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We reviewed a 7-year series of brain MRI examinations to determine the frequency and clinical significance of superficial siderosis of the central nervous system (SS). SS was defined by widespread bilateral signal loss at the surfaces of the cerebral or cerebellar hemispheres, the brain stem and the spinal cord on T2-weighted images. Clinical data comprised a neurological examination of identified patients and a review of their case notes. Among 8843 consecutive studies we identified 13 (0.15%) patients with MRI evidence of SS. Only 2 had symptoms or signs characteristic of SS, such as cerebellar ataxia, hearing loss, myelopathy and dementia. Haemosiderin deposition was most widespread in both symptomatic individuals. A definite cause for SS was detected in 9 patients (69%). None of them had a full clinical picture of SS. These data indicate SS per se to be much more frequent than may be assumed from the literature. It appears to become symptomatic only with extensive amounts of widespread iron deposition which develop preferentially with cryptic or unidentified causes of bleeding.

Those patients who had changed to s.c. therapy were highly satisfied. However, others preferred to stay on i.v. treatment for different reasons. Perception of inconvenience, anxiety of side effects, but also personal traits may play a role.

Methods. We genotyped 149 patients with SS and 749 healthy controls, using polymerase chain reaction to test for the presence or absence of ILT6.Results. Homozygous ILT6 deficiency was detected in 8% of SS patients and in only 3% of controls.Conclusion. Our findings indicate that ILT6 deficiency may be a genetic risk factor for SS.

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A total of 120 mycoplasma strains were recovered from 97 of 265 diseased seals investigated during the seal epidemic in the North Sea and in the Baltic Sea in 1988. Mycoplasmas were isolated from the respiratory tracts (including lungs), hearts, brains, and eyes of the seals. Thirty strains were filter cloned and investigated for their morphological, biochemical, and serological characteristics compared with the characteristics of previously described species. The results of an indirect immunofluorescence test, a growth inhibition test, and an immunobinding assay showed that these strains belong to two new species, for which the names MycopZasrna phocarhinis and Mycoplasrna phocacerebrde are proposed. M. phocarhinis (17 strains) did not ferment glucose or hydrolyze arginine but did reduce tetrazolium chloride and potassium tellurite and produced films and spots. M. phocacerebrale (13 strains) metabolized arginine but not glucose and produced phosphatase but did not reduce tetrazolium chloride and potassium tellurite. Both species lysed sheep erythrocytes but did not absorb sheep or guinea pig erythrocytes. The type strain of M. phocarhinis is strain 852 (= ATCC 49639), and the type strain of M. phocacerebrate is strain 1049 (= ATCC 49640).In 1988 mass mortality spread among the harbor seals (Phoca vitulina L.) of the Baltic Sea and the North Sea.More than 18,000 seals died because of an acute disease characterized by pneumonia, skin lesions, diarrhoea, polyarthritis, nervous signs, and abortions in pregnant females (9,10,12,16,17,(19)(20)(21). In addition to several viruses (9,10, 19-21), mycoplasmas were isolated from a large number of the diseased seals (12). Altogether 122 mycoplasma strains were recovered from 265 diseased seals investigated.In this paper we report the isolation details of these strains, describe our taxonomic examination of 30 selected strains compared with previously described species of Mollicutes, and discuss our findings in relation to the requirements for description of new species. MATERIALS AND METHODS Seals.Investigations for mycoplasmas were performed on 265 seals found moribund or dead along the coasts of Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony (10,12,19). Organ materials from seals found dead were taken by M. Stede (Staatliches Veterinaruntersuchungsamt, Cuxhaven, Federal Republic of Germany). Samples from living animals were obtained from the Institute for Pathology, Tierarztliche Hochschule, Hannover, Federal Republic of Germany, where moribund seals were sacrificed for histological investigations, or from the seal orphanage at Norddeich, Federal Republic of Germany, where diseased seals were kept for treatment. Swabs were taken from noses, eyes, and throats of living animals. Samples of tracheae, lungs, hearts, livers, brains, kidneys, and spleens were obtained from dead or sacrificed animals.Cultivation of mycoplasmas. Homogenized organ materials and swabs were suspended in 2 ml of modified Friis medium (13). Portions (0.2 ml) of these suspensions were transferred to 2-ml portion...

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