Rift Valley fever virus infections in Egyptian cattle and their prevention.

Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) causes consistently severe outbreaks with high public health impacts and economic losses in livestock in many African countries and has also been introduced to Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Egypt with its four large outbreaks in the last 40 years represents the northernmost endemic area of RVFV. The purpose of this study was to provide an insight into the current anti-RVFV antibody status in immunized as well as non-immunized dairy cattle from the Nile Delta of Egypt. During 2013-2015, a total of 4,167 dairy cattle from four governorates including Dakahlia, Damietta, Gharbia and Port Said were investigated. All cattle were born after 2007 and therewith after the last reported Egyptian RVFV outbreak in 2003. The samples derived from vaccinated animals from 26 different dairy farms as well as non-immunized cattle from 27 different smallholding flocks. All samples were examined following a three-part analysis including a commercially available competition ELISA, an in-house immunofluorescence assay and a virus neutralization test. Additionally, a subset of samples was analysed for acute infections using IgM ELISA and real-time reverse transcriptase PCR. The results indicated that the RVFV is still circulating in Egypt as about 10% of the non-immunized animals exhibited RVFV-specific antibodies. Surprisingly, the antibody prevalence in immunized animals was not significantly higher than that in non-vaccinated animals which points out the need for further evaluation of the vaccination programme. Due to the substantial role of livestock in the amplification and transmission of RVFV, further recurrent monitoring of the antibody prevalence in susceptible species is highly warranted.

Vaccination of alpacas against Rift Valley fever virus: Safety, immunogenicity and pathogenicity of MP-12 vaccine.

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is an emerging zoonosis of major public health concern in Africa and Arabia. Previous outbreaks attributed camelids a significant role in the epidemiology of Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), making them an important target species for vaccination. Using three alpacas as model-organisms for dromedary camels, the safety, immunogenicity and pathogenicity of the MP-12 vaccine were evaluated in this study. To compare both acute and subacute effects, animals were euthanized at 3 and 31days post infection (dpi). Clinical monitoring, analysis of liver enzymes and hematological parameters demonstrated the tolerability of the vaccine, as no significant adverse effects were observed. Comprehensive analysis of serological parameters illustrated the immunogenicity of the vaccine, eliciting high neutralizing antibody titers and antibodies targeting different viral antigens. RVFV was detected in serum and liver of the alpaca euthanized 3dpi, whereas no virus was detectable at 31dpi. Viral replication was confirmed by detection of various RVFV-antigens in hepatocytes by immunohistochemistry and the presence of mild multifocal necrotizing hepatitis. In conclusion, results indicate that MP-12 is a promising vaccine candidate but still has a residual pathogenicity, which requires further investigation.

[The bactericidal activity of mouthwashes containing 0.10%, 0.12% and 0.20% chlorhexidine digluconate]. / Activité bactericide de bains de bouche contenant 0,10%, 0,12% et 0,20% de digluconate de chlorhexidine.

Antiseptic activity of five mouthrinses containing 0.10%, 0.12% and 0.20% chlorhexidine, as well as aqueous chlorhexidine solutions at the same concentrations were determined under usual conditions (advocated dilutions by the manufacturers and short contact time) and according to French Pharmacopoeia recommendations. The three aqueous solutions and two mouthrinses containing 0.12% chlorhexidine were not antiseptic according to the fixed criteria. Bactericidal activities of the different dilutions of products were tested with an appropriate micromethod against nine-bacterial species involved in periodontal disease. Efficacity of mouthrinses were variable and were not agreed with the aqueous chlorhexidine-corresponding solutions: the mouthrinse containing 0.10% chlorhexidine reached 0.20% aqueous solution efficacy, and the mouthrinses containing 0.12% chlorhexidine were generally less active than the 0.12% aqueous chlorhexidine solution. Therefore, antibacterial activity of this type of product cannot be anticipated with the sole concentration factor, excipients playing essential part in the chlorhexidine activity.

Predicting the need for intraoperative cholangiography after cholecystectomy.

A decision tree based on the common clinical indicators seen in acute and chronic cholecystitis is presented. The use of such a decision tree aids in the selective, rather than the routine, use of intraoperative cholangiography. In this series, the number of intraoperative cholangiograms could have been decreased from 275 to 101 by using the decision tree. At the same time, the number of negative explorations could have been reduced from 13 to 7, while the number of positive explorations would remain the same. The decision tree provides a systematic approach to the use of intraoperative cholangiography, thereby saving operating time and cost. By using this approach, the surgeon can not only select those patients in whom intraoperative cholangiogram will be useful in determining the need for exploration of the common duct and finding the unexpected common duct stone, but also eliminate [corrected] its use in those patients who have no clinical indications.

Cholecystostomy for noninflammatory disease.

Cholecystostomy in patients with noninflammatory disease of the biliary tract has rarely been evaluated. Our experience with 124 patients suggests that, in addition to being helpful in inflammatory conditions, cholecystostomy is helpful in performing cholangiography, in removing stones and in decompressing an otherwise obstructed biliary tree. The mortality associated with this procedure is minimal, and the morbidity is 4.5 percent.

The role of the extrinsic antral nerves in the regulation of gastric emptying.

In six conscious dogs with chronically implanted gastric and duodenal electrodes, gastric emptying of 40 radiopaque plastic spheres, with a diameter of 7 millimeters and a specific gravity of 1.6, was assessed fluoroscopically during fasting and after the feeding of the 25 grams of 1 centimeter cubes of boiled beef liver. Gastric emptying of 400 milliliters of 154 millimolar sodium chloride marked with 14C PEG was also measured. The extrinsic antral nerves were then transected, and after recovery, the tests were repeated. Before antral denervation, gastric spheres were emptied predominantly during activity fronts--the five to 15 minute bursts of action potentials and contractions that sweep aborally from the stomach to the colon every two hours during fasting. Feeding abolished activity fronts for about eight hours and, therefore, delayed gastric emptying of the spheres. After antral denervation, antral activity fronts were irregular, less frequent and of shorter duration, and the spheres emptied slower both during fasting and after feeding. In contrast, the emptying of isotonic sodium chloride was unchanged. We concluded that antral extrinsic nerves enhance gastric emptying of solid spheres but not of isotonic sodium chloride.