[The clinical diagnosis of protozoal myositis syndrome (Neospora caninum) of puppies]. / Zur klinischen Diagnostik des protozoären Myositissyndroms (Neospora caninum) des Welpen.

Nine puppies suffered from progressive paresis with muscle wasting, hyporeflexia and extensor rigidity. CK-activity in serum was elevated and electrodiagnostic findings were indicative of lower motor neuron disease. Although lesions were also found in the CNS, additional neurological signs were rare, but CSF examination revealed the presence of inflammatory lesions. On pathologic examination, all animals had a disseminated necrotizing myositis. In addition, a disseminated encephalomyelitis was found as well as, in 2 cases, a neuritis. In the lesions of 6 animals protozoal organisms were found which were immunocytochemically identified as Neospora caninum. Our results show that the protozoal myositis-encephalitis syndrome in puppies can be diagnosed in the clinic with high probability. A clinical differentiation between toxoplasmosis and Neospora caninum infection is presently difficult.

Congenital tremor with spongy degeneration of the central nervous system in two puppies.

Two crossbred puppies exhibited a generalized tremor that was accentuated by excitement or voluntary movement. Hypermetria was also present. Neurohistologic examination showed a bilaterally symmetric spongy condition, predominantly of the gray matter in the brain and spinal cord. These two dogs were different, both in their clinical presentation and histologic appearance, from other reported cases of spongy degeneration. The clinicopathologic correlation between spongy degeneration and tremor is unclear. Spongy degeneration should be included in the differential diagnosis of tremor syndromes in puppies.

[A case of spongiform encephalopathy ("cattle madness") in a cow in Switzerland]. / Ein Fall von spongiformer Enzephalopathie ("Rinderwahnsinn") bei einer Kuh in der Schweiz.

Spongiform encephalopathies occur in humans and several domestic animal species. Among them, the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) has aroused considerable interest because of a massive outbreak of this disease in Great Britain, which is thought to result from feeding meat and bone meal contaminated with the spongiform encephalopathy agent. We observed the first case of BSE in Switzerland, which is also the first case on the European continent. A 6 year old cow suffered from progressive neurological disease. On neuropathological examination typical spongiform changes and neuronal vacuolation were found. The origin of the infection remains unknown. It cannot be excluded that the animal was exposed to cattle feed derived from Great Britain. It is possible that additional sporadic cases may occur in Switzerland, an outbreak such as in England is unlikely to happen.

[Initial trial of a new test for the evaluation of hepatocellular function: the TMB test]. / Premiers essais d'un nouveau test d'évaluation du fonctionnement hépatocellulaire: le test au TMB.

The oral administration of 400 mg of trimethoxy 1-3-5-benzene or T.M.B. is normally followed by a high urinary excretion of dimethoxy, 1, 3, hydroxy 5 benzene and other metabolites mainly in the form of conjugates. Urinary excretion during the first 3 hours is strongly reduced in liver disease. By a simple blind test we showed that the test is positive in subclinical and laboratory-negative liver failure.

[Migrating and recurrent superficial phlebitis and Takayasu's disease (apropos of a case)]. / Phlébite superficielle migratrice et récidivante et maladie de Takayashu (A propos d'une observation)

This case of recurrent migratory superficial phlebitis is reported because of the highly unusual nature of the lesion observed. The picture was dominated by periphlebitis with inflammatory granuloma, giant cells and elastophagia. When the condition had been present for sixteen months, an aortic arch syndrome developed in an inflammatory context. In this light, various auto-immunological etiologies were considered, among them Takayashu's arteritis of which, in the author's opinion, this would be the first case to be combined with venopathy.

[Zollinger-Ellison syndrome and parathyroid adenoma. Limits of Wermer's syndrome]. / Syndrome de Zollinger-Ellison et adénome parathyroïdien. Limites du syndome de Wermer

The authors report the case of a patient with pancreatic and parathyroid adenomatosis and discuss whether it belongs to Wermer's syndrome. After a study of the various possible endocrine involvements, the complexity of hormonal inter-relations is studied, the prognosis and classification of multiple endocrine tumours are then discussed.

[Australia antigen and chronic hepatitis in blood donors]. / Antigène Australia et hépatite chronique chez les donneurs de sang

A routine search for Australia antigen in 29,936 blood donors at the Orleans Hospital Blood Transfusion centre led to the discovery of 105 apparently healthy carriers. Liver function tests were carried out in 80 of the latter and revealed abnormalities in 34 of them. Out of 18 patients who had no other explanation such as alcohol or drugs and who had abnormal tests six months later, 11 accepted liver biopsy. Histology revealed 4 cases of post-hepatic cirrhosis, 2 cases of chronic aggressive hepatitis, 2 cases of chronic persistent hepatitis and 3 livers with non-specific changes.

[Idiopathic hemochromatosis and primary cancer of the liver]. / Hémochromatose idiopathique et cancer primitif du foie

In 74 patients admitted to hospital for primary hemochromatosis, the authors observed in 5 cases, the development of primary carcinoma of the liver. The frequency of this complication was definitely greater than in alcoholic or post-hepatitic cirrhosis, whether one considers patients in hospital or on autopsy. The best signs of malignant change are alterations in the surface of the liver and the development of hemorrhagic ascites. Using modern methods of clinical investigation, it is possible to make the diagnosis during the patient's life. Laparoscopy, permitting biopsy under direct vision, is the best investigation but it is not always possible. A search for alpha 1 foeto-protein was positive in one third of cases and the demonstration by hepatic arteriography of characteristic vascular abnormalities and, perhaps in future, information supplied by ultra-sonic echography, usually permit one to make the diagnosis. The course was fatal within a few months, and it seems that metastases and vascular spread are less frequent than in carcinoma developing on cirrhosis due to other causes.