1
|
Hoad VC, Gibbs T, Ravikumara M, Nash M, Levy A, Tracy SL, Mews C, Perkowska-Guse Z, Faddy HM, Bowden S. First confirmed case of transfusion-transmitted hepatitis E in Australia. Med J Aust 2018; 206:289-290. [PMID: 28403756 DOI: 10.5694/mja16.01090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2016] [Accepted: 01/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Monica Nash
- Australian Red Cross Blood Service, Sydney, NSW
| | - Avram Levy
- PathWest Laboratory Medicine WA, Perth, WA
| | - Samantha L Tracy
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, Melbourne, VIC
| | | | | | | | - Scott Bowden
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, Melbourne, VIC
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Yapa CM, Furlong C, Rosewell A, Ward KA, Adamson S, Shadbolt C, Kok J, Tracy SL, Bowden S, Smedley EJ, Ferson MJ, Sheppeard V, McAnulty JM. First reported outbreak of locally acquired hepatitis E virus infection in Australia. Med J Aust 2016; 204:274. [PMID: 27078603 DOI: 10.5694/mja15.00955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2015] [Accepted: 12/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the source and extent of a locally acquired hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection outbreak. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS A cluster of notified cases of HEV infection linked to a single restaurant (X) was identified in May 2014. People with laboratory-confirmed HEV infection in New South Wales between January 2013 and December 2014 were interviewed about potential risk factors for HEV infection. Co-diners at restaurant X and patients with suspected but unexplained viral hepatitis were retrospectively tested. Foods eaten by the infected persons were compared with those of seronegative co-diners. HEV RNA detected in sera from infected persons was sequenced and genotyped. Implicated foods were traced back to their sources. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Potential sources of infection, including overseas travel and foods eaten, and origin of implicated food products. RESULTS In 55 serologically confirmed cases of HEV infection, 24 people had not travelled overseas during their incubation periods. Of the 24, 17 reported having eaten at restaurant X, 15 of whom could be interviewed. All reported consuming pork liver pâté, compared with only four of seven uninfected co-diners (P < 0.05). The other seven people with locally acquired infections each reported consuming a pork product during their incubation periods. HEV RNA was detected in 16 of the 24 cases; all were of genotype 3. Sequencing indicated greater than 99% homology among restaurant X isolates. HEV RNA was isolated from pork sausages from a batch implicated in one of the locally acquired infections not linked with restaurant X. The pork livers used for pâté preparation by restaurant X were traced to a single Australian farm. CONCLUSIONS This is the first reported HEV outbreak in Australia. HEV should be considered in patients presenting with a compatible illness, even without a history of overseas travel. Pork products should be thoroughly cooked before consumption.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Jen Kok
- Centre for Infectious Diseases, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, NSW
| | - Samantha L Tracy
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, Melbourne, VIC
| | - Scott Bowden
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, Melbourne, VIC
| | | | - Mark J Ferson
- Public Health Unit, South Eastern Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Nivarthi UK, Gras S, Kjer-Nielsen L, Berry R, Lucet IS, Miles JJ, Tracy SL, Purcell AW, Bowden DS, Hellard M, Rossjohn J, McCluskey J, Bharadwaj M. An extensive antigenic footprint underpins immunodominant TCR adaptability against a hypervariable viral determinant. J Immunol 2014; 193:5402-13. [PMID: 25355921 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1401357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Mutations in T cell epitopes are implicated in hepatitis C virus (HCV) persistence and can impinge on vaccine development. We recently demonstrated a narrow bias in the human TCR repertoire targeted at an immunodominant, but highly mutable, HLA-B*0801-restricted epitope ((1395)HSKKKCDEL(1403) [HSK]). To investigate if the narrow TCR repertoire facilitates CTL escape, structural and biophysical studies were undertaken, alongside comprehensive functional analysis of T cells targeted at the natural variants of HLA-B*0801-HSK in different HCV genotypes and quasispecies. Interestingly, within the TCR-HLA-B*0801-HSK complex, the TCR contacts all available surface-exposed residues of the HSK determinant. This broad epitope coverage facilitates cross-genotypic reactivity and recognition of common mutations reported in HCV quasispecies, albeit to a varying degree. Certain mutations did abrogate T cell reactivity; however, natural variants comprising these mutations are reportedly rare and transient in nature, presumably due to fitness costs. Overall, despite a narrow bias, the TCR accommodated frequent mutations by acting like a blanket over the hypervariable epitope, thereby providing effective viral immunity. Our findings simultaneously advance the understanding of anti-HCV immunity and indicate the potential for cross-genotype HCV vaccines.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Usha K Nivarthi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - Stephanie Gras
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia; Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Lars Kjer-Nielsen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - Richard Berry
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Isabelle S Lucet
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - John J Miles
- Institute of Infection and Immunity, Cardiff University, School of Medicine, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XN, United Kingdom; Queensland Institute of Medical Research Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland 4006, Australia; School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4006, Australia
| | - Samantha L Tracy
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Parkville, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - Anthony W Purcell
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - David S Bowden
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Parkville, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - Margaret Hellard
- Centre for Population Health, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia; Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia; and Centre for Research Excellence into Injecting Drug Use, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia
| | - Jamie Rossjohn
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia; Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia; Institute of Infection and Immunity, Cardiff University, School of Medicine, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XN, United Kingdom;
| | - James McCluskey
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3000, Australia;
| | - Mandvi Bharadwaj
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3000, Australia;
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Mahony AA, Donnan EJ, Lester RA, Doyle JS, Knox J, Tracy SL, Bowden S, Sasadeusz JJ. Beyond injecting drug use: investigation of a Victorian cluster of hepatitis C among HIV‐infected men who have sex with men. Med J Aust 2013; 198:210-4. [DOI: 10.5694/mja12.10556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2012] [Accepted: 10/11/2012] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew A Mahony
- Austin Health, Melbourne, VIC
- Department of Health, Melbourne, VIC
| | | | | | - Joseph S Doyle
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, Melbourne, VIC
- Burnet Institute, Melbourne, VIC
| | - James Knox
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, Melbourne, VIC
| | - Samantha L Tracy
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, Melbourne, VIC
| | - Scott Bowden
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, Melbourne, VIC
| | - Joseph J Sasadeusz
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Service, Melbourne Health, Melbourne, VIC
- Alfred Health, Melbourne, VIC
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Donnan EJ, Fielding JE, Gregory JE, Lalor K, Rowe S, Goldsmith P, Antoniou M, Fullerton KE, Knope K, Copland JG, Bowden DS, Tracy SL, Hogg GG, Tan A, Adamopoulos J, Gaston J, Vally H. A multistate outbreak of hepatitis A associated with semidried tomatoes in Australia, 2009. Clin Infect Dis 2012; 54:775-81. [PMID: 22238166 DOI: 10.1093/cid/cir949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A large outbreak of hepatitis A affected individuals in several Australian states in 2009, resulting in a 2-fold increase in cases reported to state health departments compared with 2008. Two peaks of infection occurred (April-May and September-November), with surveillance data suggesting locally acquired infections from a widely distributed food product. METHODS Two case-control studies were completed. Intensive product trace-back and food sampling was undertaken. Genotyping was conducted on virus isolates from patient serum and food samples. Control measures included prophylaxis for close contacts, public health warnings, an order by the chief health officer under the Victorian Food Act 1984, and trade-level recalls on implicated batches of semidried tomatoes. RESULTS A multijurisdictional case-control study in April-May found an association between illness and consumption of semidried tomatoes (odds ratio [OR], 3.0; 95% CI 1.4-6.7). A second case-control study conducted in Victoria in October-November also implicated semidried tomatoes as being associated with illness (OR, 10.3; 95% CI, 4.7-22.7). Hepatitis A RNA was detected in 22 samples of semidried tomatoes. Hepatitis A virus genotype IB was identified in 144 of 153 (94%) patients tested from 2009, and partial sequence analysis showed complete identity with an isolate found in a sample of semidried tomatoes. CONCLUSIONS The results of both case-control studies and food testing implicated the novel vehicle of semidried tomatoes as the cause of this hepatitis A outbreak. The outbreak was extensive and sustained despite public health interventions, the design and implementation of which were complicated by limitations in food testing capability and complex supply chains.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ellen J Donnan
- Victorian Government Department of Health, ational Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, College of Medicine and Biological Sciences, The Australian National University, Melbourne, Australia
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Miles JJ, Thammanichanond D, Moneer S, Nivarthi UK, Kjer-Nielsen L, Tracy SL, Aitken CK, Brennan RM, Zeng W, Marquart L, Jackson D, Burrows SR, Bowden DS, Torresi J, Hellard M, Rossjohn J, McCluskey J, Bharadwaj M. Antigen-driven patterns of TCR bias are shared across diverse outcomes of human hepatitis C virus infection. J Immunol 2010; 186:901-12. [PMID: 21160049 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1003167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection causes significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. T cells play a central role in HCV clearance; however, there is currently little understanding of whether the disease outcome in HCV infection is influenced by the choice of TCR repertoire. TCR repertoires used against two immunodominant HCV determinants--the highly polymorphic, HLA-B*0801 restricted (1395)HSKKKCDEL(1403) (HSK) and the comparatively conserved, HLA-A*0101-restricted, (1435)ATDALMTGY(1443) (ATD)--were analyzed in clearly defined cohorts of HLA-matched, HCV-infected individuals with persistent infection and HCV clearance. In comparison with ATD, TCR repertoire selected against HSK was more narrowly focused, supporting reports of mutational escape in this epitope, in persistent HCV infection. Notwithstanding the Ag-driven divergence, T cell repertoire selection against either Ag was comparable in subjects with diverse disease outcomes. Biased T cell repertoires were observed early in infection and were evident not only in persistently infected individuals but also in subjects with HCV clearance, suggesting that these are not exclusively characteristic of viral persistence. Comprehensive clonal analysis of Ag-specific T cells revealed widespread use of public TCRs displaying a high degree of predictability in TRBV/TRBJ gene usage, CDR3 length, and amino acid composition. These public TCRs were observed against both ATD and HSK and were shared across diverse disease outcomes. Collectively, these observations indicate that repertoire diversity rather than particular Vβ segments are better associated with HCV persistence/clearance in humans. Notably, many of the anti-HCV TCRs switched TRBV and TRBJ genes around a conserved, N nucleotide-encoded CDR3 core, revealing TCR sequence mosaicism as a potential host mechanism to combat this highly variant virus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- John J Miles
- Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Queensland 4029, Australia
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Aitken CK, McCaw RF, Bowden DS, Tracy SL, Kelsall JG, Higgs PG, Kerger MJ, Nguyen H, Crofts JN. Molecular Epidemiology of Hepatitis C Virus in a Social Network of Injection Drug Users. J Infect Dis 2004; 190:1586-95. [PMID: 15478062 DOI: 10.1086/424678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2004] [Accepted: 05/17/2004] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND We aimed to measure the overlap between the social networks of injection drug users (IDUs) and the patterns of related hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections among IDUs. METHODS A cohort of 199 IDUs (138 of whom were HCV RNA positive) was recruited from a local drug scene in Melbourne, Australia, and was studied using social network analysis and molecular phylogenetic analysis of 2 regions of the HCV genome. RESULTS Eighteen clusters of related infections involving 51 IDUs (37.0% of HCV RNA-positive IDUs) were detected; these clusters could be separated into 66 discrete pairs. Twelve (18.2%) of the 66 IDU pairs with related infections reported having previously injected drugs together; conversely, only 12 (3.8%) of the 313 pairs of HCV RNA-positive IDUs who were injection partners had strong molecular evidence of related infections. The social and genetic distances that separated IDUs with identical genotypes were weakly associated. Significant clusters of phylogenetically related sequences identified from core region analysis persisted in the analysis of the nonstructural 5a protein region. Genotyping and sequence analysis revealed 2 mixed-genotype infections. CONCLUSIONS Static social network methods are likely to gather information about a minority of patterns of HCV transmission, because of the difficulty of determining historical infection pathways in an established social network of IDUs. Nevertheless, molecular epidemiological methods identified clusters of IDUs with related viruses and provided information about mixed-genotype infection status.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Campbell K Aitken
- Epidemiology and Social Research Program, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
8
|
|
9
|
Giovannoni JJ, Noensie EN, Ruezinsky DM, Lu X, Tracy SL, Ganal MW, Martin GB, Pillen K, Alpert K, Tanksley SD. Molecular genetic analysis of the ripening-inhibitor and non-ripening loci of tomato: a first step in genetic map-based cloning of fruit ripening genes. Mol Gen Genet 1995; 248:195-206. [PMID: 7651343 DOI: 10.1007/bf02190801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Ripening represents a complex developmental process unique to plants. We are using tomato fruit ripening mutants as tools to understand the regulatory components that control and coordinate the physiological and biochemical changes which collectively confer the ripe phenotype. We have genetically characterized two loci which result in significant inhibition of the ripening process in tomato, ripening-inhibitor (rin), and non-ripening (nor), as a first step toward isolating genes likely to encode key regulators of this developmental process. A combination of pooled-sample mapping as well as classical restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis has permitted the construction of high-density genetic maps for the regions of chromosomes 5 and 10 spanning the rin and nor loci, respectively. To assess the feasibility of initiating a chromosome walk, physical mapping of high molecular weight genomic DNA has been employed to estimate the relationship between physical distance (in kb) and genetic distance (in cM) around the targeted loci. Based on this analysis, the relationship in the region spanning the rin locus is estimated to be 200-300 kb/cM, while the nor locus region ratio is approximately 200 kb/1 cM. Using RFLP markers tightly linked to rin and nor, chromosome walks have been initiated to both loci in a yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) library of tomato genomic DNA. We have isolated and characterized several YAC clones linked to each of the targeted ripening loci and present genetic evidence that at least one YAC clone contains the nor locus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J J Giovannoni
- Department of Horticultural Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station 77843-2133, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Tracy SL. From here to eternity. Most of us bury our feelings about death. Emerg Med Serv 1994; 23:67-8. [PMID: 10136965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- S L Tracy
- Center for Emergency Medicine of Western Pennsylvania
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Tracy SL, Frenkel MJ, Gough KH, Hanna PJ, Shukla DD. Bean yellow mosaic, clover yellow vein, and pea mosaic are distinct potyviruses: evidence from coat protein gene sequences and molecular hybridization involving the 3' non-coding regions. Arch Virol 1992; 122:249-61. [PMID: 1731696 DOI: 10.1007/bf01317187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The sequences of the 3' 1019 nucleotides of the genome of an atypical strain of bean yellow mosaic virus (BYMV-S) and of the 3' 1018 nucleotides of the clover yellow vein virus (CYVV-B) genome have been determined. These sequences contain the complete coding region of the viral coat protein followed by a 3' non-coding region of 173 and 178 nucleotides for BYMV-S and CYVV-B, respectively. When the deduced amino acid sequences of the coat protein coding regions were compared, a sequence identity of 77% was found between the two viruses, and optimal alignment of the 3' untranslated regions of BYMV-S and CYVV-B gave a 65% identity. However, the degree of homology of the amino acid sequences of coat proteins of BYMV-S with the published sequences for three other strains of BYMV ranged from 88% to 94%, while the sequence homology of the 3' untranslated regions between the four strains of BYMV ranged between 86% and 95%. Amplified DNA probes corresponding to the 3' non-coding regions of BYMV-S and CYVV-B showed strong hybridization only with the strains of their respective viruses and not with strains of other potyviruses, including pea mosaic virus (PMV). The relatively low sequence identities between the BYMV-S and CYVV-B coat proteins and their 3' non-coding regions, together with the hybridization results, indicate that BYMV, CYVV, and PMV are distinct potyviruses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- S L Tracy
- CSIRO Division of Biomolecular Engineering, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
12
|
Tracy SL. Microscopy of CSF and cost efficiency. Am J Clin Pathol 1990; 94:668. [PMID: 2122718 DOI: 10.1093/ajcp/94.5.668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
|
13
|
Shukla DD, Thomas JE, McKern NM, Tracy SL, Ward CW. Coat protein of potyviruses. 4. Comparison of biological properties, serological relationships, and coat protein amino acid sequences of four strains of potato virus Y. Arch Virol 1988; 102:207-19. [PMID: 3144263 DOI: 10.1007/bf01310826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Four strains of potato virus Y, PVY-D, PVY-10, PVY-18, and PVY-43, obtained from different Australian sources were compared on the basis of their biological, serological and coat protein structural properties. Each of the strains could be distinguished on the basis of their reactions on selected test plant species. Two of the PVY strains, PVY-D and PVY-10, induced symptoms similar to those produced by the PVYO strain group. The reactions of PVY-18 and PVY-43, although comparable to PVYN in some hosts, did not completely match the description of the PVYN strain group. In contrast to the other three strains, PVY-18 could not be transmitted by Myzus persicae in repeated tests. No difference was observed in the serological properties of the four PVY strains in different assay systems, using polyclonal antisera. The amino acid sequences of the coat proteins of PVY-10, PVY-18, and PVY-43 were obtained and compared with the coat protein sequences of pepper mottle virus (PeMV) [Dougherty WG, Allison RF, Parks TD, Johnston RE, Feild MJ, Armstrong FB (1985) Virology 146: 282-292] and PVY-D [Shukla DD, Inglis AS, McKern NM, Gough KH (1986) Virology 152: 118-125]. The homology between the PVY strains ranged from 96.3 to 99.3% and with the PeMV sequence, 91.4 to 92.9%. Based on this high sequence homology, and the previous observation that coat protein sequences of potyvirus strains are always greater than 90% identical, PeMV could be considered a strain of PVY. However, PVY and PeMV are reported to be only distantly serologically related and on this basis PeMV is currently considered to be an independent member of the Potyvirus group.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- D D Shukla
- CSIRO, Division of Biotechnology, Parkville Laboratory, Victoria, Australia
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
14
|
Abstract
An evaluation of the Coulter Electronics, Inc. (Hialeah, FL) three-part differential screen (3PD) was undertaken to determine the performance characteristics of this system. The 3PD measures white blood cell (WBC) volumes and, by automatic analysis of the resultant WBC histogram, produces a determination of the number and percent of lymphocytes, mononuclear cells, and granulocytes. A group of 984 random patient blood samples was tested. The overall review rate (samples requiring some further analysis or review) was 42%. The main source of false negatives on the 3PD was eosinophilia: 5 out of 22 instances of eosinophilia greater than 750/microL were not flagged. The precision of the three parameters, measured as percent coefficient of variation, was 3.3% for lymphocytes, 14.2% for mononuclear cells, 3.1% for granulocytes, and 2.4% for the total WBC. The stability of blood samples was acceptable for up to eight hours at room temperature (less at 4 degrees C).
Collapse
|
15
|
Abstract
A 33-year-old woman presenting with secondary amenorrhea and galactorrhea was found to have a Sertoli cell tumor of the ovary. The neoplasm also had a sex cord tumor with annular tubules (SCTAT) component. Further investigations revealed that in many respects the patient was endocrinologically pregnant. She had markedly elevated serum estrogen and progesterone levels and the endometrium demonstrated pronounced decidualization, but there was no evidence of actual pregnancy. Estrogen and progesterone were demonstrated by immunohistochemistry to be present in both the Sertoli cell and SCTAT portions of the tumor.
Collapse
|
16
|
Abstract
A patient with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia who received chemotherapy developed lung nodules and later central nervous system symptoms consistent with disseminated aspergillosis. The diagnosis was made at open lung biopsy by culturing the organism and observing in tissue sections conidia borne laterally along the hyphae, a characteristic of the Aspergillus terreus-flavipes group. This is the first reported case of disseminated A. terreus infection in an immunocompromised host.
Collapse
|
17
|
Studnicki J, Green JG, Queen JE, Tracy SL, Keefe A. Length of stay review: methodology and rationale. Md State Med J 1981; 30:54-7. [PMID: 7024656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
|