Materno-fetal transmission of human coronaviruses: a prospective pilot study.

This prospective pilot study investigates the possibility of materno-fetal transmission of human coronaviruses (HCoV) responsible for cases of neonatal infection. This vertical transmission was studied with 159 samples from mother-child couples: maternal vaginal (MV) and respiratory (MR) samples during labor; and newborn gastric sample (NG) with detection of HCoV (229E, OC-43, NL-63, HKU1) via real time RT PCR. HCoV was detected in 12 samples (229E: 11; HKU1: 1) from seven mother-child couples. For three couples, only MR tested positive (cases 1-3). For two other couples all three samples (MV, MR and NG) tested positive (cases 4 and 5). For case 6, only MV and NG tested positive. In case 7, only MV was positive. Possible vertical transmission of HCoV was hypothesized in this pilot study and requires further investigation on a larger scale.

Is hepatitis C virus NS3 protease quasispecies heterogeneity predictive of progression from cirrhosis to hepatocellular carcinoma?

We investigated whether an HCV NS3 protease quasispecies heterogeneity was associated with progression from viral cirrhosis to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The NS3 protease quasispecies structure of 10 HCV-1b cirrhotic patients (controls) was compared with that of 10 paired HCV-1b cirrhotic patients who displayed progression to HCC (cases). NS3 protease genetic complexity and diversity did not differ significantly between cases and controls. Amino acid substitutions were detected at 20 (11%) and 25 (14%) sites in at least two variants of the NS3 protease in cases and controls, respectively. Significant differences in the percentage of substituted clones were observed for 10 NS3 sites. Mutations Y56F, I71V, T72I, Q86P, P89S, S101G/D, R117H, S122G/T/N, V132I and V170I were more frequently observed in the NS3 protease sequences of controls than in those of cases. Residue V107 was substituted in NS3 cases but not in controls. However, these differences did not allow the definition of a specific NS3 profile related to HCC occurrence. The NS3 secondary structure B1-1 previously identified as potentially predictive of HCC was identified with a higher frequency in cases quasispecies (84.2%) than in controls (55.9%; P < 0.05). Our results suggest that there may be a relationship to fibrosis progression when diversity parameters are considered together with secondary structure profiles. Further investigations are required to determine the cellular interactions of HCV NS3 protease in the context of carcinogenesis.

[Pilot epidemiologic study of transmission of cytomegalovirus from mother to preterm infant by breastfeeding]. / Transmission du cytomégalovirus par le lait maternel cru aux enfants prématurés: étude épidémiologique pilote.

UNLABELLED: Transmission of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection from mothers to preterm infants during breastfeeding may be symptomatic and long term consequences are unknown. This study evaluated the kinetics of CMV load in breastmilk and the rate of postnatal CMV transmission via breastmilk from mothers to their preterm infants. METHODS: Prospective study of mother-child pairs after preterm delivery before 33 weeks. Exclusion of donor breast milk and of CMV-seropositive blood products. Material used was maternal CMV serostatus, ear swab of the infant at birth, weekly screened breast milk and children's urine by rapid viral culture. RESULTS: During a 5-month period 28 mother-infant pairs with 34 preterm infants were studied. Eighteen women (64.3%) were CMV-seronegative at birth; breastmilk samples and the infants' urine remained CMV-negative. Eight of the 10 seropositive mothers, who had 11 preterm infants, excreted CMV into breast milk (80%). CMV excretion into breast milk was detected during the first week after delivery in 66% cases and was at its peaked between 3 to 5 weeks after delivery. Out of the 7 CMV-exposed infants, CMV transmission was confirmed in only one asymptomatic case. Total quantity of breast milk intake did not seem discriminative for CMV transmission. CONCLUSION: In CMV-seropositive mothers of preterm infants a high incidence of CMV excretion into breast milk was detected. Despite this high rate, symptomatic infection did not occur. However, potential risk and severity of infection may be difficult to establish. Because breastfeeding is beneficial, new procedures for gentle virus inactivation of seropositive breast milk should be assessed.

[Sudden death of a two-year-old boy with influenza A virus infection: study of an autopsy case]. / Décès brutal et infection à virus Influenza A chez un enfant de deux ans: étude d'un cas autopsique.

UNLABELLED: Influenza A virus infections are common in childhood and infancy and are often underdiagnosed while serious or lethal forms are rare. CASE-REPORT: We describe a case of sudden death in a two-year-old boy. Pathologic findings at autopsy were consistent with Myxovirus influenzae A virus infection and the virus was isolated by post mortem PCR. CONCLUSION: In the case of sudden death in infants, especially if pathologic findings are compatible with a viral infection, PCR may allow identification of the causative virus.

Multicenter evaluating of a commercially available PCR assay for diagnosing enterovirus infection in a panel of cerebrospinal fluid specimens.

Thirteen laboratories participated in blind tests of a panel of 20 coded cerebrospinal fluid specimens (7 uninfected samples, 3 samples infected with 1 50% tissue culture infective dose [TCID50]/0.1 ml [nonenterovirus strains], and 10 samples infected with 10, 1, or 0.1 TCID50/0.1 ml [three different enterovirus serotypes]) on the Amplicor enterovirus PCR assay (Roche Diagnostic Systems). The panel was also evaluated by in-house PCR (two nested-PCR and three one-step PCR assay) or tissue culture (eight laboratories). The viral load was shown to influence greatly the sensitivity of the assay. The average sensitivity of the Amplicor test ranged from 67 to 98% for viral titers of 1 to 10 TCID50/0.1 ml, respectively; titers of 0.1 TCID50/0.1 ml resulted in a sensitivity of only 16%. The overall specificity of the Amplicor test was 98%. The Amplicor assay compared favorably to the five in-house PCR tests (no significant difference in either sensitivity or specificity) and was much more sensitive than tissue culture (P < 0.001), even for high viral loads. It was easy to perform, rapid (about 6 h), well-standardized, and appeared to be suitable for the diagnosis of enterovirus meningitis on a routine basis in laboratories trained in molecular biology techniques.

New developments in the molecular epidemiology of adenovirus 8 keratoconjunctivitis.

Four consecutive epidemics of keratoconjunctivitis caused by adenovirus 8 (Ad8) occurred over a 5-year period in Brest, France. A selection of 30 strains isolated during this period was studied by DNA restriction enzyme analysis using nine restriction enzymes. BglI and SacI were the most discriminative enzymes and allowed the recognition of four DNA variants, all different from the prototype strain Trim. Within each of the epidemics, the strains tested could not be distinguished in this analysis. Between strains from different epidemics differences in DNA structure could be detected however. Thus, the Ad8 epidemics of 1983/1984, 1984, 1987, and 1988 appear to have been due to DNA variants Ad8/D7, D8, D9, and D10, respectively. These results demonstrate that the DNA of Ad8 seems to display a considerable variability, comparable to that observed with Ad7 and Ad21. As has been described for Ad7, Ad21 and Ad41, successive DNA variants of Ad8 prevail during one or more years, and are then replaced by other, newly emerging variants sometimes associated with epidemics.

Erve virus, a probable member of Bunyaviridae family isolated from shrews (Crocidura russula) in France.

An apparently new agent, provisionally named Erve virus, was isolated in 1982 from tissues of three white toothed shrews, Crocidura russula, trapped near Saulges village in Western France. Results of virological and ultrastructural studies suggest that this virus belongs to the Bunyaviridae family and is a Bunyavirus-like agent. Serosurveys indicate that Erve virus had apparently a large geographical distribution in France and infects rodents, insectivores, wild boars (Sus scrofa), red deer (Cervus elaphus), sheep, herring gulls (Larus argentatus) and humans. Blood donors living in the vicinity of the Saulges area exhibit the highest incidence of antibody against Erve virus.

Molecular epidemiology of two consecutive outbreaks of adenovirus 8 keratoconjunctivitis.

Eleven strains of adenovirus 8 (Ad 8) isolated during two consecutive outbreaks of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (EKC) in the Ophthalmology Department of a University Hospital in France were compared by DNA restriction analysis. The results indicated that isolates from the two outbreaks belong to the same genome type, which is also the most predominant genome type of Ad 8. The usefulness of molecular epidemiology in Ad 8 infections is briefly discussed.

[Uneven distribution of arboviruses transmitted by ticks in sea bird colonies north and south of France]. / Distribution inégale des arbovirus transmis par des tiques dans les colonies d'oiseaux de mer du nord et du sud de la France.

During an extensive virological survey (1977-1986), 187 strains of five different arboviruses were isolated from 7,117 ticks parasitising seabirds in Brittany and Normandy, whereas only one viral strain was obtained from 1,414 ticks collected from the Southern coasts of France and Corsica. Among the many ecological factors involved in virus circulation in the two areas, the unequal sizes of the seabird colonies may probably explain the unbalanced distribution of viruses.