bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Diagnosis of Chikungunya Fever in an Indian Population by an Indirect Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay Protocol Based on an Antigen Detection Assay: a Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Kashyap Rajpal Singh , Morey Shweta H. , Ramteke Sonali S. , Chandak Nitin H. , Parida Manmohan , Deshpande Poonam S. , Purohit Hemant J. , Taori Girdhar M. , Daginawala Hatim F. 
Published: December 2009

ABSTRACT

A Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) outbreak continues in India. Monitoring of the clinical features of CHIKV infection is an important component of assessing the disease process. Diagnosis is usually made by an immunoglobulin M (IgM)/IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). However, these assays have extremely low sensitivities for the detection of infection in the majority of CHIKV patients during the acute stage of infection (during the 1 to 4 days after infection). In our laboratory, a sensitive ELISA protocol for antigen detection has been developed for the detection of CHIKV infection in the acute stage, and in the present study we assessed the usefulness of this ELISA-based system for the detection of CHIKV infection. We performed a prospective, double-blinded study of 205 Indian patients with suspected CHIKV infection in the Nagpur District. All patients underwent a full clinical assessment, and their serum samples were analyzed for the presence of antigens and of IgM and IgG by an ELISA protocol. In patients with CHIKV infection, the sensitivity of antigen detection was 85%, which was significantly higher (
P
< 0.001) than that of IgM (17%) or IgG (45%) detection. The sensitivity of IgM (20%) or IgG (25%) detection was significantly lower than that of the antigen assay (95%) for patients with acute infections (i.e., from day 1 to day 5 after infection). Antigen detection not only gives a positive confirmatory result in the early phase of the disease, but it is also useful in the prodromal and subclinical stage and may be useful for field applications for the rapid detection of CHIKV infection.
Immunogenicity of a Psoralen-Inactivated Dengue Virus Type 1 Vaccine Candidate in Mice
Authors: Maves Ryan C. , Castillo Oré Roger M. , Porter Kevin R. , Kochel Tadeusz J. 
Published: December 2009

ABSTRACT

We evaluated a novel psoralen-inactivated dengue virus type 1 (DENV-1) vaccine candidate in
Mus musculus
mice. Mice received intradermal alum or 5 to 10 ng of psoralen-inactivated virus. Anti-DENV-1 neutralizing antibody was detectable in 10/11 mice receiving a 10-ng dose at 90 days. Psoralen-inactivated DENV-1 is immunogenic in mice.
Association of Reduced Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha, Gamma Interferon, and Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) but Increased IL-10 Expression with Improved Chest Radiography in Patients with Pulmonary Tuberculosis
Authors: Su Wen-Lin , Perng Wann-Cherng , Huang Ching-Hui , Yang Cheng-Yu , Wu Chin-Pyng , Chen Jenn-Han 
Published: December 2009

ABSTRACTMycobacterium tuberculosisinfection is a major world health issue. The early identification of patients at risk for a poor response to anti-M. tuberculosistherapy would help elucidate the key players in the anti-M. tuberculosisresponse. The objective of the present study was to correlate the modulation of cytokine expression (interleukin-1 [IL-1], IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, gamma interferon [IFN-γ], interferon-inducible protein [IP-10], and monocyte chemotactic protein 1 [MCP-1]) with the clinical response to 2 months of intensive therapy. From January to December 2007, 40M. tuberculosis-infected patients and 40 healthy patients were recruited. After exclusion for diabetes, 32 patients and 36 controls were analyzed. The clinical responses of theM. tuberculosis-infected patients on the basis of the findings of chest radiography were compared to their plasma cytokine levels measured before and after 2 months of intensive anti-M. tuberculosistherapy and 6 months of therapy with human cytokine antibody arrays. Chest radiographs of 20 of 32M. tuberculosis-infected patients showed improvement after 2 months of intensive therapy (early responders), while theM. tuberculosisinfections in 12 of 32 of the patients resolved after a further 4 months (late responders). The levels of expression of TNF-α, MCP-1, IFN-γ, and IL-1β were decreased; and the level of IL-10 increased in early responders. After adjustment for age, gender, and the result of sputum culture forM. tuberculosis, significant differences in the levels of MCP-1 and IP-10 expression were observed between the early and the late responders after 2 months of intensive anti-M. tuberculosistherapy. Due to the interpatient variability in IP-10 levels, intrapatient monitoring of IP-10 levels may provide more insight into theM. tuberculosisresponder status than comparison between patients. Plasma MCP-1 levels were normalized in patients who had resolved theirM. tuberculosisinfections. Further studies to evaluate the association of the modulation in MCP-1 levels with early and late responses are warranted.
Clinical Value of
Treponema pallidum
Real-Time PCR for Diagnosis of Syphilis
Authors: Heymans R. , van der Helm J. J. , de Vries H. J. C. , Fennema H. S. A. , Coutinho R. A. , Bruisten S. M. 
Published: December 2009

ABSTRACT

The diagnosis of syphilis can be complicated when it is based on diverse clinical manifestations, dark-field microscopy, and serology. In the present study, therefore, we examined the additional clinical value of a
Treponema pallidum
real-time TaqMan PCR for the detection of primary and secondary syphilis. The additional value of the
T. pallidum
real-time PCR for the diagnosis of primary syphilis was evaluated by the use of three different algorithms: (i) a head-to-head comparison of the dark-field microscopy result and the
T. pallidum
real-time PCR result, (ii) comparison of the clinical diagnosis made in a sexually transmitted infection clinic (STI) (including by dark-field microscopy) and the
T. pallidum
real-time PCR result, and (iii) comparison of the clinical diagnosis made in a general practitioner's office (without dark-field microscopy) and the
T. pallidum
real-time PCR result. A fourth algorithm was used to determine the performance of the
T. pallidum
real-time PCR regarding the detection of secondary syphilis. From December 2006 to April 2008, 716 patients with suspected cases of primary syphilis and 133 patients with suspected cases of secondary syphilis were included in the study. A kappa value of 0.601 was found for the agreement between dark-field microscopy and the
T. pallidum
real-time PCR. Good agreement was found between the
T. pallidum
real-time PCR and both the diagnosis of the general practitioner (kappa = 0.745) and the diagnosis of the STI clinic (kappa = 0.769). The sensitivity with respect to the STI clinic diagnosis was 72.8%, the specificity was 95.5%, the positive predictive value was 89.2%, and the negative predictive value was 95.0%. The
T. pallidum
real-time PCR is a fast, efficient, and reliable test for the diagnosis of primary syphilis in an STI outpatient clinic and a general practitioner setting, but it has no added diagnostic value for the diagnosis of secondary syphilis.
Selection and Counterselection of the rtI233V Adefovir Resistance Mutation during Antiviral Therapy
Authors: Schildgen Oliver , Olotu Cynthia , Funk Anneke , Zöllner Bernhard , Helm Martin , Rockstroh Jürgen Kurt , Sirma Hüseyin 
Published: December 2009

ABSTRACT
Recently, we reported on three patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection for whom adefovir (ADF) therapy virologically failed, most likely due to a preexisting rtI233V HBV polymerase mutation. Here, we describe two further patients with chronic HBV infection who were found to develop the rtI233V mutation after initiation of ADF therapy. These patients represent the first cases known so far in which the rtI233V ADF resistance mutation evolved under persistent HBV replication during HBV therapy with ADF. Interestingly, one of the previously described patients, who was initially successfully switched from ADF to tenofovir (TDF) and became virologically suppressed subsequently, experienced a moderate but remarkable rebound of HBV viremia after switching from TDF to entecavir, due to the emergence of renal toxicity. Thus, we provide evidence for the selection and counterselection of the rtI233V ADF resistance mutation during antiviral therapy.
Comparative Activity of Pradofloxacin, Enrofloxacin, and Azithromycin against
Bartonella henselae
Isolates Collected from Cats and a Human
Authors: Biswas Silpak , Maggi Ricardo G. , Papich Mark G. , Keil Daniel , Breitschwerdt Edward B. 
Published: December 2009

ABSTRACT

Using
Bartonella henselae
isolates from cats and a human, the activity of pradofloxacin was compared with those of enrofloxacin and azithromycin. By Etest and disc diffusion assay, pradofloxacin showed greater antimicrobial activity than did other antibiotics. We conclude that pradofloxacin may prove useful for the treatment of
B. henselae
infections.
Morphologic and Phylogenetic Characterization ofConidiobolus lampraugesRecovered from Infected Sheep
Authors: Vilela Raquel , Silva Silvana M. S. , Riet-Correa Franklin , Dominguez Eduardo , Mendoza Leonel 
Published: December 2009

ABSTRACTConidiobolus lamprauges, a soil and plant entomophthoralean fungus, has been reported only in a horse and, more recently, in sheep with rhinopharyngeal entomophthoramycosis. Thus, little information is available to enable proper identification of this pathogen and its differentiation from other saprotrophic and pathogenicConidiobolusspecies. Using classical mycological tools and molecular methodologies, we report for the first time the taxonomic and phylogenetic description of threeC. lampraugesisolates recovered from sheep with rhinopharyngeal entomophthoramycosis. The distinctive clinical and pathological features ofC. lampraugesare compared with those of otherConidiobolusspp. affecting sheep, as well as with those of the stramenopilan ovine agentPythium insidiosum. The comparative morphological attributes ofConidiobolusspp. are also diagramed; along with the sequence data generated, they should assist laboratories in the identification of these uncommon species.
Characterization ofStreptococcus milleriGroup Isolates from Expectorated Sputum of Adult Patients with Cystic Fibrosis
Authors: Grinwis Margot E. , Sibley Christopher D. , Parkins Michael D. , Eshaghurshan Christina S. , Rabin Harvey R. , Surette Michael G. 
Published: December 2009

ABSTRACTWith the recent insights into theStreptococcus millerigroup (SMG) as pulmonary pathogens in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), we sought to characterize 128 isolates from the sputum of adults with CF, along with 45 isolates from patients with invasive diseases for comparison. The tests performed included Lancefield grouping; tests for hemolysis; tests for the production of hyaluronidase, chondroitin sulfatase, DNase, proteases, and hydrogen peroxide; and PCR for the detection of the intermedilysin gene (ily). We also generated biochemical profiles with the Rapid ID Strep 32 API system and tested cell-free supernatants for the presence of the signal molecule autoinducer-2 (AI-2) using aVibrio harveyibioassay with a subset of CF strains. TheS. intermediusisolates from both strain collections were similar, while theS. constellatusandS. anginosusisolates yielded several biotypes that differed in prevalence between the two strain collections. Beta-hemolytic, Lancefield group CS. constellatuscomprised 74.4% of theS. constellatusisolates from patients with CF but only 13.3% of the corresponding isolates from patients with invasive infections. This was the onlyS. constellatusbiotype associated with pulmonary exacerbations. Hyaluronidase-positiveS. anginosuswas detected only among the isolates from patients with CF. Strain-to-strain variability in AI-2 expression was evident, with the mean values being the highest forS. anginosus, followed byS. constellatusand thenS. intermedius. Cluster analysis and 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that the species of SMG could be accurately determined with a minimum of three phenotypic tests: tests for the Lancefield group, hyaluronidase production, and chondroitin sulfatase production. Furthermore, isolates from patients with invasive infections clustered with isolates from the sputum of patients with CF, suggesting that the respiratory tract isolates were equally pathogenic.
Repetitive Extragenic Palindromic PCR for Study of
Streptococcus mutans
Diversity and Transmission in Human Populations
Authors: Moser S. A. , Mitchell S. C. , Ruby J. D. , Momeni S. , Osgood R. C. , Whiddon J. , Childers N. K. 
Published: December 2009

ABSTRACT

Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) is considered the “gold standard” for molecular epidemiological study. Repetitive extragenic palindromic PCR (rep-PCR) is less time-consuming and more suitable for analyzing large numbers of bacterial strains in human populations. PFGE and rep-PCR provide comparable genotyping results for investigating
Streptococcus mutans
diversity and transmission.
Carriage of Community-Associated Methicillin-Resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
in a Cohort of Infants in Southern Israel: Risk Factors and Molecular Features
Authors: Adler Amos , Givon-Lavi Noga , Moses Allon E. , Block Colin , Dagan Ron 
Published: December 2009

ABSTRACT

There are few data about the epidemiology of community-associated methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(CA-MRSA) among children in Israel. This study was intended to identify risk factors for CA-MRSA colonization in healthy infants, to characterize the molecular features of colonizing organisms, and to determine whether they are responsible for health care-associated (HA) infections. Nasal cultures and demographic details were collected from a cohort of healthy infants at 5 visits between the ages of 2 and 12 months. Clinical characteristics of pediatric MRSA bloodstream infections (2001 to 2006) and wound cultures collected over 6 months were also studied. Clonal structure was evaluated by multilocus sequence typing. Isolates were studied for the staphylococcal cassette chromosome
mec
(SCC
mec
) type and for the presence of Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) genes. MRSA was cultured at least once from 45 of 659 infants (346 Jewish and 313 Bedouin infants). Forty of 45 (89%) isolates were from Bedouin infants. Twenty-nine of 45 (64.4%) belonged to a new clonal complex, designated CC913, that carries SCC
mec
IV but not the PVL genes. CC913 was also isolated from 9/14 blood cultures and 7/8 wounds. All CC913 infections occurred in Bedouin children, and all but two were HA. In conclusion, Bedouin origin was the main risk factor for carriage of CA-MRSA. CC913 was dominant both in healthy carriers and as a cause of pediatric HA-MRSA bloodstream infections.
Z Proteins of New World Arenaviruses Bind RIG-I and Interfere with Type I Interferon Induction
Authors: Fan Lina , Briese Thomas , Lipkin W. Ian 
Published: December 2009

ABSTRACT
The retinoic acid-inducible gene I product (RIG-I) is a cellular sensor of RNA virus infection that regulates the cellular beta interferon (IFN-β) response. The nucleoproteins (NP) of arenaviruses are reported to antagonize the IFN response by inhibiting interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF-3). Here, we demonstrate that the Z proteins of four New World (NW) arenaviruses, Guanarito virus (GTOV), Junin virus (JUNV), Machupo virus (MAVC), and Sabia virus (SABV), bind to RIG-I, resulting in downregulation of the IFN-β response. We show that expression of the four NW arenavirus Z proteins inhibits IFN-β mRNA induction in A549 cells in response to RNA bearing 5′ phosphates (5′pppRNA). NW arenavirus Z proteins interact with RIG-I in coimmunoprecipitation studies and colocalize with RIG-I. Furthermore, expression of Z proteins interferes with the interaction between RIG-I and MAVS. Z expression also impedes the nuclear factor kappa light chain enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) and IRF-3 activation. Our results indicate that NW arenavirus Z proteins, but not Z protein of the Old World (OW) arenavirus lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) or Lassa virus, bind to RIG-I and inhibit downstream activation of the RIG-I signaling pathway, preventing the transcriptional induction of IFN-β.
Influenza C Virus NS1 Protein Upregulates the Splicing of Viral mRNAs
Authors: Muraki Yasushi , Furukawa Takatoshi , Kohno Yoshihiko , Matsuzaki Yoko , Takashita Emi , Sugawara Kanetsu , Hongo Seiji 
Published: December 2009

ABSTRACT
Pre-mRNAs of the influenza A virus M and NS genes are poorly spliced in virus-infected cells. By contrast, in influenza C virus-infected cells, the predominant transcript from the M gene is spliced mRNA. The present study was performed to investigate the mechanism by which influenza C virus M gene-specific mRNA (M mRNA) is readily spliced. The ratio of M1 encoded by a spliced M mRNA to CM2 encoded by an unspliced M mRNA in influenza C virus-infected cells was about 10 times larger than that in M gene-transfected cells, suggesting that a viral protein(s) other than M gene translational products facilitates viral mRNA splicing. RNase protection assays showed that the splicing of M mRNA in infected cells was much higher than that in M gene-transfected cells. The unspliced and spliced mRNAs of the influenza C virus NS gene encode two nonstructural (NS) proteins, NS1(C/NS1) and NS2(C/NS2), respectively. The introduction of premature translational termination into the NS gene, which blocked the synthesis of the C/NS1 and C/NS2 proteins, drastically reduced the splicing of NS mRNA, raising the possibility that C/NS1 or C/NS2 enhances viral mRNA splicing. The splicing of influenza C virus M mRNA was increased by coexpression of C/NS1, whereas it was reduced by coexpression of the influenza A virus NS1 protein (A/NS1). The splicing of influenza A virus M mRNA was also increased by coexpression of C/NS1, though it was inhibited by that of A/NS1. These results suggest that influenza C virus NS1, but not A/NS1, can upregulate viral mRNA splicing.
Vaccination with an Adenoviral Vector That Encodes and Displays a Retroviral Antigen Induces Improved Neutralizing Antibody and CD4+T-Cell Responses and Confers Enhanced Protection
Authors: Bayer Wibke , Tenbusch Matthias , Lietz Ruth , Johrden Lena , Schimmer Simone , Überla Klaus , Dittmer Ulf , Wildner Oliver 
Published: December 2009

ABSTRACTWe present a new type of adenoviral vector that both encodes and displays a vaccine antigen on the capsid, thus combining in itself gene-based and protein vaccination; this vector resulted in an improved vaccination outcome in the Friend virus (FV) model. For presentation of the envelope protein gp70 of Friend murine leukemia virus on the adenoviral capsid, gp70 was fused to the adenovirus capsid protein IX. When compared to vaccination with conventional FV Env- and Gag-encoding adenoviral vectors, vaccination with the adenoviral vector that encodes and displays pIX-gp70 combined with an FV Gag-encoding vector resulted in significantly improved protection against systemic FV challenge infection, with highly controlled viral loads in plasma and spleen. This improved protection correlated with improved neutralizing antibody titers and stronger CD4+T-cell responses. Using a vector that displays gp70 without encoding it, we found that while the antigen display on the capsid alone was sufficient to induce high levels of binding antibodies,in vivoexpression was necessary for the induction of neutralizing antibodies. This new type of adenovirus-based vaccine could be a valuable tool for vaccination.
Genetic Analysis of the Carboxy-Terminal Region of the Hepatitis C Virus Core Protein
Authors: Kopp Martina , Murray Catherine L. , Jones Christopher T. , Rice Charles M. 
Published: December 2009

ABSTRACT

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a liver-tropic pathogen with severe health consequences for infected individuals. Chronic HCV infection can progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma and is a leading indicator for liver transplantation. The HCV core protein is an essential component of the infectious virus particle, but many aspects of its role remain undefined. The C-terminal region of the core protein acts as a signal sequence for the E1 glycoprotein and undergoes dual processing events during infectious virus assembly. The exact C terminus of the mature, virion-associated core protein is not known. Here, we performed genetic analyses to map the essential determinants of the HCV core C-terminal region, as well as to define the minimal length of the protein that can function for infectious virus production in
trans
.
Insertion Mutations in Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Glycoprotein H Reduce Cell Surface Expression, Slow the Rate of Cell Fusion, or Abrogate Functions in Cell Fusion and Viral Entry
Authors: Jackson Julia O. , Lin Erick , Spear Patricia G. , Longnecker Richard 
Published: December 2009

ABSTRACT
Of the four required herpes simplex virus (HSV) entry glycoproteins, the precise role of gH-gL in fusion remains the most elusive. The heterodimer gH-gL has been proposed to mediate hemifusion after the interaction of another required glycoprotein, gD, with a receptor. To identify functional domains of HSV-1 gH, we generated 22 randomized linker-insertion mutants. Analyses of 22 gH mutants revealed that gH is relatively tolerant of insertion mutations, as 15 of 22 mutants permitted normal processing and transport of gH-gL to the cell surface. gH mutants that were not expressed well at the cell surface did not function in fusion or viral entry. The screening of gH mutants for function revealed the following: (i) for wild-type gH and some gH mutants, fusion with nectin-1-expressing target cells occurred more rapidly than with herpesvirus entry mediator (HVEM)-expressing target cells; (ii) some gH mutants reduced the rate of cell fusion without abrogating fusion completely, indicating that gH may play a role in governing the kinetics of fusion and may be responsible for a rate-limiting first stage in HSV-1 fusion; and (iii) only one gH mutant, located within the short cytoplasmic tail, completely abrogated function, indicating that the gH cytoplasmic tail is crucial for cell fusion and viral infectivity.
Many Tongues, Many Senses: Pentecost, the Body Politic, and the Redemption of Dis/Ability
Authors: Yong Amos 
Published: December 2009

AbstractDisability studies and Pentecostal studies have not interacted much in the young history of both fields of inquiry. This essay identifies some of the reasons for this missed interface, explores how disability perspectives might bring to the fore resources for rethinking Pentecostal understandings of disability, explicates (with the help of a disability hermeneutic) the Pentecostal theology of "many tongues" bearing witness to the gospel with the correlative motif of "many senses" capable of receiving and giving witness to the works of God, and reassesses the possibility of Pentecostal contributions to theology of disability and disability studies in light of the "many senses" motif. My thesis is that the dialogue between disability studies and Pentecostal studies will be challenging but also helpful for both sides, even as our joint efforts might also testify to the wonders of God in and through the diversity of embodied human experiences.