Salmonellosis outbreak due to Salmonella enteritidis phage type 14b resistant to nalidixic acid, Austria, September 2010.

We report on a salmonellosis-outbreak due to Salmonella Enteritidis phage type 14b resistant to nalidixic acid (S. Enteritidis PT14b Nx) among residents and employees of a student residence in Austria, September 2010. The outbreak was described and analysed by a retrospective cohort study, and microbiological environmental investigations were conducted to identify the outbreak source(s) and the reservoir of the outbreak strain. A total of 66 persons fulfilled the outbreak case definition including 14 laboratory-confirmed cases. Food specific cohort-analyses by day revealed that consumption of potato salad (RR: 1.65, 95%CI: 1.35­2.01, p=0.001) and a cheese-sausage cold plate (RR: 2.24, 95%CI: 1.29­3.88, p=0.002) on 14 September was associated with being an outbreak case. We hypothesised that cross-contamination with S. Enteritidis PT14b Nx positive eggs had occurred during preparation of the potato salad and cold plate as a result of preparing in parallel egg-containing breaded cutlets on 14 September. A traced laying hen holding in eastern Austria was identified as the sole source of the consumable eggs in the student residence. By applying the legally mandated sampling method for epidemiological-related laying hen farms (one pooled dust sample à 150g, two paired boot swabs cultured separately), the outbreak strain could not be detected. Our findings, that legally required sampling methods for laying hen farms failed to detect the causative pathogen in a laying hen holding, despite an epidemiological link, underline the request stated by the European Food Safety Authority Panel on Biological Hazards for a more sensitive sampling plan in epidemiologically-associated laying hen flocks.

Pretreatment with thyroxine (10-(8) parts by weight) enhances a 'curative' effect of homeopathically prepared thyroxine (10-(13)) on lowland frogs.

We studied the influence of a moderate homeopathically prepared thyroxine dilution (final concentration in the basin water 10-(13) parts by weight) on the metamorphosis of lowland Rana temporaria which had been hyperstimulated with thyroxine. Two groups of animals were pretreated by immersing them in a molecular thyroxine dilution (10-(8) parts by weight). This pretreatment speeds up development, as is well known. In accordance with the homeopathic/isopathic idea of detoxication or cure, the same hormone was then diluted and agitated in successive steps for further treatment. This homeopathically prepared dilution was administered at 24-hour intervals to one of the groups. An analogously prepared blank solution was used for the control group. Our hypothesis, which was derived from earlier studies, was that animals treated with the test solution would metamorphose more slowly than the control animals, i.e. that the homeopathically prepared thyroxine would have a 'curative' effect. In this new series of experiments this hypothesis was examined by 3 independent researchers. In the experiments carried out by 2 of the 3 researchers the number of animals that reached the four-legged stage at defined points in time was smaller in the group treated with homeopathically prepared thyroxine. In the third laboratory no difference was found between the groups. However, the overall inhibiting effect was statistically significant and more pronounced than in earlier, less promising studies and in parallel experiments in which nonprestimulated animals had been used. Other studies carried out by the 3 researchers involved animals from highland biotopes, where the natural environment probably induces a greater sensitivity towards thyroxine or higher thyroxine levels. These animals reacted to the homeopathically prepared thyroxine with a slowing down of metamorphosis, even when they had not been prestimulated with a molecular dose of the hormone. This effect was observed in all 3 laboratories and is consistent with the results of previous studies.

Induction of epidermal growth factor receptor expression and mitogenesis by alcohol in human colon adenocarcinoma-derived Caco-2 cells.

Epidemiologic studies suggest that alcohol may be an inducing factor in human colon tumorigenesis. As colon cells are frequently under autocrine control by growth factors, involvement of the EGFR pathway in alcohol-related colon tumor progression was investigated in the human colon adenocarcinoma-derived cell line Caco-2 which shows EGFR distribution mainly in basolateral cell membranes. EGF treatment results in almost complete downregulation of the basolateral receptor. Low concentrations of ethanol (0.22 mM, 0.1%) however, lead to significantly increased EGFR mRNA and protein expression and a raised mitotic rate mainly in basolaterally treated cells. Alcohol-induced overexpression of EGFR is paralleled by increased cyclin D1 expression. This suggests a possible mechanism for low blood levels of alcohol to stimulate in vivo proliferation of colonocytes by elevating transcription of a growth factor receptor as well as by modifying expression of a cell cycle regulator.

[Prevalence of E. multilocularis in foxes in Styria taking into consideration biometrical methods]. / Eine Prävalenzstudie über E. multilocularis bei Füchsen in der Steiermark unter Berücksichtigung biometrischer Methoden.

The results of a survey covering whole of Styria/Austria, which was based on a biometrical sampling plan, showed the prevalence rate of E. multilocularis among foxes to be 3.6% (18 out of 500 examined foxes). There is however a significant regional difference in the prevalence rate. All 18 infected foxes were found in the North-West of Styria, which results in an estimated proportion of 9% in this region. The study could not reveal any significant difference between male and female foxes concerning the infection rate. The age distribution was 67 percent juvenile foxes (< 1 year) to 33 percent adults. The biometrical methods enable us to determine an exact spatial spread of the parasite and thus makes it possible to find out any potential risk for the population.

Left spermatic vein syndrome.

The left spermatic vein syndrome might be characterized as a compression of the left ureter in its proximal segment by the pathologically altered left spermatic vein with impairment of the urine flow which causes urine congestion and its consequences.

[Urinary tract infection in childhood (author's transl)]. / Zur Problematik des Harnwegsinfektes in Kindesalter.

The urinary tract infection ranks fourth among children's disorders, coming after contagious diseases and infection of the respiratory and digestive organs. Half of the children who have urinary tract infections are in early infancy, and the remaining 50 per cent are divided almost uniformly among those between the ages of 2 and 14. In keeping with the underlying causes, our material can be broken down as follows: in a fourth of the cases the disorder was such as to require an operation; 8 per cent of the children showed a neurologically disturbed micturition; about 40 per cent had a genuine distal urethral stenosis, and another 25 per cent showed changes in the urethral orifice and in the external genitals.