bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Virus‐like particles with reverse transcriptase activity associated with kawasaki disease
Authors: Lin Ching‐Yuang , Chen I‐Chen , Cheng Tsung‐I , Liu Wu‐Tse , Hwang Betau , Chiang Benjamin N. 
Published: March 2007

AbstractTo investigate the etiologic agent associated with Kawasaki disease (KD), we initially established a cocultivation system using concanavalin A (Con A)‐stimulated lymphoblastoid cells obtained from each retrovirus‐seronegative individual's peripheral blood mononuclear cells (MNCs) cocultivated with each of 1) 40 patients with KD, 2) 10 patients with other viral infection and skin rash, and 3) 10 age‐ and sex‐matched normal controls. Five major findings suggested that virus‐like particles with reverse transcriptase (RT) activity are associated with KD. First, RT activity appeared significantly higher on day 12 after the onset of fever in the KD patients than in those with other viral infections and normal controls (dTMP incorporation: 3,645 ± 248 vs. 434 ± 50 vs. 412 ± 46 cpm, P < 0.0001 1. Second, the RT activity was not endogenous, because the Con A‐stimulated lymphoblastoid cells were obtained from the individuals who were negative for retrovirus. Third, virus‐like particles (80‐100 nm in diameter) by electron microscopy were found in the concentrated pool supernatants of particulate fraction containing RT activity subjected to sucrose density gradient, obtained from KD patients. Fourth, the viral product, a 31.4 kilodalton molecule, was detected by SDS‐PAGE after internal labelling (methionine ‐ S35) and density gradient centrifugation. Fifth, using a “retrovirus universal pol gene region” as a primer and the RT‐PCR method, a retrovirus‐specific band was detected in the cocultivated supernatants obtained from four KD and one AIDS patients but not in patients with rubella or in healthy controls. These findings support the finding that circulating peripheral blood MNCs from KD patients may harbor RT‐associated virus‐like particles containing 31.4 kilodalton molecules. These observations may be of value in identifying the etiological agent and the pathogenesis of Kawasaki disease. © 1992 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Expression of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes in human hepatocellular carcinoma and hepatoblastoma cell lines
Authors: Farshid Mahmood , Tabor Edward 
Published: March 2007

AbstractThe expression of nine oncogenes (c‐myc, N‐myc, N‐ras, H‐ras, k‐ras, abl, fos, src, and raf) and two tumor suppressor genes (p53 and RB) were studied by northern blot hybridization in six human hepatocellular carcinoma or hepatoblastoma cell lines (PLC/PRF/5, HepSB, Hep G2, 2.2.15, HLE, and HLF) and in a human embryonic lung fibroblast cell line (WI‐38) to look for differences that might be associated with the presence (PLC/PRF/5, Hep3B, and 2.2.15) or absence (Hep G2, HLE, and HLF) of integrated hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA. The levels of expression of the oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes were unrelated to the presence or absence of integrated HBV‐DNA. Furthermore, the intensity of expression of these oncogenes was no greater in the 2.2.15 cell line (consisting of Hep G2 cells transfected with hepatitis B virus) than in untransfected Hep G2 cells. © 1992 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Activation of human herpesvirus‐6 in children with acute measles
Authors: Suga Sadao , Yoshikawa Tetsushi , Asano Yoshizo , Nakashima Toshihiko , Kobayashi Ikuko , Yazaki Takehiko 
Published: March 2007

AbstractVirological and serological studies were carried out prospectively to evaluate the possible activation of human herpesvirus‐6 (HHV‐6) in 50 infants and children with acute measles by isolation of HHV‐6 from peripheral blood and by determining neutralizing antibodies to the virus. All but 5 patients (90%) were seropositive to HHV‐6 in the acute stage of measles and 18 (40%) had a significant increase in HHV‐6 antibody titers thereafter, whereas only 2 of 27 patients who were initially seropositive to Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV) viral capsid antigen (VCA) had a significant rise in antibody titers to EBV VCA. Among 18 patients with a significant increase in HHV‐6 titers, the virus was isolated from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of three patients in the early convalescent stage of measles. These results indicate that activation of HHV‐6 may occur frequently a few weeks after primary infection with the measles virus. © 1992 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Tattooing as a risk of hepatitis C virus infection
Authors: Ko Ying‐Chin , Ho Mei‐Shang , Chiang Tai‐An , Chang Shun‐Jen , Chang Po‐Ya 
Published: March 2007

AbstractThe association of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and tattooing was studied in 87 tattooed and 126 tattoo free healthy young men who did not engage in intravenous drug use or multiple sexual activity. Antibody against HCV (anti‐HCV) was tested in serum specimens by enzyme immunoassay with C100‐3, NS3, and core antigens; 11 of the 87 (12.6%) tattooed and 3 of the 126 (2.4%) tattoo free subjects were positive for anti‐HCV (odds ratio = 5.9, 95% CI = 1.6–22.0). A relationship was demonstrated by an increased risk for HCV infection with an increasing number of tattooed site (Ptrend = 0.002). All but one of the 87 tattooed subjects had been infected by hepatitis B virus (HBV) and 25 were carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). None of the 25 HBsAg carriers was positive for anti‐HCV whereas 11 of the 62 HBsAg non‐carriers had anti‐HCV, suggesting a negative association between the HBsAg carriage and the long lasting anti‐HCV (P = 0.02, Fisher's exact). The status of the tattooer was also an important determinant for HCV infection; the risk was higher if tattooing was done by a non‐professional friend than by a professional tattooist. Tattooing, probably with improperly sterilized needles, can clearly pose an increased risk for HCV infection in Taiwan. This study indicates the need for legal standards for hygienic tattooing as part of preventive measures for the control of parenterally transmitted infections. © 1992 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Hepatitis C virus antibodies among risk groups in a South African area endemic for hepatitis B virus
Authors: Soni P. N. , Tait D. R. , Kenoyer D. G. , Fernandes‐Costa F. , Naicker S. , Gopaul W. , Simjee A. E. 
Published: March 2007

AbstractThe prevalence of anti‐HCV was studied in a South African area endemic for hepatitis B virus. A total of 35,685 volunteer blood donors (22,034 whites, 9,218 Asians, 3,077 Africans, 1,356 coloureds), 71 haemophiliacs, 84 chronic dialysis patients, 100 antenatal attenders, 212 nurses, and 20 HIV‐positive male homosexuals were tested for anti‐HCV. Repeat positive second generation Ortho HCV EIA was used to determine HCV status for the blood donors; Abbott‐II HCV EIA combined with a neutralisation test was used for the other risk groups. Antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti‐HBc) was also tested in the haemophiliacs, nurses, and chronic dialysis patients. Seroprevalence for the blood donor population was 0.16, 0.34, 0.75, and 0.22% for whites, Asians, Africans, and coloureds, respectively. Of the risk groups tested, 39.4% of haemophiliacs and 4.8% of chronic dialysis patients were positive; of the remainder tested none was positive. Fifty percent of nurses, 47.9% of haemophiliacs, and 22.6% of dialysis patients had serological evidence of past exposure to hepatitis B virus (anti‐HBc positive). These findings indicate a low prevalence of anti‐HCV in the blood donor population, thus probably resulting in a low prevalence in groups exposed to blood and blood derivatives. The overall difference in prevalence between the race groups was significant (P < 0.0001). The high prevalence of hepatitis B virus compared to the low prevalence of HCV suggests that the main modes of transmission of the two viruses are probably different. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Serological speciation of human T‐cell leukaemia virus infections using synthetic peptide antigens
Authors: Tosswill Jennifer H. C. , McAlpine Lindsay , Mortimer Philip P. 
Published: March 2007

AbstractIn order to assess the specificity and sensitivity of two peptide‐based assays (SynthTM HTLV‐I and HTLV‐II enzyme‐linked immunoassay [EIA] [UBI] and Select‐HTLVTM EIA [IAF]) in discriminating between antibody to HTLV‐I and HTLV‐II infection, a panel of 186 well‐characterised serum/plasma samples was tested by the two assays. The panel comprised 160 samples that by Western blot were confirmed to contain antibodies to HTLV‐I/II and 26 samples that showed reactivity with gag but not env gene products. Both assays were found to be specific in that they did not misclassify any of the 80 specimens from cases of tropical spastic paraparesis or adult T‐cell leukaemia/lymphoma, diseases believed to be HTLV‐I associated, as anti‐HTLV‐II positive. Of the 160 specimens confirmed as anti‐HTLV‐I/II positive by Western blot, 6.2% were negative or untypable in the Synth EIA compared with 13.7% in the Select EIA. Of the 26 Western blot indeterminate samples, 16 were negative by both assays. Five were typed as anti‐HTLV‐I by both assays and 5 as anti HTLV‐II by Select EIA only. The peptide based EIAs offer an economical and, in most cases, reliable means of discriminating between anti‐HTLV‐I and anti‐HTLV‐II. However, they should only be applied to sera that have been confirmed by Western blot or other methods as anti‐HTLV‐I/II positive. Even then they may fail to speciate sera from non‐Japanese, non‐Afrocaribbean populations. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Response of hemophilic patients to poliovirus vaccination: Correlation with HIV serology and with immunological parameters
Authors: Varon David , Handsher Rachel , Dardik Rima , Gitel Sanford , Ra'anani Pia , Heim Michael , Martinowitz Uri 
Published: March 2007

AbstractHemophilic patients may present immunological dysfunctions resulting from either human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, or other factors like impure factor VIII concentrate and other viral infections. We evaluated prospectively the serologic response to polio vaccination of Israeli hemophilic patients who were vaccinated during an outbreak of poliomyelitis. Eighty‐two hemophilic patients, 43 seronegative and 39 seropositive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), were vaccinated with enhanced inactivated poliovirus (elPV). Titers of antibodies for poliovirus types 1–3 were determined before and 4 weeks after immunization. T helper and suppressor lymphocytes (T4 and T8), B and T lymphocyte mitogenic response, and natural killer cells were tested and correlated with the response to vaccination. Both groups responded to vaccination with increased titers of antibodies to the three viral types, 4 weeks after immunization. HIV‐seronegative patients, however, exhibited higher titers than the HIV‐seropositive group. The same pattern was found when 21 patients were tested 1 year after the exposure to elPV. HIV seropositive patients were grouped according to their T4 count (between 16/μ and 500/μ). There was no statistically significant difference in the response of these different groups to vaccination. No correlation was found between the response to vaccination and other immune parameters. These results suggest that asymptomatic HIV‐seropositive hemophilic patients respond well to elPV, irrespective of their T4 count. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Antibody responses of children to the C‐terminal peptide of the SH protein of respiratory syncytial virus and the immunological characterization of this protein
Authors: Åkerlind‐Stopner B. , Hu A. , Mufson M. A. , Utter G. , Norrby E. 
Published: March 2007

AbstractThe SH protein of RSV, a small integrated hydrophobic membrane protein, consists of 64 amino acid residues in the polypeptide of subgroup A and 65 amino acid residues in the polypeptide of subgroup B. We synthesized five peptides, representing the SH protein of each RSV subgroup comprised of the following amino acid residues: 2–16, 12–26, 35–49, 45–60, and for subgroup A, 51–64 and for subgroup B, 51–65. Peptides 2–16 and 51–64/65 represented the N‐terminal and C‐terminal ends of the protein, respectively. In RIPA, under reducing conditions with mercaptoethanol, hyperimmune guinea pig (GP) serum against C‐terminal peptide of the two subgroups precipitated the homologous 7.5 kDa and 21–30 kDa SH proteins. Under nonreducing conditions, the GP antipeptide sera precipitated all three SH proteins, suggesting that the 13–15 kDa protein exists as a dimer. The subgroup A 7.5 and 13–15 kDa proteins had apparent molecular weights about 1–2 kDa higher than the corresponding subgroup B proteins. The C‐terminal peptides of subgroups A and B were used to characterize the immune response of 11 children, age 1 month to 1 year, with presumed primary RSV infection. Three of 4 children with subgroup A infection and 4 of 7 children with subgroup B infection developed homologous 4‐fold rises in antibody to C‐terminal peptide (aa 51–64/65) during convalescence. Except for one child with subgroup A and one child with subgroup B infection, the other 5 children developed heterologous rises also. The antibody levels to C‐terminal peptide were low suggesting that the SH protein was a weak stimulus of antibody in children with naturally acquired infection. Thus, it appears that the C‐terminal peptides of the SH protein are not useful as ELISA antigens in characterizing the subgroup‐specific immune responses to RSV infection. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Electrophoretic typing of nosocomial rotavirus infection in a general paediatric unit showing the continual introduction of community strains
Authors: Steele A. D. , Mnisi Y. N. , Williams M. M. , Bos P. , Aspinall S. 
Published: March 2007

AbstractDuring 1989 stool specimens from hospitalised children with gastroenteritis at Ga‐Rankuwa Hospital in South Africa were examined for the presence of rotaviruses. Overall 16% of the children were positive for rotavirus. However, 43% of the rotavirus positive patients were infected in the hospital. Further characterisation of the rotavirus strains was performed by electrophoresis of the RNA genome and hybridisation analysis of the VP7 and VP4 genes present. The strains associated with nosocomial infection were similar to those strains acquired in the community. The majority of the strains, both community‐ or hospital‐ acquired, were associated with a serotype 1 strain with a long electrophoretype and bearing the Wa‐like VP4 gene. Three minor rotavirus strains with a long electrophoretype were also observed to be circulating bearing serotype 1 or 4 VP7 genes and the Wa‐like VP4 gene. Interestingly, a serotype 4 strain bearing the M37‐like VP4 gene was identified to occur almost exclusively in neonates although the gene was associated with diarrhoea in these cases. Two strains with differing short RNA electrophoretypes were also observed, members of which hybridised to VP7 serotype 2 and VP4 DS‐1 type probes. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Nested polymerase chain reaction assay for the detection of B19 parvovirus DNA in human immunodeficiency virus patients
Authors: Musiani M. , Azzi A. , Zerbini M. , Gibellini D. , Venturoli S. , Zakrzewska K. , Re M. C. , Gentilomi G. , Gallinella G. , La Placa M. 
Published: March 2007

AbstractPersistent B19 parvovirus infection has been recognized in immunocompromised patients, often occurring with a low‐titer viremia. In this study, nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of B19 parvovirus DNA was carried out on the sera of 49 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)‐1‐seropositive patients, negative for the detection of B19 DNA at dot blot hybridization assay and with different values of serum anti‐ B19 IgM (27 patients proved positive and 22 negative). Of the 49 HIV‐seropositive samples tested by nested PCR, seven were positive for the detection of B19 DNA. All seven belonged to the group of subjects seropositive for specific anti‐B19 IgM. The study shows that, in the presence of specific B19 IgM, circulating virus may still be present but can be detected only by PCR. In that B19 infection can occur with low‐titer viremia in immunocompromised patients, PCR may be the only method for virus detection. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Low risk of sexual transmission of hepatitis C virus
Authors: Hallam N. F. , Fletcher M. L. , Read S. J. , Majid A. M. , Kurtz J. B. , Rizza C. R. 
Published: March 2007

AbstractSexual transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) was studied between 104 anti‐HCV positive index cases (99 haemophilic men, five women) who have attended the Oxford Haemophilia Centre and 104 (98 female, 6 male) longstanding sexual partners. Ninety‐one percent of the index cases were HCV RNA positive by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and 56% were anti‐human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive.Three (2.9%) sexual partners (each a female partner of a different HCV RNA positive haemophilic man) were anti‐HCV, and HCV RNA, positive. All had other risk factors for HCV infection. Of 59 partners who were tested for anti‐HIV four (7%) were positive and only one of these was also anti‐HCV positive. There was no association between HIV positivity in the index cases and HCV positivity in their partners.Our results confirm a low risk of sexual transmission of HCV. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Diagnostic significance of antibodies to hepatitis B virus polymerase in acutely and chronically HBV‐infected individuals
Authors: Kann Michael , Köchel Heinrich G. , Uy Angela , Thomssen Reiner 
Published: March 2007

AbstractThe prevalence and time course of the occurrence of antibodies to the hepatitis B virus polymerase (anti‐HBpol) were investigated in acutely and in chronically HBV‐infected individuals by using recombinant HBpol protein for Western blot analysis. One group consisted of 19 patients who were acutely infected and recovered completely. Five of these patients (26%, 69 serum samples examined) exhibited anti‐HBpol. Among those anti‐HBpol positive patients, recovery from the disease was combined with a complete loss of this antibody. In contrast, in a second group of 15 individuals who developed chronic hepatitis B, 13 (87%, 102 serum samples examined) had anti‐HBpol during the acute phase of the disease. The difference between the anti‐HBpol prevalence rates of the two patient groups is statistically significant (Exact Fisher test, P < .002), implying that the occurrence of anti‐HBpol may be indicative of a potential chronic course of hepatitis B. Remarkably, anti‐HBpol was found in one case of a clinically suspected hepatitis B in which no other serological HBV parameters were found. This serum sample was positive in HBV PCR, supporting a possible diagnostic value of anti‐HBpol. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Minimal role of hepatitis C virus infection in childhood liver diseases in an area hyperendemic for hepatitis B infection
Authors: Chang Mei‐Hwei , Lee Chin‐Yun , Chen Ding‐Shinn 
Published: March 2007

AbstractTo investigate the role of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in childhood liver disease in Taiwan, an area hyperendemic for hepatitis B, we studied antibody to HCV (anti‐HCV) with a second generation enzyme immunoassay in 195 infants and children, including 96 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive children (66 with chronic hepatitis B, 23 children with hepatocellular carcinoma, and 7 with fulminant hepatitis B), 6 children with fulminant non‐A, non‐B hepatitis, 42 infants with neonatal hepatitis, 11 with biliary atresia, and 40 prospectively followed blood recipients. For comparison, another 748 apparently healthy children (from neonates to 12 years) were also screened for anti‐HCV.The positive rate of anti‐HCV was low in both apparently healthy children (0.13%) and patients with various liver disorders (0 to 4.4%) except fulminant hepatitis. The seropositive rate in 6 cases of non‐A, non‐B fulminant hepatitis was higher (16.7%) although the case number was too small. We conclude that HCV is generally not a major etiologic factor in the liver diseases of Taiwanese children. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Detection of hepatitis C virus RNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and in saliva
Authors: Young Kung‐Chia , Chang Ting‐Tsung , Liou Tai‐Cherng , Wu Hua‐Lin 
Published: March 2007

AbstractThe nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique was applied to investigate hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), saliva, and serum of patients with chronic type C hepatitis. The specificity of the amplified products was analyzed and confirmed by agarose gel electrophoresis, Southern blot hybridization, and restriction endonuclease pattern analysis. HCV RNA was detectable in the PBMCs of 24% (12/50) of the patients. The HCV RNA detected in PBMCs was not due to the contamination from plasma, since no viral sequences could be detected in the third washing of PBMCs. Of the 12 patients with HCV RNA in PBMCs, five were negative for HCV RNA sequences in the serum. Thus the presence of HCV RNA in PBMCs was not strictly correlated to the results for sera. Among 25 patients with HCV RNA in their saliva, 18 were negative for PBMCs. Among 25 patients without HCV RNA in their saliva, five had HCV RNA in PBMCs. In conclusion, PBMCs are an extrahepatic target for chronic HCV infection. However, we do not suggest that PBMCs act as a vehicle for carrying HCV to saliva, since the presence of HCV RNA in PBMCs and in saliva was not closely correlated.
Inactivation of hepatitis a virus by heat treatment in aqueous solution
Authors: Murphy Paula , Nowak Thomas , Lemon Stanley M. , Hilfenhaus Joachim 
Published: March 2007

AbstractHepatitis A virus infections have been reported recently among hemophilic patients in Italy and Germany, leading to speculation that infectious hepatitis A virus (HAV) might have been present in some factor VIII concentrates. In both cases, the implicated factor concentrates had been treated by a solvent/detergent method, which inactivates enveloped viruses but which would not be expected to inactivate HAV, a nonenveloped picornavirus. To determine whether HAV would be inactivated during pasteurization of factor VIII concentrate, an alternative method employed for virus inactivation, we determined the extent to which the infectivity of cell culture‐adapted HAV, suspended either in cell culture medium or in a proprietary stabilizing buffer, was reduced by heat treatment at 60°C for 10 hr. The titer of infectious HAV declined rapidly at 60°C, but the stabilizer considerably delayed HAV inactivation. In cell culture medium, HAV was inactivated by >3.6 log10 within 30 min, but 3.6 log10 inactivation of HAV was reached only after 6 hr in the presence of the stabilizer. Residual infectious HAV was present after even 10 hr of heat treatment in the stabilizer, indicating that <5.2 log10 infectious HAV particles are inactivated under these conditions. In the presence of the stabilizer, HAV was significantly more stable than poliovirus type 1, which has been used to validate virus inactivation by pasteurization. We conclude that pasteurized factor VIII concentrate should pose little if any risk for transmission of HAV if pooled plasma used for its manufacture contained low levels of the virus.
Lymphocyte responses and virus excretion as risk factors for intrauterine infection with cytomegalovirus
Authors: Fernando S. , Pearce J. M. , Booth J. C. 
Published: March 2007

AbstractSerological screening of pregnant women in this and a previous study identified 28 cases of primary infection with cytomegalovirus, 7 (25%) of whom transmitted the infection to their fetuses. Risk factors for intrauterine infection were 1) age less than 20 years, 2) Caucasian rather than nonCaucasian race, 3) a weak response to cytomegalovirus antigen in the lymphocyte transformation test, and 4) the excretion of cytomegalovirus in the urine. The greatest risk was when a weak lymphoproliferative response was detected in combination with a positive result for virus isolation, in which case the chance of fetal infection was 83%. Despite these associations, there was one important anomalous result of a woman who demonstrated a strong lymphocyte response during pregnancy and a negative result for virus isolation, but who gave birth to an infected baby who developed unilateral hearing loss.