No Evidence of Murine Leukemia Virus-Related Viruses in Live Attenuated Human Vaccines

The association of xenotropic murine leukemia virus (MLV)-related virus (XMRV) in prostate cancer and chronic fatigue syndrome reported in previous studies remains controversial as these results have been questioned by recent data. Nonetheless, concerns have been raised regarding contamination of human vaccines as a possible source of introduction of XMRV and MLV into human populations. To address this possibility, we tested eight live attenuated human vaccines using generic PCR for XMRV and MLV sequences. Viral metagenomics using deep sequencing was also done to identify the possibility of other adventitious agents.All eight live attenuated vaccines, including Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) (SA-14-14-2), varicella (Varivax), measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR-II), measles (Attenuvax), rubella (Meruvax-II), rotavirus (Rotateq and Rotarix), and yellow fever virus were negative for XMRV and highly related MLV sequences. However, residual hamster DNA, but not RNA, containing novel endogenous gammaretrovirus sequences was detected in the JEV vaccine using PCR. Metagenomics analysis did not detect any adventitious viral sequences of public health concern. Intracisternal A particle sequences closest to those present in Syrian hamsters and not mice were also detected in the JEV SA-14-14-2 vaccine. Combined, these results are consistent with the production of the JEV vaccine in Syrian hamster cells.We found no evidence of XMRV and MLV in eight live attenuated human vaccines further supporting the safety of these vaccines. Our findings suggest that vaccines are an unlikely source of XMRV and MLV exposure in humans and are consistent with the mounting evidence on the absence of these viruses in humans

In vitro detection of hepatitis C virus in platelets from uninfected individuals exposed to the virus

Introduction ,,,,,Despite hepatocytes being the target cells of hepatitis C virus (HCV), viral ribonucleic acid RNA has been detected in other cells, including platelets, which have been described as carriers of the virus in the circulation of infected patients. Platelets do not express cluster differentiation 81 CD81, the main receptor for the virus in hepatocytes, although this receptor protein has been found in megakaryocytes. Still, it is not clear if HCV interacts with platelets directly or if this interaction is a consequence of its association with megakaryocytes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the interaction of HCV with platelets from non-infected individuals, after in vitro exposure to the virus. ,,,, ,,,, ,,,,,Methods ,,,,,Platelets obtained from 50 blood donors not infected by HCV were incubated in vitro at 37°C for 48h with serum containing 100,000IU∕mL of genotype 1 HCV. After incubation, RNA extracted from the platelets was assayed for the presence of HCV by reverse transcription – polymerase chain reaction RT-PCR. ,,,, ,,,, ,,,,,Results ,,,,,After incubation in the presence of virus, all samples of platelets showed HCV RNA. ,,,, ,,,, ,,,,,Conclusions ,,,,,The results demonstrate that, in vitro, the virus interacts with platelets despite the absence of the receptor CD81, suggesting that other molecules could be involved in this association.Universidade Estadual Paulista -UNESP Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu Laboratório de Biologia Molecular do Hemocentro de BotucatuUniversidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA). Hospital Universitário Prof. Edgard Santos Laboratório de Pesquisa em Doenças InfecciosasUniversidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu Departamento de Clínica MédicaUniversidade Estadual Paulista -UNESP Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu Laboratório de Biologia Molecular do Hemocentro de BotucatuUniversidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu Departamento de Clínica Médic

(Mis)computation in Computational Psychiatry

An adequate explication of miscomputation should do justice to the practices involved in the computational sciences. As relevant practices outside computer science have been overlooked, I begin to fill this gap by distinguishing different notions of miscomputation in computational psychiatry. I argue that a satisfactory explication of miscomputation in computational psychiatry should be grounded in the semantic view of computation, rather than in the mechanistic view. To the extent my argument is convincing, we should reconsider the adequacy of the mechanistic view of computation for illuminating some methodological and explanatory practices in computational cognitive neuroscience, as well as for individuating biological computing systems

Adverse effects from multi-drug therapy in leprosy: a Brazilian study.

INTRODUCTION: The WHO MDT for leprosy treatment was officially introduced in Brazil in 1991 and comprises three drugs: dapsone, rifampicin and clofazimine. There are few good studies on the frequency of side-effects attributable to MDT in Brazil. METHODS: A retrospective and descriptive study carried out in a LCP in Vitória, State of Espirito Santo, Brazil. A specific and detailed protocol about side-effects was prepared and filled in from the patient records. RESULTS: One hundred ninety four patients' records were analysed looking for side-effects attributable to MDT. Side-effects were attributed to at least one MDT component in 88 (45%) patients and 85 had side-effects due to dapsone, 24 due to rifampicin and 18 due to clofazimine. 185 episodes were identified. The suspected drug was stopped in 47 out of 88 episodes (24% patients); 46 had dapsone stopped, 5 had rifampicin stopped and no-one had clofazimine stopped. CONCLUSION: Side-effects attributed to MDT is more frequent than previously described, resulting in interruption of treatment in many patients