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Chlamydia pecorum is an obligate intracellular pathogen with a wide host range including livestock such as sheep, cattle, goats, and pigs as well as wildlife species such as koalas. Chlamydial polyarthritis is an economically important disease resulting in swollen joints, lameness, stiffness, and weight loss in young sheep. In the present study, tissues from sheep experimentally or naturally infected with Chlamydia pecorum were assessed by histopathology and immunohistochemistry. Carpal, hock, and stifle joints as well as spleen, liver, kidney, lymph nodes, lung, and brain of 35 sheep from different inoculation groups were available. Two different C. pecorum strains (IPA and E58), different routes of administration (intraarticular or intravenous), UVA-irradiated IPA strain, and corresponding noninfected control groups were investigated. Similar investigations on tissues from 5 naturally infected sheep were performed. The most obvious inflammatory lesions were observed in synovial tissues and, notably, in the renal pelvis from the experimentally infected group and naturally infected animals. This resulted in chronic or chronic-active arthritis and pyelitis. Intralesional chlamydial inclusions could be demonstrated by immunohistochemistry in both tissues. Immunohistochemical evaluation of the presence and distribution of macrophages, T and B cells in synovial tissues revealed macrophages as the most prevalent inflammatory cell population. Previous observations indicated that C. pecorum isolates can infect circulating monocytes. Together with the finding of the histological lesions in synovial tissues and internal organs alongside the presence of C. pecorum DNA, these observations suggest chlamydial arthritis in lambs is the result of hematogeneous spread of C. pecorum.

Background The aim of this study was to investigate ECG and haemodynamic alterations provoked by a test dose of bupivacaine, epinephrine, and their combination. Methods Paediatric patients undergoing general anaesthesia were randomized into three groups. After anaesthesia induction and tracheal intubation, 0.2 ml kg−1 (max. 3 ml) of the corresponding test solution was i.v. injected: bupivacaine 0.125% (Group B), bupivacaine 0.125% plus epinephrine 1:200 000 (Group BE), or epinephrine 1:200 000 (Group E). ECG was printed and analysed post hoc. Non-invasive arterial pressure (AP) was measured at 1 and 2 min after test dose injection. Increases in T-wave of ≥25%, in heart rate (HR) of ≥10 beats min−1, and in systolic AP of ≥15 mm Hg above baseline value were considered a positive result. Results A total of 105 children aged 0.2-16 (median 6.8) yr were enrolled. Test dose injection provoked T-wave elevation in 0%, 85%, and 89% of patients in Groups B, BE, and E, respectively. A positive increase in HR was found in 0%, 68%, and 76%. A positive increase in AP at 1 min was found in 0%, 88%, and 94% and at 2 min in 0%, 42%, and 59%. A decrease in HR of ≥10 beats min−1 was observed in 6%, 76%, and 69%. Alterations in T-wave and HR were significantly influenced by age. Conclusions ECG and haemodynamic alterations after i.v. injection of a local anaesthetic test dose were significantly influenced by epinephrine. T-wave elevation, increase in AP, and changes in HR are highly reliable variables, particularly when age is taken into account

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate ECG and haemodynamic alterations provoked by a test dose of bupivacaine, epinephrine, and their combination. METHODS: Paediatric patients undergoing general anaesthesia were randomized into three groups. After anaesthesia induction and tracheal intubation, 0.2 ml kg(-1) (max. 3 ml) of the corresponding test solution was i.v. injected: bupivacaine 0.125% (Group B), bupivacaine 0.125% plus epinephrine 1:200 000 (Group BE), or epinephrine 1:200 000 (Group E). ECG was printed and analysed post hoc. Non-invasive arterial pressure (AP) was measured at 1 and 2 min after test dose injection. Increases in T-wave of ≥ 25%, in heart rate (HR) of ≥ 10 beats min(-1), and in systolic AP of ≥ 15 mm Hg above baseline value were considered a positive result. RESULTS: A total of 105 children aged 0.2-16 (median 6.8) yr were enrolled. Test dose injection provoked T-wave elevation in 0%, 85%, and 89% of patients in Groups B, BE, and E, respectively. A positive increase in HR was found in 0%, 68%, and 76%. A positive increase in AP at 1 min was found in 0%, 88%, and 94% and at 2 min in 0%, 42%, and 59%. A decrease in HR of ≥ 10 beats min(-1) was observed in 6%, 76%, and 69%. Alterations in T-wave and HR were significantly influenced by age. CONCLUSIONS: ECG and haemodynamic alterations after i.v. injection of a local anaesthetic test dose were significantly influenced by epinephrine. T-wave elevation, increase in AP, and changes in HR are highly reliable variables, particularly when age is taken into account.

Background: Bovine Tuberculosis (bTN) elimination programs are based on test-and-slaughter strategies. No diagnostic test used in the control of Bovine Tuberculosis (bTB), a zoonotic disease, is a perfect gold standard having a diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of 100%. Methods: To find relevant data to assess diagnostic accuracy of one variant of the tuberculin test, the Single Intradermal Comparative Cervical Tuberculin Test (SICCT) used in the diagnosis of bTB a systematic literature search was performed. To estimate diagnostic test accuracies of the SICCT, a Bayesian latent class analysis has been undertaken. Results: Only one eligible study was found. Assuming bacterial isolation has a specificity of 100%, specificity of gross lesion detection and histopathology were estimated as 90% and 97% respectively. Estimates of the sensitivity of the Single Intradermal Comparative Cervical Tuberculin Test (SICCT), gross lesion detection, histopathology and bacteriological isolation were 80%, 89%, 93% and 98% respectively. The design of this study precluded estimating the SICCT specificity, although official UK surveillance data indicates specificity greater than 99.67%. Conclusion: Studies to estimate the diagnostic performance of key tests for bTB are lacking, yet essential for an informed debate in regard to bTB public health policy.