Babesia spp. and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in free-ranging wild ungulates in central Austria.

Free-ranging wild ungulates are widespread in Austria, and act as hosts (i.e. feeding hosts) for ticks, including Ixodes ricinus, and as reservoir hosts for pathogens transmitted by I. ricinus. Due to climate change, the abundance of I. ricinus might be increasing, which could potentially lead to higher prevalences of tick-borne pathogens, such as Babesia spp. and Anaplasma phagocytophilum, some known for their zoonotic potential. Human babesiosis is classified as an emerging zoonosis, but sufficient data of these parasites in central Austria is lacking. In order to assess the abundance of vector-borne pathogens, blood of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus; n = 137), red deer (Cervus elaphus; n = 37), mouflons (Ovis gmelini; n = 2) and chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra; n = 1), was collected and tested for pathogen DNA in two different sampling sites in central Austria. DNA of tick-borne pathogens was detected in 15.5 % (n = 27) of these animals. Babesia capreoli (n = 22 in roe deer; n = 1 in mouflon), Babesia divergens (n = 1, in red deer), and Anaplasma phagocytophilum (n = 4, in roe deer) were detected. DNA sequencing of the 18S rRNA gene of two C. capreolus samples from Upper Austria featured another new genotype of Babesia, which differs in one nucleotide position to B. divergens and B. capreoli, and is intermediate between the main genotypes of B. capreoli and B. divergens within the partial gene sequence analyzed. This study thus confirms that B. capreoli, B. divergens, and A. phagocytophilum are present in free-ranging ungulates in central Austria. Further testing over a longer period is recommended in order to assess the impact of climate change on the prevalence of blood parasites in central Austria.

Coating with a novel gentamicinpalmitate formulation prevents implant-associated osteomyelitis induced by methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus in a rat model.

PURPOSE: Implant-associated osteomyelitis still represents a demanding challenge due to unfavourable biological conditions, bacterial properties and incremental resistance to antibiotic treatment. Therefore different bactericide or bacteriostatic implant coatings have been developed recently to control local intramedullary infections. Controlled local release of gentamicin base from a highly lipophilic gentamicin palmitate compound achieves extended intramedullary retention times and thus may improve its bactericide effect. METHODS: Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two groups receiving an intramedullary femoral injection of 10(2) colony-forming units (CFU) of a common methicillin susceptible Staphylococcus aureus strain (MSSA Rosenbach) and either an uncoated femur nail (Group I) or a nail coated with gentamicin palmitate (Group II). Animals were observed for 28 and 42 days. Serum haptoglobin and relative weight gain were assessed as well as rollover cultures of explanted femur nails and histological scores of periprosthetic infection in dissected femurs. RESULTS: Implants coated with gentamicin palmitate significantly reduced periprosthetic bacterial growth as well as signs of systemic inflammation compared with uncoated implants. CONCLUSIONS: Gentamicin palmitate appears to be a viable coating for the prevention of implant-associated infections. These findings will have to be confirmed in larger animal models as well as in clinical trials.