Rapid diagnosis of human adenovirus (HAdV) infections was achieved by PCR in the recent years. However, conventional PCR has the risk of carry-over contamination due to open handling with its products, and results are only qualitative. Therefore, a quantitative "real-time" PCR with consensus primer and probe (dual fluorescence labelled, "TaqMan") sequences for a conserved region of the hexon gene was designed and evaluated. Real-time PCR detected all 51 HAdV prototypes. Sensitivity of the assay was

Poliovirus type 1 was isolated from an immunodeficient patient 4 days after onset of paresis (IS1) and after 5.5 years of prolonged enteral virus replication (IS2). Antigenic characterization revealed that IS1 was Sabin 1-like, whereas IS2 reacted like poliovirus 1 Mahoney. Complete genomic sequencing demonstrated the phylogenetic relationship (94.9% identity) of IS1 and IS2, which differed from the most closely related Sabin 1 by 5.4 and 8.3%, respectively. Both isolates had revertant-like mutations at nucleotides 480 and 6203. Deduced amino acid sequences indicated significant changes between IS1 and IS2 at the neutralizing antigenic site 1. Prolonged enteral replication, evolution, and shedding of poliovirus by immunodeficient patients should be considered in the poliovirus eradication strategy.

No abstract