Romanian journal of virology最新文献

Associated infections with long-strain parainfluenza virus type 3, adenovirus type 3 and respiratory syncytial virus were experimentally induced in white mice. They were pointed out by the appearance of homologous serum antibodies, positive IF reactions in the pulmonary tissue, and histological, histochemical and histoenzymatic lesions, which were more severe than those of controls infected with single virus of those mentioned above, since they involved wider areas and had a high frequency. The pathomorphological changes made up an inflammatory, exudative, alternative and predominantly infiltrative lymphohistiocytic picture, mainly pulmonary (diffuse interstitial bronchopneumonia, sometimes with a peribronchovascular location, of a cuff-like aspect), hepatic, renal and cardiac, but dystrophic processes were also present--hyalinosis of tunica media in the lung, hepatocyte cytoplasm vacuolizations on areas of various sizes of lobuli--, especially in associated infections with parainfluenza virus type 3 and adenovirus type 3. Megakaryocytic hyperplasia in the spleen, present in all the experimental models, was also described. Generally, the modified structural aspects made up and pointed out a complex pathological process.

In HIV only, as well as in HIV/hepatitis B- and HIV/hepatitis C-infected children (6 to 8 years of age), with moderate altered clinical and immune cell markers, the total amounts of CD8(+)-set and of CD8+11b(+)-subset (T-suppressor) blood lymphocytes, by means of flow cytometry, were determined. On the other hand, within several mixtures of autologous sorted CD3+/CD8+11b(+)-cells, the per cent reduction of HLA-DR+ expression on T-cells, at different effector/responder cell ratios, was appreciated. Significant higher levels of CD8+11b(+)-cells, especially in HIV/hepatitis B virus groups, were found, that correlated with a stronger suppressive activity. The strongest alteration of immune markers, within HIV-seropositive, HBs+, HBe+ patients, was noticed. A possible usefulness of these data in HIV only, and in HIV-associated hepatitis B or C virus contamination, during pediatric AIDS monitoring, was commented.

The early belief that CMV infection is lacking any obvious clinical or pathological feature which would permit its recognition (19) was followed by a centennial effort to delineate the genuine clinical picture of the disease, until it became evident that infections with this virus are resulting in a wide range of syndromes (6) correlated with the age (70) and/or the immune status of the host (75), rather than causing a single morbid entity. Even a given syndrome may yield various manifestations (39). Transition of one CMV-induced syndrome to another (61), and the concomitance of two different clinical aspects at distinct body sites, as well as the concurrent evolution of a localized CMV process and systemic CMV illness in the same host, have also been reported (36). Certain organ syndromes appear to be frequently associated with transplantation e.g. interstitial pneumonitis following allogeneic bone marrow grafting, or with a severely immunocompromised state, e.g. CMV retinis in AIDS patients. Maximal therapeutical immunosuppression appears to exagerate the clinical symptomatology of CMV infection, and in AIDS patients the concomitant CMV disease attains epidemic proportions and a dramatic, constantly fatal course (18). Conversely, intercurrent CMV infections may constitute a terminal lethal complication of AIDS.

In the present work, the preliminary results of a study regarding the pharmacokinetic properties of the autochthonous synthetic drug Acyclovir are shown. The in vitro and in vivo toxicologic test demonstrates a low toxicity of this product, the drug being well tolerated both by the laboratory animal and by the fibroblasts of the human embryo. The specific antiviral action of the product on the multiplication in vitro of the Herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2, appreciated by the lowering capacity of the infection titre and by the determination of the inhibitory concentration 50% (IC50), is significant and comparable with previous results obtained by the authors by testing the drug Zovirax of the Welcome firm.

This study is aimed at establishing the presence of HPV infection in Romania, in women with various benign or malignant anogenital lesions. A number of 76 tissue samples were investigated by nucleic acid hybridization in the dot-blot techniques for identifying the HPVs presence and their serotypes and 35 sera were tested by the immunodot-blot technique in order to detect the presence of antiHPV16 E6 and E7 proteins antibodies. The results obtained suggest the incidence of HPV16 infection is high not only in persons with different tumours or other anogenital lesions (approximately 585), but also in apparently healthy women (3 of 4 cases).

Direct DNA delivery in vivo can be utilized for the production of proteins as well as for the induction of specific cellular and hunoral immune response against a large number of viral pathogens (influenza, hepatitis B, HIV, etc.). Immunogenic levels of gene expression can be achieved in vivo or, alternatively, facilitated DNA inoculation methods have been described for efficient induction of protective immunity. DNA immunization of a number of viral target proteins has been accomplished in a variety of species including non human primates. Our review focuses on the use of this novel technology for the prevention of human retroviruses infections. Some safety considerations for viral nucleic acid vaccines and regulatory requirements are also discussed.

A moderate level of morbidity through acute respiratory diseases (ARD), of the upper tract, viral pneumonia and clinical influenza was recorded during November 1994 and April 1995 in the South-East area of Romania (nine districts). By virological and serological investigation adenosyncytial respiratory, parainfluenza type 3 and influenza type B viruses were found to be the most frequent etiological agents of these infections which affected especially the babies and the children of 1-14 years of age. Sporadic influenza outbreaks were noticed from which influenza strains of virus were isolated, antigenically related to the prototype strain A/Johannesburg 33/94.

The inhibitory activity exerted by some derivatives with an asymmetrical triazine structure on the multiplication of certain viruses [parainfluenza type 1 Sendai virus, vesicular stomatitis virus, (VSV) herpes simplex type 1 virus (HSV)] was determined: the role of coupling with ribose and that of substitution by halogens on the lateral chain was pointed out.

This review will summarize the function of the normal mucosal immune system and will highlight its role in the heterosexual transmission of HIV. The discussion of reproductive system mucosal immunity will be limited to the female genital tract with the understanding that this is only half of the story. An excellent review of the mucosal immune system in the male genital tract and its implications on the transmission of HIV has recently been published. As emphasized in recent editorials, a better understanding of genital mucosal immunity will ultimately allow us to manipulate the mucosal immune system and, hopefully, design vaccines to prevent the sexual transmission of HIV.