Infection and activation of monocytes by Marburg and Ebola viruses

In this study we investigated the effects of Marburg virus and Ebola virus (species Zaire and Reston) infections on freshly isolated suspended monocyt es in comparison to adherent macrophages under culture conditions. Our data showed that monocytes are permissive for both filoviruses. As is the case in macrophages, infection resulted in the activation of monocytes which was largely independent of virus replication. The activation was triggered sim ilarly by Marburg and Ebola viruses, species Zaire and Reston, as indicated by the release of the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 b eta), tumor necrosis factor alpha, and IL-6 as well as the chemokines IL-8 and gro-alpha. Our data suggest that infected monocytes may play an importa nt role in the spread of filoviruses and in the pathogenesis of filoviral h emorrhagic disease.