Epidemiological enquiries in two Q fever outbreaks in a community of Baden-Württemberg during 2008 and 2009

In 2008 and 2009, two consecutive outbreaks of Q fever in humans were recorded in the district of Freudenstadt, northern Black Forrest, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. In 2008, a total of 41 persons from a single local community fell ill and were found infected with Coxiella burnetii. Although comprehensive diagnostic and epidemiological outbreak investigations were conducted and control measures taken which included vaccination of ruminants at risk in three parts of the affected community, re-occurrence of the disease in 2009 with further 29 confirmed human Q fever cases could not be prevented. While the origin of infection of the first outbreak was probably a flock of 550 sheep moved in the surrounding of the affected villages, the source of infection for the consecutive outbreak in 2009 could not be identified. It seems possible that meadows contaminated with infectious placenta or birth fluids represented the sources of infection.     

How the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) is tackling inherited disorders in the USA: using hip and elbow dysplasia as examples

The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) maintains an on-line health pedigree database for inherited disorders of animals. With the American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation, the OFA maintains the Canine Health Information Center (CHIC) for parent breed clubs to identify breed-specific required health tests. Analysis of the results of OFA evaluations in the hip and elbow registries show that selection based on phenotype improves conformation. Disorders with complex inheritance respond best to selection based on depth (ancestors) and breadth (siblings) of pedigree health test results. This information can be derived from vertical pedigrees generated on the OFA website.     

Rundschau

Journal of Pest Science -     

Mechanisms of adaptation in a predator-prey arms race: TTX-resistant sodium channels

Populations of the garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis have evolved geographically variable resistance to tetrodotoxin (TTX) in a coevolutionary arms race with their toxic prey, newts of the genus Taricha. Here, we identify a physiological mechanism, the expression of TTX-resistant sodium channels in skeletal muscle, responsible for adaptive diversification in whole-animal resistance. Both individual and population differences in the ability of skeletal muscle fibers to function in the presence of TTX correlate closely with whole-animal measures of TTX resistance. Demonstration of individual variation in an essential physiological function responsible for the adaptive differences among populations is a step toward linking the selective consequences of coevolutionary interactions to geographic and phylogenetic patterns of diversity.     

Free Radical Scavenging Activity of 4-(3,4-Dihydroxybenzoyloxymethyl)phenyl-O-β-d-glucopyranoside from Origanum vulgare and Its Protection against Oxidative Damage

4-(3,4-Dihydroxybenzoyloxymethyl)phenyl-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (DBPG), a polyphenolic glycoside, isolated from Origanum vulgare has shown 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH(?))-scavenging capacity in previous work. This study demonstrated that DBPG exhibits antioxidant activity by a series of DPPH(?), 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS(?+)), and superoxide anion radical (O(2)(?-)) radical-scavenging assays. The inhibition of lipid peroxidation (LP) by DBPG exceeded that by l-ascorbic acid (AA) in a liposome model system. Adding DBPG to mouse liver and brain tissue inhibited the formation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) to a greater extent than did trolox. In the oxygen stress test, BNLCL2 and HaCaT cells pretreated with DBPG showed increased activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), perhaps as a result of reduction of the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). These findings proved that DBPG had antioxidant activities and a cytoprotective effect in hepatocytes and keratinocytes, suggesting that DBPG may be a useful food and cosmetic additive.     

Subcelullar localization of proteins associated with <Emphasis Type="Italic">Prune dwarf virus</Emphasis> replication

The fungus Colletotrichum lindemuthianum is the causal agent of anthracnose, one of the most severe diseases of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris). The infection process begins with the adhesion of conidia to the plant’s surface. Appressoria are then formed, allowing penetration of the fungus. Next, the biotrophic phase begins, followed by the necrotrophic phase. Due to the peculiar nutrition mode of the fungus, including both of the previously mentioned stages, it is of great interest to determine which genes are involved in the transition between the two phases during the infection process. To determine this, suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) was used in association with qRT-PCR in the present study. These methods allowed for the identification of genes that were differentially expressed at each developmental stage of the fungus in the plant. This is the first report on the use of the cited techniques to evaluate the infectious cycle of the fungus. A total of 175 sequences exhibited significant identity (e?≤?10^?5) with sequences present in the sequenced genomes of P. vulgaris and C. lindemuthianum; approximately 41 % of those were determined to belong to the fungus, and 59 % were determined to belong to the plant. Of the predicted sequences, 68 % were of unknown function or were not found in the databases. Among the analyzed expressed sequence tags (ESTs), sequences were found that encode proteins related to: primary and secondary metabolism; the transport of different compounds; the degradation/modification of proteins; cell regulation and signaling; cellular stress response; and the degradation of exogenous compounds. The obtained results allowed for the identification of sequences encoding proteins that are essential for the progression of anthracnose. Furthermore, it was possible to identify new genes, the functions of which have not yet been described, and even to identify unique genes of C. lindemuthianum that are involved in the pathogenicity and virulence of this fungus.