The threat of severe zoonoses has increased in recent years. Zoonoses are diseases that cannot be eradicated because most of the causative agents are harbored by wild animals and introduced to humans through human activities, such as development of the global environment, and mass and rapid transportation. Therefore, effective measures for preventing and protecting against zoonoses are needed urgently worldwide. In our laboratory, we study Hantaviruses, which are the causative agents of two typical rodent-borne viral zoonoses: hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). We have successfully developed various diagnostic methods for detecting viral antibodies, antigens, and genomes. These new methods have been applied in epidemiological studies in collaboration with foreign scientists in countries where Hantaviruses are endemic. As basic research, the mechanisms that regulate the pathogenicity of Hantavirus infection have also been studied using a mouse model and by characterizing virus structure/function relationships.

1. Promotion of fostering Zoonosis Control Expert
2. Support for career path activity

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2. Gamage, CD., Yasuda, SP., Nishio, S., Kularatne, SA., Weerakoon, K., Rajapakse, J., Nwafor-Okoli, C., Lee, RB., Obayashi, Y., Yoshimatsu, K., Arikawa, J., Tamashiro, H. 2011. Serological evidence of Thailand virus-related hantavirus infection among suspected leptospirosis patients in Kandy, Sri Lanka. Jpn. J. Infect. Dis. 64:72-75.
3. Shimizu, K., Li, C., Muramoto, Y., Yamada, S., Arikawa, J., Chen, H., Kawaoka, Y. 2011. The nucleoprotein and matrix protein segments of H5N1 influenza viruses are responsible for dominance in embryonated eggs. J. Gen. Virol. 92:1645-1649.
4. Li, TC., Yoshimatsu, K., Yasuda, SP., Arikawa, J., Koma, T., Kataoka, M., Ami, Y., Suzaki, Y., Mai, le. TQ., Hoa, NT., Yamashiro, T., Hasebe, F., Takeda, N., Wakita, T. 2011. Characterization of self-assembled virus-like particles of rat hepatitis E virus generated by recombinant baculoviruses. J. Gen. Virol. 92:2830-7283.
5. Yasuda, SP., Yoshimatsu, K., Koma, T., Shimizu, K., Endo, R., Isozumi, R., Arikawa, J. 2012 : Application of truncated nucleocapsid protein (N) for serotyping ELISA of murinae-associated hantavirus infection in rats. J Vet Med Sci. 74(2) : 215-219.