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

Molecular surveillance of norovirus, 2005-16: an epidemiological analysis of data collected from the NoroNet network.

BACKGROUND: The development of a vaccine for norovirus requires a detailed understanding of global genetic diversity of noroviruses. We analysed their epidemiology and diversity using surveillance data from the NoroNet network. METHODS: We included genetic sequences of norovirus specimens obtained from outbreak investigations and sporadic gastroenteritis cases between 2005 and 2016 in Europe, Asia, Oceania, and Africa. We genotyped norovirus sequences and analysed sequences that overlapped at open reading frame (ORF) 1 and ORF2. Additionally, we assessed the sampling date and country of origin of the first reported sequence to assess when and where novel drift variants originated. FINDINGS: We analysed 16 635 norovirus sequences submitted between Jan 1, 2005, to Nov 17, 2016, of which 1372 (8·2%) sequences belonged to genotype GI, 15 256 (91·7%) to GII, and seven (<0·1%) to GIV.1. During this period, 26 different norovirus capsid genotypes circulated and 22 different recombinant genomes were found. GII.4 drift variants emerged with 2-3-year periodicity up to 2012, but not afterwards. Instead, the GII.4 Sydney capsid seems to persist through recombination, with a novel recombinant of GII.P16-GII.4 Sydney 2012 variant detected in 2014 in Germany (n=1) and the Netherlands (n=1), and again in 2016 in Japan (n=2), China (n=8), and the Netherlands (n=3). The novel GII.P17-GII.17, first reported in Asia in 2014, has circulated widely in Europe in 2015-16 (GII.P17 made up a highly variable proportion of all sequences in each country [median 11·3%, range 4·2-53·9], as did GII.17 [median 6·3%, range 0-44·5]). GII.4 viruses were more common in outbreaks in health-care settings (2239 [37·2%] of 6022 entries) compared with other genotypes (101 [12·5%] of 809 entries for GI and 263 [13·5%] of 1941 entries for GII non-GII.Pe-GII.4 or GII.P4-GII.4). INTERPRETATION: Continuous changes in the global norovirus genetic diversity highlight the need for sustained global norovirus surveillance, including assessment of possible immune escape and evolution by recombination, to provide a full overview of norovirus epidemiology for future vaccine policy decisions. FUNDING: European Union's Horizon 2020 grant COMPARE, ZonMw TOP grant, the Virgo Consortium funded by the Dutch Government, and the Hungarian Scientific Research Fund

Stališča in ocene prebivalcev do dela policistov kot kriterij merjenja uspešnosti policije

In the theoretical part of the paper authors talk about police organizations, goals of police organizations, success of police organizations, and public opinion of police work as a criteria of police effectives. In the empirical part of the paper authors studied opinions and evaluations towards the work of police officers in the area of Krško police district and Novo Mesto police district by 128 residents. More specifically they have studied how residents evaluate cooperation with police, how they evaluate their work and their interpersonal competences. Authors determine that citizens evaluate with the highest grade (3,18) interpersonal competents of police officers, they evaluate fairly good (3,14) police officers work, but they are a little less satisfied with police officers procedures (2,98) and with cooperation with police officers (2,80). Key words: police, effectiveness, public, community policing.Avtorja v teoretičnem delu prispevka govorita o policijskih organizacijah, ciljih policijskih organizacij, uspešnosti policijskih organizacij, ter o mnenju javnosti o policijskem delu kot kriteriju merjenja policijske uspešnosti. V empiričnem delu prispevka avtorja na vzorcu 128 prebivalcev proučujeta njihova stališča in ocene do dela policistov na območju Policijske uprave Krško in Policijske uprave Novo mesto. Konkretneje proučujeta kako prebivalci ocenjujejo sodelovanje s policisti, kako ocenjujejo njihovo delo, ter kako ocenjujejo njihove interpersonalne kompetence. Avtorja ugotavljata da prebivalci najvišje ocenjujejo interpersonalne kompetence policistov (3,18), ugodno ocenjujejo tudi delo policistov (3,14), nekoliko manj pa so zadovoljni s postopki policistov (2,98) in s sodelovanjem s policisti (2,80). Ključne besede: policija, uspešnost, javnost, policijsko delo v skupnosti

Blood Pressure Control for Health Benefits in all Grades of Hypertension

Svaka treća odrasla osoba ima visoke vrijednosti arterijskoga tlaka (AT), a zbog starenja populacije i nezdravog načina života očekuje se daljnji porast prevalencije arterijske hipertenzije. Usprkos povećanoj svijesti javnosti i dostupnosti širokog raspona antihipertenzivnih lijekova, kontrola vrijednosti AT-a i dalje je neostvareni cilj. Podatci pokazuju da znatni udio bolesnika s arterijskom hipertenzijom ostaje neidentificiran i neliječen ili pak usprkos liječenju ne uspijeva sniziti vrijednosti AT-a do preporučene razine (niže od 140/90 mmHg). Nedavno objavljeni sažetci iz Smjernica Europskoga kardiološkog društva i Europskoga društva za hipertenziju o zbrinjavanju arterijske hipertenzije 2018. naglašavaju da bi prvi cilj liječenja trebao biti snizivanje vrijednosti AT-a na manje od 140/90 mmHg u svih bolesnika. Ako se liječenje dobro podnosi, ciljni bi se AT trebao spustiti do 130/80 mmHg u većine bolesnika kako bi se u najvećoj mogućoj mjeri smanjio rizik od kardiovaskularnih događaja, što je glavna svrha liječenja arterijske hipertenzije. U ovom ćemo članku raspraviti o mogućnostima koje mogu poboljšati kontrolu vrijednosti AT-a.One in three adults suffers from high blood pressure (BP), and the prevalence is expected to rise in the future due to population ageing and unhealthy lifestyles. Despite increased public awareness and access to a variety of antihypertensives, BP control remains an unmet objective. The data suggest that a significant proportion of patients with hypertension are not identified and treated, or despite the therapy do not have BP lowered to the recommended values (below 140/90 mmHg). Recently published extracts from the 2018 European Society of Cardiology and European Society of Hypertension Joint Guidelines for the Management of Arterial Hypertension emphasize that the first objective of treatment should be to lower BP below 140/90 mmHg in all patients. If the treatment is well-tolerated, BP should be targeted to 130/80 mmHg in most patients in order to maximally reduce the risk of cardiovascular events, which is the main goal of hypertension treatment. Some solutions which may help improve the BP control are discussed below

A Novel Strain of Porcine Adenovirus Detected in Urinary Bladder Urothelial Cell Culture

Contamination of cell cultures is the most common problem encountered in cell culture laboratories. Besides the secondary cell contaminations often occurring in the cell laboratories, the contaminations originating from donor animal or human tissue are equally as common, but usually harder to recognize and as such require special attention. The present study describes the detection of porcine adenovirus (PAdV), strain PAdV-SVN1 in cultures of normal porcine urothelial (NPU) cells isolated from urinary bladders of domestic pigs. NPU cell cultures were evaluated by light microscopy (LM), polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and additionally assessed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Characteristic ultrastructure of virions revealed the infection with adenovirus. The adenoviral contamination was further identified by the sequence analysis, which showed the highest similarity to recently described PAdV strain PAdV-WI. Additionally, the cell ultrastructural analysis confirmed the life-cycle characteristic for adenoviruses. To closely mimic the in vivo situation, the majority of research on in vitro models uses cell cultures isolated from human or animal tissue and their subsequent passages. Since the donor tissue could be a potential source of contamination, the microbiological screening of the excised tissue and harvested cell cultures is highly recommended

A novel strain of porcine adenovirus detected in urinary bladder urothelial cell culture

Contamination of cell cultures is the most common problem encountered in cell culture laboratories. Besides the secondary cell contaminations often occurring in the cell laboratories, the contaminations originating from donor animal or human tissue are equally as common, but usually harder to recognize and as such require special attention. The present study describes the detection of porcine adenovirus (PAdV), strain PAdV-SVN1 in cultures of normal porcine urothelial (NPU) cells isolated from urinary bladders of domestic pigs. NPU cell cultures were evaluated by light microscopy (LM), polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and additionally assessed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Characteristic ultrastructure of virions revealed the infection with adenovirus. The adenoviral contamination was further identified by the sequence analysis, which showed the highest similarity to recently described PAdV strain PAdV-WI. Additionally, the cell ultrastructural analysis confirmed the life-cycle characteristic for adenoviruses. To closely mimic the in vivo situation, the majority of research on in vitro models uses cell cultures isolated from human or animal tissue and their subsequent passages. Since the donor tissue could be a potential source of contamination, the microbiological screening of the excised tissue and harvested cell cultures is highly recommended

HUMAN CALICIVIRUS OUTBREAK OF ACUTE GASTROENTERITIS IN AN AGED-CARE FACILITY

Background. Human caliciviruses represent a genetically and antigenetically diverse group of single-stranded RNA viruses associated with acute gastroenteritis in humans. In last two years the number of notified gastroenteric cases in Slovenia is increasing. From January till November 2002 already 574 calicivirus cases have been confirmed. Majority of cases were observed in preschool and school children but no cases were described in the aged-care facility.Methods. An outbreak of gastroenteritis in an aged-care facility occured. After onset of the outbreak an epidemiological questionnaire and inspection of local conditions were realized. Stool samples from home residents were analysed to find out bacteriological and/or viral aetiology. Direct electron microscopy and RT-PCR assay was performed to detect caliciviruses. Viral RNA was amplified using specific primers and PCR products were identified in hybridisation test.Results. The outbreak started suddenly on the second floor, where the attack rate was the highest. On the other floors the illness started later and the attack rate was lower. Sixty-one (40,1%) residents from 152 became ill and additionally 15 (22,4%) employees from 67. The outbreak ended after ten days. Electron microscopy or/and RT-PCR revealed Norovirus members of family Caliciviridae in 9 of 10 stool specimens. As determined by RT-PCR and hybridisation assay viruses corresponded to genogroup II, genetic cluster 1 (closely related to the Hawaii virus) and genetic cluster 4 (closely related to the Lordsdale virus).Conclusions. Presented data support a significant role for caliciviruses as causative agents of gastroenteritis in elderly persons in Slovenia.</p

Rotaviral RNA found on various surfaces in a hospital laundry

The aim of this investigative study was to determine the presence of rotaviral RNA at various control points (CP) of a hospital laundry. One of the possible sources of hospital infections is inappropriately laundered and disinfected hospital textiles. RT-PCR and nested PCR for gene amplification using specific primers following RNA isolation were used to determine the presence of rotaviral RNA on swabs. In addition, rotavirus suspensions were inoculated on marked surfaces as positive controls for different surfaces (cotton textiles, folding table and industrial dryer). Rotaviral RNA was found on various laundry surfaces: technical equipment, storage shelves, transport vehicles, personnel\u27s hands, damp textiles, and folded laundry. Rotaviral RNA was also detected at all positive controls on tested surfaces after 24 h. Based on the results, it is very important to take into consideration the proper handling of textiles after washing as one of the precautions against hospital-acquired infections. This paper reports the presence of rotaviral RNA for the first time on surfaces in laundries and equipment, as well as textiles