Serological survey of herpesvirus infections in wild ruminants of France and Belgium

The presence of antibodies against bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1), bovid herpesvirus 6 (BHV-6), herpesvirus of Cervidae type 1 (HVC-1), reindeer herpesvirus, bovine herpesvirus 2 (BHV-2) and bovid herpesvirus 4 (BHV-4) was investigated in wild ruminants of France and Belgium between 1981 and 1986. There were no animals serologically positive for BHV-4. Antibodies against BHV-2 were demonstrated in roe deer (Cervus capreolus) (less than 1%) and chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) (1%) in France. Animals seropositive to the four related viruses (BHV-1, BHV-6, HVC-1, reindeer herpesvirus) were detected in red deer (Cervus elaphus) in France and Belgium (1% and 11%, respectively), in roe deer (less than 1%) from France, in chamois (4%) in France and in ibex (Capra ibex) (4%) from France. The presence of antibodies against HVC-1, especially in red deer from Belgium, may suggest that wild ruminants in continental Europe are now infected with this virus, which previously has been isolated only in Scotland.

Intrinsic fasciotomy. When and why?

Major trauma to the upper extremity may lead to ischemic contracture of various muscle groups, sometimes including the intrinsic muscles of the hand. The clinical consequence of such necrotic fibrosis of the intrinsics is clawing of the digits with marked stiffness. After a short anatomical review of the fascias of the intrinsics, indications and operative techniques are discussed, in parallel with clinical cases. Intrinsic fasciotomy thus appears to be a major step in the prevention of digital clawing, when associated with early physiotherapy.

[Automation of extraction in the determination of blood triglyceride]

A complete automation of the determination of triglycerides is described which replaces the manual extraction and the final determination with an autoanalyzer chain, based on the method of Royer et al. For the automation of triglyceride extraction, we have modified the sampler, by incorporating a magnetic stirrer under the sample table. The sample table has two rows of holes. The sera, which are taken from the inner row and diluted with sulphuric acid, are reacted quantitatively with the extraction reagent in the beakers of the outer row, which contain a magnetic follower. After stirring, the upper phase is quantitatively removed and the determination is started. The problem of phasing the individual steps of the analysis is thus solved.