The Schmallenberg virus epidemic in Europe—2011–2013

During the Schmallenberg virus (SBV) epidemic, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) collected data on SBV occurrence across Europe in order to provide an assessment of spread and impact. By May 2013, twenty-nine countries were reporting to EFSA and twenty-two countries had reported cases of SBV. The total number of SBV herds reported was 13,846 and the number of SBV laboratory confirmed herds was 8730. The surveillance activities were based on the detection of SBV clinical cases (either adults or newborns). Malformation in newborns was the most commonly reported clinical sign of SBV-infection. All countries were able to provide the date when the first suspicion of SBV in the herd was reported and nineteen could report the location of the herd at a regional level. This allowed the spread of SBV in Europe to be measured both temporally and spatially. The number of SBV confirmed herds started to increase in December 2011 and two peaks were observed in 2012 (February and May). Confirmed herds continued to be reported in 2012 and into 2013. An increase during winter 2012 and spring 2013 was again observed, but the number of confirmed herds was lower than in the previous year. SBV spread rapidly throughout Europe from the initial area of detection. SBV was detected above the latitude of 60° North, which exceeds the northern expansion observed during the bluetongue virus serotype 8 epidemic in 2006–2009. The impact of SBV was calculated as ratio of the number of herds with at least one malformed SBV positive foetus and the total number of herds in this region. The 75th percentile of the malformations ratio in the various affected countries for the whole reporting period was below 1% and 3% for cattle and sheep herds, respectively. International data collection on emerging diseases represents a challenge as the nature of available data, data quality and the proportion of reported cases may vary widely between affected countries. Surveillance activities on emerging animal diseases are often structured only for case detection making the estimation of infection/diseases prevalence and the investigation of risk factors difficult. The impact of the disease must be determined to allow risk managers to take appropriate decisions. Simple within-herd impact indicators suitable for emerging disease outbreaks should be defined that could be measured as part of routine animal health surveillance programmes and allow for rapid and reliable impact assessment of emerging animal health diseases.     

Zur Behandlung und Wuchsleistung der Kiefer

European Journal of Forest Research - Anhand yon Wuchsmodellen wird die Bestandesentwicktung der Kiefer bei unterschied-licher Begrüindungsdichte und Bestandesbehandlung dargestellt. Neben...     

Controlled but pragmatic investigations of interventions for behavioural disturbances in dogs and cats

Veterinarians are often directly involved in clinical studies or requested for information to help interpret their results. Therefore, it is reasonable to examine the reservoir of study methods. This article transfers methodological considerations from clinical research into veterinary medicine. The study question determines the appropriate study method. Recently a ten-step procedure was suggested for selection of appropriate study designs in humans. Based on this approach, a pragmatic study design was adapted to the conditions prevailing in interventional studies in dogs and cats with disturbed behaviour. The different concepts for clinical studies are introduced. Whether or not the design and the evaluation of pragmatic studies in dogs and cats with disturbed behaviour has been maintained and the prerequisites have thereby been fulfilled so that the obtained results are suitable to be applied under everyday conditions can be tested in eight steps. Using the pragmatic design the superiority of complex interventions can be investigated. The results of pragmatic studies help to substantiate a value judgement, i. e., the recommendation or rejection of a specific therapeutic intervention for a defined disease entity in a specific therapeutic setting. The goal of pragmatic studies is to obtain results appropriate for use in everyday situations. In conclusion, the suggested procedure is useful for the selection of the appropriate study designs for specific questions. This procedure is also suitable to test whether the conclusions of published study results coincide with the chosen methods.     

III. Buchbesprechungen

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Chemistry and biology of novel amine fungicides: Attempts to improve the antifungal activity of fenpropimorph

In spite of considerable efforts by many workers, there has been a lack of progress in the area of amine fungicides since fenpropimorph. Random synthesis of a large variety of different amine compounds, as well as intelligent structural modification of the lead structure fenpropimorph (well over 15 000 amines have been screened at BASF alone) have not led to a new market product so far. Further work has been focused on the reported mode of action of fenpropimorph, notably on the inhibition of the sterol Δ¹⁴-reductase. Although some doubt has to be cast on the hypothesis that fenpropimorph behaves as a sterol mimic, the concept of ‘high energy intermediate’ inhibitors has been employed successfully. Rational drug design of azasterol mimics has led to a number of very potent inhibitors of the sterol Δ¹⁴-reductase which also displayed high fungicidal activity in the greenhouse. Although many of these compounds are more powerful reductase inhibitors than fenpropimorph, under field conditions none showed significant advantages over this established fungicide. Most likely, fenpropimorph already exhibits the maximum fungicidal activity which can be attained by blocking the sterol Δ¹⁴-reductase. This would mean that, with the development of the ‘second generation’ amine fungicide fenpropimorph, this class of compounds has already virtually been optimized.     

Severe chemosis caused by nephrotic syndrome in a goat: a case report

A 3-year old female goat with nephrotic syndrome was presented because of severe bilateral chemosis. The diagnosis was based on clinical findings, decreased packed cell volume, increased serum urea and creatinine, decreased serum protein and protein loss via the urinary tract. At post mortem examination, a chronic glomerulonephritis and interstitial nephritis were found. In addition to severe conjunctival oedema, ascites and subcutaneous oedema in the region of the larynx were noted. Immunohistochemistry for the detection of chlamydial antigen in the conjunctiva was negative. This is the first report of severe chemosis caused by nephrotic syndrome in a goat.     

Mass transport studies of model migrants within dry foodstuffs

Cereals are widely consumed foodstuffs and it is therefore important to take them into account when estimating consumer exposure to packaging-related chemicals. The mass transport of three model migrants (diphenylbutadiene, triclosan and BHT) from low-density polyethylene (LDPE) within dry foodstuffs of different particle size (rice and wheat flour) was studied because of the relationship between consumer exposure and possible harmful effects on human health. The conditions that most affect the mass transport of substances within dry foods are evaluated and discussed. The diffusion coefficients (D_F) for diphenylbutadiene (DPBD) and triclosan in the studied foodstuffs were estimated. The D_F values for DPBD and triclosan in wheat flour at 25 °C were 7.1 × 10⁻⁸ cm²/s and 3.3 × 10⁻⁸ cm²/s, respectively. The D_F values for DPBD and triclosan in rice at 25 °C were 4.7 × 10⁻⁸ and 4.3 × 10⁻⁸ cm²/s, respectively. BHT displayed different behaviour and other tests were therefore carried out to elucidate the associated mass transport process.