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Hepatitis E virus is the causative agent of an acute hepatitis in humans. In industrialized countries, autochthonous hepatitis E cases in the past were mainly of undetermined origin, whereupon nowadays some cases may be linked to zoonotic transmission of HEV from pigs and wild boars. In contrast to several European countries the HEV status of German domestic pigs and a possible risk of transmission are unknown so far. Here, a novel peptide-based ELISA was used to detect HEV-specific antibodies in 1072 sera from German domestic pigs resulting in an average seroprevalence of 49.8% indicating widespread HEV infections in these animals. A comparative testing of 321 randomly selected sera revealed a seroprevalence of 64.8% when using a commercially available ELISA and 43.9% for the novel peptide-based ELISA but concordant results were obtained in both tests only for 56.1% of the sera. Additional re-testing of 23 randomly selected sera with a modified commercially available immunoblot revealed discordant results also. The use of different antigens and the measurement of different immunoglobulin classes are considered to be responsible for the observed variations of the results. Though the present study revealed a high seroprevalence of HEV in the German domestic pig population and a potential risk of transmission to humans, the differing results of the tests highlight the necessity of a standardization of serological assays for comparative seroprevalence and longitudinal studies., (Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Asthma and allergy might influence the choice of keeping pets, leading to apparent protective effects of pets on allergic disease., Objective: We investigated the effects of asthma and allergy on subsequent pet keeping in childhood and adulthood., Methods: Information about asthma and pet keeping at ages 0 to 4, 5 to 15, 20 to 44, and 26 to 56 years was provided by 9812 subjects participating in the 9-year follow-up of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey., Results: In childhood asthma debut at younger than 5 years was associated with less cat keeping at 5 to 15 years (odds ratio [OR], 0.60; 95% CI, 0.44-0.82), an effect only observed when the parents did not have asthma or allergy (P(interaction) = .045). Childhood asthma did not influence adult pet ownership, unless there were adult symptoms. Adults less often acquired cats at follow-up if they had 3 or more asthma symptoms (OR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.64-0.95), were taking asthma medication (OR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.31-0.74), had hay fever (OR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.62-0.91), had atopy (OR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.61-0.91), or had specific IgE to cat (OR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.39-0.82) at baseline. Adults who already had pets usually continued keeping the same type of pet, except that the presence of 3 or more asthma symptoms was associated with less subsequent dog keeping (OR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.53-0.89). Pet removal between surveys to reduce allergen was reported by 4.7%., Conclusion: Selective avoidance subsequent to asthma or allergy was observed for childhood cat keeping and adult cat acquisition. Avoidance would produce an apparent protective effect of cats on childhood asthma (large OR, 0.83). Avoidance was generally not observed for dogs or birds., Clinical Implications: A part of the protective effects of childhood cats on asthma and allergy can be attributed to selective avoidance.

The Columbian Exchange has been described as "the most important event in human history since the end of the Ice Age." This interchange of many species of fauna, flora, fowl, and fruits resulted in new encounters between New and Old World inhabitants. Prominent among these were manifestations of allergic reactions to many of the new substances. Little imagination is required to reflect on what these substances, added to or detracted from both the New and Old World lifestyles, habits, and diets. The numerous peas, vegetable seeds, and grasses, such as sugarcane, introduced during Columbus' later voyages, made an enormous difference in the lives of New World inhabitants, as did the introduction of the cow and horse, not to mention substances such as coconuts and bananas, that are now intimately associated with the Caribbean and the Bahamas. This article focuses on some the more important exchange substances and emphasizes many forms of anaphylaxis: asthma, food allergy, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, chronic bronchitis, rhinitis, serum sickness, and other conditions that developed in both New and Old World inhabitants. To mention only a few examples, the Europeans introduced to the New World potential dangers such as honeybees (anaphylaxis). It also gave the New World the cow and the horse (serum sickness), which became the constant companion of Columbus' Indians and the American cowboy. It gave the Italians their thick red gravy, and the New World its pizza (food allergy). The Caribbean received bananas and coconuts and the New World embraced coffee (caffeine addiction). On the other hand, the exchange also caused Europeans to begin puffing away on tobacco.

A review on the geographic distribution, vectors and hosts of Bhanja virus (Bunyaviridae) is based on reports about: isolations of the virus; antibody surveys. Bhanja virus has been isolated in 15 countries of Asia, Africa and Europe, and antibodies against it have been detected in 15 additional countries. Vector range includes ticks of the family Ixodidae (subfam. Amblyomminae; not subfam. Ixodinae): 13 species of 6 genera (Haemaphysalis, Dermacentor, Hyalomma, Amblyomma, Rhipicephalus and Boophilus) yielded the virus. Bhanja virus has only rarely been isolated from vertebrates (Atelerix, Xerus, Ovis, Bos; possibly bats), though antibodies have been detected frequently in a wide range of mammals (Ruminantia being the major hosts), in several species of birds (Passeriformes, Galliformes) and even reptiles (Ophisaurus apodus). Natural foci of the Bhanja virus infections are of the boskematic type (sensu Rosický), associated closely with pastures of domestic ruminants infested by ticks in the regions of tropical, subtropical and partly temperate climatic zones.