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Biomedical subjects

P Verani

Publications and source records attributed to P Verani.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Central nervous system involvement during infection by Phlebovirus toscana of residents in natural foci in central Italy (1977-1988).

Central nervous system (CNS) involvement was detected during infection caused by the sand fly-transmitted Phlebovirus Toscana. One hundred fifty-five cases of Toscana virus-associated meningitis or meningoencephalitis were identified in a survey that lasted ten years, conducted in two regions of central Italy. Diagnosis was performed by different serologic tests. A combination of hemagglutination-inhibition and plaque-reduction neutralization or indirect immunofluorescence for IgM, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for IgM were considered the most suitable tests for the diagnosis of Toscana virus infection. A few strains of Toscana virus were isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid of seropositive patients. Toscana virus-associated CNS disease occurred during the summer, reaching a peak value in August, when the maximum activity of the sand fly vector occurs and virus isolates are obtained in their natural foci. The results suggest that Toscana virus should be considered as a possible cause of CNS disease in Mediterranean countries where sand flies of the genus Phlebotomus are known to be present.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Metabolic and structural effects of HIV infection in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells can be monitored with 1H NMR spectroscopy.

Infection of human peripheral blood lymphocytes by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) was investigated by means of 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, taking advantage of the presence of signals from fluid lipid domains in the membrane of stimulated lymphocytes. A transient decrease of the lipid methylene signal intensity was observed at the time of HIV internalization, monitoring a general rearrangement of membrane structure associated with virus entry. A similar effect was also observed a few days after infection, when HIV particles are released by infected cells as demonstrated by high reverse transcriptase activity in cell supernatant. Signals arising from choline-based metabolites were also affected by HIV infection, indicating a possible slowing down of phospholipid synthesis.

Cell-Free System↗
PubMed1991

Laboratory reared sandflies (Diptera:Psychodidae) and studies on phleboviruses.

Virus-vector relationship of two Pleboviruses, Toscana and Arbia viruses, were studied in laboratory reared sandflies of the species Plebotomus perniciosus which is implicated as natural vector of both viruses. Two techniques of infection were used: intrathoracic inoculation and membrane feeding. This paper reports the growth characteristics and the frequency of transovarial and venereal transmission among P. perniciosus experimentally infected with the two viruses.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Viruses transmitted by sandflies in Italy.

Five different phlebotomus-transmitted viruses have been isolated in Italy. Four of them belong to the Bunyaviridae family (genus Phlebovirus). Sandfly fever Sicilian and Sandfly fever Naples viruses were isolated from sick persons during World War II, Toscana and Arbia viruses have been isolated more recently from Phlebotomus perniciosus and P. perfiliewi. Radi virus is the only phlebotomus-transmitted virus isolated in Italy from P. perfiliewi, which belongs to the Rhabdoviridae family (genus Vesiculovirus). The circulation and the natural cycle of these viruses on the basis of seroepidemiological investigations and ecological studies is discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Seroprevalence and risk factors for HIV transmission among female prostitutes: a community survey.

To estimate the prevalence of HIV-1, HIV-2 and HTLV-I among female prostitutes, and to identify possible risk factors for HIV transmission in this collective, sera and epidemiological information from 71 prostitutes were obtained. Using the local network of a well-defined area in southern Catalonia, all prostitution bars were identified and their working women interviewed using a previously validated questionnaire. Eight sera were found positive for HIV-1 antibodies. Of those, 7 sera were also positive in the HIV-2 assay, probably as a result of cross-reactivity between the two viruses. All sera were negative for HTLV-I antibodies. In our area, where intravenous drug users (IVDUs) account for the majority of AIDS cases, the use of drugs by the prostitutes or by their steady sexual partners seems to be the most important risk factor for HIV infection in that group.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Induction of immunotolerance in hemophilia for high titre inhibitor eradication: a long-term follow-up.

Three hemophiliacs with high titre inhibitor were treated with a medium-high FVIII dose schedule (100 IU/kg bw daily) with the aim of inducing the immunotolerance. These patients were followed-up extensively concerning their immunological status and HIV serology. In all of them the inhibitor disappeared and normal FVIII kinetics were obtained after 22, 15 and 29 months. After eradication of the inhibitor, no recurrence took place in any of the patients. All the patients were HIV Ab positive before the beginning of the treatment. In one of them CD4+ cells fell progressively 32 months after the treatment was started, a full-blown AIDS showed up, and the patient died 5 1/2 years after the beginning of the treatment. In the second and third patient the CD4+ cells varied widely but remained greater than 400/microliter during the whole immunotolerance treatment. The latter two patients are AIDS and ARC free so far, but patient No. 2 developed a mild-to-severe thrombocytopenia. Considering the high cost of the treatment and the possibility that such an intensive administration of FVIII concentrates might worsen the immunological status of patients, this therapeutic procedure should only be applied with caution.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Serological survey of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Ethiopia.

The presence of anti-human immunodeficiency virus 1 antibodies was tested in 5,565 serum samples from Ethiopia of which 5,265 were collected from military recruits in the framework of a hepatitis B (HBV) seroepidemiological study performed on a national scale in 1985-1986; the remaining were 300 sera from a population of outpatients belonging to the Arsi region. Of the 5,565 sera, 121 (2.1%) were found to be repeatedly reactive by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test for HIV-1 antibodies, but these reactivities were confirmed by Western Blot (WB) assay in only four cases (0.07%) and by ENVACOR (confirmatory competitive ELISA) in three samples. Twenty-three sera were positive by WB to one or two bands related to core proteins but were all negative by ENVACOR. However, according to accepted criteria for positivity, these sera must be regarded as indeterminant reactors. A sample of 409 sera, both reactive and nonreactive by HIV-1 ELISA, were further tested for antibodies to HIV-2 by ELISA. Reactive sera were analysed by WB and by radioimmunoprecipitation assay (RIPA) using 35S-cysteine metabolically labelled SIVmac (HTLV-IV) infected cell lysates. Only 11 sera were found to be slightly reactive in ELISA, but this was not confirmed by WB or RIPA. Data indicate that HIV infection was not widespread in the general population of Ethiopia up to 1986.

AIDS Serodiagnosis↗
PubMed1989

High prevalence of antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus in heterosexual persons attending a sexually transmitted disease clinic in Italy.

The prevalence of antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus (anti-HIV-1) was determined in 924 outpatients attending a sexually transmitted disease clinic. The overall prevalence of anti-HIV-1 was 9%. Six of 14 intravenous drug addicts and 4 of 34 patients of African origin were anti-HIV-1 positive. In the other 876 patients, the anti-HIV prevalence was 6.6% in 467 heterosexual men, 5% in 261 heterosexual women and 22.3% in 148 homosexual or bisexual men. The prevalence of anti-HIV-1 in the heterosexual subjects was much higher than that expected in the general population and than that observed in patients attending sexually transmitted disease clinics in other developed countries. Intravenous drug abusers, who represent the most important group at risk for AIDS in Italy, could contribute to the spread of HIV infection through heterosexual contacts with persons without other known risk factors.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Biologic and molecular characterization of producer and nonproducer clones from HUT-78 cells infected with a patient HIV isolate.

HUT-78 cells were infected with a reverse transcriptase (RT)-positive supernatant of a culture of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from an AIDS patient and then cloned. Of these clones, two have been isolated and characterized. Clone D10 is persistently and productively infected with an HIV variant. The clone F12, in spite of the presence of an integrated full-length HIV provirus, does not release virus particles in the medium. D10 and F12 clones substantially differ in terms of protein pattern; that is, D10 is super-imposable to infected HUT-78 cells, whereas F12 exhibits a decreased uncleaved p55 gag precursor and the presence of uncleaved gp160 and of a unique p19, although they do not show qualitative or quantitative differences in viral RNA synthesis. Restriction patterns of F12 proviral DNA do not show major genomic deletions. These results indicate that F12 clone cells carry an HIV genome with minor mutations that probably affect the correct production of viral proteins at a posttranscriptional level. In addition, the F12 clone is resistant to high-multiplicity superinfection with HIV-1 or HIV-2.

Cells, Cultured↗
PubMed1989

Experimental studies on the maintenance of Toscana and Arbia viruses (Bunyaviridae: Phlebovirus).

Transovarial transmission (TOT) of Toscana (TOS) and Arbia (ARB) viruses in a laboratory colony of Phlebotomus perniciosus is reported. Toscana and ARB viruses were maintained in P. perniciosus females, initially infected by intrathoracic inoculation, for 2 and 3 consecutive generations respectively. TOT was demonstrated in F1 (75%) and F2 (67%) generation adults for TOS and F1 (47%), F2 (37%), and F3 (34%) generation adults for ARB virus. The progressive decline of virus infection rates in each generation suggests that these agents cannot be maintained indefinitely by TOT. No infection was observed in F1 progeny after female parents were fed through membranes with either virus. Transovarially infected females were able to transmit TOS virus by bite to a susceptible vertebrate. Venereal infection of P. perniciosus females mated to males transovarially infected with TOS virus was seen.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

A trial with ribavirin in patients with AIDS or AIDS-related complex.

A therapeutic trial is described which concerns 6 patients with AIDS and 6 patients with ARC who were submitted to a 6 month course of Ribavirin. Ribavirin was administered orally as the following doses: 3.000 mg daily the first week, 2.000 mg daily the second 2 weeks, and 1.000 mg daily up to completion of the 6 months period. No major side-effects were recorded; only a transient anemia was observed in almost all patients at the higher dose; none of them, however, required to be transfused. No improvement was shown by any of the 6 AIDS patients, neither clinically nor according to laboratory test, whereas all 6 patients with ARC experienced a sense of well-being, a clearing of their symptoms and an average weight gain of about 2.5 kg. No significant changes, though, were recorded as for their immune parameters. A remarkable drop of aminotransfereas was also observed in 4 of the patients, who were affected with chronic hepatitis as well. We conclude that additional, if any, Ribavirin trials should be carried out only in ARC patients.

AIDS-Related Complex↗
PubMed1988

Ecology of viruses isolated from sand flies in Italy and characterized of a new Phlebovirus (Arabia virus).

A total of 84 virus strains was obtained from 16,374 male and female sand flies (Phlebotomus perniciosus and P. perfiliewi) collected in two localities of Tuscany region in Italy between 1980 and 1985. Thirty-seven (44%) were identified as Toscana virus (family Bunyaviridae, genus Phlebovirus) and 47 (56%) as a new member of the Phlebotomus fever serogroup, Arbia virus. The characteristics of this new serotype are described. The overall virus isolation rate from sand flies was 0.5 per 100 insects processed. Virus isolation rates for both viruses were similar in different years and in the two localities, suggesting that the two virus types were active in the sand fly population simultaneously. Each year, the largest number of isolates were obtained during July, corresponding to the period of maximal sand fly population density. Both viruses were repeatedly isolated from male sand flies, suggesting transovarial transmission in nature. Serologic data showed no evidence of infection among domestic and wild animals. However, a strain of Toscana virus was isolated from the brain of a bat (Pipistrellus kuhli), indicating a possible involvement of this species in the ecology of the virus. Serologic tests did not provide definitive evidence for human infection by Arbia virus.

Animals↗