Merkel Cell Polyomavirus DNA Detection in Respiratory Samples: Study of a Cohort of Patients Affected by Cystic Fibrosis.
Viruses
; 11(6)2019 06 21.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-31234392
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
The role of Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) as a respiratory pathogen is controversial, and it is still unclear in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). The aim of this study was to define the MCPyV prevalence and epidemiology in CF patients in order to gain new insights into the association between MCPyV infection and respiratory diseases.METHODS:
A one-year study was conducted testing oropharyngeal aspirate samples from 249 and 124 CF and non-CF patients, respectively. Detection of MCPyV was carried out by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Moreover, a sequence alignment to examine viral capsid protein 1 (VP1) and a phylogenetic analysis were performed.RESULTS:
MCPyV DNA was detected in 65 out of 249 samples analyzed CF (26%), a percentage that was higher than that recorded in non-CF patients (0.8%). There were no statistically significant differences in MCPyV prevalence according to gender, while there was a correlation between MCPyV detection and age. Interestingly, an association between the presence of MCPyV and the concurrent isolation of Staphylococcus aureus was found. Sequence analysis of MCPyV VP1 and phylogenetic analysis revealed a 99% homology with the published sequences of these viruses in GenBank.CONCLUSIONS:
Detection of MCPyV in CF patient specimens pointed out a possible interaction between the virus and CF. Further studies are necessary to fully understand the involvement of MCPyV in the pathogenesis of respiratory disorders.Palavras-chave
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Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Infecções Respiratórias
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DNA Viral
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Fibrose Cística
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Infecções por Polyomavirus
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Poliomavírus das Células de Merkel
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2019
Tipo de documento:
Article