Timing of Latest Eocene Molluscan Extinction Patterns in Mississippi

Molluscs removed from 12 bulk samples of the Yazoo Formation (upper Eocene), exposed in a quarry at Cynthia, Mississippi, are similar in com- position and diversity to those found in the underlying upper Eocene Moodys Branch Formation, when dif- ferences in outcrop area are considered (74% of the Yazoo species are also found in the Moodys Branch). This suggests there was no significant extinction during the late Eocene (at the P15/P16 biozone boundary) as has been reported for planktic foraminifera. Only 11.4% of the species from the Yazoo extend into the Oligocene Red Bluff Formation, suggesting a large molluscan extinction at or near the Eocene-Oligocene boundary. The presence in the lowermost Red Bluff of an assemblage with a relatively high diversity dominated by suspension-feeding bivalves suggests that the molluscan fauna had recovered from the extinction by the earliest Oli- gocene

Development and Clinical Evaluation of a Rapid Serodiagnostic Test for Toxoplasmosis of Cats Using Recombinant SAG1 Antigen

Rapid serodiagnostic methods for Toxoplasma gondii infection in cats are urgently needed for effective control of transmission routes toward human infections. In this work, 4 recombinant T. gondii antigens (SAG1, SAG2, GRA3, and GRA6) were produced and tested for the development of rapid diagnostic test (RDT). The proteins were expressed in Escherichia coli, affinity-purified, and applied onto the nitrocellulose membrane of the test strip. The recombinant SAG1 (rSAG1) showed the strongest antigenic activity and highest specificity among them. We also performed clinical evaluation of the rSAG1-loaded RDT in 182 cat sera (55 household and 127 stray cats). The kit showed 0.88 of kappa value comparing with a commercialized ELISA kit, which indicated a significant correlation between rSAG1-loaded RDT and the ELISA kit. The overall sensitivity and specificity of the RDT were 100% (23/23) and 99.4% (158/159), respectively. The rSAG1-loaded RDT is rapid, easy to use, and highly accurate. Thus, it would be a suitable diagnostic tool for rapid detection of antibodies in T. gondii-infected cats under field conditions

Untersuchungen über die Möglichkeit der Einschleppung von durch Zecken übertragenen Arboviren durch Vögel nach Mitteleuropa

In Anbetracht der großen Zahl von Zugvögeln in der Paläarktis stellt sich die Frage, ob diese Vögel gebietsfremde Arboviren nach Mitteleuropa verschleppen können. Um dies zu klären, wurde eine Untersuchung von Blutproben von Vögeln und Säugetieren durchgeführt. Alle Blutproben wurden von Tieren gesammelt, die in der Nähe des Neusiedler Sees in Ostösterreich zwischen 1979 und 1980 gefangen wurden. Insgesamt wurden 1632 Proben von Blutkuchen in einem In-vivo-Test auf ihre Bürde an Viren untersucht. 5406 Seren wurden auf ihren Gehalt an Antikörpern gegen das Frühsommer-Meningoenzephalitis-Virus, das Bhanja-Virus, das Uukuniemi-Virus, das Virus des Krim-Kongo Hämorrhagischen Fiebers und des Bahig- oder Matruh-Virus geprüft. Die Virusisolierungsversuche waren nicht erfolgreich. Antikörper gegen FSME-, Uukuniemi- und Bhanja-Antigen wurden gefunden. CCHF-Virus kann die Produktion von Antikörpern in Vögeln nicht stimulieren. Aufmerksamkeitserregend ist der Nachweis von Antikörpern gegen Bahig- oder Matruh-Antigen in Seren von 3-Monate alten Vögeln und einem Großen Wiesel. Dementsprechend ist dies der erste Hinweis auf ein Vorkommen eines Virus der Tete-Gruppe in Mitteleuropa. Die Etablierung des Zyklus eines nicht endemischen, durch Zecken übertragenen Virus, das zuvor durch einen virämischen Zugvogel oder durch eine infektiöse Zecke, die an einem Zugvogel Blut saugt, eingeschleppt wurde, scheint sehr unwahrscheinlich zu sein.Considering the vast number of migratory birds in the palearctic realm the topic arises, whether these birds may introduce alien arboviruses to Central Europe. In order to elucidate this matter, an investigation of blood samples of birds and mammals was performed. All blood samples were collected from animals trapped near Lake Neusiedl in Eastern Austria between 1979 and 1980. Altogether 1.632 samples of cruor were checked for their virus load in an in-vivo assay. 5.406 sera were scanned for their content of antibodies against Tick-borne Encephalitis virus, Bhanja virus, Uukuniemi virus, Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever virus and Bahig or Matruh virus. The virus isolation attempts were not successful. Antibodies against TBE, Uukuniemi, and Bhanja antigen were detected. CCHF-virus cannot stimulate the production of antibodies in birds. Attention-grabbing is the detection of antibodies against Bahig or Matruh antigen in sera of quarter-year-old birds and a short-tailed weasel. According to these findings, this is the first evidence of the occurrence of a Tete-group virus in Central Europe. An establishment of the cycle of a non-endemic tick-borne virus, which has before been introduced by a viremic migratory bird or by an infectious tick blood-feeding on a migratory bird, seems to be very unlikely