Seroprevalence of Neospora spp. in Horses in North East of Iran

Background

Neospora caninum, an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite, is recognized as a major cause of abortion in cattle, while limited information is presently available on the seroprevalence of Neospora antibodies in horses’ worldwide. The aim of the present study was to determine serologic prevalence of Neospora infection in horses in Iran.

Methods

Sera from 150 horses from Mashhad suburb in Razavi Khorasan Province, northeast Iran were examined for antibodies to Neospora spp. using Neospora modified direct agglutination test (N-MAT).

Results

Antibodies to this parasite were detected in 45 (30%) of the examined serum samples. Thirty four percent of the samples had titer of 1:40 while then reduced to 30% when 1:80 serum dilution was applied as significant cut off titer.

Conclusion

This study is the first investigation carried out on the Neospora in horses in Iran and indicates that horses in Iran are exposed to this parasite.     

Transfer of beta-lactamase-associated cefoxitin resistance in Bacteroides fragilis.

A cefoxitin-resistant Bacteroides fragilis isolate, TAL 4170, which inactivates cefoxitin, was able to transfer beta-lactamase-mediated cefoxitin resistance to a susceptible B. fragilis recipient. Cefoxitin-resistant transconjugants acquired a new beta-lactamase with a pI of 8.1 and were able to inactivate cefoxitin and retransfer cefoxitin resistance. No plasmids were detected in the donor or transconjugants.     

兔血管内皮细胞和诱导成骨细胞在可注射纳米材料上的共培养

目的：将可注射纳米骨材料与共培养的兔肾血管内皮细胞和兔骨髓间充质干细胞诱导的成骨细胞复合,并构建可注射细胞型纳米组织工程骨,观察它们体外培养的相容性. 方法：实验于2003-09/2004-11在苏州大学附属儿童医院完成.①实验材料：取16周龄雄性新西兰大耳白兔,体质量1.5 kg左右.②实验方法：麻醉后抽取兔骨髓,用淋巴细胞分离液分离出其中的间充质干细胞,在含体积分数为0.15牛血清的RPMI1640液中培养.骨髓间充质干细胞在条件培养基中,7 d后可见细胞变为多边形,碱性磷酸酶和Ⅰ型胶原染色阳性,形成钙结节,表现成骨细胞分化特点.采用三步梯度筛网法,获得肾血管球,5 g/L胶原酶Ⅳ37℃消化15～20 min,离心沉淀获取血管内皮细胞,在含体积分数为0.15小牛血清的M199中培养.③实验评估：免疫组织化学法进行第Ⅷ因子相关抗原鉴定,透射电镜观察细胞浆Weibel-Palade小体,间接免疫荧光法检测CD31、CD34及CD44的表达.将共培养的兔肾血管内皮细胞、成骨细胞与可注射纳米骨材料体外复合培养,进行形态学观察和功能测定. 结果：①在一定培养条件下成功诱导兔骨髓间充质干细胞向成骨细胞分化.②培养的血管内皮细胞免疫组织化学法检测第Ⅷ因子相关抗原阳性,透射电镜观察到细胞浆中的Weibel-Palade小体,间接免疫荧光法检测CD31、CD34表达阳性,CD44阴性.③共培养的兔肾血管内皮细胞、成骨细胞在可注射纳米骨材料上生长、增殖良好,细胞活性和碱性磷酸酶活性未受到影响. 结论：可注射纳米骨材料具有良好的细胞相容性,可作为骨组织工程理想的可注射载体材料.     

Cyclosporin nephrotoxicity in heart and lung transplant patients

Twenty-two patients with heart, lung or heart and lung transplants maintained on cyclosporin for periods ranging from 3 months to 10 years developed renal insufficiency which was investigated by renal biopsy. The histopathological changes were: (i) severe vascular and glomerular damage due to thrombotic microangiopathy (TM); (ii) a form of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS); (iii) glomerular ischaemia. Rather than being separate entities, these changes appeared to represent a spectrum of pathology, some biopsies showing all three forms of glomerular injury. In all cases the glomerular changes were accompanied by arteriolar and arterial pathology, and we identified novel ultrastructural changes in the arteriolar endothelial basal lamina. Tubular atrophy was a consistent feature, the severity of which reflected the severity of the glomerular sclerosis, and which appeared to be a consequence of glomerular loss. Our findings are consistent with the nephrotoxic effects of cyclosporin being mediated chiefly via damage to preglomerular vessels and glomerular capillary endothelium. From an analysis of the clinical aspects of these cases, the effects of cyclosporin appear to be to some extent idiosyncratic, and therefore not entirely preventable, but strict monitoring of blood cyclosporin levels is essential to minimize the risk of permanent renal damage. Monitoring urinary protein in addition to plasma creatinine may detect the onset of FSGS, as proteinuria precedes creatinine elevation.      

Autoantibodies against bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein in patients with cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis (CF), a genetic disorder, is characterized by chronic pulmonary infection/inflammation which leads to respiratory failure. The presence of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies (ANCA) has previously been observed in the sera of patients with CF. In view of the known relationship of ANCA with primary vasculitis and of their putative pathogenetic role in these disorders, we studied the presence, specificity and isotype of ANCA and their clinical associations in 66 adult CF patients. None of the 66 CF samples had autoantibodies to the major ANCA antigens, proteinase 3 or myeloperoxidase. However, 60/66 (91%) CF samples contained IgG and 55/66 (83%) IgA, autoantibodies to bactericidal/permeability increasing protein (BPI), a recently characterized ANCA specificity. All the IgA anti-BPI-positive samples were also IgG anti-BPI-positive. The autoantibody specificity was confirmed by inhibition assay and immunoblotting of CF sera against a neutrophil granule preparation. Furthermore, in this cross-sectional study, anti-BPI levels were inversely correlated with the observed reductions in FEV1 and FVC (IgA anti-BPI and FEV1: r = 0.508, <it>p</it> &lt; 0.0001), and both IgG and IgA anti-BPI levels were higher in CF patients with secondary vasculitis (<it>n</it> = 6) than in those without (<it>p</it> &lt; 0.05). ANCA with specificity for BPI were present in the majority of CF sera in this study and autoimmune processes may be associated with the development of pulmonary injury in CF.      

Analysis of serious non‐AIDS events among HIV‐infected adults at Latin American sites

Objective

Acquired immune deficiency appears to be associated with serious non‐AIDS (SNA)‐defining conditions such as cardiovascular disease, liver and renal insufficiency and non‐AIDS‐related malignancies. We analysed the incidence of, and factors associated with, several SNA events in the LATINA retrospective cohort.

Materials and methods

Cases of SNA events were recorded among cohort patients. Three controls were selected for each case from cohort members at risk. Conditional logistic models were fitted to estimate the effect of traditional risk factors as well as HIV‐associated factors on non‐AIDS‐defining conditions.

Results

Among 6007 patients in follow‐up, 130 had an SNA event (0.86 events/100 person‐years of follow‐up) and were defined as cases (40 with cardiovascular events, 54 with serious liver failure, 35 with non‐AIDS‐defining malignancies and two with renal insufficiency). Risk factors such as diabetes, hepatitis B and C virus coinfections and alcohol abuse showed an association with events, as expected. The last recorded CD4 T‐cell count prior to index date (P=0.0056, with an average difference of more than 100 cells/μL) and area under the CD4 cell curve in the year previous to index date (P=0.0081) were significantly lower in cases than in controls. CD4 cell count at index date was significantly associated with the outcome after adjusting for risk factors.

Conclusions

The incidence and type of SNA events found in this Latin American cohort are similar to those reported in other regions. We found a significant association between immune deficiency and the risk of SNA events, even in patients under antiretroviral treatment.     

Update Experience of Surgery for Acute Limb Ischaemia in a District General Hospital – Are We Getting Any Better?

INTRODUCTION

The aims of this study were to audit results of a 10-year experience of surgery for acute limb ischaemia (ALI) in terms of limb salvage and mortality rates, and to compare results with a historical published series from our unit.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

All emergency operations performed during the period 1993–2003 were identified from theatre registers and patient notes reviewed to determine indications for, and outcome of, surgery. Data were compared to a similar cohort who underwent surgery from 1980 to 1990.

RESULTS

There was a 33% increase in workload from 87 to 116 patients between the two time periods. The number of patients with idiopathic ALI reduced (24% versus 4%; P < 0.05), and there were fewer smokers (71% versus 39%; P < 0.05) and a greater number of claudicants (17% versus 35%; P < 0.05) in those treated from 1993–2003. Latterly, more patients underwent pre-operative heparinisation (33% versus 80%; P < 0.05), received prophylactic antibiotics (14% versus 63%; P < 0.05), and had anaesthetic presence in theatre (46% versus 88%; P < 0.05). There was also a reduction in local anaesthetic procedures (80% versus 41%; P < 0.05). Despite increased pre-operative (15% versus 47%; P < 0.05) and on-table imaging (0% versus 16%; P < 0.05) technical success did not improve. Whilst complication rates were identical at 62%, there were fewer cardiovascular complications in the recent cohort. The 30-day mortality rate for embolectomy fell from 45% to 33%. Multivariate analysis revealed age > 70 years, prolonged symptom duration, ASA score ≥ III, lack of prophylactic antibiotics, absence of an anaesthetist, and operations performed under local anaesthetic to be associated with increased risk of mortality. Factors adversely affecting limb salvage included prolonged duration from symptom onset to operation, and a history of claudication or smoking.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite improvements in pre- and peri-operative management, arterial embolectomy/thrombectomy remains a procedure with a high morbidity and mortality. Further attempts to improve outcome must be directed at early diagnosis and referral as delay from symptom onset to surgery is a major determinant of outcome.     

Choosing event‐driven and daily HIV pre‐exposure prophylaxis – data from two European PrEP demonstration projects among men who have sex with men

IntroductionDaily and event‐driven PrEP are both efficacious in reducing the risk for HIV infection. However, the practice of event‐driven PrEP (edPrEP) is less well studied, in particular when provided as an alternative to daily PrEP. We studied regimen preferences and switches, and sexually transmitted infection (STI) incidence.MethodsWe analysed pooled data from two prospective cohort studies among MSM: Be‐PrEP‐ared, Belgium and AMPrEP, the Netherlands. In both projects, participants could choose between daily and edPrEP at three‐monthly study visits, when they were also screened for sexually transmitted infections including hepatitis C (HCV). We assessed the proportion choosing each regimen, and the determinants of choosing edPrEP at baseline. Additionally, we compared the incidence rates (IRs) of HCV, syphilis and chlamydia or gonorrhoea between regimens using Poisson regression. The study period was from 3 August 2015 until 24 September 2018.Results and discussionWe included 571 MSM, of whom 148 (25.9%) chose edPrEP at baseline. 31.7% of participants switched regimen at least once. After 28 months, 23.5% used edPrEP. Older participants (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.38 per 10 years, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.15 to 1.64) and those unemployed (aOR = 1.68, 95% CI = 1.03 to 1.75) were more likely to initially choose edPrEP. IR of HCV and syphilis did not differ between regimens, but the IR of chlamydia/gonorrhoea was higher among daily users (adjusted incidence rate ratio = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.35 to 1.94).ConclusionsA quarter of participants chose edPrEP at baseline and at 28 months this proportion was similar. Although the IR of HCV and syphilis were similar in the two regimens, the lower incidence of chlamydia and gonorrhoea among edPrEP users may suggest that less frequent STI testing of this group could be considered.