1,721,099 research outputs found
Applications of Influenza Virosomes as a delivery system
No full textThe induction of effective cellular and humoral immune responses against antigens is the major goal in vaccination strategies against infectious diseases and cancer. In this review, we will discuss influenza virosomes as a versatile delivery system for molecules of a different nature, such as proteins, peptides and nucleic acids. These molecules can be administered in different ways, such as nasal, muscular or dermal routes, also facilitating the uptake of the antigen by antigen-presenting cells (APC) and inducing a specific humoral and cell-mediated immune response, particularly a CTL response. Influenza virosomes, due to their applicability in different medical fields, are a promising tool in vaccinology and immunotherapy applications. ©2006 Landes Bioscience
Immunomodulatory properties of anticancer monoclonal antibodies: Is the 'magic bullet' still a reliable paradigm?
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Diagnostic tools for Toscana virus infection
No full textToscana virus (TOSV; Phlebovirus, Bunyaviridae) is an important etiological agent of acute meningitis and meningoencephalitis in Mediterranean countries. Laboratory diagnosis has been carried out in serological studies using ELISA, immunofluorescence and/or neutralization tests that are not influenced by the virus viability; however, in the acute phase of the infection, nucleic acid amplification techniques are the methods of choice to diagnose viral meningitis from cerebrospinal fluid samples. Molecular methods are rapid and sensitive and, unlike traditional methods, such as virus isolation by cell culture, they are not influenced by the viability of the virus in the clinical specimen; however, the RNA integrity is crucial for the success of these methods. Real-time PCR is the most important molecular method used in laboratories worldwide, since it is less time-consuming and it reduces the risk of contamination. Therefore, a sensitive real-time PCR has been developed for diagnosis of suspected cases of TOSV infection either autochthonous and/or imported, since a new lineage of TOSV, divergent from the Italian prototype, has recently been reported in Spain
A Mediterranean arbovirus: the Toscana virus
No full textToscana virus (Bunyaviridae family, Phlebovirus genus) is a sandfly fever virus responsible for human neurological infections. Sandfly viruses are transmitted by insect vectors (Phlebotomus species) and the infection is present in climatic areas that allow the life cycle of the vector. The arthropode-borne Toscana virus is the etiologic agent of meningitis, meningoencephalitis, and encephalitis. The frequency of this neuropathic infection increases in the summer months, peaking in August in the endemic Mediterranean areas (Italy, Portugal, Spain, and Cyprus). Infection diagnosis is carried out by molecular assays and immunoenzymatic tests, which are rapid and sensitive. Recent studies have investigated the antigenic properties of the viral proteins (nucleoprotein N and surface glycoproteins G1 and G2), to better understand their immunogentic role
PCR amplification of GC-rich templates containing palindromic sequences using initial alkali denaturation
No full textWhy is influenza virus more risky for pregnant women?
No full textPregnancy results in altered immune responses to infec-tious diseases and an increased risk of severe disease caused by many pathogens. Recently, it has been shown that pregnant women are at an increased risk of severe disease and complications from pandemic H1N1 influenza virus (H1N1 2009) [1,2]. Because of concerns about the severity of disease during pregnancy, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have implemented enhanced surveillance for pandemic H1N1 influenza virus infections in pregnant women in the USA. During previ-ous seasonal influenza epidemics [3,4] and pandemics, pregnant women had increased morbidity and mortality from influenza infection compared to women who were not pregnant. For this reason, the WHO advises early antiviral treatment for suspected or confirmed pandemic influenza illness. Although it is known that pregnant women are transiently immunodepressed, it is unclear wh
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