The modified Manchester Fothergill procedure compared with vaginal hysterectomy with low uterosacral ligament suspension in patients with pelvic organ prolapse: long-term outcome.

Introduction And Hypothesis: The objective of this study was to compare the long-term outcome between vaginal hysterectomy with low uterosacral ligament suspension (VH) and the modified Manchester Fothergill procedure (MF) as surgical treatment in patients with pelvic organ prolapse (POP). We hypothesize that MF is non-inferior to VH in the long term.

Methods: In this single-center retrospective cohort study patients who underwent MF or VH for primary apical compartment prolapse between 2003 and 2009 were eligible for inclusion.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on alcohol-related emergency department visits in the Netherlands: The ALCOVID study.

Introduction: The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has a profound impact on society and healthcare utilisation. Some studies found that alcohol consumption increased. While declines in non-COVID emergency department (ED) visits have been observed worldwide, little is known about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the number of alcohol-related ED visits.

Helminth parasites in black rats (Rattus rattus) and brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) from different environments in the Netherlands.

Background: Rattus norvegicus (brown rat) and Rattus rattus (black rat) are known carriers of bacteria, viruses, and parasites of zoonotic and veterinary importance. Moreover, rats may play a role in the transmission of muscle larvae of the zoonotic nematode Trichinella spiralis to farm animals. We aimed to study the intestinal and intramuscular helminths in wild rats from three different environments to assess the relevance of rats as carrier of zoonotic parasites for public health.

Bayesian estimation of diagnostic accuracy of a new bead-based antibody detection test to reveal Toxoplasma gondii infections in pig populations.

The success of a Toxoplasma gondii surveillance program in European pig production systems depends partly on the quality of the test to detect infection in the population. The test accuracy of a recently developed serological bead-based assay (BBA) was investigated earlier using sera from experimentally infected animals. In this study, the accuracy of the BBA was determined by the use of sera from animals from two field subpopulations.

Risk factors and monitoring for water quality to determine best management practices for splash parks.

Splash parks have been associated with infectious disease outbreaks as a result of exposure to poor water quality. To be able to protect public health, risk factors were identified that determine poor water quality. Samples were taken at seven splash parks where operators were willing to participate in the study.

Health risk assessment for splash parks that use rainwater as source water.

In the Netherlands, rainwater becomes more and more popular as an economic and environmentally sustainable water source for splash parks, however, the associated public health risk and underlying risk factors are unknown. Since splash parks have been associated with outbreaks of infectious diseases, a quantitative microbial risk assessment was performed using Legionella pneumophila as a target pathogen to quantify the risk of infection for exposure due to inhalation and Campylobacter jejuni for ingestion. Data for L.

Human exposure to endotoxins and fecal indicators originating from water features.

Exposure to contaminated aerosols and water originating from water features may pose public health risks. Endotoxins in air and water and fecal bacteria in water of water features were measured as markers for exposure to microbial cell debris and enteric pathogens, respectively. Information was collected about wind direction, wind force, distance to the water feature, the height of the water feature and the tangibility of water spray.

Quantitative assessment of infection risk from exposure to waterborne pathogens in urban floodwater.

Flooding and heavy rainfall have been associated with waterborne infectious disease outbreaks, however, it is unclear to which extent they pose a risk for public health. Here, risks of infection from exposure to urban floodwater were assessed using quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA). To that aim, urban floodwaters were sampled in the Netherlands during 23 events in 2011 and 2012.

Veterinary and public health aspects of Toxocara spp.

Pet dogs and cats can play an important role in the transmission of zoonotic nematodes such as Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati, by excreting eggs directly into the human environment, without the involvement of vectors or intermediate hosts. Human toxocarosis remains a hazard despite the availability of highly effective anthelmintics for dogs and cats. A good understanding of the biology and epidemiology of these parasites, and the risk factors that lead to their transmission to humans is required for effective prevention strategies.

[Is being licked by dogs not dirty?].

Being licked by pet dogs is frequently a common advice in articles for the uninitiated. An overview is given about the special antibacterial and wound healing properties of human and canine saliva. New developments in the human area are presumably assigned to dog saliva.

A novel bead-based assay to detect specific antibody responses against Toxoplasma gondii and Trichinella spiralis simultaneously in sera of experimentally infected swine.

Background: A novel, bead-based flow cytometric assay was developed for simultaneous determination of antibody responses against Toxoplasma gondii and Trichinella spiralis in pig serum. This high throughput screening assay could be an alternative for well known indirect tests like ELISA. One of the advantages of a bead-based assay over ELISA is the possibility to determine multiple specific antibody responses per single sample run facilitated by a series of antigens coupled to identifiable bead-levels.

Specific serum antibody responses following a Toxoplasma gondii and Trichinella spiralis co-infection in swine.

The aim of this study was to examine the dynamics of parasite specific antibody development in Trichinella spiralis and Toxoplasma gondii co-infections in pigs and to compare these with antibody dynamics in T. spiralis and T. gondii single infections.

Role of pet dogs and cats in the transmission of helminthic zoonoses in Europe, with a focus on echinococcosis and toxocarosis.

The close emotional tie between people and companion animals is a beneficial relation known as the human-animal bond. However, pet dogs and cats can play an important role in the transmission of helminthic zoonotic agents such as the tapeworms Echinococcus and the roundworms Toxocara which are directly transmitted from pets to the human environment without the involvement of vectors or intermediate hosts. In humans, echinococcosis has emerged in Europe and toxocarosis is still persisting in large endemic areas despite the availability of highly efficient anthelminthics for dogs and cats.

Integrating the issues of global and public health into the veterinary education curriculum: a European perspective.

Veterinary public health is an essential field in public health activities, based upon veterinary skills, knowledge and resources and which aims to protect and improve human health and welfare. This discipline has evolved through three stages, beginning with the fight against animal diseases, moving on to include meat inspection and control of zoonoses and now encompassing a much broader health sciences education, with the goal of guaranteeing a safe and wholesome food supply, protecting human wellbeing and conserving the environment. Within the veterinary medicine curriculum, veterinary public health has undergone a similar development.

[Burying family pets: legislation, risks, and recommendations].

At one point or other all pet owners are confronted with the death of their pet. To safeguard public health and to prevent the transmission of disease, there are regulations concerning the burial of family pets. This article focuses on relevant regulations and potential risks and provides recommendations for the burial of family pets.

Quantification of horizontal transmission of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis bacteria in pair-housed groups of laying hens.

An important source of human salmonellosis is the consumption of table eggs contaminated with Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis. Optimization of the various surveillance programs currently implemented to reduce human exposure requires knowledge of the dynamics of S. Enteritidis infection within flocks.

Prevalence of antibodies against Ascaris suum and its association with allergic manifestations in 4-year-old children in The Netherlands: the PIAMA birth cohort study.

The association between helminth infections and childhood atopic diseases remains controversial. The majority of studies have been carried out in tropical areas, whereas less information is available from western countries with low intensity of helminth infections. In the Netherlands, the infection of pigs with Ascaris suum is very common, particularly on pig farms with outdoor facilities.

Zoonotic parasites in fecal samples and fur from dogs and cats in The Netherlands.

Pets may carry zoonotic pathogens for which owners are at risk. The aim of the study is to investigate whether healthy pets harbour zoonotic parasitic infections and to make an inventory of the interactions between pet-owners and their companion animals in The Netherlands. Fecal and hair samples were collected from healthy household dogs and cats in Dutch veterinary practices.