RT Journal Article SR Electronic(1) A1 Colpitts, Tonya M. A1 Rodenhuis-Zybert, Izabela A1 Moesker, Bastiaan A1 Wang, Penghua A1 Fikrig, Erol A1 Smit, Jolanda M.YR 2011 T1 prM-antibody renders immature West Nile virus infectious in vivo JF Journal of General Virology, VO 92 IS 10 SP 2281 OP 2285 DO https://doi.org/10.1099/vir.0.031427-0 PB Microbiology Society, SN 1465-2099, AB West Nile virus (WNV) is a member of the family Flaviviridae and is a neurotropic pathogen responsible for severe human disease. Flavivirus-infected cells release virus particles that contain variable numbers of precursor membrane (prM) protein molecules at the viral surface. Consequently, antibodies are produced against the prM protein. These antibodies have been shown to activate the infectious potential of fully immature flavivirus particles in vitro. Here, we provide in vivo proof that prM antibodies render immature WNV infectious. Infection with antibody-opsonized immature WNV particles caused disease and death of mice, and infectious WNV was found in the brains and sera., UL https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jgv/10.1099/vir.0.031427-0