bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Virus isolation and immune studies in a cohort of homosexual men
Authors: Buimovici‐Klein Elena , Lange Michael , Ong Kenneth R. , Grieco Michael H. , Cooper Louis Z. 
Published: March 2007

AbstractVirus shedding was detected in 77% of homosexual subjects and in only 6% of heterosexual controls. The overall virus isolation rate in homosexual subjects was not significantly different among HIV‐seropositive (79%) and HIV‐seronegative (74%) individuals. In about 20% of homosexual subjects, virus shedding from multiple sites was observed. The most frequently isolated virus was cytomegalovirus (CMV) (41%), followed by enteroviruses (23%), herpes simplex virus (HSV) (7%), and adenoviruses (6%). In the control group, about 50% of subjects were seronegative for HSV‐1 and 2, and about 70% were negative for CMV and Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV). Only 2% of homosexuals were seronegative for CMV, about 5% for HSV‐1 and 2, and about 20% for EBV. No differences were found in antibody levels against varicella‐zoster virus (VZV) among the control and homosexual groups. The proportion of seronegatives for Coxsackie and hepatitis viruses was significantly higher in control than in homosexual subjects. However, no differences in the proportion of seronegatives for measles, mumps, and rubella were observed. No HIV‐antibody‐negative individual was detected with an OKT4/OKT8 ratio of less than 0.75. On the other hand, only HIV‐positive subjects, with a ratio of less than 0.75, had high serum IFN alpha titers. The results suggest that the high rate of virus shedding among HIV‐negative homosexual subjects might be a factor in the development of AIDS in this high‐risk population.
Detection of anti‐delta antibodies among acute hepatitis B virus‐infected patients
Authors: Tswana Sam A. , Laher Sarah 
Published: March 2007

AbstractA total of 130 acute HBsAg‐positive subjects were tested for the presence of delta hepatitis antibodies (anti‐HD). Of the 130 subjects, 56 were females and 74 were males. All patients were individuals attending the two teaching hospitals, i.e., Parirenyatwa and Harare Central hospitals.All the sera were examined by the enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and results were read spectrophotometrically at a wavelength of 492 nm. Of 130, 11 (19.64%) males had anti‐HD present in the serum with an overall prevalence of 21 (16.15%).The positivity rates of HBeAg and anti‐HBc were 64 (49.23%) and 116 (89.23 %), respectively. There was no significant difference between the positive rate in males as compared to females.
Influence of hepatitis delta virus superinfection on the clearance of hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers in HBV carriers in Japan
Authors: Ichimura Hiroshi , Tamura Ikuo , Tsubakio Tadahiro , Kurimura Osamu , Kurimura Takashi 
Published: March 2007

AbstractTo elucidate the influence of hepatitis delta virus (HDV) superinfection on the clearance of hepatitis B virus (HBV) associated antigens in HBV carriers, we examined for antibody to hepatitis delta antigen (anti‐HD) serial sera collected from 1,029 HBV carriers in Kure, Japan. Of the 242 HBV carriers with hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), 28 became seropositive for anti‐HD, of whom 18 (64.3%) cleared HBeAg; 214 did not become seropositive for anti‐HD, of whom 70 (32.7%) cleared HBeAg. Thus, HBeAg clearance was observed in a significantly higher proportion of HDV‐superinfected carriers as compared with carriers with‐ out HDV infection (P< 0.005). In the 56 HBV carriers who cleared hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), anti‐HD was detected in three cases with increased serum alanine aminotransferase activity preceding HBsAg clearance. The duration of anti‐HD seropositive state was less than 5 years, and the titer of anti‐HD was relatively low in every case. These data suggest that the HDV infection rate in Japan is higher than previously reported, that HDV superinfection can be one of the factors that induce the HBeAg clearance and HBsAg clearance in HBV carriers, and also that the most likely outcome of HDV superinfection in HBV carriers in Japan may be acute self‐limited infection.
New and sensitive standard cell culture technique for the detection of cytomegalovirus in clinical specimens
Authors: Agha S. A. , Coleman J. C. , Mahmoud L. A. , Abd‐Elaal A. M. , Selwyn S. 
Published: March 2007

AbstractConventional tube cell culture has been recognised as the most sensitive technique available for human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) detection. Low‐speed centrifugation of specimen inocula onto cell culture monolayers has been shown to increase the efficiency of infection with the AD 169 strain of HCMV. Therefore a centrifugal force of 900g for 1 hour at 37°C was used to enhance the detection of HCMV cytopathic effect (CPE) in shell vials that contained circular coverslips with a monolayer of human embryonic lung (HEL) fibroblasts. Of 195 specimens, HCMV CPE was detected in 18 specimens (9.02%) on shell vial culture assay, whereas conventional tube cell culture was positive in only 13 specimens (6.6%). The shell vial culture assay was significantly more sensitive (P< 0.05). Furthermore the development of the cytopathic effect on shell vial culture assay was significantly earlier (P < 0.01) and more extensive. Urine samples were sonicated and the results obtained with immunofluorescence using human immune serum demonstrated that sonication increased both the intensity of fluorescence and number of fluorescent foci of HCMV‐infected cells and also decreased the nonspecific fluorescence of the background.
Monte Carlo simulation of the heterosexual selective spread of the human immunodeficiency virus
Authors: Barrett John C. 
Published: March 2007

AbstractThe spread of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) by heterosexual intercourse, during the first 2 years following the introduction of the virus among a sexually active and unprotected group of men and women, is modelled by Monte Carlo simulation. A beta distribution of the infectee's risks of infection per infected partner‐month is assumed, with the same coefficient of variation as used in previous studies for risk of conception (natural fecundability), but with a mean of 0.04 per infected partner‐month, after scaling the distribution. The number of sexual partners that one sex has (here, the women), is assumed to be more variable than for the other, with a mean of 2 partners each. The individual infection risks per infected partner‐month are generated initially and do not change, but some random gains and losses of partners occur each month. Infections are updated each month. It is found in this simple model that women who become infected by 2 years had a mean risk of infection (not counting the original infector) only about 13% higher than the others. Some implications of the low selection are noted. Very great variability in the number of infections subsequently due to an index seropositive is found, which prevents easy discrimination in the characteristics of “at‐risk” persons.
Hematologic dysfunction in Lassa fever
Authors: Fisher‐Hoch Susan P. , McCormick J. B. , Sasso D. , Craven R. B. 
Published: March 2007

AbstractLassa fever is widespread in West Africa, where the case fatality is about 16% in hospitalized adult patients. The clinical course is highly variable, with a few patients developing severe disease with bleeding, adult respiratory distress syndrome, encephalopathy and hypovolemic shock. We studied 70 patients admitted with suspected Lassa fever to a hospital in Sierra Leone, West Africa. Fourteen patients classified as having severe Lassa fever on the basis of serum aspartate amino transferase (AST) > 150 IU/L or viremia of > 103.6 tissue culture infective dose (TCID) 50/ml were found to have statistically significantly depressed lymphocyte counts when compared with patients with mild Lassa fever (AST <150 IU/L or viremia, <103.6TCID50/ml), (P <0.0001) and with febrile control patients, in whom Lassa infection had been excluded by laboratory criteria (P<0.0008). Maximum depression occurred a mean of 10.9 days post onset. Patients with severe Lassa fever also had moderate thrombocytopenia, which was statistically significant when compared with febrile control patients (P<0.0003) and this occurred a mean of 10.8 days postonset. The most significant changes were in platelet function, which was markedly depressed in patients with severe Lassa fever (P<0.0035 in response to ADP and P=0.0081 for collagen) when compared with patients with mild Lassa fever, and when compared with febrile controls, (P=0.0013 for ADP and P<0.00001 for collagen). This abnormality was usually maximal on admission to hospital, and probably is an early event, preceding hospitalization in these patients. Characteristically it is present even when circulating platelet numbers remain above 100 × 109/L. Though this defect was significantly associated with Lassa fever in the patients studied, platelet dysfunction was also observed in a small number of patients with laboratory confirmed malaria within the febrile control group of patients. In contrast, prothrombin times and partial thromboplastin times in Lassa fever patients were rarely abnormal, and there were no statistically significant differences between Lassa fever patients and febrile controls in coagulation tests or in fibrinogen degradation product levels.
Inactivation of the Hutchinson strain of hepatitis non‐A, non‐B virus in intravenous immunoglobulin by β‐propiolactone
Authors: Stephan Wolfgang , Dichtelmuller Herbert , Prince Alfred M. , Brotman Betsy , Huima Tellervo 
Published: March 2007

Abstractβ‐propiolactone (β‐PL) treatment has been evaluated for its ability to inactivate 103.5 chimpanzee infectious doses (CID50) of the Hutchinson strain of hepatitis non‐A, non‐B virus (HNANBV). Two chimpanzees were inoculated with a β‐PL‐treated immunoglobulin solution to which this dose of the titrated virus had been added prior to β‐PL treatment. β‐PL treatment was performed in accordance with the production procedure used for a licensed intravenous immunoglobulin preparation. Neither animal developed hepatitis. When subsequently challenged with the same spiked immunoglobulin solution that had not been β‐PL treated, both animals developed clear‐cut hepatitis non‐A, non‐B. The results of this experiment demonstrate that β‐PL treatment is effective for the inactivation of hepatitis non‐A, non‐B virus in intravenous immunoglobulin.
Inhibition of human hepatitis B virus DNA polymerase and duck hepatitis B virus DNA polymerase by triphosphates of thymidine analogs and pharmacokinetic properties of the corresponding nucleosides
Authors: Tao Pei‐Zhen , Löfgren Bengt , Lake‐Bakaar Desmond , Johansson Nils Gunnar , Datema Roelf , Öberg Bo 
Published: March 2007

AbstractReplication of hepadnaviruses involves a viral DNA polymerase containing both a DNA‐dependent and an RNA dependent activity. This polymerase is a potential target for chemotherapy against hepatitis B. We have used human hepatitis B virus DNA‐dependent DNA polymerase from human serum and duck hepatitis B virus DNA‐dependent DNA polymerase from duck serum as well as RNA‐dependent DNA polymerase activity from duck hepatitis B‐infected duck liver. Triphosphates of thymidine analogs have been synthesized and tested for their inhibitory activities against these enzymes with the intention both to explore differences between these enzymes and structural requirements for inhibitors.The results showed that with the inhibitors tested, hepatitis B virus DNA‐dependent DNA polymerase was the most sensitive enzyme and the triphosphate of 5‐propenyl‐2′‐deoxyuridine was the most active inhibitor. In addition, the 5′‐triposphate of 5‐propenyl‐arabinofuranosyluracil also inhibited the hepadnavirus DNA‐dependent DNA polymerases, and was a competitive inhibitor with respect to 2′‐deoxythymidine triphosphate as showed by kinetic studies with duck hepatitis B virus DNA‐dependent DNA polymerase from serum.Pharmacokinetic analysis showed 5‐propenyl‐2′‐deoxyuridine to be well absorbed orally, but rapidly cleared from plasma. The arabinofuranosyl analog was also well absorbed but cleared less rapidly. Hence, these results indicate the potential of 5‐propenyl‐2′‐deoxyuridine and 5‐propenyl‐arabinofuransyluracil for chemotherapy of hepatitis B.
Effect of natural human interferon‐beta on the replication of human cytomegalovirus
Authors: Nakamura Kazuo , Eizuru Yoshito , Minamishima Yoichi 
Published: March 2007

AbstractThe antiviral effect of natural human interferon‐beta (HuIFN‐β) against human cytomegalovirus (CMV) was evaluated in human embryonic lung fibroblasts (HEL). Natural HuIFN‐β, like other HuIFNs, inhibited the replication of CMV. Pretreatment of the cells with natural HuIFN‐β inhibited the appearance of immediate‐early antigen (IEA) or pre‐early nuclear antigen (PENA) as well as the production of infectious CMV. After a single treatment with natural HuIFN‐β, intracellular 2′, 5′‐oligoadenylate (2‐5A) synthetase activity was induced and maintained at a high level for several days. The anti‐CMV effect of natural HuIFN‐β correlated with the intracellular 2‐5A synthetase activity.
Viruslike particles in liver in sporadic non‐A, non‐B fulminant hepatitis
Authors: Fagan Elizabeth A. , Ellis David S. , Tovey George M. , Portmann Bernard , Williams Roger , Zuckerman Arie J. 
Published: March 2007

AbstractIn a patient who followed the typical clinical course of fulminant hepatitis attributable to “sporadic” non‐A, non‐B (NANB) hepatitis and who finally received treatment by orthotopic liver grafting, three, apparently separate, viruslike agents (26, 45, and 80 nm) and cytoplasmic, reticular tubular structures (CTS) were identified in collapsed and regenerating areas of liver using electron microscopy. The 80‐nm particles present within vacuoles, together with the finding of intranuclear rods in association with the smaller particles (26 nm), are similar to those found in the nuclei of cells infected with several different arboviruses. The third type of particle, existing as 45‐nm spheres and rods, is similar in morphology only to some form of polyoma virus, which, hitherto, has not been reported as affecting the liver. Unlike typical polyoma virus, replication of the virus “cores” (25–26 nm) was extranuclear and appeared to be occurring in vacuoles. Although analysis for serological markers against a representative panel for arboviruses, flaviviruses, phleboviruses, arenavirus, and nairovirus was negative, an insect vector was implicated in the clinical history.
T lymphocyte subsets and viral infections in sardinian parenteral drug abusers: Relationship to HIV infection
Authors: Farci Patrizia , Novick David M. , Lai M. Eliana , Orgiana Giuseppina , De Gioannis Daniela , Coiana Alessandra , Strazzera Antonello , Marongiu Francesco , Balestrieri Angelo 
Published: March 2007

AbstractTo investigate whether the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection or the abuse of narcotic drugs or other viral infections may be responsible for immunologic abnormalities in parenteral drug abusers, sera from 168 consecutive individual patients were collected from 1985 to 1986. The sera were tested for antibody to HIV (anti‐HIV), and the clinical, immunologic, and serologic characteristics of 83 seropositive and 53 seronegative parenteral drug abusers were compared. The presence of anti‐HIV was significantly associated with a decreased number of T helper lymphocytes (P < 0.001), a reduced T helper/suppressor ratio (P < 0.001), and generalized lymphadenopathy (P < 0.001). Of the 83 seropositive patients, 63 (76%) had generalized lymphadenopathy and 16 (18%) had AIDS‐related complex. No patient had AIDS. Parenteral drug abusers with AIDS‐related complex had significant reductions in the number of T helper cells (P < 0.01) and the T helper/suppressor ratio (P < 0.01) compared with patients with lymphadenopathy syndrome (LAS), suggesting that parenteral drug abusers with HIV infection develop a progressive immunodeficiency. IgG antibody to cytomegalovirus was found in 75% of anti‐HIV‐positive and 45% of anti‐HIV‐negative parenteral drug abusers (P < 0.01), but significant associations between anti‐HIV and markers for other viruses were not found. Our data confirm that HIV infection is the major cause of low T helper cells and reversed T helper/suppressor ratio in parenteral drug abusers.
Long‐term immune reactivity to pre‐S(2)‐antigen after acute hepatitis B infection
Authors: Heijtink Rudolf A. , de Wilde Gerrie A. , van Hattum Jan , Schalm Solko W. 
Published: March 2007

AbstractWe investigated sera from 39 patients, taken 1–8 years after recovery from acute hepatitis B for anti‐pre‐S(2) by Western blotting and for anti‐HBs by radioimmunoassay. Anti‐pre‐S(2) antibodies were found in 27 out of 39 sera (69%) with the highest frequency in sera with anti‐HBs > 100 IU/I (92%). However, sometimes sera with low anti‐HBs titres showed a strong response in Western blotting.Acute hepatitis sera were also investigated from a limited number of patients (n = 14). Antipre‐S(2) antibodies were found during antigenaemia (four out of six patients) and within 3 months after the maximum of alanine amino transferase (ALAT) (seven out of ten patients).Anti‐pre‐S(2) is an early antibody. It remains in the circulation for many years similar to but independent of anti‐HBs.
Intestinal immunity to poliovirus develops only after repeated infections in monkeys
Authors: Selvakumar R. , John T. Jacob 
Published: March 2007

AbstractTo establish gut immunity in monkeys to poliovirus type 1, we fed four juvenile bonnet monkeys (Macaca radiata) with 100 median infectious doses of the Mahoney strain of virus. The duration of viral shedding in the throat and faeces and the titre of virus in faeces were measured. Eighteen days after the last monkey stopped shedding virus, they were inoculated once again with the same amount of virus. All monkeys got re‐infected the duration and titres of viral shedding were very similar to those after the first inoculation. This was interpreted to mean a lack of effective gut immunity. After a third inoculation the re‐infection was of very short duration, and viral titres were one log10 less, indicating a high degree of gut immunity. These results suggest that one infection by poliovirus does not induce gut immunity; at least two infections are necessary to induce it. Even after two consecutive infections, immunity was not sufficient to prevent re‐infection.
Shedding of coronavirus‐like particles by children in lesotho
Authors: Kidd A. H. , Esrey S. A. , Ujfalusi Maria J. 
Published: March 2007

AbstractStools from 266 children in four districts of Lesotho were examined for viruses by electron microscopy (EM) over a 5‐week period. Eighty one (30.5%) of the children shed coronavirus‐like particles (CVLPs). Shedding was not significantly associated with diarrhea. The proportion of children shedding these particles increased with increasing age. In one district, the prevalence of CVLP shedding (67.9%) was at least twice the prevalence in any of the other three districts. This was the only district to be sampled during the first week of the study. It was shown that the proportion of children shedding CVLPs declined during each of the 5 weeks of study. The stools of six children who shed CVLPs in the early summer of 1984–85 were negative by EM 5 months later. There was no association between the shedding of pathogenic bacteria or parasites and the presence or absence of CVLPs in the stool.
Calomys callidus as a potential junin virus reservoir
Authors: Videla Cristina , Kajon Adriana , Carballal Guadalupe , Weissenbacher Mercedes 
Published: March 2007

AbstractThe present study investigated whether C. callidus, a species belonging to the Calomys genus, is capable of developing experimentally a persistent Junin virus (JV) infection. Newborn and adult cricetids were inoculated with the attenuated XJ‐Clone 3 strain of JV by intracerebral or mucosal route. The present results indicate that the species is susceptible to JV infection, capable of shedding virus chronically through saliva and developing a persistent infection as shown by the detection of virus in brain tissue at 60 days post infection. These findings, and the fact that this cricetid shares its distribution areas with Calomys musculinus and Akodon azarae, support C. callidus as a potential JV reservoir.
Human papillomavirus coinfections of the vulva and uterine cervix
Authors: Kulski J. K. , Demeter T. , Rakoczy P. , Sterrett G. F. , Pixley E. G. 
Published: March 2007

AbstractDNA filter in situ hybridisation (FISH) was used to determine the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes 6/11, 16/18, and 31/33 in cell scrapes of the cervix and vulva of 128 women who had precancerous lesions and/or HPV infection of the cervix diagnosed by cytology, colposcopy, and histology. HPV‐DNA was found in 87 (68%) vulval and 95 (74%) cervical cell scrapes, and in both the vulval and cervical scrapes of 73 (57%) women, but not in either the vulva or the cervix of 19 women (15%). Of the HPV‐DNA‐positive smears, the prevalence of the HPV types was 61% HPV 16/18, 14% HPV 6/11, 3% HPV 31/33, and 22% HPV 6/11 and 16/18. By contrast, HPV‐DNA was not detected in the cervical smears of a control group of 35 women who were assessed to be free of cervical abnormalities by colposcopy and cytology.The epithelial response of the vulva and the cervix to application of 5% acetic acid was assessed by colposcopy and the results correlated with the presence of HPV genotypes. A possible or definite disorder of the cervix and vulva was detected by colposcopy in 95 (74%) and 96 (75%) of the 128 cases, respectively. The colposcopic assessment of the vulva was inconclusive in ten cases (8%), and only eight women (6%) were found to be free of both a vulval and cervical disorder.This study shows subclinical papillomavirus infections of the vulva frequently coexist with HPV infections and precancerous lesions of the cervix. Careful colposcopic examination and greater attention to HPV infections of the vulva may improve the treatment and management of precancerous lesions and HPV infections of the cervix, and help to reduce their recurrence. Should new methods of treatment of HPV disorders be developed, vulval infections will need to be treated coincidentally with those of the cervix.
Prevalence of hepatitis B markers among hospital workers in Senegal
Authors: Romieu I. , Sow I. , Lu S. , Laroque G. , Prince‐David M. , Romet‐Lemonne J. L. 
Published: March 2007

AbstractA total of 775 serum samples from men and women working in hospitals in Dakar, Senegal, were tested for serological markers of hepatitis B virus (HBV). HBsAg was detected in 17.8% of the subjects, and 79.2% of the subjects were anti‐HBc positive. Among HBsAg carriers 0.04% (5) subjects were HBeAg positive, 0.03% (4) were HBV‐DNA positive, and 5.8% (8) were also anti‐Delta positive. HBsAg seropositivity was independent of sex and inversely related to age. Duration of service in the hospital was an important predictor of HBsAg seropositivity and the prevalence of seropositive subjects peaked between 2 and 3 years of employment (OR = 1.9; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.1–3.3, when compared to subjects who worked 1 year of less). This peak was critical in the Department of Dentistry, where subjects who worked for 2–3 years experienced a fourfold increase in the risk of HBV infection (OR =4.0; 95% CI = 1.8–9.0). Adjusting for age and sex did not modify the results. Within the Department of Dentistry, 15 subjects were HBsAg positive but anti‐HBc negative; 12 subjects were retested 1 year later and did not present any markers of past or current HBV infection. These results confirm the increased risk of HBV infection among hospital workers and suggest the presence of HBV variant(s) in Senegal.