RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a common medical emergency. Resistant and recurrent DKA can be due to underlying infection, and a detailed travel history may be important in determining the cause in such cases. We report here a case of unusual DKA and fulminant septicaemia in a Caucasian male with Type 1 diabetes 2 years after returning from living in Thailand. CASE REPORT: A 39-year-old Caucasian male was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes whilst working in Thailand where he also subsequently developed a cavitating lung lesion diagnosed locally as pulmonary tuberculosis. Two years after returning to the UK he was admitted with DKA and septicaemia. Despite correction of his DKA his condition deteriorated and he developed a fluid collection anterior to the left hip on computed tomography scanning. Blood and fluid aspirate cultures confirmed a diagnosis of melioidosis, a rare fulminant septicaemia in the UK, but endemic in South-east Asia and tropical Australia. Full recovery followed changing antibiotics to intravenous ceftazidime with no relapse 3 years after acute episode. CONCLUSIONS: Physicians as well as microbiologists should consider melioidosis in anyone presenting with septicaemia and/or resistant DKA, especially if the history includes travel to endemic areas or if the cultures suggest Pseudomonas-like organism. With increasing international travel, it is crucial to remember that good travel history could be life-saving in some cases of septicaemia.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

Two sentinel herds of calves (Eastern and Central regions of Saudi Arabia) and one of sheep and goats (South Western region) were established to study Akabane virus infection. The herd at the Al-Ahsa oasis (Eastern region) showed evidence of Akabane viral activity, as reflected by the presence of maternal (colostral) antibody, which had waned to insignificant concentrations by the time the calves had reached the age of 5 months. There was no evidence of subsequent seroconversion. The other two sentinel herds gave no indication of Akabane viral activity.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

The present epidemiological status of African horse sickness in Saudi Arabia, as shown by seroconversion, virus isolation and clinical observation of sentinel horses is described. No African horse sickness virus activity was detected throughout the duration of the study (from November 1992 to March 1995). These findings support previous reports that African horse sickness is not endemic in Saudi Arabia.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

A slow-spreading mild form of camel-pox involving range camels in the Eastern region of Saudi Arabia was described. The morbidity rate was 10% while the case fatality rate was zero per cent. Camel pox virus was isolated and identified, and the histopathological picture of the lesions was also described. The epidemiological peculiarities of the disease were discussed.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

Camel erythrocytes were suitable for haemagglutination (HA) and HA inhibition (HI) tests using four isolates of avian paramyxovirus type 1. The results were similar to those obtained with chicken erythrocytes.

RESUMEN

A severe nervous disease struck fancy pigeons for the first time in Saudi Arabia during February-March, 1992. The morbidity rate was 60% while the case fatality rate was 40%. An avian paramyxovirus-1 was isolated from affected pigeons. The disease was reproduced experimentally in pigeons and the virus was reisolated and identified.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

In February 1991 a severe haemorrhagic disease affected exotic deer aged over six months in the Al-Hofuf area of the eastern region of Saudi Arabia. The morbidity rate was 40 per cent and the case fatality rate was 60 per cent. The clinical signs were high temperature (up to 41.5 degrees C), nasal discharge, slight salivation and lacrimation, congestion of the conjunctivae, torticollis, tremors when trying to stand, recumbency and coma leading to death. Post mortem examination revealed a severe haemorrhagic disease. A virus, serologically related to the bluetongue serogroup, was isolated from the deer. Sheep and goats kept on the same farm did not show any clinical signs. The epidemiology of the outbreak is discussed.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

Genital bovine papillomavirus infection was observed for the first time in the Al-Ahsa region of Saudi Arabia. The disease involved 1 female and 2 male 2-4-year-old crossbred cattle. Fibropapillomas (warts) were limited to the prepuce and vulva. Electron micrographs of thin sections of the lesions revealed the presence of intranuclear viruslike particles. Using a broadly cross-reactive rabbit polyclonal antiserum directed against papillomavirus group-specific antigens, the infection was confirmed by immunohistochemical staining of paraffin-embedded tissues to be due to a papillomavirus. Staining with a series of monoclonal antibodies of various specificities indicated that the virus was bovine papillomavirus type 1. Attempts to propagate the virus by inoculation of tumor homogenates onto chorioallantoic membranes of chicken embryos were unsuccessful.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

A serological survey was conducted in indigenous sheep from Saudi Arabia for detection of antibodies against the caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus. Only 0.8% of the sera examined were positive. Epizootiological considerations of the disease in the country are discussed.

Asunto(s)

Asunto(s)