Pierlanfranco D'Agaro - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Pierlanfranco D'Agaro
Transplantation, 2004
Late-onset hemorrhagic cystitis (HC) is a well-known severe complication of bone marrow transplan... more Late-onset hemorrhagic cystitis (HC) is a well-known severe complication of bone marrow transplantation (BMT), both in adults and in children. Protracted postengraftment HC is associated with graft-versus-host disease and viral infections, mainly caused by BK virus (BKV) or adenovirus (AV). This study investigated whether simian virus 40 (SV40) DNA sequences can be detected in specimens from pediatric patients affected by severe postengraftment HC. The clinical diagnosis of HC was made in 7 of 28 BMT children. DNA from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and urine sediment cells and supernatants was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), AV, BKV, JC virus (JCV), and SV40. DNA filter hybridization and sequencing was carried out in SV40-positive samples. SV40 footprints were detected in two of seven cases of HC. Specific SV40 DNA sequences were detected by PCR and by filter hybridization both in urine and in PBMC samples at the HC onset and during the follow-up. The DNA sequencing proved that the amplicons belonged to the SV40 wild-type. Urine samples of the two HC cases tested negative by cell cultures, PCR, or both for HCMV, BKV, JCV, and AV. The detection of SV40 DNA sequences suggest that this simian polyomavirus could be involved, at least in some cases, in the HC occurring in children after BMT.
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Ocular Immunology and Inflammation, 2007
To describe the clinical findings in a patient with Parinaud&... more To describe the clinical findings in a patient with Parinaud's oculoglandular syndrome as an uncommon manifestation of primary herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection. The clinical course, the laboratory findings, the therapy, and the outcome regarding a 14-year-old girl are described. The culture and PCR detection of HSV-1 on conjunctiva and skin scrapings, along with seroconversion to HSV, confirmed the etiology. The oral and local acyclovir therapy led to a prompt improvement in the patient's symptoms. The solitary ocular-glandular syndrome due to HSV-1 primary infection has never been reported before. Parinaud's oculoglandular syndrome is found in 5% of patients with cat-scratch disease and only on rare occasion associated with other conditions. Herpetic infection should be considered in the differential diagnosis of young patients with conjunctivitis, periorbital swelling, and painful preauricular and submandibular lymphadenopathy, combined with systemic symptoms of malaise and fever.
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Medical and Veterinary Entomology, 2000
A 2-year study was conducted in a mountainous area of northeast Italy to evaluate the occurrence ... more A 2-year study was conducted in a mountainous area of northeast Italy to evaluate the occurrence and distribution of ticks, as well as to assess the prevalence of the spirochaete Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato. All ticks collected were Ixodes ricinus L. (Parasitiformes: Ixodidae). In general, most nymphs and adult ticks were collected from April to July. Tick density was highly variable among sites; however, two areas with different infestation levels were recognized. Prevalences of B. burgdorferi s.l. in nymphal stages were rather variable between sites; overall the prevalence of infected nymphs in the whole area was slightly higher than 20%. The prevalence of B. burgdorferi s.l. in nymphs does not seem to be correlated with nymph density. The correlation between the incidence of Lyme borreliosis (reported human cases/1000 inhabitants/year) and Borrelia prevalence in nymphs was not significant, although a significant correlation was found between borreliosis incidence and nymph density.
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Journal of Virological Methods, 1997
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Journal of Medical Virology, 2002
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Journal of Medical Virology, 2001
ABSTRACT Approximately 20 cases of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) occur annually in Finland. The k... more ABSTRACT Approximately 20 cases of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) occur annually in Finland. The known endemic areas are situated mainly in the archipelago and coastal regions of Finland, with highest incidence in Aland islands. Ixodes ricinus panels collected in 1996-1997 from two endemic areas were screened for the presence of RNA. Two distinct RT-PCR methods were applied, and were shown to have an approximate detection limit of 10 focus forming doses (FFD)/100 microl. One out of 20 pools (a total of 139 ticks) from Helsinki Isosaari Island and one out of 48 pools (a total of 450 ticks) from Aland were positive with both methods, whereas the remaining pools were negative. The observed overall frequency (0.34%) in ticks in endemic areas of Finland, was similar to the low incidence found by virus isolation in mice in the 1960s (0.5%). Viral RNA was detectable in a diluted sample representing 0.005% of a positive pool of ten nymphs suggesting that the viral RNA load within an infected tick pool was approximately equivalent to 20,000-200,000 FFD. Sequence analysis did not show geographical clustering of the Finnish strains, suggesting an independent emergence of different TBE foci from the south. TBE virus RNA positive ticks were not found in I. ricinus panels consisting of 130 pools (726 ticks) from Helsinki city parks or 41 pools (197 ticks) from Võrmsi Island in Estonia.
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Journal of Medical Virology, 2003
During the 2001-2002 influenza season, virological surveillance highlighted the predominant circu... more During the 2001-2002 influenza season, virological surveillance highlighted the predominant circulation of B viruses (86% of isolates) in Italy, in contrast to many other countries in Europe and North America where AH3N2 viruses were isolated most frequently, and in contrast to the infrequent isolation of B viruses in Italy during the previous two years. Associated with this predominance of influenza B was the re-emergence of B/Victoria/2/87-lineage viruses, closely related to B viruses prevalent during the 1980s, which are distinct antigenically and genetically from circulating B/Sichuan/379/99-like viruses of the B/Yamagata/16/88 lineage, which predominated in most parts of the world during the last 10 years. Ninety-four viruses isolated in two regions of northern Italy were characterized, 50 by direct sequencing of haemagglutinin (HA). Viruses of both Victoria and Yamagata lineages co-circulated throughout the 12 weeks of the influenza season. The HAs of the Yamagata-lineage viruses were heterogeneous and comprised two sublineages, represented by B/Sichuan/379/99 and B/Harbin/7/94, whereas the Victoria-lineage viruses were more homogeneous and closely related to B/Hong Kong/330/01, the current prototype vaccine strain. The antigenic and genetic characteristics of the viruses correlated with certain epidemiological features. In particular, the low age (<14 years) of individuals infected with B/Hong Kong/330/01-like viruses is likely to reflect the greater susceptibility of the youngest cohort, due to lack of previous exposure to Victoria-lineage viruses, and is consistent with the conclusion that vaccination with a B/Sichuan/379/99-like virus would give poor protection against infection with B/Hong Kong/330/01-like (Victoria-lineage) viruses.
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Journal of Medical Virology, 2004
Throughout most of the last decade, B/Yamagata/16/88-lineage influenza viruses were predominant a... more Throughout most of the last decade, B/Yamagata/16/88-lineage influenza viruses were predominant among the B isolates circulating worldwide, whereas B/Victoria/2/87-lineage viruses were isolated infrequently and restricted geographically to eastern Asia. During the 2001-02 influenza season, B/Victoria/2/87-lineage viruses re-emerged in North America and Europe and spread worldwide. Virological surveillance in Italy during that season showed wide circulation of influenza B viruses, of which most were antigenically related to the B/Sichuan/379/99 (Yamagata-lineage) vaccine strain, together with a smaller number of B viruses antigenically similar to B/HongKong/330/01, a recent B/Victoria/2/87-lineage antigenic variant. In the subsequent 2002-03 epidemic season, B viruses with a Victoria-lineage hemagglutinin (HA), more closely related to that of B/Shandong/7/97, were isolated exclusively. Similar strains have continued to predominate among the few B viruses isolated in Italy during last season (2003-04), although most influenza B viruses, isolated sporadically elsewhere in Europe, again belong to the Yamagata-lineage. In the present study, phylogenetic analyses of the HA and neuraminidase (NA) genes of representative B strains, isolated throughout Italy during 2001-04, showed that during the first influenza season the NA genes, as well as the HA genes, separated into the two distinct clades, the Yamagata- and Victoria-lineages, and showed no evidence of genetic reassortment. On the contrary, all the B viruses isolated in the 2002-03 and most of those isolated in the 2003-04 epidemic season were "Victoria HA-Yamagata NA" reassortants similar to those isolated in other parts of the world, showing that these reassortants became established in the human population. The frequency of reassortment between HA and NA of distinct lineages and sublineages highlights again the importance of detailed molecular analyses of both surface glycoproteins in understanding the evolution of influenza B viruses.
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Journal of Medical Virology, 2006
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Journal of Medical Virology, 2011
To explore the putative role of the Merkel cell polyomavirus in human colon cancer, a prospective... more To explore the putative role of the Merkel cell polyomavirus in human colon cancer, a prospective molecular case-control study was undertaken in patients and their relatives enrolled during a screening program. Fresh tissue samples from 64 cases of colon cancer (mean age 69.9 ± 11.0 years; 40 males) and fresh biopsies from 80 relatives (mean age 53.7 ± 8.6 years; 43 male; 55 son/daughter, 23 brother/sister, 2 parents) were analyzed by PCR and sequencing. Pre-cancerous lesions, namely adenomas and polyps, were detected in 15 (18.8%) and 9 (11.2%) of the controls, respectively. In addition, 144 blood samples were examined. Merkel cell polyomavirus DNA was detected in 6.3% of cases and 8.8% of controls. This difference was not statistically significant in the logistic regression analysis, after adjustment for age. Whereas blood samples from both cases and controls tested negative, the DNA Merkel cell polyomavirus was identified in 12.5% of adenoma/polyp tissues. No statistically significant difference was found when prevalence rates of Merkel cell polyomavirus in normal, pre-cancerous and cancer tissues were compared. Sequence analysis of the viral LT3 and VP1 regions showed high homology (>99%) with those of strains circulating worldwide, especially with genotypes detected in France. The findings of this survey are consistent with the hypothesis that the Merkel cell polyomavirus, in addition to other human polyomaviruses, can be recovered frequently from the gastrointestinal tract, because it is transmitted throughout the fecal-oral route. Moreover, the study does not indicate a role for Merkel cell polyomavirus in the genesis of colon cancer.
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Journal of Clinical Pathology, 2009
To explore the possible role of human herpes virus 6 (HHV-6) in cardiac disorders in childhood in... more To explore the possible role of human herpes virus 6 (HHV-6) in cardiac disorders in childhood in a retrospective study on archival specimens of explanted hearts. 16 children (median age at transplantation 11.0 years) with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and 19 children (median age at transplantation 1.0 year) with congenital heart disease (CHD), previously found to be negative for other cardiotropic viruses such as enteroviruses, adenovirus, parvovirus B19, cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus, were tested for HHV-6 by quantitative real-time PCR and by genotyping. In addition, HHV-7/8 infection was investigated by qualitative PCR. HHV-6 B variant was detected in 11 of 35 samples (31.4%) with a mean viral load of 3.1 x 102 copies/microg of DNA. When assessed by heart disorder, the prevalence was different in the two groups (43.7% in DCM and 21% in CHD) while the mean viral loads were similar. In a logistic multivariate analysis HHV-6 was independently associated with DCM, taking CHD as reference and adjusting for age (best estimate: OR = 6.94; 95% CI 1.00 to 49.85; p = 0.05). Although the clinical significance of the results is unknown, HHV-6 B genome is frequently detected in explanted hearts from children with DCM and to a lesser extent with CHD, thus adding evidence for HHV-6 cardiac involvement.
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Journal of Clinical Pathology, 2007
To analyse the epidemiological and molecular features of a long-lasting epidemic (12 weeks) of in... more To analyse the epidemiological and molecular features of a long-lasting epidemic (12 weeks) of influenza in north-eastern Italy during the 2004-05 season. Morbidity rates were analysed by time and age. Influenza virus isolates (93 strains) were submitted to antigenic evaluation by haemagglutination inhibition test and to molecular assessment by sequencing. The incidence peak (16.4 per thousand) was the highest recorded over the last six years in north-eastern Italy. The epidemic was sustained by two subsequent waves of circulating viruses: an H3N2 variant and two type B variants, respectively. In addition, scattered isolation of an H1N1 variant occurred. Antigenic and molecular characterisation showed the emergence of an H3N2 virus drifted with respect to vaccine strain, which also had a substantial impact on morbidity in vaccinated subjects. Moreover, a single K145N substitution in the HA1 site of H3N2 was the starting point of two evolutionary branches. No change was observed in H1N1 isolates. B-type virus was mainly represented by Victoria-lineage strains, though Yamagata-lineage viruses were also identified. The fluctuating circulation of these two clades has characterised B virus epidemics in recent years. The assessment of the H3N2 molecular change in this area was in line with results used for establishing the vaccine composition for the incoming season. The particular epidemiological features of two B virus clades, namely Yamagata-like and Victoria-like, may be considered for introduction into the influenza vaccine.
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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 2005
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International Congress Series, 2004
Two major lineages of influenza B viruses have circulated in humans, the B/Yamagata/16/88 (Yam88)... more Two major lineages of influenza B viruses have circulated in humans, the B/Yamagata/16/88 (Yam88)-lineage and the B/Victoria/2/87 (Vic87)-lineage. Throughout most of the last decade, Yam88-lineage viruses predominated. During the 20012002 influenza season, ...
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International Congress Series, 2004
During the 2002/2003 season, Italian sentinel-based network for surveillance of influenza, coordi... more During the 2002/2003 season, Italian sentinel-based network for surveillance of influenza, coordinated by Inter-university (Genoa-Milan-Trieste) Centre for Influenza Research (CIRI) registered an increasing incidence from week 9/2003 (10.3 cases per 1000). The ...
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International Congress Series, 2004
The evolution of influenza B viruses is poorly understood. The viral mechanisms of escape from im... more The evolution of influenza B viruses is poorly understood. The viral mechanisms of escape from immunological pressure include insertiondeletion in the hemagglutinin (HA) and co-circulation of different lineages, but this last epidemiological picture was observed only in ...
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European Journal of Epidemiology, 2000
The results of the epidemiological and virological surveillance of influenza performed during the... more The results of the epidemiological and virological surveillance of influenza performed during the 1999/2000, 2000/2001 and 2001/2002 seasons in the northeastern Italy were presented and the relationship between age-specific morbidity rates and circulating strains were discussed.The epidemiological findings pointed out a change in age distribution. During the 1999/2000 season, characterized by a circulation of viruses antigenically close to the vaccine strain, a similar incidence rate in the 0-14 and 15-64-year-old groups was observed, while during the 2001/ 2002 winter the virus infected mostly children. During 2001/2002 season, B type viruses predominated with at least three distinguishable molecular variants. In particular, B/Victoria/2/87-like viruses re-emerged after more than a decade, and the antibodies elicited by the vaccine strain and by the strains circulating in previous seasons were poor or not protecting. The accumulation of susceptible subjects in young age group during the 1990s, due to the lack of circulation of B/Victoria/2/87-like viruses, was responsible for the unusual morbidity in the 0-14 year group. No circulation of B/Victoria/2/87-like viruses was observed in > 64-year-old group during 2001/2002 epidemic, probably due to a long-lasting immunity against viruses belonging to this lineage.
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European Journal of Epidemiology, 2000
To assess the prevalence of human T cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) and 2 (HTLV-II) infection... more To assess the prevalence of human T cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) and 2 (HTLV-II) infection and the associated risk factors among immigrants living in Northern Italy, we surveyed 3017 open-population subjects from three geographical areas and 371 prisoners. In the open population, the overall prevalence was 0.3% for HTLV-I and 0.1% for HTLV-II, while among prisoners, HTLV-I and HTLV-II infection were detected in 1.4 and 0.8% of subjects, respectively. HTLV-I prevalence was higher in subjects with multiple sexual partners or sexually transmitted diseases. This association was significant in the open-population group and close to significance in prisoners. Multivariate analysis showed that human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seropositivity remained significantly associated with HTLV-I infection in both targeted populations (OR: 11.2 in the open population; OR: 9.9 among prisoners), whereas sexual exposure was associated with HTLV-I seropositivity only for prisoners (OR: 14.3). No independent variable was related to HTLV-II infection.
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Current HIV Research, 2008
Intrauterine transmission of HHV-6 is well established in immunocompetent women while few data ar... more Intrauterine transmission of HHV-6 is well established in immunocompetent women while few data are available on infections in babies born to HIV-positive mothers. To assess the rate of HHV-6 vertical transmission in comparison to CMV, we analyzed cord blood spots dried on cards (Dried Blood Spots, DBS) collected during a multi-center study on HIV congenital infections in Italy. DBS were tested by PCR for HHV-6 and CMV footprints. HHV-6 amplimers were sequenced and characterized. As control group, cards taken from babies born to HIV-negative mothers were analyzed. DBS of 187 babies born to HIV-positive and 372 to HIV-negative mothers were analyzed. The prevalence of HHV-6 was 3.2% in babies born to HIV-positive mothers. CMV was found in the HIV-positive group with a prevalence rate of 1.6%. In newborns of control pregnant women, HHV-6 prevalence rate was 1.1% (p=0.09), while CMV was not detected (p=0.04). Sequence analysis could distinguish between HHV-6 A and B variant in both groups and one A/B coinfection was found in a baby born to a HIV-positive mother. HIV-infected mothers transmit HHV-6 and CMV viruses to their babies more frequently than uninfected women.
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Current HIV Research, 2007
Central Nervous System (CNS) diseases that occur in HIV-positive patients are mainly due to HIV i... more Central Nervous System (CNS) diseases that occur in HIV-positive patients are mainly due to HIV itself or to opportunistic microorganisms. Polyomavirus JCV, BKV and SV40 have been associated with encephalopathies in both HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients. To investigate the presence of Polyomavirus DNA sequences in patients affected by CNS disorders, 82 CSF samples from 70 HIV-positive and 12 HIV-negative patients were analyzed by PCR. A double HIV and SV40 infection was found in one patient suffering with AIDS dementia complex. SV40 DNA sequence analysis showed the homology with wild type SV40 strain. SV40 should be considered as a potential causal agent of CNS disorders in AIDS patients.
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Transplantation, 2004
Late-onset hemorrhagic cystitis (HC) is a well-known severe complication of bone marrow transplan... more Late-onset hemorrhagic cystitis (HC) is a well-known severe complication of bone marrow transplantation (BMT), both in adults and in children. Protracted postengraftment HC is associated with graft-versus-host disease and viral infections, mainly caused by BK virus (BKV) or adenovirus (AV). This study investigated whether simian virus 40 (SV40) DNA sequences can be detected in specimens from pediatric patients affected by severe postengraftment HC. The clinical diagnosis of HC was made in 7 of 28 BMT children. DNA from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and urine sediment cells and supernatants was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), AV, BKV, JC virus (JCV), and SV40. DNA filter hybridization and sequencing was carried out in SV40-positive samples. SV40 footprints were detected in two of seven cases of HC. Specific SV40 DNA sequences were detected by PCR and by filter hybridization both in urine and in PBMC samples at the HC onset and during the follow-up. The DNA sequencing proved that the amplicons belonged to the SV40 wild-type. Urine samples of the two HC cases tested negative by cell cultures, PCR, or both for HCMV, BKV, JCV, and AV. The detection of SV40 DNA sequences suggest that this simian polyomavirus could be involved, at least in some cases, in the HC occurring in children after BMT.
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Ocular Immunology and Inflammation, 2007
To describe the clinical findings in a patient with Parinaud&... more To describe the clinical findings in a patient with Parinaud's oculoglandular syndrome as an uncommon manifestation of primary herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection. The clinical course, the laboratory findings, the therapy, and the outcome regarding a 14-year-old girl are described. The culture and PCR detection of HSV-1 on conjunctiva and skin scrapings, along with seroconversion to HSV, confirmed the etiology. The oral and local acyclovir therapy led to a prompt improvement in the patient's symptoms. The solitary ocular-glandular syndrome due to HSV-1 primary infection has never been reported before. Parinaud's oculoglandular syndrome is found in 5% of patients with cat-scratch disease and only on rare occasion associated with other conditions. Herpetic infection should be considered in the differential diagnosis of young patients with conjunctivitis, periorbital swelling, and painful preauricular and submandibular lymphadenopathy, combined with systemic symptoms of malaise and fever.
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Medical and Veterinary Entomology, 2000
A 2-year study was conducted in a mountainous area of northeast Italy to evaluate the occurrence ... more A 2-year study was conducted in a mountainous area of northeast Italy to evaluate the occurrence and distribution of ticks, as well as to assess the prevalence of the spirochaete Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato. All ticks collected were Ixodes ricinus L. (Parasitiformes: Ixodidae). In general, most nymphs and adult ticks were collected from April to July. Tick density was highly variable among sites; however, two areas with different infestation levels were recognized. Prevalences of B. burgdorferi s.l. in nymphal stages were rather variable between sites; overall the prevalence of infected nymphs in the whole area was slightly higher than 20%. The prevalence of B. burgdorferi s.l. in nymphs does not seem to be correlated with nymph density. The correlation between the incidence of Lyme borreliosis (reported human cases/1000 inhabitants/year) and Borrelia prevalence in nymphs was not significant, although a significant correlation was found between borreliosis incidence and nymph density.
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Journal of Virological Methods, 1997
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Journal of Medical Virology, 2002
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Journal of Medical Virology, 2001
ABSTRACT Approximately 20 cases of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) occur annually in Finland. The k... more ABSTRACT Approximately 20 cases of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) occur annually in Finland. The known endemic areas are situated mainly in the archipelago and coastal regions of Finland, with highest incidence in Aland islands. Ixodes ricinus panels collected in 1996-1997 from two endemic areas were screened for the presence of RNA. Two distinct RT-PCR methods were applied, and were shown to have an approximate detection limit of 10 focus forming doses (FFD)/100 microl. One out of 20 pools (a total of 139 ticks) from Helsinki Isosaari Island and one out of 48 pools (a total of 450 ticks) from Aland were positive with both methods, whereas the remaining pools were negative. The observed overall frequency (0.34%) in ticks in endemic areas of Finland, was similar to the low incidence found by virus isolation in mice in the 1960s (0.5%). Viral RNA was detectable in a diluted sample representing 0.005% of a positive pool of ten nymphs suggesting that the viral RNA load within an infected tick pool was approximately equivalent to 20,000-200,000 FFD. Sequence analysis did not show geographical clustering of the Finnish strains, suggesting an independent emergence of different TBE foci from the south. TBE virus RNA positive ticks were not found in I. ricinus panels consisting of 130 pools (726 ticks) from Helsinki city parks or 41 pools (197 ticks) from Võrmsi Island in Estonia.
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Journal of Medical Virology, 2003
During the 2001-2002 influenza season, virological surveillance highlighted the predominant circu... more During the 2001-2002 influenza season, virological surveillance highlighted the predominant circulation of B viruses (86% of isolates) in Italy, in contrast to many other countries in Europe and North America where AH3N2 viruses were isolated most frequently, and in contrast to the infrequent isolation of B viruses in Italy during the previous two years. Associated with this predominance of influenza B was the re-emergence of B/Victoria/2/87-lineage viruses, closely related to B viruses prevalent during the 1980s, which are distinct antigenically and genetically from circulating B/Sichuan/379/99-like viruses of the B/Yamagata/16/88 lineage, which predominated in most parts of the world during the last 10 years. Ninety-four viruses isolated in two regions of northern Italy were characterized, 50 by direct sequencing of haemagglutinin (HA). Viruses of both Victoria and Yamagata lineages co-circulated throughout the 12 weeks of the influenza season. The HAs of the Yamagata-lineage viruses were heterogeneous and comprised two sublineages, represented by B/Sichuan/379/99 and B/Harbin/7/94, whereas the Victoria-lineage viruses were more homogeneous and closely related to B/Hong Kong/330/01, the current prototype vaccine strain. The antigenic and genetic characteristics of the viruses correlated with certain epidemiological features. In particular, the low age (<14 years) of individuals infected with B/Hong Kong/330/01-like viruses is likely to reflect the greater susceptibility of the youngest cohort, due to lack of previous exposure to Victoria-lineage viruses, and is consistent with the conclusion that vaccination with a B/Sichuan/379/99-like virus would give poor protection against infection with B/Hong Kong/330/01-like (Victoria-lineage) viruses.
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Journal of Medical Virology, 2004
Throughout most of the last decade, B/Yamagata/16/88-lineage influenza viruses were predominant a... more Throughout most of the last decade, B/Yamagata/16/88-lineage influenza viruses were predominant among the B isolates circulating worldwide, whereas B/Victoria/2/87-lineage viruses were isolated infrequently and restricted geographically to eastern Asia. During the 2001-02 influenza season, B/Victoria/2/87-lineage viruses re-emerged in North America and Europe and spread worldwide. Virological surveillance in Italy during that season showed wide circulation of influenza B viruses, of which most were antigenically related to the B/Sichuan/379/99 (Yamagata-lineage) vaccine strain, together with a smaller number of B viruses antigenically similar to B/HongKong/330/01, a recent B/Victoria/2/87-lineage antigenic variant. In the subsequent 2002-03 epidemic season, B viruses with a Victoria-lineage hemagglutinin (HA), more closely related to that of B/Shandong/7/97, were isolated exclusively. Similar strains have continued to predominate among the few B viruses isolated in Italy during last season (2003-04), although most influenza B viruses, isolated sporadically elsewhere in Europe, again belong to the Yamagata-lineage. In the present study, phylogenetic analyses of the HA and neuraminidase (NA) genes of representative B strains, isolated throughout Italy during 2001-04, showed that during the first influenza season the NA genes, as well as the HA genes, separated into the two distinct clades, the Yamagata- and Victoria-lineages, and showed no evidence of genetic reassortment. On the contrary, all the B viruses isolated in the 2002-03 and most of those isolated in the 2003-04 epidemic season were "Victoria HA-Yamagata NA" reassortants similar to those isolated in other parts of the world, showing that these reassortants became established in the human population. The frequency of reassortment between HA and NA of distinct lineages and sublineages highlights again the importance of detailed molecular analyses of both surface glycoproteins in understanding the evolution of influenza B viruses.
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Journal of Medical Virology, 2006
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Journal of Medical Virology, 2011
To explore the putative role of the Merkel cell polyomavirus in human colon cancer, a prospective... more To explore the putative role of the Merkel cell polyomavirus in human colon cancer, a prospective molecular case-control study was undertaken in patients and their relatives enrolled during a screening program. Fresh tissue samples from 64 cases of colon cancer (mean age 69.9 ± 11.0 years; 40 males) and fresh biopsies from 80 relatives (mean age 53.7 ± 8.6 years; 43 male; 55 son/daughter, 23 brother/sister, 2 parents) were analyzed by PCR and sequencing. Pre-cancerous lesions, namely adenomas and polyps, were detected in 15 (18.8%) and 9 (11.2%) of the controls, respectively. In addition, 144 blood samples were examined. Merkel cell polyomavirus DNA was detected in 6.3% of cases and 8.8% of controls. This difference was not statistically significant in the logistic regression analysis, after adjustment for age. Whereas blood samples from both cases and controls tested negative, the DNA Merkel cell polyomavirus was identified in 12.5% of adenoma/polyp tissues. No statistically significant difference was found when prevalence rates of Merkel cell polyomavirus in normal, pre-cancerous and cancer tissues were compared. Sequence analysis of the viral LT3 and VP1 regions showed high homology (>99%) with those of strains circulating worldwide, especially with genotypes detected in France. The findings of this survey are consistent with the hypothesis that the Merkel cell polyomavirus, in addition to other human polyomaviruses, can be recovered frequently from the gastrointestinal tract, because it is transmitted throughout the fecal-oral route. Moreover, the study does not indicate a role for Merkel cell polyomavirus in the genesis of colon cancer.
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Journal of Clinical Pathology, 2009
To explore the possible role of human herpes virus 6 (HHV-6) in cardiac disorders in childhood in... more To explore the possible role of human herpes virus 6 (HHV-6) in cardiac disorders in childhood in a retrospective study on archival specimens of explanted hearts. 16 children (median age at transplantation 11.0 years) with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and 19 children (median age at transplantation 1.0 year) with congenital heart disease (CHD), previously found to be negative for other cardiotropic viruses such as enteroviruses, adenovirus, parvovirus B19, cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus, were tested for HHV-6 by quantitative real-time PCR and by genotyping. In addition, HHV-7/8 infection was investigated by qualitative PCR. HHV-6 B variant was detected in 11 of 35 samples (31.4%) with a mean viral load of 3.1 x 102 copies/microg of DNA. When assessed by heart disorder, the prevalence was different in the two groups (43.7% in DCM and 21% in CHD) while the mean viral loads were similar. In a logistic multivariate analysis HHV-6 was independently associated with DCM, taking CHD as reference and adjusting for age (best estimate: OR = 6.94; 95% CI 1.00 to 49.85; p = 0.05). Although the clinical significance of the results is unknown, HHV-6 B genome is frequently detected in explanted hearts from children with DCM and to a lesser extent with CHD, thus adding evidence for HHV-6 cardiac involvement.
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Journal of Clinical Pathology, 2007
To analyse the epidemiological and molecular features of a long-lasting epidemic (12 weeks) of in... more To analyse the epidemiological and molecular features of a long-lasting epidemic (12 weeks) of influenza in north-eastern Italy during the 2004-05 season. Morbidity rates were analysed by time and age. Influenza virus isolates (93 strains) were submitted to antigenic evaluation by haemagglutination inhibition test and to molecular assessment by sequencing. The incidence peak (16.4 per thousand) was the highest recorded over the last six years in north-eastern Italy. The epidemic was sustained by two subsequent waves of circulating viruses: an H3N2 variant and two type B variants, respectively. In addition, scattered isolation of an H1N1 variant occurred. Antigenic and molecular characterisation showed the emergence of an H3N2 virus drifted with respect to vaccine strain, which also had a substantial impact on morbidity in vaccinated subjects. Moreover, a single K145N substitution in the HA1 site of H3N2 was the starting point of two evolutionary branches. No change was observed in H1N1 isolates. B-type virus was mainly represented by Victoria-lineage strains, though Yamagata-lineage viruses were also identified. The fluctuating circulation of these two clades has characterised B virus epidemics in recent years. The assessment of the H3N2 molecular change in this area was in line with results used for establishing the vaccine composition for the incoming season. The particular epidemiological features of two B virus clades, namely Yamagata-like and Victoria-like, may be considered for introduction into the influenza vaccine.
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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 2005
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International Congress Series, 2004
Two major lineages of influenza B viruses have circulated in humans, the B/Yamagata/16/88 (Yam88)... more Two major lineages of influenza B viruses have circulated in humans, the B/Yamagata/16/88 (Yam88)-lineage and the B/Victoria/2/87 (Vic87)-lineage. Throughout most of the last decade, Yam88-lineage viruses predominated. During the 20012002 influenza season, ...
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International Congress Series, 2004
During the 2002/2003 season, Italian sentinel-based network for surveillance of influenza, coordi... more During the 2002/2003 season, Italian sentinel-based network for surveillance of influenza, coordinated by Inter-university (Genoa-Milan-Trieste) Centre for Influenza Research (CIRI) registered an increasing incidence from week 9/2003 (10.3 cases per 1000). The ...
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International Congress Series, 2004
The evolution of influenza B viruses is poorly understood. The viral mechanisms of escape from im... more The evolution of influenza B viruses is poorly understood. The viral mechanisms of escape from immunological pressure include insertiondeletion in the hemagglutinin (HA) and co-circulation of different lineages, but this last epidemiological picture was observed only in ...
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European Journal of Epidemiology, 2000
The results of the epidemiological and virological surveillance of influenza performed during the... more The results of the epidemiological and virological surveillance of influenza performed during the 1999/2000, 2000/2001 and 2001/2002 seasons in the northeastern Italy were presented and the relationship between age-specific morbidity rates and circulating strains were discussed.The epidemiological findings pointed out a change in age distribution. During the 1999/2000 season, characterized by a circulation of viruses antigenically close to the vaccine strain, a similar incidence rate in the 0-14 and 15-64-year-old groups was observed, while during the 2001/ 2002 winter the virus infected mostly children. During 2001/2002 season, B type viruses predominated with at least three distinguishable molecular variants. In particular, B/Victoria/2/87-like viruses re-emerged after more than a decade, and the antibodies elicited by the vaccine strain and by the strains circulating in previous seasons were poor or not protecting. The accumulation of susceptible subjects in young age group during the 1990s, due to the lack of circulation of B/Victoria/2/87-like viruses, was responsible for the unusual morbidity in the 0-14 year group. No circulation of B/Victoria/2/87-like viruses was observed in > 64-year-old group during 2001/2002 epidemic, probably due to a long-lasting immunity against viruses belonging to this lineage.
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European Journal of Epidemiology, 2000
To assess the prevalence of human T cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) and 2 (HTLV-II) infection... more To assess the prevalence of human T cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) and 2 (HTLV-II) infection and the associated risk factors among immigrants living in Northern Italy, we surveyed 3017 open-population subjects from three geographical areas and 371 prisoners. In the open population, the overall prevalence was 0.3% for HTLV-I and 0.1% for HTLV-II, while among prisoners, HTLV-I and HTLV-II infection were detected in 1.4 and 0.8% of subjects, respectively. HTLV-I prevalence was higher in subjects with multiple sexual partners or sexually transmitted diseases. This association was significant in the open-population group and close to significance in prisoners. Multivariate analysis showed that human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seropositivity remained significantly associated with HTLV-I infection in both targeted populations (OR: 11.2 in the open population; OR: 9.9 among prisoners), whereas sexual exposure was associated with HTLV-I seropositivity only for prisoners (OR: 14.3). No independent variable was related to HTLV-II infection.
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Current HIV Research, 2008
Intrauterine transmission of HHV-6 is well established in immunocompetent women while few data ar... more Intrauterine transmission of HHV-6 is well established in immunocompetent women while few data are available on infections in babies born to HIV-positive mothers. To assess the rate of HHV-6 vertical transmission in comparison to CMV, we analyzed cord blood spots dried on cards (Dried Blood Spots, DBS) collected during a multi-center study on HIV congenital infections in Italy. DBS were tested by PCR for HHV-6 and CMV footprints. HHV-6 amplimers were sequenced and characterized. As control group, cards taken from babies born to HIV-negative mothers were analyzed. DBS of 187 babies born to HIV-positive and 372 to HIV-negative mothers were analyzed. The prevalence of HHV-6 was 3.2% in babies born to HIV-positive mothers. CMV was found in the HIV-positive group with a prevalence rate of 1.6%. In newborns of control pregnant women, HHV-6 prevalence rate was 1.1% (p=0.09), while CMV was not detected (p=0.04). Sequence analysis could distinguish between HHV-6 A and B variant in both groups and one A/B coinfection was found in a baby born to a HIV-positive mother. HIV-infected mothers transmit HHV-6 and CMV viruses to their babies more frequently than uninfected women.
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Current HIV Research, 2007
Central Nervous System (CNS) diseases that occur in HIV-positive patients are mainly due to HIV i... more Central Nervous System (CNS) diseases that occur in HIV-positive patients are mainly due to HIV itself or to opportunistic microorganisms. Polyomavirus JCV, BKV and SV40 have been associated with encephalopathies in both HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients. To investigate the presence of Polyomavirus DNA sequences in patients affected by CNS disorders, 82 CSF samples from 70 HIV-positive and 12 HIV-negative patients were analyzed by PCR. A double HIV and SV40 infection was found in one patient suffering with AIDS dementia complex. SV40 DNA sequence analysis showed the homology with wild type SV40 strain. SV40 should be considered as a potential causal agent of CNS disorders in AIDS patients.
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