Enteric viruses in New Zealand drinking-water sources.

This study determined whether human pathogenic viruses are present in two New Zealand surface waters that are used as drinking-water sources. Enteric viruses were concentrated using hollow-fibre ultrafiltration and detected using PCR for adenovirus (AdV), and reverse transcription PCR for norovirus (NOV) genogroups I-III, enterovirus, rotavirus (RoV) and hepatitis E virus (HEV). Target viruses were detected in 106/109 (97%) samples, with 67/109 (61%) samples positive for three or more viral types at any one time. AdV, NoV and ROV were detected the most frequently, and HEV the least frequently. Human NoV was not usually associated with animal NOV. Our results suggest that New Zealand would be well served by assessing the ability of drinking-water treatment plants to remove viruses from the source waters, and that this assessment could be based on the viral concentration of AdV-NoV-RoV. The long-term aim of our work is to use this information to estimate the risk of waterborne viral infection.

Angiogenic imbalance as a contributor to the pathophysiology of preeclampsia among black African women.

OBJECTIVE: The pathogenesis of preeclampsia remains unclear despite extensive research. Altered angiogenic balance has been hypothesized to play a significant role in the clinical manifestations of this syndrome. However this imbalance has not been investigated extensively among black African women. The aim of this study was to investigate the maternal levels of the angiogenic factors soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (sFLT1) and placental growth factor (PlGF) among black African women with preeclampsia. METHODS: A case control study was conducted in the Mthatha hospital complex in South Africa including 51 women with preeclampsia and 82 women with uncomplicated pregnancies. Blood samples were drawn from participants and serum was used to assess sFLT1, and PlGF levels quantified using specific enzyme linked immunosorbent assays. Non- parametric statistics were used for analysis. RESULTS: Black African women with preeclampsia were found to have significantly lower levels of PlGF (90.3 ± 8.9 pg/ml versus 172.8 ± 20.2 pg/ml; p < 0.01), higher sFLT1 (2087.3 ± 200.1 pg/ml versus 1546.5 ± 91.9 pg/ml; p < 0.01) and a higher sFLT1/PIGF ratio (66.8 ± 18.7 versus 22.3 ± 2.9; p < 0.01) compared to black African normotensive controls. CONCLUSION: The results support an altered angiogenic balance may contribute to the pathogenesis/pathophysiology of preeclampsia among black African women as reported in other populations.

Long-term endothelial cell loss and breakdown of the blood-aqueous barrier in cataract surgery.

Progressive endothelial cell loss and endothelial cell loss induced at the time of surgery occurs in all eyes with rigid anterior chamber intraocular lenses (IOLs). Eyes with surgical tuck or late ovaling of the pupil following surgery have greater yearly rates of cell loss than eyes that have no complications. This progressive loss may be related to chronic uveitis from iris chafing by the implant or to direct mechanical damage to the corneal endothelium. We have demonstrated that fluorophotometry shows chronic damage to the blood-aqueous barrier in all eyes with rigid anterior chamber IOLs, but this does not correlate with the degree of endothelial cell loss. Our results suggest there is damage to the blood-aqueous barrier and to the corneal endothelium, but the damage to the latter influences progressive endothelial cell loss.

Survival of Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. after application of sewage sludge to a Pinus radiata forest.

AIMS: This study investigated the survival of Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. in sewage sludge applied to young and old Pinus radiata forest in Spring and Autumn/Winter. METHODS AND RESULTS: Large numbers of E. coli were present in sludge applied to the forest blocks but Salmonella spp. numbers were low or nondetectable. In the mature stand in Spring, numbers of E. coli returned to back-ground after 3 weeks and die-off was significantly correlated with per cent solids of sludge. E. coli survived longer in mature and young stands in Autumn/Winter where numbers did not significantly decrease until weeks 5 and 13, respectively. Salmonella spp. was detectable in the mature stand until week 4 and in the young stand until week 11 in Autumn/Winter. CONCLUSIONS: Microbial die-off was related to desiccation of the sewage sludge, and was faster in warmer, drier conditions. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: In many countries, environmental and health risks associated with the application of sewage sludge to land are minimized by 'best management practice' guidelines, where risks are managed by restriction of public access to these sites. This study provides supporting evidence that withholding periods of greater than 6 months are sufficient to reduce microbial contaminants to background levels.

Blood-aqueous barrier breakdown associated with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment.

We compared the integrity of the blood-aqueous barrier (BAB) between normal eyes and those with first-time rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) using the technique of anterior segment fluorophotometry. We found significantly greater anterior segment fluorescence in eyes with retinal detachment (p = less than .001) thereby demonstrating quantitatively for the first time that there is significant damage to the BAB associated with RRD. We have also shown that the BAB permeability returns to normal within two months of successful reattachment of the retina. The origin of this transient increase in BAB permeability is unknown but its severity and duration may well be of significance in the pathogenesis of complications associated with RRD such as uveitis, rubeosis and proliferative vitreoretinopathy.