Clinical manifestations of mixed infections between rotaviruses and other intestinal pathogens

Introduction: Rotaviruses are a leading cause of diarrheal mortality in children less than five years old. Mixed forms with other intestinal pathogens have been reported, interfering with the severity and outcome of the illness.Aim: The aim of this article is to analyze the characteristics of mixed infections among rotaviruses and other intestinal pathogens. Materials and Methods: Twenty-seven patients up to 5 years of age, diagnosed with a co-infection from the rotavirus group and other intestinal pathogens were analyzed during the period from March, 2016 to December, 2017. A clinical epidemiologic study was conducted. The diagnosis was made by stool cultures for bacterial pathogens/feces analyses for viral antigens in the microbiology/virus laboratory of the St. Marina University Hospital, Varna. Statistic methods were used for data processing.Results: For the aforementioned period, 483 patients, up to 5 years of age, with rotaviral gastroenteritis were hospitalized. Mixed forms of intestinal infection were registered in 27 children (5.59%). Early childhood (between 1 to 3 years of age) was the most commonly affected age group. Cases were separated into two groups: rotavirus-virus association and rotavirus-bacterium association. Cases with rotavirus-virus association were more predominant (55.6%) than rotavirus-bacterium ones (44.4%). The clinical presentation included fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and lasted 6.53±1.53 days among the patients in the first studied group. In rotavirus-bacterium mixed infections vomiting was not a generally present symptom, but distinct complications ordinary occurred (83.33%) and the average hospitalization period was 10±1.98 days.Conclusion: Mixed infections including rotavirus and other intestinal pathogens are rarely diagnosed and mainly affect young children. Compared with rotavirus-bacterium association, rotavirus-virus association is more commonly registered, its clinical course is milder, the prognosis of the disease is auspicious and the in-patient stay is shorter

Toxic Effects of the Major Components of Diesel Exhaust in Human Alveolar Basal Epithelial Cells (A549)

We investigated the toxicity of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), 1-nitropyrene (1-NP) and 3-nitrobenzanthrone (3-NBA) in A549 cells. Cells were treated for 4 h and 24 h with: B[a]P (0.1 and 1 μM), 1-NP (1 and 10 μM) and 3-NBA (0.5 and 5 μM). Bulky DNA adducts, lipid peroxidation, DNA and protein oxidation and mRNA expression of CYP1A1, CYP1B1, NQO1, POR, AKR1C2 and COX2 were analyzed. Bulky DNA adducts were induced after both treatment periods; the effect of 1-NP was weak. 3-NBA induced high levels of bulky DNA adducts even after 4-h treatment, suggesting rapid metabolic activation. Oxidative DNA damage was not affected. 1-NP caused protein oxidation and weak induction of lipid peroxidation after 4-h incubation. 3-NBA induced lipid peroxidation after 24-h treatment. Unlike B[a]P, induction of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor, measured as mRNA expression levels of CYP1A1 and CYP1B1, was low after treatment with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) nitro-derivatives. All test compounds induced mRNA expression of NQO1, POR, and AKR1C2 after 24-h treatment. AKR1C2 expression indicates involvement of processes associated with reactive oxygen species generation. This was supported further by COX2 expression induced by 24-h treatment with 1-NP. In summary, 3-NBA was the most potent genotoxicant, whereas 1-NP exhibited the strongest oxidative properties