Does limited virucidal activity of biocides include duck hepatitis B virucidal action?

BACKGROUND: There is agreement that the infectivity assay with the duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV) is a suitable surrogate test to validate disinfectants for hepatitis B virucidal activity. However, since this test is not widely used, information is necessary whether disinfectants with limited virucidal activity also inactivate DHBV. In general, disinfectants with limited virucidal activity are used for skin and sensitive surfaces while agents with full activity are more aggressive. The present study compares the activity of five different biocides against DHBV and the classical test virus for limited virucidal activity, the vaccinia virus strain Lister Elstree (VACV) or the modified vaccinia Ankara strain (MVA). METHODS: Virucidal assay was performed as suspension test according to the German DVV/RKI guideline. Duck hepatitis B virus obtained from congenitally infected Peking ducks was propagated in primary duck embryonic hepatocytes and was detected by indirect immunofluorescent antigen staining. RESULTS: The DHBV was inactivated by the use of 40% ethanol within 1-min and 30% isopropanol within 2-min exposure. In comparison, 40% ethanol within 2-min and 40% isopropanol within 1-min exposure were effective against VACV/MVA. These alcohols only have limited virucidal activity, while the following agents have full activity. 0.01% peracetic acid inactivated DHBV within 2 min and a concentration of 0.005% had virucidal efficacy against VACV/MVA within 1 min. After 2-min exposure, 0.05% glutardialdehyde showed a comparable activity against DHBV and VACV/MVA. This is also the case for 0.7% formaldehyde after a contact time of 30 min. CONCLUSIONS: Duck hepatitis B virus is at least as sensitive to limited virucidal activity as VACV/MVA. Peracetic acid is less effective against DHBV, while the alcohols are less effective against VACV/MVA. It can be expected that in absence of more direct tests the results may be extrapolated to HBV

Varicella Outbreak in an Indian Couple Living in Germany Caused by VZV Clade VI Acquired during a Trip to The Netherlands

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV), the cause of varicella and zoster, is divided into five major clades and four provisional clades, the latter of which have been rarely reported worldwide to date. We present a varicella outbreak by the provisional clade VI within an Indian couple in Germany returning from a trip to Amsterdam. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of varicella by the VZV clade VI described in Germany, but the disease was acquired in The Netherlands

Fragile antiferromagnetism in the heavy-fermion compound YbBiPt

We report results from neutron scattering experiments on single crystals of YbBiPt that demonstrate antiferromagnetic order characterized by a propagation vector, $\tau_{\rm{AFM}}$ = ($\frac{1}{2} \frac{1}{2} \frac{1}{2}$), and ordered moments that align along the [1 1 1] direction of the cubic unit cell. We describe the scattering in terms of a two-Gaussian peak fit, which consists of a narrower component that appears below $T_{\rm{N}}~\approx 0.4$ K and corresponds to a magnetic correlation length of $\xi_{\rm{n}} \approx$ 80 $\rm{\AA}$, and a broad component that persists up to $T^*\approx$ 0.7 K and corresponds to antiferromagnetic correlations extending over $\xi_{\rm{b}} \approx$ 20 $\rm{\AA}$. Our results illustrate the fragile magnetic order present in YbBiPt and provide a path forward for microscopic investigations of the ground states and fluctuations associated with the purported quantum critical point in this heavy-fermion compound.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Recommendation for post-exposure prophylaxis after potential exposure to herpes b virus in Germany

Although the risk of a herpes B virus (Cercopithecine herpes virus 1) infection is low, the clinical course of the infectious disease is generally unfavourable. A high safety standard can be achieved if people with professional contact to primates apply proper organisational, technical and personal safety precautions. The risk can be considerably reduced if animal keepers, laboratory assistants and scientists receive adequate information about the pathology of herpes B virus and are well trained in the necessary procedures and the precautions. For this reason, comprehensive and regular training, information and instruction must be provided to all primate workers and to laboratory workers who come into contact with potentially infectious material. After potential contamination, the risk for the affected worker must be assessed immediately and post-exposure chemoprophylaxis performed if necessary. This necessitates internal risk assessment. An interdisciplinary group of experts has developed an action plan for Germany

Distribution of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) wild-type genotypes in northern and southern Europe: Evidence for high conservation of circulating genotypes

AbstractPhylogenetic analysis of 19 complete VZV genomic sequences resolves wild-type strains into 5 genotypes (E1, E2, J, M1, and M2). Complete sequences for M3 and M4 strains are unavailable, but targeted analyses of representative strains suggest they are stable, circulating VZV genotypes. Sequence analysis of VZV isolates identified both shared and specific markers for every genotype and validated a unified VZV genotyping strategy. Despite high genotype diversity no evidence for intra-genotypic recombination was observed. Five of seven VZV genotypes were reliably discriminated using only four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) present in ORF22, and the E1 and E2 genotypes were resolved using SNP located in ORF21, ORF22 or ORF50. Sequence analysis of 342 clinical varicella and zoster specimens from 18 European countries identified the following distribution of VZV genotypes: E1, 221 (65%); E2, 87 (25%); M1, 20 (6%); M2, 3 (1%); M4, 11 (3%). No M3 or J strains were observed

Magnetic field effects on the fragile antiferromagnetism in YbBiPt

We present neutron diffraction data for the cubic heavy fermion YbBiPt that show broad magnetic diffraction peaks due to the fragile short range antiferromagnetic AFM order persist under an applied magnetic field H. Our results for H amp; 8869; [ 1 1 0] and a temperature of T 0.14 1 K show that the 1 2, 1 2, 3 2 magnetic diffraction peak can be described by the same two peak line shape found for amp; 956;0H 0 T below the N el temperature of TN 0.4K. Both components of the peak exist for amp; 956;0H lt; 1.4 T, which is well past the AFM phase boundary determined from our new resistivity data. Using neutron diffraction data taken at T 0.13 2 K for H [0 0 1] or [1 1 0], we show that domains of short range AFM order change size throughout the previously determined AFM and non Fermi liquid regions of the phase diagram, and that the appearance of a magnetic diffraction peak at 1 2, 1 2, 1 2 at amp; 956;0H amp; 8776; 0.4 T signals canting of the ordered magnetic moment away from [1 1 1]. The continued broadness of the magnetic diffraction peaks under a magnetic field and their persistence across the AFM phase boundary established by detailed transport and thermodynamic experiments present an interesting quandary concerning the nature of YbBiPt s electronic ground stat

Varicella-zoster virus seroprevalence in children and adolescents in the pre-varicella vaccine era, Germany

Background: In 2004, universal childhood varicella vaccination was introduced in Germany. We aimed to determine the age-specific prevalence of anti-varicella zoster virus (VZV) IgG-antibodies among children in the pre-varicella vaccine era in Germany, to identify factors associated with VZV seropositivity, and to assess the suitability of a commercially available ELISA for VZV seroepidemiological studies by comparing it with an in-house fluorescent antibody to membrane antigen test (FAMA) as the gold standard. Methods: Serum samples of 13,433 children and adolescents aged 1–17 years included in the population-based German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS; conducted 2003–2006) were tested for anti-VZV IgG by ELISA. All samples with equivocal ELISA results and a random selection of ELISA-negative and -positive samples were tested by FAMA. Statistical analyses were conducted using a weighting factor adjusting the study population to the total population in Germany. Seroprevalences were calculated as percentages (%) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Odds ratios (OR) were computed by multivariate logistic regression to determine the association between socio-demographic factors and VZV seropositivity. Results: The VZV seropositivity rate was 80.3% (95% CI: 79.3–81.3) in varicella-unvaccinated children and adolescents. VZV seropositivity rates differed significantly between age groups up to age 6 years, but not by gender. Of 118 retested serum samples with an equivocal ELISA result, 45.8% were FAMA-positive. The proportion of samples tested as false-negative in by ELISA varied by age group: 2.6% in children aged 1–6 and 9% in children aged 7–17 years. Multivariate analyses showed that age, having older siblings, and early daycare start were associated with seropositivity in preschoolers; migration background reduced the chance of VZV seropositivity in schoolchildren (OR: 0.65; 0.43–0.99) and adolescents (OR: 0.62; 0.4–0.97). Conclusion: In the pre-varicella vaccine era, most children in Germany contracted varicella by age six. Schoolchildren with a migration background and children without siblings have an increased risk of being VZV seronegative and should be targeted for catch-up vaccination, if they have no history of chickenpox. ELISAs are suitable for use in population-level serosurveys on VZV, but samples with equivocal ELISA results should be retested by FAMA