- MeSH
- Anti-Bacterial Agents classification therapeutic use MeSH
- Drug Resistance, Microbial MeSH
- Bacteria classification pathogenicity drug effects MeSH
- Fungi classification pathogenicity drug effects MeSH
- Respiratory Tract Infections * etiology drug therapy microbiology MeSH
- Community-Acquired Infections etiology drug therapy microbiology MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Microbiological Techniques classification methods MeSH
- Microbiota * MeSH
- Healthcare-Associated Pneumonia etiology drug therapy microbiology MeSH
- Pneumonia etiology drug therapy microbiology MeSH
- Disease Progression MeSH
- Viruses classification pathogenicity drug effects MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
- Review MeSH
Metagenomics is gradually being implemented for diagnosing infectious diseases. However, in-depth protocol comparisons for viral detection have been limited to individual sets of experimental workflows and laboratories. In this study, we present a benchmark of metagenomics protocols used in clinical diagnostic laboratories initiated by the European Society for Clinical Virology (ESCV) Network on NGS (ENNGS). A mock viral reference panel was designed to mimic low biomass clinical specimens. The panel was used to assess the performance of twelve metagenomic wet lab protocols currently in use in the diagnostic laboratories of participating ENNGS member institutions. Both Illumina and Nanopore, shotgun and targeted capture probe protocols were included. Performance metrics sensitivity, specificity, and quantitative potential were assessed using a central bioinformatics pipeline. Overall, viral pathogens with loads down to 104 copies/ml (corresponding to CT values of 31 in our PCR assays) were detected by all the evaluated metagenomic wet lab protocols. In contrast, lower abundant mixed viruses of CT values of 35 and higher were detected only by a minority of the protocols. Considering the reference panel as the gold standard, optimal thresholds to define a positive result were determined per protocol, based on the horizontal genome coverage. Implementing these thresholds, sensitivity and specificity of the protocols ranged from 67 to 100 % and 87 to 100 %, respectively. A variety of metagenomic protocols are currently in use in clinical diagnostic laboratories. Detection of low abundant viral pathogens and mixed infections remains a challenge, implying the need for standardization of metagenomic analysis for use in clinical settings.
- MeSH
- Benchmarking * MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Metagenomics * methods standards MeSH
- Sensitivity and Specificity * MeSH
- Virus Diseases diagnosis virology MeSH
- Viruses * genetics classification isolation & purification MeSH
- Computational Biology methods MeSH
- High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing methods standards MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Multicenter Study MeSH
Diphyllin is a natural arylnaphtalide lignan extracted from tropical plants of particular importance in traditional Chinese medicine. This compound has been described as a potent inhibitor of vacuolar (H+)ATPases and hence of the endosomal acidification process that is required by numerous enveloped viruses to trigger their respective viral infection cascades after entering host cells by receptor-mediated endocytosis. Accordingly, we report here a revised, updated, and improved synthesis of diphyllin, and demonstrate its antiviral activities against a panel of enveloped viruses from Flaviviridae, Phenuiviridae, Rhabdoviridae, and Herpesviridae families. Diphyllin is not cytotoxic for Vero and BHK-21 cells up to 100 μM and exerts a sub-micromolar or low-micromolar antiviral activity against tick-borne encephalitis virus, West Nile virus, Zika virus, Rift Valley fever virus, rabies virus, and herpes-simplex virus type 1. Our study shows that diphyllin is a broad-spectrum host cell-targeting antiviral agent that blocks the replication of multiple phylogenetically unrelated enveloped RNA and DNA viruses. In support of this, we also demonstrate that diphyllin is more than just a vacuolar (H+)ATPase inhibitor but may employ other antiviral mechanisms of action to inhibit the replication cycles of those viruses that do not enter host cells by endocytosis followed by low pH-dependent membrane fusion.
- MeSH
- Antigens, Viral metabolism MeSH
- Antiviral Agents chemical synthesis pharmacology MeSH
- Cell Line MeSH
- Glucosides pharmacology MeSH
- Lignans chemical synthesis pharmacology MeSH
- Virus Replication drug effects MeSH
- Vacuolar Proton-Translocating ATPases antagonists & inhibitors MeSH
- Cell Survival drug effects MeSH
- Viruses classification drug effects metabolism MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
Ohrozenie koronavírusom SARS-CoV-2 mobilizoval kompetentné inštitúcie Slovenskej republiky na prevenciu a boj proti ochoreniu COVID-19. Myšlienka ochrany verejného zdravia sa stala témou číslo jedna v celom spektre života. Hľadajú sa najvhodnejšie spôsoby, ako vyvážiť potrebné opatrenia bez psychickej ujmy obyvateľstva a zároveň natoľko efektívne, aby splnili svoj účel. Cieľom tohto článku je priblížiť zriedkavo používané pojmy, ktoré sú témou diskusií pre zdravotníckych pracovníkov.
- Keywords
- koronavirus COVID-19, protiepidemiolocká opatření, nouzový stav,
- MeSH
- Hand Disinfection MeSH
- Coronavirus Infections immunology classification MeSH
- Protective Clothing MeSH
- Pandemics MeSH
- Infectious Disease Transmission, Patient-to-Professional classification prevention & control MeSH
- Disease Transmission, Infectious classification prevention & control MeSH
- Viruses immunology classification MeSH
- Geographicals
- Slovakia MeSH
Instrumental insemination of Apis mellifera L. queens is a widely employed technique used in honeybee breeding that enables the effective control of mating. However, drone semen represents a potential source of honeybee viruses. In this study, 43 semen doses collected from apparently healthy drones, and consequently used in instrumental insemination, were analysed using PCR or RT-PCR to detect the presence of viral genome of 11 honeybee viruses. In 91% of samples, viral infection was detected. The survey revealed genomes of five viruses, namely Deformed wing virus (DWV), Acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV), Black queen cell virus (BQCV), Sacbrood virus (SBV), and A. mellifera filamentous virus (AmFV) in 84%, 19%, 14%, 2%, and 67% of samples, respectively. Single infection (30% of samples) as well as multiple infection (61% of samples) of two, three or four pathogens were also evaluated. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study describing the presence of the BQCV and SBV genome sequence in drone ejaculate. Phylogenetic analysis of BQCV partial helicase gene sequence revealed the high similarity of nucleotide sequence of described Czech strains, which varied from 91.4% to 99.6%. The findings of our study indicate the possibility of venereal transmission of BQCV and SBV.
- MeSH
- Biodiversity * MeSH
- Breeding methods MeSH
- Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction MeSH
- Polymerase Chain Reaction MeSH
- Semen virology MeSH
- Bees virology MeSH
- Viruses classification genetics isolation & purification MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Male MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
V článku sa uvádza prehľad úspechov československých, českých a slovenských mikrobiológov v identifikácií mikroorganizmov, kde pri jeho pomenovaní bolo zvolené ako kritérium geografické miesto jeho výskytu, poprípade meno jeho objaviteľa. Bez šťastnej súhry okolností a mravčej práce jednotlivých mikrobiológov by sme možno boli ešte dnes ochudobnení o vedecké poznatky, ktoré takto máme možnosť využívať a ktoré zostanú navždy súčasťou historického dedičstva v oblasti mikrobiológie oboch našich národov, Čechov a Slovákov.
A review is presented of achievements of Czechoslovak, Czech, and Slovak microbiologists in the identification of microorganisms named after geographical locations or their discoverers. Without a fortunate coincidence of circumstances and the rigorous work of microbiologists, there could be gaps in our scientific knowledge we use to our benefit and which will always remain part of the heritage in the area of microbiology of both nations - Czechs and Slovaks.
Members of the family Pleolipoviridae (termed pleolipoviruses) are pseudo-spherical and pleomorphic archaeal viruses. The enveloped virion is a simple membrane vesicle, which encloses different types of DNA genomes of approximately 7-16 kbp (or kilonucleotides). Typically, virions contain a single type of transmembrane (spike) protein at the envelope and a single type of membrane protein, which is embedded in the envelope and located in the internal side of the membrane. All viruses infect extremely halophilic archaea in the class Halobacteria (phylum Euryarchaeota). Pleolipoviruses have a narrow host range and a persistent, non-lytic life cycle. This is a summary of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) Report on the taxonomy of the Pleolipoviridae which is available at www.ictv.global/report/pleolipoviridae.
This study condenses data acquired during investigations of the virological quality of irrigation water used in production of fresh produce. One hundred and eight samples of irrigation water were collected from five berry fruit farms in Finland (1), the Czech Republic (1), Serbia (2), and Poland (1), and sixty-one samples were collected from three leafy green vegetable farms in Poland, Serbia, and Greece. Samples were analyzed for index viruses of human or animal fecal contamination (human and porcine adenoviruses, and bovine polyoma viruses), and human pathogenic viruses (hepatitis A virus, hepatitis E virus, and noroviruses GI/GII). Both index and pathogenic viruses were found in irrigation water samples from the leafy green vegetables production chain. The data on the presence of index viruses indicated that the highest percentage of fecal contamination was of human origin (28.1 %, 18/64), followed by that of porcine (15.4 %, 6/39) and bovine (5.1 %, 2/39) origins. Hepatitis E virus (5 %, 1/20) and noroviruses GII (14.3 %, 4/28) were also detected. Samples from berry fruit production were also positive for both index and pathogenic viruses. The highest percentage of fecal contamination was of human origin (8.3 %, 9/108), followed by that of porcine, 4.5 % (4/89) and bovine, 1.1 % (1/89) origins. Norovirus GII (3.6 %, 2/56) was also detected. These data demonstrate that irrigation water used in primary production is an important vehicle of viral contamination for fresh produce, and thus is a critical control point which should be integrated into food safety management systems for viruses. The recommendations of Codex Alimentarius, as well as regulations on the use of water of appropriate quality for irrigation purposes, should be followed.
- MeSH
- Food Contamination analysis MeSH
- Plant Leaves growth & development virology MeSH
- Fruit growth & development virology MeSH
- Fresh Water chemistry virology MeSH
- Viruses classification genetics isolation & purification MeSH
- Vegetables growth & development virology MeSH
- Agricultural Irrigation MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Geographicals
- Europe MeSH
