Numerous quantitative PCR assays for microbial fecal source tracking (MST) have been developed and evaluated in recent years. Widespread application has been hindered by a lack of knowledge regarding the geographical stability and hence applicability of such methods beyond the regional level. This study assessed the performance of five previously reported quantitative PCR assays targeting human-, cattle-, or ruminant-associated Bacteroidetes populations on 280 human and animal fecal samples from 16 countries across six continents. The tested cattle-associated markers were shown to be ruminant-associated. The quantitative distributions of marker concentrations in target and nontarget samples proved to be essential for the assessment of assay performance and were used to establish a new metric for quantitative source-specificity. In general, this study demonstrates that stable target populations required for marker-based MST occur around the globe. Ruminant-associated marker concentrations were strongly correlated with total intestinal Bacteroidetes populations and with each other, indicating that the detected ruminant-associated populations seem to be part of the intestinal core microbiome of ruminants worldwide. Consequently tested ruminant-targeted assays appear to be suitable quantitative MST tools beyond the regional level while the targeted human-associated populations seem to be less prevalent and stable, suggesting potential for improvements in human-targeted methods.

To investigate the risk of sexual and intrafamilial transmission of HCV, 220 family members of 76 patients (index cases) with chronic type C viral liver disease were tested for serological markers of HCV. Of the family members, 129 were offspring, 64 sexual partners, 15 parents and 12 siblings of the index cases. Anti-HCV was tested in all the household contacts; HCV-RNA was tested in antibody positive samples. The serologic markers of HCV were tested in a control group of 168 family members of 81 patients with chronic hepatitis unrelated to HCV. The overall prevalence of anti-HCV was 8.2% compared to 0.6% in the control group (p < 0.001). Sexual partners were anti-HCV positive more frequently than the other contacts (20% vs 2.2%; p < 0.001), without any difference in males or females. No correlation was observed between the occurrence of HCV infection in contacts and age, severity of liver disease or risk factor for the acquisition of HCV in the index cases. Seven of the 18 (39%) anti-HCV positive family contacts had bio-chemical evidence of chronic liver disease, histologically confirmed in the 6 patients who underwent a liver biopsy. Liver chemistry was normal in all the HCV-negative contacts. Ten of the 18 anti-HCV positive contacts (55%) were HCV-RNA positive, Genotypes were the same (1b) in 4 of the 7 viremic couples of subjects: in 3 of the 6 couples of sexual partners and in the only mother/son couple. These data suggest the occurrence of intraspousal transmission of HCV, while intrafamiliar acquisition of HCV in non-sexual contacts seems to be rare.

Circulation of HEV in the northwest of Argentina was demonstrated for the first time, showing viral presence in environmental samples and infections in people who attended health care centres for routine control. These findings show that recreational waters are a possible source of virus and highlight the need to carry out HEV detection when a case of hepatitis occurs.

In recent years, several types of human adenovirus (HAdV) have arisen from the recombination between two or more previously known HAdV types, but their epidemiology is poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the circulation of HAdV-58, a recently described HAdV isolated from an HIV-positive patient in Córdoba city, Argentina. For this purpose, a 30-month survey was conducted to study the presence of this type of adenovirus in sewage samples collected at the inlet from a wastewater treatment plant in Córdoba city, Argentina. Complementarily, the virus was sought in stools of HIV-positive patients. Although HAdVs were detected in human stool samples and in a high percentage of sewage samples, no evidence of HAdV-58 circulation was detected. We suggest that there is no endemic circulation of HAdV-58 in the geographical local area. The trend is that the number of identified HAdVs increases over time. In this context, understanding the current circulating HAdVs may be biologically relevant.

The persistence and high frequency of infection detected by PCR with N22 primers in HIV-1 seropositive patients suggest that further clinical investigation of immunocompromised hosts will provide information to clarify the pathogenic role of TTV.

C entral axonopathies are uncommon in dogs. Several terms have been used to describe these diseases, such as axonopathy, leukomyelopathy, axonal degeneration, and neuroaxonal degeneration. [1][2][3][4][5][6] The majority of reported cases were breed-specific with peculiar clinical and pathological features seen in each breed. The association of central axonopathy and motor neuronal degeneration has not been reported. We report a progressive multisystem central axonopathy and motor neuronopathy in 3 Golden Retriever littermates with unique clinical and pathological features.Dog 1 was a 3-month-old female intact Golden Retriever dog referred to the Small Animal Clinic of the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) with a 6-week history of pelvic limb weakness. The owners noticed that the dog appeared smaller than the other littermates and that her pelvic limb musculature was underdeveloped. She had difficulty in getting up, and when resting in lateral recumbency had fine muscle tremors in the limb muscles. The clinical signs progressed to involve the thoracic limbs with generalized weakness observed 2 weeks before presentation.On physical examination, no other abnormalities were detected except for generalized muscle atrophy. On neurological examination, short-strided tetraparesis, with no evidence of proprioceptive ataxia, was observed. The postural reactions (proprioceptive positioning and hopping) were adequate, as were the cranial nerve reflexes and responses. The flexor and patellar reflexes were mildly decreased. Resting, high-frequency, low-amplitude muscle tremors were seen in all limbs. These tremors could be elicited by palpation of the limb muscles. Based on the findings of lower motor neuron (LMN) tetraparesis, absence of proprioceptive ataxia, normal postural reactions, and mildly decreased reflexes, a neuromuscular disease was suspected.CBC, biochemistry profile, and urinalysis were performed. Abnormalities on the biochemistry profile were a creatine kinase (CK) activity of 517 U/L (reference range, 40-255 U/L) and a globulin concentration of 17 g/L (reference range, 21-42 g/L). No cause for the mild hypoglobulinemia was identified and it was assumed to be associated with the young age of the dog. No abnormalities were identified on the CBC or urinalysis. Electromyography, nerve conduction studies, and nerve and muscle biopsies were proposed, but declined by the owners. The dog continued to deteriorate and was re-evaluated at 6 months of age. At that time, the dog was markedly tetraparetic and the patellar reflexes were no longer present. Some extensor muscle tone was still present. Euthanasia and necropsy were performed.Two other littermates had a similar history and presentation. Dog 2, a male intact Golden Retriever, began to show signs of weakness and tremors at 15 weeks of age. By 5 months of age, severe generalized muscle atrophy and fatigue were obvious. CBC and biochemistry profile at that time were normal. The dog was referred and examined at 8 months of age. The neurological examination identified...

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