Epidemiology, genetic background and virulence of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, that caused an outbreak of furunculosis was studied. With macrorestriction analysis of chromosomal DNA by PFGE, spa typing, and multilocus sequence typing (MLST), we found two genotypes (PFGE patterns A and B, spa types t002 and t454, MLST types ST5 and ST152). We were first in Europe, who found Panton-Valentine leukocidin in known epidemic MRSA strain MLST ST5, spa t002 and who found a new CA-MRSA MLST ST152, spa t454.
COBISS.SI-ID: 20639449
The study was aimed at assessing the ability of tumor vaccine – CpG ODN class C in combination with irradiated melanoma tumor cells B16F1 to trigger the antitumor immunity in experimental tumor model in mice (i.p. B16F1) as well as at evaluating some of its mechanisms of action. A significant preventive antitumor immunity was achieved with the vaccine and two additional injections of CpG ODN. In more than 80% of survivors, a long-lasting immunity was triggered. The therapy with the vaccine and two additional injections of CpG ODN significantly prolonged survival of tumor bearing mice.
COBISS.SI-ID: 528507
Molecular characterization of a new porcine rotavirus P genotype found in an asymptomatic pig in Slovenia. Virology 2007;359:275-282 (COBISS-ID: 2710138) In the study of rotavirus incidence in pigs with or without symptoms the new rotavirus P genotype (P[27]) was described in the P21-5 strain. For this strain an unusual NSP4 genotype was also described which seems to represent a new NSP4 genotype. In this article very important and new data were presented in molecular epidemiology of rotaviruses. Until March 2008 the paper has been cited 11 times in SCI-indexed journals.
COBISS.SI-ID: 2710138
In this invited review article in Journal of Clinical Virology, IF=2.630, several research assays and two commercial assays for the detection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein or HCV core antigen were critically evaluated. After reviewing 56 studies published in peer-reviewed journals until September 2004 we concluded that HCV core antigen can be used as a marker of HCV replication in anti-HCV positive individuals in the areas of the world that cannot afford HCV RNA testing. Until March 2008 the paper has been cited 10 times in SCI-indexed journals.
COBISS.SI-ID: 20498649
We used quantitative real-time reverse transcription-PCR to measure viral load in serum from 24 patients in Kosovo who had acute Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever. Viral load correlated with clinical disease and antibodies and could be used as a predictor of disease outcome. It was shown that viral load of 10(8) copies/ml and higher is a strong factor (p=(0.001) for delineating CCHF patients with fatal outcome from surviving patients. The effective treatment is thus even more needed since we can now predict the casualties of CCHF.
COBISS.SI-ID: 23415513