[Epidemiological aspects of human Q fever in Indre-et-Loire between 2003 and 2005 and comparison with caprine Q fever]. / Aspects épidémiologiques de la fièvre Q humaine en Indre-et-Loire entre 2003 et 2005 et confrontation à la fièvre Q caprine.

OBJECTIVE: Chronic infection is the major risk of Q fever. C. burnetii infections result from the inhalation of contaminated aerosols. Indre-et-Loire is a rural French area with numerous goat farms. We evaluated human Q fever epidemiology and compared it with Q fever in goats. DESIGN: This retrospective study was made between 2003 and 2005. The diagnosis of C. burnetii infection was based on serologic findings from all the subdivision laboratories. Antibodies were detected by using indirect immunofluorescence. Farm animal data was processed by ELISA on blood samples from goats and cattle after Q fever related abortion in 2006 and results of PCR-processed milk samples from 156 goat farms. RESULTS: Forty human cases were studied: 38 acute Q fever (11 pneumonia, 10 hepatitis, 10 pneumonia with hepatitis, two isolated fever) and six chronic Q fever (four endocarditis). Sixteen patients (40%) had been professionally exposed, 10 (25%) of whom were goat farmers. Eight (20%) had been in contact with placenta. All the human cases were located in the south of Indre-et-Loire. Twenty percent of the volunteer goat farms had at least one milk sample positive for Q fever by PCR. Forty-nine of the 75 goat abortion samples were positive in ELISA. Ninety-two of the goat farms with positive samples were located in the south of Indre-et-Loire. CONCLUSION: This study revealed similar location of human and caprine Q fever. Identifying such geographical correlation may lead to improving prevention and detection.

Effects of dietary scFOS on immunoglobulins in colostrums and milk of bitches.

Fructo-oligosaccharides (scFOS) are prebiotic ingredients that improve protection against pathogens probably through promoting the growth of gastrointestinal bacteria-like Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli: this stimulation may lead to a better development of immune repertoire and/or stimulation of the local immune response. According to the existence of the immune entero-mammary link, we were wondering if the dietary supplementation with scFOS could enhance the mucosal immunoglobulin level in mammary secretions. Results in this study show that bitches supplemented with scFOS exhibit higher colostrum and milk IgM content without concomitant effect on IgG1, IgG2 and IgA. In addition, intranasally immunized puppies exhibited a trend to higher Bordetella bronchiseptica-specific IgM immune response. The dietary supplementation with scFOS increased the IgM level in colostrums and milk of bitches by mechanisms which remain to be elucidated.

[Critical analysis of isolation, counting and identification methods of Listeria in food industry]. / Analyse critique des méthodes d'isolement, de dénombrement et d'identification des Listeria en agro-alimentaire.

Stimulated by epidemic outbreaks in years 80's and 90's detection methods for Listeria, and L. monocytogenes particularly, have undergone many important progresses. New selective media for isolation and enrichment have been formulated with the aim to improve bacteriological methods and decrease time delays. For identification of Listeria at the species level, some biochemical miniaturised tests allow response within 24 h. Within the immuno-chemical methods as ELISA or ELFA, the revelation step has been shortened and automated. The elaboration of L. monocytogenes specific antibodies begins to upset immunological methods. As far as concern simplification of detection tests, a new generation of small immunological plate-shaped tests has been marketed. Whatever the immunological method considered, intrinsic sensibility is about 10(5) at 10(6) CFU/ml. Only one method allows more sensibility: the immuno-magnetic separation. With a sensibility of 1 CFU/ml, immunocapture allows shortening of enrichment time of 24 h or eliminates this step altogether if the aim is to count the Listeria directly in the sample. In the biological molecular methods, some hybridization tests with nuclear probes allow rapid and specific detection of L. monocytogenes. The polymerase chain reaction has been improved to simplify and shorten the DNA preparation and the revelation of amplified fragments. This method will be soon used in food samples analysis. The elaboration of new methods that could allow the specific detection of L. monocytogenes pathogenic strains of is one of future stake.

Isolation of Mycoplasma cloacale from a number of different avian hosts in great Britain and France.

Following the original isolation of Mycoplasma cloacale from a turkey in Great Britain, only one further turkey isolate has been obtained whereas the mycoplasma has been recovered from 2 species of wild ducks in Britain, and from 2 breeds of domestic ducks and from domestic geese in France. A few isolations have also been made from wild and exotic birds but M. cloacale has not been found in chickens.

[Bacteriological diagnosis of Neisseria ovis. Apropos of a strain isolated from keratoconjunctivitis of lambs]. / Diagnostic bactériologique de Neisseria ovis. A propos d'une souche isolée de kératoconjonctivite de l'agneau.

The authors report a case of bacteriologic diagnosis of Neisseria ovis isolated from a keratoconjunctivitis of lamb. Difficulties of diagnosis and taxonomic position of N. ovis are briefly discussed.

[Protein A research in 1200 strains of Staphylococcus (using a rapid detection technic by passive hemagglutination with glutaraldehyde treated erythrocytes]. / Recherche de la protéin A chez 1200 souches de Staphylocoque (utilisation dune technique rapide de détection par hémagglutination passive avec des hématies traitées au glutaraldéhyde).

The technique used was that of passive hemaglutination of red cells of sheep prepared with glutaraldehyde and sensitized by anti-erythrocyte antibodies. A protein-A was not found in S. epidermidis strains, but was present in 96.3 per cent of 689 strains of S. aureus from human, animal and food origins.