Avtor/Urednik | Saksida, Ana; Jakopin, Nina; Jelovšek, Mateja; Knap, Nataša; Fajs, Luka; Lusa, Lara; Lotrič-Furlan, Stanka; Bogovič, Petra; Arnež, Maja; Strle, Franc; Avšič-Županc, Tatjana | |
Naslov | Virus RNA load in patients with tick-borne encephalitis, Slovenia | |
Tip | članek | |
Vol. in št. | Letnik 24, št. 7 | |
Leto izdaje | 2018 | |
Obseg | str. 1315-1323 | |
ISSN | 1080-6040 - Emerging infectious diseases | |
Jezik | eng | |
Abstrakt | We determined levels of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus (TBEV) RNA in serum samples obtained from 80 patients during the initial phase of TBE in Slovenia. For most samples, levels were within the range of 3-6 log10 copies RNA/mL. Levels were higher in female patients than in male patients, but we found no association between virus load and several laboratory and clinical parameters, including severity of TBE. However, a weak humoral immune response was associated with a more severe disease course, suggesting that inefficient clearance of virus results in a more serious illness. To determine whether a certain genetic lineage of TBEV had a higher virulence potential, we obtained 56 partial envelope protein gene sequences by directly sequencing reverse transcription PCR products from clinical samples of patients. This method provided a large set of patient-derived TBEV sequences. We observed no association between phylogenetic clades and virus load or disease severity. | |
Proste vsebinske oznake | tick-borne encephalitis virus RNA load Slovenia encefalitis virusna RNA obremenitev Slovenija |