Avian influenza A virus monitoring in wild birds in Bavaria: occurrence and heterogeneity of H5 and N1 encoding genes.

To define avian influenza virus prevalence in wild birds in Bavaria, 12,930 tracheal, cloacal swabs or tissue samples from various waterfowl species were screened between January 2006 and December 2007. In 291 (2.3%) birds, genomes of influenza A viruses were detected by reverse transcription real-time PCR (rRT-PCR) targeting the matrix protein genes. Furthermore, solitary H5 hemagglutinin or N1 neuraminidase encoding genes were identified in 35 (0.3%) apparently healthy birds; whereas highly pathogenic (HPAI) H5N1 virus genomes were only diagnosed in dead wild birds (n = 93; 0.7%) found across this federal state region. In this study, multiple import events for H5N1 viruses were confirmed during 2006 and 2007. In addition, our findings argue against an existing HPAI H5N1 reservoir in aquatic birds in Bavaria. By contrast, phylogenetic analyses of the H5 or N1 sequences of low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) viruses revealed a marked diversity and multiple genetic lineages. This diversity of LPAI H5 and N1 subtype components indicates the existence of LPAI HA and NA gene pools which differ from the Bavarian HPAI H5N1. Moreover, the hemagglutinin amino acid differences between LPAI H5 viruses of a western European genotypic lineage observed in wild birds suggest a continuous evolution of LPAI viruses in Bavaria.

[Case report: mast cell leukosis in a neonatal calf]. / Fallbericht: Mastzellenleukose bei einem neugeborenen Kalb.

Multicentric mast cell tumours in a newborn Fleckvieh-calf are described. The calf showed clearly pronounced lesions over the whole body. The lesions were multiple raised, cutaneous, greyisch-red and partially ulcerated. It died three hours after birth. Pathohistological examinations resulted in multiple mast cell tumours within the dermis. In addition multifocal to diffuse mast cell aggregations were observed in several internal organs including the lymph nodes and the bone marrow. No evidence for the presence of bovine leukemia virus was found by both investigating a lymph node homogenate of the calf and a blood sample of the mother cow. In this paper the pathomorphology of this rare disease is described, a possible cause is discussed and a short review of the available literature is presented.

[Prevalence and association of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2), porcine parvovirus (PPV) and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) in aborted fetuses, mummified fetuses, stillborn and nonviable neonatal piglets]. / Prävalenz sowie Assoziation von porzinem Circovirus Typ 2 (PCV2), porzinem Parvovirus (PPV) und porzinem reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) in abortierten Feten, mumifizierten Feten, totgebore- nen und lebensschwach geborenen Ferkeln.

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) seems to cause reproductive failure in sows not only in experimental studies. A retrospective study was made with a total of 252 aborted fetuses, mummified fetuses, stillborn and nonviable neonatal piglets to determine the presence of PCV2, porcine parvovirus (PPV) and porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus (PRRSV) by PCR. PCV2 was found in all stages of gestation in 27.1 percent of samples examined. A statistically significant association could be shown between the detection of PCV2 and PRRSV. However, no significant association was seen between the detection of PCV2 and PPV and between PPV and PRRSV.

Localization and synthesis of zona pellucida proteins in the marmoset monkey (Callithrix jacchus) ovary.

In most species, the zona pellucida (ZP), an extracellular matrix surrounding the mammalian oocyte, is composed of three glycoproteins: ZPA, ZPB and ZPC. Based mainly on results with mice, the site of zona pellucida biosynthesis has been suggested to be exclusively in the oocyte cytoplasm. However, evidence is accumulating that among various species cumulus/granulosa cells may be involved. Because knowledge of ZP biosynthesis in primates is lacking, we used the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) to acquire information about the localization and the site of synthesis of ZP proteins in this species. Using antibodies against synthetic ZPA and ZPC peptides, immunoreactivity was found in the marmoset ZP and in surrounding cumulus cells. Interestingly, the amounts of ZPA and ZPC proteins expressed appeared to differ depending on the stage of folliculogenesis. RT-PCR analysis of mRNA from marmoset oocytes and from oocyte-free follicle cells revealed expression of ZPA, ZPB and ZPC in oocytes and in follicle cells of different stages of marmoset monkey folliculogenesis. Our data suggest that the biosynthesis of marmoset ZPA, ZPB and ZPC proteins takes place both in oocytes and in follicle cells of different follicle stages, although the abundance of ZP glycoproteins may differ depending on the individual ZP protein.

Initiation of CPAP therapy for OSA: does prophylactic humidification during CPAP pressure titration improve initial patient acceptance and comfort?

BACKGROUND: Heated humidifiers (HH) enable effective treatment of upper airway dryness during nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) therapy for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), but the role of prophylactic use of HH during the initiation of nCPAP treatment has not been studied so far. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to investigate whether prophylactic HH during the initiation of CPAP would result in improved initial patient comfort and acceptance. METHODS: In 44 consecutive, previously untreated OSA patients with no history of upper airway dryness, CPAP titration with and without HH was performed on two consecutive nights in a randomised order. The patients were interviewed after each treatment night in order to establish the comfort of the treatment, and, after the second treatment, they were asked which of the two nights they considered more pleasant, and which treatment they would prefer for long-term use. RESULTS: Following CPAP titration with HH, 32 patients (73%) claimed to have had a better night's sleep than usual (i.e. without CPAP treatment) compared with 33 patients (75%) saying the same following CPAP treatment without HH. For 21 patients (47.7%) treatment with HH was more pleasant, 23 (52.3%) saw no difference or said that treatment without HH was more pleasant. Nineteen patients (43.2%) gave preference to treatment with HH for long-term use, while 25 patients (56.8%) had no preference or said they would prefer treatment without HH. CONCLUSIONS: The use of HH during the initiation phase of CPAP treatment was associated neither with an initial improvement in comfort nor with greater initial treatment acceptance.

Alterations of intracranial pressure and cerebral blood flow velocity in healthy neonates and their implication in the origin of perinatal brain damage.

Intracranial pressure and cerebral blood flow velocity were recorded in term healthy neonates during the first 3 days of life using non-invasive methods (LADD-fontanometry and cw-Doppler sonography). Intracranial pressure increased from 4.0 +/- 2.7 cm H2O to 5.8 +/- 2.7 cm H2O and maximal cerebral blood flow velocity in the anterior cerebral artery (ACA) increased from 33 cm/s to 58 cm/s as calculated from a Doppler shift of 0.63 to 1.10 kHz and vascular resistance decreased between the 1st and 3rd day of life. These alterations could not be demonstrated in the femoral artery. This is in accordance with other registrations obtained by different methods and under various conditions. They allow an explanation of some well known physiological phenomena like alterations of cranial volume and the structure of the bony skull in the first days of life. Furthermore, these physiological variations may have implications for the origin of cerebral damage during the perinatal period, especially of hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathies.

Werner's syndrome and the cellular immune reactions.

A case of Werner's syndrome in a 39-year-old man is described. PPD and trichophytin intradermally proved negative; the percentage of T-lymphocytes and the lymphocyte response to PHA were reduced. Cellular immune reactions seem to have been impaired in this case.