Molecular characterization of a new porcine rotavirus P genotype found in an asymptomatic pig in Slovenia

AbstractRotaviral RNA was detected in the stool sample of an asymptomatic fattening pig at a Slovenian pig farm. To characterize the rotavirus, RT-PCR was used, employing primers specific for the VP7, VP4 and NSP4 genes. Specific products were purified and the sequencing reaction was performed for the molecular analysis of amplified genes. Nucleotide and amino acid sequences of the VP7 gene were found highly identical (85.3–88.1% and 90.7–91.6%) to G1 genotype strains. Phylogenetic and molecular analyses of the VP7 antigen regions revealed the sample to be from a new lineage of G1 genotype. In the molecular analysis of the VP4 gene, only 70.9% nucleotide (76.2% amino acid) identity was found with the most related rotavirus VP4 gene from GenBank. Following this, the NSP4 gene was also analyzed. After the phylogenetic analysis, it clustered with the NSP4 B genotype, but also seemed to represent a new lineage of this genotype. This new rotavirus strain, named P21-5, differed greatly from all rotaviruses characterized so far in all three genes analyzed. The virulence of this strain is not clear yet and has to be investigated

HUMAN HERPESVIRUS 6

Background. Human herpesvirus 6 belongs to betaherpesviruses. This is a lymphotropic virus which is widely spread in a population. The most frequent way of virus transmission is by saliva. For this reason the first contact usally occurs early in a childhood period. Clinical manifestation might be expressed as exanthem subitum or roseola infantum. In adults primary infections are a rare event while virus reactivation might be very frequent.Conclusions. Human herpesvirus 6 is believed to be the most neurotropic among all herpesviruses. It even can cause central nervous system disease in an immunocompetent person. The most important role of human herpesvirus 6 is in provoking complications in HIV-infected individuals and in patients after organ transplantations, as it causes immunosupression even more severe. The possible connection of human herpesvirus 6 with multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome and some neoplasmas remains to be clarified. Human herpesvirus 6 infection can be most easily diagnosed by serological methods; the virus could be detected by monoclonal antibodies and by the use of the methods of molecular biology.</p

Zosteriform lichen planus-like eruption

Lichen planus (LP) is a relatively common papulosquamos skin disease of unknown etiology, it is believed to be a T-cell mediated disorder. In addition to the cutaneous eruptions it may also affect mucous membranes, nailsor cause scarring alopecia. Lichen planus appears in various clinical variants which are categorized according to the morphology and configuration of lesions. We present a 34-year-old man who developed a papular eruption localized unilaterally on the right side of the body in a linear-zosteriform pattern within the L5-S1 nerve segments. The skin lesions clinically and histologically mimicked LP. Topical treatment with betamethason ointment for one month led to remarkable improvement, but a zosteriform hiperpigmentation persisted. According to the clinical findings in our patient and a review of the literature, we believe that lichenoid-zosteriform eruption is a variant of lichen planus or a herpes zoster infection