Detection of Polioviruses in Sewage Using Cell Culture and Molecular Methods

The work presented here demonstrates the utility of a two-step algorithm for environmental poliovirus surveillance based on: preselection of sewage samples tested for the presence of enteroviral genetic material-RT-PCR assay and detection of infectious viruses by cell culture technique (L20B for polioviruses and RD for polio and other non-polio enteroviruses). RD and L20B cell lines were tested to determine their sensitivity for isolation of viruses from environmental samples (sewage). Finally, we wanted to determine if sewage concentration affects the results obtained for RT-PCR and cell cultures.

Cell culture-based enrichment of mouse hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells

Bone marrow (BM) chimeric mice are a valuable tool in the field of immunology and hematology, and genetic manipulation of donor cells is widely used to study gene function under physiological and pathological settings. Current BM chimera protocols generally require use of multicolor fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) for donor hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) purification. Here, we describe a cell culture technique for the enrichment of functional HSPCs from mouse BM without the use of FACS purification. This technique is therefore expected to overcome current limitations in mouse BM chimera models.

Chlamydia trachomatis infection influences the clinical course of acute bronchiolitis

The frequency of Chlamydia trachomatis infection among young infants admitted with acute bronchiolitis was analysed to determine whether the former affects the clinical course of the latter. A total of 92 infants aged <6 months admitted with acute bronchiolitis were tested for C. trachomatis by a cell culture technique, obtaining nasal smears from each infant’s nostrils. A second nasal sampling was taken for respiratory viruses from the study group and tested with real-time polymerase chain reaction. Clinical characteristics of C. trachomatis-positive and -negative cases were compared. C. trachomatis was detected in 22.8% of the infants, mostly as coinfection with respiratory viral agents. Infection with C. trachomatis affected the clinical outcome in acute bronchiolitis and such infants tended to have severe bronchiolitis.