The ecology of chronic wasting disease in wildlife

Prions are misfolded infectious proteins responsible for a group of fatal neurodegenerative diseases termed transmissible spongiform encephalopathy or prion diseases. Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is the prion disease with the highest spillover potential, affecting at least seven Cervidae (deer) species. The zoonotic potential of CWD is inconclusive and cannot be ruled out. A risk of infection for other domestic and wildlife species is also plausible. Here, we review the current status of the knowledge with respect to CWD ecology in wildlife. Our current understanding of the geographic distribution of CWD lacks spatial and temporal detail, does not consider the biogeography of infectious diseases, and is largely biased by sampling based on hunters' cooperation and funding available for each region. Limitations of the methods used for data collection suggest that the extent and prevalence of CWD in wildlife is underestimated. If the zoonotic potential of CWD is confirmed in the short term, as suggested by recent results obtained in experimental animal models, there will be limited accurate epidemiological data to inform public health. Research gaps in CWD prion ecology include the need to identify specific biological characteristics of potential CWD reservoir species that better explain susceptibility to spillover, landscape and climate configurations that are suitable for CWD transmission, and the magnitude of sampling bias in our current understanding of CWD distribution and risk. Addressing these research gaps will help anticipate novel areas and species where CWD spillover is expected, which will inform control strategies. From an ecological perspective, control strategies could include assessing restoration of natural predators of CWD reservoirs, ultrasensitive CWD detection in biotic and abiotic reservoirs, and deer density and landscape modification to reduce CWD spread and prevalence.     

Reliability of surface electromyography for the gluteus medius muscle during gait in people with and without chronic nonspecific low back pain

The purpose of this study was to determine the intratester reliability of surface electromyography (EMG) assessment of the gluteus medius muscle in healthy people and people with chronic nonspecific low back pain (CNLBP) during barefoot walking. Gluteus medius muscle activity was measured twice in 40 people without and 30 people with CNLBP approximately 7 days apart. Walking gluteus medius muscle activity was normalised to maximal voluntary isometric contractions during side-lying hip abduction with manual resistance. Good intratester reliability (ICC > 0.75) was found for mean, peak, and peak to peak amplitude for healthy people. Only mean amplitude demonstrated good intratester reliability in those with CNLBP. Peak amplitude and peak to peak amplitude of the gluteus medius muscle of those with CNLBP, and the time of peak amplitude in both groups, demonstrated moderate reliability (ICC ranged from 0.50 to 0.58). Moderate to large standard error of measurement and minimal detectable change values were reported for outcome measurements. These results suggest that potentially large levels of random error can occur between sessions. Future research can build on this study for those with pathology and attempt to establish change values for EMG that are clinically meaningful.     

蚓激酶在慢性乙型肝炎治疗中的潜在作用

纤连蛋白(FN)是参与乙型肝炎病毒感染和肝脏纤维化的重要分子。 蚓激酶(LK)是从赤子爱胜蚓(Eisenia foetide)中提取的一组蛋白水解同工酶,能水解纤维蛋白治疗凝血相关疾病。 从这组同工酶中分离纯化出单一活性成分,在体外可降解纤连蛋白,被命名为蚯蚓纤连蛋白水解酶(EFNase)。 然而,LK 能否预防乙型肝炎病毒感染以及缓解因乙型肝炎导致的肝脏损伤等问题还不清楚。本研究以人肝癌细胞系HepG2.2.15为细胞模型,观察LK 对乙型肝炎表面抗原(HBsAg)或 FN 水平的影响;以 C57BL / 6J-HBV 转基因小鼠为动物模型,探讨 LK 对小鼠血清中 HBsAg、FN、丙氨酸氨基转移酶(ALT)、天门冬氨酸氨基转移酶(AST)水平及肝脏病理改变的影响。结果表明,LK 在体内外均能抑制HBsAg 的生成,降低血清和肝脏FN。与生理盐水处理组相比,LK 改善了肝脏的状态。这些数据为理解LK 作为治疗乙型肝炎的潜在有效药物的治疗作用提供了有价值的信息。     

幽门螺杆菌根除治疗对慢性胃炎患者肠道菌群的影响及其与血清hsCRP水平的相关性

目的探究幽门螺杆菌(H.pylori)根除治疗对慢性胃炎患者肠道菌群的影响及其与血清超敏C反应蛋白(hsCRP)水平的相关性。方法选择2018年5月至2019年5月我院收治的87例慢性胃炎患者为研究对象,所有患者均采用枸橼酸铋钾胶囊+雷贝拉唑钠肠溶胶囊+克拉霉素片+阿莫西林克拉维酸钾片进行幽门螺杆菌根除治疗,评价所有患者治疗后临床疗效、H.pylori根除率,比较所有患者治疗前后临床症状积分,肠道肠球菌、葡萄球菌、肠杆菌、乳杆菌、双歧杆菌数量及血清hsCRP水平,采用Pearson相关分析所有患者治疗后肠道菌群数量与血清hsCRP水平的相关性。结果入选患者临床治疗有效率为95.40%,H.pylori根除率为90.80%。患者治疗后腹胀、嗳气、腹痛、纳差评分显著低于治疗前(均P<0.05)。治疗后患者肠道肠球菌、葡萄球菌数量显著高于治疗前,而肠杆菌、乳杆菌、双歧杆菌数量显著低于治疗前(均P<0.05)。患者治疗后血清hsCRP水平显著低于治疗前(P<0.05)。患者治疗后肠道肠球菌、葡萄球菌、乳杆菌、肠杆菌、双歧杆菌数量与血清hsCRP水平无显著相关性(均P>0.05)。结论H.pylori根除治疗能有效改善慢性胃炎患者临床症状,提高H.pylori根除率,降低血清hsCRP水平,但会造成患者肠道菌群失调,且肠道菌群数量与血清hsCRP水平无显著相关性。     

儿童反复呼吸道感染与肠道微生态变化的相关性

目的研究儿童反复呼吸道感染与患儿肠道微生态平衡紊乱的关系。方法选择102例反复呼吸道感染患儿为研究组,167例急性肺炎患儿为肺炎对照组,142例健康体检儿童为正常对照组。采用16S rRNA荧光定量PCR检测3组对象肠道双歧杆菌及大肠埃希菌数量,计算B/E值,并比较3组研究对象细胞免疫功能。结果正常对照组、肺炎对照组以及研究组儿童肠道双歧杆菌数量依次降低,大肠埃希菌依次增多,B/E值依次降低,差异均有统计学意义(均P0.05)。正常对照组、肺炎对照组以及研究组儿童血液中CD3~+、CD4~+细胞水平以及CD4~+/CD8~+依次降低,CD8~+细胞水平依次增高,差异均有统计学意义(均P0.05)。结论儿童反复呼吸道感染与肠道微生态失衡具有一定相关性,肠道微生态稳态的维持可为反复呼吸道感染的防治提供新思路。     

根据“肠-肾轴”理论治疗慢性肾脏病的研究进展

有研究报道在慢性肾脏病的发生发展过程中可发现一系列肠道变化,并有学者用"肠-肾轴"理论阐述肾脏病中肠道的变化以及疾病过程中肾脏与肠道之间的联系,提示调节肠道菌群或可成为治疗慢性肾脏病的新方法。本文根据"肠-肾轴"理论,综述了在慢性肾脏病发展过程中肠道出现的变化,如肠内代谢物异常、肠道损伤以及肠道菌群失调等。以慢性肾脏病发生发展过程中肠道的异常变化为治疗切入点,总结了以大黄为主的中药在调节肠道功能、修复肠道屏障、纠正肠道代谢物异常等方面具有的显著疗效,为治疗慢性肾脏病及减少并发症等提供新的治疗思路和新方法。     

微生态制剂联合莫西沙星序贯疗法对老年慢性阻塞性肺疾病合并下呼吸道感染患者肠道菌群及免疫功能的影响

目的探究微生态制剂联合莫西沙星序贯疗法对老年慢性阻塞性肺疾病(COPD)合并下呼吸道感染患者肠道菌群及免疫功能的影响。方法选取2016年2月到2019年2月我院收治的98例老年COPD合并下呼吸道感染患者为研究对象,按照随机数字表法分为观察组和对照组各49例。对照组患者采用莫西沙星序贯法进行治疗。观察组患者采用微生态制剂联合莫西沙星治疗。检测两组患者下呼吸道感染病原菌及肠道微生物变化,T淋巴细胞亚群(CD4⁺细胞,CD8⁺细胞,CD4⁺/CD8⁺)水平,并评价患者临床效果和并发症情况。结果治疗后两组患者CAT评分(8.23±3.64、10.41±4.08)和mMRC评分(1.35±0.82、1.77±0.61)均低于治疗前(23.01±4.47、22.87±5.26、2.79±0.54、3.04±0.74),且观察组下降幅度大于对照组,差异具有统计学意义(均P<0.05)。治疗后两组患者下呼吸道感染主要病原菌中肺炎克雷伯菌、大肠埃希菌、铜绿假单胞菌、肺炎链球菌检出率均低于治疗前,但组间比较差异无统计学意义(均P>0.05)。治疗后两组患者肠道双歧杆菌、嗜酸乳杆菌、粪肠球菌数量均高于治疗前,大肠埃希菌数量均低于治疗前,且观察组改善情况优于对照组,差异有统计学意义(均P<0.05)。治疗后两组患者CD4⁺细胞、CD4⁺/CD8⁺均高于治疗前,且观察组高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(均P<0.05)。CD8⁺细胞数量治疗前后及组间比较差异无统计学意义(均P>0.05)。治疗后观察组患者腹胀(18.4%)、胃潴留(20.4%)发生率均低于对照组(36.7%、38.8%),差异有统计学意义(均P<0.05)。两组患者应激性溃疡发生率(20.4%、24.5%)差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论微生态制剂联合莫西沙星序贯疗法治疗老年COPD合并下呼吸道感染能促进患者肠道微生态平衡,调节免疫功能,进而改善患者病情。     

呼吸机相关性肺炎患者病原菌分布及血清sTREM 1和HMGB1的变化

目的探讨呼吸机相关性肺炎患者病原菌分布及血清高迁移率族蛋白1(HMGB1)和可溶性髓系细胞触发受体-1(sTREM-1)的变化。方法选取我院2016年3月至2019年5月收治的131例呼吸机相关性肺炎患者进行研究,检测入选患者病原菌感染情况,同时根据患者病情分为重症组与非重症组。另选取60例同期体检对象作为对照组,比较各组患者血清sTREM-1、HMGB1水平及临床肺部感染评分(CPIS),分析血清sTREM-1、HMGB1对呼吸机相关性肺炎的预测价值。结果 131例患者共检出病原菌415株,病原菌以革兰阴性菌为主,其次是革兰阳性菌,真菌的占比最低。革兰阴性菌中以铜绿假单胞菌和肺炎克雷伯菌为主,革兰阳性菌中以金黄色葡萄球菌为主。重症组、非重症组及对照组患者血清sTREM-1、HMGB1水平及CPIS评分依次递减,组间比较差异均有统计学意义(均P0.05)。Cochran Armitage趋势检验发现,血清sTREM-1、HMGB1水平及CPIS评分与呼吸机相关性肺炎严重程度呈线性增加趋势(Z=5.056、3.127、3.811,均P0.05)。诊断呼吸机相关性肺炎病情严重程度时,血清sTREM-1的AUC及敏感性、特异性最高,其次是CPIS和血清HMGB1,3个指标均对呼吸机相关性肺炎有一定诊断价值。结论革兰阴性菌是呼吸机相关性肺炎的主要致病菌,血清sTREM-1、HMGB1水平对呼吸机相关性肺炎的病情有一定诊断价值。     

老年慢性阻塞性肺疾病患者和坠积性肺炎患者肺内病原菌比较及感染影响因素分析

目的对比老年慢性阻塞性肺疾病(chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,COPD)患者和坠积性肺炎患者肺内一般病原菌和多重耐药菌的分布,同时分析COPD患者和坠积性肺炎患者多重耐药菌感染的影响因素。方法对入选COPD患者和坠积性肺炎患者下呼吸道痰标本进行培养和鉴定,对比两组患者病原菌以及多重耐药菌的检出率,同时比较两组患者性别、年龄、住院时间、糖尿病病史、有创机械通气治疗和留置尿管等因素对多重耐药菌感染的影响。结果 COPD患者革兰阴性菌的检出率(48.39%)显著低于坠积性肺炎患者(66.13%),COPD患者真菌的检出率(11.06%)显著高于坠积性肺炎患者(2.42%)。两组患者检出的多重耐药菌均以产超广谱β-内酰胺酶肠杆菌科细菌、耐甲氧西林金黄色葡萄球菌和多重耐药/泛耐药铜绿假单胞菌为主。COPD患者中感染多重耐药菌患者的年龄和住院时间显著高于非感染患者;坠积性肺炎患者中感染多重耐药菌患者的住院时间、机械通气治疗率和留置尿管使用率显著高于非感染患者。结论影响老年COPD患者和坠积性肺炎患者多重耐药菌感染的因素有区别,应有针对性地应用抗生素以减少多重耐药菌的感染。