Experimental SARS-CoV-2 Infection of Bank Voles

After experimental inoculation, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection was confirmed in bank voles by seroconversion within 8 days and detection of viral RNA in nasal tissue for up to 21 days. However, transmission to contact animals was not detected. Thus, bank voles are unlikely to establish effective transmission cycles in nature.     

Active Case Finding of Current Bornavirus Infections in Human Encephalitis Cases of Unknown Etiology,Germany, 2018–2020

Human bornavirus encephalitis is a severe and often fatal infection caused by variegated squirrel bornavirus 1 (VSBV-1) and Borna disease virus 1 (BoDV-1). We conducted a prospective study of bornavirus etiology of encephalitis cases in Germany during 2018–2020 by using a serologic testing scheme applied along proposed graded case definitions for VSBV-1, BoDV-1, and unspecified bornavirus encephalitis. Of 103 encephalitis cases of unknown etiology, 4 bornavirus infections were detected serologically. One chronic case was caused by VSBV-1 after occupational-related contact of a person with exotic squirrels, and 3 acute cases were caused by BoDV-1 in virus-endemic areas. All 4 case-patients died. Bornavirus etiology could be confirmed by molecular methods. Serologic testing for these cases was virus specific, discriminatory, and a practical diagnostic option for living patients if no brain tissue samples are available. This testing should be guided by clinical and epidemiologic suspicions, such as residence in virus-endemic areas and animal exposure.     

Tula Virus as Causative Agent of Hantavirus Disease in Immunocompetent Person,Germany

We report molecular evidence of Tula virus infection in an immunocompetent patient from Germany who had typical signs of hantavirus disease. Accumulating evidence indicates that Tula virus infection, although often considered nonpathogenic, represents a threat to human health.     

Association of single-nucleotide polymorphisms of the tau gene with late-onset Parkinson disease.

CONTEXT: The human tau gene, which promotes assembly of neuronal microtubules, has been associated with several rare neurologic diseases that clinically include parkinsonian features. We recently observed linkage in idiopathic Parkinson disease (PD) to a region on chromosome 17q21 that contains the tau gene. These factors make tau a good candidate for investigation as a susceptibility gene for idiopathic PD, the most common form of the disease. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the tau gene is involved in idiopathic PD. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Among a sample of 1056 individuals from 235 families selected from 13 clinical centers in the United States and Australia and from a family ascertainment core center, we tested 5 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the tau gene for association with PD, using family-based tests of association. Both affected (n = 426) and unaffected (n = 579) family members were included; 51 individuals had unclear PD status. Analyses were conducted to test individual SNPs and SNP haplotypes within the tau gene. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Family-based tests of association, calculated using asymptotic distributions. RESULTS: Analysis of association between the SNPs and PD yielded significant evidence of association for 3 of the 5 SNPs tested: SNP 3, P =.03; SNP 9i, P =.04; and SNP 11, P =.04. The 2 other SNPs did not show evidence of significant association (SNP 9ii, P =.11, and SNP 9iii, P =.87). Strong evidence of association was found with haplotype analysis, with a positive association with one haplotype (P =.009) and a negative association with another haplotype (P =.007). Substantial linkage disequilibrium (P<.001) was detected between 4 of the 5 SNPs (SNPs 3, 9i, 9ii, and 11). CONCLUSIONS: This integrated approach of genetic linkage and positional association analyses implicates tau as a susceptibility gene for idiopathic PD.     

Bioethics for clinicians: 25. Teaching bioethics in the clinical setting

BIOETHICS IS NOW TAUGHT IN EVERY CANADIAN MEDICAL SCHOOL. Canada needs a cadre of teachers who can help clinicians learn bioethics. Our purpose is to encourage clinician teachers to accept this important responsibility and to provide practical advice about teaching bioethics to clinicians as an integral part of good clinical medicine. We use 5 questions to focus the discussion: Why should I teach? What should I teach? How should I teach? How should I evaluate? How should I learn?     

Laser and light-based therapies in the management of rosacea: an updated systematic review

Lasers in Medical Science - Unlike other rosacea therapies which need daily takings or applications over long periods, the edge of lasers and light-based therapies (LLBT) is the limited number of...