Genetic diversity of international bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) isolates: identification of a new BVDV-1 genetic group.
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In the last decade, several studies were performed to characterise bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) isolates and define genetic groups by genotyping. Much data is now available from GenBank, predominantly sequences from the 5' untranslated region (5'-UTR). In order to find out whether genetic grouping of isolates from different countries could be harmonised, 22 new isolates from five countries were analysed in combination with published sequences. Eighteen of these isolates were typed as BVDV genotype 1 (BVDV-1), and one isolate from Argentina and three isolates from Brazil were typed as BVDV-2. BVDV-1 isolates were clustered into five previously defined genetic groups: BVDV-1a, b, d, e and f. Two isolates from Finland and one from Egypt formed a group which was tentatively labelled as BVDV-1j, since statistical support was low. By using a fragment of the Npro gene for typing, we found that these isolates fall into the same group as a deer strain, and are statistically significant. Some Swiss BVDV strains taken from GenBank were found in a new genetic group which was designated as BVDV-1k. The BVDV-2 isolates included in this study seemed to fall into two genetic groups. (+info)
Anti-Borrelia antibodies in rodents: important hosts in ecology of Lyme disease.
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Data presented in this study focuses on the presence of anti-Borrelia antibodies in small mammals from Eastern Slovakia during 2000-2003. The total seropositivity observed was 18.78% in rodents. Amongst all species, the total seroprevalence in Apodemus flavicolis was the highest (20.87%), followed by Apodemus agrarius (19.58%) and Clethrionomys glareolus (11.11%). However, the prevalence in Apodemus flavicolis during the year 2000-2001 was higher (26.72%), which reduced to 10.60% in 2002-2003. To compare the year range of seroprevalence in other small mammals was not feasible due to the small sample number. Area-wise distribution of anti-Borrelia antibodies was even (18.75% to 20%) in this study, except in the Bot'any province (0%). This confirms the equal distribution of Borrelia spirochetes in the other 3 localities. Prevalence of anti-Borrelia antibodies during summer was significantly higher than during autumn and early spring. The overall study also reviews the importance of small mammals in Lyme disease ecology. (+info)
First cases of Acanthamoeba keratitis in Slovakia.
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We present the case report of the first identification of Acanthamoeba as a causative agent of keratitis in the Slovak Republic. For the first time, Acanthamoeba sp. Group III was isolated from a 53-year-old patient with keratitis, which was manifested after an injury of the right eye. A delayed visit to a physician as well as a late diagnosis of the illness led to the advanced stage of eye disease. As the treatment with itraconazol and cornea transplantation showed no result, enucleation of the eye was decided. Acanthamoeba ludgunensis was also the causative agent of keratitis in a 39-year-old patient wearing contact lenses. His complaints occurred a month after bathing in a thermal swimming pool. The symptoms presented in the left eye were those of herpetic keratitis, and led to a cloudy cornea with circular infliltrate and poor vision. A prompt clinical and laboratory diagnosis, along with treatment with propamidine-isetionate resulted in a significant improvement of the eye condition. Contact lenses were probably related to another case of Acanthamoeba keratitis. The patient, a 15-year-old girl, kept wearing contact lenses during bathing in various swimming pools and in the sea; her contact lenses were also regularly washed under tap water. Due to the fact that cysts of Acanthamoeba sp. group II were found in the contact lens solution, this is presumed to be the source of the eye infection. (+info)
Factor V Leiden in patients with venous thrombosis in Slovak population.
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Resistance to activated protein C determined by factor V Leiden (FVL) is the most frequent inherited risk factor of venous thrombosis. The purpose of our work was to reveal the frequency of FVL in Slovak patients with venous thromboses, to characterise the nature of venous thromboses in this inherited thrombophilia, and to consider the screening approach to investigation of FVL in patients with venous thromboses. 350 patients with a diagnosis of venous thromboembolic disease from various regions of Slovakia were investigated. FVL, detected by polymerase chain reaction, was found in 128/350 (37%) patients with venous thromboses. 118/128 (92%) patients were heterozygous and 10/128 (8%) were homozygous carriers. In 108/128 (84%) patients with FVL the thromboembolic disease occurred spontaneously. Phlebothrombosis occurred predominantly in the lower limbs--117/128 (91%) patients, atypical localisations were rare. The first thromboembolic event was manifested before 40 years of age in 69% of patients. The family history was positive in 60/128 (47%) FVL carriers with thromboembolic disease. Recurrent thrombosis occurred in 30% of patients with FVL. In agreement with findings in other European countries, the prevalence of FVL was high in Slovak patients with thromboembolic disease. The investigation of FVL seems to be justified in patients before 40 years of age with venous thrombosis of lower limbs, in the absence of triggering factors and with a family history of venous thromboembolic disease. (+info)
Central European Dobrava Hantavirus isolate from a striped field mouse (Apodemus agrarius).
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Dobrava virus (DOBV) is a hantavirus that causes hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in Europe. It is hosted by at least two rodent species, Apodemus flavicollis and A. agrarius. According to their natural hosts they form the distinct genetic lineages DOBV-Af and DOBV-Aa, respectively. We have now established a DOBV isolate named Slovakia (SK/Aa) from an A. agrarius animal captured in Slovakia. The complete S and M and partial L segment nucleotide sequences of the new isolate were determined. Phylogenetic analyses showed that the SK/Aa isolate clustered together with the other DOBV-Aa sequences amplified from A. agrarius before and can be taken as the representative of this genetic lineage. SK/Aa, in comparison with a DOBV-Af isolate, was used for serotyping neutralizing antibodies of HFRS patients in Central Europe. Most patients' sera exhibited a higher endpoint titer when probed with our new isolate, suggesting that DOBV-Aa strains are responsible for most of the DOBV-caused HFRS cases in this region. (+info)
Survey of Enterobacteriaceae producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamases in a Slovak hospital: dominance of SHV-2a and characterization of TEM-132.
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Eighty-five extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae from a Slovak hospital have been studied. SHV-2a was predominant, but other variants have been detected, namely, SHV-5, SHV-12, TEM-12, TEM-15, and TEM-132, which differed from TEM-1 by amino acid substitutions R164H, E240K, and I173V and had kinetic properties similar to those of TEM-28. (+info)
Influence of agro-environmental factors on fusarium infestation and population structure in wheat kernels.
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The influence of location, year and cultivar on occurrence, level of infestation and Fusarium species spectrum in winter wheat seeds were evaluated. The wheat seeds from different cultivars and localities of the Slovak Republic were used for Fusarium species evaluation during years 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2003. The significant influence of the locality on total Fusarium kernel infestation was confirmed. The total sample infestation was significantly higher in the colder and moister localities, lower infestation was in warmer and dryer ones. Cultivar "Astella" was significantly the most susceptible. The widest Fusarium species spectrum was recorded in the locations with a high level of total kernel infestation. In localities with lower infestation, the species spectrum was less numerous. F. poae was the dominant species in all locations. The species F. culmorum, F. avenaceum and Microdochium nivale were subdominant and relatively frequent in the locations with higher altitude. The frequency and density of other isolated species (F. graminearum, F. sporotrichioides, F. tricinctum, F. semitectum, F. acuminatum, F. heterosporum, F. sambucinum, F. solani, F. compactum and F. oxysporum) was trivial in all localities. The kernel infestation and Fusarium population structure in wheat grains mostly depends on microclimatic condition of the locality. Rising of rainfall rate and altitude led to an increase in the species spectrum. The wide Fusarium species spectrum is connected with the high frequency of coincident species. The species with low and medium frequency achieved low or trivial density in population structure. (+info)
Incidence of fumonisins, moniliformin and Fusarium species in poultry feed mixtures from Slovakia.
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A total of 50 samples of poultry feed mixtures of Slovak origin were analysed for fumonisin B(1) and B(2) (FB(1), FB(2)) and moniliformin (MON) using SAX-clean up procedure being detected by high pressure liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) and diode array detection (HPLC-DAD), respectively. The samples were also simultaneously investigated for Fusarium species occurrence, and for the capability of Fusarium isolates recovered to produce FB(1) and MON in vitro. FB1 was detected in 49 samples (98 %) in concentrations ranging from 43 to 798 microg x kg(-1), and FB(2) in 42 samples (84 %) in concentrations ranging from 26 to 362 microg x kg(-1). MON was detected in 26 samples (52 %) in concentrations that ranged from 42 to 1,214 microg x kg(-1). Only two Fusarium populations were encountered, namely F. proliferatum and F. subglutinans, of which the former was the most dominant and frequent. All 86 F. proliferatum isolates tested for FB1-production ability proved to be producers of the toxin although none of them produced MON. On the contrary, MON production was observed in a half out of 16 F. subglutinans isolates tested, yet no FB1 production was detected in this case. Despite the limited number of samples investigated during this study, it is obvious that poultry feed mixtures may represent a risk from a toxicological point of view and should be regarded as a potential source of the Fusarium mycotoxins in central Europe. This is the first reported study dealing with fumonisin and moniliformin contamination of poultry feeds from Slovakia. (+info)