Zoonotic potential of multidrug-resistant extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli obtained from healthy poultry carcasses in Salvador,Brazil

The zoonotic potential to cause human and/or animal infections among multidrug-resistant extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli from avian origin was investigated. Twenty-seven extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli isolates containing the increased survival gene (iss) were obtained from the livers of healthy and diseased poultry carcasses at two slaughterhouses in Salvador, northeastern Brazil. The antimicrobial resistance-susceptibility profiles were conducted with antibiotics of avian and/or human use by the standardized disc-diffusion method. Antimicrobial resistance was higher for levofloxacin (51.8%), amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (70.4%), ampicillin (81.5%), cefalotin (88.8%), tetracycline (100%) and streptomycin (100%). The minimum inhibitory concentrations above the resistance breakpoints of doxycycline, neomycin, oxytetracycline and enrofloxacin reached, respectively, 88.0%, 100%, 75% and 91.7% of the isolates. Strains with high and low antimicrobial resistance were i.p. administered to Swiss mice, and histopathological examination was carried out seven days after infection. Resistance to goat and human serum complement was also evaluated. The results show that Swiss mice challenged with strain 2B (resistant to 11 antimicrobials) provoked a severe degeneration of hepatocytes besides lymphocytic infiltration in the liver, whereas the spleen showed areas of degeneration of the white and red pulp. Conversely, the spleen and liver of mice challenged with strain 4A (resistant to two antimicrobials) were morphologically preserved. In addition, complement resistance to goat and human serum was high for strain 2B and low for strain 4A. Our data show that multidrug resistance and pathogenesis can be correlated in extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli strains obtained from apparently healthy poultry carcasses, increasing the risk for human public healthy.     

An analysis of risk factors for arterial hypertension in adolescent students

The objective of the study was to evaluate some risk factors for increases in systemic arterial blood pressure. This transversal study was carried out with 145 individuals from 12 to 18 years of age at two state schools in the city of Pico in the state of Piauí in Brazil. The majority were female (62.8%). The median age was 14.8 years (±3.19). It was ascertained that 13 of the subjects (9.0%) were overweight [CI% 73.0-86.0]. Elevations in waist circumference were found in 31 (21.4%) and 76 (52.4%) had elevated arterial blood levels. There was no statistically-significant association between the above-cited risk factors and gender (p=0.088; 0.999; 0.204, respectively). However, 44.8% of the adolescents had at least one risk factor associated with arterial hypertension; 15.9% had two, and 2.1% had three. The study confirms the influence of the risk factors on arterial pressure values among adolescents. Being aware of these factors means that nurses can intervene with health education measures.     

Disorders of Balance and Gait in Essential Tremor Are Associated with Midline Tremor and Age

Disorders of balance and gait have been observed in patients with essential tremor (ET), but their association with tremor severity remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate postural instability and gait changes in ET patients and to investigate their relationship to tremor characteristics with regard to cerebellar dysfunction as a possible common pathogenetic mechanism in ET. Thirty ET patients (8F, mean (SD) age 55.8 (17.8), range 19–81 years) and 25 normal controls (7F, 53.0 (17.7), 19–81) were tested with the scales of Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC), Fullerton Advanced Balance (FAB), and International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale (ICARS). Posturography and gait were assessed using a Footscan® system. Tremor was evaluated by the Fahn–Tolosa–Marin Tremor Rating Scale (TRS) and accelerometry in five upper limb positions. A mean (SD) TRS sum score of 27.0 (13.2) corresponded to mild to moderate tremor severity in most patients. In comparison with controls, ET subjects exhibited lower tandem gait velocity (0.21 vs. 0.26 m/s, P?=?0.028), more missteps (0.57 vs. 0.12, P?=?0.039), and increased postural sway in tandem stance (sway area 301.1 vs. 202.9 mm², P?=?0.045). In normal gait, step width increased with the midline tremor subscore of TRS (Pearson r?=?0.60, P?=?0.046). Moreover, significant correlations were found between age and quantitative measures of normal and tandem gait in ET patients but not in controls. ABC, FAB, and ICARS scores did not significantly differ between patients and controls. In conclusion, gait and balance alterations in ET patients occur even without subjective complaints. Their relationship with midline tremor and dependence on age suggest a connection with cerebellar dysfunction.