Quantiferon-CMV test in prediction of cytomegalovirus infection after kidney transplantation.

Infection with cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in immunosuppressed patients, including organ and bone marrow transplant recipients. The majority of CMV disease is caused by reactivation of alatent infection rather that by newly acquired virus. Many techniques have been currently available to aid in the diagnostics of CMV disease.

[Pitfalls in the diagnosis of tick-borne encephalitis in vaccinated patients].

The authors draw attention to diagnostic pitfalls in tick born encephalitis serology in vaccinated people. Benefits and limitations of particular serologic methods are demonstrated by case study of a patient with a failure of anti-TBEV vaccination. It is necessary to examine paired serum samples in previously vaccinated patients with suspicion of tick born encephalitis and to demonstrate significant increase of antibodies titers for confirmation of the diagnosis.

[Experience with serological diagnosis of chikungunya fever].

Background: During the year 2006 first imported cases of chikungunya fever in Europe occured contextual to the epidemic in the area of Indian ocean. In summer 2007 also autochthonnic chikungunya infections in the northern part of Italy appeared. On the basis of these facts serologic diagnostics of chikungunya fever was initiated in the National Reference Laboratory (NRL) for Arboviruses of the Czech Republic.

Micromodification of virus-neutralisation assay with vital staining in 96-well plate and its use in diagnostics of Tahyna virus infections.

Virus neutralization test (VNT) is considered to be the gold standard for arbovirus serology because of its high specificity and sensitivity. Its micromodification in 96-well plate with vital staining of cell cultures was developed in the National Reference Laboratory (NRL) for Arboviruses of the Czech Republic and is used for the detection of specific antibodies against various viruses, mainly arboviruses. The test procedure is described for the Tahyna virus micromodified neutralization assay in 96-well plate.

[The first case of imported infection of Chikungunya virus in the Czech Republic].

The authors describe the first confirmed case of tropical fever caused by Chikungunya virus imported into the Czech Republic. As the virus belonging to the Alphavirus genus of the Togaviridae family is transmitted by mosquitoes of the genus Aedes it is classified as an arbovirus. A 43-year-old woman became ill following her arrival from the island of Mauritius where she had stayed during an epidemic.