow Derived Neutrophils for Infection Modeling

Laurel Duty and Amber M. Paul

6. Methods to study West Nile Virus infection, and the virus-induced inflammation in the brain in a murine model

Huanle Luo and Tian Wang

7. Detection of West Nile virus envelope protein in brain tissue with an immunohistochemical assay

Kathleen T. Yee and Douglas E. Vetter

8. Quantitative Analysis of B Cell Subpopulations in Bone Marrow by Flow Cytometry

Tingting Geng, Penghua Wang

9. Isolation of exosomes or extracellular vesicles from West Nile Virus-infected

N2a cells, Primary Cortical Neurons and Brain Tissues

Hameeda Sultana and Girish Neelakanta

10. Protocol to Study West Nile Virus Infection in Brain Slices In Vitro

Parminder J.S. Vig

11. Studying Virus-Host Interactions with CRISPR technology

Rong Zhang

12. Protocol of detection of West Nile Virus in Clinical Samples

Hephzibah Nwanosike, Freedom M. Green, Kristy O. Murray, Jill E. Weatherhead, and Shannon E. Ronca

13. Detection and Analysis of West Nile Virus Structural Protein Genes in Animal Or Bird Samples

Gili Schvartz, Sharon Karniely, Roberto Azar, Areej Kabat, Amir Steinman, and Oran Erster

14. Mosquito surveillance for West Nile Virus

Donald A. Yee, Ary Faraji, and Ilia Rochlin

15. Molecular surveillance of West Nile virus in mosquitoes and sentinel chickens

Steven T Peper

16. Statistical tools for West Nile Virus Disease Analysis

Mathew J Ward, Meytar Sorek-Hamer, Krishna Vemur, and Nicholas B DeFelice

17. Analytical Approaches to Uncover Genetic Associations for Rare Outcomes: Lessons from West Nile Neuroinvasive Disease

Megan E. Cahill and Ruth R. Montgomery

18. Safety procedures to work with West Nile virus in biosafety level 3 facilities

Freedom M. Green and Shannon E. Ronca

19. Development of antibody-based therapeutics against West Nile virus in plants

Haiyan Sun, Joshua Lesio, and Qiang Chen