City sanitation and socioeconomics predict rat zoonotic infection across diverse neighbourhoods.

Rat-associated zoonoses transmitted through faeces or urine are of particular concern for public health because environmental exposure in homes and businesses may be frequent and undetected. To identify times and locations with greater public health risks from rats, we investigated whether rat characteristics, environmental features, socioeconomic factors, or season could predict rat infection risk across diverse urban neighbourhoods. In partnership with a pest management company, we sampled rats in 13 community areas along an income gradient in Chicago, a large city where concern about rats has increased in recent years. We collected kidneys for Leptospira spp. testing and colon contents for aerobic bacteria such as Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli. Of 202 sampled rats, 5% carried Leptospira spp. and 22% carried E. coli. Rats were significantly more likely to carry Leptospira spp. on blocks with more standing water complaints in higher-income neighbourhoods (OR = 6.74, 95% CI: 1.54-29.39). Rats were significantly more likely to carry E. coli on blocks with more food vendors (OR = 9.94, 2.27-43.50) particularly in low-income neighbourhoods (OR = 0.26, 0.09-0.82) and in the spring (OR = 15.96, 2.90-88.62). We detected a high diversity of E. coli serovars but none contained major virulence factors. These associations between environmental features related to sanitation and infection risk in rats support transmission through water for Leptospira spp. and faecal-oral transmission for E. coli. We also found opposing relationships between zoonotic infection risk and income for these two pathogens. Thus, our results highlight the importance of sanitation for predicting zoonotic disease risks and including diverse urban areas in pathogen surveillance to mitigate public health risks from rats.

Foramen magnum decompression surgery in 23 Chiari-like malformation patients 2007-2010: outcomes and owner survey results.

Chiari-like malformation (CLM) with syringomyelia (SM) in dogs is particularly prominent in the Cavalier King Charles spaniel breed, but has also been reported in several other small breed dogs. Over a period of 3 years, 23 canine patients were treated surgically for CLM-SM. Surgery consisted of foramen magnum decompression, durotomy, duraplasty, and free autogenous adipose tissue grafting (fat graft). All patients were re-evaluated clinically at least 1 month after surgery and some up to 3 years after surgery. Improvement was noted on all clinical evaluations. A questionnaire was mailed to all 23 owners after a period of at least 1 year after surgery. Seventeen surveys were returned. No patient has required additional surgery to date, 94% (16/17) had some improvement in quality of life after surgery, and none were judged to deteriorate to less than the pre-surgical status. The authors conclude that this surgical procedure, combined with medical therapy, resulted in favorable long-term outcomes.

Chirurgie de décompression du trou occipital chez 23 patients atteints de malformation semblable à celle du syndrome de Chiari 2007­2010 : résultats et données du sondage auprès des propriétaires. Une malformation semblable à celle du syndrome de Chiari (MSC) avec syringomyélie (SM) chez les chiens est particulièrement prépondérante chez la race d'épagneuls Cavalier King Charles, mais elle a aussi été signalée chez plusieurs autres races de petits chiens. Pendant une période de trois ans, 23 patients canins ont été traités par chirurgie pour le MSC-SM. La chirurgie consistait à faire une décompression du trou occipital, une durotomie, une duraplastie et une greffe de tissu adipeux autogène (greffe de graisse). Tous les patients ont été réévalués cliniquement au moins 1 mois après la chirurgie, puis environ 3 ans après la chirurgie. Une amélioration a été notée dans toutes les évaluations cliniques. Un questionnaire a été envoyé par la poste aux 23 propriétaires après une période d'au moins un an suite à la chirurgie. Dix-sept sondages ont été retournés. Aucun patient n'a eu besoin de chirurgie additionnelle jusqu'à maintenant, 94 % (16/17) ont eu une certaine amélioration de la qualité de vie après la chirurgie et aucun n'a été jugé comme ayant subi une détérioration de son état avant la chirurgie. Les auteurs concluent que cette intervention chirurgicale, combinée avec un traitement médical, a produit des résultats favorables à long terme.(Traduit par Isabelle Vallières).