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Prevalence of elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) infections in Asian elephants in Japan was assessed by determination of EEHV gB specific antibody levels. Among 28 healthy Asian (sub) adult elephants from 11 zoos, 27 animals exhibited intermediate to high antibody levels. Like elsewhere worldwide, this suggested exposure of Asian elephants in Japan to at least one EEHV (sub) species. Longitudinal observations of two elephants monitored from birth to 30-month of age showed consistent high antibody levels. Another juvenile showed antibody levels that decreased to undetectable levels prior to death at 13 months of age. This fatal case supports earlier reports that low antibody levels are a risk factor for development of EEHV hemorrhagic disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Candida auris is an emerging multidrug-resistant yeast which can cause severe infection in hospitalized patients. Since its first detection in 2009, C. auris has spread globally. The control and elimination of this pathogen in a hospital setting is particularly challenging because of its ability to form biofilms, allowing for long-term patient colonization and persistence in the environment. Identification of C. auris from cultures is difficult due to the morphologic similarities to other yeasts, its slow growth, and the low culture sensitivity when using standard agars and temperatures. We have developed a screening protocol for C. auris colonization using an in-house-developed polymerase chain reaction (PCR), combined with confirmatory culture in optimized conditions. C. auris -specific primers and probe were developed, targeting the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, and specificity was confirmed in silico using the BLAST tool. The PCR was validated using a panel of 12 C. auris isolates and 103 isolates from 22 other Candida species and was shown to be 100% accurate. The limit of detection of the assay was determined at approximately four cells per PCR. C. auris screening was introduced on February 15th, 2023, and was used for patients who had been admitted to a healthcare facility abroad in the two months prior to admission to our hospital. The screening protocol included swabs from nose, throat, rectum, axilla, and groin. In the first eight months, 199 patients were screened and seven were found positive (4%). Our proposed screening protocol may contribute to control C. auris in hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to prevent metabolic bone disease in growing captive-bred marabou storks ( Leptoptilos crumeniferus), three hatchlings were exposed twice a day for 30 min each time to ultraviolet-B (UVB) radiation. During their first 35 days of life, body weights were monitored weekly, and blood was collected to determine total calcium, phosphorus, 25(OH)cholecalciferol, and 1.25(OH)2 cholecalciferol plasma levels. Data were compared with those obtained from two marabou stork nestlings that were raised before, without being exposed to UVB. These two birds developed metabolic bone disease, while the UVB-exposed birds developed into healthy adult animals. Plasma chemistry data obtained in this study demonstrate that nestling marabou storks produce vitamin D3 under the influence of UVB radiation. The absence of clinical metabolic bone disease in the nestlings that received UVB compared to the nestlings that were raised with the same diet without UVB radiation and that developed MBD demonstrates the importance of UVB radiation for normal development in this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study of a 26-year-old male who died of bovine tuberculosis disesase. He had both the lungs affected and milliary granulomas were found in liver, kidneys, and adrenal glands. Mycobacterium bovis taken from the organs including liver and kidneys were taken for research and was cultured at the Central Veterinary Institute, Netherlands. Skin test was performed to assess the actual cause of the disease.

The article offers information on a study conducted to assess the effect of oral calcium and cholecalciferol supplementation on several parameters of calcium status in plasma and urine of captive Asian and African elephants and also to detect potential species differences. According to the study, the advisable permanent daily intake for calcium in Asian elephants and cholecalciferol in both elephant species might be higher than current guidelines at least during winter season.

The article presents a case study of a 37-year old Asian elephant (Alphas maximus) who started parturition to deliver a fifth calf after 640 days of pregnancy. As mentioned, despite of clinical efforts, the calf was not delivered and the female elephant received a vagino-vestibulotomy to permit total fetotomy of the calf. As suggested, this is the first case in which fetotomy was performed in an elephant that survived the procedure and fully recovered.

The article discusses preliminary work for validation of various parameters involved in calcium metabolism in both blood and urine of captive elephants in western Europe. It highlights the comparison of basal values of the parameters between Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) and African elephants (Loxodonta africana). It also notes the apparent validity of preliminary testing of total calcium, inorganic phosphorus, and creatinine for use in plasma and creatinine in urine in both species.

The article examines the recurrent nonendothelial lesions associated with endotheliotropic herpes virus-1 (EEHV-1) infection among Asian elephants with nonfatal hemorraghic syndromes. It notes that an endotheliotropic virus creates a tropism for endothelial cells which leads to systemic hemorraghic syndrome and vascular collapse among elephants. Based on the study, it is discovered that infection with EEHV could result to acquisition of diseases such as mild mucosal lesions to severe illnesses among elephants. It is also concluded that EEHV has a greater tropism among Asian elephants as compared to African elephants due to the virus' association with endothelial and fatal hemorraghic syndrome.

The article presents a case study of four captive Komodo dragons (Varanuz komodoensis) with cervical subluxation leading to the compression of nerve root and spinal cord. It says that three of the dragons are induced by trauma while the other one had unknown cause of incitation. It reveals the antemortem diagnosis of compression depicted using magnetic resonance imaging and notes the death of the dragons. It recommends researches to study the links of pathology to cervical malformation.

Forensic vigilance is a hypothesized specialty of forensic mental health professionals which seems to play a role in maintaining safety in forensic hospitals. It is unclear exactly how forensic vigilance relates to preventing incidents. We used standardized reports of severe incidents that occurred in forensic hospitals to investigate how forensic vigilance plays a role in the occurrence of incidents. Eight forensic psychiatric hospitals in the Netherlands contributed 69 anonymized incident reports, which were investigated by means of thematic analysis and interpretative phenomenological analysis. Analysis revealed five important themes. Four core skills needed by professionals, namely observation, integration, communication and action, which each need a number of prerequisites (e.g., knowledge). The fifth theme specifies that the professional needs to "connect the dots" meaningfully. This is a highly cyclical process in which the core four skills are steps. The process is unique to the forensic context in terms of how the "dots" are connected and weighed, and which risks need to be considered. We present a model of this process and prerequisites needed in professionals. This model can inform policy makers, aid assessment of and communication between forensic professionals and can form the basis of a training for forensic mental health professionals., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: Criminal recidivism within two years after discharge from secure Forensic Psychiatric Hospitals (FPHs) is high, that is, over 36% for short-term judicial measures. It is assumed that relational care during treatment and continued voluntary contact and informal care after discharge, are factors that contribute to the reduction of criminal recidivism., Objective: To examine whether the provision of relational care and continued contact after treatment can be effective in reducing criminal recidivism two years after discharge (prevalence and time to re-offense) in patients who received treatment according to article 37 of the Dutch Penal Law (i.e., a hospital order for one year) compared to patients with the same order receiving Care As Usual., Methods: An evaluation study of criminal recidivism in adult patients (N = 111) residing in 4 FPHs in the Netherlands two years after discharge. The intervention 'relational care' group was compared with a historical control group from the same hospital before the new approach had been introduced, and a concurrent control group from three other FPHs in the Netherlands., Results: In the intervention group 15,6% of the participants reoffended within two years following discharge, which was significantly lower than recidivism in the historical (46,5%) and concurrent (47,8%) control group. The odds-ratio for recidivism in the intervention group was 0.245 (95% CI: 0.076-0.797) which was significant at p = .019., Conclusions: Patients who received relational care and subsequently were provided with voluntary contact after treatment recidivated later and at a lower rate than patients from two control groups receiving CAU. Relational care and the voluntary continuation of contact and informal (after)care, which was build up during the treatment period, may bridge the difficult period that patients face when they have left the forensic psychiatric hospital., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)