Herpes virus antigens and antibodies in kidney biopsies and sera of IgA glomerulonephritic patients.

Antibody titers against 4 viruses of the herpes group have been studied in the sera of 54 patients with IgA glomerulonephritis (GN). The incidence of antibodies to herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1), HSV-2, cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen (EBNA), and that of IgG antibodies to EBV virus capsid antigen (VCA) were similar in patients and in controls. However, elevated antibody titers (greater than or equal to 64) to HSV and CMV occurred more frequently in patients with IgA GN than in healthy controls. Geometric mean titers to HSV and CMV were also higher in patients suffering from IgA GN than in controls. The incidence of IgA antibodies to EBV VCA occurred in patients with IgA GN significantly more often than in controls. There was a trace amount of HSV-2 antigen in 2 glomeruli of 1 renal biopsy. It is concluded that, in some patients with IgA GN, there is an abnormal immune response to certain types of herpes viruses.

Different electrophoretypes of human rotaviruses in Hungary.

Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of rotaviral double-stranded ribonucleic acid (RNA) extracted directly from faecal specimens collected in three different parts of Hungary was applied to characterize and distinguish 21 randomly selected viral isolates. This technique made it possible to define 7 different electrophoretypes. Of the isolates 11 exhibited an identical "long" electrophoretic migration pattern. "Short" RNA pattern was found in two cases, and one atypical rotavirus was also revealed. This is the first description of rotavirus RNA electrophoretypes in Hungary.

Characterisation of an echovirus type 11' (prime) epidemic strain causing haemorrhagic syndrome in newborn babies in Hungary.

Echovirus 11' (prime) isolates from an epidemic of haemorrhagic syndrome in departments of obstetrics in Hungary have been characterised. The leading component of the clinical disease was carditis and its lethal outcome occurred in 13 newborn babies. Maternal immunity was found to be absent even in women of 41 years of age. The application of monovalent oral poliovirus type 1 vaccine prevented the progress of the epidemic within two weeks. Nevertheless, a serological survey among primovacinees of 3-15 months of age revealed that 20% of the babies seroconverted without clinical symptoms during the epidemic. Serological evidence showed that the echovirus 11' infection was unable to interfere with the efficacy of oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV), since seroconversion rates of primovaccinees did not differ significantly from those in the group seroconverted also to echovirus 11' during the vaccination campaign. A 440 nucleotide (nt) fragment of the 5'-non-translated region of 12 epidemic echovirus 11' isolates and 26 echovirus prototype strains was amplified by a nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and analysed using three different restriction endonucleases. The 5'-regions of the echovirus 11' isolates were found to be identical to each other but different from that of the prototype echovirus 11 (Gregory) strain. The results indicate that echovirus 11' isolates underwent genetic changes in the 5'-end and P1 region of the genome before the onset of the epidemic.

Burden of human rotavirus-associated hospitalizations in three geographic regions of Hungary.

Data on hospital admissions and laboratory reports were used to estimate the number of hospitalizations of children aged 14 y or less in three geographic regions of Hungary due to group A rotavirus infection. Between January 1993 and December 1996, 9182 hospitalizations for gastroenteritis occurred, of which 1946 (21%) were associated with rotavirus infection. Most (90%) of the rotavirus detections were among children aged 4 y or less. By extrapolation, an estimated 5000 rotavirus-related hospitalizations (8.4/1000 children aged 4 y or less/y) occurred in Hungary during the study period. Marked seasonality of rotavirus infections was observed, with a peak of incidence from December to February. Rotaviruses with "long" RNA electropherotypes predominated each year, but in 1995/1996 20% of electropherotypes in the Budapest area were "short". Effective surveillance is required for all children hospitalized for diarrhoea as part of a rotavirus immunization program in Hungary.

Antibodies to viruses of the herpes group in glomerulonephritis of membranous, membranoproliferative and IgA types.

Sera of 25 patients with membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN), 16 with membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) and 54 with IgA glomerulonephritis (IgA GN) were studied for complement-binding antibodies to herpes simplex virus (HSV), cytomegalovirus (CMV) and antibodies to various Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) associated antigens, as also for the titres of these antibodies. The sera of 220 normal individuals served as controls, 120 controls being used for each case. Anti-HSV titres of greater than or equal to 1:64 were found to occur in the sera of all three GN groups in a higher proportion than in those of the controls. This was also valid for the complement-binding antibodies to CM, although here the differences were not invariably significant. IgA antibodies reacting with EBV capside antigen (EBVCA) were likewise of statistically increased frequency in IgA GN, as also in MPGN, and in these two groups the geometric mean of the reciprocal value of the IgA antibody titres was also higher than either in the controls or in MGN. The results of the studies carried out within 6 months after onset of renal disease point to an EBV infection, either fresh or having taken place in the recent past, in 20 cases. These data are compatible with a direct or indirect role of EBV in the production and/or persistence of certain types of GN. The high anti-HSV and CMV titres suggest that in a number of patients with renal disease the immune responses to certain types of the HSV group may be abnormal.

[Enteral adenovirus and infantile intussusception]. / Enteralis adenovírus és csecsemökori invaginatio.

The authors investigated the data of a six-months old child having gone through a successful reduction. On the basis of these results, they have come to suppose that the enteric adenovirus 41 played a role in the course of the intussusception. The detection of the virus was verified through PCR, the application of hexon primers and by the restrictive enzyme analysis of Taq I and Hha I.

[Serologic signs of Epstein-Barr-virus infections in various patients without infectious mononucleosis]. / Aktuálisan zajló Epstein-Barr-Vírusinfekció szerológiai jelei különbözö, nem mononucleosisos betegekben.

The authors detected Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) virus capsid (VCA) antibodies of IgM and IgG type together with EBNA and heterophil antibodies in the sera collected from 1882 unselected patients without infectious mononucleosis. Out of them IgM type antibodies were found in 123 cases and in an additional group of 30 patients heterophil antibodies were detected together with EBV specific virus markers. Altogether 153 patients were considered as cases of primary EBV infection, or reinfection. Comparing the distribution of age groups of the 1729 and the 153 patients, the author observed the increased incidence of elderly cases among patients with actual EBV infection, particularly above 60 years of age (P < 0.001). The 1729 patients were composed of 141 main diagnostic groups and the 153 patients with actual EBV infection consisted of 30 main diagnostic groups of which more than one third (53 cases) were of alcoholic liver diseases and patients of HBsAg carriers. The authors suppose, that in the cases of alcoholic liver diseases and of HBsAg carriers the suspected "immunocompromised" condition of those patients resulted the actual EBV infection, or reinfection. In other cases, like virus infection or meningitis serosa, it is suspected that the EBV can be responsible producing the symptoms.

[Serologic signs of Epstein Barr virus activity in acute viral hepatitis, symptomless HbsAg carriers as well as in alcoholic liver diseases]. / Az Epstein-Barr-vírus aktivitásának szerológiai jelei akut virushepatitisekben, tünetmentes HbsAg hordozókban és alkoholos eredetü májbetegségekben.

The authors, based on their previous observations, analysed the serological incidence of the EBV infection in patients with viral hepatitis, HBsAg carriers and alcoholic liver diseases compared to control group. For the better statistical comparison they have selected the patients of 20-60 years of age and by using Khi-square probe, compared the incidence of IgM and IgG type antibodies against EBV in the samples. Significantly higher incidence (P < 0.05) of IgM antibodies were found in the samples of patients with alcoholic liver disease and of HBsAg carriers compared to the patients of viral hepatitis and control group. No similar distribution was observed related to the IgG type antibodies. Certain degree of "immunocompromised" condition is suspected in the cases of patients with HBsAg carrier state and with alcoholic liver disease known from the literature as the main reason behind the relatively more frequent Epstein-Barr virus infection.

[Sero-epidemiologic study of Epstein-Barr virus markers in patients without mononucleosis at a department for infectious diseases]. / Epstein-Barr-vírus markerek szeroepidemiológiai vizsgálata infektológiai osztály nem mononucleosisos beteganyagában.

The authors have screened sera samples of 1817 unselected patients of not having infectious mononucleosis, admitted to their department, for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) viruscapsid (VCA) IgM and IgG type antibody to detect the actual situation of EBV infection. The results were evaluated in age groups and in serological patterns. Their results indicated, that 80% of children became seropositive by 5-10 years of age and after 20 years, the rate of seropositivity was over 90% comparable to the reports from "developing" countries. IgM VCA antibodies were found in 103 samples (5.66%). The relatively high rate of only IgG VCA antibody-containing samples (480 cases, 26.41%) might indicate a previous EBV infection or the weakness of the cellular immunity of the given subject. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the problem.

[HIV infection es IgA nephropathy]. / A HIV-fertózés és az IgA nephropathia.

Similar immunological abnormalities exist in IgA nephropathy and HIV infection and several IgA nephropathy cases were reported in HIV-infected patients. To estimate the number of HIV-infected patients in IgA nephropathy, 80 patients with IgA nephropathy were studied for HIV-1 and HIV-2 antibody seropositivity. Although they failed to detect HIV positivity among their IgA nephropathy patients, because of the increasing number of people are being infected with HIV, the screening of IgA nephropathy patients for HIV infection would warrant.

First isolation of enteric adenoviruses type 41 from children with acute gastroenteritis in Hungary.

In a retrospective study, 122 stool specimens, collected 1989-1990, from children with gastroenteritis were found to contain adenoviruses. Twenty-nine adenoviruses of 50 randomly selected adenovirus-positive fecal samples were successfully propagated in Graham 293 cells and were typed by DNA restriction enzyme analysis with SmaI. Six strains were typed as adenovirus 41 (Ad41), and 23 strains as non-enteric adenovirus. All six adenoviruses type 41 had the same DNA pattern identical with that of the variant Ad41/D12. Ad40 viruses were not detected. Enteric Ad41 infections were observed only in males and were found throughout the year. This is the first report on isolation and typing of enteric adenoviruses 41 in Hungary.

B.K. virus haemagglutinin.

Among the widely applied buffered media, the HSAG (hepes-salt-albumin-gelatin) medium at pH 5.75--6.25 was found to be the most favourable for B.K. virus haemagglutinin titration. The optimum temperature was at 4 degrees C. The haemagglutinin was not affected by temperatures up to 37 degrees C, pHs between 5.5 and 9.5, and NaCl concentrations between 0.063 M and 2.56 M. When incubated at 56 degrees C, the haemagglutinin shows a time and pH dependent decline in titre. No significant time dependent titre fall occurred at 56 degrees C if NaCl molarity was varied between 1.31 and 2.56.

Shift in genomic molecular patterns of human rotaviruses over an eighteen-month period in Hungary.

Rotavirus electropherotypes of 103 fecal samples collected from children for 18 months in Baranya County, Hungary, revealed seven different patterns. Two electropherotypes were predominant and a clear shift was evident in their occurrence. The results provide the first evidence of a shift in the prevalence of electropherotyping variants in Hungary.

The serological signs of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) activity in the elderly.

The authors determined the IgM and IgG anti-Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-VCA and anti-EBNA levels in single serum samples of 1882 patients with diagnose except infectious mononucleosis. The serological results were divided into four groups according to different serological patterns: the seronegative group, the IgM anti-VCA positive group (supposedly having actual EBV infection), the IgG (only) anti-VCA group (probably recent EBV infection or not sufficiently functioning cellular immunity) and IgG anti-VCA antibodies together with anti-EBNA (past EBV infection). The presence of heterophil antibodies was detected too. The incidence rates of the serological patterns were classified according to different age groups. It has been observed that the EBV seropositivity rapidly increases with age and over 60 years of age it is over 96%. At the same time the incidence rate of the IgM anti-VCA has gradually increased with age and from 3.66% in the age group of 0-10 years reached 11.98% in patients over 60 years of age. Significantly higher titres of IgG anti-VCA were found in the elderly group of patients as well. The distribution of heterophil antibody positive samples failed to show any significant distribution.

Haemagglutination-inhibiting antibodies to B.K. virus in Hungary.

Antibody inhibiting the haemagglutination by B.K. virus was found in 64% of the serum samples collected from 949 subjects in Hungary. The frequency of seropositivity was the lowest (17%) among infants 1 and 2 years of age and the highest (93%) in the age group 16 to 20 years. The subsequent age groups showed a slow continuous decline. The age-distribution curve drawn on the basis of the geometric means of titres has two peaks, one between 3 and 5 years of age and another between 21 and 30 years of age, reaching 6.74 and 7.05, respectively, as expressed in terms of log2 units. The prevalence of haemagglutination-inhibiting antibody to B.K. virus in Hungary and its distribution by age are similar to those reported from other European countries.

Sequence heterogeneity among human picobirnaviruses detected in a gastroenteritis outbreak.

Human picobirnaviruses characterised in this study were serendipitously detected in a non-bacterial gastroenteritis outbreak when specimens were examined for the presence of human rotaviruses using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Of ten stool samples sent for virological examination, two, three, and one specimens were positive for human caliciviruses, picobirnaviruses, and both viruses, respectively. Partial sequences of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase gene were determined for three picobirnavirus-positive samples. The sequence identity among these three strains was 60% to 65% for the nucleic acid and 64% to 70% for the deduced amino acid sequences. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that each of the three strains clustered with strains identified in geographically separate areas. In contrast, human calicivirus strains co-incidentally identified, showed complete nucleotide sequence identity. These findings demonstrate a lack of common exposure to or point of source for picobirnavirus infection, suggesting that the outbreak was caused by human caliciviruses. Further studies are needed to determine the etiologic role and to establish the taxonomic basis of picobirnaviruses.