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PubMed2000

Prevalence of cattle infected with bovine viral diarrhoea virus in Switzerland.

A cross-sectional study was made in a major cattle-breeding area of Switzerland to investigate the prevalence and local distribution of animals antibody positive to bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) virus and of persistently infected animals. The sample size and statistical analysis took into account the possible clustering of persistently infected animals on individual farms. Of 3440 animals tested on 121 farms, 1982 were found to have antibodies to BVD virus (95 per cent confidence interval for the population prevalence: 57.6+/-4.5 per cent) and 22 were persistently infected (estimate for the population prevalence: 0.64+/-0.34 per cent). The detection of persistent infection in animals less than seven months old was improved either by retesting one year later, by using an antigen-capture ELISA or, in selected cases, by the analysis of original serum samples by reverse-transcription PCR. The results showed that the prevalence of persistent infection may be underestimated by as much as one-third when antigen detection alone is used. None of the 121 farms investigated was free of antibody-positive animals and one in eight herds had at least one animal that was persistently infected. The prevalence of antibodies was lowest in seven- to 12-month-old animals (22.9 per cent) and highest in animals aged five years or over (84.9 per cent).

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Epidemiology and control of an outbreak of classical swine fever in wild boar in Switzerland.

An outbreak of classical swine fever in wild boar in the southern part of Switzerland (Canton of Ticino) was investigated after the implementation of control measures in a defined infected area (the risk zone), and in a surrounding surveillance zone (the non-risk zone). After the disease had been detected, hunting was not allowed in the risk zone for over six months, during which the disease was left to run its course, but hunting was continued in the non-risk zone for one month. After seven months, a hunting strategy targeted at young animals was implemented in both zones. Between May 1998 and January 2000,1294 wild boar were shot or found dead, and diagnostic and biological data were collected and analysed. Only one animal from the non-risk zone was found to be seropositive for antibodies to the virus, whereas 179 of 528 wild boar from the risk zone were virus positive and 162 were seropositive. The proportion of virus-positive animals decreased from 62.7 per cent to zero over one year. During the first hunting season, seropositive animals were found in all age groups, but 12 months later only animals more than one year old had antibodies against the virus.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Geographical clustering of cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) born in Switzerland after the feed ban.

Over one-third of the cases of BSE in Switzerland have been born after the feed ban of December 1, 1990. Evidence for the geographical clustering of these cases emerged in two distinct regions. All the 354 BSE cases recorded until June 30, 2000 (set A), and the 376 cases recorded up to May 14, 2001 (set B), were georeferenced to the centres of the communities in which the herds of origin were located, and control populations were georeferenced to the centres of the communities in which these herds were located at the time of the census. The latitudes and longitudes of these centres were used in the statistical analysis of the spatial clustering. The Cuzick-Edwards test and the spatial scan statistics were applied to assess the significance of the clusters, while controlling for the spatial distribution of the underlying cattle population. There was global clustering of the cases born after the ban, and distinct and significant (P<0.05) spatial clusters were repeatedly identified in the two case datasets, and in several control populations (all cases born before the feed ban on a random sample of control farms) in terms of cattle density by region or cow density by region. Differential reporting was excluded as the underlying reason for the observed clusters.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Two cases of feline leishmaniosis in Switzerland.

Two cats with Leishmania species infections were investigated. The first had been imported from Spain with a non-healing, ulcerated nodule on a hindleg. The presence of Leishmania species was detected by histopathology and pcr on samples of skin. The lesion was unresponsive to treatment with allopurinol for three months but the cat was treated successfully by removing the lesion surgically. The second cat had lived in both Spain and Switzerland, and had a history of recurrent skin lesions on its head and neck. A diagnosis of pemphigus foliaceus was made on the basis of histopathology, but Leishmania species serology (elisa) and pcr of skin were positive, leading to a diagnosis of a Leishmania species infection combined with pemphigus foliaceus.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

A French translation of the obsessive-compulsive drinking scale for craving in alcohol-dependent patients: a validation study in Belgium, France, and Switzerland.

The Obsessive-Compulsive Drinking Scale (OCDS) is an instrument developed to measure cognitive aspects of alcohol craving. The aim of this study was to validate the French translation of the OCDS according to the international methodology as published by Hunt and coworkers (see text), including forward-backward translations, patient interviews (9 patients), patient's perception of acceptability (15 patients), and final validation within a treatment program (50 patients). All 74 patients were native French-speaking alcohol-dependent patients from Belgium, France, and Switzerland. The derived aggregated total (TOT) score and both subscores corresponding to the obsessive (OB) and compulsive (CP) dimensions were shown to be asymptomatically normal. Good internal consistencies were found, with Cronbach alpha: TOT = 0.88; OB = 0. 82; CP = 0.79. The test-retest procedure was used to examine intrarater reliability (r = 0.81). The construct validity was examined with linear correlation of the two main components: r(OB, CP) = 0.62; r(OB, TOT) = 0.86; r(CP, TOT) = 0.92. Principal-components analysis revealed two main factors: the first factor representing the total scale score, while the obsessive and compulsive subscale scores were distributed along factor two. The translated scale seems to be psychometrically as valid as the original English scale and confirms the psychometric properties of the OCDS.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[Bumm, Zweifel, Kubli and others--examples of the academic interlacing between Switzerland and Germany].

There is an interlacing in academic gynecology and obstetrics between Germany and Switzerland which leads back to the founding years of both societies. Germans have been elected to the chairs in Zürich, Bern, and Basel, whereas Swiss have been appointed to Erlangen, Leipzig, Dresden, and Frankfurt. Reservations from both sides, if any, were not prevailing. Even if the balance at present might show a trend again towards the Germans being chairmen at German-speaking Swiss Universities, the historical line contradicts the impression of one-sidedness. It is the academic exchange followed by a remarkable interlacing between the two German-speaking nations which will certainly continue into the future, all the more so in a Europe where historical differences are more or less overcome. The younger generation will extend and improve the links already laid down in the past. The men mentioned above have all been leading figures during their time, Fred Kubli so in particular. They will be followed by successors. Might they be as excellent as their predecessors have been.

Germany↗
PubMed2002

Modes and impact of coercive inpatient treatment for drug-related conditions in Switzerland.

BACKGROUND: Two forms of institutionalized pressure to treatment can be distinguished in Switzerland: civil commitment and court referral. In court referral, the referred patient has the right to refuse treatment. OBJECTIVES: To compare court referrals for inpatient treatment to voluntary therapy. METHODS: Comparison of interviews at treatment entry and discharge records. RESULTS: There were few systematic differences at entry except for voluntary subjects having had less contact with the legal system before treatment, independently of the specific court referral. At discharge, voluntary patients had a better social integration and fewer legal problems. DISCUSSION: Legal problems waiting for court referrals at discharge may be a significant handicap for reintegration. Otherwise, voluntary patients and court referrals showed few systematic differences in inpatient treatment.

Coercion↗
PubMed2003

[Maternal mortality in Switzerland 1985-1994].

The maternal mortality rate in the west has dropped drastically in the last 100 years. As yet there are no detailed numbers of the actual causes of death for Switzerland. We re-evaluated the anonymous patient documentation for the years 1985-1994 using the officially registered (ICD-8) cases of maternal mortality. 45 deaths out of 812,825 births remained from the original 76 registered cases, which corresponds to a direct maternal mortality of 5.4/100,000 live births. The other cases had to be reclassified (indirect, late or pregnancy-related obstetric deaths). The majority of the deaths were caused by thromboembolism (15%). The mortality rate for cesarean section was 0.09 per thousand. The large number of reclassified cases shows that further teaching is necessary in the completion of the death certificate. In the attempt to reduce maternal mortality, one has to direct attention to the consequent prophylaxis of thromboembolism and induce a premature birth in cases of HELLP syndrome.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

First report of Arthroderma benhamiae in Switzerland.

BACKGROUND: Dermatophytes are usually identified on the basis of macroscopic characteristics and microscopic examination of the cultures. Identification of dermatophytes often remains difficult or uncertain because there are variations from one isolate to another and overlapping characteristics between species. OBJECTIVE: To identify dermatophyte species producing numerous microconidia and resembling Trichophyton mentagrophytes by DNA sequence analysis. METHODS: The complete ITS1 + 5.6s + ITS2 rDNA region of various dermatophytes isolated in culture was amplified by PCR and sequenced. RESULTS: Nine isolates of a fast-growing dermatophyte species were identified as Arthroderma benhamiae by DNA sequencing. Retrospective investigations revealed that the isolates were from 8 children and 1 adult suffering from inflammatory dermatophytosis. Eight of the 9 patients had had previous contact with rodents, mostly guinea pigs. CONCLUSION: It is the first time that A. benhamiae is reported in Switzerland. In cases of dermatophytosis attributed to A. benhamiae, a rodent is the most likely cause of infection.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Progression of a general substance use pattern among adolescents in Switzerland? Investigating the relationship between alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis use over a 12-year period.

Many studies have shown that different risk or problem behaviors in adolescence are interrelated. Given the increased use of various substances among adolescents in the United States and in most European countries, the question emerges whether there are more substance use "specialists" or a progression of a general substance use pattern. If the latter is the case, the interrelatedness of the different substances should remain stable over time in a representative sample and among subgroups characterized by gender and language. Data from 4,146 15-year-olds in Switzerland surveyed in 1986, 1994 and 1998 were analyzed, using confirmatory factor analyses based on polychoric correlations. Smoking, drunkenness and cannabis use greatly increased over the 12-year period. However, in the different survey years, the factor structure did not differ for all 15-year-olds in general or for subgroups. This progression of a general pattern refers to an increased normalization of recreational substance use in general, not only of cannabis use. Favorable attitudes towards general substance use are a challenge to substance use prevention in adolescence, and reveal a need for more research on such a progression in other countries.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Increased incidence of sexually transmitted infections in Geneva, Switzerland.

BACKGROUND: Focal outbreaks of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as syphilis and gonorrhoea have been reported in the large cities of Western Europe over the past few years. The aim of our study was to determine whether a similar trend is observed in Geneva and the situation with regard to HIV infection. METHODS: We review the incidence of syphilis, gonorrhoea, Chlamydia trachomatis and HIV in Geneva from 1999 to 2004. RESULTS: Figures indicate a steady and sustained increase in the incidence of syphilis, gonorrhoea and Chlamydia trachomatis in Geneva since 1999 that is maintained into 2004. As for HIV, the number of positive testings in Switzerland has stabilised and primary infection figures do not indicate an increase in newly acquired infections in Geneva. CONCLUSION: The situation in Geneva is similar to that observed elsewhere in Western Europe and indicates the need of public health interventions.

Chlamydia Infections↗
PubMed2006

Replication and validation of the Drinking Motive Questionnaire Revised (DMQ-R, Cooper, 1994) among adolescents in Switzerland.

This paper has two aims: (1) to replicate the four-dimensional structure of the Drinking Motive Questionnaire Revised (DMQ-R) in a national representative sample from Switzerland, and (2) to validate the relevance of distinguishing drinking motives by inspecting the relations with expected consequences, alcohol use, and alcohol-related and other problems. Confirmatory factor analysis and linear structural equation models were estimated based on answers of 5,617 8th to 10th graders (mean 15.1 years; SD = 0.95). The results confirm the four-dimensional factor structure in general and among subpopulations defined by gender, age, and linguistic region. It could also be confirmed that enhancement motives followed by coping motives were strongly related to alcohol use and heavy drinking, whereas conformity motives were negatively related. Coping motives were related to problems independent of whether they were assessed as alcohol-related or not, while enhancement motives were associated solely with alcohol-related problems. In sum, the results demonstrate the robustness of the DMQ-R and its usefulness for assessing drinking motives among European adolescents from different cultural backgrounds.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Use of complementary medicine in Switzerland.

OBJECTIVE: Within the framework of the Swiss governmental Program of Evaluation of Complementary Medicine (PEK) we assessed the prevalence, use, perceived effectiveness and appreciation of complementary medicine (CAM) in Switzerland, according to published surveys. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Search was performed through electronic databases, by hand-searching and by contacting experts at universities, hospitals, health insurances, patient organizations and pharmaceutical companies. RESULTS: Surveys were carried out among the general population (40%), physicians (20%), hospitalized patients (30%) and obstetric institutions (5%). The number of publications increased strongly between 1981 and 2004. The mean +/- SD prevalence (use) of CAM is 49 +/- 22% and varies depending on the survey's topic and the population group interviewed. The acceptance, appreciation or demand for CAM among individuals specifically interviewed on CAM is 91 +/- 6%. When asked about favored general improvements in healthcare, 6.5% of the individuals spontaneously mentioned CAM. CAM therapies are considered to be effective by the majority of CAM users and by about 40% of cancer patients using CAM. Approximately 50% of the population stated a preference for hospitals that also provide CAM. 85% of the population wishes the costs for CAM to be covered by the basic health insurance. CONCLUSION: Approximately half of the Swiss population has used CAM. CAM treatment is considered to be effective by the majority of CAM users. About 50% of the population would prefer hospitals that also provide CAM therapies and the majority of the population wishes the cost for CAM therapies to be covered by basic health insurance.

Complementary Therapies↗
PubMed2006

Complementary and conventional medicine in Switzerland: comparing characteristics of general practitioners.

OBJECTIVES: Do structural characteristics of general practitioners (GPs) who practice complementary medicine (CAM) differ from those GPs who do not? Assessed characteristics included experience and professional integration of general practitioners (GPs), workload, medical activities, and personal and technical resources of practices. The investigated CAM disciplines were anthroposophic medicine, homoeopathy, traditional Chinese medicine, neural therapy and herbal medicine. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We designed a cross-sectional study with convenience and stratified samples of GPs providing conventional (COM) and/or complementary primary care in Switzerland. The samples were taken from the database of the Swiss medical association (FMH) and from CAM societies. Data were collected using a postal questionnaire. RESULTS: Of the 650 practitioners who were included in the study, 191 were COM, 167 noncertified CAM and 292 certified CAM physicians. The proportion of females was higher in the population of CAM physicians. Gender-adjusted age did not differ between CAM and COM physicians. Nearly twice as many CAM physicians work part-time. Differences were also seen for the majority of structural characteristics such as qualification of physicians, type of practice, type of staff, and presence of technical equipment. CONCLUSION: The study results show that structural characteristics of primary health care do differ between CAM and COM practitioners. We assumed that the activities of GPs are defined essentially by analyzed structures. The results are to be considered for evaluations in primary health care, particularly when quality of health care is assessed.

Complementary Therapies↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Psychogeriatric organization in the medico-social network: the experience of the canton of Vaud, Switzerland.

In Switzerland (7 million inhabitants), the organization of health care is in the hand of the cantons and not of the Confederation. The canton of Vaud (600,000 inhabitants), in the south-west part of the country, counts 4 psychiatric sectors, each with a psychogeriatric service. Otherwise the canton has 146 long-stay facilities with a total of 6,000 beds, of which 600 are for psychogeriatric cases. Home care is in charge of a network of 38 medico-social centres with multidisciplinary teams including psychiatric nurses. Several nursing homes, some specialized in psychogeriatrics, are equipped, besides long-stay beds, by units for temporary care, for medico-social emergencies and for medico-social observations. Moreover, in Lausanne (250,000 inhabitants) an 'Orientation Office of Medico-Social Emergencies', with psychiatric nurses, assumes emergencies at home and by-passes hospitalizations of medico-social cases in the General Hospital, by the resource of medico-social emergency beds in the nursing homes. The medico-social network thus designed in this way is profoundly permeated with the reality of psychogeriatrics.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

High prevalence of multiple sclerosis in Switzerland.

Prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS) was determined in the Canton of Berne, Switzerland. This canton is a geographically diverse region at 47 degrees northern latitude with 920,000 inhabitants. Epidemiological data were obtained from the case records of the University Department of Neurology, from the Swiss MS Society, from practising neurologists and from regional hospitals. Diagnostic accuracy was ascertained in retrospect, and only those cases fulfilling the criteria proposed by the Poser Committee were included. Of the patients provided by the Swiss MS Society, only those who had been diagnosed by a neurologist were accepted as definite cases. Changes of population due to migration or death were traced at governmental registry offices, and the place of residence was determined. Using the 1,016 cases of definite and probable MS identified, the minimal prevalence rate was 110 MS cases/100,000 inhabitants in the Canton of Berne on January 1, 1986. The increase in MS in this region since the 1950s was due mainly to the increase in life duration of MS patients rather than an increase in incidence rates over the last 20 years.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Prescription patterns and costs of antihypertensive drugs in two outpatient clinics: Zürich (Switzerland) and Münster (FRG), 1975-1985.

In the present study the prescription patterns and cost of antihypertensive drugs in two outpatient clinics located in two different countries (Zürich, Switzerland, and Münster, FRG), were analyzed from 1975 till 1985 by using representative random samples of hypertensive outpatients. Throughout the observed period the leading positions were held by diuretics and beta-blockers, whereas central sympatholytics and ganglion blockers nearly disappeared. A rapid increase in the use of calcium antagonists occurred within the last 2 analyzed years. Drugs in fixed combination containing reserpin showed a constant decrease during the observed period, whereas beta-blocker-containing combination drugs increased in both clinics. The comparison between the two clinics revealed only minor differences in the prescription pattern of the various known classes of antihypertensive drugs. However, marked differences were observed within given classes between the preferred products. Both in Zürich and Münster the mean annual drug cost per patient doubled from 1975 to 1985. Especially during the last few years these changes took place with a remarkable rapidity, obviously the result of a more intense promotion of new antihypertensive drugs.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗