in Canadian woodland caribou - Isolation, characterization and suitability for serological tests.

In the present study, we report the first isolation of from North America and the second of at all. The parasite was isolated directly from the skin of a Canadian woodland caribou from the migratory ecotype. The animal belonged to the Leaf River Herd, in Northern Quebec, Canada.

Identification of a fourth ancient member of the IL-3/IL-5/GM-CSF cytokine family, KK34, in many mammals.

The related cytokine genes IL-3, IL-5 and GM-CSF map to the (extended) TH2 cytokine locus of the mammalian genome. For chicken an additional related cytokine gene, KK34, was reported downstream of the IL-3 plus GM-CSF cluster, but hitherto it was believed that mammalian genomes lack this gene. However, the present study identifies an intact orthologue of chicken KK34 gene in many mammals like cattle and pig, while remnants of KK34 can be found in human and mouse.

Development of a multiplex real time PCR to differentiate Sarcocystis spp. affecting cattle.

Cattle are intermediate hosts of Sarcocystis cruzi, Sarcocystis hirsuta and Sarcocystis hominis which use canids, felids or primates as definitive hosts (DH), respectively, and in addition of Sarcocystis sinensis from which the DH is unknown. The aims of the present study were to develop and optimize a multiplex real time PCR for a sensitive and specific differentiation of Sarcocystis spp. affecting cattle and to estimate the prevalence of Sarcocystis spp.

Detection of European bat lyssavirus 2 (EBLV-2) in a Daubenton's bat (Myotis daubentonii) from Magdeburg, Germany.

In Europe bat rabies in Daubenton's bats (Myotisdaubentonii) and in Pond bats (Myotis dasycneme) caused by the European bat lyssavirus 2 (EBLV-2) has been confirmed in less than 20 cases to date. Here we report the second encounter of this virus species in Germany. A Daubenton's bat found grounded in the zoological garden in Magdeburg died shortly after.

Determination of serotypes of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli isolates by intact cell matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry.

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) isolates representing the serotypes O165:H25, O26:H11/H32, and O156:H25 were analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectra of whole cells, a procedure also known as intact cell mass spectrometry (ICMS or IC-MALDI MS) or MALDI-typing. We demonstrate that within the given species the three serotypes can be well discriminated by ICMS. Conditions for the construction of serotype-specific prototypic mass spectra were systematically optimized by filtering out masses that do not contribute to the discrimination of the serotypes.

Rapid microarray-based genotyping of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli serotype O156:H25/H-/Hnt isolates from cattle and clonal relationship analysis.

Since enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) isolates of serogroup O156 have been obtained from human diarrhea patients and asymptomatic carriers, we studied cattle as a potential reservoir for these bacteria. E. coli isolates serotyped by agglutination as O156:H25/H-/Hnt strains (n = 32) were isolated from three cattle farms during a period of 21 months and characterized by rapid microarray-based genotyping.

Genetic characterisation of attenuated SAD rabies virus strains used for oral vaccination of wildlife.

The elimination of rabies from the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in Western Europe has been achieved by the oral rabies vaccination (ORV) of wildlife with a range of attenuated rabies virus strains. With the exception of the vaccinia rabies glycoprotein recombinant vaccine (VRG), all strains were originally derived from a common ancestor; the Street Alabama Dufferin (SAD) field strain. However, after more than 30 years of ORV it is still not possible to distinguish these vaccine strains and there is little information on the genetic basis for their attenuation.