Hantaan virus Howang strain which isolated from the blood of severe case of Korean hemorrhagic fever is more virulent than HTN 76/118 and showed different RFLP from partial PCR amplified M genome segment to established Hantaan serotype viruses. We have determined the nucleotide sequence of the M and S genome segments and compared to HTN 76/118. The M and S segment of Howang strain has 3615 and 1696 nucleotides long, respectively. The M segment sequence of Howang strain is one mucleotide shorter than HTN 76/118. The sequence data of Howang strain shows 93.5% homology to HTN 76/118. One long open reading frame, which stoats from 41nt. to 3448nt. of the M segment and from 37nt. to 1326nt. of the S segment, exist to on complementary sense of the virus genome. There are no significant difference between HTN 76/118 and Howang strain on hydrophobicity of deduced polypeptides, but has slight difference on secondary structure.
Base Sequence ; Genome ; Hantaan virus* ; Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome ; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions ; Nucleotides ; Open Reading Frames ; Peptides ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length

We developed a sensitive, nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to detect Hantaan, Seoul, Belgrade, Puumala and Sin Nombre viruses in animal tissues. Total RNA was extracted from blood, lung or kidney samples of experimentally-infected hamsters by using the guanidine isothiocyanate buffer-acid phenol-chloroform method. Genus-reactive outer primers were derived from the consensus region of the G1 gene sequences of several hantaviruses. Serotype-specific primers were selected within the region amplified by the outer primers. To examine the sensitivity and specificity of the test, we diluted known quantities of Hantaan, Seoul, Belgrade, Puumala and Sin Nombre viruses in human or hamster immune sera before performing the nested RT-PCR. We could detect as little as 1 pfu of virus, even in the presence of high-titer neutralizing antibodies, and the serotype-specific primers amplified only homologous serotype viruses. RT-PCR with these primers demonstrated virus in the blood of experimentally-infected hamsters as early as four days to as late as 30 days after infection.4 comparison of a standard immunofluorescent antibody screening test (IFAT) to nested RT-PCR with RNA extracted from lung or kidney tissues of the hamsters, demonstrated that RT-PCR to be more sensitive for identifying viruses in these tissues.
Animals ; Antibodies, Neutralizing ; Consensus ; Cricetinae* ; Discrimination (Psychology)* ; Guanidine ; Hantavirus* ; Humans ; Immune Sera ; Kidney ; Lung ; Mass Screening ; RNA ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Seoul ; Sin Nombre virus

Various hantaviruses were isolated from HFRS patients and various rodent species, in many parts of the world. Bandicotas were captured at Yogyakarta, east region of Sumatura island, Indonesia; and 4 rodents species including Bandicotas were captured at Chiang Rai in Thailand during 1995. Sera were collected from captured andicotas and other rodent spicies were screened for antibody test against Hantaan (HTN), Seoul (SEO), Puumala (PUU) and Sin Hombre (SN) viruses by immunofluoresence antibody assay (IFA). Hantavirus antigen in lung tissues were tested by IFA. Among 55 captured Bandicota indica in Indonesia, 14 (25.5%) were antibody positive against HTN, SEO, PUU and SN virus. Hantavirus antigen were detected from 5 (9.0%) out of 55 lungs tested. Among 34 captured Bandicota indica in Thailand, 9 (26.5%) were antibody positive against HTN, SEO, PUU and SN virus. Among 34 lungs tissues of Bandicota indica examined, 3 (8.8%) were antigen positive. In other rodent species, antibody positive against Hantaviruses of Rattus rattus, Rattus losea and Mus cervicolor were 4/62(6.5%), 5/25(20%), 1/1(100%), respectively. But no one has antigen in their lung tissues. Antigen positive lungs suspension were inoculated into vero E6 cells for virus isolation and 4 viruses were isolated from Indonesian Badicota and 3 viruses from Thailand.
Animals ; Hantavirus* ; Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome ; Humans ; Indonesia* ; Lung* ; Mice ; Murinae* ; Rats ; Rodentia ; Seoul ; Thailand*

No Abstract Available.
Animals ; Hantavirus* ; Indonesia* ; Murinae* ; Thailand*

No abstract available.
Hematuria*

No abstract available.
Aspergillosis ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; Liver ; Lung ; Maxillary Sinus

PURPOSE: To determine the plain film findings of acute neuropathic joint in diabetic foot. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Acute neuropathic joint in diabetic foot was considered when fragmentation of the articular ends of bone and subluxation of the affected joint developed within eight weeks after clinical onset of diabetic gangrene. Eight toes of six diabetics were satisfactory to our criteria. We analyzed plain radiographic findings of the affected joint and soft tissue, interval changes in follow-up radiographs, and deformities after healing. RESULTS: The time interval between clinical onset of gangrene and bone destruction ranged from 2 weeks to 4 weeks(mean 2.6 weeks). Plain radiographs showed fragmentation of the articular ends, subluxation, and soft tissue swelling of the metatarsophalangeal joint or interphalangeal joint. The significant feature of these patients was rapid progression of the lesions. Clinically, all patients had diabetic gangrene in affected toes, however, there was no evidence of osteomyelitis in our series. Amputation was done in 2 cases, and lesions in 3 of the remaining 4 cases were repaired spontaneously with regression of gangrene, leaving radiological residua such as pointed-end, tapered-end, and ball and socket deformity. CONCLUSION: Rapid disorganization of the joint with associated evidence of soft tissue gangrene in plain radiograph is believed to be valuable for the diagnosis of diabetic osteoarthropathy.
Amputation ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Diabetic Foot* ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gangrene ; Humans ; Joints* ; Metatarsophalangeal Joint ; Osteomyelitis ; Toes

Since HantavaxTM, formalin inactivated Hantaan virus vaccine (10,240 ELISA units/ml), has been developed in 1990 to prevent against haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) caused by Hantaan or Seoul virus, it has been commercially available in Korea. Twenty-one healthy people were booster shot once and twice after primary basic vaccination with HantavaxTM. Seroconversion rates were measured by immunofluorescent antibody technique (IFAT), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), high density composite particle agglutination (HDPA), and plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT). Seroconversion rates of 21 vaccinees at one year after primary basic vaccination were 52.3%, 95.2%, 0.0%, 47.6%, and 28.6%, and 13 vaccinees of one month after 1st booster vaccination were 100%, 100%, 30.7%, 100% and 100% by IFAT, ELISA (IgG, IgM), HDPA and PRNT, respectively. Seroconversion rates declined slightly by twenty months, and they were 84.6%, 92.3%, 0.0%, 84.6% and 69.2% by IFAT, ELISA (IgG, IgM), HDPA and PRNT, respectively. Seroconversion rates of 9 vaccinees at three months after 2nd booster vaccination were 100%, 100%, 0.0%, 100%, and 88.9%, and 16 vaccinees at one year after the 2nd booster vaccination were 87.5%, 93.8%, 0.0%, 87.5% and 81.3% by IFAT, ELISA (IgG, IgM), HDPA and PRNT, respectively. Based on the above result HantavaxTM has proved a vigorous anamnestic response after the 1st and the 2nd booster vaccination and has persisted higher fluorescence, agglutination and neutralizing antibody titers in vaccinees.
Agglutination ; Antibodies, Neutralizing ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fever* ; Fluorescence ; Formaldehyde ; Hantaan virus ; Korea ; Neutralization Tests ; Seoul virus ; Vaccination

No abstract available.
Flow Cytometry* ; Humans* ; Leukocytes* ; Microscopy* ; Phagocytosis* ; Staphylococcus aureus* ; Staphylococcus*

No abstract available.
Flow Cytometry* ; Humans* ; Leukocytes* ; Microscopy* ; Phagocytosis* ; Staphylococcus aureus* ; Staphylococcus*