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Polyphenols are active substances against various types of viral infections. Researchers have characterized methods of how to isolate polyphenols without losing their potential to formulate pharmaceutical products. Researchers have also described mechanisms against common viral infections (i.e., influenza, herpes, hepatitis, rotavirus, coronavirus). Particular compounds have been discussed together with the plants in the biomass in which they occur. Quercetin, gallic acid and epigallocatechin are exemplary compounds that inhibit the growth cycle of viruses. Special attention has been paid to identify plants and polyphenols that can be efficient against coronavirus infections. It has been proven that polyphenols present in the diet and in pharmaceuticals protect us from viral infections and, in case of infection, support the healing process by various mechanisms, i.e., they block the entry into the host cells, inhibit the multiplication of the virus, seal blood vessels and protect against superinfection.

The article summarizes over 20 years of experience of a reference lab in fragile X mental retardation 1 gene (FMR1) molecular analysis in the molecular diagnosis of fragile X spectrum disorders. This includes fragile X syndrome (FXS), fragile X-associated primary ovarian insufficiency (FXPOI) and fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS), which are three different clinical conditions with the same molecular background. They are all associated with an expansion of CGG repeats in the 5'UTR of FMR1 gene. Until 2016, the FMR1 gene was tested in 9185 individuals with the pre-screening PCR, supplemented with Southern blot analysis and/or Triplet Repeat Primed PCR based method. This approach allowed us to confirm the diagnosis of FXS, FXPOI FXTAS in 636/9131 (6.96%), 4/43 (9.3%) and 3/11 (27.3%) of the studied cases, respectively. Moreover, the FXS carrier status was established in 389 individuals. The technical aspect of the molecular analysis is very important in diagnosis of FXS-related disorders. The new methods were subsequently implemented in our laboratory. This allowed the significance of the Southern blot technique to be decreased until its complete withdrawal. Our experience points out the necessity of implementation of the GeneScan based methods to simplify the testing procedure as well as to obtain more information for the patient, especially if TP-PCR based methods are used.

Mastitis is an economically important disease in which fungi belonging to the genusCandidamay participate as etiological agents. This study focused on determining the frequency of fungal isolation and differentiation of fungal species isolated from milk of mastitic cows. Sixty-six milk samples from mastitic cows were studied, and 55 strains of fungi were isolated. Seven different species classified asCandidawere identified basing on phenotypic properties, and the dominating species wasC. parapsilosis. Genomic DNA was isolated and amplified in PCR with ITS1 and NL2 primers. Amplification products were digested with restriction enzymesHpaII andEcoRI. Amplification of DNA with ITS1 and NL2 primers resulted in products of different sizes. Comparison of product sizes in restriction fragment PCR REA confirmed differences among species. Strains grouped together on the basis of phenotype characteristics differed in restriction fragment profiles. None of the investigated species showed similar genetic profiles.