Isolation of Enteric Viruses in Ontario During 1960-1962

During the past three years at the Central Laboratory, Ontario Department of Health, 681 isolations were made in tissue culture from 6822 specimens submitted for virus studies by physicians and hospitals from all over Ontario. Nearly 74% of the isolates were enteroviruses, approximately 5% adenoviruses and about 1% reoviruses. The remaining 20% are still to be identified.Although the bulk of isolations was made during the same three-month period (August, September and October) of each year, the predominant virus types varied from year to year. Poliovirus 1 was most commonly encountered in 1960, Coxsackie B5 in 1961 and Echo 9 in 1962.Among other types isolated in smaller numbers were Coxsackie A1, 9 and 10, Coxsackie B1, 2, 3 and 4, Echo 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 14, 17, 18 and 19, Reovirus 1, 2 and 3, Adenovirus 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 16, as well as Frater-type virus. Most of these types were isolated for the first time in Ontario and represent additions to the existing list of viruses known to occur in this province.     

PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS, 1955

Tomlinson, D. N. S. 1974. Studies of the Purple Heron, Part 1: Heronry structure, nesting habits and reproductive success. Ostrich 45: 175–181.

At Lake McIlwaine, Rhodesia, Ardea purpurea nests in bulrush Typha latifolia stands or on island termite mounds covered with reeds Phragmites mauritianus, which are connected to the mainland by Polygonum senegalense weed. Nest construction was different in thickness, diameter, height and materials used between the two types of nesting habitat. Clumping of nests in pairs and trios was apparent andMayhave some social significance. The Marsh Harrier Circus ranivorus preyed on the eggs and small chicks of the heron, whilst the Clawless Otter Aonyx capensis probably preyed on large chicks destroying the nest completely in the process. Low lake levels appear to be a major limiting factor to nesting success.     

Dermatoses in 156 Obese Adults

GARCÍA-HIDALGO, LINDA, ROCÍO OROZCO-TOPETE, JORGE GONZALEZ-BARRANCO, ANTONIO R. VILLA, JOSÉ J. DALMAN, AND GUADALUPE ORTIZ-PEDROZA. Dermatoses in 156 obese adults. Obes Res. Background: Skin diseases are mentioned as a frequent finding in the obese patient. However, to our knowledge no study has been done on this subject. Objective: To determine the prevalence of skin diseases associated with different obesity grades and if any dermatosis can be considered an obesity marker. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study of 156 obese patients who were 110% to 293% overweight were included. Complete medical history and dermatological examination were done. Results: In the 126 female and 30 male obese patients, grades I to V, with a body mass index (BMI) of 27–51, cutaneous findings with statistical significance for linear trend were: plantar hyperkeratosis 54 patients p = 0. 00001; acanthosis nigricans 46 patients p = 0. 00005; striae 67 patients p = 0. 03; skin tags 69 patients p = 0. 01; keratosis pi-laris 33 patients p = 0. 007. Patients with plantar hyperkeratosis were distributed in the obesity groups as follows: grade 1 = 3 patients; grade II = 7 patients; grade III = 8 patients; grade IV = 17 patients; and grade V = 19 patients. Of the 76 diabetic patients, 26 had acanthosis nigricans, 38 had skin tags, and 27 had plantar hyperkeratosis. Discussion: Plantar hyperkeratosis should be considered as a cutaneous stigma of severe obesity. This is probably a result of pressure directly related to the excess weight.     

Non-dermatophyte Dermatoses Mimicking Dermatophytoses in Humans

Human dermatophytic cutaneous infections usually present as single or multiple slowly progressing annular erythemato-squamous lesions with a tendency to central healing on the hairless skin. In the intertriginous regions (feet, inguinal, axillar, submammary), dermatophytic colonisations and infections manifest as whitish, slightly hyperkeratotic, pruritic and sometimes fissurated lesions. On the scalp, dermatophytic infections commonly lead to single or multiple more or less inflammatory and alopecic lesions. On the plantar and palmar aspects of the feet and hand, dermatophytosis presents as an eczema-like chronic dermatosis. Abscess-like lesions may occur due to zoophilic dermatomycosis. Dermatophytic infections of the nails reveal ill-defined whitish-yellowish colorations of the distal end or the lateral aspects of the nails, sometimes combined with partial nail embrittlement or even complete destruction. Despite the ubiquity of dermatophytic skin infections and their usually highly typical clinical features, a differential diagnosis has to be considered, in particular when treatment is not efficient or when treatment resistance occurs. This review presents the differential diagnosis in terms of frequency as well as the diagnostic methods permitting the distinction of annular, intertriginous, alopecic, palmoplantar, abscess-like and onychodystrophic lesions.     

Sylvatic trichinosis in Ontario, Canada

Samples of muscle from 4,773 specimens of 18 species of wild mammals from Ontario were examined for Trichinella. One of 12 mink (Mustela vison), 83 of 1,821 fisher (Martes pennanti) and 68 of 1,980 marten (Martes americana) had T. spiralis. Prevalences of infections by Trichinella were determined for fisher and marten from the Algonquin region, over a 10-yr period. Prevalences ranged from 0.9-9.2% in fisher and 1.3-8.7% in marten indicating that the parasite is well-established in the region. Prevalences of Trichinella increased with age of both fisher and marten. Intensities determined for the 1981-1982 sample ranged from 0.4-15.8 larvae/g for fisher and 22.4-159.7 larvae/g for marten. Higher intensities were not correlated with older hosts. Fisher and marten appeared to be the key hosts maintaining Trichinella in the Algonquin region, but transmission dynamics were unclear. Transmission may include an unidentified small rodent or other host and natural carrion-feeding.