Search

Background: Miyazaki Prefecture is one of the hotspots of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) cases and related deaths in Japan since 2013 and other pathogens of tick‐borne diseases (TBDs). Japanese spotted fever and scrub typhus are also endemic in this region. Objectives: A total of 105 wild boars, hunted in 2009, were serologically examined as sentinels for TBDs to indirectly demonstrate the potential hazard of ticks transmitting pathogens to humans in the studied area. Methods: The collected blood and spleens of the wild boars underwent serological and molecular tests for SFTSV, Rickettsia japonica (Rj) [antibody to spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFGR) were tested by using species‐common antigen], and Orientia tsutsugamushi (Ot). Results: Seroprevalences of SFTSV, SFGR, and Ot were 41.9%, 29.5%, and 33.3%, respectively. SFTS viral RNA was identified in 7.6% of the sera, whereas DNA of Rj or Ot was not detected in any sample. In total, 43.8% of the boars possessed an infection history with SFTSV (viral gene and/or antibody). Of these, 23.8% had multiple‐infection history with SFGR and/or Ot. Conclusions: The high prevalence of SFTSV in wild boars might reflect the high risk of exposure to the virus in the studied areas. In addition, SFTSV infection was significantly correlated with Ot infection, and so were SFGR infection and Ot infection, indicating that these pathogens have common factors for infection or transmission. These data caution of the higher risk of SFTSV infection in areas with reported cases of other TBDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Pneumonia is a common but serious illness that continues to present significant morbidity and mortality. Although the effect of severity at admission on outcome has been well reported, the role of comorbidity is still not widely understood. The Charlson Comorbidity Index measures comorbidity with a well-established history of predicting long-term outcome but its utility in pneumonia prognosis is still limited. Here, we use the Charlson Comorbidity Index and hospital surveillance data to investigate associations between comorbidities and in-hospital mortality due to community-acquired pneumonia. Results: Among the 535 eligible adult patients (69.0% male, median [IQR] age, 79 [70–84] years), 100 (18.7%) acquired severe to extremely severe pneumonia. The median [IQR] CCI was 1 [1–3]. Malignancy (129 of 535, 24.1%), chronic pulmonary diseases (113 of 535, 21.1%) and congestive heart failure (103 of 535, 19.3%) were frequent. Higher Charlson Comorbidity Index scores were associated with higher risk of in-hospital mortality (OR 1.28; 95% CI 1.07–1.53). These results support the inclusion of comorbid burden in predicting community-acquired pneumonia outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) footprint has spread across the globe and is responsible for one of the most economically important diseases in cattle. In Japan, some regional surveillance and preventive measures to control bovine viral diarrhea (BVD) have been implemented. However, BVDV infection is poorly understood in cattle industries, and there is no systematic BVD surveillance system and control program. Kyushu is the center for raising beef cattle in Japan. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the BVDV infection using a slaughterhouse survey among beef cattle in Kyushu, Japan. A total of 1,075 blood samples were collected at two regional slaughterhouses in Miyazaki prefecture from December 2015 to June 2016. Antigen ELISA was used for detection of BVDV antigen in blood samples. Two samples showed positive results (2/1,075; 0.18%). BVDV RNA was extracted from positive blood samples; the sequence was determined and analyzed by the neighbor-joining method for construction of the phylogenetic tree. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 5'-UTR revealed that the two positive samples were grouped into the same subtype BVDV-1b in the BVDV-1 genotype, but the infected cattle belonged to two different farms. In conclusion, this is the first study to identify the presence of BVDV in a slaughterhouse survey in Kyushu. These findings suggest that a slaughterhouse survey is a useful tool for developing a surveillance system for monitoring infectious diseases in cattle.

The purpose of this study was to detect porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) subclinically infected pigs shipped from non-case farms to slaughterhouses. Systematic sampling was conducted at two slaughterhouses. A total of 1,556 blood samples were collected from 80 case and non-case farms from pigs over 6 months old. Blood samples were centrifuged to obtain sera. Serial serum dilutions were subjected to serological examination for PEDV presence using Neutralization test (NT). The cut-off titer was set at titer of 1:2 dilution and farms with at least one positive sample in duplicate were classified as PED-positive farms. Several non-case farms (9.4%, 6/64) and 100% (16/16) of the case farms were indeed positive for PEDV. The proportion of seropositive animals from case farms was 63.7%, significantly different from that of non-case farms (4.3%, P<0.05). In both case and non-case farms, the proportion of seropositive animals in farrow-to-finish farms was significantly higher than in wean-to-finish farms (P<0.05). Seropositive animals in non-case farms were detected by NT in a sero-survey by sampling at slaughterhouses. Therefore, subclinically infected pigs should be considered prior to shipment.

Highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza viruses have caused infection in humans, with a high mortality rate, since 1997. While the pathogenesis of this infection is not completely understood, hypercytokinaemia and alveolar macrophages are thought to play a role. To gain further insight into the cytokine-mediated pathogenesis of this infection in humans, we measured various cytokines produced by primary human macrophages infected with H5N1, pandemic H1N1 or seasonal influenza viruses. We found that many cytokines were produced at higher levels on infection with the H5N1 strains tested compared with seasonal influenza viruses. Interestingly, the extent of cytokine induction varied among the H5N1 strains and did not correlate with replicative ability in macrophages. Further, a pandemic H1N1 virus induced higher levels of several cytokines compared with seasonal viruses and some H5N1 strains. Our results demonstrate that high cytokine induction is not a universal feature of all H5N1 viruses.