Rapid and robust phylotyping of spa t003, a dominant MRSA clone in Luxembourg and other European countries.

Background: spa typing is a common genotyping tool for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Europe. Given the high prevalence of dominant clones, spa-typing is proving to be limited in its ability to distinguish outbreak isolates from background isolates. New molecular tools need to be employed to improve subtyping of dominant local MRSA strains (e.

Concentration and diversity of noroviruses detected in Luxembourg wastewaters in 2008-2009.

Noroviruses (NoV) in 78 wastewater samples from Luxembourg were quantified, cloned, and sequenced in 2008-2009. The concentrations of NoV genogroup II and the relative occurrences of certain genotypes changed significantly during the winter season. NoV genogroup I was frequently detected by real-time reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR), albeit at 30-fold lower concentrations than for genogroup II, hampering attempts to assess overall genetic diversity by the cloning/sequencing approach.

Subcellular localization of the human papillomavirus 16 E7 oncoprotein in CaSki cells and its detection in cervical adenocarcinoma and adenocarcinoma in situ.

E7 is the major oncoprotein of high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPV) which causes cervical cancer. To date E7 oncoproteins have not been investigated in cervical adenocarcinoma. In this study we generated a rabbit monoclonal anti-HPV-16 E7 antibody, RabMab42-3, which recognizes a conformational epitope in the E7 carboxy-terminal zinc-finger resulting in a strong increase in the sensitivity for the detection of cell-associated HPV-16 E7 protein relative to conventional polyclonal anti-HPV-16 E7 antibodies.

Emergence of oseltamivir-resistant influenza A H1N1 virus during the 2007-2008 winter season in Luxembourg: clinical characteristics and epidemiology.

Human cases of oseltamivir-resistant influenza A H1N1 virus emerging in 2007-2008 in Luxembourg were not associated with treatment, prophylaxis or stockpiling of oseltamivir. Following initial local seeding, oseltamivir-resistant strains spread synchronously to sensitive strains causing a similar epidemiology and clinical symptoms.

Multilocus sequence typing, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, and fla short variable region typing of clonal complexes of Campylobacter jejuni strains of human, bovine, and poultry origins in Luxembourg.

Campylobacter jejuni is the most common cause of bacterial gastroenteritis in Luxembourg, with a marked seasonal peak during summer. The majority of these infections are thought to be sporadic, and the relative contribution of potential sources and reservoirs is still poorly understood. We monitored human cases from June to September 2006 (n = 124) by molecular characterization of isolates with the aim of rapidly detecting temporally related cases.

High-risk human papillomavirus E7 oncoprotein detection in cervical squamous cell carcinoma.

Purpose: Persistent infections by high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) types are the main etiologic factor for cervical cancer. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether high-risk E7 oncoprotein is adequate as a marker for the detection of cervical cancer.

Experimental Design: HPV typing was done in biopsies from 58 cervical carcinoma and 22 normal cervical squamous epithelia.

The decreased susceptibility of metastatic melanoma cells to killing involves an alteration of CTL reactivity.

Metastases are known to be more resistant to therapy than matching primary tumors, in particular they are less prone to apoptosis. In this study we investigated the functional interaction of a CTL clone (LT12) specific for a melanoma TA with the primary tumor (T1) versus its metastatic counterpart (G1). The CTL clone (LT12) was shown to lyse the primary T1 cells more efficiently in a classical cytotoxicity test.

Active-specific immunization against melanoma: is the problem at the receiving end?

The recent progress in tumor immunology is a striking example of the successful application of modern biotechnology to understand the complex phenomenon of immune-mediated cancer rejection. Tumor antigens were identified and successfully utilized in active immunization trials to induce tumor antigen-specific T cells. This achievement has left, however, clinicians and researchers perplexed by the paradoxical observation that immunization-induced T cells can recognize tumor cells in standard assays but cannot induce tumor regression.

Generation of tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte cultures for use in adoptive transfer therapy for melanoma patients.

The generation of T lymphocytes with specific reactivity against tumor antigens is a prerequisite for effective adoptive transfer therapies. Melanoma-specific lymphocyte cultures can be established from tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) by in vitro culture in high levels of IL-2. We have optimized methods for generating melanoma-reactive TIL cultures from small resected tumor specimens.

Transcriptional analysis of tumor-specific T-cell responses in cancer patients.

Over the last decade, tumor immunology in general and tumor immunotherapy in particular have made important progress. Thanks to the discovery of tumor-associated antigens (TAA), and the consequent development of active-specific immunization protocols, TAA-specific T-cell responses can now be induced reproducibly in cancer patients. However, clinical responses directly ascribable to TAA-specific T cells occur only occasionally.

Human fetuses are able to mount an adultlike CD8 T-cell response.

Fetal/neonatal immune responses generally are considered to be immature and weaker than that of adults. We have studied the cord-blood T cells of newborns congenitally infected with Trypanosoma cruzi, the protozoan agent of Chagas disease. Our data demonstrate a predominant activation of CD8 T cells expressing activation markers and armed to mediate effector functions.