A highly potent human neutralizing antibody prevents vertical transmission of Rift Valley fever virus in a rat model
Nature Communications·
- DOI
- 10.1038/s41467-023-40187-z
- PMID
- 37495594
- PMCID
- PMC10372071
- OpenAlex
- W4385284358
- Study type
- Journal article
- Publisher
- Springer Science and Business Media LLC
- Article type
- journal-article
- Integrity
- current
Why this research matters now
Rift Valley fever is described as an emerging mosquito-borne infection with miscarriage risk in livestock and concern for vertical transmission in women. The study is relevant as preclinical evidence about possible prevention of maternal-fetal infection.
Structured evidence summary
Research question
The paper asks whether the human monoclonal antibody RVFV-268 can reduce Rift Valley fever virus replication at the placenta and block mother-to-fetus transmission in a rat model.
Study design
This is a preclinical experimental study using rat placenta explant cultures and a rat congenital Rift Valley fever model. The abstract also describes passive antibody transfer and timing of treatment relative to viral challenge.
Population and setting
The evidence comes from laboratory work in rats and rat placental tissue, not from human participants. The disease context is Rift Valley fever.
Main findings
The abstract reports reduced viral replication in rat placenta explants and prevention of vertical transmission in the rat model after RVFV-268 exposure. It also states that fetal transfer was detectable within 6 hours and remained present through 24 hours. In the model, dosing before challenge or 24 hours after challenge was associated with protection of dams and offspring.
Public-health relevance
Rift Valley fever is described as an emerging mosquito-borne infection with miscarriage risk in livestock and concern for vertical transmission in women. The study is relevant as preclinical evidence about possible prevention of maternal-fetal infection.
Important limitations
The summary is limited to the supplied abstract and metadata, so it cannot support effect sizes, full methods, or decision-grade interpretation. The findings are also based on rat and ex vivo placental models, which limits direct applicability to humans.
GIDS interpretation
This article is a discoverable peer-reviewed preclinical study on Rift Valley fever transmission and treatment. It provides model-based evidence about vertical transmission prevention, but it should not be treated as confirmation of a live surveillance pattern.
Related GIDS surveillance
Literature context does not validate, explain, or change a surveillance signal. Exact and contextual relationships are shown separately.
Evidence relationships
This article has 9 auditable classifier relationships to diseases, places, topics, and study design.