ABSTRACT
To identify the hantaviruses causing hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in the Far East of Russia, blood samples collected from HFRS patients in 1994-1998, were examined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. In addition, 36 sera were tested by an immunofluorescence assay for antibodies against Hantaan, Seoul, Puumala, and Khabarovsk viruses, and 54 samples were tested by plaque reduction neutralization test. With both serological assays, the highest antibody titers were to Hantaan and/or Seoul viruses. Of 110 blood samples 36 were found RT-PCR positive. Phylogenetic analysis the sequences of a 256-nucleotide (nt) fragment of the hantavirus M genome segment revealed at least 3 genetically distinct hantavirus lineages. Nucleotide sequence comparison showed that two of the lineages, designated as FE and Amur (AMR), differed from one another by 15.9-21.2% and from Hantaan virus by 9.8-17.5%. The third lineage, VDV, differed from Seoul virus by 2.6-5.1%. All S segment sequences were from FE lineage, and differed from Hantaan virus by 10.7-12.6%. Thirty of the 36 (83%) analyzed sequences were found to be the FE genotype, which is very similar to that of Hantaan virus, strain 76-118. Of the remaining hantaviruses, 11% were the AMR genotype, and 6% the VDV genotype, which are genetically novel genotypes of Hantaan or Seoul viruses, respectively.
Subject(s)
Genetic Variation , Hantaan virus/genetics , Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome/virology , Amino Acid Sequence , DNA, Viral/analysis , DNA, Viral/blood , Hantaan virus/isolation & purification , Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome/epidemiology , Humans , Molecular Sequence Data , Phylogeny , Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction , Russia/epidemiology , Sequence Analysis, DNA , Sequence Homology, Nucleic AcidABSTRACT
The paper provides data on the effect of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antiserum on the course of experimental Marburg hemorrhagic fever. On day 3 of the challenge of guinea pigs with the Popp strain of Marburg virus, the infection event was confirmed by PCR. On days 4-7, the infected animals intramuscularly received a TNF-alpha antiserum. The treated animals showed a 50% survival while all control animals died. It may be assumed that a course of death due to Marburg hemorrhagic fever in shocks brought about by inflammatory cytokines. Therefore, attempts may be made to treat this infection by using the drugs that are TNF antagonists.
Subject(s)
Immune Sera/pharmacology , Immunization, Passive , Marburg Virus Disease/therapy , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/immunology , Animals , Antibodies, Viral/immunology , Electrophoresis, Agar Gel , Follow-Up Studies , Guinea Pigs , Humans , Marburg Virus Disease/metabolism , Marburgvirus/genetics , Marburgvirus/immunology , Polymerase Chain Reaction , RNA, Viral/analysis , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
Two strains of parotitis virus were isolated from patients with clinical symptoms of the disease in epidemiological screening which was carried out during an outbreak of epidemic parotitis in the village of Koltsovo in 1994. The strains were isolated from the saliva of children aged 7 and 8 years vaccinated with live parotitis vaccine at the age of 1.5 years. Primers for the genome site coding for the gene F terminal and the SH gene (a total of 509 n. p.) were estimated and synthesized and the site was amplified. Electron-microscopic examination of purified virus and Vero cells infected with it and serological tests showed a similarity of the newly isolated virus with the Anders strain of parotitis virus. The Dragun-1 and Dragun-2 strains of parotitis virus have been deposited in the collection of viruses at the Vektor State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology in the village of Koltsovo, Novosibirsk district.
