Exposure of Asian Elephants and Other Exotic Ungulates to Schmallenberg Virus.

Schmallenberg virus (SBV) is an emerging Orthobunyavirus, first described in 2011 in cattle in Germany and subsequently spread throughout Europe, affecting mainly ruminant livestock through the induction of foetal malformations. To gain a better understanding of the spectrum of susceptible species and to assess the value of current SBV serological assays, screening of serum samples from exotic artiodactyls and perissodactyls collected at the Living Collections from the Zoological Society of London (Whipsnade and London Zoos) and Chester Zoo was carried out. There was compelling evidence of SBV infection in both zoological collections.

Detection of Schmallenberg virus serum neutralising antibodies.

Schmallenberg virus (SBV) emerged in continental Europe in late 2011, and further work is required to assess the prevalence of SBV throughout Europe. Since its detection in Germany, SBV has now been detected in other European countries, including the United Kingdom. Infection with SBV can cause mild clinical signs in ruminants, including diarrhoea and reduced milk yield.

Atherothrombotic risk factors & premature coronary heart disease in India: a case-control study.

Background & Objectives: It was hypothesized that both thrombogenic and atherogenic factors may be responsible for premature coronary heart disease (CHD) in young Indians. A case-control study was performed to determine cardiovascular risk factors in young patients with CHD in India.

Methods: Successive consenting patients <55 yr with an acute coronary event or recent diagnosis of CHD were enrolled (cases, n=165).

Characterisation of virus-specific peripheral blood cell cytokine responses following vaccination or infection with classical swine fever viruses.

Existing live attenuated classical swine fever virus (CSFV) vaccines provide a rapid onset of complete protection but pose problems in discriminating infected amongst vaccinated animals. With a view to providing additional information on the cellular mechanisms that may contribute to protection, which in turn may aid the development of the next generation of CSFV vaccines, we explored the kinetics of the cytokine responses from peripheral blood cells of pigs vaccinated with an attenuated C-strain vaccine strain and/or infected with a recent CSFV isolate. Peripheral blood cells were isolated over the course of vaccination/infection and stimulated in vitro with C-strain or UK2000/7.