The Effects of Post-Operative Analgesics on Ovarian Surface Angiogenesis After Transplantation of Young Ovaries Into Aged Mice

The formation of new blood vessels from pre-existing vasculature, termed angiogenesis, is essential for tissue viability and continuous organ function after murine ovary allotransplantation. Interference with the process of angiogenesis can result in cellular injury and tissue necrosis in the transplanted ovarian tissue. Although recommended, the use of analgesics for post-operative pain management has been shown to alter angiogenesis and could negatively affect transplanted ovarian tissue viability. The present study evaluated the effects of two analgesics, the opiate buprenorphine and the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug meloxicam, on superficial ovarian vessel formation after the transplantation of young ovaries into aged mice. One-Way ANOVA evaluation indicated a significant increase in total surface vessel number (p= 0.001) and total number of vessel branches (p= 0.027) in meloxicam-treated mice when compared to the saline control or buprenorphine-treated mice. Additionally, the meloxicam-treated mice showed a significantly greater concentration of vessels at an ovary surface depth of approximately 90 μm (p\u3c 0.001) when compared to both saline control and buprenorphine-treated mice. These results suggest that meloxicam is a post-operative analgesic that could be used after ovary allotransplantation to limit disruptions in angiogenesis and to maximize vessel formation to establish successful ovary function

Concomitant Tickborne Encephalitis and Human Granulocytic Ehrlichiosis

We report a patient with febrile illness and epidemiologic and clinical findings consistent with human granulocytic ehrlichiosis and tickborne encephalitis, in whom infection with Anaplasma phagocytophilum was demonstrated by polymerase chain reaction and seroconversion. Tickborne encephalitis virus infection was established by serum immunoglobulin (Ig) M and IgG antibodies

Okužba s citomegalovirusom v nosečnosti

Citomegalovirus (CMV) je najpogostejši virusni vzrok okužbe ploda v maternici. Virus je nevrotropen, zato povzroča predvsem nevrološke zaplete. Je najpogostejši negenetski vzrok senzorinevralne naglušnosti, nevroloških nepravilnosti in umske zaostalosti, hkrati je vzrok tudi za nedonošenost, smrt ploda v maternici in umrljivost novorojenčkov. Okužbo s CMV potrjujemo z dokazom za CMV specifičnih protiteles IgM in IgG. Prisotnost virusa dokazujemo s PCR. Za časovno opredelitev okužbe s CMV določamo avidnost protiteles IgG. Prirojena okužba je posledica viremije ob primarni ali sekundarni okužbi nosečnice. Ob znotrajmaternični okužbi so lahko prisotni značilni ultrazvočni znaki. Prenatalna diagnoza prirojene okužbe s CMV se postavi z amniocentezo. Simptome ob rojstvu ima do 15 % otrok mater s potrjeno okužbo v nosečnosti. Pri novorojenčkih s simptomi pride v 40–60 % do trajnih posledic, od katerih je najpogostejša senzorinevralna naglušnost. Svetovanje nosečnici s primarno okužbo s CMV je težavno, saj po doslej razpoložljivih podatkih in izsledkih raziskav izida za plod še ne znamo natančno napovedati. Ocene resnosti okužbe in možnih posledic temeljijo predvsem na časovni opredelitvi okužbe nosečnice, prisotnosti in vrsti nepravilnosti pri plodu in laboratorijskih parametrih. Rutinsko zdravljenje nosečnic s potrjeno okužbo s CMV z virostatikom valaciklovirjem ali s hiperimunimi globulini se zaradi pomanjkanja zadostnih dokazov o učinkovitosti ne priporoča. Vse nosečnice bi morale biti seznanjene o nevarnostih okužbe s CMV in preventivnih ukrepih za zaščito pred okužbo s CMV v nosečnosti. Pregledni članek povzema znana dejstva glede presejanja, diagnosticiranja in zdravljenja okužbe s CMV v nosečnosti z navajanjem najnovejših spoznanj in dokazov ter predstavlja prilagoditev tujih priporočil za dobro klinično prakso v Sloveniji

Viral Load as Predictor of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Outcome

We used quantitative real-time reverse transcription–PCR to measure viral load in serum from 24 patients in Kosovo who had acute Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever. Viral load correlated with clinical disease and antibodies and could be used as a predictor of disease outcome

The complete genome sequence of a Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever virus isolated from an endemic region in Kosovo

The Balkan region and Kosovo in particular, is a well-known Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) endemic region, with frequent epidemic outbreaks and sporadic cases occurring with a hospitalized case fatality of approximately 30%. Recent analysis of complete genome sequences of diverse CCHF virus strains showed that the genome plasticity of the virus is surprisingly high for an arthropod-borne virus. High levels of nucleotide and amino acid differences, frequent RNA segment reassortment and even RNA recombination have been recently described. This diversity illustrates the need to determine the complete genome sequence of CCHF virus representatives of all geographically distinct endemic areas, particularly in light of the high pathogenicity of the virus and its listing as a potential bioterrorism threat. Here we describe the first complete CCHF virus genome sequence of a virus (strain Kosova Hoti) isolated from a hemorrhagic fever case in the Balkans. This virus strain was isolated from a fatal CCHF case, and passaged only twice on Vero E6 cells prior to sequence analysis. The virus total genome was found to be 19.2 kb in length, consisting of a 1672 nucleotide (nt) S segment, a 5364 nt M segment and a 12150 nt L segment. Phylogenetic analysis of CCHF virus complete genomes placed the Kosova Hoti strain in the Europe/Turkey group, with highest similarity seen with Russian isolates. The virus M segments are the most diverse with up to 31 and 27% differences seen at the nt and amino acid levels, and even 1.9% amino acid difference found between the Kosova Hoti and another strain from Kosovo (9553-01). This suggests that distinct virus strains can coexist in highly endemic areas

Anaplasma phagocytophilum Infection in Ixodes ricinus, Bavaria, Germany

Anaplasma phagocytophilum DNA was detected by real-time PCR, which targeted the msp2 gene, in 2.9% of questing Ixodes ricinus ticks (adults and nymphs; n = 2,862), collected systematically from selected locations in Bavaria, Germany, in 2006. Prevalence was significantly higher in urban public parks in Munich than in natural forests