Merkel Cell Polyomavirus DNA Detection in Respiratory Samples: Study of a Cohort of Patients Affected by Cystic Fibrosis
Background: The role of Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) as a respiratory pathogen is controversial, and it is still unclear in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). The aim of this study was to define the MCPyV prevalence and epidemiology in CF patients in order to gain new insights into the associat...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2019-06-01
|
| Series: | Viruses |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/11/6/571 |
| _version_ | 1811199551354175488 |
|---|---|
| author | Carla Prezioso Federica Maria Di Lella Donatella Maria Rodio Camilla Bitossi Maria Trancassini Annamaria Mele Corrado de Vito Guido Antonelli Valeria Pietropaolo |
| author_facet | Carla Prezioso Federica Maria Di Lella Donatella Maria Rodio Camilla Bitossi Maria Trancassini Annamaria Mele Corrado de Vito Guido Antonelli Valeria Pietropaolo |
| author_sort | Carla Prezioso |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: The role of Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) as a respiratory pathogen is controversial, and it is still unclear in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). The aim of this study was to define the MCPyV prevalence and epidemiology in CF patients in order to gain new insights into the association between MCPyV infection and respiratory diseases. Methods: A one-year study was conducted testing oropharyngeal aspirate samples from 249 and 124 CF and non-CF patients, respectively. Detection of MCPyV was carried out by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Moreover, a sequence alignment to examine viral capsid protein 1 (VP1) and a phylogenetic analysis were performed. Results: MCPyV DNA was detected in 65 out of 249 samples analyzed CF (26%), a percentage that was higher than that recorded in non-CF patients (0.8%). There were no statistically significant differences in MCPyV prevalence according to gender, while there was a correlation between MCPyV detection and age. Interestingly, an association between the presence of MCPyV and the concurrent isolation of <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> was found. Sequence analysis of MCPyV VP1 and phylogenetic analysis revealed a 99% homology with the published sequences of these viruses in GenBank. Conclusions: Detection of MCPyV in CF patient specimens pointed out a possible interaction between the virus and CF. Further studies are necessary to fully understand the involvement of MCPyV in the pathogenesis of respiratory disorders. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T01:49:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-92960803b3b0466e9f1ee61d255ce7e7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4915 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T01:49:33Z |
| publishDate | 2019-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Viruses |
| spelling | doaj.art-92960803b3b0466e9f1ee61d255ce7e72022-12-22T03:52:58ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152019-06-0111657110.3390/v11060571v11060571Merkel Cell Polyomavirus DNA Detection in Respiratory Samples: Study of a Cohort of Patients Affected by Cystic FibrosisCarla Prezioso0Federica Maria Di Lella1Donatella Maria Rodio2Camilla Bitossi3Maria Trancassini4Annamaria Mele5Corrado de Vito6Guido Antonelli7Valeria Pietropaolo8Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University, 00185 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, 80138 Naples, ItalyDepartment of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University, 00185 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Molecular Medicine and Pasteur Institute-Cenci Bolognetti Foundation, Sapienza University, 00161 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University, 00185 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University, 00185 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University, 00185 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Molecular Medicine and Pasteur Institute-Cenci Bolognetti Foundation, Sapienza University, 00161 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University, 00185 Rome, ItalyBackground: The role of Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) as a respiratory pathogen is controversial, and it is still unclear in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). The aim of this study was to define the MCPyV prevalence and epidemiology in CF patients in order to gain new insights into the association between MCPyV infection and respiratory diseases. Methods: A one-year study was conducted testing oropharyngeal aspirate samples from 249 and 124 CF and non-CF patients, respectively. Detection of MCPyV was carried out by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Moreover, a sequence alignment to examine viral capsid protein 1 (VP1) and a phylogenetic analysis were performed. Results: MCPyV DNA was detected in 65 out of 249 samples analyzed CF (26%), a percentage that was higher than that recorded in non-CF patients (0.8%). There were no statistically significant differences in MCPyV prevalence according to gender, while there was a correlation between MCPyV detection and age. Interestingly, an association between the presence of MCPyV and the concurrent isolation of <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> was found. Sequence analysis of MCPyV VP1 and phylogenetic analysis revealed a 99% homology with the published sequences of these viruses in GenBank. Conclusions: Detection of MCPyV in CF patient specimens pointed out a possible interaction between the virus and CF. Further studies are necessary to fully understand the involvement of MCPyV in the pathogenesis of respiratory disorders.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/11/6/571Merkel cell polyomaviruscystic fibrosisVP1sequence alignmentphylogenetic analysis<i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> |
| spellingShingle | Carla Prezioso Federica Maria Di Lella Donatella Maria Rodio Camilla Bitossi Maria Trancassini Annamaria Mele Corrado de Vito Guido Antonelli Valeria Pietropaolo Merkel Cell Polyomavirus DNA Detection in Respiratory Samples: Study of a Cohort of Patients Affected by Cystic Fibrosis Viruses Merkel cell polyomavirus cystic fibrosis VP1 sequence alignment phylogenetic analysis <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> |
| title | Merkel Cell Polyomavirus DNA Detection in Respiratory Samples: Study of a Cohort of Patients Affected by Cystic Fibrosis |
| title_full | Merkel Cell Polyomavirus DNA Detection in Respiratory Samples: Study of a Cohort of Patients Affected by Cystic Fibrosis |
| title_fullStr | Merkel Cell Polyomavirus DNA Detection in Respiratory Samples: Study of a Cohort of Patients Affected by Cystic Fibrosis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Merkel Cell Polyomavirus DNA Detection in Respiratory Samples: Study of a Cohort of Patients Affected by Cystic Fibrosis |
| title_short | Merkel Cell Polyomavirus DNA Detection in Respiratory Samples: Study of a Cohort of Patients Affected by Cystic Fibrosis |
| title_sort | merkel cell polyomavirus dna detection in respiratory samples study of a cohort of patients affected by cystic fibrosis |
| topic | Merkel cell polyomavirus cystic fibrosis VP1 sequence alignment phylogenetic analysis <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/11/6/571 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT carlaprezioso merkelcellpolyomavirusdnadetectioninrespiratorysamplesstudyofacohortofpatientsaffectedbycysticfibrosis AT federicamariadilella merkelcellpolyomavirusdnadetectioninrespiratorysamplesstudyofacohortofpatientsaffectedbycysticfibrosis AT donatellamariarodio merkelcellpolyomavirusdnadetectioninrespiratorysamplesstudyofacohortofpatientsaffectedbycysticfibrosis AT camillabitossi merkelcellpolyomavirusdnadetectioninrespiratorysamplesstudyofacohortofpatientsaffectedbycysticfibrosis AT mariatrancassini merkelcellpolyomavirusdnadetectioninrespiratorysamplesstudyofacohortofpatientsaffectedbycysticfibrosis AT annamariamele merkelcellpolyomavirusdnadetectioninrespiratorysamplesstudyofacohortofpatientsaffectedbycysticfibrosis AT corradodevito merkelcellpolyomavirusdnadetectioninrespiratorysamplesstudyofacohortofpatientsaffectedbycysticfibrosis AT guidoantonelli merkelcellpolyomavirusdnadetectioninrespiratorysamplesstudyofacohortofpatientsaffectedbycysticfibrosis AT valeriapietropaolo merkelcellpolyomavirusdnadetectioninrespiratorysamplesstudyofacohortofpatientsaffectedbycysticfibrosis |