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Sohm C, Willixhofer D, Fasching E, Waldner K, Deitzer N, Steiner J, Jöbstl J, Schleicher C, Schwarz M, Fuchs R, Bourhy P, Käsbohrer A, Wittek T, Firth C, Steinparzer R, Desvars-Larrive A. First isolation and genotyping of pathogenic Leptospira spp. from Austria. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4467. [PMID: 38409294 PMCID: PMC10897423 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53775-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a globally distributed zoonotic disease. The standard serological test, known as Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT), requires the use of live Leptospira strains. To enhance its sensitivity and specificity, the usage of locally circulating strains is recommended. However, to date, no local strain is available from Austria. This study aimed to isolate circulating Leptospira strains from cattle in Austria to enhance the performances of the routine serological test for both humans and animals. We used a statistical approach combined with a comprehensive literature search to profile cattle with greater risk of leptospirosis infection and implemented a targeted sampling between November 2021 and October 2022. Urine and/or kidney tissue were sampled from 410 cattle considered at higher risk of infection. Samples were inoculated into EMJH-STAFF culture media within 2-6 h and a real-time PCR targeting the lipL32 gene was used to confirm the presence/absence of pathogenic Leptospira in each sample. Isolates were further characterised by core genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST). Nine out of 429 samples tested positive by PCR, from which three isolates were successfully cultured and identified as Leptospira borgpetersenii serogroup Sejroe serovar Hardjobovis, cgMLST cluster 40. This is the first report on the isolation and genotyping of local zoonotic Leptospira in Austria, which holds the potential for a significant improvement in diagnostic performance in the country. Although the local strain was identified as a cattle-adapted serovar, it possesses significant zoonotic implications. Furthermore, this study contributes to a better understanding of the epidemiology of leptospirosis in Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia Sohm
- VetFarm, Department of Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Kremesberg 13, 2563, Pottenstein, Austria.
- Unit of Veterinary Public Health and Epidemiology, Department of Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria.
- University Clinic for Ruminants, Department of Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Denise Willixhofer
- Institute for Veterinary Disease Control, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Robert Koch-Gasse 17, 2340, Mödling, Austria
| | - Eva Fasching
- Institute for Veterinary Disease Control, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Robert Koch-Gasse 17, 2340, Mödling, Austria
| | - Karoline Waldner
- Institute for Veterinary Disease Control, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Robert Koch-Gasse 17, 2340, Mödling, Austria
| | - Nicole Deitzer
- Unit of Veterinary Public Health and Epidemiology, Department of Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Janina Steiner
- Unit of Veterinary Public Health and Epidemiology, Department of Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Julia Jöbstl
- Unit of Veterinary Public Health and Epidemiology, Department of Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Corina Schleicher
- Department for Data, Statistics and Risk Assessment, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Zinzendorfgasse 27/1, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Marcel Schwarz
- Department for Data, Statistics and Risk Assessment, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Zinzendorfgasse 27/1, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Reinhard Fuchs
- Department for Data, Statistics and Risk Assessment, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Zinzendorfgasse 27/1, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Pascale Bourhy
- Unit Biology of Spirochetes, Department of Microbiology, Institut Pasteur, 25-28 Rue du Docteur Roux, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Annemarie Käsbohrer
- Unit of Veterinary Public Health and Epidemiology, Department of Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Wittek
- University Clinic for Ruminants, Department of Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Clair Firth
- Unit of Veterinary Public Health and Epidemiology, Department of Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Romana Steinparzer
- Institute for Veterinary Disease Control, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Robert Koch-Gasse 17, 2340, Mödling, Austria
| | - Amélie Desvars-Larrive
- VetFarm, Department of Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Kremesberg 13, 2563, Pottenstein, Austria
- Unit of Veterinary Public Health and Epidemiology, Department of Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
- Complexity Science Hub Vienna, Josefstädter Straße 39, 1080, Vienna, Austria
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Fabian E, Wenisch C, Eisner F, Muhr T, Bauer PK, Prein K, Maierhofer U, Lax SF, Krause R, Zollner G, Weihs W, Krejs GJ. Clinical-Pathological Conference Series from the Medical University of Graz : Case No 164: A 46-year-old man with abdominal pain, dyspnea and rapidly progressing multiorgan failure. Wien Klin Wochenschr 2021; 133:731-740. [PMID: 33871688 PMCID: PMC8053743 DOI: 10.1007/s00508-021-01841-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Fabian
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christoph Wenisch
- 4th Department of Internal Medicine with Infectious and Tropical Medicine, State Hospital Klinik Favoriten, Vienna, Austria
| | - Florian Eisner
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Tina Muhr
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, State Hospital (LKH) Graz II, Graz, Austria
| | - Philipp K Bauer
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Kurt Prein
- Department of Pathology, State Hospital (LKH) Graz II, Graz, Austria
| | - Urša Maierhofer
- Department of Pathology, State Hospital (LKH) Graz II, Graz, Austria
| | - Sigurd F Lax
- Department of Pathology, State Hospital (LKH) Graz II, Graz, Austria
| | - Robert Krause
- Section of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Gernot Zollner
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 15, 8036, Graz, Austria
| | - Wolfgang Weihs
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, State Hospital (LKH) Graz II, Graz, Austria
| | - Guenter J Krejs
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 15, 8036, Graz, Austria.
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Baerlocher S, Helfenstein S, Mahr A, Crippa S, Garcia Boy R, Kahlert CR, Yurttas T, Hatz C, Kohler P. Leptospirosis Followed by Kawasaki-Like Disease: Case Report From an Adult Swiss Patient and Review of the Literature. Open Forum Infect Dis 2021; 8:ofab088. [PMID: 33884275 PMCID: PMC8047852 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofab088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Kawasaki disease (KD) is a vasculitis that mostly occurs in children, but rare cases in adults have been reported. We describe the case of a 43-year-old Swiss male who developed symptoms compatible with KD 7 weeks after leptospirosis, which was presumably acquired after swimming in a creek in the Swiss Alps. We performed a literature review and identified 10 other cases (all in children), in which Kawasaki-like disease was diagnosed in the context of leptospirosis. Outcome was favourable in most cases, including our patient. This exceptional case demonstrates both the possibility of autochthonous cases of leptospirosis in Switzerland as well as a possible association of leptospirosis with Kawasaki-like disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Severin Baerlocher
- Department of Internal Medicine, Cantonal Hospital of St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Seth Helfenstein
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, Cantonal Hospital of St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Alfred Mahr
- Department of Rheumatology, Cantonal Hospital of St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | - Selina Crippa
- Department of Internal Medicine, Regional Hospital of Grabs, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | | | - Christian R Kahlert
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, Cantonal Hospital of St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
- Children’s Hospital of Eastern Switzerland, Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, St. Gallen, Switzerland
| | | | - Christoph Hatz
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, Cantonal Hospital of St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Medicine, Swiss TPH, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Kohler
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, Cantonal Hospital of St. Gallen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
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Jeske K, Herzig-Straschil B, Răileanu C, Kunec D, Tauchmann O, Emirhar D, Schmidt S, Trimpert J, Silaghi C, Heckel G, Ulrich RG, Drewes S. Zoonotic pathogen screening of striped field mice (Apodemus agrarius) from Austria. Transbound Emerg Dis 2021; 69:886-890. [PMID: 33534959 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2019] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The striped field mouse (Apodemus agrarius) is known to carry several zoonotic pathogens, including Leptospira spp. and Dobrava-Belgrade orthohantavirus (DOBV). Since its first detection in 1996 in south-east Austria, the striped field mouse has further expanded its range in Austria. Here, we screened 35 striped field mice collected in an Austrian region near the Hungarian border for DOBV, Leptospira spp. and seven vector-borne pathogens. Hantavirus RT-PCR screening and DOBV IgG ELISA analysis led to the detection of two DOBV-positive striped field mice. The complete coding sequences of all three genome segments of both strains were determined by a combination of target enrichment and next-generation sequencing. Both complete coding S segment sequences clustered within the DOBV genotype Kurkino clade with the highest similarity to a sequence from Hungary. In one of 35 striped field mice, Leptospira borgpetersenii sequence type (ST) 146 was detected. Bartonella spp., Borrelia miyamotoi and Neoehrlichia mikurensis DNA was detected in four, one and two of 32 mice, respectively. Babesia, Anaplasma, Ehrlichia and Rickettsia specific DNA was not detected. Future investigations will have to determine the prevalence and invasion of these pathogens with the ongoing range expansion of the striped field mouse in Austria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Jeske
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.,Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | | | - Cristian Răileanu
- Institute of Infectology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Dusan Kunec
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Virology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Oliver Tauchmann
- Institute of Infectology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Duygu Emirhar
- Department for Biological Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sabrina Schmidt
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.,German Society of Tissue Transplantation, Essen, Germany
| | - Jakob Trimpert
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Virology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Cornelia Silaghi
- Institute of Infectology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Gerald Heckel
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Rainer G Ulrich
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Stephan Drewes
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
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Panagopoulos P, Ganitis A, Papanas N, Iosifidou G, Maltsan T, Kioutsouk S, Christakidou E, Maltezos E. Leptospirosis: a report on a series of five autochthonous cases in a Greek region. J Chemother 2016; 28:428-31. [PMID: 26430953 DOI: 10.1179/1973947815y.0000000073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
Leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonotic disease difficult to diagnose both to the clinic and the laboratory. Many risk factors have been involved, such as planting, hunting, harvesting and butchering or sports, such as rafting. We reported our experience through a period of 20 months and we tried to investigate prognostic factors predicting clinical outcomes. Five male patients were admitted to our Department with a median age of 40 years. Overall, three out of five patients presented to other hospital and were transferred to ours with a wrong or delayed diagnosis. In terms of clinical signs and symptoms, all presented with fever, myalgia, headache and jaundice, whereas conjunctival suffusion was present in 80% of them. Acute renal injury and liver deficiency were diagnosed in all subjects. Acute renal failure management required dialysis in 3/5 patients, whereas renal recovery was achieved soon after clinical improvement. However, clinical awareness and serology are the most important tools for accurate and quick diagnosis in order to administer the appropriate therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Periklis Panagopoulos
- a Infectious Diseases Unit, 2nd University Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis , Democritus University of Thrace , Greece
| | - Anestis Ganitis
- a Infectious Diseases Unit, 2nd University Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis , Democritus University of Thrace , Greece
| | - Nikolaos Papanas
- a Infectious Diseases Unit, 2nd University Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis , Democritus University of Thrace , Greece
| | - Georgia Iosifidou
- a Infectious Diseases Unit, 2nd University Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis , Democritus University of Thrace , Greece
| | - Tzelal Maltsan
- a Infectious Diseases Unit, 2nd University Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis , Democritus University of Thrace , Greece
| | - Serif Kioutsouk
- a Infectious Diseases Unit, 2nd University Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis , Democritus University of Thrace , Greece
| | - Evi Christakidou
- a Infectious Diseases Unit, 2nd University Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis , Democritus University of Thrace , Greece
| | - Efstratios Maltezos
- a Infectious Diseases Unit, 2nd University Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis , Democritus University of Thrace , Greece
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Obiegala A, Woll D, Karnath C, Silaghi C, Schex S, Eßbauer S, Pfeffer M. Prevalence and Genotype Allocation of Pathogenic Leptospira Species in Small Mammals from Various Habitat Types in Germany. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2016; 10:e0004501. [PMID: 27015596 PMCID: PMC4807814 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2015] [Accepted: 02/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Small mammals serve as most important reservoirs for Leptospira spp., the causative agents of Leptospirosis, which is one of the most neglected and widespread zoonotic diseases worldwide. The knowledge about Leptospira spp. occurring in small mammals from Germany is scarce. Thus, this study's objectives were to investigate the occurrence of Leptospira spp. and the inherent sequence types in small mammals from three different study sites: a forest in southern Germany (site B1); a National Park in south-eastern Germany (site B2) and a renaturalised area, in eastern Germany (site S) where small mammals were captured. DNA was extracted from kidneys of small mammals and tested for Leptospira spp. by real-time PCR. Positive samples were further analysed by duplex and conventional PCRs. For 14 positive samples, multi locus sequence typing (MLST) was performed. Altogether, 1213 small mammals were captured: 216 at site B1, 456 at site B2 and 541 at site S belonging to following species: Sorex (S.) araneus, S. coronatus, Apodemus (A.) flavicollis, Myodes glareolus, Microtus (Mi.) arvalis, Crocidura russula, Arvicola terrestris, A. agrarius, Mustela nivalis, Talpa europaea, and Mi. agrestis. DNA of Leptospira spp. was detected in 6% of all small mammals. At site B1, 25 small mammals (11.6%), at site B2, 15 small mammals (3.3%) and at site S, 33 small mammals (6.1%) were positive for Leptospira spp. Overall, 54 of the positive samples were further determined as L. kirschneri, nine as L. interrogans and four as L. borgpetersenii while five real-time PCR-positive samples could not be further determined by conventional PCR. MLST results revealed focal occurrence of L. interrogans and L. kirschneri sequence type (ST) 117 while L. kirschneri ST 110 was present in small mammals at all three sites. Further, this study provides evidence for a particular host association of L. borgpetersenii to mice of the genus Apodemus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Obiegala
- Comparative Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Dietlinde Woll
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Carolin Karnath
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Cornelia Silaghi
- Comparative Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Susanne Schex
- Department of Virology and Rickettsiology, Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Munich, Germany
| | - Sandra Eßbauer
- Department of Virology and Rickettsiology, Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Munich, Germany
| | - Martin Pfeffer
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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Increasing incidence of canine leptospirosis in Switzerland. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2014; 11:7242-60. [PMID: 25032740 PMCID: PMC4113873 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph110707242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2014] [Revised: 06/10/2014] [Accepted: 07/08/2014] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
A marked increase in canine leptospirosis was observed in Switzerland over 10 years with a peak incidence of 28.1 diagnosed cases/100,000 dogs/year in the most affected canton. With 95% affected dogs living at altitudes <800 m, the disease presented a seasonal pattern associated with temperature (r2 0.73) and rainfall (r2 0.39), >90% cases being diagnosed between May and October. The increasing yearly incidence however was only weakly correlated with climatic data including number of summer (r2 0.25) or rainy days (r2 0.38). Serovars Australis and Bratislava showed the highest seropositivity rates with 70.5% and 69.1%, respectively. Main clinical manifestations included renal (99.6%), pulmonary (76.7%), hepatic (26.0%), and hemorrhagic syndromes (18.2%), leading to a high mortality rate (43.3%). Similar to the human disease, liver involvement had the strongest association with negative outcome (OR 16.3). Based on these data, canine leptospirosis presents similar features and severity as the human infection for which it therefore can be considered a model. Its re-emergence in a temperate country with very high incidence rates in canines should thus be viewed as a warning and emphasize the need for increased awareness in other species.
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