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Background: Sarcoidosis is a multisystemic disease with a heterogenous course of disease. Comprehensive information about the complexity and treatment indications is essential for improving patient knowledge and adhering to therapy. Objectives: The aim of our study was to investigate the level and resources of information in patients with sarcoidosis and to analyze differences in patient subgroups including age and gender. Methods: We conducted a questionnaire-based online survey in Germany and three semi-structured focus group interviews. The interviews were evaluated independently by two investigators using a structured qualitative content analysis. Results: A total of 402 completed questionnaires were analyzed, 65.8% of participants were women, and the mean age was 53 years. The majority of patients felt well informed about their disease in general (59.4%), but 40.6% were inadequately informed. The most relevant information gaps related to the future perspective (70.6%) as well as fatigue and diffuse pain (63.9%). Most patients received information from their treating pulmonologist (72.1%). 94% used the internet, especially homepages of patient support groups (75.2%). Male participants more often reported being well informed about their disease and were more satisfied with the information (p = 0.001). During the interviews, patients expressed their wish for more comprehensive information and highlighted the importance of psychological co-care as well as the future perspective. Conclusions: A relevant proportion of patients with sarcoidosis are inadequately informed about their own disease, particularly with regard to factors impeding quality of life such as fatigue. Efforts are needed to improve the level and quality of information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intracellular bacteria Anaplasma spp. and Coxiella burnetii and the tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) are tick-transmitted pathogens circulating in the southern German sheep population. Knowledge of interaction among Anaplasma spp., C. burnetii and TBEV in sheep is lacking, but together they might promote and reinforce disease progression. The current study aimed to identify co-exposure of sheep to Anaplasma spp., C. burnetii and TBEV. For this purpose, 1,406 serum samples from 36 sheep flocks located in both southern German federal states, Baden-Wuerttemberg and Bavaria, were analysed by ELISAs to determine the antibody levels of the three pathogens. Inconclusive and positive results from the TBEV ELISA were additionally confirmed by a serum neutralisation assay. The proportion of sheep with antibodies against Anaplasma spp. (47.2%), C. burnetii (3.7%) and TBEV (4.7%) differed significantly. Significantly more flocks with Anaplasma spp. seropositive sheep (91.7%) were detected than flocks with antibodies against TBEV (58.3%) and C. burnetii (41.7%), but there was no significant difference between the number of flocks which contained TBEV and C. burnetii seropositive sheep. Seropositivity against at least two pathogens was detected in 4.7% of sheep from 20 flocks. Most co-exposed sheep had antibodies against Anaplasma spp./TBEV (n = 36), followed by Anaplasma spp./C. burnetii (n = 27) and Anaplasma spp./C. burnetii/TBEV (n = 2). Only one sheep showed an immune response against C. burnetii and TBEV. Flocks with sheep being positive against more than one pathogen were widely distributed throughout southern Germany. The descriptive analysis revealed no association between the antibody response of the three pathogens at animal level. Taking the flocks as a cluster variable into account, the exposure to TBEV reduced the probability of identifying C. burnetii antibodies in sheep significantly (odds ratio 0.46; 95% confidence interval 0.24–0.85), but the reason for this is unknown. The presence of Anaplasma spp. antibodies did not influence the detection of antibodies against C. burnetii and TBEV. Studies under controlled conditions are necessary to evaluate any possible adverse impact of co-exposure to tick-borne pathogens on sheep health. This can help to clarify rare disease patterns. Research in this field may also support the One Health approach due to the zoonotic potential of Anaplasma spp., C. burnetii and TBEV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The latest guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation recommend that in case of suspected cardiac arrest first responders, who are close to the emergency location, should be notified by a smartphone app or text message. Smartphone Alerting Systems (SAS) aim to reduce the resuscitation-free interval. Thus, there is a need for uniform reporting of process times. Objective: To compare the response times in a SAS either by using global positioning system (GPS) data or by manual confirmation of first responders arriving at the scene. Methods: In the region of Freiburg (Southern Germany, 1,531 km2, 493,000 inhabitants), a SAS is activated when the emergency dispatch center receives a call regarding suspected cardiac arrest. First responders who accept a mission are tracked using GPS. GPS-based times are logged for each responder when their position is within a radius of 100, 50, or 10 meters around the geographical position of the reported emergency. When arriving at the patient location, the first responders manually confirm "arrived" via their app. GPS-based and manually confirmed response arrival times were compared for all cases between 1 October and 31 March. Results: 192 missions with correct manual logging of the arrival time were included. GPS-based times were available in 175 (91%), 100 (52%), and 30 (16%) cases within radii of 100, 50, and 10 meters, respectively. GPS arrival times were approximately 1.5 minutes shorter when using a 100-meter radius and significantly longer when using a 10-meter radius. No difference was found for a 50-meter radius, but this would result in a lack of data in nearly half of the cases. Conclusion: GPS-based logging of arrival times leads to missing data. A 100-meter circle is associated with a low number of missing values, but 1.5 minutes must be added for the last 100 meters the first responder has to move. A wide range of the difference in response times (GPS vs. manual confirmation) must be regarded as a disadvantage. Manual confirmation reveals precise response times, but first responders may forget to confirm when they arrive. Trial registration: DRKS00016625 (14 April 2019). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The city of Freiburg has been among the most affected regions by the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany. In out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) care, all parts of the rescue system were exposed to profound infrastructural changes. We aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of these changes in the resuscitation landscape in the Freiburg region.Methods: Utstein-style quantitative data on OHCA with CPR initiated, occurring in the first pandemic wave between February 27th, 2020 and April 30th, 2020 were compared to the same time periods between 2016 and 2019. Additionally, qualitative changes in the entire rescue system were analyzed and described.Results: Incidence of OHCA with attempted CPR did not significantly increase during the pandemic period (11.1/100.000 inhabitants/63 days vs 10.4/100.000 inhabitants/63 days, p = 1.000). In witnessed cases, bystander-CPR decreased significantly from 57.7% (30/52) to 25% (4/16) (p = 0.043). A severe pre-existing condition (PEC) was documented more often, 66.7% (16/24) vs 38.2% (39/102) there were longer emergency medical services (EMS) response times, more resuscitation attempts terminated on scene, 62.5% (15/24) vs. 34.3% (35/102) and less patients transported to hospital (p = 0.019). Public basic life support courses, an app-based first-responder alarm system, Kids Save Lives activities and a prehospital extracorporeal CPR (eCPR) service were paused during the peak of the pandemic.Conclusion: In our region, bystander CPR in witnessed OHCA cases as well as the number of patients transported to hospital significantly decreased during the first pandemic wave. Several important parts of the resuscitation landscape were paused. The COVID-19 pandemic impedes OHCA care, which leads to additional casualties. Countermeasures should be taken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Comorbidities are common in interstitial lung diseases (ILD) and have an important association with survival, but the frequency and prognostic impact of comorbidities in unclassifiable interstitial lung disease (uILD) remains elusive. We aimed to describe the prevalence of comorbidities and assess the impact on survival in patients with uILD. Furthermore, we aimed to identify and characterize potential phenotypes based on clusters of comorbidities and examine their association with disease progression and survival.Methods: Incident patients diagnosed with uILD were identified at two ILD referral centers in Denmark and Germany from 2003 to 2018. The diagnosis uILD was based on multidisciplinary team meetings. Clinical characteristics and comorbidities were extracted from ILD registries and patient case files. Survival analyses were performed using Cox regression analyses, disease progression was analyzed by linear mixed effects models, and clusters of comorbidities were analyzed using self-organizing maps.Results: A total of 249 patients with uILD were identified. The cohort was dominated by males (60%), former (49%) or current (15%) smokers, median age was 70 years, mean FVC was 75.9% predicted, and mean DLCO was 49.9% predicted. One-year survival was 89% and three-year survival was 73%. Eighty-five percent of the patients had ≥ 1 comorbidities, 33% had ≥ 3 comorbidities and 9% had ≥ 5 comorbidities. The only comorbidity associated with excess mortality was dyslipidemia. No association between survival and number of comorbidities or the Charlson comorbidity index was observed. Three clusters with different comorbidities profiles and clinical characteristics were identified. A significant annual decline in FVC and DLCO % predicted was observed in cluster 1 and 2, but not in cluster 3. No difference in mortality was observed between the clusters.Conclusions: The comorbidity burden in uILD is lower than reported in other types of ILD and the impact of comorbidities on mortality needs further clarification. Three clusters with distinct comorbidity profiles were identified and could represent specific phenotypes. No difference in mortality was observed between clusters, but slower disease progression was observed in cluster 3. Better understanding of disease behavior and mortality will require further studies of subgroups of uILD with longer observation time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: It has been hypothesized that the n-6:n-3 (ω-6: ω-3) long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA) ratio in the maternal diet during the prenatal and early postnatal phase positively affects the body composition of the offspring. However, only limited data from prospective human intervention studies with long-term follow-up are available. Objective: We assessed the long-term effects of a reduced n-6:n-3 LCPUFA ratio in the diets of pregnant and lactating women [1020 mg docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) plus 180 mg eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)/d together with an arachidonic acid-balanced diet compared with a control diet] on the body weights and compositions of their offspring from 2 to 5 y of age with a focus on the 5-y results. Design: Participants in the randomized controlled trial received follow-up assessments with annual body-composition measurements including skinfold thickness (SFT) measurements (primary outcome), a sonographic assessment of abdominal subcutaneous and preperitoneal fat, and child growth. In addition, abdominal MRI was performed in a subgroup of 5-y-old children. For the statistical analysis, mixed models for repeated measures (MMRMs) were fit with the use of data from each visit since birth (except for MRI). Results: Maternal LCPUFA supplementation did not significantly influence the children's sum of 4 SFTs [means ± SDs at 5 y of age: intervention, 23.9 ± 4.7 mm (n = 57); control, 24.5 ± 5.0 mm (n = 55); adjusted mean difference, -0.5 (95% CI: 22.2, 1.2)], growth, or ultrasonography measures at any time point in the adjusted MMRM model (all P values < 0.05). Results were consistent with abdominal MRI measurements (n = 44) at 5 y of age, which showed no significant differences in subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue volumes and ratios. Conclusion: The current study provides no evidence that a dietary reduction of the n-6:n-3 LCPUFA ratio in the maternal diet during pregnancy and lactation is a useful early preventive strategy against obesity at preschool age. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials. gov as NCT00362089. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schmallenberg virus ( SBV) is a member of the family Bunyaviridae and mainly affects ruminants. It is transmitted by biting midges, first and foremost Culicoides spp., and causes congenital malformations reflected in arthrogryposis-hydranencephaly ( AH) syndrome. The aim of this study was to collect data on the emergence of SBV as a new arthropod-borne disease introduced into Europe in 2011. Germany was located in the core region of the 2011/2012 epidemic. Following two seroprevalence studies in the north-west of Germany in 2012, this study focused on the epidemiology and distribution of SBV throughout 130 small ruminant flocks in the whole country. Blood samples were obtained of 30 animals per flock and a SBV-specific questionnaire was used to collect operating data of the farms. The median within-herd seroprevalence for all 130 flocks tested was 53.3% with a total range from 0% to 100%. The median within-herd seroprevalence for goats was 30% [interquartile range ( IQR): 40.3%] and 57% for sheep ( IQR: 43.3%). Small ruminant flocks kept permanently indoors or housed overnight had a significantly lower seroprevalence than flocks kept permanently outdoors. In addition, this study revealed a significantly lower seroprevalence in the north-east of Germany. These results show that small ruminants in Germany are still at risk of contracting new SBV infections following incomplete seroconversion of flocks especially in the north-east of Germany. This might contribute to SBV becoming enzootic in central and northern Europe. Furthermore, the survey revealed that housing animals at least during mating and early pregnancy may reduce the risk of new SBV infections and may thus be an option to reduce losses as long as there is no licensed vaccine available on the German market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bluetongue disease (BT) has spread after the first reported outbreak more than 100 years ago to nearly all the tropical and temperate regions worldwide in a geographic band between the latitudes 40°N and 35°S. Bluetongue virus (BT) is transmitted by biting midges of the genus Culicoides to susceptible ruminants like sheep, cattle, goats, and wild ruminants. Probably due to the global warming the dispersal area of the transmitting Culicoides species and by this of the BTV expanded to northern regions up to the latitude 50°N. Independent of expansion of the insect vectors BTV serotype 8 was introduced into Central Europe in 2006. The source of the BTV 8 introduction is still unknown. In Central Europe the virus found a new insect vector, midges of the Culicoides obsoletus group, indigenous in Central and Northern Europe and highly adapted to ruminants, overwintering in the stables. In summer and autumn 2006 and in the following years BT spread from the tri-border region between Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium to all neighbouring countries up to Scandinavia and United Kingdom. In the naive and genetically highly susceptible European sheep and cattle population the disease killed more than 1.5 million sheep. Trade restrictions and secondary diseases increased the economic losses. The spread could be stopped by a mandatory vaccination campaign using inactivated serotype specific vaccines. By this Central Europe could be sanitated from BT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study contributes to both a deeper understanding of the drivers of management innovation, and the overarching debate about the relationship between competition and a firm's inclination to innovate. It distinguishes technological innovation from various types of management innovation, and investigates how a firm's competitive environment influences these types of innovation. We use firm-level evidence from the fourth wave of the German part of the Community Innovation Survey ( CIS IV), comprising 2,789 German firms, to empirically validate the discriminatory predictions we develop from the theoretical literature. Our results show significant differences in the determinants of technological and management innovation. They, therefore, underscore the need for a contingency perspective when studying the relationship between innovation and competition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Based on the experiences on veterinary consultancy in numerous small ruminant flocks, a “hygiene guideline” was developed, as a modular standard procedure for establishing flock individual health plans. The hygiene plan can be used in whole or in modules according to the needs, the possibilities and the facilities of the flocks. For small flocks and for hobby shepherds, a health plan calendar has been developed. The current situation in the flocks of the “Sheep and Goat Flock Health Service-Hannover” is reflected under the light of the hygiene guidelines. These guidelines and the current situation in the health service are discussed with respect to general needs of health plans for small ruminant flocks. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the following approaches to assess left ventricular preload by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE): left ventricular end-diastolic volume index (LVEDVI) determined by using the method of disc summation (LVEDVIMd) and left ventricular end-diastolic area index (LVEDAI) were compared with LVEDVI assessed by the modified Simpson formula (LVEDVISi). Global end-diastolic volume index (GEDVI) and stroke volume index (SVI) measured by the PiCCOplus system (Pulsion Medical Systems, Munich, Germany) were used as TEE-independent reference variables. Design: Prospective observational study. Setting: Community hospital. Participants: Twenty-two patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery. Interventions: After the induction of anesthesia, hemodynamic assessment by TEE and the PiCCOplus system was made 20 (T1) and 10 minutes (T2) before and 10 (T3) and 20 minutes (T4) after a fluid trial. At each time point, LVEDVIMd, LVEDAI, LVEDVISi, GEDVI, and SVI were determined. Measurements and Main Results: The fluid trial resulted in a significant increase of all preload variables measured at T3. At T4, all preload variables but LVEDVIMd showed a significant decrease. The mean bias ± 2 SD for percent changes (Δ) of LVEDVIMd − ΔLVEDVISi was 1.5% ± 59.0% and for ΔLVEDAI − Δ LVEDVISi 0.9% ± 23.6%. The correlation between LVEDVIMd and LVEDVISi was significantly weaker than between LVEDAI and LVEDVISi (p < 0.001). Comparing TEE measurements with GEDVI and SVI, strong correlations were observed for LVEDAI and LVEDVISi only. Conclusion: The method of disc summation cannot be recommended for preload assessment during a fluid challenge in cardiac surgery patients. By contrast, single-plane area measurements provided reliable information when compared with the application of the modified Simpson formula. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

At the end of the aiming phase, an archer pulls the arrow back a little bit before he releases the shot. This pulling back of the arrow is called the “final pull”. Simultaneous with the final pull, the archer has to hold the bow calm. The aim of this paper was to examine the motion of the bow and the final pull in highly skilled archers. From a technological point of view, we wished to develop a system to measure the draw-length in the final pull that could be used during archers’ normal training. Seven archers (two males, five females), all of whom were participants at the Junior World Championships and German National Championships, performed 66 shots indoors at a target 30 m away. Each archer shot the same bow as used in competition. On-target trajectories of the aim point movement were measured. Also, the alterations of the draw-length in the final pull were determined. The results suggest that irregularities in the final pull have a negative influence on archers’ scores. Intra-individually, a smaller range of motion of the bow in the last second before the shot appears to have a positive influence on archers’ scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of Eimeria infections was investigated in an initial survey in 54 sow herds of small (five sows) to large (1600 sows) size by random sampling (n = 1204). All sows of four Eimeria-positive medium-sized farms (63 or 130 sows) were re-examined 40-99 days after the first visit. A follow-up survey over the whole reproductive cycle was subsequently performed in a positive herd of 130 animals where faecal samples of 43 sows were repeatedly collected on seven successive farm visits. In 44 farms (8 1.5%) parasite stages (eggs of strongylids, Trichuris, Ascaris, Strongyloides, oocysts of Eimeria and Lsospora) were identified in sow faeces, strongylids being the most prevalent intestinal parasites (34 farms resembling 63%) followed by Eimeria spp. (28 farms resembling 52%). Of the 1204 random samples collected during the initial survey 8.6% contained Eimeria oocysts. Oocysts of E. polita and E. debliecki were present in each of 25 Eimeria-positive samples selected for species differentiation. Eimeria suis was diagnosed in 84%, E.scabra in 60%, E. porci in 52%, E. perminuta in 49% and E. spinosa in 20% of these specimens. At the second visit the prevalence rates of Eimeria infections had either increased or decreased. In the follow-up study Eimeria infections were found to be most frequent (82%) at the service station. At the quarantine unit and the gestation stable 50 and 48% of the 43 sows were Eimeria positive. The lowest prevalence of Eimeria infection was observed in the farrowing unit (14%). With respect to the reproductive state of the sows highest infection rates were seen 2 weeks after weaning (72%) continuously decreasing until 2 weeks after farrowing (14%). A periparturient rise of oocyst excretion was not observed. The infestation rate remained low until 1 week before weaning (16%). Low infection intensities clearly dominated. Clinical disease was not associated with Eimeria infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge on the occurrence of pathogenic tick-borne bacteria Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Anaplasma ovis is scarce in sheep from Germany. In 2020, owners from five flocks reported ill thrift lambs and ewes with tick infestation. Out of 67 affected sheep, 55 animals were clinically examined and hematological values, blood chemistry and fecal examinations were performed to investigate the underlying disease causes. Serological tests (cELISA, IFAT) and qPCR were applied to all affected sheep to rule out A. phagocytophilum and A. ovis as a differential diagnosis. Ticks were collected from selected pastures and tested by qPCR. Most animals (n = 43) suffered from selenium deficiency and endoparasites were detected in each flock. Anaplasma spp. antibodies were determined in 59% of examined sheep. Seventeen animals tested positive for A. phagocytophilum by qPCR from all flocks and A. phagocytophilum was also detected in eight pools of Ixodes ricinus. Anaplasma phagocytophilum isolates from sheep and ticks were genotyped using three genes (16S rRNA, msp4 and groEL). Anaplasma ovis DNA was identified in six animals from one flock. Clinical, hematological and biochemical changes were not significantly associated with Anaplasma spp. infection. The 16S rRNA analysis revealed known variants of A. phagocytophilum, whereas the msp4 and groEL showed new genotypes. Further investigations are necessary to evaluate the dissemination and health impact of both pathogens in the German sheep population particularly in case of comorbidities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Alpacas and llamas are increasingly presented at the veterinary clinic in Germany. Owners often notice too late when their animal is emaciated or anaemic. Emaciation can be detected by checking the so-called body condition score (BCS). An indication of anaemia can be provided directly by the FAMACHA©-score (FS), which has been adopted from small ruminants. There is still little information on both scores for alpacas and llamas, so a retrospective evaluation of data from the veterinary clinic was carried out. More than half of the animals admitted to the clinic were too lean and more than one in ten alpacas or one in five llamas showed clinical signs of anaemia. Both scores were compared with the findings from the animals' blood counts, which showed that poor nutritional status was associated with anaemia and shifts in inflammatory cells. Regular monitoring of BCS and FS is therefore important in alpacas and llamas to detect emaciation and anaemia in time. South American camelids (SAC) are being more and more presented at the veterinary Clinics in Germany. A bad nutritional condition, which can be easily categorized using a body condition score (BCS) of the animals, is often not noticed by the owners. Further anaemia is also often only detected in an advanced stage in SAC. Clinical detection of anaemia can be performed by assessing the FAMACHA©-score (FS), that is adapted from small ruminants. So far, there is only little information available about BCS and FS in SAC. In this study, both clinical scores were assessed in alpacas and llamas presented at the veterinary clinic and compared with the haematological parameters from the animals. The data were extracted retrospectively from the animals' medical records and compared statistically. More than half of the alpacas (60%) and llamas (70%) had a BCS < 3, while 12% of the alpacas and 21% of the llamas had a FS > 2. A decreased BCS was associated with a decrease in haematocrit, haemoglobin, lymphocytes, and eosinophils, as well as an increase in FS and neutrophils. BCS and FS should be assessed regularly in SAC to detect emaciation and anaemia in time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Mineral deficiencies are very widespread among small ruminant herds throughout the world and play a big role in small ruminant herd health management. This paper describes the occurrence of a primary molybdenosis causing secondary copper deficiency, combined with ovine white liver disease (cobalt deficiency) and white muscle disease (selenium deficiency) in a group of pastured ram lambs in Northern Germany. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first proven report of multiple trace element deficiencies in sheep in Germany for decades. To the author's knowledge this paper describes the first proven report of a combined primary molybdenosis, secondary copper (Cu) deficiency, Ovine White Liver Disease—Cobalt (Co) deficiency, and selenium (Se) deficiency in a small pedigree herd of White Horned Heath sheep in Germany (8 ewes, 2 rams, 3 yearling ewes, 17 lambs) for decades. Clinical signs associated with these mineral deficiencies in a group of pastured ram lambs included emaciation, conjunctivitis, anaemia, growth retardation, discolouration of the wool and photodermatitis. Morbidities and mortalities arose in 4–6-month-old lambs despite intensive veterinary treatment in the summer of 2014 and 2015 (n = 13, 23% died). Se (3/5), Cu (4/7), and Co (3/3) deficiencies in combination with elevated values for Molybdenum (Mo, 2/2) were found. Hamburg is a large industrial city and an input of heavy metals from surrounding industries and coal-fired power stations in combination with a sandy, non-fertilised soil and monoculture grass species might offer a potential explanation for the severity of mineral deficiencies observed in this herd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Calcinosis has been reported for a broad range of different animals. Causes for calcinosis include metabolic disorders due to kidney failure, intoxication with calcinogenic plants, or iatrogenic overdose of vitamin D. Especially young animals seem to be very susceptible to developing calcinosis. Currently, however, there is a lack of information on calcinosis in wildlife. Case presentation: The following case report describes a roe deer fawn admitted to a clinic due to general weakness and myiasis. Plasma levels for creatinine, urea and phosphate were highly elevated, whereas the total calcium level was decreased. Necropsy revealed calcinosis due to calcification in many organs. The reason for calcinosis in this particular case might be kidney failure. Plasma samples from other hunted roe deer fawns also showed high phosphate levels. Conclusions: Roe deer fawns might be susceptible to calcinosis due to high plasma phosphate, which could be a result of kidney failure or different feed. Further research into calcium and phosphate homeostasis in roe deer is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contagious ovine digital dermatitis (CODD) is a significant disease of the ovine foot characterised by severe lameness and progressive separation of the hoof horn capsule from the underlying tissue. Similar to bovine digital dermatitis (BDD), pathogenic members of the genus Treponema including the Treponema medium phylogroup, Treponema phagedenis phylogroup and Treponema pedis are frequently found together in CODD lesions. To date, CODD was only described in Ireland and the United Kingdom. In northern Germany, cases of an unusually severe lameness presented in a sheep flock that had been affected by footrot for several years. These cases were non-responsive to conventional footrot therapies, with some sheep exhibiting substantial lesions of the claw horn that resulted in horn detachment. Lesion swab samples were collected from both clinically affected and asymptomatic animals. In all clinically affected sheep, CODD-associated Treponema phylogroups were detected by polymerase chain reaction. This is the first report of CODD in Germany and mainland Europe, indicating a wider geographic spread than previously considered. In cases of severe lameness attributed to claw lesions in sheep that fail to respond to footrot treatment, CODD should be considered irrespective of geographic location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thirty-six female sheep, previously vaccinated against Bluetongue virus serotype 8 (BTV-8) using inactivated vaccines, were included in this field study. In Germany, vaccination was compulsory in 2008 and 2009, voluntary in 2010 and early 2011, and later, was prohibited in 2011. Due to their age, eighteen sheep had been vaccinated for two or more consecutive years, while a further eighteen animals had only been vaccinated once or not at all. The sheep were blood sampled five (n = 31) to 7.5 years (n = 5) after their last vaccination. All serum samples (n = 36) were tested for BTV group-specific antibodies by an ELISA (IDScreen® Bluetongue Competition assay, ID Vet). In five of the animals, the BTV-8 serotype-specific antibody titers were measured by serum neutralization (SN). The majority of sheep that were vaccinated annually for two or more years showed a positive ELISA (14/18 sheep) and a SN (two of two sheep) result 5 years after their last vaccination. Most of the sheep vaccinated fewer than twice showed a negative ELISA result 5 to 7.5 years after their last vaccination (13/18 animals). The three animals in this group tested by SN showed one negative and two positive results. This short communication is the first to describe the presence of BTV antibodies in sheep 5 to 7.5 years after vaccination with inactivated BTV-8 vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the past twenty years, the emphasis of policy towards high-technology industry has shifted from national innovation systems to take account of globalisation and the formation of regional clusters. Support for high-technology sectors now takes place at a number of levels— regional, national, and international. However, the extent to which firms operate in these three arenas, and how relevant government action is for the needs and behaviour of firms in respect of these is open to question. The paper reports on a study into innovation in Germany and the United Kingdom, in a particular industry—opto-electronics—which has a highly global character, but is also characterised by concentrations of firms in clusters. The contrasting experiences of firms in two regions—Wales and Thuringia—and the different policy emphasis of the regional government provide a test for the relevance, appropriateness, and impact of government policies towards high-technology industry. By focusing on the experiences of innovating firms, the authors provide a conceptually rich understanding of innovation in terms of two processes, which are often conflated in public policy stimulating knowledge and technology transfer, and providing resource support. The paper concludes with a suggestion that support for innovation needs to be based around the twin concepts of redundancy and systems thinking, and a series of questions policymakers need to keep in mind are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Coxiella burnetii phase I vaccine induces an IgG phase II antibody response in sheep. • IgG phase I C. burnetii antibodies last long in pre-infected sheep after vaccination. • Phase-specific ELISAs recognize more seropositive sheep than the blended ELISA. Q fever is a zoonotic disease caused by the bacterium Coxiella burnetii ; Coxiella -infected ruminants are the main reservoir shedding the pathogen during abortion or parturition through birth products. Germany has a long history of small-scale Q fever epidemics in the human population mostly associated with lambing sheep. Therefore, fast and efficient control measures are essentially required to prevent transmission from infected sheep flocks to humans. In our present study, three sheep flocks were vaccinated with an inactivated C. burnetii phase I vaccine after a field infection with C. burnetii was diagnosed. Serum samples and vaginal swabs were collected at different time points to evaluate the extent of the outbreak and the consequences of the vaccination. The serum samples were examined by phase-specific IgG phase I and phase II ELISAs and a commercial ELISA, simultaneously detecting both phase variations. Moreover, vaginal swabs were analysed by qPCR. The fourth flock with no Q fever history and non-vaccinated animals were used as a control group to evaluate the phase-specific ELISAs. The inactivated C. burnetii phase I vaccine induced an IgG phase II response and boosted the humoral immune reaction against natural pre-infections. Furthermore, the longevity of vaccine-induced antibodies seems to depend on previous infections. Around 16 months after primary vaccination, mainly IgG phase I antibodies were detectable. Vaccination did not prevent shedding at the next lambing season. Most interestingly, the phase-specific ELISAs revealed more C. burnetii positive animals than the blended ELISA-Assay. Taken together, phase-specific ELISAs are suitable tools to provide insights into natural- or vaccine-induced humoral immune responses to C. burnetii in sheep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multi-strain anaerobe Dichelobacter nodosus causes footrot, a contagious disease of the digits of ruminants that occurs worldwide. Eleven D. nodosus-like isolates from footrot lesions of sheep in Germany were investigated by PCR amplification of the variable region of the D. nodosus fimbrial (fimA) gene. In six isolates, fimA PCR amplicons of a size suggestive of D. nodosus were generated. Single-strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) analysis of the amplicons revealed three banding patterns, the cloning and sequencing of which confirmed they represented three different strains of D. nodosus. One strain had a fimA sequence identical to D. nodosus isolate 265 of serotype H1, whilst the other two strains (Bde1 and Hde1) exhibited novel fimA sequences. The Bde1 strain was most similar to D. nodosus serotype B1 isolate AC127, with six nucleotide differences in the fimA gene and four amino acid substitutions at the protein level. However, strain Hde1 was quite different from known strains of D. nodosus having 15 nucleotide differences and a three nucleotide deletion in its fimA gene relative to its closest homologue, isolate 351 of serotype H2. This resulted in 12 amino acid differences and one amino acid deletion at the protein level which suggests that Hde1 represents a new D. nodosus serotype within serogroup H. The identification of novel strains may have implications for current vaccination strategies against the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study gives a first view into the current epidemiological situation of infections with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) in German sheep and goat flocks. Furthermore, the correlation between the flock size and the flock seroprevalence of antibodies against MAP was investigated. On an individual basis, the correlation between body condition score (BCS), age and the serological status against MAP were calculated. For this purpose, the 10 skinniest animals in 167 German sheep and goat flocks were sampled. Serum samples from 1609 small ruminants were investigated for the presence of MAP antibodies using the commercial CATTLETYPE® MAP Ab ELISA test kit (LDL – Labor Diagnostik Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany). The investigation revealed an overall individual MAP seroprevalence of 15% and a flock prevalence of 65%. Intra-flock prevalence in positive flocks was 22% (17% standard deviation (SD)). The intra-flock prevalence increased with the flock size, except for very large sheep flocks with more than 1000 ewes, but this correlation was not statistically significant. A low BCS correlated only in goats with a higher seroprevalence, not in sheep. No distinct correlation could be demonstrated between MAP serostatus and age. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: After-Action Reviews (AARs) represent structured, qualitative evaluations of crisis interventions. Here, we describe the implementation of an AAR to assess the Corona Unit of the Duesseldorf Health Department., Methods: We employed an after-action review (AAR) using the working group format supplemented by structured interviews with key personnel. Our approach was guided by the guidelines for AARs provided by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)., Results: Participants identified nine relevant challenges with potential for improvement in three categories: (I) challenges in recruiting requested personnel, (II) overarching coordination issues, and (III) frequent relocations. Participants proposed solutions for these challenges: (I) 1. Routine cross-agency inquiries for voluntarily available personnel, 2. consideration of resources from municipal subsidiaries and involvement of personnel with leadership experience from other departments, 3. Better coordination of deployment and onboarding, 4. proposal for early communication regarding different compensation regulations, (II) 5. establishment of an overarching coordination authority for the crisis unit, 6. clearer delineation of responsibilities within the crisis unit with explicit job profiles, 7. establishment of a shared working platform, and 8. creation of a central dashboard for generating all situation reports. Additionally, they identified (III) 9. a facility for housing a crisis unit in case of an emergency., Conclusion: This study represents one of the first applications of an AAR for evaluating crisis structures at the level of a local Public Health Authority (LPHA) in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. While some of the identified challenges are specific to Duesseldorf, many municipalities faced personnel recruitment and coordination challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Municipal crisis plans can be reviewed and adjusted concerning the identified challenges. Sharing evaluation results among LPHA stakeholders can contribute to strengthening crisis structures in the long term., Competing Interests: Die Autorinnen/Autoren geben an, dass kein Interessenkonflikt besteht., (The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).)

A Coxiella burnetii vaccination program, targeting only doelings, was introduced on a German goat farm to curb bacterial shedding. In 2018, adults were vaccinated with a C. burnetii Phase I vaccine at three-weeks apart following pathogen diagnosis, with a booster administered six months later due to sustained high shedding. From 2018 to 2021, doelings received two vaccine doses without any further boosters. To assess the program's efficacy, vaginal swabs from up to 40 animals per age group were collected during kidding seasons from 2019 to 2022. Bulk tank milk (BTM) samples were gathered monthly from January 2018 to October 2022 to monitor herd-level shedding. Real-time PCR analysis determined genome equivalents in all three sample types. Serum samples were taken before the initial immunization and during the post-kidding season from up to 40 goats per age group annually from 2018 to 2022. Phase-specific ELISAs determined IgG Phase I and Phase II antibodies. Additionally, two serum samples per age group from 2022 were analyzed using a neutralization assay. A few goats continued shedding small quantities during subsequent kidding seasons. Although positive BTM samples decreased, they displayed an undulating trend. Most age groups exhibited robust IgG Phase I responses and lower IgG Phase II levels post immunization. Mean IgG levels remained elevated until the study ended compared to pre-vaccination levels in most age groups. Additionally, neutralizing antibodies were present regardless of IgG response. Overall, double vaccination induced lasting antibody levels, but did not entirely prevent C. burnetii shedding. The resilience of the observed humoral immune activity requires further investigation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

The Schmallenberg virus (SBV), an emerging Orthobunyavirus of mainly ruminant hosts, caused a substantial epidemic in European ruminant populations between 2011 and 2013. The pathogen is transmitted by arthropod vectors (Culicoides spp.) and can cause reproductive disorders and severe malformations of the offspring or stillbirth. The present study aimed to assess SBV seroprevalence among German sheep and goats a few years after the first virus detection in the country (November 2011). In addition, an extensive risk factor analysis including host-specific and husbandry-related factors was implemented. Seroprevalence was determined by examining serum samples from 2759 sheep and 446 goats out of a total of 70 flocks across five German federal states. The samples were withdrawn in the period between 2017 and 2018. Using a commercial competitive ELISA, antibodies against SBV were detected in all 70 investigated flocks. A percentage of 60.1 % (1657/2759) of the sheep and 40.4 % (180/446) of the goat sera contained SBV antibodies. Generalized linear mixed modeling revealed significant effects of host species (sheep > goats), age (old > young) and sex (female > male) on SBV seroprevalence. For both species, also the farming purpose, and for goats, ectoparasite treatment and the presence of cattle on the farm played a role in terms of risk for SBV exposure. The observations from this study still emphasize a wide distribution of the pathogen in Germany. Nevertheless, the observed seroprevalence might not be sufficient to achieve effective herd immunity. Pinpointing risk factors identified susceptible populations for targeted vaccination programs to reduce potential animal losses caused by SBV., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Poisoning is often suspected to be the origin of disease in South American camelids (SACs) by owners, but only in a few cases this assumption can be confirmed. In small ruminants, rhododendron poisoning is a common emergency for livestock veterinarians. However, this condition has rarely been reported in SACs so far. This paper provides information regarding clinical findings, hematology, clinical chemistry, and treatment of four alpacas after presumed intake of rhododendron leaves including pathological findings of one of the animals. Rhododendron leaves contain grayanatoxins that lead to hyperpolarization of excitable cells. Clinical signs that were observed in the presented alpacas comprised: salivation, dehydration, decreased motility of compartment 1, uncoordinated regurgitation, and cardiac arrhythmia. Clinical chemistry revealed that rhododendron poisoning was associated with metabolic acidosis and azotaemia, hyponatremia and hyperkalemia. Most striking macroscopic and histopathological findings included gastric ulceration, and renal infarcts along with inflammatory changes. Leaves of Rhododendron spp. were identified in the forestomach content of this animal. Affected animals were treated symptomatically as there is no specific antidote in rhododendron poisoning. This included parenteral rehydration, treatment of metabolic acidosis (infusion of sodium bicarbonate solution), and oral administration of activated charcoal to bind potential toxins. In addition, antibiotic treatment might be necessary to prevent aspiration pneumonia in case of uncoordinated regurgitation. Of the four animals, the worst affected alpaca was euthanized, one had minimal signs and two responded to supportive care and recovered. In conclusion, rhododendron poisoning might be fatal for alpacas in individual cases and therefore rhododendron bushes should not be placed in the habitat of SACs., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is a tick-transmitted flavivirus, which can infect humans and animals, sometimes even with a fatal outcome. Since many decades, TBEV is endemic in southern Germany, while only sporadic occurrence has been noted in northern parts of the country so far. Nevertheless, autochthonous human clinical cases are increasing in the federal state of Lower Saxony in north-western Germany, and several natural foci of TBEV transmission have recently been detected in this federal state. In order to shed more light on the current distribution of TBEV in Lower Saxony, the present study examined blood samples from wild and domestic animals for antibodies against TBEV. Overall, samples from 4,085 animals were tested by ELISA, including wild boar (N = 1,208), roe deer (N = 149), red deer (N = 61), fallow deer (N = 18), red foxes (N = 9), nutria (N = 9), raccoon dogs (N = 3), raccoons (N = 3), badgers (N = 1), European pine martens (N = 1), horses (N = 574), sheep (N = 266), goats (N = 67), dogs (N = 1,317) and cats (N = 399). Samples with an ELISA result of ≥60 Vienna units (VIEU)/ml were subjected to confirmatory serum neutralization tests (SNT). In total, 343 of 4,085 (8.4%) animals tested positive for anti-TBEV-IgG by ELISA, of which 60 samples were confirmed by SNT. Samples of 89 animals showed a cytotoxic effect in the SNT and were excluded from seroprevalence calculation, resulting in an overall seroprevalence of 1.5% (60/3,996). Seroprevalence was higher among wild animals (wild boar: 2.9% [34/1,190], roe deer: 2.7% [4/149], red deer: 1.7% [1/60], fallow deer: 5.6% [1/18]) than among domestic animals (dogs: 1.1% [15/1,317], horses: 0.8% [4/505], sheep: 0.4% [1/266]). No anti-TBEV-antibodies were detected in the other wild animal species as well as goats and cats. A notable clustering of positive samples was observed in districts where TBEV transmission foci have been described. Further clusters in other districts suggest the existence of so far undetected transmission foci, underlining the fact that both wild and domestic animals are useful sentinels for monitoring the spread of TBEV., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest SP is an employee of Elanco Deutschland GmbH, BS is an employee of Elanco Animal Health. Study data collection and interpretation is completely independent from the company's opinion and the authors declare that there is no conflict with commercial interests. The remaining authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Abstract: Smartphone alerting systems (SAS) for first responders potentially shorten the resuscitation-free interval of patients with acute cardiac arrest. During the corona virus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic, many systems are suspended due to potential risks for the responders.Objective of the study was to establish a concept for SAS during the COVID-19 pandemic and to evaluate whether a SAS can safely be operated in pandemic conditions.A SAS had been implemented in Freiburg (Germany) in 2018 alerting nearby registered first responders in case of emergencies with suspected cardiac arrest. Due to the pandemic, SAS was stopped in March 2020. A concept for a safe restart was elaborated with provision of a set with ventilation bag/mask, airway filter, and personal protective equipment (PPE) for every volunteer. A standard operating procedure was elaborated following the COVID-19 guidelines of the European Resuscitation Council.Willingness of the participants to respond alarms during the pandemic was investigated using an online survey. The response rates of first responders were monitored before and after deactivation, and during the second wave of the pandemic.The system was restarted in May 2020. The willingness to respond to alarms was lower during the pandemic without PPE. It remained lower than before the pandemic when the volunteers had been equipped with PPE, but the alarm response rate remained at approximately 50% during the second wave of the pandemic.When volunteers are equipped with PPE, the operation of a SAS does not need to be paused, and the willingness to respond remains high among first responders., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2021 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

In Germany, sheep are the main source of human Q fever epidemics, but data on Coxiella burnetii (C. burnetii) infections and related risk factors in the German sheep population remain scarce. In this cross-sectional study, a standardised interview was conducted across 71 exclusively sheep as well as mixed (sheep and goat) farms to identify animal and herd level risk factors associated with the detection of C. burnetii antibodies or pathogen-specific gene fragments via univariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis. Serum samples and genital swabs from adult males and females of 3367 small ruminants from 71 farms were collected and analysed using ELISA and qPCR, respectively. On animal level, univariable analysis identified young animals (<2 years of age; odds ratio (OR) 0.33; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.13-0.83) to reduce the risk for seropositivity significantly (p < 0.05). The final multivariable logistic models identified lambing all year-round (OR 3.46/3.65; 95% CI 0.80-15.06/0.41-32.06) and purchases of sheep and goats (OR 13.61/22.99; 95% CI 2.86-64.64/2.21-239.42) as risk factors on herd level for C. burnetii infection detected via ELISA and qPCR, respectively.

A prevalence study was conducted on German sheep flocks including goats if they cohabitated with sheep. In addition, a novel approach was applied to identify an infection at the herd-level before lambing season with preputial swabs, suspecting venereal transmission and ensuing colonisation of preputial mucosa with Coxiella (C.) burnetii. Blood samples and genital swabs were collected from breeding males and females after the mating season and were analysed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) respectively. In total, 3367 animals were sampled across 71 flocks. The true herd-level prevalence adjusted for misclassification probabilities of the applied diagnostic tests using the Rogan-Gladen estimator for the prevalence estimate and a formula by Lang and Reiczigel (2014) for the confidence limits, ranged between 31.3% and 33% (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 17.3-45.5) detected by the ELISA and/or qPCR. Overall 26-36.6% (95% CI 13-56.8) were detected by ELISA, 13.9% (95% CI 4.5-23.2) by the qPCR and 7.9-11.2% (95% CI 0.08-22.3) by both tests simultaneously. The range of results is due to data obtained from literature with different specifications for test quality for ELISA. Among eight farms with females shedding C. burnetii, three farms (37.5%) could also be identified by preputial swabs from breeding sires. This indicates less reliability of preputial swabs if used as a single diagnostic tool to detect C. burnetii infection at the herd-level.

Background: Ovine laryngeal chondritis is a rare entity of sheep in the USA, Great Britain, New Zealand and Iceland, but has not been reported in Germany so far. Here, two German cases are reported., Case Presentation: Two rams showed severe and progressive signs of dyspnea. Endoscopically, a severe bilateral swelling of the larynx was identified in both rams. Due to poor prognosis and progression of clinical signs one ram was euthanized, while the other ram died overnight. In both cases, a necrosuppurative laryngitis and chondritis of arytenoid cartilages was found at necropsy. Fusobacterium necrophorum and Streptococcus ovis were isolated from the laryngeal lesion in one animal., Conclusions: This is the first report of ovine laryngeal chondritis in continental Europe. This entity should be considered a differential diagnosis for upper airway disease in sheep.

Art therapy is a clinically accepted method of therapy, but there are still very few studies that deal with the efficacy, change factors or mode of action of art therapy. In particular, there is a dearth of research instruments and psychometrically verified research tools specially fitted for art therapy which measures the experience dimensions of the art therapy group from the patient's point of view. Hence, it provides evidence of its effectiveness, better understands the art therapy group processes and serves quality assurance. The aim of the present study was to develop and validate the questionnaire on the experience of the art therapy group from patient view (FEKTP). This questionnaire is based on Grawe's and Yalom's conceptions of change factors in group therapy. 133 patients participated in the study and completed the FEKTP directly after the 6th art therapy session. Patients additionally received established questionnaires concerning clinical symptoms and experience processes at the beginning and end of treatment. Factor analysis demonstrated a clear factor structure of the FEKTP, which corresponded to the theoretically predicted subscales to the greatest extent. The test psychometric main quality criteria of the FEKTP (reliability, validity and objectivity) can be classified as acceptable to good range. The criterion validity appear to be given, but should be examined more exactly in future studies. Thus, a valid instrument for the systemic detection of general change factors for art therapy is now available. The questionnaire can be recommended for research as well as clinical contexts., Competing Interests: Die Autoren geben an, dass kein Interessenkonflikt besteht., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

The causative agent of Q fever, Coxiella burnetii, is a query agent occurring naturally all over the world. We studied 104 German Coxiella burnetii strains/DNA samples obtained between 1969 and 2011 using a 14 microsatellite marker Multiple-locus variable-number of tandem repeat (VNTR) analysis (MLVA) technique. We were able to divide our collection into 32 different genotypes clustered into four major groups (A-D). Two of these (A and C) formed predominant clonal complexes that covered 97% of all studied samples. Group C consisted exclusively of cattle-associated isolates/DNA specimens, while group A comprised all other affected species including all sheep-derived strains/DNA samples. Within this second cluster, two major genotypes (A1, A2) were identified. Genotype A2 occurred in strains isolated from ewes in northern and central Germany, whereas genotype A1 was found in most areas of Germany. MLVA analysis of C. burnetii strains from neighbouring countries revealed a close relationship to German strains. We thus hypothesize that there is a western and central European cluster of C. burnetii. We identified predominant genotypes related to relevant host species and geographic regions which is in line with findings of the Dutch Q fever outbreak (2007-2010). Furthermore three of our analyzed German strains are closely related to the Dutch outbreak clone. These findings support the theory of predominant genotypes in the context of regional outbreaks. Our results show that a combination of 8 MLVA markers provides the highest discriminatory power for attributing C. burnetii isolates to genotypes. For future epidemiological studies we propose the use of three MLVA markers for easy and rapid classification of C. burnetii into 4 main clusters., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Background: This study was performed to demonstrate the widespread distribution and severity of selenium (Se) deficiency in sheep flocks and to evaluate the impact of influencing factors. In 150 flocks, ten serum samples of adult ewes were analysed for Se concentration. The farmers were interviewed concerning flock size, provision of mineral supplement, predominant form of husbandry (stationary fenced pasture/transhumance), predominant form of water provision (tap water/well/surface water) and predominant soil (sandy, silty/loamy, clay) in the area. The location of the flock was recorded as well as the production stage/season at the time of sampling. Intra-group variation and the validity to analyse pooled samples were tested., Results: Pools of five samples correlated well with the mean of individually analysed samples. The intra-group range of serum Se concentration varied enormously (mean 45.4 ± 18.8 μg Se/l). About 60% of the flocks showed mean serum Se concentrations below 80 μg/l, 37.4% were below 60 μg Se/l, representing a Se deficient stage. Using mineral supplement in general was no key factor for Se status. Stationary flocks on fenced pasture had constantly higher mean serum Se concentrations during breeding (outdoors, August-November), lambing (mainly indoors, December-March) and lactation (outdoors, April-July), whereas flocks practising transhumance had significantly lower Se status, except during lambing. There was no significant correlation between the soil type and the Se status, but flocks in Southern Germany tend to show a lower Se status compared to Central and Northern Germany. Increasing flock size was associated with lower mean serum Se concentrations. In stationary flocks only, the use of surface water was accompanied by significantly lower Se status., Conclusion: Se deficiency is widespread in German sheep flocks. More than one third of the flocks showed Se deficiency, indicating the need to optimise the nutritional management. Factors raising suspicion of Se deficiency are large flocks, transhumance during lactation and the breeding season as well as surface water provision in stationary flocks.

Anaplasma phagocytophilum is a Gram-negative, obligate intracellular tick-transmitted bacterium that replicates in neutrophils. It causes tick-borne fever (TBF) in sheep and cattle, but also elicits febrile disease in humans as well as in other domestic animals such as dogs, horses, and cats. Although increasingly recognized in Europe, the first laboratory-confirmed case of TBF in cattle from Germany has been published only recently. We here present the unusual case of an intrauterine transmission of A. phagocytophilum in a calf from northern Germany. To our knowledge, this is the first report of such an event occurring under field conditions in cattle.

Animal losses due to abortion and weak offspring during a lambing period amounted up to 25% in a goat flock and up to 18% in a sheep flock kept at an experimental station on the Swabian Alb, Germany. Fifteen out of 23 employees and residents on the farm tested positive for Coxiella burnetii antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and indirect immunofluorescence assay. Ninety-four per cent of the goats and 47% of the sheep were seropositive for C. burnetii by ELISA. Blood samples of 8% of goats and 3% of sheep were PCR positive. C. burnetii was shed by all tested animals through vaginal mucus, by 97% of the goats and 78% of the sheep through milk, and by all investigated sheep through faeces (PCR testing). In this outbreak human and animal infection were temporally related suggesting that one was caused by the other.

The intracellular bacteria Coxiella (C) burnetii and Chlamydia (Chl) abortus induce abortion in sheep and also affect humans. While Chl. abortus only infrequently infects humans, C burnetii is the aetiological agent of numerous Q fever outbreaks during the last decades. There is only limited knowledge about the prevalence of both pathogens in sheep, although sheep are involved in almost all Q fever outbreaks in Germany. The aim of our study was to investigate the prevalence of both pathogens in flocks located in Lower Saxony, Germany, in correlation to the management form and abortion rate. Serum samples of 1714 sheep from 95 flocks located in Lower Saxony were investigated by ELISA. 2.7% of these samples were positive, 1.3% showed inconclusive results in the C. burnetii-ELISA. Elevated intra-flock seroprevalences were only detected in three migrating flocks. Chlamydia-specific antibodies could be detected in 15.1% serum samples of mainly shepherded and migrating flocks. In one of these flocks with a high intra-flock seroprevalence for C burnetii (27%) and Chlamydia (44.9%), C burnetii was detected in 21.6% of the placenta samples of normal births and in 12.5% of the colostrum samples by PCR. Aborted fetuses and the corresponding placentas were negative in C burnetii-PCR, but in most of them and also in many other placenta samples Chl. abortus could be detected by PCR and DNA microarray. This survey shows a low overall prevalence of C. burnetii in sheep in Lower Saxony in the year 2004. However, three migrating flocks with a high intra-flock prevalence are localized in the southern parts of Lower Saxony. Spreading of C burnetii could occur, because of the large radius of grazing of all three flocks.

Lameness in sheep induced by infectious agents can cause problems regarding animal welfare, diagnosis and treatment. Individual lame animals and lameness caused by systemic disease, but especially flock problems due to infectious causes of lameness, such as foot rot, can for various reasons pose a problem for veterinary treatment. The causes of lameness in sheep are described with a special focus on infectious flock problems, and the different treatment options such as foot trimming, foot baths and local and systemic antibiotic therapy as well as vaccination are discussed based on a review of recent international research. The limited choice of drugs licensed for use in sheep in Germany is highlighted. Treatment, therefore, often requires off-label use or the import of footbathing agents licensed in other European countries. The legal consequences of this lack of nationally licensed veterinary products in dealing with a "minor species" are discussed, with a final call for political solutions that will help improve this unsatisfactory situation.

The second part of the recommendations deals with the healthcare and the regulatory framework for the husbandry of sheep and goats. The suggested concept for healthcare aims to develop an individual health plan for every flock. This health plan focuses not only on the prevention of notifiable diseases, but also on chronic and slow infections as well as on parasite monitoring. The emphasis is on early detection of diseases and prophylaxis. In conjunction with this, the handling of lameness, shearing, animal trade and quarantine as well as cleaning and disinfection in sheep and goat flocks are intensively discussed. There are detailed federal and European legal regulations concerning the transport and the physical well-being of animals. These laws are clearly presented and advice for their practical implementation is provided.

Profiles of blood cell counts were evaluated for 15 calves from three different farms. These calves showed petechia in the mucous membranes and in the skin and prolonged secondary bleeding after puncture. The clinical course of the disease could be observed in eleven calves. With exception of one case, the blood cell counts indicated a severe anaemia, leukocytopenia and thrombocytopenia. Out of these 15 calves, six calves survived and the other nine calves died or had to be euthanized due to the severity of the disease. Necropsy of these nine calves revealed petechia in the skin, subcutis, muscles, in inner organs and all serous membranes. Pathohistological examination showed a depletion of the bone marrow and lymphatic tissue in eight calves. These findings confirmed the diagnosis of bovine neonatal pancytopenia (BNP) for eight of these nine calves. Bluetongue virus serotype 8 was tested negatively using PCR. Bovine virus diarrhoea virus (BVDV) was negatively tested using immunofluorescence and cell culture and salmonella species were negatively tested in seven dissected calves. A cluster of toxins was negatively tested in one of the dissected calves. All 15 calves had high antibody titres for BVDV. The BVDV-antibody titres from twelve dams with affected calves were positive in six cases and not detectable in the other six cases. In three of the six dams with not detectable BVDV-antibody titres, calves were fed with colostrum of a further dam with high BVDV-antibody titres. In the further three dams without detectable BVDV-antibody titres, we could not ascertain which colostrum has been fed to the calves. BVDV-specific antigen could not be detected in any of the samples from the calves and dams tested. Using the activity of the gamma-glutamyl-transferase, we assumed a sufficient supply with colostrum for the examined calves.The cause for the occurrence of these BNP cases was due to bone marrow depletion.The reason for the bone marrow depletion remained unclear. However, it was obvious that the BNP described here is highly likely caused by colostrum from cows with positive BVDV-antibody titres.

In three flocks, 13 pure- and 1 crossbred German black headed mutton lambs were ascertained which had clinical signs of epidermolysis bullosa (EB). The three farmers reported of further 20 affected lambs with similar signs in their flocks in the past lambing seasons. The affected lambs were progeny of six rams and 17 ewes. Two rams and six ewes with affected offspring from two farms were used for a breeding trial. In the course of these experimental matings, 21 lambs were born, six of which were affected by EB. All lambs born in this trial underwent clinical and haematological examination and all the affected lambs had to be euthanised due to severe and progressing clinical symptoms. Clinical examinations in 20 affected lambs revealed shedding of claw horn, erosions and ulcers of skin and mucous membranes. Histopathology showed subepidermal splitting and blistering with intact basal keratinocytes. These findings together with the premature death of affected lambs within the first two months of life made a Herlitz type of junctional EB most likely. The results of the test matings demonstrated the genetic transmission and indicated an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance for this lethal condition.

The multi-strain anaerobe Dichelobacter nodosus causes footrot, a contagious disease of the digits of ruminants that occurs worldwide. Eleven D. nodosus-like isolates from footrot lesions of sheep in Germany were investigated by PCR amplification of the variable region of the D. nodosus fimbrial (fimA) gene. In six isolates, fimA PCR amplicons of a size suggestive of D. nodosus were generated. Single-strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) analysis of the amplicons revealed three banding patterns, the cloning and sequencing of which confirmed they represented three different strains of D. nodosus. One strain had a fimA sequence identical to D. nodosus isolate 265 of serotype H1, whilst the other two strains (B(de1) and H(de1)) exhibited novel fimA sequences. The B(de1) strain was most similar to D. nodosus serotype B1 isolate AC127, with six nucleotide differences in the fimA gene and four amino acid substitutions at the protein level. However, strain H(de1) was quite different from known strains of D. nodosus having 15 nucleotide differences and a three nucleotide deletion in its fimA gene relative to its closest homologue, isolate 351 of serotype H2. This resulted in 12 amino acid differences and one amino acid deletion at the protein level which suggests that H(de1) represents a new D. nodosus serotype within serogroup H. The identification of novel strains may have implications for current vaccination strategies against the disease., (Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The prevalence of human pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica isolates in livestock farming is of paramount interest. Raw goat milk has been proposed as a source of human yersiniosis; however, no data on the prevalence of human strains of Y. enterocolitica in goat herds are available. Therefore, fecal samples (n = 575) were collected from 24 goat herds from Lower Saxony, northern Germany. Pre-enrichment in peptone, sorbitol and bile salts broth was followed by plating on cefsuloidin irgasan novobiocin agar. Yersinia enterocolitica was isolated from 17 (3%) samples of five (21%) goat herds. All isolates were biovar 1A, but represented various serovars. PCR assays targeting Yersinia adhesin (yad) gene and the yopT gene, both associated with pathogenicity, produced no amplification products. Therefore, the isolates can be regarded as opportunistic apathogenic bacteria. Consequently, milk, cheese or meat from goats should not be considered as an important source for human yersiniosis.

The chromosomal region 19q13 has been found in linkage to allergic diseases in several genome-wide linkage screens. One candidate gene within this region is the gene coding for TGF-beta1. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta acts as an anti-inflammatory cytokine suppressing allergic inflammation and hyper-reactivity. However, in ongoing inflammation of the lungs it can induce fibrosis and airway remodelling as seen in chronic asthma. Several polymorphisms within TGF-beta1 have been identified and one, -C509T, has been shown to be in association with elevated immunoglobulin E levels and severe bronchial asthma in different populations. However, other studies failed to confirm the association. The present study investigated two polymorphisms within the gene coding for TGF-beta1, -C509T and G915C, and for their potential association with bronchial asthma in Caucasian children. Genotyping of these polymorphisms was performed by means of restriction fragment length polymorphisms in a population of 231 asthmatic children and a control population of 269 individuals. Statistical analyses made use of the Armitage's trend test. In addition haplotypes were calculated by arlequin. None of the two polymorphisms showed association with bronchial asthma. They were found to be in linkage disequilibrium. We conclude from our data that TGF-beta1 is unlikely to represent a major gene in the development of bronchial asthma in the Caucasian population.

Little is known about the prevalence of caprine yersiniosis in Germany. Only few cases are reported every year. The intention of the survey was to provide representative data on the seroprevalence of anti-Yersinia antibodies in goats in the German state of Lower Saxony. A commercially available Western blot kit was used to identify caprine and ovine anti-Yersinia antibodies against five proteins [YopM, H, D, E and V-antigen (V-Ag)]. Of the 681 investigated goat sera, 449 (66%) had anti-Yop/V-Ag antibodies. Only two of 28 animal holdings housed sero-negative goats. Boxplot analysis showed that the number of non-reactive animals is correlated to the size of a herd and the fact of milk production, respectively. A tendency was observed that various management factors may influence the anti-Yersinia antibody status. No statement was possible on the impact of keeping additional carrier animals such as pigs, cows or sheep on a farm or the type of husbandry on the seroprevalence of anti-Yersinia antibodies. This study provides trend-setting data for yersiniosis in goat-holdings. The impact on consumer health, i.e. especially for risk groups-like people allergic to cow milk and the impact on the profit of a farm will have to be elucidated in further studies.

PrP polymorphisms influence the scrapie susceptiblility of sheep. The objective of this study was to analyse the association between performance traits and the PrP genotype in the sheep breeds German black-headed and German white-headed mutton, Bleu du Maine, German mutton merino, Leine, Texel and Suffolk from Lower Saxony and Westphalia. We analysed performance traits such as scores for muscle mass, type and wool quality and the calculated daily weight gain using linear animal models. In all seven breeds no statistically significant associations were found between performance traits and the occurrence of ARR alleles, and the ARR/ARR genotypes, respectively. All genotyped sheep of all breeds investigated showed significantly superior performance traits in comparison to the non-genotyped animals.