A TSHZ3 Frame-Shift Variant Causes Neurodevelopmental and Renal Disorder Consistent with Previously Described Proximal Chromosome 19q13.11 Deletion Syndrome

Heterozygous deletions at 19q12-q13.11 affecting TSHZ3, the teashirt zinc finger homeobox 3, have been associated with intellectual disability and behavioural issues, congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT), and postnatal growth retardation in humans and mice. TSHZ3 encodes a transcription factor regulating the development of neurons but is ubiquitously expressed. Using exome sequencing, we identified a heterozygous frameshift variant c.119_120dup p.Pro41SerfsTer79 in TSHZ3 in a 7-year-old girl with intellectual disability, behavioural issues, pyelocaliceal dilatation, and mild urethral stenosis. The variant was present on the paternal TSHZ3 allele. The DNA from the father was not available for testing. This is the first report of a heterozygous point mutation in TSHZ3 causing the same phenotype as reported for monoallelic deletions in the same region. This confirms TSHZ3 as a novel disease gene for neurodevelopmental disorder in combination with behavioural issues and CAKUT.

Nephropathia epidemica and Puumala virus in Austria

To study the epidemiology of hantavirus infections in Austria, 1215 humans and 596 rodents of different species were tested for the presence of antibodies against Puumala and Hantaan virus. Direct virus identification by polymerase chain reaction in lung tissue of serologically positive rodents was performed to verify antibody results and to determine the genetic identity of viral RNA by phylogenetic analysis of a part of the hantavirus M segment. For 32 of the 37 cases of nephropathia epidemica diagnosed in Austria, the location where transmission took place could be traced to specific areas in the Austrian federal states of Carinthia and Styria. The overall seroprevalence in humans was 1.2% and ranged from 0.02% in Villach, Carinthia, to 0.8% in Korneuburg, Lower Austria, and 1.8% in Wolfsberg, Carinthia. Virus RNA could be amplified from three Clethrionomys glareolus voles collected in Klippitztörl, Carinthia, and from one collected in Ernstbrunn, Lower Austria. The sequences were all identified as Puumala virus by phylogenetic analysis and were found to be most closely related to the western European Puumala viruses from Germany and France. No evidence of the existence of Hantaan-like infections and viruses in Austria was found.

Detection of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus in Liechtenstein

In this study, we present the first detection of a focus of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus-infected ticks in Liechtenstein. The focus is located on a much-used forest path near Vaduz, the capital of the principality. The virus isolated is a representative of the Western subtype of the TBE virus. It is thus closely related to or identical with the other strains isolated in western Europe.

[A natural focus of early summer meningoencephalitis virus in Tyrol]

Some hospitalized cases of Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) were observed in the area of Zell am Ziller in Tyrol. Therefore, we collected ticks from Zellberg near Zell am Ziller in order to demonstrate the occurrence of a focus of TBE virus by isolation experiments with these ticks. Two virus strains could be isolated. A geoecological and phytosociological characterisation of this focus is presented in this paper.

Borrelia transfer by ticks during their life cycle. Studies on laboratory animals

Ticks of the species Ixodes ricinus were cultured in the laboratory. Yellow silver rabbits, gerbils and white mice served as blood hosts. Borrelia burgdorferi could be detected by means of an IFA test in homogenates of female ticks, their eggs as well as the respective larval and nymphal ticks. Blood infection of splenectomized gerbils and ordinary white mice or of ordinary white mice alone has been demonstrated after feeding of larval or nymphal ticks on them, respectively. Spirochetemia started 5 to 8 days after feeding and lasted for ca 3 weeks. Two distinct peaks in the cell count of spirochetal organisms per ml blood plasma could be observed on days 11-13 (5 X 10(5) to 2 X 10(6) cells/ml) and 17-19 (10(5) cells/ml), regardless whether splenectomized gerbils or white mice were used. The results display that B. burgdorferi is vertically from the female ticks to their eggs and transstadially transmitted. The transmission-rate from larval to nymphal ticks is 100%. These findings show the tick itself as a main reservoir of B. burgdorferi. The established mouse-model appears to be a useful tool to detect Borrelia carrying ticks.

[Detection of hepatitis A virus by means of electron microscopy (author's transl)]

During an outbreak of hepatitis A in an institution, 34 stools of children were investigated by means of electron microscopy. Hepatitis A virus was found in four samples. All four children had previously received gammaglobulin injections and did not develop any clinical symptoms.

[Studies on population of the bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus Schreber, 1780) by Mark and release trapping in lower Austria]

1. Bionomical and ecological investigations on bank voles were carried out by mark and release trapping in two phytosociologically different areas in Lower Austria from 1963 until 1966. 2. The number of trappings and retrappings depends on the intensity of captures: 3 consecutive trapping nights in fourtnightly intervals appeared to be most favourable. 3. The life time of bank voles was determined as 3.1 and respectively 3.6 months in the two localities investigated. Only very few specimens reach an age of one year or more. 4. Bank voles prefer dense and covered habitats. 5. The home range of females has an average area of about 500 m², that of males of about 2000 m². Sexually active males may cover even larger home ranges of 3000 m² and more. 6. The most abundant ectoparasites are larvae of chiggers and preadult stages of ticks, particularly larvae of Ixodes ricinus. The average infestation of bank voles with ticks is clearly correlated with the mobility of the former: more active individuals (males) are more highly infested. The density of infestation coincides with periods of maximum activity of the parasites.