Comparative assay of fluorescent antibody test results among twelve European National Reference Laboratories using various anti-rabies conjugates.

Twelve National Reference Laboratories (NRLs) for rabies have undertaken a comparative assay to assess the comparison of fluorescent antibody test (FAT) results using five coded commercial anti-rabies conjugates (Biorad, Bioveta, Fujirebio, Millipore, and SIFIN conjugates). Homogenized positive brain tissues infected with various lyssavirus species as well as negative samples were analyzed blindly using a standardized FAT procedure. Conjugates B, C, D, and E were found to be significantly more effective than conjugate A for GS7 (French RABV) diluted samples (1/8 and 1/100) while the frequency of concordant results of conjugates C and D differ significantly from conjugates A, B and E for CVS 27.

Analysis of vaccine-virus-associated rabies cases in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) after oral rabies vaccination campaigns in Germany and Austria.

To eradicate rabies in foxes, almost 97 million oral rabies vaccine baits have been distributed in Germany and Austria since 1983 and 1986, respectively. Since 2007, no terrestrial cases have been reported in either country. The most widely used oral rabies vaccine viruses in these countries were SAD (Street Alabama Dufferin) strains, e.

Subclinical infection with avian influenza A (H5N1) virus in cats.

Avian influenza A virus subtype H5N1 was transmitted to domestic cats by close contact with infected birds. Virus-specific nucleic acids were detected in pharyngeal swabs from 3 of 40 randomly sampled cats from a group of 194 animals (day 8 after contact with an infected swan). All cats were transferred to a quarantine station and monitored for clinical signs, virus shedding, and antibody production until day 50.

Incidence of hip dysplasia in idiopathic clubfoot.

There is reported to be no increased risk for developmental dysplasia of the hip in children with idiopathic clubfoot. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of radiographic hip dysplasia in infants with idiopathic clubfoot. Fifty-one children with idiopathic clubfoot who underwent surgical release by a single surgeon had anterior-posterior pelvis radiographs obtained at 4 or more months of age to screen for developmental dysplasia of the hip.

Molecular epidemiology of rabies viruses in Europe.

Several different strains of classical rabies virus co-circulate in Europe. In order to investigate the roles of the host species and topography on the molecular epidemiology of these viruses, a 400 bp region of the nucleoprotein gene was sequenced and compared with more than 500 European virus isolates. Viruses from 21 European countries were represented including some unique panels of archived isolates from the former Republic of Yugoslavia, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Poland and Austria.