Trypanosomiasis: An emerging disease in Alpine swift (Tachymarptis melba) nestlings in Switzerland?

Alpine swifts (Tachymarptis melba) are sub-Saharan migratory birds, which, in Switzerland, nest in colonies that have been continuously monitored for over 40 years. In the summer of 2022, despite favourable environmental conditions, an unexpectedly high number of sudden mortalities (30-80%) occurred in 20 to 45-day-old nestlings from several nesting sites, of which 3 were monitored in detail. Nestlings submitted for post-mortem analysis (n = 5) were in good body condition but exhibited extensive subcutaneous haematomas (n = 5), myocardial petechiae (n = 2) and stunted growth of primary feathers (n = 1). In all birds, 4-5 µm large, amastigote-like protozoans were identified in skeletal and cardiac muscle sections. These tissues tested positive in a PCR targeting the 18S-rRNA gene of Trypanosoma spp. Amplified sequences showed 99.63% identity with sequences of Trypanosoma corvi (JN006854 and AY461665) and Trypanosoma sp. (AJ620557, JN006841). 72 blood smears of 45-day-old nestlings from two colonies were assessed, of which 20 contained trypomastigote forms, some with high parasitaemia (highest average of 56.4 in 10 high power fields, 400x magnification). Trypomastigote morphometrics (n = 36; mean total length = 30.0 µm; length of free flagellum = 5.8 µm) were consistent with those of T. bouffardi. These findings suggest that an avian trypanosomiasis causing mass nestling mortality could be an emerging disease in Swiss Alpine swift populations.

Clinical Practice Audit: Perioperative Antibiotic Prophylaxis in Paediatric Cancer Patients with Broviac Catheter Implantation.

BACKGROUND: Perioperative antimicrobial prophylaxis (PAP) is an important target for internal audits, concerning the judicious use of antibiotics. Paediatric oncology patients face an increased risk of surgical site infection (SSI) after implantation of long term central venous catheters (CVAD). PATIENTS: All PATIENTS<18 years admitted to the paediatric oncology centre (POC) with implantation of a CVAD. METHODS: Systematic audit in 2 groups: retrospective (Jan 01, 2012 - March 31, 2014) and prospective (April 01, 2014 - March 31, 2015) referring to an internal PAP guideline, invented in Jan 2014. Surveillance of SSI up to 30 days after the operation. RESULTS: In total, 97 CVAD implantations were analysed in 89 paediatric oncology patients (Broviac in 94%). The detailed analysis of PAP revealed lower Cefuroxim doses than requested (30 vs. 50 mg/kg). In addition, Cefotaxim was used in 1 case and in 3 cases Clindamycin was given without a medical history of Penicillin hypersensitivity. In the retrospective audit group PAP was administered in 22% for≤24 h); this was the case in 91% of the prospective group (p<0.001). No SSI was detected. CONCLUSION: This first comprehensive audit of PAP in a German POC outlines significant opportunities for improvement in terms of correct dosing, correct choice of the antibiotic, and shorter duration of PAP. In addition our results illustrate the challenges of optimising standard workflows in clinical practice.

Prenatal diagnosis and management of an intestinal volvulus with meconium ileus and peritonitis.

Fetal intestinal volvulus is a rare but serious finding with a high risk of potential life threatening fetal complications. Delay in diagnosis or treatment can increase mortality and morbidity. We report a case of mild fetal bowel dilatation at 30 weeks of gestation and intestinal volvulus presented by the 'whirl-sign', intestinal perforation and meconium peritonitis with fetal ascites and polyhydramnios at 33 weeks of gestation. This case emphasizes the role of examination of the bowel in third trimester ultrasound and the importance of quick decision to delivery and interdisciplinary perinatal management at suspected fetal volvulus with bowel necrosis and intraabdominal bleeding.

Invasion rate of deer ked depends on spatiotemporal variation in host density.

Invasive parasites are of great global concern. Understanding the factors influencing the spread of invading pest species is a first step in developing effective countermeasures. Growing empirical evidence suggests that spread rates are essentially influenced by spatiotemporal dynamics of host-parasite interactions, yet approaches modelling spread rate have typically assumed static environmental conditions. We analysed invasion history of the deer ked (Lipoptena cervi) in Finland with a diffusion-reaction model, which assumed either the movement rate, the population growth rate, or both rates may depend on spatial and temporal distribution of moose (Alces alces), the main host of deer ked. We fitted the model to the data in a Bayesian framework, and used the Bayesian information criterion to show that accounting for the variation in local moose density improved the model's ability to describe the pattern of the invasion. The highest ranked model predicted higher movement rate and growth rate of deer ked with increasing moose density. Our results suggest that the historic increase in host density has facilitated the spread of the deer ked. Our approach illustrates how information about the ecology of an invasive species can be extracted from the spatial pattern of spread even with rather limited data.

[Electron microscopy assessment of the effectiveness of intraoperative laser in reoperation of juvenile bone cysts]. / Elektronenmikroskopischer Nachweis der Effektivität intraoperativer Laseranwendung bei Rezidivoperationen juveniler Knochenzysten.

The application of the ND-YAG-Laser in juvenile bone cysts prevents recurrencies. That can be put down to the fact that the laser has a deep action which destroys the organells of the cystic tissue up to 2-4 mm irreversibly. By this the whole cystic tissue is being destroyed and recurrencies are being prevented.

Integration is not necessary for expression of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 protein products.

A common feature in the life cycle of cytocidal retroviruses, including human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), is the accumulation of large amounts of unintegrated viral DNA. As yet, the role of unintegrated viral DNA in the cytopathogenesis of cytocidal retrovirus infections remains unresolved. HIV-1 mutants which were deleted in the integrase/endonuclease gene and which were unable to establish an integrated form of the virus were constructed. Despite an inability to integrate, these mutants were fully competent templates for HIV-1 core and envelope antigen production. HIV-1 antigen could be detected in the supernatants of lymphocyte cultures infected with HIV-1 integrase mutants. However, an inability to rescue infectious virus from these cultures indicated that HIV-1 integration was required for the production of infectious HIV-1. On the basis of the ability of unintegrated HIV-1 DNA to serve as a template for HIV-1 antigen production, it is plausible that unintegrated viral DNA can contribute to the HIV-1 antigen pool during HIV-1 replication.