[An outbreak of cryptosporidiosis associated with swimming pools].

A waterborne outbreak of cryptosporidiosis occurred among visitors at a hotel with a swimming pool, gymnasium, and other sports facilities, in northern Nagano Prefecture. The outbreak began in late August, peaked on August 27 and 28, and tapered off at the beginning of September 2004. On August 30, 288 clinical cases with digestive symptoms, including watery diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal cramps and tenesmus, were reported to local authorities. Among case-patients who submitted stool samples, 74 were positive for Cryptosporidium. Descriptive epidemiology, environmental investigations, and laboratory tests suggested that a fecal accident in the swimming pool by swimmers infected before attending the summer training camp was thought to be the source of contamination, and case-patients were mostly among swimmers. Some other clinical-cases had no history of swimming in the pool during their stay and likely were infected through drinking contaminated self-made sports drinks dissolved in water from contaminated faucets and/or sinks nearby the gymnasium toilet. The sink was used to deal with the aftermath of a toilet accident at the entrance of the toilet by a swimming school attendee on August 21. This report is, to our knowledge, the first of a cryptosporidiosis outbreak associated with swimming pools in Japan.

Carpal tunnel syndrome and development of trigger digit.

Although the coexistence of carpal tunnel syndrome and trigger digit in the same hand is well documented, the interactive relationship between them is unclear. This study was conducted to examine the factors that may impact on the development of trigger digit in the hand with idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome. One hundred and eighty-one patients were enrolled. Their gender, age, dominant side, severity of carpal tunnel syndrome, history or presence of trigger digit, and treatment type were recorded. The patients were evaluated for the presence of trigger digit at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after surgery or the initial evaluation. Two hundred and sixty-five hands in 152 patients were included in the final assessment. Logistic regression analysis revealed that surgery was a significant risk factor for the onset of trigger digit and may accelerate development of trigger digit when carpal tunnel syndrome was mild to moderate, but not when it was severe. In severe disease, other unknown factors, such as hypertrophy of the flexor tenosynovium, may mask the effect of surgery.

Optimal timing for canine artificial insemination with frozen semen and parentage testing by microsatellite markers in superfecundency.

Parentage testing was performed in sixteen litters by canine artificial inseminations with frozen semen from different sires on Days 5 and 7 after the LH surge. It became apparent that only 25% of dams had superfecundation, but 43.8% of dams were whelped after insemination only on Day 5 after the LH surge and 31.3% of dams after insemination only on Day 7. Of the total 87 puppies, 46% were born after insemination on Day 5 after the LH surge and 54% after insemination on Day 7. This result strongly suggested that canine artificial insemination with frozen semen could be sufficiently successful also on Days 5 and 7 after the LH surge.

Phenol Congo red staining enhances the diagnostic value of abdominal fat aspiration biopsy in reactive AA amyloidosis secondary to rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: Systemic reactive AA amyloidosis is an intractable complication in patients with a long history of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). To help to more easily and reliably detect the presence of this form of amyloidosis in patients with RA and start intensive treatment as early as possible, we examined the sensitivity and usefulness of abdominal fat aspiration biopsy with phenol Congo red staining in the diagnosis of AA amyloidosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ten patients were diagnosed with systemic reactive AA amyloidosis secondary to RA (all women; mean age, 70.2 +/- 6.4 years; mean disease duration of RA, 20.3 +/- 11.2 years) based on histopathological examinations of biopsied specimens mainly from the gastroduodenal mucosa. Abdominal fat aspiration biopsy was performed in these patients, and the specimens were treated with both classical alkaline and phenol Congo red staining. RESULTS: Phenol Congo red staining revealed amyloid deposits in all 10 patients, while conventional alkaline Congo red staining showed a positive result in 7 patients. In the patients with a positive result with alkaline Congo red staining, reactivity of one grade or two higher was demonstrated by the phenol Congo red method. CONCLUSION: Phenol Congo red staining is superior to the classical alkaline Congo red staining with respect to the detection of AA-amyloid deposits in biopsied abdominal fat tissue specimens. In addition to easy access and procedural safety, abdominal fat aspiration biopsy might contribute reliably to the diagnosis of systemic reactive AA amyloidosis secondary to RA when phenol Congo red staining is employed.

Development of a method of diagnosing ovarian disorders in sows and gilts using uterine ultrasonography.

In ultrasonographic diagnosis of ovarian disorders and the estrous cycle in sows, transverse observation of the uterus yielded more characteristic findings than observation of sagittal sections. Transverse ultrasonography revealed that the low progesterone (P) type uterus showed a round structure, while the high P type uterus showed a flattened structure. These results corresponded well with rectal palpation findings: the low P type uterus had a hard, pipe-like structure and the high P type a soft, balloon-like structure. For gilts, we employed a minimum convex type transrectal prostate probe that had an approximately 18 cm insertion handle. The images of the uterus obtained thereby were a similar to those obtained from sows. The above results suggest that it should be possible to diagnose and treat many ovarian disorders in sows and gilts based only on the ultrasonograhic findings. In short, ultrasonograhic findings of a round structure of the uterine wall might be an indication for PMSG (pregnant mare serum gonadotropin) treatment, while findings of a flattened structure might be an indication for PGF(2) (alpha) administration.