Canine leishmaniasis, Italy

We report the results of a survey to determine the prevalence of canine leishmaniasis and the presence of sand flies in northwestern Italy, where autochthonous foci of canine leishmaniasis have not been reported. Active foci of canine leishmaniasis were identified, which suggests that the disease is now also endemic in continental climate areas.     

中国鼠疫自然疫源地分型研究Ⅰ.生态地理景观特征

目的 研究中国鼠疫自然疫源地鼠疫生态地理景观特征.方法 根据中国鼠疫疫情资料和对中国鼠疫自然疫源地生态地理景观的考察,制定鼠疫生态地理景观区划标准,建立反映鼠疫生态地理景观特征的方法.结果 中国鼠疫自然疫源地鼠疫生态地理景观有12型、19亚型.结论 为中国鼠疫自然疫源地分型研究提供了科学依据.     

SPECT在癫*诊断中的价值

目的：探讨单光子断层扫描（SPECT）对颅内非局灶性病变致癫痫的无创性定位诊断的作用和临床意义,并与EEG,MRI进行比较,方法：对88例癫痫病人分别在1－2周内行SPECT,EEG,MRI检查,比较3种方法的检出率,准确度,特异度,敏感度,阳性及阴性预测值,结果：SPECT的检出率,准确率,敏感度,阴性预测值显著高于MRI（P＜0．05）,其特异度显著低于MRI（P＜0．05）,SPECT的检出率,准确度,特异度,敏感度,阳性及阴性预测值与EEG比较,均无显著性差异（P＞0．05）,结论：SPECT检查在癫痫定位中优于MRI,其对单一癫痫灶的检出亦优于EEG。     

Further development of raccoon poxvirus-vectored vaccines against plague (Yersinia pestis)

In previous studies, we demonstrated protection against plague in mice and prairie dogs using a raccoon pox (RCN) virus-vectored vaccine that expressed the F1 capsular antigen of Yersinia pestis. In order to improve vaccine efficacy, we have now constructed additional RCN-plague vaccines containing two different forms of the lcrV (V) gene, including full-length (Vfull) and a truncated form (V307). Mouse challenge studies with Y. pestis strain CO92 showed that vaccination with a combination of RCN-F1 and the truncated V construct (RCN-V307) provided the greatest improvement (P = 0.01) in protection against plague over vaccination with RCN-F1 alone. This effect was mediated primarily by anti-F1 and anti-V antibodies and both contributed independently to increased survival of vaccinated mice.     

鼠疫历史疫情的考古微生物学研究进展

鼠疫是由鼠疫耶尔森氏菌(简称鼠疫菌)引发的烈性传染病,人类历史上曾发生3次大规模的鼠疫大流行。近年来,考古微生物学得到长足发展,使得研究人员可以对历史上的鼠疫疫情进行探索,为鼠疫的起源、传播以及鼠疫菌的进化等关键问题提供更为深刻的理解。本文就关于考古微生物学方法在古代鼠疫疫情研究领域取得的进展进行简单综述:包括基于PCR、蛋白质分析以及基因组序列测定在内的考古微生物学研究技术方法;基于以上技术确认查士丁尼瘟疫和黑死病的病原体为鼠疫菌;新石器时代晚期至青铜时代就已经存在人类感染鼠疫菌的病例;通过分子钟分析将鼠疫菌的物种形成时间确定为5000-7500年前。考古微生物学方法不仅可以继续推进鼠疫和鼠疫菌的相关研究,也将为其他历史传染病的研究提供有益借鉴。     

Urban epidemic of bubonic plague in Majunga, Madagascar: epidemiological aspects

After an absence of 62 years, an epidemic of plague occurred in the harbour city of Majunga (Madagascar) from July 1995 to March 1996, following sporadic cases in March and May 1995. By 15 March 1996, 617 clinically suspected cases of bubonic plague had been notified. Laboratory testing was carried out for 394 individuals: 60 (15.2%) were confirmed to have bubonic plague and 48 (12.2%) were considered as presumptive cases. The incidence was significantly higher in males in all age groups and in both sexes in the 5–19 age group. Twenty‐four deaths were related to plague, but early treatment with streptomycin has confirmed its effectiveness insofar as the case‐fatality ratio was only 8.7% among confirmed and presumptive cases admitted to hospital. The difficulty of clinically diagnosing bubonic plague was affirmed. The disease met favourable conditions through the poverty and low level of hygiene prevalent in most parts of Majunga.     

Identification of GRASP-1 as a novel 97 kDa autoantigen localized to endosomes

We have identified an autoantigen that is recognized by antibodies from an 18-year-old female with a history of recurrent infections who later in her clinical course developed Raynaud's phenomenon and telangiectasias. By indirect immunofluorescence (IIF), the index serum produced a unique cytoplasmic discrete speckled (CDS) staining pattern that partially colocalized with early endosome antigen 1 (EEA1) but not Golgi complex or other cytoplasmic organelles in HEp-2 cells. When HEp-2 cells were treated with 0.1 N HCl, the cytoplasmic speckled staining of the index serum was markedly decreased, suggesting that the reactive antigen was soluble. Western blot analysis showed a reactive approximately 97 kDa protein in a saline soluble protein preparation from HeLa cells. Mass spectrometric analysis of the excised 97 kDa band that was immunoprecipitated from HeLa cell extracts identified GRASP-1 as a possible target. The index serum and anti-GRASP-1 antibodies colocalized to structures in the cytoplasm of HEp-2 cells. Synthetic peptides representing the full-length GRASP-1 protein were used to identify reactive epitopes. Like many other cytoplasmic autoantigens, GRASP-1 has numerous coiled-coil domains throughout the protein with the exception of short segments at the amino and carboxyl terminus.     

云南玉龙及古城区鼠疫自然疫源地判定及初步研究

目的确定云南玉龙县及古城区鼠疫自然疫源地的存在,提出防控策略。方法采用常规调查方法,通过血清学、细菌学、基因诊断等技术进行判定。结果共分离到5株鼠疫杆菌,均酵解甘油、麦芽糖、阿胶糖,不酵解鼠李糖、密二糖,脱氮试验阳性。均带有Pgm 、PstI 、FI 、Vwa 等毒力决定因子;疫区犬血清阳性率为23.5%;猫血清阳性率为26.7%。结论细菌学证实玉龙县为鼠疫自然疫源地,目前鼠疫流行处于活跃期;血清学证实古城区为新的鼠疫疫源区(县);阳性血清动物分布面积210km2,并有进一步扩散趋势;齐氏姬鼠及大绒鼠是本地区优势鼠种,玉龙绒鼠有局部分布。特新蚤指明亚种,方叶栉眼蚤为优势蚤种;分离的鼠疫菌与滇西纵谷型及滇闽居民区型菌株生化特性不同,与西藏北部青藏高原型鼠疫菌的生化特性接近。     

浙江省温州市鼠疫静息期鼠类携带耶尔森菌调查分析

目的了解浙江省温州市鼠疫静息期鼠类耶尔森菌携带情况。方法采用日夹笼法捕鼠,无菌解剖捕获鼠,对盲肠末端内容物进行耶尔森菌分离。结果本次调查共捕获687只鼠,室内鼠占91.27%。共检到耶尔森菌81株,检出率为11.79%,以小肠结肠炎耶尔森菌为主,占79.01%,其次为中间型耶尔森菌、克氏耶尔森菌和假结核耶尔森菌,分别占11.11%、7.40%、2.47%。结论温州市鼠类耶尔森菌携带率较高,室内鼠类能携带各型耶尔森菌,野外鼠类只携带小肠结肠炎耶尔森菌。     

颈动脉内中膜厚度及斑块分级在预测冠心病中的作用

【目的】界定颈动脉内中膜厚度及其斑块分级在估测冠心病中的最佳预测值。【方法】用高频超声检测125例患者颈总动脉内中膜厚度、颈动脉分叉处内中膜厚度，以及颈动脉斑块分级，评价它们估测冠心病的作用，并用ROC曲线评价它们的诊断价值。【结果】冠心病组颈总动脉及分叉处内中膜增厚、斑块分级高，与对照组比较差异有统计学意义，P〈0．05；ROC分析显示颈总动脉及分叉处内中膜增厚、斑块分级均可估测冠心病，其曲线下面积分别为0．70、0．75、0．74；将颈总动脉分叉处内中膜增厚≥1．3mm，颈总动脉内中膜增厚≥0．9mm，颈动脉斑块分级≥2定义为阳性，3者联合评价其阳性积分，则ROC曲线下面积为0．82，以3者中任2项阳性为预测值估测冠心病，灵敏度95．3％，特异度84．2％，阳性预测值85．3％，阴性预测值86．4％。【结论】颈动脉超声检查颈总动脉及其分叉处内中膜厚度、颈动脉斑块分级可用于估测冠心病。以3者联合评价诊断价值高。