A comprehensive study on seroprevalence of bluetongue virus in Haryana state of India

Aim: The aim of present study was to determine seroprevalence of bluetongue virus (BTV) in Haryana state of India. Materials and Methods: A total of 803 serum samples, 408 of cattle and 395 of buffalo origin, respectively, were collected from different villages of Haryana. Sampling was done randomly to obtain unbiased results. The samples were evaluated by a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the presence of BTV antibodies. Results: Overall seroprevalence of BTV antibody in cattle and buffaloes for all 21 districts of Haryana state was found to be 75.49% and 92.91%, respectively. The prevalence of BTV in different agroclimatic zones ranged between 72-77% and 90-94% for cattle and buffalo, respectively. In buffaloes, the BTV seroprevalence was comparatively higher than in cattle. Conclusion: The study showed that BTV is circulating in cattle and buffalo populations in the Northern part of India

Geste antagoniste in dystonia: Demystifying the tricks

Sensory tricks, also known as “geste antagoniste” or “alleviating maneuvers,” refer to specific maneuvers that temporarily improve dystonic postures; this is often considered to be a hallmark of primary dystonia. Although classically described to be simple activities such as a gentle touch, they can be complex and multisensory, including tactile, proprioceptive, visual, auditory, and thermal stimuli or even imaginary tricks. To date, there is no concrete concept to explain the mechanisms by which geste antagoniste alleviate dystonia. The suggested mechanisms imply an increase in intracortical facilitation in dystonia, and balance between facilitation and inhibition is restored by the geste. This narrative review aims to provide a brief overview of geste antagoniste, covering the historical aspects, types of geste, known mechanisms, and implications

Concurrent infection of bluetongue and peste-des-petits-ruminants virus in small ruminants in Haryana State of India

Bluetongue (BT) and peste-des-petits-ruminants (PPR) are major transboundary diseases of small ruminant, which are endemic in India. Testing of bluetongue virus (BTV) and peste-des-petits-ruminants virus (PPRV) from recent outbreaks (2015–2016) in different regions of Haryana State of India revealed that 27.5% of the samples showed the presence of dual infection of BTV and PPRV. Analysis of Seg-2 of BTV (the serotype-determining protein) showed the presence of BTV-12w in several isolates. However, analysis of N gene fragment amplicons showed that viruses belong to lineage IV were most closely related to a pathogenic strain of PPRV from Delhi. This is the first report of co-circulation of PPRV lineage IV and bluetongue virus serotype 12 in the state