| 1. |
- Landgren, Matilda, et al.
(författare)
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An Automated System for the Detection and Diagnosis of Kidney Lesions in Children from Scintigraphy Images
- 2011
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Ingår i: Lecture Notes in Computer Science. - Berlin, Heidelberg : Springer Berlin Heidelberg. - 0302-9743 .- 1611-3349. - 9783642212277 - 9783642212260 ; 6688, s. 489-500
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Designing a system for computer aided diagnosis is a complex procedure requiring an understanding of the biology of the disease, insight into hospital workflow and awareness of available technical solutions. This paper aims to show that a valuable system can be designed for diagnosing kidney lesions in children and adolescents from 99m Tc-DMSA scintigraphy images. We present the chain of analysis and provide a discussion of its performance. On a per-lesion basis, the classification reached an ROC-curve area of 0.96 (sensitivity/specificity e.g. 97%/85%) measured using an independent test group consisting of 56 patients with 730 candidate lesions. We conclude that the presented system for diagnostic support has the potential of increasing the quality of care regarding this type of examination.
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| 2. |
- Ståhl, Daniel, et al.
(författare)
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Automatic Compartment Modelling and Segmentation for Dynamical Renal Scintigraphies
- 2011
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Ingår i: Lecture Notes in Computer Science. - Berlin, Heidelberg : Springer Berlin Heidelberg. - 1611-3349 .- 0302-9743. - 9783642212260 - 9783642212277 ; 6688, s. 557-568
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Time-resolved medical data has important applications in a large variety of medical applications. In this paper we study automatic analysis of dynamical renal scintigraphies. The traditional analysis pipeline for dynamical renal scintigraphies is to use manual or semiautomatic methods for segmentation of pixels into physical compartments, extract their corresponding time-activity curves and then compute the parameters that are relevant for medical assessment. In this paper we present a fully automatic system that incorporates spatial smoothing constraints, compartment modelling and positivity constraints to produce an interpretation of the full time-resolved data. The method has been tested on renal dynamical scintigraphies with promising results. It is shown that the method indeed produces more compact representations, while keeping the residual of fit low. The parameters of the time activity curve, such as peak-time and time for half activity from peak, are compared between the previous semiautomatic method and the method presented in this paper. It is also shown how to obtain new and clinically relevant features using our novel system.
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| 3. |
- Blomström, Anne-Lie, et al.
(författare)
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Genetic characterisation of a porcine bocavirus detected in domestic pigs in Uganda
- 2013
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Ingår i: Virus Genes. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0920-8569 .- 1572-994X. ; 47, s. 370-373
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Porcine bocaviruses (PoBoVs) are small linear ssDNA viruses belonging to the genus bocavirus in the family Parvoviridae. The genome encodes four proteins-the non-structural protein 1 (NS1), the NP1 protein (unknown function) and the two structural proteins VP1 and VP2. In recent years, a number of different highly divergent PoBoV species have been discovered. PoBoVs have been shown to be present in pig populations in Europe, Asia and in the United States of America. In this study, we present the first data of the presence of PoBoV in Africa, specifically in Uganda. A PCR targeting a PoBoV species that have previously been detected in both Sweden and China was used to screen 95 serum samples from domestic pigs in Uganda. Two pigs were found to be positive for this specific PoBoV and the complete coding region was amplified from one of these samples. The amino acid sequence comparison of all these proteins showed a high identity (98-99 %) to the published Chinese sequences (strains: H18 and SX) belonging to the same PoBoV species. The same was true for the Swedish sequences from the same species. To the other PoBoV species the divergence was higher and only a 28-43 % protein sequence identity was seen comparing the different proteins.
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| 4. |
- Blomström, Anne-Lie, et al.
(författare)
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Viral metagenomic analysis of bushpigs (Potamochoerus larvatus) in Uganda identifies novel variants of Porcine parvovirus 4 and Torque teno sus virus 1 and 2
- 2012
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Ingår i: Virology Journal. - 1743-422X. ; 9, s. 1-7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: As a result of rapidly growing human populations, intensification of livestock production and increasing exploitation of wildlife habitats for animal agriculture, the interface between wildlife, livestock and humans is expanding, with potential impacts on both domestic animal and human health. Wild animals serve as reservoirs for many viruses, which may occasionally result in novel infections of domestic animals and/or the human population. Given this background, we used metagenomics to investigate the presence of viral pathogens in sera collected from bushpigs (Potamochoerus larvatus), a nocturnal species of wild Suid known to move between national parks and farmland, in Uganda. Results: Application of 454 pyrosequencing demonstrated the presence of Torque teno sus virus (TTSuV), porcine parvovirus 4 (PPV4), porcine endogenous retrovirus (PERV), a GB Hepatitis C-like virus, and a Sclerotinia hypovirulence-associated-like virus in sera from the bushpigs. PCR assays for each specific virus combined with Sanger sequencing revealed two TTSuV-1 variants, one TTSuV-2 variant as well as PPV4 in the serum samples and thereby confirming the findings from the 454 sequencing. Conclusions: Using a viral metagenomic approach we have made an initial analysis of viruses present in bushpig sera and demonstrated for the first time the presence of PPV4 in a wild African Suid. In addition we identified novel variants of TTSuV-1 and 2 in bushpigs.
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| 5. |
- Bobjer, Johannes, et al.
(författare)
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Location of retroperitoneal lymph node metastases in upper tract urothelial carcinoma : results from a prospective lymph node mapping study
- 2023
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Ingår i: European Urology Open Science. - : Elsevier. - 2666-1691 .- 2666-1683. ; 57, s. 37-44
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: There is limited information on the distribution of retroperitoneal lymph node metastases (LNMs) in upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC).Objective: To investigate the location of LNMs in UTUC of the renal pelvis or proximal ureter and short-term complications after radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) with lymph node dissection (LND).Design, setting, and participants: This was a prospective Nordic multicenter study (four university hospitals, two county hospitals). Patients with clinically suspected locally advanced UTUC (stage >T1) and/or clinical lymph node–positive (cN+) disease were invited to participate. Participants underwent RNU and fractionated retroperitoneal LND using predefined side-specific templates.Outcome measurements and statistical analysis: The location of LNMs in the LND specimen and retroperitoneal lymph node recurrences during follow-up was recorded. Postoperative complications within 90 d of surgery were ascertained from patient charts. Descriptive statistics were used.Results and limitations: LNMs were present in the LND specimen in 23/100 patients, and nine of 100 patients experienced a retroperitoneal recurrence. Distribution per side revealed LNMs in the LND specimen in 11/38 (29%) patients with right-sided tumors, for whom the anatomically larger, right-sided template was used, in comparison to 12/62 (19%) patients with left-sided tumors, for whom a more limited template was used. High-grade complications (Clavien grade ≥3) within 90 d of surgery were registered for 13/100 patients. The study is limited in size and not powered to assess survival estimates.Conclusions: The suggested templates that we prospectively applied for right-sided and left-sided LND in patients with advanced UTUC included the majority of LNMs. High-grade complications directly related to the LND part of the surgery were limited.Patient summary: This study describes the location of lymph node metastases in patients with cancer in the upper urinary tract who underwent surgery to remove the affected kidney and ureter. The results show that most metastases occur within the template maps for lymph node surgery that we investigated, and that this surgery can be performed with few severe complications.
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| 6. |
- Bullock, Adrian, et al.
(författare)
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Designing interactive collaborative environments
- 2001. - 2
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Ingår i: Collaborative Virtual Environments: Digital Places and Spaces for Interaction. - : Springer. - 1852332441
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Bokkapitel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- We describe our experiences of creating and using a wide variety of techniques and applications to support collaboration in virtual environments for different activities and user groups. Our aim is to offer plentiful and rich possibilities for interaction across and between both real and virtual environments.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
- Chenais, Erika, et al.
(författare)
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African swine fever in Uganda: qualitative evaluation of three surveillance methods with implications for other resource-poor settings
- 2015
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Veterinary Science. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 2297-1769. ; 2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Animal diseases impact negatively on households and on national economies. In low-income countries, this pertains especially to socio-economic effects on household level. To control animal diseases and mitigate their impact, it is necessary to understand the epidemiology of the disease in its local context. Such understanding, gained through disease surveillance, is often lacking in resource-poor settings. Alternative surveillance methods have been developed to overcome some of the hurdles obstructing surveillance. The objective of this study was to evaluate and qualitatively compare three methods for surveillance of acute infectious diseases using African swine fever in northern Uganda as an example. Report-driven outbreak investigations, participatory rural appraisals (PRAs), and a household survey using a smartphone application were evaluated. All three methods had good disease-detecting capacity, and each of them detected many more outbreaks compared to those reported to the World Organization for Animal Health during the same time period. Apparent mortality rates were similar for the three methods although highest for the report-driven outbreak investigations, followed by the PRAs, and then the household survey. The three methods have different characteristics and the method of choice will depend on the surveillance objective. The optimal situation might be achieved by a combination of the methods: outbreak detection via smartphone-based real-time surveillance, outbreak investigation for collection of biological samples, and a PRA for a better understanding of the epidemiology of the specific outbreak. All three methods require initial investments and continuous efforts. The sustainability of the surveillance system should, therefore, be carefully evaluated before making such investments.
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| 10. |
- Chenais, Erika, et al.
(författare)
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African swine fever outbreak on a medium-sized farm in Uganda: biosecurity breaches and within-farm virus contamination.
- 2017
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Ingår i: Tropical Animal Health and Production. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0049-4747 .- 1573-7438. ; 49, s. 337-346
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In Uganda, a low-income country in east Africa, African swine fever (ASF) is endemic with yearly outbreaks. In the prevailing smallholder subsistence farming systems, farm biosecurity is largely non-existent. Outbreaks of ASF, particularly in smallholder farms, often go unreported, creating significant epidemiological knowledge gaps. The continuous circulation of ASF in smallholder settings also creates biosecurity challenges for larger farms. In this study, an on-going outbreak of ASF in an endemic area was investigated on farm level, including analyses of on-farm environmental virus contamination. The study was carried out on a medium-sized pig farm with 35 adult pigs and 103 piglets or growers at the onset of the outbreak. Within 3 months, all pigs had died or were slaughtered. The study included interviews with farm representatives as well as biological and environmental sampling. ASF was confirmed by the presence of ASF virus (ASFV) genomic material in biological (blood, serum) and environmental (soil, water, feed, manure) samples by real-time PCR. The ASFV-positive biological samples confirmed the clinical assessment and were consistent with known virus characteristics. Most environmental samples were found to be positive. Assessment of farm biosecurity, interviews, and the results from the biological and environmental samples revealed that breaches and non-compliance with biosecurity protocols most likely led to the introduction and within-farm spread of the virus. The information derived from this study provides valuable insight regarding the implementation of biosecurity measures, particularly in endemic areas.
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| 11. |
- Chenais, Erika, et al.
(författare)
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Co-created community contracts support biosecurity changes in a region where African swine fever is endemic – Part I: The methodology
- 2023
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Ingår i: Preventive Veterinary Medicine. - : Elsevier BV. - 0167-5877 .- 1873-1716. ; 212
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In Northern Uganda more people live in poverty than elsewhere in the country. Small-scale pig-keeping is common and African swine fever (ASF) is endemic, spreading along the smallholder value chain. Biosecurity measures remain the only way to prevent and control the spread of ASF in this context. Previous research in the study area has shown that many stakeholders are aware of ASF, how it is spread and methods for prevention and control, but biosecurity implementation remains limited. Participatory approaches have been suggested in order to increase community engagement in relation to animal disease control, ensuring that disease prevention or control actions are guided by local people’s priorities and the promotion of local ownership of disease control. The objective of this study was to investigate the capacity of participatory action at community level with a broad inclusion of stakeholders to initiate change and greater stakeholder ownership to improve biosecurity in the smallholder pig value chain. Specific attention was paid to the feasibility of co-created community contracts for this purpose. The study was carried out in Northern Uganda in six purposively selected villages and included both farmers and traders. Centred on co-created community contracts on biosecurity, the study comprised repeated group discussions, semi-structured and structured group and individual interviews, as well as field observations. At the first meeting, participants were presented with suggested biosecurity measures adapted for farmers and traders respectively. Participants discussed each measure, agreed which ones to implement for one year, and co-created a community contract to this effect. During the study period, repeated interviews were undertaken and implementation support was provided. Interview data was coded and thematically analysed. Great diversity was observed between communities with regard to which and how many measures were selected, illustrating heterogeneity in the possibilities of biosecurity implementation and the complexity of livelihood challenges. The methodology appeared to be effective at instigating change, with all the communities changing some of their biosecurity behaviour during the study period. The intensified communication and cooperation around pigs in the communities reinforced the sense of group identity and the capacity-building offered at the first meeting supported implementation and appeared to be more important than the physical contract. Participants reported feeling empowered and described how they shared their knowledge, educated their peers and acted as catalysts for wider biosecurity change in their communities. These are promising results and indicate a positive attitude to both the agreed measures and the methodology.
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| 12. |
- Chenais, Erika, et al.
(författare)
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Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Related to African Swine Fever Within Smallholder Pig Production in Northern Uganda
- 2017
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Ingår i: Transboundary and Emerging Diseases. - : Hindawi Limited. - 1865-1674 .- 1865-1682. ; 64, s. 101-115
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Uganda is a low-income country with the largest pig population in East Africa. Pig keeping has a large potential, commercially and as a tool for poverty reduction, but African swine fever (ASF) is a major hurdle for development of the sector. The objective of this study was to evaluate knowledge, attitudes and practices related to ASF in the smallholder pig production value chain in northern Uganda. The study included three separate series of participatory rural appraisals (PRA), comprising purposively selected farmers and other actors in the pig production value chain. In the PRAs, various participatory epidemiology tools were used. A total of 49 PRAs and 574 participants, representing 64 different villages, were included. The results indicate that participants were well aware of the clinical signs of ASF, routes for disease spread and measures for disease control. However, awareness of the control measures did not guarantee their implementation. A majority of middlemen and butchers acknowledged having sold live pigs, carcasses or pork they believed infected with ASF. Outbreaks of ASF had a strong negative impact on participants' socio-economic status with loss of revenue and reversal into more severe poverty. In conclusion, lack of knowledge is not what is driving the continuous circulation of ASF virus in this setting. To control ASF and reduce its impact, initiatives that stimulate changes in management are needed. Because the behaviour of all actors in the value chain is largely influenced by the deep rural poverty in the region, this needs to be combined with efforts to reduce rural poverty.
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| 13. |
- Chenais, Erika, et al.
(författare)
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Perceptions of pastoralist problems : A participatory study on animal management, disease spectrum and animal health priorities of small ruminant pastoralists in Georgia
- 2021
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Ingår i: Preventive Veterinary Medicine. - : Elsevier. - 0167-5877 .- 1873-1716. ; 193
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Small ruminants support the livelihoods of millions of poor pastoralist and sedentary households around the world. While pastoralists are generally not amongst the poorest in terms of assets, they are frequently marginalised in terms of their access to political power, health and education. This study was undertaken among pastoralist households keeping small ruminants in four regions of the country of Georgia. Small ruminants are an important cultural, social and economic asset in Georgia and are mainly managed in a transhumant pastoralist system. Georgia suffered its first, and so far only outbreak of peste des petits ruminants (PPR) in 2016. This qualitative interview study was designed to acquire contextual understanding of local small ruminant husbandry and the livelihood situations of the participating pastoralists, and to detect historical, unreported PPR outbreaks. Focus group discussions comprising participatory epidemiology tools and other forms of interviews were used to explore small ruminant management, disease spectrum and management, and animal health priorities. The participants had experienced a wide variety of animal health constraints, with intestinal worms, braxy, piroplasmosis, pasture-related problems, predators and lameness emerging as priorities. No historic, unreported PPR outbreak was detected in this study, and PPR was not a priority for participants. Instead, the day-to-day reality of animal health for the pastoralists was characterised by co-infections of mainly endemic pathogens, and problems related to other challenges such as access to land, feed and genetic resources. The rationale behind the participants' prioritisation of animal health problems was supported by the need to pay extra attention to animals in order to avoid risk factors, keep animals healthy and minimise the negative impact of diseases or management problems; the various epidemiological and clinical parameters of the prioritised diseases; the economic impact of the specific problems and the zoonotic potential of diseases and predation. Even within regions, and within seemingly socially and culturally homogenous groups, there were important local differences in the problems faced by pastoralists that affect their livestock management. This study underlines the importance of a contextualised understanding of the local disease panorama and complexities in the livelihood situations of rural people when designing actions to improve animal health in general or, more specifically, passive surveillance as well as prevention or control measures. Finally, it is concluded that to achieve such an understanding, there is a need for participatory, scoping-style studies that specifically acknowledge diversity and power relations.
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| 14. |
- Chenais, Erika, et al.
(författare)
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Quantitative assessment of social and economic impact of African swine fever outbreaks in northern Uganda
- 2017
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Ingår i: Preventive Veterinary Medicine. - : Elsevier BV. - 0167-5877 .- 1873-1716. ; 144, s. 134-148
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- African swine fever (ASF) is one of the most important pig diseases, causing high case fatality rate and trade restrictions upon reported outbreaks. In Uganda, a low-income country with the largest pig population in East Africa, ASF is endemic.Animal disease impact is multidimensional and include social and economic impact along the value chain. In low-income settings, this impact keep people poor and push those that have managed to escape poverty back again. If the diseases can be controlled, their negative consequences can be mitigated. However, to successfully argue for investment in disease control, its cost-benefits need to be demonstrated. One part in the cost-benefit equations is disease impact quantification. The objective of this study was therefore to investigate the socio-economic impact of ASF outbreaks at household level in northern Uganda.In a longitudinal study, structured interviews with two hundred, randomly selected, pig-keeping households were undertaken three times with a six month interval. Questions related to family and pig herd demographics, pig trade and pig business.Associations between ASF outbreaks and economic and social impact variables were evaluated using linear regression models. The study showed that pigs were kept in extreme low-input-low-output farming systems involving only small monetary investments. Yearly incidence of ASF on household level was 19%. Increasing herd size was positively associated with higher economic output. The interaction between ASF outbreaks and the herd size showed that ASF outbreaks were negatively associated with economic output at the second interview occasion and with one out of two economic impact variables at the third interview occasion. No significant associations between the social impact variables included in the study and ASF outbreaks could be established. Trade and consumption of sick and dead pigs were coping strategies used to minimize losses of capital and animal protein.The results indicate that causality of social and economic impact of ASF outbreaks in smallholder systems is complex. Pigs are mostly kept as passive investments rather than active working capital, complicating economic analyses and further disqualifying disease control arguments based only on standard economic models. (C) 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.
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| 15. |
- Chenais, Erika, et al.
(författare)
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Wild and Domestic Pig Interactions at the Wildlife-Livestock Interface of Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda, and the Potential Association with African Swine Fever Outbreaks
- 2016
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Veterinary Science. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 2297-1769. ; 3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Bushpigs (BPs) (Potamochoerus larvatus) and warthogs (WHs) (Phacochoerus africanus), which are widely distributed in Eastern Africa, are likely to cohabitate in the same environment with domestic pigs (DPs), facilitating the transmission of shared pathogens. However, potential interactions between BP, WH, and DP, and the resulting potential circulation of infectious diseases have rarely been investigated in Africa to date. In order to understand the dynamics of such interactions and the potential influence of human behavior and husbandry practices on them, individual interviews (n = 233) and participatory rural appraisals (n = 11) were carried out among Ugandan pig farmers at the edge of Murchison Falls National Park, northern Uganda. In addition, as an example of possible implications of wild and DP interactions, non-linear multivariate analysis (multiple correspondence analyses) was used to investigate the potential association between the aforementioned factors (interactions and human behavior and practices) and farmer reported African swine fever (ASF) outbreaks. No direct interactions between wild pigs (WPs) and DP were reported in our study area. However, indirect interactions were described by 83 (35.6%) of the participants and were identified to be more common at water sources during the dry season. Equally, eight (3.4%) farmers declared exposing their DP to raw hunting leftovers of WPs. The exploratory analysis performed suggested possible associations between the farmer reported ASF outbreaks and indirect interactions, free-range housing systems, dry season, and having a WH burrow less than 3 km from the household. Our study was useful to gather local knowledge and to identify knowledge gaps about potential interactions between wild and DP in this area. This information could be useful to facilitate the design of future observational studies to better understand the potential transmission of pathogens between wild and DPs.
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| 16. |
- Ekerljung, Lina, 1980-, et al.
(författare)
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Generation and Evaluation of Bispecific Affibody Molecules for Simultaneous Targeting of EGFR and HER2
- 2012
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Ingår i: Bioconjugate chemistry. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1043-1802 .- 1520-4812. ; 23:9, s. 1802-1811
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Co-expression of several ErbB receptors has been found in many cancers and has been linked with increased aggressiveness of tumors and a worse patient prognosis. This makes the simultaneous targeting of two surface receptors by using bispecific constructs an increasingly appreciated strategy. Here we have generated six such bispecific targeting proteins, which each comprising two monomeric affibody molecules with specific binding to either of the two human epidermal growth factor receptors, EGFR and HER2, respectively. The bispecific constructs were designed with (i) alternative positioning (N- or C-terminal) of the different affibody molecules, (ii) two alternative peptide linkers (Gly4Ser)3 or (Ser4Gly)3, and (iii) affibody molecules with different affinity (nanomolar or picomolar) for HER2. Using both Biacore technology and cell binding assays it was demonstrated that all six constructs could bind simultaneously to both their target proteins. N-terminal positioning of the monomeric affibody molecules was favorable to promote the binding to respective target. Interestingly, bispecific constructs containing the novel (Ser4Gly)3 linker displayed a higher affinity in cell binding, as compared to constructs containing the more conventional linker, (Gly4Ser)3. It could further be concluded that bispecific constructs (but not the monomeric affibody molecules) induced dimerization and phosphorylation of EGFR in SKBR3 cells, which express fairly high levels of both receptors. It was also investigated whether the bispecific binding would influence cell growth or sensitize cells for ionizing radiation, but no such effects were observed.
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| 17. |
- Ernholm, Linda, et al.
(författare)
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Understanding the interface between European wild boar (Sus scrofa) and domestic pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus) in Sweden through a questionnaire study
- 2023
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Ingår i: Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica. - 0044-605X .- 1751-0147. ; 65
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background In recent years, the wildlife/livestock interface has attracted increased attention due to disease transmission between wild and domestic animal populations. The ongoing spread of African swine fever (ASF) in European wild boar (Sus scrofa) emphasize the need for further understanding of the wildlife/livestock interface to prevent disease spill-over between the wild and domestic populations. Although wild boar may also act as a potential source for other infectious disease agents, ASF is currently the most severe threat from wild boar to domestic pigs. To gather information on the wild boar situation at commercial pig producing farms in Sweden, a digital questionnaire survey was distributed through the animal health services. Results Most pigs produced for commercial purposes in Sweden are raised without outdoor access. Of the 211 responding pig producers, 80% saw wild boar or signs of wild boar activity in the vicinity of their farm at least once during the year. Observations were significantly correlated with geographical region, but there was no correlation between farm characteristics (farm size, main type of production, outdoor access) and observed wild boar presence or proximity. However, a reported higher frequency of wild boar observations was positively correlated with the observations being made in closer proximity to the farm. Hunting and strategic baiting were the most common mitigation strategies used to keep wild boar at bay. Of the 14 farms raising pigs with outdoor access, 12 responded that these pigs could be raised solely indoors if needed. Pigs with outdoor access are required to be fenced in, but double fencing in these outdoor pig enclosures was not practiced by all. A perimeter fence surrounding any type of pig farm was very rare. More than half of the producers that grew crops with intended use for pigs reported crop damage by wild boar. Conclusion This study shows that although pigs raised for commercial purposes in Sweden are, to a large extent, kept indoors the potential for indirect contact with wild boar exists and must be considered. Variable local situations regarding wild boar abundance may require an adaptive approach regarding biosecurity efforts.
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| 18. |
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| 19. |
- Johansson, Karl E., et al.
(författare)
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Shiga toxin signals via ATP and its effect is blocked by purinergic receptor antagonism
- 2019
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Ingår i: Scientific Reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 9:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Shiga toxin (Stx) is the main virulence factor of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), that cause gastrointestinal infection leading to hemolytic uremic syndrome. The aim of this study was to investigate if Stx signals via ATP and if blockade of purinergic receptors could be protective. Stx induced ATP release from HeLa cells and in a mouse model. Toxin induced rapid calcium influx into HeLa cells, as well as platelets, and a P2X1 receptor antagonist, NF449, abolished this effect. Likewise, the P2X antagonist suramin blocked calcium influx in Hela cells. NF449 did not affect toxin intracellular retrograde transport, however, cells pre-treated with NF449 exhibited significantly higher viability after exposure to Stx for 24 hours, compared to untreated cells. NF449 protected HeLa cells from protein synthesis inhibition and from Stx-induced apoptosis, assayed by caspase 3/7 activity. The latter effect was confirmed by P2X1 receptor silencing. Stx induced the release of toxin-positive HeLa cell- and platelet-derived microvesicles, detected by flow cytometry, an effect significantly reduced by NF449 or suramin. Suramin decreased microvesicle levels in mice injected with Stx or inoculated with Stx-producing EHEC. Taken together, we describe a novel mechanism of Stx-mediated cellular injury associated with ATP signaling and inhibited by P2X receptor blockade.
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| 20. |
- Johansson, Karl, et al.
(författare)
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Shiga Toxin-Bearing Microvesicles Exert a Cytotoxic Effect on Recipient Cells Only When the Cells Express the Toxin Receptor
- 2020
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Ingår i: Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 2235-2988. ; 10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Shiga toxin is the main virulence factor of non-invasive enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli strains capable of causing hemolytic uremic syndrome. Our group has previously shown that the toxin can reach the kidney within microvesicles where it is taken up by renal cells and the vesicles release their cargo intracellularly, leading to toxin-mediated inhibition of protein synthesis and cell death. The aim of this study was to examine if recipient cells must express the globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) toxin receptor for this to occur, or if Gb3-negative cells are also susceptible after uptake of Gb3-positive and toxin-positive microvesicles. To this end we generated Gb3-positive A4GALT–transfected CHO cells, and a vector control lacking Gb3 (CHO-control cells), and decreased Gb3 synthesis in native HeLa cells by exposing them to the glycosylceramide synthase inhibitor PPMP. We used these cells, and human intestinal DLD-1 cells lacking Gb3, and exposed them to Shiga toxin 2-bearing Gb3-positive microvesicles derived from human blood cells. Results showed that only recipient cells that possessed endogenous Gb3 (CHO-Gb3 transfected and native HeLa cells) exhibited cellular injury, reduced cell metabolism and protein synthesis, after uptake of toxin-positive microvesicles. In Gb3-positive cells the toxin introduced via vesicles followed the retrograde pathway and was inhibited by the retrograde transport blocker Retro-2.1. CHO-control cells, HeLa cells treated with PPMP and DLD-1 cells remained unaffected by toxin-positive microvesicles. We conclude that Shiga toxin-containing microvesicles can be taken up by Gb3-negative cells but the recipient cell must express endogenous Gb3 for the cell to be susceptible to the toxin.
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| 21. |
- Kahn, Robin, et al.
(författare)
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Microvesicle transfer of kinin B1-receptors is a novel inflammatory mechanism in vasculitis
- 2017
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Ingår i: Kidney International. - : Elsevier BV. - 0085-2538. ; 91:1, s. 96-105
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- During vasculitis, activation of the kinin system induces inflammation, whereby the kinin B1-receptor is expressed and activated after ligand binding. Additionally, activated blood cells release microvesicles into the circulation. Here we determined whether leukocyte-derived microvesicles bear B1-kinin receptors during vasculitis, and if microvesicles transfer functional B1-receptors to recipient cells, thus promoting inflammation. By flow cytometry, plasma from patients with vasculitis were found to contain high levels of leukocyte-derived microvesicles bearing B1-receptors. Importantly, renal biopsies from two patients with vasculitis showed leukocyte-derived microvesicles bearing B1-receptors docking on glomerular endothelial cells providing in vivo relevance. Microvesicles derived from B1-receptor-transfected human embryonic kidney cells transferred B1-receptors to wild-type human embryonic kidney cells, lacking the receptor, and to glomerular endothelial cells. The transferred B1-receptors induced calcium influx after B1-receptor agonist stimulation: a response abrogated by a specific B1-receptor antagonist. Microvesicles derived from neutrophils also transferred B1-receptors to wild-type human embryonic kidney cells and induced calcium influx after stimulation. Thus, we found a novel mechanism by which microvesicles transfer functional receptors and promote kinin-associated inflammation.
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| 22. |
- Karlgren, Jussi, et al.
(författare)
-
Socially intelligent interfaces for increased energy awareness in the home
- 2008. - 2
-
Ingår i: The Internet of Things. - Berlin, Heidelberg : Springer. ; , s. 263-275
-
Bokkapitel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper describes how home appliances might be enhanced to improve user awareness of energy usage. Households wish to lead comfortable and manageable lives. Balancing this reasonable desire with the environmental and political goal of reducing electricity usage is a challenge that we claim is best met through the design of interfaces that allows users better control of their usage and unobtrusively informs them of the actions of their peers. A set of design principles along these lines is formulated in this paper. We have built a fully functional prototype home appliance with a socially aware interface to signal the aggregate usage of the user's peer group according to these principles, and present the prototype in the paper.
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| 23. |
- Karpman, Diana, et al.
(författare)
-
Complement Interactions with Blood Cells, Endothelial Cells and Microvesicles in Thrombotic and Inflammatory Conditions.
- 2015
-
Ingår i: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology. - Cham : Springer International Publishing. - 0065-2598. - 9783319186023 ; 865, s. 19-42
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- The complement system is activated in the vasculature during thrombotic and inflammatory conditions. Activation may be associated with chronic inflammation on the endothelial surface leading to complement deposition. Complement mutations allow uninhibited complement activation to occur on platelets, neutrophils, monocytes, and aggregates thereof, as well as on red blood cells and endothelial cells. Furthermore, complement activation on the cells leads to the shedding of cell derived-microvesicles that may express complement and tissue factor thus promoting inflammation and thrombosis. Complement deposition on red blood cells triggers hemolysis and the release of red blood cell-derived microvesicles that are prothrombotic. Microvesicles are small membrane vesicles ranging from 0.1 to 1 μm, shed by cells during activation, injury and/or apoptosis that express components of the parent cell. Microvesicles are released during inflammatory and vascular conditions. The repertoire of inflammatory markers on endothelial cell-derived microvesicles shed during inflammation is large and includes complement. These circulating microvesicles may reflect the ongoing inflammatory process but may also contribute to its propagation. This overview will describe complement activation on blood and endothelial cells and the release of microvesicles from these cells during hemolytic uremic syndrome, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and vasculitis, clinical conditions associated with enhanced thrombosis and inflammation.
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| 24. |
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| 25. |
- Leblanc, Neil, et al.
(författare)
-
Development of a magnetic bead microarray for simultaneous and simple detection of four pestiviruses
- 2009
-
Ingår i: Journal of Virological Methods. - : Elsevier BV. - 0166-0934 .- 1879-0984. ; 155:1, s. 1-9
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study reports a novel method for the rapid detection and identification of the four recognized species in the pestivirus genus of the Flaviviridae family, i.e. classical swine fever virus (CSFV), border disease virus (BDV), bovine viral diarrhoea virus type 1 (BVDV1) and type 2 (BVDV2). The analysis of pestivirus PCR products was performed on microarrays by means of magnetic bead detection. The process utilizes an oligonucleotide array, onto which 5' biotinylated PCR products were hybridized, followed by visualization with streptavidin-coated magnetic particles by the naked eye, microscope or biochip reader. The assay was tested on a collection of pestiviruses that included all four species and allowed a specific and sensitive detection. Sensitivity was compared with other post-PCR detection methods, namely gel electrophoresis and suspension microarray. The results indicate that due to its high sensitivity, specificity and simple detection procedure, the magnetic bead assay provides a powerful tool for detection and identification of viral pathogens. Considering the simplicity of the assay, the protocols for hybridization and magnetic bead detection offer an emerging application for molecular diagnoses in virology that is amenable for use in a modestly equipped laboratory.
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| 26. |
- Leijon, Mikael, et al.
(författare)
-
Genetic variation and Dynamics of infections of equine herpesvirus type 5 in individual horses
- 2016
-
Ingår i: Journal of General Virology. - : Microbiology Society. - 0022-1317 .- 1465-2099. ; 97, s. 169-178
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Equid herpesvirus 5 (EHV-5) is related to the human Epstein-Barr virus (human herpesvirus 4) and has frequently been observed in equine populations worldwide. EHV-5 was previously assumed to be low to non-pathogenic; however, studies have also related the virus to the severe lung disease equine multinodular pulmonary fibrosis (EMPF). Genetic information of EHV-5 is scanty: the whole genome was recently described and only limited nucleotide sequences are available. In this study, samples were taken twice 1 year apart from eight healthy horses at the same professional training yard and samples from a ninth horse that was diagnosed with EMPF with samples taken pre- and post-mortem to analyse partial glycoprotein B (gB) gene of EHV-5 by using next-generation sequencing. The analysis resulted in 27 partial gB gene sequences, 11 unique sequence types and five amino acid sequences. These sequences could be classified within four genotypes (I-IV) of the EHV-5 gB gene based on the degree of similarity of the nucleotide and amino acid sequences, and in this work horses were shown to be identified with up to three different genotypes simultaneously. The observations showed a range of interactions between EHV-5 and the host over time, where the same virus persists in some horses, whereas others have a more dynamic infection pattern including strains from different genotypes. This study provides insight into the genetic variation and dynamics of EHV-5, and highlights that further work is needed to understand the EHV-5 interaction with its host.
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| 27. |
- Lindahl, Johanna, et al.
(författare)
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Circulation of Japanese Encephalitis Virus in Pigs and Mosquito Vectors within Can Tho City, Vietnam
- 2013
-
Ingår i: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1935-2727 .- 1935-2735. ; 7
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is a mosquito-borne, zoonotic flavivirus causing encephalitis in humans and reproductive disorder in pigs. JEV is present in large parts of Asia, where urbanization is high. Households within and outside Can Tho city, South Vietnam, were selected to monitor circulation of JEV. A nested RT-PCR was established to detect the presence of JEV in mosquitoes whereas sera from pigs belonging to households within the province were analyzed for the presence of antibodies to JEV. A total of 7885 mosquitoes were collected and divided into 352 pools whereof seven were JEV-positive, six of which were collected within the city. Fragments from four pools clustered with JEV genotype III and three with genotype I. Of the 43 pigs sampled inside the city 100% had JEV antibodies. Our study demonstrates exposure to JEV in pigs, and co-circulation of JEV genotype I and III in mosquitoes within an urban environment in South Vietnam. Thus, although JEV has mainly been considered a rural disease, the potential for transmission in urban areas cannot be ignored.
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| 28. |
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| 29. |
- Lindahl, Johanna, et al.
(författare)
-
Reproductive performance in sows in relation to Japanese Encephalitis Virus seropositivity in an endemic area
- 2012
-
Ingår i: Tropical Animal Health and Production. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0049-4747 .- 1573-7438. ; 44, s. 239-245
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV) is considered an important reproductive pathogen in pigs. Most studies of the reproductive impact of JEV have been conducted in areas where the disease occurs in seasonal epidemics. In this study, the associations between seropositivity for JEV, measured with an IgG ELISA, and the number of piglets born alive and stillborn were investigated in a tropical area endemic for JEV in Vietnam. Sixty percent of sows from four farms in the Mekong delta of Vietnam were seropositive to JEV and the Odds Ratio for a sow being infected was highest (6.4) in sows above 3.5 years (95% confidence interval 2.2-18.3). There was an association between increasing Optical Density (OD) values from the ELISA and the number of stillborn piglets in sows less than 1.5 years, but no effect of seropositivity could be shown when all sows were studied. OD values had an effect (p=0.04) on the number of piglets born alive in the statistical analysis only when interacting with the effect of the breeds. An increase in mean OD value of the herd was correlated (p<0.0001) with an increase in the number of piglets born alive. In this study, there was evidence of a negative association between seropositivity for JEV and the reproductive performance only in sows less than 1.5 years in endemic areas. This could be explained by a year-round infection with the virus, which would lead to immunity in many gilts before their first pregnancy. This, in turn, may imply that JEV infection in pigs is of minor importance for the reproductive performance in endemic areas.
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| 30. |
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| 31. |
- Linde, Anna-Malin, et al.
(författare)
-
Complete genome characterisation of a Newcastle disease virus isolated during an outbreak in Sweden in 1997
- 2010
-
Ingår i: Virus Genes. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0920-8569 .- 1572-994X. ; 41, s. 165-173
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The complete genome sequence of a Newcastle disease virus (NDV) isolated from a chicken in Sweden was determined and compared with other NDV sequences. The isolate was shown to belong to genotype VIIb, which arose in the Far East and spread around the world during the 1990s. It had a length of 15,192 bases and consisted of six genes in the order 3'-NP-P-M-F-HN-L-5'. The F protein cleavage site was 112-RRQRRF-117, corresponding to that of a virulent pathotype.
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| 32. |
- Lindén, Ola, et al.
(författare)
-
131I-labelled anti-CD22 MAb (LL2) in patients with B-cell lymphomas failing chemotherapy. Treatment outcome, haematological toxicity and bone marrow absorbed dose estimates.
- 2002
-
Ingår i: Acta Oncologica. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1651-226X .- 0284-186X. ; 41:3, s. 297-303
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The experience with radioimmunotherapy in B-cell lymphomas using the rapidly internalizing antibody, anti-CD22 (LL2), is limited. In this study we investigated the efficacy and toxicity of 131I-labelled-LL2 for radioimmunotherapy in patients with B-cell lymphomas that failed one or two cytostatic regimens. Eleven patients were treated with one or repeated cycles of 131I-anti-CD22 antibody, 1330 MBq/m2 (36 mCi/m2). Six of the 11 treated patients demonstrated an objective response, three of them with complete remission. All follicular (3 patients) and transformed lymphomas (2 patients) responded compared to one of four diffuse large B-cell lymphomas. Two out of six responders exhibited event-free survival (EFS), which was comparable with or longer than the EFS following primary anthracycline-containing chemotherapy. Non-haematological toxicity was mild. Haematological toxicity was associated with pretreatment clinical characteristics but not with estimated absorbed bone marrow doses. Objective remission following treatment with 131I-anti-CD22 can be achieved in patients with various subtypes of B-cell lymphomas, failing standard chemotherapy. Follicular or transformed lymphomas seem particularly responsive. Haematological toxicity seems to be dependent on the functional status of the bone marrow before radioimmunotherapy.
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| 33. |
- Liu, Lihong, et al.
(författare)
-
Pre-Clinical Evaluation of a Real-Time PCR Assay on a Portable Instrument as a Possible Field Diagnostic Tool: Experiences from the Testing of Clinical Samples for African and Classical Swine Fever Viruses
- 2017
-
Ingår i: Transboundary and Emerging Diseases. - : Hindawi Limited. - 1865-1674 .- 1865-1682. ; 64, s. E31-E35
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- African swine fever (ASF) and classical swine fever (CSF) are two highly infectious transboundary animal diseases (TADs) that are serious threats to the pig industry worldwide, including in China, the world's largest pork producer. In this study, a duplex real-time PCR assay was developed for the rapid detection and differentiation of African swine fever virus (ASFV) and classical swine fever virus (CSFV). The assay was performed on a portable, battery-powered PCR thermocycler with a low sample throughput (termed as T-COR4 assay'). The feasibility and reliability of the T-COR4 assay as a possible field method was investigated by testing clinical samples collected in China. When evaluated with reference materials or samples from experimental infections, the assay performed in a reliable manner, producing results comparable to those obtained from stationary PCR platforms. Of 59 clinical samples, 41 had results identical to a two-step CSFV real-time PCR assay. No ASFV was detected in these samples. The T-COR4 assay was technically easy to perform and produced results within 3h, including sample preparation. In combination with a simple sample preparation method, the T-COR4 assay provides a new tool for the field diagnosis and differentiation of ASF and CSF, which could be of particular value in remote areas.
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| 34. |
- Masembe, Charles, et al.
(författare)
-
Viral metagenomics demonstrates that domestic pigs are a potential reservoir for Ndumu virus
- 2012
-
Ingår i: Virology Journal. - 1743-422X. ; 9, s. 1-6
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Conclusions: This is the first report of the domestic pig as a vertebrate host for Ndumu virus. NDUV had been previously isolated only from culicine mosquitoes. NDUV therefore represents a potential zoonotic pathogen, particularly given the increasing risk of human-livestock-mosquito contact.
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| 35. |
- Moberg, Christina, et al.
(författare)
-
De unga gör helt rätt när de stämmer staten
- 2022
-
Ingår i: Aftonbladet. - 1103-9000.
-
Tidskriftsartikel (populärvet., debatt m.m.)abstract
- 1 620 forskare och lärare i forskarvärlden: Vi ställer oss bakom Auroras klimatkrav
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| 36. |
- Muhangi, Denis, et al.
(författare)
-
A longitudinal survey of African swine fever in Uganda reveals high apparent disease incidence rates in domestic pigs, but absence of detectable persistent virus infections in blood and serum
- 2015
-
Ingår i: BMC Veterinary Research. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1746-6148. ; 11
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: African swine fever (ASF) is a fatal, haemorrhagic disease of domestic pigs, that poses a serious threat to pig farmers and is currently endemic in domestic pigs in most of sub-Saharan Africa. To obtain insight into the factors related to ASF outbreaks at the farm-level, a longitudinal study was performed in one of the major pig producing areas in central Uganda. Potential risk factors associated with outbreaks of ASF were investigated including the possible presence of apparently healthy ASF-virus (ASFV) infected pigs, which could act as long-term carriers of the virus. Blood and serum were sampled from 715 pigs (241 farms) and 649 pigs (233 farms) to investigate presence of ASFV and antibodies, during the periods of June-October 2010 and March-June 2011, respectively. To determine the potential contribution of different risks to ASF spread, a questionnaire-based survey was administered to farmers to assess the association between ASF outbreaks during the study period and the risk factors.Results: Fifty-one (21 %) and 13 (5.6 %) farms reported an ASF outbreak on their farms in the previous one to two years and during the study period, respectively. The incidence rate for ASF prior to the study period was estimated at 14.1 per 100 pig farm-years and 5.6 per 100 pig farm-years during the study. Three pigs tested positive for ASFV using real-time PCR, but none tested positive for ASFV specific antibodies using two different commercial ELISA tests.Conclusions: There was no evidence for existence of pigs that were long-term carriers for the virus based on the analysis of blood and serum as there were no seropositive pigs and the only three ASFV DNA positive pigs were acutely infected and were linked to outbreaks reported by farmers during the study. Potential ASF risk factors were present on both small and medium-scale pig farms, although small scale farms exhibited a higher proportion with multiple potential risk factors (like borrowing boars for sows mating, buying replacement from neighboring farms without ascertaining health status, etc) and did not implement any biosecurity measures. However, no risk factors were significantly associated with ASF reports during the study.
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| 37. |
- Munir, Muhammad, et al.
(författare)
-
Biological characterization and phylogenetic analysis of a novel genetic group of Newcastle disease virus isolated from outbreaks in commercial poultry and from backyard poultry flocks in Pakistan
- 2012
-
Ingår i: Infection, Genetics and Evolution. - : Elsevier BV. - 1567-1348 .- 1567-7257. ; 12, s. 1010-1019
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Newcastle disease (ND) is a contagious viral disease of many avian species particularly domestic poultry, and is responsible for devastating outbreaks in the poultry industries around the globe. In spite of its importance and endemicity in Southern Asia, data on the genetic nature of the viruses and epizootiological information of the disease is scarce. In this study, six isolates from an emerging wave of ND outbreaks in the north of Pakistan and two isolates from healthy poultry flocks were biologically and genetically characterized. Based on pathogenicity indices such as intracerebral pathogenicity index (ICPI), mean death time (MDT) and cleavage motifs in the fusion protein, all these isolates were classified as virulent. Phylogenetic analysis of the fusion (F), hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) and matrix (M) genes indicated the emergence of a novel genetic group within lineage 5, distinct from isolates previously reported in the region. Several mutations in the neutralizing epitopes and functionally important motifs of the F and HN genes pose a need for re-evaluation of the currently used vaccine and vaccination practices. The characteristics of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) as virulent (F protein cleavage site, ICPI and MDT) in apparently healthy backyard poultry (BYP) explain that BYP can play crucial role in the epizootiology and spread of the disease. The present investigation provides essential information on the genetic nature of NDV circulating in Pakistan and its implication on disease diagnosis and control. Furthermore, these investigations emphasize the importance of continuous surveillance of ND in developing countries. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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| 38. |
- Munir, Muhammad, et al.
(författare)
-
Complete Genome Analysis of an Avian Paramyxovirus Type 1 Strain Isolated in 1994 from an Asymptomatic Black-Headed Gull (Larus ridibundus) in Southern Sweden
- 2010
-
Ingår i: Avian Diseases. - 0005-2086. ; 54, s. 923-930
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The complete genome sequence of an avian paramyxovirus serotype 1 (APMV-1) isolated from a black-headed gull (Larus ridibundus) in Sweden was determined and compared with other APMV-1 sequences. Sequence analyses showed that this isolate consists of six genes in the order 3'-NP-P-M-F-HN-L-5', is 15,186 nucleotides long, and contains a typical, avirulent fusion protein cleavage site. It was also shown to have a hemagglutinin-neuraminidase protein with a length of 585 amino acids (aa) instead of the expected 616 aa. Phylogenetic analyses showed that the isolate belongs to genotype I, and the relationship with some other, known APMV-1 virus sequences was revealed. Waterfowl have been considered to act as a reservoir for APMV-1 and, therefore, it is important to broaden the knowledge of viruses circulating within this population.
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| 39. |
|
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| 40. |
- Munir, Muhammad, et al.
(författare)
-
Whole genome sequencing and characterization of a virulent Newcastle disease virus isolated from an outbreak in Sweden
- 2011
-
Ingår i: Virus Genes. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0920-8569 .- 1572-994X. ; 43, s. 261-271
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this study, the complete genome sequence of a Newcastle disease virus (NDV) isolate collected from an outbreak in 1995 in chickens was fully characterized and compared with other NDV sequences. The genome was found to be 15,192 nucleotides long and to consist of six genes in the order 3'-NP-P-M-F-HN-L-5', similar to other avian paramyxoviruses type-I. However, a six-nucleotide insertion was observed in the 5' non-coding regions of the nucleoprotein (NP) gene, a feature that is unique to some NDV isolates. The isolate shows the amino acid sequence (112)RRQKRF(117) at the cleavage site of the F protein, which is identical to a known motif for virulent pathotypes of NDV. The phylogenetic analysis of the coding region of the F gene indicated that this isolate belongs to genotype VI, more specifically to genotype VId, along with isolates from the other European countries (Denmark, Switzerland and Austria). The same genotype caused outbreaks in the Middle East and Greece in the late 1960s, and in Hungary, in the early 1980s, suggesting a common source for these outbreaks.
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| 41. |
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| 42. |
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| 43. |
- Riihimäki, Miia, et al.
(författare)
-
Viral load of equine herpesviruses 2 and 5 in nasal swabs of actively racing Standardbred trotters: Temporal relationship of shedding to clinical findings and poor performance
- 2015
-
Ingår i: Veterinary Microbiology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0378-1135 .- 1873-2542. ; 179, s. 142-148
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The equine gamma herpesviruses 2 and 5 (EHV-2 and -5) have frequently been observed in the equine population and until recently presumed low to nonpathogenic. However, recent reports linking presence of equine gamma herpesviruses with clinical signs of mild to severe lung disease, suggest that the role of these viruses in respiratory disease and poor performance syndrome is still unclear. Moreover, baseline data regarding the temporal pattern of shedding of EHV-2 and EHV-5 within stables and within individual actively racing horses have been lacking. In a prospective longitudinal study, we followed elite racing Standardbred trotters at monthly intervals for 13 months, to investigate whether the amount of EHV-2 and EHV-5 shedded in nasal secretions varied over time within and between individual horses. Sixty-six elite horses were investigated by analyzing nasal swabs and serum samples, a health check and evaluation of athletic performance monthly during the study period. Nasal swabs were analyzed with two newly developed qPCR assays for EHV-2 and EHV-5, respectively. Of 663 samples, 197 (30%) were positive for EHV-2 and 492(74%) positive for EHV-5. Furthermore, 176(27%) of the samples were positive for both EHV-2 and EHV-5 simultaneously. There was considerable variation in the amount and frequency of shedding of EHV-2 and EHV-5 within and between individual horses. Viral load varied seasonally, but neither EHV-2 nor EHV-5 viral peaks were associated with clinical respiratory disease and/or poor performance in racing Standardbred trotters. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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| 44. |
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| 45. |
- Rock, Kim, et al.
(författare)
-
The milk delivery chain and presence of Brucella spp. antibodies in bulk milk in Uganda
- 2016
-
Ingår i: Tropical Animal Health and Production. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0049-4747 .- 1573-7438. ; 48, s. 985-994
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study examined the influence of informal milk delivery chains on the risk of human exposure to Brucella spp. through milk consumption in two regions of Uganda (Gulu and Soroti Districts). The work involved describing milk delivery chains, investigating brucellosis awareness amongst milk deliverers and determining the presence of Brucella spp. antibodies in cattle milk on delivery to primary collection points (boiling points and dairies). Milk samples (n = 331) were collected from deliverers at primary collection points and from street vendors at point of sale and analysed using indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (I-ELISA). A written questionnaire was used to collect data from deliverers (n = 279) on their milk delivery chains and their brucellosis awareness. The most common delivery points in Gulu District were small dairies and in Soroti District boiling points. The presence of Brucella spp. antibodies in milk samples was higher in Soroti (40 %) than in Gulu (11 %) (P < 0.0001). There are possible public health risk consequences of this finding as 42 % of deliverers in Soroti District reported drinking raw milk, compared with 15 % in Gulu District (P < 0.0001). Awareness of brucellosis was low, with 70 % of all milk deliverers reporting not having heard of the disease or the bacterium. Application of quality controls for milk (colour and odour) along the delivery chain varied depending upon supply and demand. This study provides evidence of the diversity of informal milk markets in low-income countries and of the potential public health risks of consuming unpasteurised milk. These results can be useful to those planning interventions to reduce brucellosis.
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| 46. |
- Ståhl, Anne-lie, et al.
(författare)
-
A Novel Mechanism of Bacterial Toxin Transfer within Host Blood Cell-Derived Microvesicles.
- 2015
-
Ingår i: PLoS Pathogens. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1553-7366 .- 1553-7374. ; 11:2
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Shiga toxin (Stx) is the main virulence factor of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli, which are non-invasive strains that can lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), associated with renal failure and death. Although bacteremia does not occur, bacterial virulence factors gain access to the circulation and are thereafter presumed to cause target organ damage. Stx was previously shown to circulate bound to blood cells but the mechanism by which it would potentially transfer to target organ cells has not been elucidated. Here we show that blood cell-derived microvesicles, shed during HUS, contain Stx and are found within patient renal cortical cells. The finding was reproduced in mice infected with Stx-producing Escherichia coli exhibiting Stx-containing blood cell-derived microvesicles in the circulation that reached the kidney where they were transferred into glomerular and peritubular capillary endothelial cells and further through their basement membranes followed by podocytes and tubular epithelial cells, respectively. In vitro studies demonstrated that blood cell-derived microvesicles containing Stx undergo endocytosis in glomerular endothelial cells leading to cell death secondary to inhibited protein synthesis. This study demonstrates a novel virulence mechanism whereby bacterial toxin is transferred within host blood cell-derived microvesicles in which it may evade the host immune system.
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| 47. |
- Ståhl, Anne lie, et al.
(författare)
-
Exosomes and microvesicles in normal physiology, pathophysiology, and renal diseases
- 2019
-
Ingår i: Pediatric Nephrology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0931-041X .- 1432-198X. ; 34:1, s. 11-30
-
Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Extracellular vesicles are cell-derived membrane particles ranging from 30 to 5,000 nm in size, including exosomes, microvesicles, and apoptotic bodies. They are released under physiological conditions, but also upon cellular activation, senescence, and apoptosis. They play an important role in intercellular communication. Their release may also maintain cellular integrity by ridding the cell of damaging substances. This review describes the biogenesis, uptake, and detection of extracellular vesicles in addition to the impact that they have on recipient cells, focusing on mechanisms important in the pathophysiology of kidney diseases, such as thrombosis, angiogenesis, tissue regeneration, immune modulation, and inflammation. In kidney diseases, extracellular vesicles may be utilized as biomarkers, as they are detected in both blood and urine. Furthermore, they may contribute to the pathophysiology of renal disease while also having beneficial effects associated with tissue repair. Because of their role in the promotion of thrombosis, inflammation, and immune-mediated disease, they could be the target of drug therapy, whereas their favorable effects could be utilized therapeutically in acute and chronic kidney injury.
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| 48. |
- Ståhl, Anne-Lie, et al.
(författare)
-
Factor H dysfunction in patients with atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome contributes to complement deposition on platelets and their activation.
- 2008
-
Ingår i: Blood. - : American Society of Hematology. - 1528-0020 .- 0006-4971. ; 111, s. 5307-5315
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) may be associated with mutations at the C-terminal of factor H (FH). FH binds to platelets via the C-terminal as previously shown using a construct consisting of short consensus repeats (SCRs) 15-20. Four FH mutations, in SCR15 (C870R) and SCR20 (V1168E, E1198K, E1198Stop) in aHUS patients, were studied regarding their ability to allow complement activation on platelet surfaces. Purified FH-E1198Stop mutant exhibited reduced binding to normal washed platelets compared to normal FH, detected by flow cytometry. Washed platelets taken from the four aHUS patients during remission exhibited C3 and C9 deposition, as well as CD40-ligand (CD40L) expression indicating platelet activation. Combining patient serum/plasma with normal washed platelets led to C3 and C9 deposition, CD40L and CD62P expression, aggregate formation and generation of tissue factor-expressing microparticles. Complement deposition and platelet activation were reduced when normal FH was pre-incubated with platelets and were minimal when using normal serum. The purified FH-E1198Stop mutant added to FH-deficient plasma (complemented with C3) allowed considerable C3 deposition on washed platelets, in comparison to normal FH. In summary, mutated FH enables complement activation on the surface of platelets and their activation, which may contribute to the development of thrombocytopenia in aHUS.
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| 49. |
- Ståhl, Karl, et al.
(författare)
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Atypical 'HoBi'-like pestiviruses-Recent findings and implications thereof
- 2010
-
Ingår i: Veterinary Microbiology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0378-1135 .- 1873-2542. ; 142, s. 90-93
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In 2004, an atypical pestivirus named D32/00_'HoBi', isolated from foetal calf serum (FCS) originating from Brazil, was described (Schirrmeier et al., 2004). A few years later, a closely related virus (Th/04_KhonKaen) was detected in serum from a calf in Thailand, indicating that this group of atypical pestiviruses already is spread in cattle populations in various regions of the world. At the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Insel Riems, Germany, FCS batches are regularly tested for pestivirus contamination, in general with positive PCR results, and in some cases the contaminants have been typed as 'HoBi'-like. At the National Veterinary Institute (SVA) in Uppsala, Sweden, a recent event with contaminated FCS ruined much of the ongoing cell culture work. From the FCS and the contaminated cells we were able to amplify and sequence nucleic acid from three different pestivirus strains, including BVDV-1, -2 and 'HoBi'-like; this in a commercial FCS that had been tested free from pestivirus by the manufacturer.In this short communication we review the current status of atypical 'HoBi'-like pestiviruses, describe recent findings and discuss the implications thereof. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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- Ståhl, Karl, et al.
(författare)
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BVDV control and eradication in Europe -an update
- 2012
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Ingår i: Japanese Journal of Veterinary Research. - 0047-1917. ; 60, s. S31-S39
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Infections with bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) are endemic in cattle populations worldwide and result in major economic losses. For long, attempts to control BVDV were limited to prophylactic vaccination practices, implemented primarily to reduce or prevent clinical disease on a herd basis. However, the benefit of preventing clinical disease in transiently infected animals is negligible when considering the overall losses of the disease. Another more systematic strategy to control evolved during the 1990s within eradication programmes in the Scandinavian countries. This was based on an initial determination of herd BVDV status, followed by implementation of systematic zoo-sanitary measures at a regional or national scale (without the use of vaccines) to prevent introduction of BVDV in non-infected herds, and to reduce the prevalence of infected herds by identification and elimination of PI animals. These programmes have been very successful, and all of the Scandinavian countries are currently either free, or almost free from BVDV. Today control programmes are underway in several European countries. This short review discusses the general model of BVDV control, and gives an overview of strategies used within, and the current status of, the ongoing control programmes in Europe.
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