Search results for "VIROLOGY"

HCV E1E 2‐ MF 59 vaccine in chronic hepatitis C patients treated with PEG ‐ IFN α2a and R ibavirin: a randomized controlled trial

2013

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) vaccines may be able to increase viral clearance in combination with antiviral therapy. We analysed viral dynamics and HCV-specific immune response during retreatment for experienced patients in a phase Ib study with E1E2MF59 vaccine. Seventy-eight genotype 1a/1b patients [relapsers (30), partial responders (16) and nonresponders (32) to interferon-(IFN)/ribavirin-(RBV)] were randomly assigned to vaccine (V:23), Peg-IFNα2a-180-ug/qw and ribavirin 1000-1200-mg/qd for 48 weeks (P/R:25), or their combination (P/R + V:30). Vaccine (100 μg/0.5 mL) was administered intramuscularly at week 0-4-8-12-24-28-32-36. Neutralizing of binding (NOB) antibodies and lymphocyte prolife…

Epidemiology of viral hepatitis and HCC in Italy

1996

Immune status towards Epstein-Barr virus in a group of Sicilian children.

1989

The prevalence of antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus-determined antigens was studied in 17 children with acute infectious mononucleosis (IM) and in 263 children hospitalized for diseases unrelated to EBV infection. Antibodies against Epstein-Barr viral capsid antigens (VCA) were observed in 173 patients of the control group (66%), but 58 of them (33,5%) had not yet developed antibodies against Epstein-Barr virus-associated nuclear antigen (EBNA). IgM-specific antibodies were not found in any of the children of the control group but were present in all of the 17 patients with IM. The rates of positivity for IgA anti-VCA and IgG anti-early antigen (EA) were similar in all age groups. Anti-viral…

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase homozygosis and low-density lipoproteins in patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C

2011

Summary.  Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase status, homocysteine and lipoproteins levels have been associated with severity of disease and both rapid and sustained virological response (SVR) in patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C (CHC). We aimed to assess the association of homocysteine and MTHFR status with serum cholesterol levels and their potential links to both histological findings and virological response, in patients with genotype 1 hepatitis C virus (HCV). A total of 119 consecutive patients were evaluated by biopsy and metabolic measurements. A total of 103 healthy blood donors were used as controls. Serum homocysteine and MTHFR C677T mutation were also evaluated. All p…

Studies on a measles virus variant inducing persistent infections in cultured cells

1976

Attempts were made to characterized by a plaque assay two variants of the Edmonston strain of measles virus and to obtain plaque purified virus populations. The UP non-cytocidal variant, in all the examined cell systems, mainly produced small but also large plaques; the DP cytocidal variant always large plaques. Three clones, UP-SP4, UP-LP4 and DP-LP4, were derived by plaque purfication respectively of the UP small plaque, UP large plaque and DP large plaque forming particles. The virus populations of the clones could be distinguished by some other biological and physical characters: cytopathic effect in roller tube cultures, growth potential in HeLa cells, thermal stability at 45 degrees C…

Immunomodulatory and Hematopoietic Effects of Recombinant Human Interleukin-6 in Patients with Advanced Renal Cell Cancer

1996

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a cytokine with pleiotropic biologic activities on B cells, T cells, and hematopoietic progenitors. The present study was undertaken to assess pharmacodynamic effects of subcutaneous administration of IL-6 on blood counts, immunologic parameters, and acute-phase reactants. Blood samples were taken from patients with advanced renal cell cancer participating in a phase II trial of recombinant human IL-6. Multiparameter FACS analyses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells were performed using antibodies against CD3, CD4, CD8, HLA-DR, CD56, CD28, CD38, CD19, sIgM, and sIgG. Serum levels of IL-10, soluble CD23 (sCD23), sCD25, IL-1 receptor antagonist protein (IL-1RA), solu…

Need to evaluate the performance of real-time PCR assays for the quantitation of cytomegalovirus DNA load in lower respiratory tract specimens

2013

There is an increasing appreciation for the potential clinical value of the quantitation of cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA in the lower respiratory tract in critically ill patients lacking canonical immunosuppression, in view of the possible pathogenic role of CMV in these patients [1]. No data have been published on the analytical performance of real-time PCR assays for this purpose. We present our data on the performance of the COBAS® AmpliPrep/COBAS® TaqMan CMV PCR Assay (Roche Diagnostics, Mannheim, Germany) for the quantitation of CMV DNA in tracheal aspirates (TA). This CMV PCR assay has been approved recently by the US Food and Drug Administration for use with plasma specimens [2]. We cho…

Neurotropism in newborn hamsters of plaque purified measles virus clones

1976

Three plaque purified measles virus clones displayed a different neurotropism in newborn hamsters.

Associated Factors and Liver Disease Severity for Decreased Bone Mineral Density in HIV Mono- and HIV/HCV Co-infected Patients

2015

Objective: We assessed the prevalence and risk factors of decreased bone mineral density (BMD) in patients mono-infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or co-infected with hepatitis C virus (HIV/HCV). We also evaluated whether bone loss was linked to lipid asset in both groups and to severity of liver fibrosis in the co-infected group. Methods: We consecutively enrolled 194 HIV-patients (129 mono-infected and 65 co-infected). All HIV-patients underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), while co-infected patients underwent transient elastography. Advanced liver fibrosis was defined as a median liver stiffness ≥ 9.5 kPa. Fibrosis was also assessed in all the HIV-patients using …

Implication of Normal Liver Enzymes in Liver Disease

2009

Summary.  Chronic liver disease is usually asymptomatic until its late stages and also significant hepatic necroinflammation and fibrosis may be present in persistently normal ALT levels HBV, HCV carriers or similarly, in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Given the large number of persons in the general population which may harbor a clinically significant liver disease behind the screen of normal alanine aminotransferase, more attention should be devoted to future research for alternative noninvasive markers of liver damage.