An outbreak of Legionella infection in Armavir

In March-April 1987 an outbreak of Legionella infection was registered among 236 workers at a rubber factory in Armavir. An ARD-like syndrome and acute alveolitis were the main variants of the clinical course of the infection. Legionella infection was diagnosed on the basis of a fourfold and greater increase in the titers of antibodies to L. pneumophila, serogroup 1, as determined in the indirect immunofluorescence test and enzyme immunoassay (EIA). In urine samples obtained from patients Legionella antigen was determined with the use of EIA techniques. The culture of L. pneumophila, serogroup 1, was isolated from the recycling-type water supply system of the factory. The outbreak was stopped by a complex of sanitary, hygienic and epidemic control measures.     

A nosocomial outbreak of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis due to adenovirus type 37

An outbreak of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis occurred at the department of ophthalmology of a hospital in Yokohama, involving 14 inpatients, 12 outpatients, and 2 doctors. Adenovirus type 37 (Ad-37) was isolated from the conjunctival swab in 12 of 18 cases. In neutralization tests, the isolates showed some cross-reaction with adenovirus type 19 (Ad-19). The Ad-37 isolates were indistinguishable from each other and from the prototype Ad-37, but distinct from the prototype Ad-19 in the restriction endonuclease analysis of viral DNA.     

Unique species of mRNA from adenovirus type 7 early region 1 in cells transformed by adenovirus type 7 DNA fragment.

Adenovirus type 7 (Ad7) early region 1 mRNA species transcribed in rat cell lines transformed by the HindIII-I . J fragment (the left 7.8% of the viral genome) and in human KB cells infected with Ad7 were mapped on the viral genome, using S1 nuclease gel and diazobenzyloxymethyl paper hybridization techniques. At the early stage of productive infection, two mRNA's (950 and 840 nucleotides long) with the common 5' and 3' ends but different internal splicings were mapped from region 1A (map units 1.4 to 4.3), and one mRNA (2,310 nucleotides long, with the internal splicing between map units 9.9 to 10.1) was mapped from region 1B (map units 4.6 to 11.4). At the late stage, these early spliced mRNA's were also found and at least three additional Ad7 mRNA's were identified: 700-nucleotide-long mRNA in region 1A; and 1,100- and nucleotide-long mRNA's in region 1B. In transformed rat cell lines, two early region 1A mRNA's (950 and 840 nucleotides long) were also transcribed. Surprisingly, in addition, several unique Ad7 mRNA's, not found in productivity infected cells, were identified in all of the transformed cell lines. Their molecular sizes and coding sequences varied in individual cell lines. However, these mRNA's had the 5' end-proximal portion in region 1B and the 3' end-proximal portion in region 1A, these portions being transcribed by extending from region 1B to 1A on viral DNA fragments joined in a tandem array in transformed cells.     

Herpesvirus infection modifies adenovirus RNA metabolism in adenovirus type 5-transformed cells.

The effect of herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection of mRNA metabolism was examined in a system where the fate of specific RNA sequence can be assayed. Adenovirus type 5-transformed rat embryo cell line 107 synthesizes adenovirus-specific RNA (ad-RNA), which functions in the cytoplasm as mRNA. We have utilized ad-RNA as a model for mRNA metabolism, and in a preliminiary study we characterized ad-RNA in the nucleus and cytoplasm by hybridization to filter-bound adenovirus DNA. The results indicated the as-RNA accumulates in the nucleus and that cytoplasmic polyadenylic acid [poly(A)]-containing ad-RNA turns over with a half-life of a few hours. Pulse-chase experiments confirmed these observations and a half-life of about h was determined for the poly(A)-containing cytoplasmic ad-RNA. A second class of ad-RNA remains in the nucleus, where it turns over with a longer hlaf-life (about 24 h). The infection of 107 cells by HSV was restricted at 37 degree C, giving a burst size of 5 PFU per cell and allowing continued host DNA synthesis. Protein synthesis was inhibited greater than 50% by 7 h after infection, and total RNA synthesis was 50% inhibited by 4 h after infection. During the first 8 h after infection, HSV has little effect on the rate of synthesis of ad-RNA as determined by hybridization of nuclear RNA samples, but,during the same period, HSV inhibits the accumulation of poly(A)-containing ad-RNA in the cytoplasm. The degree of this inhibition increases steadily throughout this period and reaches 60% by 6.5 to 8 h after infection. Nosignificant effect was seen on the accumulation of total cellular poly(A)-containing RNA. It was concluded from these experiments that HSV infection alters the metabolism of ad-RNA so as to prevent the normal appearance of the poly(A)-containing mRNA in the cytoplasm. The result for ad-RNA may not represent the behavior of total cellular poly(A)-containing RNA under conditions where infection is restricted.     

An intrahospital outbreak of HIV infection in Elista

For the first time a nosocomial focus of HIV infection was established. Out of 83,000 inhabitants of the Kalmyck ASSR who underwent planned examination in the course of epidemiological investigation, 65 cases of HIV infection were detected and all of them were traced to the focus of hospital infection (56 children and 9 adults: 1 man and 8 women; of these, 7 women contacted the infection from their infected children in the process of breast feeding). The children were infected during their stay in two hospitals of Elista where they received multiple intravenous and intramuscular injections. The infection spread from the infant department of the regional pediatric hospital to 4 more departments and to the infectious diseases hospital. Transmission of this infection was maintained for several months by the use of nonsterile syringes in parenteral manipulations.     

A slow spread of adenovirus type 7 infection after its re-emergence in Yamagata, Japan, in 1995

We have continued the epidemiological study on adenovirus type 7 (Ad7), which re-emerged in 1995 in Yamagata, Japan. Between 1999 and 2004, we isolated only four strains from 10,778 throat swab specimens among children with acute respiratory infections. A serological survey of 303 specimens revealed the antibody-positive rate against Ad7 to be 0-7.4% in children under 10 years of age in 2005, although it was 3.3-16.7% in 1997 and 0% in 1993. Our results suggest that a re-emergence does not always provoke a sudden major outbreak, even if the antibody-positive rate against Ad7 is low in the local community.     

Analysis of severe human adenovirus infection outbreak in Guangdong Province,southern China in 2019

During 2018-2019, a severe human adenovirus (HAdV) infection outbreak occurred in southern China. Here, we screened 18 respiratory pathogens in 1704 children (≤ 14 years old) hospitalized with acute respiratory illness in Guangzhou, China, in 2019. In total, 151 patients had positive HAdV test results; 34.4% (52/151) of them exhibited severe illness. HAdV infection occurred throughout the year, with a peak in summer. The median patient age was 3.0 (interquartile range:1.1-5.0) years. Patients with severe HAdV infection exhibited increases in 12 clinical indexes (P ≤ 0.019) and decreases in four indexes (P ≤ 0.007), compared with patients exhibiting nonsevere infection. No significant differences were found in age or sex distribution according to HAdV infection severity (P > 0.05); however, the distributions of comorbid disease and HAdV co-infection differed according to HAdV infection severity (P < 0.05). The main epidemic types were HAdV-3 (47.0%, 71/151) and HAdV-7 (46.4%, 70/151). However, the severe illness rate was significantly higher in patients with HAdV-7 (51.4%) than in patients with HAdV-3 (19.7%) and other types of HAdV (20%) (P < 0.001). Sequencing analysis of genomes/capsid genes of 13 HAdV-7 isolates revealed high similarity to previous Chinese isolates. A representative HAdV-7 isolate exhibited a similar proliferation curve to the curve described for the epidemic HAdV-3 strain Guangzhou01 (accession no. DQ099432) (P > 0.05); the HAdV-7 isolate exhibited stronger virulence and infectivity, compared with HAdV-3 (P < 0.001). Overall, comorbid disease, HAdV co-infection, and high virulence and infectivity of HAdV-7 were critical risk factors for severe HAdV infection; these data can facilitate treatment, control, and prevention of HAdV infection.     

The gene for polypeptide IX of human adenovirus type 7

This paper describes the nucleotide sequence of subgroup B human adenovirus type 7 (Ad7) between positions 3351-4010, and of cloned cDNA derived from mRNAs encoded by this segment. One of these (mRNA VII) is shown to be unspliced, and has its 5'- and 3'-ends encoded by positions 3460 (determined by the nuclease S1 technique) and 3939, respectively. The mRNA sequence contains a single open reading frame for protein biosynthesis between the first available initiation triplet AUG at position 3481 to the stop codon UAA at position 3895. It can specify a polypeptide of 138 amino acids (14 098 daltons) which must be polypeptide IX of Ad7, as is evident from its mapping position, and from a comparison with the sequence of the protein IX gene of subgroup C adenovirus type 5.     

Isolation and characterization of temperature-sensitive mutants of adenovirus type 7.

Fifty temperature-sensitive mutants, which replicate at 32 degrees C but not at 39.5 degrees C, were isolated after mutagenesis of the vaccine strain of adenovirus type 7 with hydroxylamine (mutation frequency of 9.0%) or nitrous acid (mutation frequency of 3.8%). Intratypic complementation analyses separated 46 of these mutants into seven groups. Intertypic complementation tests with temperature-sensitive mutants of adenovirus type 5 showed that the mutant in complementation group A failed to complement H5ts125 (a DNA-binding protein mutant), that mutants in group B and C did not complement adenovirus type 5 hexon mutants, and that none of the mutants was defective in fiber production. Further phenotypic characterization showed that at the nonpermissive temperature the mutant in group A failed to make immunologically reactive DNA-binding protein, mutants in groups B and C were defective in transport of trimeric hexons to the nucleus, mutants in groups D, E, and F assembled empty capsids, and mutants in group G assembled DNA-containing capsids as well as empty capsids. The mutants of the complementation groups were physically mapped by marker rescue, and the mutations were localized between the following map coordinates: groups B and C between 50.4 and 60.2 map units (m.u.), groups D and E between 29.6 and 36.7 m.u., and group G between 36.7 and 42.0 m.u. or 44.0 and 47.0 m.u. The mutant in group A proved to be a double mutant.     

Gene organization of the transforming region of adenovirus type 7 DNA

The sequence of the leftmost 11% of the weakly oncogenic human adenovirus type 7 (Ad7) DNA has been determined. This part of the Ad7 viral genome encompasses early region E1 which has been shown to be involved in the process of cell transformation in vitro (Dijkema et al., 1979). From the nucleotide sequence and determined coordinates of the E1 mRNAs, we are able to predict the primary structure of the polypeptides encoded by the transforming region of Ad7. The organization of the E1 region of Ad7 and of other adenovirus serotypes (Bos et al. 1981) leads to the proposal of a novel mechanism for gene regulation at the translational level in which protein synthesis can initiate at either the first or the second AUG triplet available in mRNA. The differences between the large E1b-specific tumor antigens of adenovirus types 12, 7 and 5 may explain the differences in oncogenicity of these viruses.     

Characterization of a temperature-sensitive mutant of human adenovirus type 7.

The properties of a naturally occurring temperature-sensitive (ts) mutant of human adenovirus type 7 (Ad7) were studied. Mutant Ad7 (19), or E46-, was the nonhybrid adenovirus component derived from the defective simian virus 40 (SV40)-Ad7 hybrid (PARA). Growth of the mutant was restricted at 40.5 degrees C, and the ratios of virus yields in KB cells at 40.5 and 33 degrees C were 10(-2) to 10(-3). Viral DNA synthesis and the synthesis of adenovirus-specific antigens (tumor, capsid, hexon, and penton antigens) appeared normal at the restrictive temperature. The assembly of virus particles was aberrant, as determined by thin-section of infected cells. The infectivity of mutant virions was heat labile at 50 degrees C, suggesting a ts defect in a structural component of the viron. Analysis by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of [35S]methionine-labeled polypeptides synthesized in mutant-infected cells suggested that at least the major virion polypeptides were synthesized at the restrictive temperature. A lack of inhibition of host protein synthesis late in mutant infections, as compared with wild-type (WT) infections at both the permissive and nonpermissive temperatures, made quantitation of infected-cell polypeptides difficult. Analysis of the assembly of capsomeres from cytoplasmic extracts of infected cells on sucrose gradients and by non-dissociating polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis suggested that hexon capsomeres were made at 40.5 degrees C. The hexon capsomeres made by the mutant at either 33 or 40.5 degrees C displayed a decreased migration in the non-dissociating gels compared with the WT hexon capsomeres. The molecular weights of the mutant and WT hexon polypeptides were identical. These results suggest that the ts lesion of this group B human Ad7 mutant may be reflected in altered hexons. The mutant Ad7 interfered with the replication of adenovirus types 2 and 21 at the elevated temperature.