Epstein–Barr Virus-Induced Acute Hepatitis, Pancreatitis, and Pneumonitis in a Young Immunocompetent Adult: A Case Report

Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) is a common herpes virus (human herpesvirus type 4) that usually manifests as infectious mononucleosis or persists asymptomatically for life. EBV can also be associated with different types of malignancy such as T cell lymphoma, B cell lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, and oropharyngeal squamous cell and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Pneumonia is a very rare complication of EBV infection, but it has been reported to occur even in the absence of mononucleosis. This article highlights the case of 35-year-old female who developed acute pancreatitis and acute respiratory failure related to EBV infection. The patient progressively recovered on antiviral therapy and steroids.

Potential of an Eco-Sustainable Probiotic-Cleaning Formulation in Reducing Infectivity of Enveloped Viruses

The COVID-19 pandemic has deeply influenced sanitization procedures, and high-level disinfection has been massively used to prevent SARS-CoV-2 spread, with potential negative impact on the environment and on the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Aiming to overcome these concerns, yet preserving the effectiveness of sanitization against enveloped viruses, we assessed the antiviral properties of the Probiotic Cleaning Hygiene System (PCHS), an eco-sustainable probiotic-based detergent previously proven to stably abate pathogen contamination and AMR. PCHS (diluted 1:10, 1:50 and 1:100) was tested in comparison to common disinfectants (70% ethanol and 0.5% sodium hypochlorite), in suspension and carrier tests, according with the European UNI EN 14476:2019 and UNI EN 16777:2019 standards. Human alpha- and beta-coronaviruses hCoV-229E and SARS-CoV-2, human herpesvirus type 1, human and animal influenza viruses, and vaccinia virus were included in the study. The results showed that PCHS was able to inactivate 99.99% of all tested viruses within 1-2 h of contact, both in suspension and on surface. Notably, while control disinfectants became inactive within 2 h after application, the PCHS antiviral action persisted up to 24 h post-application, suggesting that its use may effectively allow a continuous prevention of virus spread via contaminated environment, without worsening environmental pollution and AMR concern.

Intrauterine infection verification in neonatal mortality

Aim. To verify contribution of intrauterine infections to early neonatal mortality, using autopsy and molecular genetic findings.Materials and methods. The study was carried out at the premises of the Research Institute of Maternity and Childhood Protection and the Pathology Department of the Khabarovsk Perinatal Center. An analysis was made of the data on medical history, pregnancy course and outcome, morphological placental study in seven cases of early neonatal death. Genomes of Chlamydia trachomatis, Trichomonas vaginalis, Mycoplasma genitalium, Mycoplasma hominis, Ureaplasma species (Ureaplasma urealyticum + Ureaplasma parvum), Streptococcus agalactiae, Staphylococcus spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenza, Listeria monocytogenes, Cytomegalovirus, Herpes simplex virus, Human herpesvirus type 4, and Human herpesvirus type 6 were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in samples of placental tissue.Results. Samples of six out of seven placentas (85.7%) in early neonatal death cases were found to present with genomes of opportunistic microorganisms, which are part of biocenosis of the woman’s urogenital tract and enter the placenta and the fetus by an ascending pathway (S. agalactiae, Ureaplasma spp., M. hominis), as well as genomes of opportunistic herpesviruses (Cytomegalovirus, Human herpesvirus type 6), which constantly persist and reproduce in human lymphocytes and are transmitted mainly by a transplacental route. Infectious and inflammatory changes in placenta and membranes resulting in respiratory disorders, fetal hypoxia and asphyxia were found in all cases of opportunistic pathogen detection.Conclusion. This is indicative of the ability of the said opportunistic organisms to contribute to the pathogenesis of neonatal death. Contribution of intrauterine infections to early neonatal death cases is made up of both congenital neonatal infection cases and cases of infectious and inflammatory processes in placenta and membranes leading to respiratory distress, the immediate cause of death.

Chicken pox and pregnancy: risks to mother and fetus. Ways to solve the problem

Chickenpox is a common disease leading to a large number of clinical manifestations, ranging from mild spontaneously resolving forms to severe complicated cases requiring hospitalization and parenteral therapy. Despite the fact that this infection is benign in the majority of cases, it can lead to disseminated life-threatening processes in pregnant women and unimmunized newborns infected during the perinatal period, as well as it can cause intrauterine death and fetal abnormalities.Currently, there are no unified therapeutic approaches in the management of pregnant women with chickenpox. The nature and severity of infection in children depends on the moment of infection (before or after birth, intrapartum), the immune status of the mother against the human herpesvirus type 3 (HHV-3), the gestational age of the fetus and the presence of concomitant conditions.

CLINICAL CASES OF DETECTION OF CHROMOSOMALLY INTEGRATED HUMAN HERPESVIRUS TYPE 6 IN TWO CHILDREN

The article describes two clinical observations of the detection of chromosomally integrated human herpes virus type 6 (HHV-6). In both cases, the children were referred to an immunologist with a diagnosis of chronic infection caused by the human herpesvirus type 6, in order to exclude an immunodeficiency state and determine the strategies of treating this infection. However, during the molecular biological examination of children, a chromosomal integration of HHV-6 was determined, which led to a revision of the diagnostic search and abandoning massive antiviral therapy.

Human herpesvirus type 2 infection of primary murine astrocytes causes disruption of the mitochondrial network and remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton: an in vitro morphological study

Herpesviruses are capable of infecting not only neurons, where they establish latent infection, but also astrocytes. Since astrocytes are important for the functioning of the central nervous system (CNS), their infection may lead to serious neurological disorders. Thus, in the present study we investigated the ability of human herpesvirus type 2 (HHV-2) to infect primary murine astrocytes in vitro and the effect of infection on their mitochondrial network and actin cytoskeleton. In immunofluorescence assays, antibodies against HHV-2 antigens and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) were used to confirm that the infected cells are indeed astrocytes. Real-time PCR analysis showed a high level of HHV-2 replication in astrocytes, particularly at 168 h postinfection, confirming that a productive infection had occurred. Analysis of mitochondrial morphology showed that, starting from the first stage of infection, HHV-2 caused fragmentation of the mitochondrial network and formation of punctate and tubular structures that colocalized with virus particles. Furthermore, during the late stages of infection, the infection affected the actin cytoskeleton and induced formation of actin-based cellular projections, which were probably associated with enhanced intracellular spread of the virus. These results suggest that the observed changes in the mitochondrial network and actin cytoskeleton in productively infected astrocytes are required for effective replication and viral spread in a primary culture of astrocytes. Moreover, we speculate that, in response to injury such as HHV-2 infection, murine astrocytes cultured in vitro undergo transformation, defined in vivo as reactive astrocytosis.