Evidence of African horse sickness virus infection of Equus zebra hartmannae in the south-western Khomas Region, Namibia.

Equine mortalities suspected to be due to African horse sickness (AHS) were reported from the arid Khomas Region, Namibia, in 2008. The area was previously considered a localized AHS-free area. Hartmann's mountain zebra (Equus zebra hartmannae), a potential but unconfirmed reservoir host of African horse sickness virus (AHSV), occurs in the region. Between 2009 and 2010 serum, blood and tissue samples from 31 culled E. z. hartmannae were analysed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) (n = 31) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (n = 18) to determine the presence of AHSV and/or antibodies against AHSV. The presence of antibodies against AHSV was demonstrated in all 18 samples assayed, and AHSV double stranded RNA was detected in 26% of the animals. This is evidence that E. z. hartmannae can become infected with AHSV.

Angio-oedema associated with colistin.

A 50-year-old woman known to have type 1 diabetes mellitus presented with a rare case of angio-oedema associated with colistin use. The angio-oedema was temporally associated with the use and discontinuation of colistin with the reasonable exclusion of important differential diagnoses. Pseudoallergy may be a probable underlying mechanism. However, we cannot exclude the possibility of hereditary angio-oedema type 2 or 3, or that her concomitant medications (particularly enalapril) and her renal impairment contributed to the risk and severity of her angio-oedema.

Yeasts associated with Cheddar and Gouda making.

Sources of yeast contamination which may lead to contamination of the curd during Cheddar and Gouda cheese making, were examined in a single cheese factory. A total of 187 representative yeast isolates present in the factory environment, on working surfaces, the brine and on workers' hands and aprons were identified according to conventional methods and cellular long-chain fatty acid analyses. Product line samples were taken at critical control points in the manufacturing process and analysed after incubation at 25 degrees C for 96 h. The most prevalent isolates belonged to the genera Debaryomyces and Candida. Other genera encountered were Cryptococcus, Rhodotorula, Yarrowia, Pichia, Trichosporon, Torulaspora, Issatchenkia, Saccharomyces and Zygosaccharomyces. Characterization of the predominant yeast isolates indicated that the cheese brine was responsible for the largest variety and number of yeast isolates yielding a total of 64 yeast strains belonging to nine different genera.