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With 20-80% mortality, neonatal infection caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV) or neonatal herpes is among the most severe of all perinatal infections. The majority of neonatal HSV infections are acquired during delivery, although in utero and postnatal infections do occur. Primary maternal infection is associated with a high rate of transmission (~50%), compared to

Bovine parainfluenza 3 virus (PI3) causes respiratory infections in cattle and sheep with great economic losses in livestock. The aim of this investigation was to determine the significance of molecular methods in the identification of isolated strains of PI3 virus. Twenty cattle nasal swabs were analyzed for the presence of PI3 using the standard virology method of virus isolation in MBDK cell line and virus neutralization test. The identification of isolated strains was confirmed by RT-PCR and method of direct sequencing with primers for PI3 fusion (F) protein gene. PI3 virus was isolated and identified in four nasal swabs using the standard virology method and RT-PCR. The analysis of nucleotide sequences of isolated PI3 strains showed high similarity with sequences isolated from cattle in Asia. Our results showed that molecular methods are very useful in the diagnosis of PI3 infections as well as for the identification and characterization of PI3 strains in Serbia. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 31008 i br. 175073]

Cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates in Serbia are among the highest in Europe and data on Human papilloma virus (HPV) type distribution are scarce. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HPV types in archival specimens of cervical cancer tissues of women in the Serbian population. A total of 45 paraffin-embedded tissue samples of cervical carcinoma were used in this study. The procedure included deparaffinization of tissue samples, DNA extraction, PCR, gel electrophoresis and HPV genotyping by direct sequencing. HPV was detected in 32 samples (71%). Genotyping revealed the presence of 6 high-risk HPV types 16, 18, 33, 45, 53 and 58, where HPV type 16 was the most prevalent type (73.7%). The results of this study and further studies will provide more detailed information about HPV genotype distribution and may contribute to the formulation of national guidelines for the prevention of cervical cancer. [175073]

Sexual behavioral and other risk factors and the prevalence of genital human papillomavirus (HPV) infection are very important for the monitoring of HPV infection and cervical cancer prevention strategies. The purpose of this study was to determine the risk factors, prevalence of cervical HPV infection and genotype distribution among asymptomatic young women with normal cytology in Serbia. A total of 204 consenting young women were enrolled in this study and interviewed about risk factors. The presence of HPV DNA was assessed using the PCR method. HPV genotypes were identified by direct sequencing. Cervical HPV infection was detected in 19.1% of women. Out of nine identified HPV genotypes, types 16 and 52 were the most frequent. A significant association was found only between the number of sexual partners and HPV positivity (p