Seasonal variations of respiratory viruses and etiology of human rhinovirus infection in children.

BACKGROUND: Using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method it is possible to detect uncultivable viruses and discover multiple viral infections. However, the clinical importance of these findings in relation to symptoms is not known. OBJECTIVES: The seasonal fluctuations of respiratory viruses and the clinical outcomes of single infections and dual infections were investigated. STUDY DESIGN: Nasal aspirate samples were obtained from outpatients and inpatients of a children's hospital and these samples were subjected to real-time PCR to detect 16 respiratory viruses. Seasonal variations of the 16 viruses and the clinical outcomes such as wheezing, the need for oxygenation and prolonged hospitalization of patients with single viral infections and multiple infections were determined for the 5 most often detected viruses. RESULTS: Among 512 specimens analyzed, one or more viruses were detected in 424 (83%) specimens. Two or more viruses were detected in 160 samples (31% of all samples). The epidemic peaks of the viruses did not coincide with each other. Rhinoviruses were the most frequently detected viruses and their coinfection rates were also higher. However, the disease severity in the lower respiratory tract did not differ in most respiratory viral infections regardless of whether there was single infection or dual infection with a rhinovirus and other respiratory virus. CONCLUSIONS: Seasonal distribution was seen for each virus. There were no significant differences in clinical symptoms in the children studied. Because the infection of rhinoviruses is the common occurrence in children, it is hypothesized that the factors related to disease severity are mainly the underlying conditions of the children.

Novel microbial populations in deep granitic groundwater from Grimsel Test Site, Switzerland.

Freshwater aquifers in granitic rocks are widespread microbial habitats in the terrestrial subsurface. Microbial populations in deep granitic groundwater from two recently drilled (1 and 2 years) and two old boreholes (14 and 25 years) were compared. The 16S rRNA gene sequences related to "Candidatus Magnetobacterium bavaricum", Thermodesulfovibrio spp. of Nitrospirae (90.5-93.1 % similarity) and a novel candidate division with <90 % similarity to known cultivated species were dominant in all boreholes. Most of the environmental clones closely related to the novel lineages in Nitrospirae, which have been detected exclusively in deep groundwater samples. In contrast, betaproteobacterial sequences related to the family Rhodocyclaceae were obtained only from the recently drilled boreholes, which had higher total cell numbers. Catalyzed reporter deposition-fluorescence in situ hybridization (CARD-FISH) analysis supported the result from clone library analysis; betaproteobacterial cells were dominantly detected in recently drilled boreholes. These results suggest that while indigenous microbial populations represented by the novel phylotypes persisted in the boreholes for 25 years, betaproteobacterial species disappeared after 2 years owing to the change of substrate availability.

Diversity and vertical distribution of cultured and uncultured Deltaproteobacteria in an intertidal mud flat of the Wadden Sea.

The diversity and distribution of Deltaproteobacteria in an intertidal mud flat of the German Wadden Sea was characterized by molecular biological techniques and cultivation. A 16S rRNA gene library generated with general primers (303 clones) suggested that sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) related to Desulfobulbaceae and Desulfosarcina were abundant. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with probes targeting these groups was used to characterize their vertical distribution. The combination of FISH with catalysed reporter deposition (CARD-FISH) significantly enhanced the detection of selected subgroups of Deltaproteobacteria, particularly in deeper sediment layers. Up to 11% of all cells were assigned to SRB. Organisms related to Desulfosarcina and Desulfobulbaceae were the dominant SRB in the surface sediments. Two abundant subpopulations of Desulfosarcina-related bacteria were identified by FISH. The SRB community differed between the sampling site and a sandy intertidal flat chosen as a reference. Enrichments and MPN cultures inoculated with surface sediment were monitored by FISH. Nine strains of Deltaproteobacteria were isolated. Four strains were related to Desulfobulbaceae, such as Desulfobacterium catecholicum and Desulfocapsa spp. A subgroup including clone sequences and strains related to D. catecholicum could be detected in situ by a specific FISH probe. The first physiological experiments suggested specific functional roles for the isolates. Two strains utilized environmentally relevant compounds in coastal areas such as catechol and nitrate. One strain related to Desulfocapsa spp. disproportionated thiosulfate and might thus contribute to the sulfur isotope fractionation at the study site. A Fe(III)-reducing strain was obtained that affiliated with the Pelobacter-Desulphuromonas group. This group accounted for up to 6% of total cell numbers and even exceeded SRB numbers in upper sediment layers. These bacteria might substantially contribute to carbon mineralization via dissimilatory reduction of, e.g. Fe(III).

An improved fluorescence in situ hybridization protocol for the identification of bacteria and archaea in marine sediments.

In situ identification of prokaryotic cells in subsurface sediments is hampered by the low cellular rRNA contents of the target organisms. Fluorescence in situ hybridization with catalyzed reporter deposition (CARD-FISH) has the potential to overcome this limitation, and was therefore optimized for a 40 cm deep sediment core sampled from a tidal sandy flat of the German Wadden Sea. Treatment with methanol and H(2)O(2) inactivated endogenous peroxidases and effectively reduced the background signal. Percentage of DAPI stained cells detected with the probe combination EUB(I-III), targeting nearly all the Bacteria, were comparable for CARD-FISH with a horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-labeled probe and FISH with a fluorescently monolabeled probe in the 2-3 cm depth interval (92% and 82%, respectively), but significantly higher with the HRP-labeled probe at 35-40 cm, the deepest layer sampled (63% with HRP vs. 26% with monolabeled probe). With CARD-FISH Alphaproteobacteria and the Desulfobulbaceae group of sulfate-reducing bacteria were detected only in the upper layers. In contrast, Desulfosarcinales, the Bacteroidetes group, Planctomycetes, Betaproteobacteria, and Gammaproteobacteria were found at all depths. Archaea were detectable with ARCH915-HRP after achromopeptidase treatment. Surprisingly, aggregates of Bacteria and Archaea were found, below 12 cm depth, that strongly resemble consortia involved in anoxic oxidation of methane that have previously been found in sediments near methane hydrate deposits. With the optimized CARD-FISH protocol, microbial populations could also be detected in deeper sediment horizons. Furthermore, the intensity of the CARD-FISH signals improved detection of rare organisms such as Archaea.

[A case of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor requiring thoracotomy].

A 32-year-old woman with Von Recklinghausen's disease had a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor that had progressed to malignancy from a neurofibroma arising in the left phrenic nerve. The tumor was removed combining a neck incision and thoracotomy. It should be more widely recognized that neurofibroma associated with Von Recklinghausen's disease may progress to malignancy. Primary treatment requires a broad surgical excision to obtain an adequate margin.

Characterization by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of bacterial communities in deep groundwater at the Kamaishi Mine, Japan.

Bacterial communities in groundwater collected from five different sites at the Kamaishi Mine were investigated by using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). The bacterial cells in groundwater were collected on Millipore filters, and their nucleic acid was extracted by freeze-thaw cycles. A partial 16S rRNA gene was amplified by using a universal primer set by PCR. The PCR products were analyzed by DGGE. The band pattern of DGGE was essentially identical between two samples obtained from different depths in the same borehole (KH-1). Samples from the other sites differed from one another. The partial sequences of 16S rRNA genes (about 350 base pairs) isolated from bands were determined and analyzed for phylogenetic position. Almost half the sequences from two samples of the KH-1 belonged to the cluster of spore-forming, gram-positive sulfate reducer, Desulfotomaculum. The other bands also were related to those of obligate anaerobes. This suggests that the environment in both sites of KH-1 was highly anaerobic. Although only a few sequences were retrieved from the other sites, they were phylogenetically distanced from known isolates.