Variability in non-core vaccination rates of dogs and cats in veterinary clinics across the United States

Vaccination guidelines for dogs and cats indicate that core vaccines (for dogs, rabies, distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus; for cats, feline parvovirus, herpes virus-1, calicivirus) are essential to maintain health, and that non-core vaccines be administered according to a clinician’s assessment of a pet’s risk of exposure and susceptibility to infection. A reliance on individual risk assessment introduces the potential for between-practice inconsistencies in non-core vaccine recommendations. A study was initiated to determine non-core vaccination rates of dogs (Leptospira, Borrelia burgdorferi, Bordetella bronchiseptica, canine influenza virus) and cats (feline leukemia virus) in patients current for core vaccines in veterinary practices across the United States. Transactional data for 5,531,866 dogs (1,670 practices) and 1,914,373 cats (1,661 practices) were retrieved from practice management systems for the period November 1, 2016 through January 1, 2020, deidentified and normalized. Non-core vaccination status was evaluated in 2,798,875 dogs and 788,772 cats that were core-vaccine current. Nationally, median clinic vaccination rates for dogs were highest for leptospirosis (70.5%) and B. bronchiseptica (68.7%), and much lower for canine influenza (4.8%). In Lyme-endemic states, the median clinic borreliosis vaccination rate was 51.8%. Feline leukemia median clinic vaccination rates were low for adult cats (34.6%) and for kittens and 1-year old cats (36.8%). Individual clinic vaccination rates ranged from 0 to 100% for leptospirosis, B. bronchiseptica and feline leukemia, 0–96% for canine influenza, and 0–94% for borreliosis. Wide variation in non-core vaccination rates between clinics in similar geographies indicates that factors other than disease risk are driving the use of non-core vaccines in pet dogs and cats, highlighting a need for veterinary practices to address gaps in patient protection. Failure to implement effective non-core vaccination strategies leaves susceptible dogs and cats unprotected against vaccine-preventable diseases.     

Robust antibody response after a third BNT162b2 vaccine compared to the second among immunocompromised and healthy individuals,a prospective longitudinal cohort study

PurposeAs protection from COVID-19 following two doses of the BNT162b2 vaccine showed a time dependent waning, a third (booster) dose was administrated. This study aims to compare the antibody response following the third dose versus the second and to evaluate post-booster seroconversion.MethodsA prospective observational study conducted in Maccabi Healthcare Services. Serial SARS-CoV-2 Spike IgG tests, 1,2,3 and 6 months following the second vaccine dose and one month following the third were obtained. Neutralizing antibody levels were measured in a subset of participants. Per individual SARS-CoV-2 Spike IgG titer ratios were calculated one month after the booster administration compared to titers one month following the second dose and prior to booster.ResultsAmong 110 participants, 56 (51%) were women. Mean age was 61.7 ± 1.9 years and 66 (60%) were immunocompromised. One month after third dose, IgG titers were induced 7.83 (95 %CI 5.25–11.67) folds and 2.40 (95 %CI 1.90–3.03) folds compared to one month after the second, in the immunocompromised and immunocompetent groups, respectively. Of the 17 immunocompromised participants who were seronegative after the second dose, 4 (24%) became seropositive following the third. Comparing the titers prior to the third dose, an increase of 50.7 (95 %CI 32.5–79.1) fold in the immunocompromised group and 25.7 (95 %CI 19.1–34.7) fold in and immunocompetent group, was observed.ConclusionA third BNT162b2 vaccine elicited robust humoral response, superior to the response observed following the second, among immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals.     

Dry eye in chronic stroke patients with hemiplegia: A cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT

Objective: Dry eye is reported to be associated with several neurological diseases. The aim of this study is to evaluate the patients with hemiplegia after stroke for dry eye and compare their results with a control group.

Materials and methods: Forty-five patients with hemiplegia and 45 individuals as the control group were included in the study. Tear function tests (Schirmer and tear breakup time) and a dry eye questionnaire for dry eye symptoms (ocular surface disease index) were performed and the results of the two groups were compared.

Results: Schirmer test results were significantly lower in the post-stroke hemiplegia group compared to the control group (11.3 ± 8.2 mm and 20.6 ± 11.6 mm, respectively, p < .001). Tear breakup time results were significantly lower in the post-stroke hemiplegia group compared to the control group (7.9 ± 3.1 s and 12.1 ± 4.3 s, respectively, p < .001). Ocular surface disease index scores were not significantly different between hemiplegia and control groups (21.6 ± 20.0 and 19.8 ± 13.9, respectively, p = .635). Schirmer scores lower than 10 mm (60% and 30%, p < .001) and tear breakup time results lower than 10 s (65.6% and 28.9%, p < .001) were also higher in the hemiplegia group compared to control group.

Conclusion: We found lower Schirmer test and tear breakup time results and similar OSDI scores in hemiplegia patients compared to controls. Hemiplegia patients may have dry eye without typical symptoms. This should be taken into consideration in the follow-up and rehabilitation of post-stroke hemiplegia patients.     

���IJ����������������ܻ�������ǰ��Ѫ�弰����Һ��IL-8��IL-10��⼰���ֵ�о�

??Objective    To discuss the influence of basic periodontal therapy on the level of IL-8?? IL-10 in serum and gingival crevicular fluid in patients who have chronic periodontitis complicated by coronary heart disease. Methods     A total of 65 cases of patients with chronic periodontitis complicated by coronary heart disease were selected and divided into two groups randomly??Group A of 35 patients who received the basic periodontal therapy and cardiac medical treatment??Group B of 30 patients who received cardiological treatment only. Then??select 25 patient who had developed chronic severe periodontitis with non-systematic disease to establish group C and give them the basic periodontal therapy only. Observe the changes of the IL-8??IL-10 levels in serum and gingival crevicular fluid and the periodontal infection indexes??BI??PD??. Results    The results showed that after three months of basic periodontal therapy the periodontal clinical indices of both group A and group C became better and the IL-8 level obviously reduced??while the IL-10 level obviously increased. There was no obvious difference between group A and group B in each examination index before the therapy. After three months??we found that the periodontal infection index??SBI PD??of group A was obviously better than group B. Compared to group B??the IL-8 level of group A obviously reduced??and the IL-10 level obviously increased. The difference was statistically significant??P < 0.05??. Conclusion    The basic periodontal therapy can effectively improve periodontal conditions of the patients with chronic periodontal diseases??and reduce the risk of breaking the normal cardiovascular function.     

Plasmacytic cutaneous pathology: A review

We review the spectrum of cutaneous disorders associated with inflammatory and neoplastic plasmacytic pathology. Because plasma cells are derived from B‐lymphocytes our overview includes discussion of certain lymphoplasmacytic proliferations. It is structured along histopathological lines, addressing conditions characterized by (a) cutaneous plasma cell infiltrates, (b) deposits of plasma cell products or their derivatives in the skin and (c) miscellaneous, poorly understood cutaneous complications of plasmacytic disorders. Lesions arising primarily in the skin and those due to cutaneous involvement by multisystem disorders are addressed. The range includes a spectrum of tumefactive and circulatory manifestations. We highlight key clinical and pathological features of the different conditions and outline recent advances in our understanding of these entities. By emphasizing the dermatopathological characteristics of this spectrum of disorders we hope to hone the diagnostic accuracy of practitioners in the field.     

Effects of the Clearing the Lung and Dissipating Phlegm Method in the Treatment of Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the clearing the lung and dissipating phlegm method in the treatment of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) and to provide evidence for the treatment of the disease. Materials and Methods: Literature was searched from the United States National Library of Medicine(PubMed), Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database(Wanfang), and the Full?Text Database of Chinese Scientific and Technical Periodicals(VIP).A comprehensive collection was made of randomized controlled trials(RCTs) before June 2018, in which the treatment groups used either the clearing the lung and dissipating phlegm formulas only or combined it with routine Western medicine therapy, and the control group adopted routine Western medicine therapy only for the acute exacerbation of COPD. The Cochrane risk of bias method was used to evaluate the quality of the literature. The data were analyzed and retrieved independently by two reviewers before meta?analysis was carried out with RevMan 5.3 software to evaluate the primary outcome measures, including the total clinical effective rate, and the secondary outcome measures such as the pulmonary function(forced vital capacity [FVC], forced expiratory volume in the 1 s [FEV1], percentage of FEV1 [FEV1%], and FEV1/FVC)and blood gases(PaO_2 and PaCo_2). Results: A total of 13 RCTs involving 990 patients(496 in the treatment group and 494 in the control group)were included in this study. Meta?analysis revealed significant difference in the efficacy of the group that adopted solely the routine Western medicine method and the group that combined the Western medicine with the clearing the lung and dissipating phlegm method. Outcome measures including the pulmonary function(FVC, FEV1, FEV1%, and FEV1/FVC) and the blood gases(PaO_2 and PaCo_2) were significantly improved as compared to the control group(P 0.00001). However, adverse effects in the treatment group using combined traditional Chinese medicine were not reported due to the short observation time of the study. Conclusion: The clearing the lung and dissipating phlegm method can improve the efficacy in the treatment of acute exacerbation of COPD, the outcome measures of the pulmonary function and the blood gases,as well as the life quality of the patients. However, due to the fact that the existing studies are generally of poor quality in which randomization and its implementation were not properly carried out, more high?quality RCTs are necessary to confirm the findings of this study.