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Microvascular decompression (MVD) is usually considered the first-line treatment for trigeminal neuralgia (TN) when medical treatments fail. Recurrence is rare and best treatment option is controversial. MVD was proposed as a feasible and effective technique for recurrent TN by many authors. Nevertheless, in a substantial number of cases, not any impingement or deterioration are found intraoperatively and partial selective rhizotomy is then advised. The rhizotomy site is mostly guided by anatomical landmarks, but variations due to scarring and adhesions are common pitfalls in these second surgeries. Intraoperative monitoring is infrequently used during MVD for trigeminal neuralgia. We describe the use of nerve mapping in a case of recurrence, revealing an unexpected rootlet distribution and thus safely guiding partial rhizotomy.

Bartonella henselaeand Bartonella clarridgeiaewere isolated in two cats in Sardinia, Italy. Infection by B. clarridgeiaewas characterized by fever and submandibular lymph nodes enlargement while B. henselaeinfection was asymptomatic. This is the first report of B. clarridgeiaein a cat in Italy and the first isolation of B. henselaeand B. clarridgeiaein Sardinia.

Between 1999–2003, 14 321 sera and 646 abortion samples (498 foetuses and 148 placentae) were analysed from 807 sheep and goat farms distributed all over the island of Sardinia. After notification of abortion in a flock, sera collected at random from adult animals were examined to detect antibodies specific to Chlamydophila (C.) abortusby ELISA, whereas foetuses and placenta were analysed by PCR assay. Specific IgG antibodies were detected in 611 (4.8%) sheep and 106 (5.8%) goats. From a total of 2050 ovine and 151 caprine fetal samples including muscle, liver, abomasum, spleen, brain and placenta, 29 (1.4%) ovine and 1 (0.6%) caprine samples were C. abortusPCR-positive. Placenta was the tissue with the highest detection rate. These results indicate that the seroprevalence of C. abortusinfection in sheep and goats is very low in Sardinia, and PCR results demonstrate that C. abortushas no significant role in abortion, especially in goats.

Abstract Between 1999–2003, 14 321 sera and 646 abortion samples (498 foetuses and 148 placentae) were analysed from 807 sheep and goat farms distributed all over the island of Sardinia. After notification of abortion in a flock, sera collected at random from adult animals were examined to detect antibodies specific to Chlamydophila (C.) abortus by ELISA, whereas foetuses and placenta were analysed by PCR assay. Specific IgG antibodies were detected in 611 (4.8%) sheep and 106 (5.8%) goats. From a total of 2050 ovine and 151 caprine fetal samples including muscle, liver, abomasum, spleen, brain and placenta, 29 (1.4%) ovine and 1 (0.6%) caprine samples were C. abortus PCR-positive. Placenta was the tissue with the highest detection rate. These results indicate that the seroprevalence of C. abortus infection in sheep and goats is very low in Sardinia, and PCR results demonstrate that C. abortus has no significant role in abortion, especially in goats.

Ehrlichiosis and rickettsiosis are very common, widespread diseases. These diseases are present in Sardinia year round because its temperate weather permits the survival of many kinds of tick vectors. A thousand dogs were subjected to physical, hematological, biochemical examinations and serological tests. All 1,000 sera were analyzed by indirect immunofluorescence antibody test to detect antibodies against E. canisand R. rickettsii. A high seroprevalence (about 50) was detected for both etiological agents, without differences in relation to sex, breed, or usage. A high seroprevalence, corresponding to 62.5 for ehrlichiosis and 64 for rickettsiosis, was observed in the age group of 13-60 months. The mortality was greatest in the males in the age group, which manifested the disease in the chronic phase.

Mycoplasma agalactiae, the causative agent of contagious agalactia in small ruminants, produces a protein, named P80, that is detectable in all wild‐type isolates examined to date and that appears expressed during the early phase of infection. We describe here the identification, cloning and expression of the gene encoding P80 (ma‐mp81). The deduced amino acid sequence is consistent with a hydrophobic and basic protein that possesses a lipoprotein signal peptide. Sequence analysis of gene ma‐mp81suggests that P80 is a membrane lipoprotein that shows significant homology with other putative lipoproteins of M. pneumoniae. An internal 1‐kb fragment of ma‐mp81was expressed in Escherichia colias a 6×His‐tagged protein. The purified recombinant protein greatly reacted with polyclonal anti‐P80 sera raised in lamb.

Summary Occupational health services have developed rapidly in Finland since the agreement between the most important labor market organizations was signed in 1971. At present, approximately one million of the total work force of 2.2 million workers have access to occupational health services. Nevertheless, there are considerable differences in the coverage of services between different industries on one hand and between small and large workplaces on the other. The mining industry has the best coverage of occupational health services, and agriculture and the construction industry the worst. While most big enterprises have a well-organized occupational health system, most of the small ones remain without any such services today.