Identifying viral infections through analysis of head space volatile organic compounds.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by human respiratory cells reflect metabolic and pathophysiological processes which can be detected with the use of modern technology. Analysis of exhaled breath or indoor air may potentially play an important role in screening of upper respiratory tract infections such as COVID-19 or influenza in the future. In this experimental study, air samples were collected and analyzed from the headspace of ancell culture infected by selected pathogens (influenza A H1N1 and seasonal coronaviruses OC43 and NL63).

Neutralizing antibodies after the third COVID-19 vaccination in healthcare workers with or without breakthrough infection.

Background: Vaccinations against the SARS-CoV-2 are still crucial in combating the ongoing pandemic that has caused more than 700 million infections and claimed almost 7 million lives in the past four years. Omicron (B.1.

Coronavirus spike protein-specific antibodies indicate frequent infections and reinfections in infancy and among BNT162b2-vaccinated healthcare workers.

The prevalence of seasonal human coronavirus (HCoV) infections in early childhood and adults has not been well analyzed in longitudinal serological studies. Here we analyzed the changes in HCoV (229E, HKU1, NL63, OC43, MERS, and SARS-CoV-2) spike-specific antibody levels in follow-up serum specimens of 140 children at the age of 1, 2, and 3 years, and of 113 healthcare workers vaccinated for Covid-19 with BNT162b2-vaccine. IgG antibody levels against six recombinant HCoV spike subunit 1 (S1) proteins were measured by enzyme immunoassay.

Serological Follow-Up Study Indicates High Seasonal Coronavirus Infection and Reinfection Rates in Early Childhood.

Seasonal human coronaviruses (HCoVs) cause respiratory infections, especially in children. Currently, the knowledge on early childhood seasonal coronavirus infections and the duration of antibody levels following the first infections is limited. Here we analyzed serological follow-up samples to estimate the rate of primary infection and reinfection(s) caused by seasonal coronaviruses in early childhood.

Primary Site of Coxsackievirus B Replication in the Small Intestines: No Proof of Peyer's Patches Involvement.

Background: Enterovirus (EV) infections are associated with a broad range of diseases. Since the first experimental infection of primates with poliovirus (PV), tonsils and the Peyer's patches (PPs) have been believed to be the primary replication sites of EVs. Our aim was to localize different viral markers in the small intestines (SI) of coxsackievirus B (CVB) orally and intraperitoneally (i.

COVID-19 mRNA vaccine induced antibody responses against three SARS-CoV-2 variants.

As SARS-CoV-2 has been circulating for over a year, dozens of vaccine candidates are under development or in clinical use. The BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine induces spike protein-specific neutralizing antibodies associated with protective immunity. The emergence of the B.

A Combination of N and S Antigens With IgA and IgG Measurement Strengthens the Accuracy of SARS-CoV-2 Serodiagnostics.

Background: Primary diagnosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is based on detection of virus RNA in nasopharyngeal swab samples. In addition, analysis of humoral immunity against SARS-CoV-2 has an important role in viral diagnostics and seroprevalence estimates.

Methods: We developed and optimized an enzyme immunoassays (EIA) using SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein (N), S1 and receptor binding domain (RBD) of the viral spike protein, and N proteins from SARS, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), and 4 low-pathogenic human CoVs.

Monoclonal antibody against VP0 recognizes a broad range of human parechoviruses.

Parechoviruses (PeVs) are common viruses that cause mild gastrointestinal or respiratory symptoms to severe central nervous system infections. In infants, parechovirus infection is one of the leading causes of life-threatening viral disease. High-quality antibodies with broad binding specificities are essential to improve accurate parechovirus diagnosis in diagnostic laboratories.

No Association Between Ljungan Virus Seropositivity and the Beta-cell Damaging Process in the Finnish Type 1 Diabetes Prediction and Prevention Study Cohort.

Background: Ljungan virus (LV) has not confirmed to associate with any human disease, but a possible connection with type 1 diabetes has been suggested. LV is a rodent-borne picornavirus that induces a diabetes-like condition in rodents. Approximately 30% of adults and 60% of children are seropositive in Finland.

Intertypic recombination of human parechovirus 4 isolated from infants with sepsis-like disease.

Background: Human parechoviruses (HPeVs) (family Picornaviridae), are common pathogens in young children. Despite their high prevalence, research on their genetic identity, diversity and evolution have remained scarce.

Objectives: Complete coding regions of three previously reported HPeV-4 isolates from Finnish children with sepsis-like disease were sequenced in order to elucidate the phylogenetic relationships and potential recombination events during the evolution of these isolates.

Detection of enteroviruses in stools precedes islet autoimmunity by several months: possible evidence for slowly operating mechanisms in virus-induced autoimmunity.

Aims/hypothesis: This case-control study was nested in a prospective birth cohort to evaluate whether the presence of enteroviruses in stools was associated with the appearance of islet autoimmunity in the Type 1 Diabetes Prediction and Prevention study in Finland.

Methods: Altogether, 1673 longitudinal stool samples from 129 case children who turned positive for multiple islet autoantibodies and 3108 stool samples from 282 matched control children were screened for the presence of enterovirus RNA using RT-PCR. Viral genotype was detected by sequencing.

Human Parechovirus 1 Infection Occurs via αVβ1 Integrin.

Human parechovirus 1 (HPeV-1) (family Picornaviridae) is a global cause of pediatric respiratory and CNS infections for which there is no treatment. Although biochemical and in vitro studies have suggested that HPeV-1 binds to αVβ1, αVβ3 and αVβ6 integrin receptor(s), the actual cellular receptors required for infectious entry of HPeV-1 remain unknown. In this paper we analyzed the expression profiles of αVβ1, αVβ3, αVβ6 and α5β1 in susceptible cell lines (A549, HeLa and SW480) to identify which integrin receptors support HPeV-1 internalization and/or replication cycle.

Human parechovirus type 3 and 4 associated with severe infections in young children.

Background: The symptoms observed in children with human parechovirus (HPeV) infection vary widely from asymptomatic or mild gastrointestinal infections to more severe central nervous system infections and sepsis-like disease. Many of the disease associations are, however, only suggestive. In this study, we examined the connection between HPeV and acute otitis media, lower respiratory infections and suspected central nervous system infections.

Immunological changes and increased expression of myxovirus resistance protein a in thyroid tissue of patients with recent onset and untreated Graves' disease.

Background: Few studies have systematically examined the immune cells that infiltrate thyroid tissue at the time of the onset of Graves' disease (GD). The role of viruses in the pathogenesis of autoimmune thyroid diseases is controversial. The present study analyzed inflammatory responses with respect to signs of virus infection.

Virus antibody survey in different European populations indicates risk association between coxsackievirus B1 and type 1 diabetes.

Enteroviruses (EVs) have been connected to type 1 diabetes in various studies. The current study evaluates the association between specific EV subtypes and type 1 diabetes by measuring type-specific antibodies against the group B coxsackieviruses (CVBs), which have been linked to diabetes in previous surveys. Altogether, 249 children with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes and 249 control children matched according to sampling time, sex, age, and country were recruited in Finland, Sweden, England, France, and Greece between 2001 and 2005 (mean age 9 years; 55% male).

Human parechovirus seroprevalence in Finland and the Netherlands.

Background: Human parechoviruses (HPeVs) are RNA viruses associated with mild gastrointestinal and respiratory infections in children, but may also cause neonatal sepsis and CNS infections in infants. While the prevalence of HPeVs is known mostly among hospitalized populations, the knowledge of HPeV seroprevalence in the general population is poor.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify and compare the HPeV1-6 seroprevalence in Finnish and Dutch populations.

First two cases of neonatal human parechovirus 4 infection with manifestation of suspected sepsis, Finland.

Human parechoviruses are a family of viruses closely related to enteroviruses, and associated with neonatal sepsis-like syndrome, respiratory symptoms and gastrointestinal infection. Here we present clinical details of two neonatal sepsis cases suspected to be caused by HPeV4 infection. The patients were hospitalized in October, 2012.

Evidence of Ljungan virus specific antibodies in humans and rodents, Finland.

Ljungan virus (LV, genus Parechovirus, family Picornaviridae) is considered currently to be a rodent-borne virus. Despite suggested human disease associations, its zoonotic potential remains unclear. To date, LV antibody prevalence in both humans and rodents has not been studied.

Human parechovirus and the risk of type 1 diabetes.

Human parechoviruses (HPeVs) are RNA viruses associated mainly with mild gastrointestinal and respiratory infections in children and also cause neonatal sepsis and CNS infections. Human enteroviruses, close relatives of HPeVs, associate with the development of type 1 diabetes. In this study, the potential role of HPeV infections in promoting beta cell autoimmunity was investigated by analyzing stool samples of 54 prediabetic case and 134 healthy control children for the presence of HPeV RNA and comparing the derived infection frequencies.

Is alcoholic pancreatitis associated with enteroviral infection?

Aim: To investigate whether enteroviral infection might trigger acute pancreatitis in patients made susceptible due to high alcohol consumption.

Methods: Patients with alcohol-induced acute pancreatitis were analyzed for signs of simultaneous or preceding enteroviral infection. We studied the serum samples of 40 patients hospitalized for alcohol-induced acute pancreatitis and 40 controls recruited from an alcohol detoxification center.

Enterovirus infections in early childhood and the risk of atopic disease--a nested case-control study.

Background: Enterovirus infections in childhood have been associated with a reduced risk of atopy in cross-sectional studies.

Objective: To study the relation between enterovirus infections in the first 2 years of life and atopic disease with IgE sensitization in a prospective study setting.

Methods: This was a nested case-control study among children who had been followed from birth.

Detection of enterovirus in the thyroid tissue of patients with graves' disease.

The etiology and pathogenesis of Graves' disease (GD) are still unknown, although it is thought that both genetic and environmental factors are important. Some indirect evidence implies that a viral infection may be a possible etiologic factor in autoimmunity. The main objective of this study was to examine direct evidence of the presence of enteroviruses (EVs) in the thyroid tissue of patients with GD.

Human enterovirus 71 strains in the background population and in hospital patients in Finland.

Background: Human enterovirus 71 (HEV71) is a common cause of severe outbreaks of hand-foot- and mouth disease, aseptic meningitis and encephalitis in Asian populations but has not caused such epidemics in all populations.

Objectives: To analyze the frequency of HEV71 in the background childhood population in Finland by screening in stool and serum samples and by measuring neutralizing antibodies against HEV71 in serum and to compare the genetic relationship of virus strains detected in asymptomatic children and those causing severe illness in Finland to the strains found in other countries.

Study Design: 4185 stool samples and 5686 serum samples were collected and clinical symptoms recorded from children who were observed from birth.

Inflammation and increased myxovirus resistance protein A expression in thyroid tissue in the early stages of Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

Background: The role of viruses as environmental triggers for Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) is controversial. Thyroid epithelial cells express a variety of molecules involved in antiviral responses. This study combined histological, immunological, and virological tests to describe changes in tissue from patients with newly diagnosed and untreated HT.

Maternal enterovirus infection as a risk factor for type 1 diabetes in the exposed offspring.

Objective: Maternal enterovirus infections during pregnancy have been linked to an increased risk of type 1 diabetes in the offspring. The aim of this study was to evaluate this association in a unique series of pregnant mothers whose child progressed to clinical type 1 diabetes.

Research Design And Methods: Maternal and in utero enterovirus infections were studied in 171 offspring who presented with type 1 diabetes before the age of 11 years and in 316 control subjects matched for date and place of birth, sex, and HLA-DQ risk alleles for diabetes.