Predominio del genotipo G9 de rotavirus en Valencia y Castellón entre 2005 y 2007 / Predominance of G9 rotavirus in Valencia and Castellón between 2005 and 2007

Introducción: Las infecciones por rotavirus son la causa más frecuente de gastroenteritis aguda en la infancia. Existen disponibles vacunas para su prevención, pero su uso todavía es limitado y estos virus continúan infectando a la población infantil, principalmente en los meses fríos del año. Objetivos: Caracterizar los genotipos G (VP7) y P (VP4) de rotavirus detectados en niños con gastroenteritis aguda y determinar la prevalencia de las cepas de rotavirus con genotipo G9 en 3 departamentos de Salud Pública de la Comunidad Valenciana. Pacientes y métodos: Se estudiaron de forma prospectiva 541 muestras de heces de niños con gastroenteritis desde octubre de 2005 a septiembre de 2008. Se analizó la presencia de rotavirus por métodos de ELISA o inmunocromatografía y se identificaron los genotipos G y P de las cepas de rotavirus mediante transcripción inversa y amplificación en cadena de la polimerasa. Resultados: Se caracterizaron los genotipos G y P en un total de 525 muestras (97%), y resultaron predominantes las cepas G9P[8] (56,5%) y G1P[8] (29,9%). Durante el período de tiempo estudiado, G9P[8] fue la combinación G/P más frecuente en las temporadas 2005–2006 y 2006–2007, y se encontró en el 81,2 y en el 64,7% de las muestras, respectivamente. Sin embargo, en la temporada 2007–2008 fueron las cepas G1P[8] las más frecuentes (68,8%), y G9P[8] disminuyó a un 7,2%. Conclusiones: Las cepas de rotavirus G9P[8] se diseminaron rápida y ampliamente durante los períodos 2005–2006 y 2006–2007, y suplantaron a otros genotipos anteriormente predominantes (G1, G4) en nuestra área geográfica. Su incidencia descendió bruscamente en la temporada 2007–2008, en la que las cepas G1P[8] resultaron ser nuevamente las que se detectaron más frecuentemente (AU)

Introduction: Rotavirus is the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis in young children worldwide. Effective vaccines to prevent rotavirus infections are currently available, although their clinical use is still limited, and rotavirus still causes many episodes of infantile gastroenteritis, mainly during the winter seasons. Objective: To characterise G (VP7) and P (VP4) genotypes of rotaviruses causing acute gastroenteritis in children and to determine the prevalence of genotype G9 rotavirus in three public health areas in the provinces of Valencia and Castellon. Patients and methods: Five-hundred and forty-one stool samples were prospectively collected from infants and children with gastroenteritis in the period between October 2005 and September 2008. They were analysed for rotavirus by ELISA or by immunochromatography. G and P genotyping was performed by reverse transcription and PCR (RT-PCR). Results: G and P rotavirus genotypes were characterised in a total of 525 faecal samples (97%), resulting in a global predominance of strains G9P[8] (56.5%) and G1P[8] (29.9%). During the period of time studied, G9P[8] was the G/P combination most frequently detected during the rotavirus seasons 2005–2006 and 2006–2007, being present in 81.2% and 64.7% of the patients, respectively. However, during the 2007–2008 season, G1P[8] strains were the most frequently found (68.8%), with a sharp decrease in G9P[8] strains to 7.2% of the samples. Conclusions: Rotavirus G9P[8] have spread rapidly and widely during the 2005–2006 and 2006–2007 seasons, replacing other previously dominant genotypes (G1, G4) in our geographic area. Its incidence has declined sharply in 2007–2008, in which G1P[8] was again the predominating genotype (AU)

[Predominance of G9 rotavirus in Valencia and Castellón between 2005 and 2007]. / Predominio del genotipo G9 de rotavirus en Valencia y Castellón entre 2005 y 2007.

INTRODUCTION: Rotavirus is the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis in young children worldwide. Effective vaccines to prevent rotavirus infections are currently available, although their clinical use is still limited, and rotavirus still causes many episodes of infantile gastroenteritis, mainly during the winter seasons. OBJECTIVE: To characterise G (VP7) and P (VP4) genotypes of rotaviruses causing acute gastroenteritis in children and to determine the prevalence of genotype G9 rotavirus in three public health areas in the provinces of Valencia and Castellon. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Five-hundred and forty-one stool samples were prospectively collected from infants and children with gastroenteritis in the period between October 2005 and September 2008. They were analysed for rotavirus by ELISA or by immunochromatography. G and P genotyping was performed by reverse transcription and PCR (RT-PCR). RESULTS: G and P rotavirus genotypes were characterised in a total of 525 faecal samples (97%), resulting in a global predominance of strains G9P[8] (56.5%) and G1P[8] (29.9%). During the period of time studied, G9P[8] was the G/P combination most frequently detected during the rotavirus seasons 2005-2006 and 2006-2007, being present in 81.2% and 64.7% of the patients, respectively. However, during the 2007-2008 season, G1P[8] strains were the most frequently found (68.8%), with a sharp decrease in G9P[8] strains to 7.2% of the samples. CONCLUSIONS: Rotavirus G9P[8] have spread rapidly and widely during the 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 seasons, replacing other previously dominant genotypes (G1, G4) in our geographic area. Its incidence has declined sharply in 2007-2008, in which G1P[8] was again the predominating genotype.

Coloboma macular atípico: a propósito de un caso / Atypical macular coloboma: a case report

Caso clínico: Un niño de un año y cinco meses de edad con lesiones coriorretinianas maculares en ambos ojos, cuya madre tuvo la varicela durante el embarazo. Discusión: Las cicatrices son sugestivas de retinocoroiditis infecciosa congénita, pero por las serologías negativas y sus características clínicas, consideramos que se trata de colobomas maculares atípicos

Clinical case: This was a 17-month-old boy who had macular retinochoroidal lesions in both eyes following maternal varicella during pregnancy. Discussion: The scars were suggestive of congenital chorioretinal infection, but because of negative serology and the clinical picture, we believe the problems are atypical macular colobomata

[Atypical macular coloboma: a case report]. / Coloboma macular atípico: a propósito de un caso.

CLINICAL CASE: This was a 15-month-old boy who had macular retinochoroidal lesions in both eyes following maternal varicella during pregnancy. DISCUSSION: The scars were suggestive of congenital chorioretinal infection, but because of negative serology and the clinical picture, we believe the problems are atypical macular colobomata.

Variants able to cause growth hormone deficiency syndrome are present within the disease-nil WE strain of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus.

Persistent infection of C3H/St mice with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) strain Armstrong leads to disordered growth and hypoglycemia. Both host and viral determinants contribute to this growth hormone (GH) deficiency syndrome (GHDS). Development of the GHDS correlates with the virus's ability to replicate in the GH-producing cells and cause reduced levels of GH synthesis. LCMV strain WE infects few GH-producing cells and does not cause GHDS in C3H/St mice. We show here that clonal variants isolated from the GHDS-nil WE population are able to replicate at high levels in GH-producing cells and cause GHDS in C3H/St mice. These variants are stably maintained, but phenotypically silent, within the GHDS-nil WE population.

Failure to detect genomic viral sequences in pancreatic tissues from two children with acute-onset diabetes mellitus.

Two cases of fatal, acute-onset, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) in children were diagnosed. Epidemiologic and serologic studies, as well as histologic analysis of pancreatic tissue in fatal viral infections, support the contention that a viral infection could cause beta cell destruction, leading to IDDM. The presence of nucleic acid sequences from viral agents considered to be potentially diabetogenic, specifically, cytomegalovirus and mumps, rubella, and coxsackie viruses, were investigated in the pancreatic tissues by reverse transcription followed by polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Southern blot hybridization. Total pancreatic RNAs extracted from five children who died from nondiabetic causes were included as controls. Viral genetic information from any of these four viral agents was not found. This result indicates that the acute IDDM in these cases was not due to a direct infection of pancreatic beta cells by any of the viral agents studied.