Browsing by Author "Mieliauskaite, Diana"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Frequency and significance of parvovirus B19 infection in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
    (2016-12) Naciute, Milda; Mieliauskaite, Diana; Rugiene, Rita; Nikitenkiene, Rita; Jancoriene, Ligita; Mauricas, Mykolas; Nora-Krukle, Zaiga; Murovska, Modra; Girkontaite, Irute; Institute of Microbiology and Virology
    The present study aims to clarify the possible involvement of parvovirus B19 (B19V) infection in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pathogenesis by investigating the presence of B19V infection markers (genomic sequences and virus-specific antibodies) in association with the level of cytokines and RA clinical activity and aggressiveness. A total of 118 RA patients and 49 ageand sex-matched healthy volunteers were enrolled in the study. Nested PCR was used to detect B19V sequences in whole blood and cell-free plasma DNA, ELISA to detect virusspecific antibodies and cytokine levels in plasma and recomLine dot blot assay for antibodies to separate B19V antigens. The detection frequency of B19V DNA was higher in patients with RA (25.4%) in comparison with healthy persons (18.4%). B19V DNA in cell-free plasma (B19+p) was detected significantly often in RA patients in comparison with healthy controls (13.6 vs 2%; P=0.0002). RA B19+p patients had higher disease activity and aggressiveness, decreased haemoglobin and increased erythrocyte sedimentation rates. IL-6 plasma levels were significantly higher in RA patients than in controls. Within the RA patients’ group the IL-6 level was significantly increased in B19+p patients with disease activity scores of DAS28>5.2, high C-reactive protein and low haemoglobin. Contrary to the healthy controls, the majority of RA B19+p patients did not have antibodies to VP-1S (VP1u) and VP-N (N-terminal half of structural proteins VP1 and VP2), which correspond to the epitopes of neutralizing antibodies. These results indicate that B19V infection at least in some patients is involved in RA pathogenesis.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Increased Numbers of CD4+CD25+ and CD8+CD25+ T-Cells in Peripheral Blood of Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis with Parvovirus B19 Infection
    (2017-03-01) Naciute, Milda; Maciunaite, Gabriele; Mieliauskaite, Diana; Rugiene, Rita; Zinkeviciene, Aukse; Mauricas, Mykolas; Murovska, Modra; Girkontaite, Irute; Institute of Microbiology and Virology
    Aim: To investigate T-cell subpopulations in peripheral blood of human parvovirus B19 DNA-positive (B19+) and-negative (B19-) patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and healthy persons. Patients and Methods: Blood samples were collected from 115 patients with RA and 47 healthy volunteers; 27 patients with RA and nine controls were B19+. Cluster of differentiation (CD) 4, 8, 25 and 45RA were analyzed on blood cells. CD25 expression on CD4+CD45RA+, CD4+CD45RA-, CD8+CD45RA+, CD8+CD45RA- subsets were analyzed by flow cytometry. Results: The percentage of CD25low and CD25hi cells was increased on CD4+CD45RA+, CD4+CD45RA-T-cells and the percentage of CD25+ cells was increased on CD8+CD45RA+, CD8+CD45RA-T-cells of B19+ patients with RA in comparison with B19- patients and controls. Conclusion: Raised levels of CD4 and CD8 regulatory T-cells in B19+ RA patients could cause downregulation of antiviral clearance mechanisms and lead to activation of persistent human parvovirus B19 infection in patients with RA.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Presence of Human Bocavirus 1 in Hospitalised Children with Acute Respiratory Tract Infections in Latvia and Lithuania
    (2016-08-01) Nora-Krūkle, Zaiga; Rasa, Santa; Vilmane, Anda; Grāvelsiņa, Sabīne; Kālis, Mārtiņš; Ziemele, Inga; Naciute, Milda; Petraitiene, Sigita; Mieliauskaite, Diana; Klimantaviciene, Migle; Girkontaite, Irute; Liu, Hsin Fu; Lin, Jih Hui; Lin, Yung Cheng; Chan, Hsiu Chuan; Gardovska, Dace; Murovska, Modra; Institute of Microbiology and Virology; Rīga Stradiņš University
    Human bocavirus 1 (HBoV1) is a parvovirus recently found to be a possible aetiologic agent of acute respiratory disease in children. We conducted the first clinical and molecular study on this virus in Latvia (LV) and Lithuania (LT). The aim of the study was to determine the occurrence of HBoV1 in respiratory tract samples taken from hospitalised children with acute respiratory tract infections in LV and LT. In total 186 children with age one to 50 months, and who fulfilled criteria of acute respiratory tract infection, including lower respiratory tract infections, with or without fever, were included in this study. A nasopharyngeal aspirate was obtained from each patient on admission. DNA was isolated and polimerase chain reaction (PCR) performed targeting the HBoV1 NS1sequence. HBoV1 positive samples were sequenced and phylogenetic analysis was performed. HBoV1 sequence was detected in 42 (32%) of 130 LV and in 8 (14%) of 56 LT samples. In LV the majority of patients with HBoV1 infection were observed in February while in LT in October. The phylogenetic tree for HBoV1 indicated that isolates of HBoV1 cluster closely and include almost all of the isolates in this study. HBoV1 is common in Latvia and Lithuania and might be a significant pathogen that contributes to acute respiratory tract infections in children.