[Results of a "silly" mistake: legionnaires' disease].
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Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
Biomedical subjects
T F Schwarz
Publications and source records attributed to T F Schwarz.
Analysis of 27 mammalian and 9 avian PrPs reveals high conservation of flexible regions of the prion protein.
Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative disorders in man and animal associated with conformational conversion of a cellular prion protein (PrPc) into the pathologic isoform (PrPSc). The function of PrPcand the tertiary structure of PrPScare unclear. Various data indicate which parts of PrP might control the species barrier in prion diseases and the binding of putative factors to PrP. To elucidate these features, we analyzed the evolutionary conservation of the prion protein. Here, we add the primary PrP structures of 20 ungulates, three rodents, three carnivores, one maritime mammal, and nine birds. Within mammals and birds we found a high level of amino acid sequence identity, whereas between birds and mammals the overall homology was low. Various structural elements were conserved between mammals and birds. Using the CONRAD space-scale alignment, which predicts conserved and variable blocks, we observed similar patterns in avian and mammalian PrPs, although 130 million years of separate evolution lie in between. Our data support the suggestion that the repeat elements might have expanded differently within the various classes of vertebrates. Of note is the N-terminal part of PrP (amino acid residues 23-90), which harbors insertions and deletions, whereas in the C-terminal portion (91-231) mainly point mutations are found. Strikingly, we found a high level of conservation of sequences that are not part of the structured segment 121-231 of PrPcand of the structural elements therein, e.g. the N-terminal region from amino acid residue 23-90 and the regions located upstream of alpha-helices 1 and 3.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Comparison of seven commercial tests for the detection of parvovirus B19-specific IgM.
Several enzyme immunoassays (EIA) for the detection of parvovirus B19 IgM (anti-B19 IgM) are now commercially available. In this study, seven commercial EIAs (Biotrin, DAKO, Viramed, Viratech, R-Biopharm, Mast) were compared with an in-house EIA (MvP-EIA) using native viral B19 particles and the reference IgM radioimmunoassay (MACRIA). A total of 88 sera were tested. Results agreed in 39/88 (44.3%) sera, whereas 47/88 (53.4%) were discrepant and 2/88 (2.3%) gave an equivocal result. Assay sensitivity ranged from 70.3 to 100% and specificity, from 75.9 to 100%. The best results were obtained with two EIAs (Biotrin, DAKO) using baculovirus-expressed B19 proteins as antigen. This study has shown that baculovirus-expressed B19 antibody tests are suitable tools for detecting anti-B19 IgM.
Antibodies, Viral↗
Molecular investigation of a multisource outbreak of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever in the United Arab Emirates.
During the investigation of an outbreak of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) between 1994 and 1995, blood samples from suspected CCHF cases and ticks collected from livestock were tested for CCHF virus by antigen-capture ELISA and by a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Phylogenetic analysis of partial small (S) segment nucleotide sequences from four ticks and five human samples showed that with one exception, all the human and tick viruses clustered along with samples from Pakistan and Madagascar in one distinct lineage. Within this lineage, sequences from the UAE patients were identical or closely related to those from three Hyalomma spp. ticks obtained from livestock recently imported from Somalia. Another sequence from a UAE patient was more closely related to a CCHF virus from Nigeria. These data indicate that the 1994-1995 CCHF epidemic in the UAE was a multisource outbreak possibly associated with importation of CCHF virus-infected livestock and ticks.
Animals↗
Immunoblot detection of antibodies to Toscana virus.
Sera from patients with sandfly fever caused by Toscana virus (TOSV) infection were tested by immunoblot for specific antibody response to TOSV derived from infected Vero-E6 cells. The 28 kDa TOSV nucleoprotein (N) was identified as the major immunodominant protein recognized by immunoblot. In sera of patients with acute TOSV infection, specific antibodies of the IgM, IgA, and IgG class were detected. Using sandfly fever virus, serotypes Sicilian (SFSV) and Naples (SFNV), as antigens for immunoblot, TOSV antibody-positive sera cross-reacted with the corresponding N proteins. These sera reacted for IgM and IgG by SFSV immunoblot, and for IgM by SFNV immunoblot. The diagnosis of sandfly fever may be confirmed by TOSV immunoblot.
Acute Disease↗
Imported vector- and rodent-borne virus infections--an introduction.
Travel is a potent force in the emergence of virus infections. Migration of humans and animals has been the pathway for disseminating virus diseases throughout history. In recent years, dengue virus has been identified as the most important travel-related, vector-borne virus disease. Other vector-borne virus infections, such as sandfly fever, Rift Valley fever, chikungunya fever and Japanese encephalitis, have been diagnosed in travelers returning from endemic areas. Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever may not only be imported by infected live stock, but also by travelers. Of rodent-borne virus infections, Lassa fever has been diagnosed occasionally in travelers returning from endemic areas. The potential impact of imported filoviruses is currently discussed.
Animals↗
Travel-related vector-borne virus infections in Germany.
Laboratory diagnosis of imported, vector-borne virus diseases during a 22-month-period in Munich, Germany, is summarized. IN 13/317 Germans returning from the Mediterranean with suspected sandfly fever, acute sandfly fever, serotype Toscana, was confirmed serologically: 84.6% of the infections were acquired in Italy. Of 249 German tourists with febrile disease returning from the tropics, acute infection with dengue virus was diagnosed serologically in 26 (10.4%): most infections were acquired in Thailand (57.7%). In a seroepidemiological study of 670 German aid workers who had spent two years in the tropics, 49 (7.3%) were positive for antibodies to dengue, 9 (1.3%) to chikungunya, and 1 (0.1%) to Sindbis virus. Of 17 Middle Eastern patients with suspected viral haemorrhagic fever, genomic Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus RNA was amplified in 4 (23.5%) by semi-nested reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, and confirmed by molecular characterization of nucleic acid. With the increase in travel to and from endemic areas, imported vector-borne virus infections are increasingly important in Germany.
Alphavirus Infections↗
Evaluation of immunoassays for detection of antibodies to human herpesvirus 7.
An enzyme immunoassay (EIA), an immunoblot assay (IB), and an indirect immunofluorescence assay were developed for detection of human herpesvirus 7 (HHV-7) antibodies in human serum. Cross-absorption studies with EIA or IFA using HHV-7 and human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) antigens indicated that most human sera contain cross-reactive HHV-6 and HHV-7 antibodies and that the degree of cross-reactivity varies between individual serum specimens. Inhibition of homologous antibody activity by absorption with heterologous virus ranged from 0 to 57% by EIA. However, for every sample tested, absorption with homologous virus removed more activity than did heterologous virus. An 89-kDa protein was identified as an HHV-7-specific serologic marker by IB. Activity to this protein was not removed by absorption with HHV-6 antigen. Of the three assays, the EIA was the most sensitive (94%), while the IB was the most specific (94%). Approximately 80% of specimens collected from German adults and children older than 2 years were positive for HHV-7 antibodies by these assays.
Adolescent↗
Polymerase chain reaction for diagnosis and identification of distinct variants of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus in the United Arab Emirates.
Viral hemorrhagic fever has re-emerged in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) since November 1993. Genomic RNA of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic virus (C-CHFV) was detected by a newly developed, nested reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in the sera of four (25.0%) of 16 suspected cases of viral hemorrhagic fever. The RT-PCR was based on oligonucleotide primers deducted from the small RNA segment encoding the nucleoprotein of the virus. By comparison with a nucleotide sequence of a C-CHFV isolate from a Chinese sheep, a divergence of 10.0-11.8% was detected in the C-CHFV variants causing the UAE outbreak. In the four positive sera, three phylogenetically distinct C-CHFV variants were amplified and confirmed by direct sequencing of the PCR fragments. These C-CHFV sequences were obtained directly from sera of infected humans without prior propagation in cell culture. The RT-PCR allows rapid detection of genomic C-CHFV RNA in clinical specimens and study of the molecular epidemiology of this infection.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever in Oman.
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Adult↗
[Neurological symptoms after an infection by the sandfly fever virus].
UNLABELLED: CASE 1: A few days after returning from a holiday in Italy a 50-year-old man developed acute gastrointestinal symptoms, followed by headache, fever and joint pains. After transitory remission he had a relapse with fever, headache and meningitis 2 weeks later. Cerebrospinal fluid contained gram-negative diplococci, but no bacteria grew on culture. Under the suspected diagnosis of meningitis he was treated with penicillin. Ten days later he suddenly developed deafness in his right ear. The various signs and symptoms gradually disappeared and the patient was discharged after 24 days in hospital. Retrospectively serological tests indicated sandfly fever (SF) virus infection with serotype Toscana. This is thought to be the first reported case of deafness associated with this disease. CASE 2: One week after returning from a holiday in Tunisia a 34-year-old man fell ill with fever, headache, rigor, nausea, joint pains and a maculopapular rash for which he was treated as an outpatient. The symptoms improved after 7 days, except for the headache which persisted another 5 days. Serology demonstrated an acute infection by SF virus, serotype Sicilian. CONCLUSION: Sandfly fever should be included in the differential diagnosis of headache, fever and signs of meningitis in persons who have recently been to mediterranean countries.
Adult↗
[[Human parvovirus B19 and its clinical significance].
Human parvovirus B19 causes erythema infectiosum (fifth disease) and aplastic crisis. In pregnancy, B19 may be transmitted on to the fetus resulting in hydrops fetalis. B19 is sometimes associated with thrombocytopenia and vasculitis. In immunocompromised patients, B19 may persist causing chronic infection. Several methods for detecting B19 virus or specific antibodies are now available. B19 infection does not usually require therapy. Efficacy of immunoglobulins in chronic B19 infection has been demonstrated.
Antibodies, Viral↗
Detection and sequence confirmation of Sin Nombre virus RNA in paraffin-embedded human tissues using one-step RT-PCR.
Sin Nombre virus (SNV) is the causative agent of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). SNV RNA can be detected in fresh or frozen autopsy tissue samples by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and virus antigens can be identified by immunohistochemistry. A method was developed for demonstration of SNV RNA in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues by RT-PCR. Virus genomes were detected in 8 of 12 (66.7%) fixed human tissue samples that were positive by immunohistochemistry, and RT-PCR prior to tissue fixation. By comparison with nucleotide sequences determined previously in fresh or frozen tissues of the same patients, identical genomic sequences were obtained, proving the authenticity of the PCR products. The study demonstrates that detection of SNV RNA in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded archival tissue by RT-PCR is feasible. This method allows retrospective studies on the phylogenetic epidemiology of SNV in North America.
Base Sequence↗
Imported dengue virus infections in German tourists.
Dengue viruses (DEN) are increasingly becoming endemic and epidemic in tropical and subtropical countries. In this study, 17 serologically confirmed clinical cases of DEN infection diagnosed in German tourists over the period from May 1993 until May 1994 are presented. Thirteen out of 17 (76.5%) infections occurred in southeast Asia (Thailand 58.9%), and 4/17 (23.5%) in Central and South America. All sera screened by means of the indirect immunofluorescence assay (IIFA) were positive for anti-DEN IgM. Acute infection was confirmed by demonstrating anti-DEN IgM using a "mu-capture assay". Sixteen out of 17 (94.1%) of patients presenting with fever upon admission were positive for anti-DEN IgG, with titres of > or = 128 in the IIFA. This report indicates the rising significance of DEN as a travel-associated infection in German tourists.
Adult↗
Serosurvey and laboratory diagnosis of imported sandfly fever virus, serotype Toscana, infection in Germany.
Of eight acute infections in German tourists caused by sandfly fever virus, serotype Toscana (TOS), and diagnosed clinically and serologically, seven were acquired during visits to Tuscany, Italy, and one to Coimbra, Portugal. An indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) using infected cells, and a newly developed enzyme-immunoassay (EIA) using crude virus antigen prepared from infected Vero-E6 cells was used to detect anti-TOS IgM and IgG. In a seroepidemiological survey of 859 health care workers and medical students, anti-TOS IgG was detected in 1.0% by IFA, and in 0.7% by EIA. In 2034 German patients hospitalized for various diseases, 1.6% were positive for anti-TOS IgG by IFA, and 0.8% by EIA. Anti-TOS IgG was detected in 43 samples of commercial immunoglobulins at titres of 10-1000 by EIA. Although the seroprevalence of antibodies to TOS is low in Germany, TOS infection should be considered in patients returning from endemic areas who complain of fever, and headaches, and have symptoms of meningitis.
Adult↗
Aseptic meningitis caused by sandfly fever virus, serotype Toscana.
Sandfly fever virus, serotype Toscana (TOS), is endemic in some Mediterranean countries and causes sandfly fever (pappataci fever). In some patients, TOS may cause meningitis and meningoencephalitis. We report on two German adults returning from Italy with TOS-related meningitis, complicated in one case by abducens nerve palsy. TOS infection should be considered as a cause of acute central nervous system disorders in patients returning from areas of endemicity.
Animals↗
[Meningitis after travel in the Mediterranean region, caused by the sandfly fever virus].
Sandfly fever virus is the causative agent of sandfly fever (pappataci fever). The virus is endemic in the Mediterranean region and is transmitted by bites of Phlebotomus species. The three sandfly fever virus serotypes, Sicilian (SFS), Naples (SFN) and Toscana (TOS), are of travel-related significance. In addition to a flu-like illness, the sandfly fever virus may result in a serious neurological disease with meningitis and encephalitis. Due to the high number of travelers may occur in nonimmune persons. Since many clinicians are not aware of this disease, sandfly fever is still rarely diagnosed.
Adult↗