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1. Variability of conserved regions in the CMV genome in strains
from different patient groups.
To study the occurrence of variability within different parts of
conserved regions in the CMV genome and the implications of variability
on selection of primers for diagnostic tests like PCR, on development
of antiviral resistance and the importance of neutralizing antibodies.
2. Hepatitis C virus - epidemiology and mechanisms for chronic
infection.
The spread of hepatitis C virus between patients in hospital wards
are studied by genotyping and sequencing of isolates from patients.
Recombinatory antibody libraries will be used to study the importance
of the humoral antibody response in the control of HCV infection.
(Collaboration with Mats AA Persson).
Research results:
1. Primers from a conserved region of the MIE gene of the CMV genome
have been evaluated for demonstration of CMV DNA in plasma by PCR.
The primers used have failed to detect a minor number of isolated
strains which has initiated sequence analysis of the region in strains
from different patient groups to study the variability.
2. Genotyping and sequencing of HCV strains have shown that transmission
of hepatitis C occurs between patients in hospitals. Fab-libraries
from three chronic hepatitis C patients have been established in
collaboration with Mats AA Persson and will be used for further
studies of humoral immunity in hepatitis C infections.
Selected references:
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Allander, T., Medin, C., Jacobsson, S. H., Grillner, L., and
Persson, M. A. A.(1994). Hepatitis C transmission in a hemodialysis
unit: Molecular evidence for spread of virus among patients
not sharing eqiupment.. J. Med. Virol. 43, 415 419.
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Blomberg, J., Moestrup, T., Frimand, J., Hansson, B., Kroogsgard,
K., Grillner, L., and Nordenfelt, E.(1994). HTLV I and II in
intravenous drug users from Sweden and Denmark. SJID 26, 23
26.
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Lundeberg, J., Bondesson, L., Hedrum, A., Grillner, L., Stark,
M., von Krogh, G., and Uhlén, M.(1994). Microtiter assay for
colorimetric detection of in vitro amplified chlamydia trachomatis
sequences. Scand. J. Infect. Dis. 26, 275 282.
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Allander, T., Gruber, A., Naghavi, M., Beyene, A., Söderström,
T., Björkholm, M., Grillner, L., and Persson, M. A. A.(1995).
Frequent patient to patient transmission of hepatitis C virus
in a haematology ward. Lancet 345, 603 607.
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