Anti-HSV 2 chimeric monoclonal antibody, clone M8D2I2

Total GC-content (G + C), GC-content in codon positions and 0-fold, 2-fold and 4-fold degenerated sites in all coding districts from 10 completely sequenced genomes of simplex and varicello viruses have been calculated by the original "Coding Genome Scanner" algorithm. The low coefficient of correlation (R < 0.5) between 3GC and G + C in all coding districts from unique regions (UL and US) of alphaherpesvirus genome is a new criterion of the strong mutational pressure that is the process of increasing the rates of nonsynonymous mutations because of the extreme saturation (GC-pressure) or desaturation (AT-pressure) of third (liberal) codon positions with G and C. Unique regions of HSV1, HSV2, CeHV1, CeHV2, CeHV16 and BoHV5 are under the influence of strong GC-pressure caused mostly by AT to GC transversions. Unique regions of EqHV1 are under the influence of weak GC-pressure. In unique regions of CeHV9 AT-pressure is strong; in EqHV4 and VZV unique regions AT-pressure is weak. Mutational AT-pressure in CeHV9 and VZV is caused mostly by transitions, while in EqHV4 it is caused mostly by transversions. The level of 3GC in coding districts situated in long terminal inverted repeats (LTR) of all these viruses is much higher than in coding districts from UL and US. Higher GC-content does not seem to depend on the gene itself, but it does depend on its location. V67 gene of EqHV1 is situated in LTR (3GC = 0.853), while V67 gene of EqHV4 is situated in US (3GC = 0.397). Higher rates of AT to GC transversions in coding districts situated in LTR should be due to the "anatomy" of long terminal inverted repeats. The process of AT to GC transversions is thought to take place only in doublestranded DNA. Indeed, in the potential secondary structure formed by singlestranded genomic DNA of alphaherpesviruses only joined inverted repeats should be doublestranded. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

BackgroundMaking a definite diagnosis of infectious uveitis is a challenging task because many other infectious, and non-infectious uveitis, may have similar non-specific symptoms and overlapping clinical appearances. Co-infections in immunocompetent patients are not frequently proved with traditional serologic-diagnostic tools.MethodsDescriptive transversal study, in a Uveitis Service of an Ophthalmology Reference Center, in Bogota, Colombia, from July 2014 to February 2016. Aqueous humor (AH) and/or vitreous fluid, blood and serum samples were collected from consecutive patients suspected of having infectious uveitis. The diagnosis of ocular toxoplasmosis (OT) was confirmed by the Goldmann-Witmer coefficient (GWC) and by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Differential diagnosis by PCR in AH was done for viral origin such as Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1), Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV2), Varicella zoster virus (VZV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis.ResultsIn 66 Colombian patients with uveitis of presumed infectious origin: 22 (33.3%) were confirmed as OT, 16 (24.2%) as undetermined OT, five (7.5%) as co-infections and 23 (34.8%) as other uveitis. Toxoplasma coinfection with M. tuberculosis was identified in one case by PCR and in four cases with HSV by GWC. The initial clinical diagnosis changed, after laboratory examination, in 21 cases (31.8%).ConclusionsClinical diagnosis can be changed by laboratory examination in a significant proportion of cases of uveitis. Diagnosis of OT should combine the use of PCR and GWC to reach the maximum of confirmation of cases. The use of multiple laboratory methods is necessary to identify co-infections and viral infections that can mimic OT in immunocompetent patients.