Gross placental morphology and foal serum biochemistry as predictors of foal health

The aim of this study was to verify if changes in blood glucose, creatinine, urea, and fibrinogen concentrations evaluated at birth reflect gross placenta abnormalities, and are useful to identify foals that suffered from placental dysfunction. A total of 92 mares were included in the present study: 68 delivered healthy foals and they were included in group 1; 24 delivered sick foals and they were included in group 2. In group 2, foals' clinical diagnoses included perinatal asphyxia syndrome (PAS; n = 20) and prematurity and/or dysmaturity (n = 4). The proportion of sick foals was greater when placental abnormalities were observed (χ² [1, n = 89] = 5.00; P = 0.025). Serum creatinine concentration at birth was higher in sick than in healthy foals (P = 0.003), and blood glucose concentrations at birth was smaller in sick than in healthy foals (P = 0.007). No difference was found in blood chemistry results between survivors and nonsurvivors of group 2. Serum creatinine concentration was higher in foals born from grossly abnormal than in foals born from grossly normal placenta (P = 0.029), and it was higher in foals affected by PAS (311.17 μmol/L) than in healthy foals (238.24 μmol/L) (P = 0.004). In a clinical setting, serum creatinine and blood glucose concentrations should be evaluated at birth, particularly in foals born from grossly abnormal placenta. The association of clinical and laboratory data could be particularly important to promptly identify and treat foals with a higher risk to develop PAS.     

Outbreak of Abortions and Infertility in Thoroughbred Mares Associated with Waterborne <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aeromonas hydrophila</Emphasis>

At a thoroughbred equine breeding farm near Hissar (Haryana), three mares aborted in their seventh month of pregnancy. The vaginal swabs of all aborted mares, and stomach contents, heart blood, liver, spleen and placenta of aborted fetuses yielded pure culture of Aeromonas hydrophila. In addition, A. hydrophila was also isolated from the vaginal swabs of three repeat breeding mares and faecal sample of a diarrheic foal. The source of infection was possibly water supply as all the water samples collected from taps, mother tank and storage tank were found to be positive for A. hydrophila. The antibiogram of all the isolates was similar showing resistance to ampicillin, carbenicillin, gentamicin, kanamycin and amikacin but sensitive to chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, cefuroxime, ceftriaxone, cotrimoxazole, cotrimazine, nitrofurantoin, streptomycin and tetracycline. All the 20 sera samples collected from three aborted and three repeat breeding, and eight in-contact mares, a diarrheic foal, three cows and two male buffaloes maintained at the same farm contained antibodies against A. hydrophila with titres ranging from 80 to 640. The water supply was instantly chlorinated using 0.05% sodium hypochlorite for three consecutive days and all the culturally positive mares were treated with intravaginal administration of 1 g ciprofloxacin, while the foal was given nitrofurantoin for three days. After one month, A. hydrophila could not be isolated either from mares or from their environment and antibody titre in all the seropositive animals showed a declining trend. Later, all the aborted and repeat breeding mares were confirmed to be pregnant. Thus, the present study indicated that water-borne A. hydrophila might be associated with equine abortions and infertility, and diarrhea in newborn foals.     

酪酸梭菌活菌散联合葡萄糖酸锌治疗儿童急性腹泻的疗效观察

目的探讨酪酸梭菌活菌散联合葡萄糖酸锌治疗儿童急性腹泻的疗效。方法选取急性腹泻患儿76例,随机分为观察组和对照组各38例。两组患儿均予以调整饮食、口服或静脉补液和纠正水电解质酸碱失衡紊乱等常规治疗。观察组患儿予以酪酸梭菌活菌散和葡萄糖酸锌联合治疗,对照组患儿予以单纯酪酸梭菌活菌散治疗。观察两组患儿治疗后主要症状和体征改善的时间,并比较其临床疗效及治疗后3个月内腹泻的复发率。结果观察组患儿治疗后的止泻、呕吐、腹痛和粪常规等恢复正常时间均明显短于对照组（P〈0.05）;同时治疗3 d后,观察组患儿临床总有效率为94.74%,明显高于对照组的78.95%（χ2=4.15,P〈0.05）。两组患儿治疗后随访3个月,其中观察组和对照组分别腹泻复发5例（13.16%）和13例（34.21%）,观察组腹泻的复发率明显低于对照组（χ2=4.66,P〈0.05）。结论酪酸梭菌活菌散联合葡萄糖酸锌治疗儿童急性腹泻的疗效较肯定,能明显改善患儿腹泻症状,缩短腹泻病程,并能减少腹泻的复发。     

双歧三联活菌胶囊对结肠癌术后化疗相关性腹泻患者 肠黏膜通透性的影响及疗效观察

目的探讨双歧三联活菌胶囊对结肠癌术后化疗相关性腹泻患者肠黏膜通透性的影响及疗效观察。方法选取70例结肠癌术后行辅助化疗发生化疗相关性腹泻患者,随机分为观察组和对照组,每组35例。两组患者均予以口服蒙脱石散、静脉补液或口服补液和纠正水电解质酸碱平衡紊乱等常规治疗。观察组患者加用双歧三联活菌胶囊420 mg/次,3次/d,温开水溶解后口服。观察两组患者治疗前和治疗72 h后血清二胺氧化酶（DAO）和肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）水平的变化,并比较临床疗效及药物不良反应。结果治疗72 h后,两组患者DAO和TNF-α水平均有不同程度下降（P〈0.05或P〈0.01）,且观察组下降程度较对照组更明显（P〈0.05）;同时观察组患者临床总有效率（94.29%）明显高于对照组（74.29%）（χ2=5.29,P〈0.05）,两组患者治疗期间无明显的药物不良反应。结论双歧三联活菌胶囊用于治疗结肠癌术后化疗相关性腹泻具有较好的疗效及安全性,能降低血清DAO和TNF-α水平,具有降低肠黏膜的通透性功能。     

Prevalence of Cryptosporidium-Associated Diarrhea in a High Altitude-Community of Saudi Arabia Detected by Conventional and Molecular Methods

Cryptosporidium diarrhea represents a relevant clinical problem in developing countries. In Al-Taif, a city of Saudi Arabia that lies at an altitude of an around 2 km above the sea level, Cryptosporidium infection seems to be undiagnosed in nearly all clinical laboratories. Furthermore, nothing was published regarding Cryptosporidium-associated diarrhea in this area. The objectives of this research were to (1) determine the Cryptosporidium prevalence among patients with diarrhea and (2) to estimate the performances of 3 different diagnostic methods. Total 180 diarrheal fecal samples, 1 sample per patient, were collected between January and August 2013. Samples were screened for Cryptosporidium with modified Zeihl Neelsen (ZN) microscopy, RIDA® Quick lateral flow (LF) immunotest, and a previously published PCR. The Cryptosporidium prevalence rate was 9.4% (17/180), 10% (18/180), and 11.6% (21/180) by microscopy, LF, and PCR test, respectively. Infection was significantly (P=0.004) predominant among children <5 years (22%) followed by children 5-9 years (11.1%). Although infection was higher in males than in females (16.2% males and 8.5% females), the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.11). Compared to PCR, the sensitivity of microscopy and the LF test were 80.9%, 85.7%, respectively. To conclude, high Cryptosporidium-associated diarrhea was found in this area especially in children ≤9 years. The PCR test showed the best performance followed by the LF test and ZN staining microscopy. The primary health care providers in Al-Taif need to be aware of and do testing for this protozoon, particularly for children seen with diarrhea.     

Viral metagenomics reveals diverse viruses in the fecal samples of children with diarrhea

Diarrhea is the third leading cause of death in developing countries in children under the age of five. About half a million children die of diarrhea every year, most of which in developing countries. Viruses are the main pathogen of diarrhea. In China, the fecal virome of children with diarrhea has been rarely studied. Using an unbiased viral metagenomics approach, we analyzed the fecal virome in children with diarrhea. Many DNA or RNA viruses associated with diarrhea identified in those fecal samples were mainly from six families of Adenoviridae, Astroviridae, Caliciviridae, Parvoviridae, Picornaviridae, and Reoviridae. Among them, the family of Caliciviridae accounts for the largest proportion of 78.42%, following with Adenoviridae (8.94%) and Picornaviridae (8.36%). In addition to those diarrhea-related viruses that have already been confirmed to cause human diarrhea, the viruses not associated with diarrhea were also identified including anellovirus and picobirnavirus. This study increased our understanding of diarrheic children fecal virome and provided valuable information for the prevention and treatment of viral diarrhea in this area.     

Battling for Ribosomes: Translational Control at the Forefront of the Antiviral Response

In the early stages of infection, gaining control of the cellular protein synthesis machinery including its ribosomes is the ultimate combat objective for a virus. To successfully replicate, viruses unequivocally need to usurp and redeploy this machinery for translation of their own mRNA. In response, the host triggers global shutdown of translation while paradoxically allowing swift synthesis of antiviral proteins as a strategy to limit collateral damage. This fundamental conflict at the level of translational control defines the outcome of infection. As part of this special issue on molecular mechanisms of early virus–host cell interactions, we review the current state of knowledge regarding translational control during viral infection with specific emphasis on protein kinase RNA-activated and mammalian target of rapamycin-mediated mechanisms. We also describe recent technological advances that will allow unprecedented insight into how viruses and host cells battle for ribosomes.     

猪流行性腹泻病毒地方株LJB/03分离及培养特性

从黑龙江省某猪场疑为病毒性腹泻的发病猪采集腹泻粪便样品,以RT-PCR法扩增出猪流行性腹泻病毒M基因后,采用细胞培养法进行病毒分离。对细胞培养分离物进行间接免疫荧光、免疫电镜观察、RT-PCR及ELISA法检验,其中间接免疫荧光试验可见培养细胞中存在明显的特异性绿色荧光;免疫电镜下可见大小符合预期、有囊膜、花瓣状的典型冠状病毒结构特征;RT-PCR检测证实存在PEDVM基因;间接ELISA检测中平均P/N比值为7.6;从而确认为分离到一株猪流行性腹泻病毒(Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus,PEDV),命名为PEDVLJB/03株。随后,对该分离毒株的培养特性及如何提高病毒滴度进行探索。通过摸索该分离毒株的蚀斑形成条件,建立了PEDV蚀斑形成方法,并采用该方法进行病毒的蚀斑纯化,纯化得到PEDV大蚀斑克隆株和小蚀斑克隆株。对大、小两种蚀斑克隆株的病毒滴度测定结果表明,大小蚀斑克隆株细胞感染滴度相差明显。     

牛病毒性腹泻病毒的成熟和释放

试验中用电镜观察了牛病毒性腹泻病毒ＯｒｅｇｏｎＣ２４Ｖ株在感染新生牛睾丸细胞中的形态发生。成熟的病毒颗粒是直径约为５０ｎｍ的球形颗粒,内含直径约为３０ｎｍ的核心。病毒在宿主细胞的胞质内复制,通过糙面内质网膜出芽成熟。病毒可以通过外排或在细胞死亡后含有病毒颗粒的空泡崩溃而释放到胞外。     

牛病毒性腹泻病毒单克隆抗体的研究

牛病毒性腹泻——粘膜病是世界性广泛流行的奶牛和肉牛的传染病。其病原为牛病毒性腹泻病毒(BVDV),属于披膜病毒科的瘟病毒属,它的许多生物学特性至今还不很清楚。本试验建立了12株分泌抗BVDV的单克隆抗体(McAb)杂交瘤细胞株,并结合免疫转移电泳法和放射免疫沉淀法,初步研究了BVDV的多肽。