Frozen bovine preputial mucus as a suitable sample for the direct molecular diagnosis of Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis

Long transportation times remain a challenge to the satisfactory diagnosis of Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis (Cfv). Here we demonstrated that samples of frozen bovine preputial mucus maintained at -20 °C for 10 days can be used as an alternative source for molecular diagnosis of Cfv. This approach will improve the analysis of this bacterium.

High prevalence of patent foramen ovale in migraine with aura

In this study we evaluated the presence of patent foramen ovale (PFO) in a cohort of 25 consecutive patients suffering from migraine with aura (MA) during an attack presenting to the emergency ward of an Italian hospital. Patients underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with contrast medium, routine coagulation tests, contrast transcranial echocolour-coded sonography (c-TCCS) and transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE). Of the enrolled patients, 88.7% showed a PFO according to the c-TCCS test, whereas only in 72% TEE confirmed the presence of PFO. This discordance could be due to the fact that c-TCCS is more sensitive even with shunts with minimal capacity also located in the pulmonary vasculature. After surgical treatment of the PFO, MA disappeared within two months. Also, the treatment with warfarin as well as with acetylsalicylic acid and flunarizine was able to dramatically reduce the frequency of migraine attacks. These data indicate a higher prevalence of PFO in MA vs. normal population (OR=2.92) and could suggest that the presence of arteriovenous (AV) shunts could represent a trigger for MA attacks as well as for stroke, but more studies are needed to confirm this preliminary hypothesis.

[Striopallidodentate calcifications. Report of two cases (author's transl)]

Two cases of calcification of Striopallidodentate System will be considered. The first refers to a 20-years-old patient and features two small bilateral and symmetrical calcifications in the medial segment of globus pallidum. The first symptom, observed from the age 5 years was, behaviour disorder and, some years later, dystonia. The second case refers to a 54-years-old patient and features huge bilateral and symmetrical calcifications above and below the tentorium. The first symptoms started at the age of 32 with paraesthesiae and muscular contractions of the upper limbs, later with convulsive seizures and tetany and eventually right hemiplegia with aphasia. Study of Ca and P metabolism showed normoparathyroidism in the first case and idiopathic hypoparathyroidism in the second.