[The seroprevalence of HCV among injecting drug users in the years 2004-2008 in Slovakia]. / Vývoj séroprevalencie hepatitídy C v rizikovej skupine drogovo závislých jedincov v rokoch 2004-2008 na Slovensku.

INTRODUCTION: Virus of hepatitis C (HCV) is the leading cause of chronic liver disease, including cirrhosis and cancer, and the most common indication for liver transplantation. In industrialised countries, injecting drug use is currently the most important risk factor for infection with hepatitis C, resulting in high prevalence of hepatitis C among injecting drug users (IDUs). The aim of the study was to assess the seroprevalence of HCV infection and distribution of genotypes among IDUs in the years 2004-2008. PROBANDS AND METHODS: A total number of 846 probands, both sexes (590 males and 256 females) with mean age from 24 to 29 years were investigated in the years 2004-2008. Standard virological tests were performed. RESULTS: The seroprevalence of anti-HCV positivity during the years 2004-2008 were in range 34-78% and positivity of HCV RNA assessed by PCR method were in range 17-71%. The genotypes distribution was in favour of genotype 3. CONCLUSIONS: In Slovakia IDUs represent risk group with high prevalence of hepatitis C. These results are comparable to those published in other European countries.

[Virological sustained response to former young intravenous drug abusers with chronic hepatitis C treated by pegylated interferon-α plus ribavirin]. / Trvalá virologická odpoved kombinovanej imunomodulacnej liecby pegylovaným interferónom-α a ribavirínom u bývalých intravenóznych drogovo závislých jedincov s chronickou vírusovou hepatitídou C.

INTRODUCTION: The most risk group with high rate of infection of viral hepatitis C represents the former drug abusers (IDUs). OBJECTIVES: The objectives of the clinical study were to assess the sustained virological response (SVR) in the group of former IDUs with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) treated with pegylated interferon-α and ribavirin. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Of 293 previously untreated (naive) former IDUs with CHC who have started treatment, we assessed 239 (69 women, 170 men) with an average age of 27 years who completed treatment and received a follow-up examination after 24 weeks. Prior to therapy abstinence to drug abuse 6 and more months has been required. The CHC has been diagnostics by the standard virological diagnostic tests, increased activity of aminotranferases (ALT) and histology of liver biopsy. Patients were treated with combined immunomodulatory therapy in the standard duration and standard regimen. SVR was considered if qualitative test HCV RNA was negative 24 weeks after the completion of the treatment. RESULTS: End-of-treatment virological response was in 224/94 % patients. Overall SVR rate was 95 %, 227 subjects had negative HCV RNA and only 12 patients no response. During treatment there was a statistically significant decrease in ALT. Treatment was accompanied by the expected side effects. CONCLUSION: Young age, short duration of HCV infection, high prevalence of genotype 3 and low grade of liver fibrosis in majority of patients and good adherence of patients to treatment were crucial predictive factors resulting in high SVR.

Contribution to laboratory diagnostics of neuroborreliosis.

BACKGROUND: Neuroborreliosis affects peripheral and central nervous system. OBJECTIVES: Point out on possibilities of laboratory diagnostics of neuroborreliosis. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: During 1997-2001 we tested 666 pair samples of CSF and serum from 661 patients with different neurological diagnosis by ELISA, Westernblot, PCR, completed by biochemical and cytological investigations. RESULTS: We confirmed intrathecal specific IgG antibodies production by AI in 14 cases (2.1%) of total 666 samples tested. From those in 7 cases there were present also IgM antibodies in CSF. We found borderline AI values in 3 cases (0.5%) and isolated intrathecal production, antibodies present only in CSF, in 1 case (0.15%). There were normal AI values found in 25 cases (3.8%). Specific antibody possitivity by WB method was detected only in one case. DNA positivity by PCR was detected in one CSF from 43 samples during 2 years period. CONCLUSIONS: The microbiological test results should not be used in isolation but used in correlation with the biochemical and cytologic tests and also with clinical symptoms and epidemiological data to produce an overall clinical diagnosis. (Tab. 7, Fig. 1, Ref. 21)

The occurrence of symptomatic CMV infections in heart transplant recipients.

BACKGROUND: Human cytomegalovirus is widely spread in the human population and at present it is the most important clinical agent of opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients. Bone marrow transplant recipients, solid organ transplant recipients and AIDS patients are at risk of the development of a severe systemic disease. Prompt detection of active infection is essential for early initiation of antiviral therapy. AIM: The aim of our work was to follow the occurrence of symptomatic CMV infection in heart recipients. METHODS: We have used antigenemia assay, PCR and serology methods for the detection of CMV infection in heart transplant recipients. RESULTS: We found that the occurrence of symptomatic CMV infections was lower than the literary data. CONCLUSION: Though a small group of patients was examined, we suppose that this was caused by the careful finding of CMV serostatus of donors and recipients, by using of CMV-seronegative, filtered, or leukocytes-poor blood products, by the examination of blood products and prophylaxis of risk patients, too. (Tab. 1, Ref. 37.).

Distribution of mouse cytomegalovirus in organs of white mice experimentally infected by natural route.

One, 10, 21-day-old and adult mice were inoculated by peroral and/or intranasal routes with mouse cytomegalovirus (MCMV). In animals surviving generalized infection, the virus could be demonstrated in salivary glands up to 123 days postinfection (p.i.). In mouse females which had eaten their infected and diseased offspring, the virus was detectable in salivary glands up to day 121, p.i. On day 16 p.i., the virus was present in salivary glands, lungs and kidneys of mice of different age groups, but no virus was recovered from their Gasserian ganglia. These results were compared with those obtained after infection with murine alpha herpesvirus.

Pathogenesis of acute and persistent murine herpesvirus infection in mice.

Outbred laboratory mice were inoculated at the age of 5, 10 and 21 days by oral and/or intranasal routes with 2 different (a lethal and a nonlethal) doses of the murine herpesvirus isolate 68 (MHV-68). Severe exudative pneumonia with haematogenous dissemination of the virus to liver, heart muscle, and kidneys developed in the 5-day-old as well as in a part of the 10-day-old mice. Virus antigen was found by immunofluorescence (IF) in the alveolar lining of lungs, in heart muscle fibres, in spleen and thymic lymphocytes, in the tubular epithelium cells of kidneys, in the neurons of Gasserian ganglia and in the intima of large pulmonary vessels. Electron microscopy confirmed the transfer of virus particles through the capillary endothelium of the damaged alveolar septa. The surviving progeny and the mothers of animals, which had not succumbed to the lethal virus dose, were kept for 141-169 days when lungs and Gasserian ganglia were examined for virus presence. MHV-68 was recovered both by direct examination of the tissue homogenates as well as by the explantation technique. The results are suggestive for a dynamic persistence of MHV-68 rather than for static latency.