The knowledge of viral shedding patterns and viraemia in the reservoir host species is a key factor in assessing the human risk of zoonotic viruses. The shedding of hantaviruses (family Bunyaviridae) by their host rodents has widely been studied experimentally, but rarely in natural settings. Here we present the dynamics of Puumala hantavirus (PUUV) shedding and viraemia in naturally infected wild bank voles (Myodes glareolus). In a monthly capture-mark-recapture study, we analysed 18 bank voles for the presence and relative quantity of PUUV RNA in the excreta and blood from 2 months before up to 8 months after seroconversion. The proportion of animals shedding PUUV RNA in saliva, urine and faeces peaked during the first month after seroconversion, but continued throughout the study period with only a slight decline. The quantity of shed PUUV in reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) positive excreta was constant over time. In blood, PUUV RNA was present for up to 7 months but both the probability of viraemia and the virus load declined with time. Our findings contradict the current view of a decline in virus shedding after the acute phase and a short viraemic period in hantavirus infection -an assumption widely adopted in current epidemiological models. We suggest the life-long shedding as a means of hantaviruses to survive over host population bottlenecks, and to disperse in fragmented habitats where local host and/or virus populations face temporary extinctions. Our results indicate that the kinetics of pathogens in wild hosts may differ considerably from those observed in laboratory settings.

Background: Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation is associated with impaired health-related quality of life. Yoga has been suggested to improve health-related quality of life among patients with heart failure and hypertension. Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of MediYoga, in respect of health-related quality of life, blood pressure, heart rate, as well as N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide, among patients with symptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, compared with standard therapy or relaxation. Methods: Patients with symptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, n=132, were stratified for gender and randomised to MediYoga, a relaxation group or a control group, 44 patients per group with a 12-week follow-up. Health-related quality of life, blood pressure, heart rate and N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide were assessed. Results: After 12 weeks, there were no differences in health-related quality of life between the groups. There were improvements in Short-Form Health Survey bodily pain, general health, social function, mental health and mental component summary scores within the MediYoga group ( p=0.014, p=0.037, p=0.029, p=0.030, p=0.019, respectively). No change was seen in the relaxation and control groups. Systolic blood pressure decreased in the MediYoga group (134±18 to 127±13) compared with the control group (126±17 to 127±15, p=0.041); no difference compared with the relaxation group (131±17 to 125±12). Diastolic blood pressure decreased in the MediYoga group (79±9 to 74 ±9) compared with the control group (76±9 to 79±8, p=0.005); no difference compared with the relaxation group (76±9 to 77±8). There were no differences in heart rate and N-terminal pro b-type natriuretic peptide between the groups after 12 weeks. Conclusions: MediYoga improves health-related quality of life and decreases blood pressure in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. MediYoga may be used as a part of a self-management programme among patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

Background: Patients with atrial fibrillation often have an impaired quality of life (QoL).

Transfection of a plasmid encoding the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) nuclear antigen 2 (EBNA2) gene confers resistance to the antiproliferative effect of alpha interferon (IFN-a) in EBV-negative U968 cells (P. Aman and A. von Gabain, EMBO J. 9:147-152, 1990). We studied the expression of IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) ElA and the hepatitis virus terminal protein, respectively, mediate the aberration of ISG induction (1, 22). We have previously discovered an IFN-resistant phenotype in human lymphoma cells which can be attributed to the expression of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) nuclear antigen 2 (EBNA2) gene (4). The particular features of this latter type of IFN resistance are that the expression of EBNA2 seems to abrogate the antiproliferative response to IFN but not the inhibition of vesicular stomatitis virus replication. Consequently, the EBNA2-related IFN resistance does not seem to involve inactivation of the receptors for class I IFNs (4).EBV is a ubiquitous human herpesvirus with oncogenic potential (36). EBV immortalizes human B lymphocytes with an extremely high efficiency. In vivo, EBV-infected B cells seem to constitute a reservoir for virus latency (27). EBNA2 is nuclear phosphoprotein that is required for growth transformation of B cells (6,7,29,47), but immortalization of B cells is also associated with expression of at least seven other viral genes in addition to EBNA2 (15,36). Although the mechanism by which EBNA2 contributes to B-cell growth control and immortalization is still unclear, it was possible to show that EBNA2 is a powerful transactivator of several EBV genes such as LMP1, LMP2a, and LMP2b (19,63,69) and that it regulates a promoter, Cp, in the BamHI C fragment of the EBV genome (65). Two cellular genes, CD23 and c-fgr, are also transcriptionally activated by EBNA2 (35,61,62). There are two subtypes of EBNA2 with about 50% identical residues, EBNA2A from the prototype B95-8 strain of EBV and EBNA2B subtype from Jijoye and the AG876 virus (3,51,68). Notably, the termini of EBNA2 are highly conserved in both types of 4930 on May 12, 2018 by guest