Partitioning of polybrominated biphenyl ethers from mother to fetus and potential health-related implications.

Presently, knowledge on the partitioning of polybrominated biphenyl ethers (PBDEs) from mother to fetus and the relationship between PBDE exposure and the levels of thyroid hormones (THs) needs to be extended further. In the present study, we investigated the concentrations of PBDEs in paired mother-fetus samples from 72 pregnant women in Wenling, China. The detection of PBDE concentration suggested that the expectant women living in Wenling for over 20 years might be highly exposed to PBDEs, which is largely ascribed to e-waste recycling activities in the local environment. The median concentration ratios between paired cord serum and maternal serum for higher-brominated BDEs were smaller than those for lower-brominated BDEs (p < 0.05). This result indicated that the placenta could hinder the transfer of PBDEs from mother to fetus, and the hindrance effect increased with higher-brominated congeners. Median ratios of paired placenta vs. maternal serum concentrations varied in a narrow range (0.15-0.25), with significantly lower value for BDE-209 than that for BDE-28 (p < 0.01). The extent of transplacental transfer was larger than that of placental retention for eight BDE congeners (p < 0.01). The concentration of BDE congeners among the paired samples could be fitted by equations, implying that their distribution could be predicted for each other (p < 0.001). There was a significant association between BDE-153 and TT4 levels in maternal serum from Wenling local residents (p < 0.05), suggesting potential implications for fetal development and their mothers' health in e-waste recycling environment. In addition, it was found that the relationship between BDEs and TH levels was likely affected by the exposure duration of the population to PBDEs.

Placental transfer of dechlorane plus in mother-infant pairs in an e-waste recycling area (Wenling, China).

It has been reported that breastfeeding can expose newborns to dechlorane plus (DP), but transplacental transfer of DP has not been documented. We measured DP and its dechlorinated analogs in matched maternal blood-placenta-cord blood samples from 72 residents of the e-waste recycling area of Wenling, China. DP was detected in cord sera, indicating the occurrence of prenatal DP exposure and the transfer of DP across the placenta. The concentration ratio in the cord serum and maternal serum was estimated to be 0.45 for syn-DP and 0.35 for anti-DP, indicating the placenta partially limited DP transfer with a greater extent for anti-DP. The DP concentrations in the maternal serum, placenta, and cord serum strongly correlated, indicating that DP could transfer between the tissues. The DP concentrations in the matched samples could be predicted from each other. The anti-DP/total DP concentration ratios in the placentas and cord sera were significantly different from those in the maternal sera, suggesting that DP stereoselectively bioaccumulates in human tissues. When the congener concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were used as control variables, DP and total triiodothyronine concentrations were associated in the sera from mothers who had lived in Wenling for over 20 years.

Dechlorane Plus and its dechlorinated analogs from an e-waste recycling center in maternal serum and breast milk of women in Wenling, China.

We measured Dechlorane Plus (DP) and its dechlorinated analogs in the blood and milk from women living in e-waste recycling sites in Wenling of Taizhou region, China (n = 49). Both syn-DP and anti-DP were detected in all samples. Another compound, Cl(11)-DP, was detected in 45% and 84% of milk and serum samples, respectively. DP levels in blood and milk from residents living in the local environment >20 yrs (R(20) group) were significantly higher than those living in Taizhou <3 yrs (R(3) group) (p < 0.05). The milk/serum partition coefficient from the same women was approximately 0.43 and 0.47 for syn-DP and anti-DP, respectively. A similar value in milk compared with anti-DP/∑DPs (f(anti)) in serum suggested that stereoselective DP bio-accumulation did not occur during the DP transport from blood to milk. This result indicate that DP can bio-accumulate in blood and milk with the low milk/serum partition coefficient and similar blood and milk stereoselective bio-accumulation profiles.

[TTV and HPV co-infection in cervical smears of patients with cervical lesions in littoral of Zhejiang province].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of transfusion-transmitted virus (TTV) and human papillomavirus (HPV) co-infection in cervical smears of patients with cervical lesions in littoral of Zhejiang province and analysis of transmitted route. METHODS: Nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) was established. TTV DNA were tested by nPCR in cervical smears of 95 patients with cervical lesions and 55 healthy women, paired serum samples were available from 55 and 42 women, and their viral titer. The genotypes of 95 specimens of cervical cytology were detected with HybriMax. The phylogenetic group of TTV was determined by means of nPCR with N22 primers. RESULTS: The prevalence of TTV DNA in cervical smears of patients with cervical lesions and healthy women was 52.7% (29/55) and was comparable with that in paired serum sample (50%). Symptomatic women had significantly higher prevalence of TTV DNA in cervical smears (74.7%) than healthy controls (P = 0.005). The TTV DNA prevalence in patient serum samples was 51%. The phylogenetic groups of TTV serum isolates were concordant with those of TTV from cervical smears of the same subjects, and genotype was G1b. The TTV viral titer in cervical smears were 10 to 1000 times as high as in serum. The total infection rate of HPV was 98.9% in patients, and was 27.3% in healthy women. The frequently detected genotype was HPV16, 18, 33 of HSIL, and HPV6 of LSIL. The HPV positive study subjects had significantly higher TTV DNA prevalence than HPV negatives (P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: High prevalence of TTV in cervical smears suggests that sexual transmission is another mode of expansion of TTV infection among the population. The higher viral titer in cervical smears than in the respective serum samples might indicate active TTV replication in the female genital tract. Nevertheless, cooperation between TTV and HPV needs to be further investigated.

[Association of human papillomavirus infection with other microbial pathogens in gynecology].

OBJECTIVE: To Investigate correlation between screening assay of human papillomavirus (HPV) and microbial pathogens in gynecology. METHODS: Cervical samples were collected to search for HPV, bacteria and yeast infections in gynecologic outpatients. HPV typing was carried out by PCR and sequencing on cervical brush specimens. Chlamydia trachomatis was identified by strand displacement amplification (SDA) and the other microorganisms were detected by conventional methods. All data were analyzed to investigate the correlation among them. RESULTS: In this cross-sectional study, among 857 enrolled outpatients, there were 266 cases with positive HPV DNA, and the rate of infection was 31.0% (266/857). HPV genotype showed that thirty-five different HPV types were identified, of which HPV16 was the most prevalent (14.5%, 38/262), followed by HPV58 (9.2%, 24/262), HPV53 (8.0%, 21/262) and HPV42 (6.1%, 16/262); while other genotypes were present in less than 5% of HPV positive women. According to the reclassification, the aggregated percentage (high-risk and probably high-risk) of detected HPV was 58.8% (154/262), 27.9% (73/262) for low-risk and 13.4% (35/262) for unknown-risk HPV types. Among HPV positive women, cervical brush specimens results showed that more than 60% cases with normal cytology, 3.8% (10/266) with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL), 29.7% (79/266) with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL) and 3.0% (8/266) with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS), respectively. Statistical analyses revealed there was a significant association between the infected HPV and Chlamydia trachomatis or Ureaplasma urealyticum (> 10,000 CCU/ml; all P < 0.01), while no correlation was found between HPV infection and bacterial vaginosis, streptococcus agalactiae, candida, Trichomonas vaginalis or Ureaplasma urealyticum (≤ 10 000 CCU/ml; all P > 0.05). Among the cases with bacterial vaginosis, the positive rate of HPV infected was 42.6%. Chlamydia trachomatis was one of the high-risk factors for the infection of HPV (OR = 2.82, 95% CI: 1.74 - 4.57). Mycoplasma hominis was isolated only in 2 cases, no patient was infected with Neisseria gonorrhoeae. CONCLUSIONS: Although bacterial vaginosis was not significantly associated with HPV, it was more common among the HPV positive women. There is the significant association between HPV and Chlamydia trachomatis or Ureaplasma urealyticum which may be increase the infection of HPV. These data suggest that it may be important to screen for the simultaneous presence of different microorganisms which may have synergistic pathological effects.

[Isolation and cell culture of human bocavirus (HBoV) by human bronchial epithelial cell lines].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate pave a way for studying pathogenicty of HBoV. METHODS: Isolation and cell culture of HBoV by human bronchial epithelial cell line, which was founded in our laboratory. The morphology of the virus were primarily studied with a transmission electron microscope. In addition, transcript mRNA was detected in human bronchial epithelial cells, which was passaged and infected within HBoV, using the reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The amplified products nucleotide sequence of HBoV were sequencing and sequence analysis. RESULTS: Cytopathic effect (CPE) was observed after the aseptic residue of filtration of 2 case sputum specimens with HBoV, which was inoculated to the human bronchial epithelial cell line. The virus particles were observed in the cytoplasm, which were hexagonal or spherical in shape and 18-26 nm in diameter,bulk was 20 nm. cDNA amplicon obtained 295 bp fragment results of electrophoresis bands as same as NS1 region of the conserved matrix gene of publish sequence of HboV. PCR products nucleotide sequence of HboV were compared with corresponding HboV GeneBank sequences. The comparison/alignment and construction of phylogenetic trees also point to an affiliation of the parvovirus to the species HBoV. CONCLUSION: Isolation and identification of HBoV could be done in the human bronchial epithelial cell, and we found some characterizing CPE in the human bronchial epithelial cell after HBoV infection. The above studies pave a way for studying pathogenicty of human bocavirus.

[Identification of KI polyomavirus in children with lower respiratory tract infections from Zhejiang region of China].

KI polyomavirus, which was firstly discovered in 2007, is a new human polyomavirus belonging to Polyomaviridae and containing circular double-strand genomic DNA. This study was based on identification assay of KI polyomavirus reported. Total 2293 clinical sputum specimens from children under 3-years-old were collected and screened from Wenzhou Medical College affiliated Wenling Hospital, Zhejiang Province. A KI polyomavirus was detected and identified, the positive rate was 0.04%. The sequences of PCR products was identical to that of the viral capsid protein (VP1) gene derived from KI polyomavirus. The results strongly suggested that the KI polyomavirus was found firstly in Chinese children with acute lower respiratory tract infections from Zhejiang region. This study provided new information for further investigation of etiopathogenisis and diagnosis in children with lower respiratory tract infections.

[Discovery and identification of WU polyomavirus in children from Zhejing region].

WU polyomavirus, which was firstly discovered in 2007, is a new human polyomavirus belonging to Polyomaviridae and containing circular double-stranded genomic DNA. In this study, the 278 clinical sputum specimens from children under 5 years old were collected from Wenzhou Medical College affiliated Wenling First Hospital, Zhejiang Province. Based on identification assay of WU polyomavirus previously reported, a WU polyomavirus was identified from clinical samples successfully, the positive rate was 0.4%. The sequences of PCR products were identical to that of VP2 gene and large T antigen gene derived from WU polyomavirus reported. The above results strongly suggested that the WU polyomavirus isolated was firstly found in Chinese children with acute lower respiratory tract infections. This study provides a firm basis for further research of WU polyomavirus.

[Clinical prospective study on maternal-fetal transmission of human bocavirus].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate maternal-fetal transmission at human bocavirus (HBoV). METHODS: IgG antibody to HBoV in serum samples of 316 mothers were determined with ELISA and HBoV DNA was determined with real time PCR in the sera of the mothers and their infants. RESULTS: HBoV-IgG was positive in 40.20 percent (127/316) of the mothers, while it was positive in 29.43 percent (93/316) of the cord blood specimens of the infants. The difference between the two groups was significant (X2=8.12, P less than 0.005); 93 samples of both the mothers and the infants were positive for HBoV-IgG. CONCLUSION: HBoV-IgG can cross the placenta to the fetuses through placenta. Further study is needed to answer the question whether vertical maternal-fetal transmission occurs.