Mutations in Coding and Non-Coding Regions in Varicella-Zoster Virus Causing Fatal Hemorrhagic Fever Without Rash in an Immunocompetent Patient: Case Report.

Introduction: We report the case of a fatal hemorrhagic varicella primary infection in an immunocompetent man and whole-genome characterization of the virus for the investigation of biomarkers of virulence.

Case: A 38-year-old patient born in Nigeria presented to the emergency department with abdominal pain and subsequently developed fatal hemorrhagic disease without skin rash. Extensive laboratory tests including serology and PCR for arenaviruses, bunyaviruses and ebolaviruses were negative.

Clinical guidelines for endoscopic mucosal resection of non-pedunculated colorectal lesions.

This document summarizes the contents of the Clinical Guidelines for the Endoscopic Mucosal Resection of Non-Pedunculated Colorectal Lesions that was developed by the working group of the Spanish Society of Digestive Endoscopy (GSEED of Endoscopic Resection). This document presents recommendations for the endoscopic management of superficial colorectal neoplastic lesions.

Clinical guidelines for endoscopic mucosal resection of non-pedunculated colorectal lesions.

This document summarizes the contents of the Clinical Guidelines for the Endoscopic Mucosal Resection of Non-Pedunculated Colorectal Lesions that was developed by the working group of the Spanish Society of Digestive Endoscopy (GSEED of Endoscopic Resection). This document presents recommendations for the endoscopic management of superficial colorectal neoplastic lesions.

Comparative sensitivity of commercial tests for hepatitis E genotype 3 virus antibody detection.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) acute infection is often diagnosed only by anti-HEV IgM ELISA methods, whose sensitivity varies, according to different reports. Reports assessing the specificity of commercial assays for anti-HEV IgG testing are scarce, and estimates of sensitivity and specificity are both controversial. The aim of this work is to assess the sensitivity of different commercial techniques for HEV genotype 3 antibody (anti-HEV) IgM and IgG detection in entirely specific sample panels including both high and low antibody concentrations.

Light and Darkness: Prevalence of Hepatitis E Virus Infection among the General Population.

Human hepatitis E virus (HHEV) spreads early in life among the population in areas endemic for genotype 1 and infects mainly adults in areas endemic for genotype 3, where it would be responsible for about 10% of cases of suspected acute viral hepatitis of unknown etiology and for a number of subclinical, unrecognized infections. The overall prevalence of antibody to HHEV is high in most of the former areas and low in most of the later ones, but wide regional differences have been recorded in both cases. "Hot spots" of HHEV infection would exist for both types of strains in particular regions or among particular populations of the world.

Autochthonous Hepatitis E Virus Infection in Europe: A Matter of Concern for Public Health?

Human hepatitis E virus (HHEV) is the proposed name for a diverse group of RNA viruses from the family Hepeviridae that cause acute hepatitis among humans. Waterborne strains are regularly imported into Europe by international travelers, and virus transmission of zoonotic strains via contaminated aliments is involved in autochthonous cases. Therefore, in Europe, hepatitis E displays a unique dual character, having features of both imported and autochthonous infections.

[Epidemiology of hepatitis E virus infection in Spain].

The general features of the epidemiology and ecology of hepatitis E virus in Spain are already known after 20 years of investigations. Genotype 3 strains, mainly from sub-genotype 3f, circulated among swine livestock and certain wild mammals, and would be sporadically transmitted to humans through direct contact with the reservoirs or by consumption of foods derived from them. Bivalve shellfish contaminated by hepatitis E virus from sewage could also play a role in transmission.

[The Alliance for the Prevention of Colorectal Cancer in Spain. A civil commitment to society].

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most common malignant tumor in Spain, when men and women are considered together, and the second leading cause of cancer death. Every week in Spain over 500 cases of CRC are diagnosed, and nearly 260 people die from the disease. Epidemiologic estimations for the coming years show a significant increase in the number of annual cases.

Efficacy of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA screening and characterization of acute and occult HBV infections among blood donors from Madrid, Spain.

Background: Screening of blood units for hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA identifies donations collected during the window period (WP) of the acute infection and may improve viral safety of the blood supply. It also leads to the detection of occult hepatitis B infection (OBI).

Study Design And Methods: From January 2005 to December 2006, a total of 383,267 blood units were screened for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and HBV DNA in two transfusion centers in Madrid, using either individual-donation nucleic acid testing (ID-NAT) or minipool (MP-NAT) of eight donations (MP8).

[Seroprevalence study of hepatitis B among orienteers].

Background And Objective: Our objectives were to detect asymptomatic cases involved in an outbreak of hepatitis B, to assess the seroprevalence of hepatitis B (HB) in orienteers and to establish recommendations.

Patients And Method: One hundred sixteen orienteers who had competed in the categories involved in the previous outbreak as well as a stratified random sample of 166 of the remaining orienteers in other competition categories were included in a cross-sectional serological prevalence study. HB surface antigen (anti-HBs); total antibody to HB core antigen (total anti-HBc); HB surface antigen (Ag HBs); and antibody IgM to HB core antigen (anti-HBcIgM) along with the history of vaccination for hepatitis B were analyzed.

[Utility of molecular biology in the microbiological diagnosis of viral hepatitides].

Viral hepatitides are satisfactorily diagnosed in the laboratory by immunoassays for either antigen or antibody detection in serum samples. However, the early detection of acute infections during the window period, investigation of occult infections, and issues related to the establishment and follow-up of antiviral therapy in chronic infections pose new challenges that only molecular methods can meet. In addition, full characterization of epidemic outbreaks and surveillance of the emergence of viral variants able to escape from vaccine protection are major public health objectives that can only be achieved through the use of these techniques.

[High prevalence of hepatitis B infection in Amerindians in Japreira, Zulia State, Venezuela].

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in the Japreira indigenous community, Venezuela, and its relationship to age and gender. An intentional, non-probabilistic sample of 149 individuals was selected from a total of 300. All samples were studied for the presence of total HBV antibodies (total anti-HBc), and the positive samples were tested for HBV surface and "e" antigens (HBsAg, HBeAg).

Acute hepatitis B virus window-period blood donations detected by individual-donation nucleic acid testing: a report on the first two cases found and interdicted in Spain.

Background: Mathematical models predict that, in Spain, a significant number of blood units will be obtained during the window period of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Routine nucleic acid testing (NAT) on individual blood units may provide experimental data to evaluate such a theoretical risk.

Study Design And Methods: Between February and July 2005, a total of 34,631 individual units were screened for HBV DNA by a multiplex transcription-mediated amplification (TMA) test.

European seroepidemiology network 2: Standardisation of assays for seroepidemiology of varicella zoster virus.

Background: The aim of the European Sero-Epidemiology Network (ESEN2) is to harmonise the serological surveillance of vaccine-preventable diseases in Europe.

Objective: To allow comparison of antibody prevalence in different countries by standardising results into common units.

Study Design: For varicella zoster virus (VZV), a reference laboratory established a panel of 148 samples, characterised by indirect enzyme-immunoassay (ELISA), indirect immunofluorescence, and complement fixation test.

Follow-up of the prevalence of hepatitis C virus genotypes in Spain during a nine-year period (1996-2004).

Background: Recent data suggest that the prevalence of genotype 4 HCV strains among Spanish carriers is increasing.

Objective: To assess changes in the prevalence of HCV genotypes in Spain during the last nine years.

Methods: HCV RNA was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction from 3161 serum samples from unselected, anti-HCV-positive individuals, and the HCV genotype was identified by a reverse hybridisation assay (line probe assay, LiPA).

[Laboratory diagnosis of patients with exanthematic or febrile syndromes occurring in the Zulia State, Venezuela, during 1998].

Background: Exanthematic diseases are a group of syndromes mainly caused by acute viral infections.

Aim: To obtain information about the viruses that cause exanthematic diseases in our region.

Patients And Methods: During 1998, 267 serum samples from patients with an acute rash or patients presenting a febrile syndrome accompanied by enlarged lymph nodes, headache and other symptoms, were collected.

An international external quality assessment of nucleic acid amplification of herpes simplex virus.

Background: There is an increasing awareness of the need for external quality control of diagnostic virology.

Objectives: To assess the quality of nucleic acid amplification tests (NAT) of herpes simplex within Europe.

Study Design: Herpes simplex virus (HSV) proficiency panels were produced at the Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control on behalf of the European Union Concerted Action for Quality Control of Nucleic Acid Amplification in 1999 and 2000.

Detection and identification of Toscana and other phleboviruses by RT-nested-PCR assays with degenerated primers.

Phleboviruses are a large and widespread group of viruses that are transmitted by arthropods. Toscana virus is one of the principal agents that causes meningitis in humans during the summer in Italy and, possibly, in other Mediterranean countries. Rift Valley Fever virus can cause serious illness in both animals and humans, leading to high morbidity and mortality, and is considered to be a potential agent for epizootics and human epidemics.

Acute meningitis due to Toscana virus infection among patients from both the Spanish Mediterranean region and the region of Madrid.

Toscana virus (TOSV) is a member of the genus Phlebovirus that is transmitted to humans by two different species of sand fly and causes acute aseptic meningitis (AAM) and meningoencephalitis in Central Italy. Fifteen cases of AAM due to TOSV have been found at the Spanish province of Granada, but no data regarding the presence of TOSV-related disease in other regions of Spain have been still reported. A collection of 88 serum and 53 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples taken from 81 selected patients with AAM of unknown aetiology, residing at Madrid or at the southern Mediterranean coast of Spain, was retrospectively studied for presence of TOSV-specific antibodies from both IgG and IgM classes.