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PubMed2006

Diversity of the population of Tick-borne encephalitis virus infecting Ixodes ricinus ticks in an endemic area of central Switzerland (Canton Bern).

Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), a member of the genus Flavivirus, has a positive-strand RNA genome containing a single open reading frame flanked by non-coding regions (NCRs). Ixodes ricinus ticks (n = 307) were collected from vegetation in a natural TBEV focus in Belp, Switzerland. The presence and identity of the virus were determined by nested RT-PCR followed by sequencing of the 5'-terminal region that comprises the 5' NCR and the capsid-encoding region (C). The presence of the western European TBEV subtype (W-TBEV) genome was detected in 14.3 % of the ticks. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed a high variability of 55.5 %. In particular, four DNA fragments (CS 'A', CS 'B', the folding-stem structure and the start codon) showed substantial heterogeneity, which has the potential of compromising replication, translation and packaging of the viral genome. This variability may reflect a viral strategy to select the fittest RNA molecule to produce a viral infection in the different vertebrate hosts that may be encountered by the ticks. It may also indicate a possible ancient introduction of TBEV to the Belp site. In addition, it may contribute to explaining the annual low incidence of tick-borne encephalitis in the natural focus of Belp, despite the high prevalence of TBEV genomes in ticks.

5' Untranslated Regions↗
PubMed2006

Is alcopop consumption in Switzerland associated with riskier drinking patterns and more alcohol-related problems?

OBJECTIVES: To examine (a) whether consumers of alcopops compared to consumers of other alcoholic beverages but not alcopops have riskier drinking patterns and more alcohol-related consequences (e.g. truancy, scuffles, problems with parents) and (b) whether the amount of alcopops consumed is associated independently with risky drinking patterns and alcohol-related consequences over and above those associated with the amount of other alcoholic beverages consumed. SAMPLE: As part of the ESPAD international study, a cross-sectional national representative sample of 5,444 drinkers aged 13-16 years was interviewed by means of an anonymous, self-report questionnaire administered in a classroom setting. RESULTS: Earlier initiation of consumption, more frequent risky single occasion drinking (RSOD), and a higher likelihood of negative consequences for consumers than for non-consumers of alcopops were due mainly to higher overall consumption. Other alcoholic beverages had similar effects, and whether the same amount of alcohol was consumed as alcopops or as any conventional alcoholic beverage made no difference. CONCLUSIONS: Alcopops in Switzerland do not seem to be linked to specific riskier drinking patterns or consequences per se. Like all alcoholic beverages, they add to the problems caused by drinking and seem to be consumed in addition to conventional alcoholic beverages without replacing them. As the alcohol industry will continue to launch new beverages, prevention targeting alcohol consumption in general might be more effective than focusing on new beverages only.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Aspects of sandfly biology in southern Switzerland.

During three field surveys of phlebotomine sandflies in the region of Sessa, Minor Malcantone, southern Switzerland, annually 1987-89, Phlebotomus perniciosus and P. mascittii were caught regularly by means of light traps, but only when the traps were in close association with humans. The most productive catching sites were in the middle of Sessa village, in basements or partially closed shelters in the immediate vicinity of human dwellings. All catching sites outside the village were negative. The only other sandfly species caught was Sergentomyia minuta, four specimens only. P.perniciosus and P.mascittii always occurred together and were found to feed--at least occasionally--on human blood. Glucose and fructose were identified in wild-caught sandflies of both species. A breeding place of P. mascittii was identified in the basement of a house in the middle of Sessa. Analyses of soil samples revealed moderately loamy humus with a slightly acidic pH (5.6).

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Estimates of genetic diversity in the brown cattle population of Switzerland obtained from pedigree information.

The study investigates the genetic diversity present as well as its development in the Brown Cattle population of Switzerland from pedigree information. The population consisted of three subpopulations, the Braunvieh (BV), the original Braunvieh (OB) and the US-Brown Swiss (BS). The BV is a cross of OB with BS where crossing still continues. The OB is without any genetic influence of BS. The diversity measures effective population size, effective number of ancestors (explaining 99% of reference genome) and founder genome equivalents were calculated for 11 reference populations of animals born in a single year from 1992 onwards. The BS-subpopulation consisted of animals and their known ancestors which were used in the crossing scheme and was, therefore, quite small. The youngest animals were born in 2002, the oldest ones in the 1920s. Average inbreeding was by far the highest in BS, in spite of the lowest quality of pedigrees, and lowest in OB. Effective population size obtained from the difference between average inbreeding of offspring and their parents was, mostly due to the heavy use of few highly inbred BS-sires, strongly overestimated in some BV-reference populations. If this parameter was calculated from the yearly rate of inbreeding and a generation interval of 5 years, no bias was observed and ranking of populations from high to low was OB-BV-BS, i.e. equal to the other diversity parameters. The high genetic diversity found in OB was a consequence of the use of many natural service sires. Rate of decrease of effective number of ancestors was steeper in BV than OB was, however, equal for founder genome equivalents. Founder genome equivalents were more stable than effective population sizes calculated from the difference between average inbreeding of offspring and parents. The five most important ancestors contributed one-third of the 2002-reference genomes of BV and OB, in BV all were BS-sires. The relative amount of BS-genes in the BV-genome increased from 59.2% to 78.5% during the 11 years considered.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Efficacy of oral vaccination in the final stage of fox rabies elimination in Switzerland.

Subsequent to rabies vaccination campaigns, two well-established methods for the determination of the proportion of vaccinated foxes--the detection of tetracycline (TC) in bones and the detection of virus neutralizing antibodies (VNA) in thoracic fluids--were used and compared. Special emphasis was given to the effect of a new method of bait distribution at the den, which is primarily targeted at young foxes. The overall proportion of vaccinated animals estimated by TC was 60% as compared to 50% by VNA. In young foxes overall, significantly lower proportions of vaccinated animals (58% by TC and 40% by VNA) than in adult foxes (75 and 59%) were estimated with both methods. Low proportions of vaccinated young animals were found after spring (39 and 18%), but also after autumn vaccination (56 and 35%). In contrast, after den vaccination the level of vaccination of young foxes reached that of adult foxes. The theoretical implication of the successful elimination of fox rabies in Switzerland in spite of a relatively low overall proportion of VNA-positive animals is discussed.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed2005

Campylobacter spp. in dogs and cats in Switzerland: risk factor analysis and molecular characterization with AFLP.

A 1-year cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the prevalence, risk factors for carriage, and genetic diversity of Campylobacter spp. in healthy dogs and cats in Switzerland. Veterinary practitioners collected samples from 1268 animals (all ages) presented for vaccination. The prevalence of Campylobacter spp. in 634 dogs and 596 cats that were eligible for the study was 41.2% (confidence interval 95%: 37.3-45.1%) and 41.9% (CI 95%: 37.9-46%), respectively. Risk factors identified for carriage of Campylobacter jejuni were found to be different from risk factors for C. upsaliensis/C. helveticus. Young animals (< or =3 years) had significantly higher odds of carrying C. upsaliensis/C. helveticus than older animals (OR 1.8-3.3), whereas for C. jejuni carriage, the age was not a risk factor. Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) genotyping revealed heterogeneity among C. jejuni strains and was found to clearly separate C. helveticus from C. upsaliensis. It was shown that cats more often carry C. helveticus with an estimated prevalence of 28.2%, whereas dogs mainly are carrying C. upsaliensis.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Comparison of the epilepsy surgery programs in Cartagena, Colombia, and Zürich, Switzerland.

The organization, financing, productivity, quality of work, and cost-effectiveness of the Epilepsy Center in Cartagena, Colombia, were studied and compared with the epilepsy surgery program at the University Hospital Zürich, Switzerland. During a 2-month visit, one of the authors (I.T.) evaluated the center in Cartagena as a welfare institution and evaluated its epilepsy surgery program. The postoperative results of the Cartagena program were compared with those reported at the Second International Palm Desert Conference 1992, which revealed a similar rate of postoperative seizure control in temporal lobe epilepsy, slightly inferior results with hemispherectomy, and slightly better results with anterior callosotomy. A comparison between the two epilepsy centers showed that pre and postoperative antiepileptic drug treatment is more restricted in Colombia because of high costs. Although important diagnostic tools such as electroencephalography, seizure monitoring, neuropsychology, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging are available in both centers, the Zürich program also has access to positron emission tomography, single photon emission computed tomography, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and intracarotid and selective amobarbital tests. The postoperative seizure outcome is similar in surgical temporal lobe epilepsy patients (temporal lobectomy series, Cartagena; selective amygdalohippocampectomy series, Zürich). The comparison of direct costs of epilepsy surgery in Cartagena and Zürich showed that for the average patient undergoing epilepsy surgery in Cartagena, the cost is 5.5% of that in Zürich. This study presents evidence that epilepsy surgery is an inexpensive and efficient treatment option for epilepsy patients in developing countries. Epilepsy surgery in developing countries may even be considered at an early stage in patients who cannot afford the costs of lifetime medical treatment but can afford the one-time cost of a surgical treatment.

Anticonvulsants↗
PubMed2005

The state of the art of training in systemic family therapy in Switzerland.

This article presents a training program in systemic therapy with families and couples. Our training institute was founded by an interdisciplinary group of psychologists, psychiatrists, sociologists, and social workers in 1987 in Meilen (Zürich), Switzerland, and has from the beginning been connected to the field of family therapy in Europe and the United States. The specific organization of our institute, our training program, and the theoretical base of the training concept are highlighted. Our multidimensional treatment and training model is grounded in a variety of conceptual frameworks and inspired by the tradition of Enlightenment in European philosophy. We pay special attention to the personal and professional development of the emerging family therapist.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1997

Nursing education in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland.

Development of nursing education in three European countries is presented in an historical context. The educational system as well as the political and economic influences in these countries are discussed. The current status of reform and academization of nursing education in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland is highlighted. In Austria, several nursing courses have been developed and implemented in the school of education at the University of Graz. In Germany, over 20 university and "Fachhochschule" programs have been established since 1990 for nurse-educators and-managers, although attempts to reform basic nursing education are being thwarted by some government officials. Swiss nurses are negotiating for a nursing science program at the University of Basel and have established new guidelines to revise the 3-year basic nursing schools.

Austria↗
PubMed1990

The effect of the detoxification of domestic gas in Switzerland on the suicide rate.

An examination of suicide rates in Switzerland during the period when domestic gas was detoxified indicated that, not only did the use of domestic gas for suicide decline, but so did the overall suicide rate, indicating that people did not switch to alternative methods for suicide, contrary to a claim made by the late Erwin Stengel.

Cause of Death↗
PubMed1998

Suicide attempts among adolescents in Switzerland: prevalence, associated factors and comorbidity.

Switzerland has one of the highest rates of adolescent suicide in Europe, but the prevalence of suicidal thoughts and attempts is unknown. The objective of this paper is to assess the prevalence of suicidal ideation and behaviour among Swiss teenagers and to identify the factors associated with suicide attempts. A self-administered anonymous questionnaire was distributed to a representative sample of 9268 15- to 20-year-old adolescents attending school or college. Six items focused on suicidal ideation and conduct. Multivariate analyses were performed to identify the health variables associated with suicide attempts. About 55% of the adolescents had no suicidal concerns; 26% reported suicidal thoughts, 15% reported suicidal plans and 3% reported suicide attempts. Suicide attempters reported significantly more problems in four areas, namely health behaviour, life events, social relationships and mental health. In conclusion, many factors associated with suicide attempts represent detectable behaviours. Thus health professionals could use this knowledge to be more effective in suicide prevention among adolescents.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Dental treatment needs in an elderly population referred to a geriatric hospital in Switzerland.

Of 219 elderly patients admitted consecutively to a geriatric hospital in Switzerland, 59.4% were edentulous. A high proportion of the dentate patients exhibited tooth loss patterns requiring free-end partial dentures in the maxilla (36.0%) or the mandible (69.7%). Of the remaining teeth, 29.3% were decayed, and 45.1% had severe periodontitis. Virtually all (97.8%) dentate and 31.5% of the edentulous subjects were judged to need some kind of dental treatment. In contrast, the subjective need for dental treatment was low in dentate (30.4%) and edentulous (13.1%) subjects. Prosthesis hygiene was poor in 73.8% of the 191 denture wearers whether they needed assistance with oral hygiene or not. The objectively-assessed need for a new prosthesis in edentulous patients was determined by income, marital status, and patient mobility, whereas the need for a prosthesis alteration was related to cognitive function. These findings should help to plan future dental prophylactic and therapeutic services in geriatric hospitals.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

Prenatal diagnosis of thalassemia and hemoglobinopathies in Switzerland.

During a 10-month period, 10 couples originating from Africa (3), the tropics (1) and the thalassemia-belt region (6), living in Switzerland, requested prenatal diagnosis of hemoglobinopathies. Hb SS (twice), Hb Bart's (Hydrops fetalis) and beta-thalassemia major were diagnosed either by gene mapping or by direct detection of the mutations in DNA amplified by the PCR procedure. Whenever it was possible to obtain fetal blood or tissue, diagnosis was confirmed. In one Vietnamese man, concomitant existence of alpha-thal 1 with beta-thalassemia resulted in an unusually high Hb level because of balanced alpha and beta globin synthesis. The 10 couples examined originated from 7 different countries and presented at least 7 different Hb pathologies. This variety of pathologies represents the main difficulty for prenatal diagnosis of hemoglobinopathies in a non-endemic country. A diagnostic approach to overcome this problem is developed.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed2006

Dental squash injuries - a survey among players and coaches in Switzerland, Germany and France.

Squash belongs to sporting activities with medium risk of causing dental trauma. Because of high velocity, close body contact and the use of rackets the injury potential in squash has increased. The aim of this work was to conduct a comparative study between Switzerland, Germany and France on a number of issues: the frequency of dental and facial injuries in squash, athletes' habits of wearing mouthguards, as well as the general level of information about emergency measures after a dental trauma and the resulting consequences. Using a standardized questionnaire a total of 653 individuals, 600 squash players and their 53 coaches, were interviewed. In each of the three countries 200 players belonging to four different divisions (juniors, amateurs, semi-professionals and professionals) were surveyed. Of these 653 interviewees 133 (20.4%) have already observed a dental injury; 27 (4.5%) have experienced a dental trauma themselves. Less than half of all interviewed players and coaches (47.6%) were aware of the possibility of replanting avulsed teeth. Just 5.1% were familiar with the tooth rescue kit. Only one individual wore a mouthguard. The results show that the area of squash requires more information about prevention through sports associations, coaches and dentists.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Belief in demons and exorcism in psychiatric patients in Switzerland.

Belief in demons as the cause of mental health problems is a well-known phenomenon in many cultures of the world. However, there is little literature on this phenomenon in Protestant subcultures of the West. The author conducted a systematic investigation of the prevalence of this attribution in 343 mainly Protestant out-patients of a psychiatric clinic in Switzerland, who described themselves as religious. Of these, 129 (37.6 per cent) believed in the possible causation of their problems through the influence of evil spirits, labelling this as 'occult bondage' or 'possession'. One hundred and four patients (30.3 per cent) sought help through ritual 'prayers for deliverance' and exorcism. Prevalence of such practices was significantly related to diagnosis (p < .01) and to church affiliation (p < .005). Patients in charismatic free churches suffering from anxiety disorders and schizophrenia reported the highest rate of exorcistic rituals (70 per cent), and patients with adjustment disorders from traditional state churches the lowest (14 per cent). The various forms and functions of these healing rituals are described. Although many patients subjectively experienced the rituals as positive, outcome in psychiatric symptomatology was not improved. Negative outcome, such as psychotic decompensation, is associated with the exclusion of medical treatment and coercive forms of exorcism.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Survey and molecular genetics of SHV beta-lactamases in Enterobacteriaceae in Switzerland: two novel enzymes, SHV-11 and SHV-12.

Sixty isolates of Enterobacteriaceae resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics were collected over a period of 2 years in Switzerland and screened by hybridization for the carriage of SHV genes. Thirty-four positive strains were found, and their SHV genes were amplified and sequenced. SHV extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) were found: 13 strains contained SHV-2a, 12 harbored SHV-2, and SHV-5 was found twice. Four strains were shown to contain SHV-1. In addition, we report two new SHV variants, termed SHV-11 (non-ESBL) and SHV-12 (ESBL). In spite of the carriage of SHV ESBLs, many strains showed only low resistance to one or more third-generation cephalosporins. In addition, 26 did not transfer the blaSHV gene in mating experiments.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed2003

A new sulfonamide resistance gene (sul3) in Escherichia coli is widespread in the pig population of Switzerland.

A new gene, sul3, which specifies a 263-amino-acid protein similar to a dihydropteroate synthase encoded by the 54-kb conjugative plasmid pVP440 from Escherichia coli was characterized. Expression of the cloned sul3 gene conferred resistance to sulfamethoxazole on E. coli. Two copies of the insertion element IS15Delta/26 flanked the region containing sul3. The sul3 gene was detected in one-third of the sulfonamide-resistant pathogenic E. coli isolates from pigs in Switzerland.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1999

In situ analysis of phototrophic sulfur bacteria in the chemocline of meromictic Lake Cadagno (Switzerland).

Comparative sequence analysis of a 16S rRNA gene clone library from the chemocline of the meromictic Lake Cadagno (Switzerland) revealed the presence of a diverse number of phototrophic sulfur bacteria. Sequences resembled those of rRNA of type strains Chromatium okenii DSM169 and Amoebobacter purpureus DSM4197, as well as those of four bacteria forming a tight cluster with A. purpureus DSM4197 and Lamprocystis roseopersicina DSM229. In situ hybridization with fluorescent (Cy3 labeled) oligonucleotide probes indicated that all large-celled phototrophic sulfur bacteria in the chemocline of Lake Cadagno were represented by C. okenii DSM169, while small-celled phototrophic sulfur bacteria consisted of four major populations with different distribution profiles in the chemocline indicating different ecophysiological adaptations.

Bacteria↗