We describe the investigations and management of a Cryptosporidium parvum outbreak of linked to consumption of pasteurised milk from a vending machine. Multiple locus variable number of tandem repeats analysis was newly used, confirming that C. parvum detected in human cases was indistinguishable from that in a calf on the farm. This strengthened the evidence for milk from an on-farm vending machine as the source of the outbreak because of post-pasteurisation contamination. Bacteriological indicators of post-pasteurisation contamination persisted after the initial hygiene improvement notice. We propose that on-farm milk vending machines may represent an emerging public health risk.

Few studies have focussed on the health and immunity of triploid Atlantic salmon and therefore much is still unknown about their response to commercially significant pathogens. This is important if triploid stocks are to be considered for full-scale commercial production. This study aimed to investigate and compare the response of triploid and diploid Atlantic salmon to an experimental challenge with Neoparamoeba perurans, causative agent of amoebic gill disease (AGD). This disease is economically significant for the aquaculture industry. The results indicated that ploidy had no significant effect on gross gill score or gill filaments affected, while infection and time had significant effects. Ploidy, infection and time did not affect complement or anti-protease activities. Ploidy had a significant effect on lysozyme activity at 21 days post-infection (while infection and time did not), although activity was within the ranges previously recorded for salmonids. Stock did not significantly affect any of the parameters measured. Based on the study results, it can be suggested that ploidy does not affect the manifestation or severity of AGD pathology or the serum innate immune response. Additionally, the serum immune response of diploid and triploid Atlantic salmon may not be significantly affected by amoebic gill disease.

Morphologic and stratigraphic evidence shows that a late-glacial ice cap existed on part of the Eastern Cordillera of Ecuador (Lat. 0° 20′ S) on ground with a mean elevation of 4200 m where none exists now. An outlet glacier from an ca. 800 km2ice cap terminated at 3850 m altitude in the Papallacta valley on the eastern side of the plateau. Radiocarbon dates show that moraines formed by this advance were ice-free by 13,20014C yr B.P. Tephras and the age of organic deposits at the plateau edge indicate ice-free conditions before 11,80014C yr B.P. This interval was followed by the expansion of an ca. 140 km2ice cap that discharged glaciers into adjacent valleys where terminal moraines were built at 3950 m altitude. AMS and conventional radiocarbon dates from macrofossils, peat, and gyttja above and below till of the readvance indicate that the ice cap formed between ca. 11,000 and 10,00014C yr B.P. and was thus coeval with the European Younger Dryas event. The ice cap developed in response to a surface temperature cooling of at least 3°C in the tropical Andes, a finding that is consistent with a coupled equatorial/high latitude North Atlantic climate system operating at the late-glacial/Holocene transition. These results are further evidence that Younger Dryas cooling may have been a global event.

During platyhelminth infection, a cocktail of proteins is released by the parasite to aid invasion, initiate feeding, facilitate adaptation and mediate modulation of the host immune response. Included amongst these proteins is the Venom Allergen-Like (VAL) family, part of the larger sperm coating protein/Tpx-1/Ag5/PR-1/Sc7 (SCP/TAPS) superfamily. To explore the significance of this protein family during Platyhelminthes development and host interactions, we systematically summarize all published proteomic, genomic and immunological investigations of the VAL protein family to date. By conducting new genomic and transcriptomic interrogations to identify over 200 VAL proteins (228) from species in all 4 traditional taxonomic classes (Trematoda, Cestoda, Monogenea and Turbellaria), we further expand our knowledge related to platyhelminth VAL diversity across the phylum. Subsequent phylogenetic and tertiary structural analyses reveal several class-specific VAL features, which likely indicate a range of roles mediated by this protein family. Our comprehensive analysis of platyhelminth VALs represents a unifying synopsis for understanding diversity within this protein family and a firm context in which to initiate future functional characterization of these enigmatic members.

Within Europe, Ireland has one of the highest reported infection rates with the diarrhoeal protozoan pathogen Cryptosporidium. In this study 249 Cryptosporidium parvum isolates collected from Irish patients between 2000 and 2009 were subtyped by sequence analysis of the GP60 locus. A subsample of 127 isolates was also typed at the MS1 and ML1 loci. GP60 subtype IIaA18G3R1 was the predominant subtype in every year and every season throughout the country. Over the 10-year period there was no evidence that host immunity to the predominant subtype caused a shift in its prevalence. Length frequency distributions of the GP60 TCA/TCG repeats compiled from published data, showed distinct patterns for countries with predominantly zoonotic or anthroponotic transmission cycles, respectively. Although considered to be mostly affected by zoonotic cryptosporidiosis, the GP60 fragment length of Irish C. parvum isolates mirrored that of countries with predominantly human-to-human transmission, indicating more complex routes of infection between livestock and humans. Due to their homogeneity, ML1 and MS1 were not considered useful loci for subtyping C. parvum strains in Ireland.

In order to monitor epidemiological trends, Cryptosporidium-positive samples (n=4509) from diarrhoeic patients were typed. Compared to the previous 4 years, the proportion of Cryptosporidium hominis cases in 2004–2006 increased to 57·3%, while 38·5% were C. parvum. The remaining 4·2% cases included mixed C. parvum and C. hominis infections, C. meleagridis, C. felis, C. ubiquitum and a novel genotype. When the typing results were combined with enhanced surveillance data to monitor risk exposures, C. hominis was linked to urban dwelling, previous diarrhoea in the household, any travel especially abroad, and using a swimming or paddling pool. C. parvum was linked to having a private water supply, contact with surface water, visiting or living on a farm, and contact with farm animal faeces. The proportion of laboratory-confirmed indigenous cases acquired from direct contact with farm animals was estimated to be 25% for C. parvum and 10% of all reported Cryptosporidium cases.

The history of the Zambesian territories now known as “Rhodesia” is extremely meagre. Of the country prior to the advent of the Matabele in 1838, little is known, except from the few records, chiefly Portuguese, that have been preserved. It should be mentioned, however, that an interesting link between the Sofala and the Zimbabwi ruins near Victoria exists in certain gold tacks or rivets, possibly used in the manufacture of gold ornaments, which have been found in both these places, while we believe that at intervals along a route to the coast, ruins of towers have been found, that in all probability have been used as stations on the way.

1. Ruminal ammonia concentrations were measured in sheep receiving basal diets of hay and meals with various supplementary sources of protein. Ammonia production from groundnut meal was great and from maize products slight. Herring meal behaved in an intermediate way.

2. The extent of ammonia production from a given amount of protein-rich material was decreased when the amount of starch or cereal meal fed at the same time was increased.

Free amino·N estimations were used to monitor the movement of free amino acids in blood passing through the hindquarters of sheep and growing pigs. The net uptakeor release of free amino·N was calculated from arterio-venous differences in the concentration of free amino·N measured in whole blood and plasma at short intervals of time.

In both species the net change was an apparent release of free amino·N into venous blood. The release increased on fasting. Net uptake of free amino·N from blood was occasionally found at single sampling times due to loss from the cell compartment in sheep and from the plasma compartment in pigs. The uptake measured in whole blood was always less than in a single compartment of blood. The greatest fluctuation in free amino·N concentration occurred in the cells of aorta blood.

It is concluded that both blood cells and plasma have independent roles in the net flux of free amino·N requiring determinations of amino acids in both whole blood and plasma to describe the exchange of blood free amino acids with tissue. A negative arteriovenous difference of free amino·N in blood across skeletal muscle is normal for healthy well-fed animals. Fasting increases the negativity.

Free amino -N estimations were used to monitor the movement of amino acids in the vascular system of sheep. The net uptake of free amino-N by portal drained viscera was measured in whole blood and compared with the net gain in the plasma flow.

In normally fed sheep eating dried grass, lucerne or silage the net gain of free amino -N in the plasma of portal blood contributed less than 80% to the total uptake in whole blood. When the protein component of the diet was added into the abomasum (casein supplement to a low nitrogen basal ration) the plasma contribution to the net gain in portal blood averaged 95%.

The results suggest that the cells as well as the plasma are involved in the transport of amino acids in blood and that in ruminants all amino acids have to be measured in blood for a quantitative calculation of the absorption from portal drained viscera.

Free radicals and reactive species produced in vivo can trigger cell damage and DNA modifications resulting in carcinogenesis. Dietary antioxidants trap these species limiting their damage. The present study evaluated the role of vitamins C and E in the prevention of potentially premalignant modifications to DNA in the human stomach by supplementing patients who, because of hypochlorhydria and possible depletion of gastric antioxidants, could be at increased risk of gastric cancer. Patients undergoing surveillance for Barrett's oesophagus (n 100), on long-term proton pump inhibitors were randomized into two groups: vitamin C (500 mg twice/d) and vitamin E (100 mg twice/d) for 12 weeks (the supplemented group) or placebo. Those attending for subsequent endoscopy had gastric juice, plasma and mucosal measurements of vitamin levels and markers of DNA damage. Seventy-two patients completed the study. Plasma ascorbic acid, total vitamin C and vitamin E were elevated in the supplemented group consistent with compliance. Gastric juice ascorbic acid and total vitamin C levels were raised significantly in the supplemented group (P=0·01) but supplementation had no effect on the mucosal level of this vitamin. However, gastric juice ascorbic acid and total vitamin C were within normal ranges in the unsupplemented group. Mucosal malondialdehyde, chemiluminescence and DNA damage levels in the comet assay were unaffected by vitamin supplementation. In conclusion, supplementation does not affect DNA damage in this group of patients. This is probably because long-term inhibition of the gastric proton pump alone does not affect gastric juice ascorbate and therefore does not increase the theoretical risk of gastric cancer because of antioxidant depletion.

The accurate prediction of the food intake of cows is a necessary step in the formulation of dairy rations because the formulation to meet requirements will depend on the level of intake. Intake may change as lactation progresses. The way in which intake changes with stage of lactation on foods of different composition is therefore central to intake prediction systems. However, in the vast majority of existing experiments, the influence of stage of lactation on intake is confounded with changes in either the allocation of the ration or the composition of the diet. The results reported here are from the first part of an experiment which was carried out to provide, for the first time, intake data for dairy cows throughout lactation where diet composition remains constant.

A 24 year old man with established Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome (GTS)and schizophrenia of recent onset is described. Other comorbid reports of schizophrenia and GTS are reviewed showing this association to be rare, with only nine previous reported cases. GTS and schizophrenia have many phenomenological similarities and a link has been considered between the two disorders but never clearly established. Reasons for the lack of an association where one might be expected are considered. Possibilities include under reporting or misdiagnosis of GTS or the possible masking of psychotic symptoms by treatment of the GTS.

In two experiments cows with access to self-feed grass silage were offered concentrates either twice daily in the milking parlour at a fixed level (controls) or in addition given free-access to a concentrate dispenser sited in the self-feed area (dispenser). A time-lapse mechanism on the dispenser limited successive 1 kg feeds to a minimum of 10 min in experiment 1 and 5 min in experiment 2. The ‘dispenser’ cows had significantly greater total concentrate intakes than had the controls (10·4 v. 7·1 kg/day in experiment 1, 13·4 v. 7·3 kg/day in experiment 2), but there was a large variation in intake between individuals. Access to the dispenser increased milk yields only slightly, reduced milk fat concentration and increased milk protein concentration and live-weight gain. Following turnout to grass in the spring, there was evidence that the cows that had been on the dispenser treatment showed a faster rate of decline in milk yield than did the controls, and this was supported by lower lactation yields in the dispenser group.