Brucella suis biovar 2 infection in humans in France: emerging infection or better recognition?

Brucellosis is usually acquired by humans through contact with infected animals or the consumption of raw milk from infected ruminants. Brucella suis biovar 2 (BSB2) is mainly encountered in hares and wild boars (Sus scrofa), and is known to have very low pathogenicity to humans with only two case reports published in the literature. Human cases of brucellosis caused by BSB2 were identified through the national mandatory notification of brucellosis. The identification of the bacterium species and biovar were confirmed by the national reference laboratory. Epidemiological data were obtained during medical follow-up visits. Seven human cases were identified between 2004 and 2016, all confirmed by the isolation of BSB2 in clinical specimens. All patients had direct contact with wild boars while hunting or preparing wild boar meat for consumption. Five patients had chronic medical conditions possibly responsible for an increased risk of infection. Our findings suggest that BSB2 might be an emerging pathogen in hunters with massive exposure through the dressing of wild boar carcasses. Hunters, especially those with chronic medical conditions, should be informed about the risk of BSB2 infection and should receive information on protective measures.

[Antioxidant treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis in patients with chronic alcoholism]. / Antioksidantnaia terapiia tuberkuleza legkikh u bol'nykh khronicheskim alkogolizmom.

Study of the state of the antioxidant system (AOS) and lipid peroxidation (LPO), according to the data on the alpha-tocopherol content, diene conjugates and acid erythrocyte hemolysis in 69 patients suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis concurrent with chronic alcoholism, has revealed significant differences as against the findings related to healthy subjects (36), to those with stage 11 alcoholism (31) and pulmonary tuberculosis patients (51). Favourable changes in the AOS and LPO during complex treatment that includes antioxidant agents were less manifested in patients with combined pathology and appeared at later terms than in tuberculosis patients. The antioxidant therapy of tuberculosis in chronic alcoholics should take a prolonged time, at least 4 months, since the first favourable changes in the AOS and LPO parameters appear after 4 months, while normalization does not set in even after 6 months.

[The determination of alpha-tocopherol in blood serum]. / Opredelenie al'fa-tokoferola v syvorotke krovi.

A modified method for measuring vitamin E is described, making use of thin-layer chromatography with Silufol plates. Effects of various storage conditions of the blood serum on its vitamin E levels were examined. Vitamin E proved to be sufficiently stable at storage at -10 degrees C and defrosting under 20 degrees C. Comparison of this mode of storage with other ones has demonstrated its advantages. The method was tried in clinical practice in examinations of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, chronic alcoholism, females suffering from infertility due to inflammations and healthy ones (controls) and found to be accurate, reproducible, and informative.

[Characteristics of the x-ray picture of pulmonary tuberculosis in alcoholics]. / Osobennosti rentgenologicheskoi kartiny tuberkuleza legkikh u alkogolikov.

Tuberculosis prevalence among alcoholics is high, and pathomorphological and clinical manifestations of the disease are marked. Altogether 84 chronic alcoholics with pulmonary tuberculosis (the 1st group) and 100 tuberculosis non-alcoholic patients (100 controls--the 2nd group) were investigated. X-ray signs of the disease progression, more prevalent changes and more frequent multiple disintegration cavity of larger size are noted in the 1st group. During x-ray investigation of such patients emphasis must be laid on a search for disintegration cavities and bronchogenic dissemination.