Experiencias de las enfermeras en primera línea contagiadas con COVID-19 que recibieron atención domiciliaria / Experiências de enfermeiros da linha de frente infectados com COVID-19 que receberam atendimento domiciliar / Experiences of frontline nurses infected with COVID-19 who received home care

Introducción: Las enfermeras han brindado cuidados a lospacientes con COVID-19, y muchas tuvieron que lidiar coneste virus al ser infectadas.Objetivo: Describir las experiencias de las enfermeras enprimera línea contagiadas con COVID-19 que recibieronatención domiciliaria.Método: Investigación cualitativa descriptiva, el tamaño dela muestra fue con 12 enfermeras infectadas con COVID-19que recibieron tratamiento domiciliario en Chiclayo, Perú. Elmuestreo fue por la técnica de bola de nieve. Para recolectarlos datos se utilizó la entrevista semiestructurada a travésde los medios virtuales previo consentimiento informado.Resultados: Surgieron tres categorías: a) Incertidumbre antemodo de contagio, medios de diagnóstico, sintomatología yevolución por la COVID-19, b) Cuidados recuperativos enel hogar: tratamiento médico, uso de medicina tradicional ymedidas de bioseguridad, y c) Impacto en la vida familiar,laboral, social, emocional y espiritual al sufrir de la COVID-19.Conclusiones: Las enfermeras presentaron síntomas leves dela COVID-19 y se recuperaron en su domicilio, cumplieroncon el tratamiento médico, algunas usaron remedios caseros.Practicaron estrictamente las medidas de bioseguridad paraevitar que su familia se contagie. Utilizaron la tecnologíadigital y reforzaron su fe para afrontar el impacto familiar,emocional y social.(AU)

Introduction: Nurses have provided care to patients with COVID-19,and many have had to deal with this virus when infected.Objective: To describe the experiences of frontline nursesinfected with COVID-19 who received home care.Method: Descriptive qualitative research, the sample sizewas 12 nurses infected with COVID-19 who received hometreatment in Chiclayo, Peru. Sampling was by snowballtechnique. To collect the data, the semi-structured interviewwas used through virtual media with prior informed consent.Results: Three categories emerged: a) Uncertainty regardingthe mode of transmission, means of diagnosis, symptomatologyand evolution due to COVID-19, b) Recuperative care athome: medical treatment, use of traditional medicine andbiosafety measures, and c) Impact on the family, work, social,emotional and spiritual life when suffering from COVID-19.Conclusions: The nurses presented mild symptoms ofCOVID-19 and recovered at home, complied with medicaltreatment, some used home remedies. They strictly practicedbiosecurity measures to prevent their family from gettinginfected. They used digital technology and strengthened theirfaith to cope with the family, emotional and social impact.(AU)

Introdução: Enfermeiras têm prestado atendimento a pacientescom COVID-19, e muitos tiveram que lidar com esse vírusquando infectados.Objetivo: Descrever as experiências de enfermeiros dalinha de frente infectados com COVID-19 que receberamatendimento domiciliar.Método: Emergiram três categorias: a) Incerteza quanto aomodo de contágio, meios de diagnóstico, sintomatologiae evolução da COVID-19, b) Cuidados de recuperação nodomicílio: tratamento médico, uso da medicina tradicional emedidas de biossegurança, e c) Impacto na saúde vida familiar,laboral, social, emocional e espiritual ao sofrer de COVID-19. Resultados: a) Participação do pessoal de saúde na atenção domiciliar: Consulta médica,administração de medicamentos e educação em saúde, b) Participação da família na atençãodomiciliar: Satisfação das necessidades básicas, apoio emocional e espiritual, c) Anedotas familiaressobre oferta de oxigênio, cuidados com oxigenoterapia e pós -Terapia respiratória COVID-19, d)Controvérsias para aplicação de protocolos de biossegurança durante o atendimento domiciliar.Conclusões: As enfermeiras apresentaram sintomas leves de COVID-19 e se recuperaram em casa,cumpriram tratamento médico, alguns usaram remédios caseiros. Eles praticavam rigorosamenteas medidas de biossegurança para evitar que sua família fosse infectada. Eles usaram a tecnologiadigital e fortaleceram sua fé para lidar com o impacto familiar, emocional e social.(AU)

Percepção de enfermeiros acerca dos processos de cuidado durante a pandemia da covid-19 / Nurses' perception about care processes during the covid-19 pandemic / Percepción de las enfermeras sobre los procesos de atención durante la pandemia de covid-19

Objetivo: analisar a percepção do enfermeiro acerca dos processos de cuidado durante a pandemia da COVID-19. Métodos: estudo de campo, descritivo e abordagem qualitativa, realizado entre dezembro de 2020 a abril de 2021. Participaram 45 enfermeiros atuantes há três anos ou mais na Atenção Primária de municípios paraibanos classificados em urbano, intermediário adjacente e remoto, rural adjacente e remoto. Realizou-se a coleta através de entrevistas semiestruturadas pela plataforma Google Meet, essas eram gravadas pela própria plataforma e transcritas na íntegra para análise. A análise de dados deu-se por meio da Análise de Conteúdo considerando as etapas de pré-análise, codificação do texto e a inferência e interpretação dos resultados. O estudo atendeu ao que preconiza os padrões éticos. Resultados: no contexto pandêmico, os enfermeiros identificaram déficits existentes em suas práticas, elencando desafios e limitações nas condutas, como as de biossegurança e prevenção de doenças, fazendo-os repensar sobre futuras mudanças a serem realizadas após o período de pandemia. Conclusão: infere-se que os enfermeiros atuantes da Atenção Primária obtiveram novas percepções relacionadas ao cuidado, a preocupação com a saúde física e mental no planejamento desse cuidado, não apenas do usuário, mas de si mesmo e às pessoas do convívio. (AU)

Objective: to analyze nurses' perceptions of care processes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: field study, descriptive and qualitative approach, carried out between December 2020 and April 2021. Participated 45 nurses working for three years or more in Primary Care in municipalities in Paraíba classified as urban, intermediate adjacent and remote, rural adjacent and remote. The collection was carried out through semi-structured interviews through the Google Meet platform, these were recorded by the platform itself and transcribed in full for analysis. Data analysis was carried out through Content Analysis considering the pre-analysis steps, text coding and the inference and interpretation of results. The study complied with ethical standards. Results: in the pandemic context, nurses identified existing deficits in their practices, listing challenges and limitations in conduct, such as biosecurity and disease prevention, making them rethink about future changes to be made after the period of pandemic. Conclusion: it is inferred that nurses working in Primary Care obtained new perceptions related to care, the concern with physical and mental health in the planning of this care, not only of the user, but of himself and the people around him. (AU)

Objetivo: analizar las percepciones de los enfermeros sobre los procesos de atención durante la pandemia de COVID-19. Métodos: estudio de campo, de abordaje descriptivo y cualitativo, realizado entre diciembre de 2020 y abril de 2021. Participaron 45 enfermeros que actúan desde hace tres años o más en Atención Básica en municipios de Paraíba clasificados como urbano, intermedio adyacente y remoto, rural adyacente y remoto. La recolección se realizó a través de entrevistas semiestructuradas a través de la plataforma Google Meet, estas fueron grabadas por la propia plataforma y transcritas en su totalidad para su análisis. El análisis de los datos se realizó a través del Análisis de Contenido considerando las etapas del preanálisis, la codificación del texto y la inferencia e interpretación de los resultados. El estudio cumplió con las normas éticas. Resultados: en el contexto de la pandemia, los enfermeros identificaron déficits existentes en sus prácticas, enumerando desafíos y limitaciones en la conducta, como la bioseguridad y la prevención de enfermedades, lo que les hizo repensar sobre los cambios futuros que se deben realizar después del período de pandemia. Conclusión: se infiere que los enfermeros que actúan en la Atención Primaria obtuvieron nuevas percepciones relacionadas con el cuidado, la preocupación por la salud física y mental en la planificación de este cuidado, no sólo del usuario, sino de sí mismo y de las personas que lo rodean. (AU)

WeChat mini program in laboratory biosafety education among medical students at Guangzhou Medical University: a mixed method study of feasibility and usability.

BACKGROUND: Laboratory biosafety should be a priority in all healthcare institutions. In traditional laboratory safety teaching students typically receive knowledge passively from their teachers without active involvement. The combination of experiential learning and mobile learning may provide students with greater engagement, retention, and application of knowledge. To address this issue, we developed and conducted a convergent mixed methods study to assess the feasibility and usability of a WeChat mini program (WMP) named WeMed for laboratory biosafety education for medical laboratory students at Guangzhou Medical University (GMU). METHODS: The study was conducted between November 2022 and October 2023 among second-year undergraduate students at GMU. It involved the concurrent collection, analysis, and interpretation of both qualitative and quantitative data to assess feasibility and usability. In the quantitative strand, two evaluations were conducted via online surveys from students (n = 67) after a four-week study period. The System Usability Scale (SUS) was used to evaluate usability, while self-developed questions were used to assess feasibility. Additionally, a knowledge test was administered 6 months after the program completion. In the qualitative strand, fourteen semi-structured interviews were conducted, whereby a reflexive thematic analysis was utilized to analyze the interview data. RESULTS: The overall SUS score is adequate (M = 68.17, SD = 14.39). The acceptability of the WeMed program is in the marginal high range. Most students agreed that WeMed was useful for learning biosafety knowledge and skills (13/14, 93%), while 79% (11/14) agreed it was easy to use and they intended to continue using it. After 6 months, a significant difference in the knowledge test scores was observed between the WeMed group (n = 67; 2nd year students) and the traditional training group (n = 90; 3rd year students). However, the results should be interpreted cautiously due to the absence of a pretest. CONCLUSION: The combination of experiential learning and mobile learning with WMP is a feasible tool for providing laboratory biosafety knowledge and skills. Ongoing improvements should be made in order to increase long-term acceptance.

Planetary Protection Knowledge Gap Closure Enabling Crewed Missions to Mars.

As focus for exploration of Mars transitions from current robotic explorers to development of crewed missions, it remains important to protect the integrity of scientific investigations at Mars, as well as protect the Earth's biosphere from any potential harmful effects from returned martian material. This is the discipline of planetary protection, and the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) maintains the consensus international policy and guidelines on how this is implemented. Based on National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and European Space Agency (ESA) studies that began in 2001, COSPAR adopted principles and guidelines for human missions to Mars in 2008. At that point, it was clear that to move from those qualitative provisions, a great deal of work and interaction with spacecraft designers would be necessary to generate meaningful quantitative recommendations that could embody the intent of the Outer Space Treaty (Article IX) in the design of such missions. Beginning in 2016, COSPAR then sponsored a multiyear interdisciplinary meeting series to address planetary protection "knowledge gaps" (KGs) with the intent of adapting and extending the current robotic mission-focused Planetary Protection Policy to support the design and implementation of crewed and hybrid exploration missions. This article describes the outcome of the interdisciplinary COSPAR meeting series, to describe and address these KGs, as well as identify potential paths to gap closure. It includes the background scientific basis for each topic area and knowledge updates since the meeting series ended. In particular, credible solutions for KG closure are described for the three topic areas of (1) microbial monitoring of spacecraft and crew health; (2) natural transport (and survival) of terrestrial microbial contamination at Mars, and (3) the technology and operation of spacecraft systems for contamination control. The article includes a KG data table on these topic areas, which is intended to be a point of departure for making future progress in developing an end-to-end planetary protection requirements implementation solution for a crewed mission to Mars. Overall, the workshop series has provided evidence of the feasibility of planetary protection implementation for a crewed Mars mission, given (1) the establishment of needed zoning, emission, transport, and survival parameters for terrestrial biological contamination and (2) the creation of an accepted risk-based compliance approach for adoption by spacefaring actors including national space agencies and commercial/nongovernment organizations.

Chapter 10: Planetary Protection-History, Science, and the Future.

Planetary protection is a principle in the design of interplanetary missions that aims to prevent biological cross contamination between the target body and Earth. Planetary protection policies and procedures have worked to mitigate forward contamination (from Earth) and back contamination (to Earth) since the beginning of the space age. Today, planetary protection policy is guided by international agreements, nongovernmental advisory councils, and national space agencies. The landscape of planetary protection science and policy is changing rapidly, as new technologies, crewed missions to Mars and the Moon, and even orbital settlements are being developed. Space exploration, whether specifically targeted toward questions in astrobiology or not, must consider planetary protection concerns to minimize contamination that poses a risk to both astrobiological investigations as well as Earth's biosphere. In this chapter, we provide an introduction to and overview of the history, motivations, and implementation of planetary protection in the United States.

Cytometry in High-Containment Laboratories.

The emergence of new pathogens continues to fuel the need for advanced high-containment laboratories across the globe. Here we explore challenges and opportunities for integration of cytometry, a central technology for cell analysis, within high-containment laboratories. We review current applications in infectious disease, vaccine research, and biosafety. Considerations specific to cytometry within high-containment laboratories, such as biosafety requirements, and sample containment strategies are also addressed. We further tour the landscape of emerging technologies, including combination of cytometry with other omics, the application of automation, and artificial intelligence. Finally, we propose a framework to fast track the immersion of advanced technologies into the high-containment research setting to improve global preparedness for new emerging diseases.

Biosafety and regulatory issues of RNA therapeutics.

RNA therapy has recently emerged as a therapy targeting specific genes or proteins. With its outstanding advantages, this therapy has opened promising doors for treating and preventing diseases. The great application potential has driven the need for a comprehensive understanding of these therapies, particularly on biosafety and regulatory issues. This chapter began by discussing the risks to RNA therapy, such as off-target effects, immunogenicity and immune responses, and long-term effects. Since then, this therapy's intricate landscape of biosafety issues has been elucidated. Common biosecurity measures applied around the world have also been reviewed. In addition, this chapter emphasized the importance of regulations and laws in applying RNA therapy to prevent and treat human and animal diseases. At the same time, the current legal regulations in the world for RNA therapies have also been thoroughly discussed. To sum up, this chapter has provided a comprehensive perspective on biosafety and regulatory issues for developing RNA therapies. Understanding the biosafety and regulatory issues in RNA therapy can help researchers use this promising new technology safely and effectively in the future.

Cas9-assisted biological containment of a genetically engineered human commensal bacterium and genetic elements.

Sophisticated gene circuits built by synthetic biology can enable bacteria to sense their environment and respond predictably. Engineered biosensing bacteria outfitted with such circuits can potentially probe the human gut microbiome to prevent, diagnose, or treat disease. To provide robust biocontainment for engineered bacteria, we devised a Cas9-assisted auxotrophic biocontainment system combining thymidine auxotrophy, an Engineered Riboregulator (ER) for controlled gene expression, and a CRISPR Device (CD). The CD prevents the engineered bacteria from acquiring thyA via horizontal gene transfer, which would disrupt the biocontainment system, and inhibits the spread of genetic elements by killing bacteria harboring the gene cassette. This system tunably controlled gene expression in the human gut commensal bacterium Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, prevented escape from thymidine auxotrophy, and blocked transgene dissemination. These capabilities were validated in vitro and in vivo. This biocontainment system exemplifies a powerful strategy for bringing genetically engineered microorganisms safely into biomedicine.

Biosafety and chemical solubility studies of multiscale crystal-reinforced lithium disilicate glass-ceramics.

Lithium disilicate (Li2 Si2 O5 ) glass-ceramics are currently a more widely used all-ceramic restorative material due to their good mechanical properties and excellent aesthetic properties. However, they have a series of problems such as high brittleness and low fracture toughness, which has become the main bottleneck restricting its development. Therefore, in order to compensate for these shortcomings, we propose to prepare a reinforced glass-ceramics with better mechanical properties and to test the biosafety and chemical solubility of the material. Li2 Si2 O5 whiskers were synthesized by a one-step hydrothermal method, and multi-scale crystal-enhanced Li2 Si2 O5 glass-ceramics were prepared by reaction sintering. The biosafety of multi-scale crystal-reinforced Li2 Si2 O5 glass-ceramics was investigated by in vitro cytotoxicity test, rabbit pyrogen test, mice bone marrow micronucleus test, skin sensitization test, sub-chronic systemic toxicity test, and chronic systemic toxicity test. Additionally, the chemical solubility of multi-scale crystal-reinforced Li2 Si2 O5 glass-ceramics was investigated. The test results showed that the material was non-cytotoxic, non-thermogenic, non-mutagenic, non-sensitizing, and non-systemic. The chemical solubility, determined to be 377 ± 245 µg/cm2 , complied with the ISO 6872 standard for the maximum solubility of ceramic materials. Multi-scale crystal-reinforced Li2 Si2 O5 glass-ceramics' biosafety and chemical solubility met current normative criteria, and they can move on to mechanical property measurements (such as flexural strength test, fatigue life test, friction and wear property study, etc.) and bonding property optimization, which shows promise for future clinical applications.

Ceramic biomaterials in dentistry: chemical structure and biosafety - a review and a bibliometric visual mapping on Scopus database.

OBJECTIVE: A biomaterial is any non-pharmaceutical substance or a mixture of synthetic or natural substances used independently or as part of a system for any amount of time with the aim of mending, supporting the growth, or replacing tissues, organs, or functions of the body. It is a non-renewable material that interacts with biological systems. The purpose of this study was to assess the advances in ceramic biomaterials and perform a bibliometric mapping of the literature on the subject. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Scopus database was used for manuscript screening (Elsevier, Amsterdam, The Netherlands). The effect of the scientific production has been assessed using scientometric citational metrics. RESULTS: A total of 2,554 pieces of literature, including 2,234 papers, 170 conference proceedings, 109 reviews, 35 book chapters, 3 editorial letters, and 3 short surveys, were retrieved. Based on the research conducted, it is noted that ceramic materials are high-performing by being porous or glassy and can, therefore, serve as fillers, covering materials, and scaffolds in medicine and biotechnology. They are frequently employed not only in orthopedic and maxillofacial surgery but also in dentistry for dental prostheses. CONCLUSIONS: Materials monitoring methods enable us to track the three-dimensional evolution of ceramics' volume, as well as flaws or micro-cracks.

Antimicrobial stewardship hindered by inadequate biosecurity and biosafety practices, and inappropriate antibiotics usage in poultry farms of Nepal-A pilot study.

Nepal's poultry industry has experienced remarkable growth in the last decade, but farm biosafety and biosecurity measures are often overlooked by farmers. As a result, farms often suffer from sporadic and regular outbreaks of many diseases, impacting production and creating public health challenges. Poor management practices, including overuse of antibiotics for prophylaxis and therapeutics, can enhance the spread of poultry diseases by propagating antimicrobial resistance (AMR) that is threatening poultry and human health. We assessed biosafety, biosecurity risks and AMR stewardship in sixteen poultry farms located in four districts: Ramechhap, Nuwakot, Sindhupalchowk, and Kavre. Risk assessment and AMR stewardship evaluation questionnaires were administered to formulate biosafety and biosecurity compliance matrix (BBCM). Risk assessment checklist assessed facility operations, personnel and standard operating procedures, water supply, cleaning and maintenance, rodent/pest control and record keeping. Oral and cloacal samples from the poultry were collected, pooled, and screened for eight poultry pathogens using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests. Based on BBCM, we identified the highest BBCM score of 67% obtained by Sindhupalchowk farm 4 and the lowest of 12% by Kavre farm 3. Most of the farms (61.6%) followed general poultry farming practices, only half had clean and well-maintained farms. Lowest scores were obtained for personnel safety standard (42.4%) and rodent control (3.1%). At least one of the screened pathogens were detected in all farms. Mycoplasma gallisepticum was the most common pathogen detected in all but three farms, followed by Mycoplasma synoviae. More than half of the farmers considered AMR a threat, over 26% of them used antibiotics as a preventive measure and 81% did not consider withdrawal period for antibiotics prior to processing of their meat products. Additionally, antibiotics classified as "Watch" and "Restrict" by the WHO were frequently used by the farmers to treat bacterial infections in their farms.

Biosafety consideration of nanocellulose in biomedical applications: A review.

Nanocellulose-based biomaterials have gained significant attention in various fields, especially in medical and pharmaceutical areas, due to their unique properties, including non-toxicity, high specific surface area, biodegradability, biocompatibility, and abundant feasible and sophisticated strategies for functional modification. The biosafety of nanocellulose itself is a prerequisite to ensure the safe and effective application of biomaterials as they interact with living cells, tissues, and organs at the nanoscale. Potential residual endogenous impurities and exogenous contaminants could lead to the failure of the intended functionalities or even serious health complications if they are not adequately removed and assessed before use. This review summarizes the sources of impurities in nanocellulose that may pose potential hazards to their biosafety, including endogenous impurities that co-exist in the cellulosic raw materials themselves and exogenous contaminants caused by external exposure. Strategies to reduce or completely remove these impurities are outlined and classified as chemical, physical, biological, and combined methods. Additionally, key points that require careful consideration in the interpretation of the biosafety evaluation outcomes were discussed to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the nanocellulose-based biomaterials in medical applications.

Acetic Acid Enables Molecular Enumeration of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from Sputum and Eliminates the Need for a Biosafety Level 3 Laboratory.

BACKGROUND: Improved monitoring of Mycobacterium tuberculosis response to treatment is urgently required. We previously developed the molecular bacterial load assay (MBLA), but it is challenging to integrate into the clinical diagnostic laboratory due to a labor-intensive protocol required at biosafety level 3 (BSL-3). A modified assay was needed. METHODS: The rapid enumeration and diagnostic for tuberculosis (READ-TB) assay was developed. Acetic acid was tested and compared to 4 M guanidine thiocyanate to be simultaneously bactericidal and preserve mycobacterial RNA. The extraction was based on silica column technology and incorporated low-cost reagents: 3 M sodium acetate and ethanol for the RNA extraction to replace phenol-chloroform. READ-TB was fully validated and compared directly to the MBLA using sputa collected from individuals with tuberculosis. RESULTS: Acetic acid was bactericidal to M. tuberculosis with no significant loss in 16S rRNA or an unprotected mRNA fragment when sputum was stored in acetic acid at 25°C for 2 weeks or -20°C for 1 year. This novel use of acetic acid allows processing of sputum for READ-TB at biosafety level 2 (BSL-2) on sample receipt. READ-TB is semiautomated and rapid. READ-TB correlated with the MBLA when 85 human sputum samples were directly compared (R2 = 0.74). CONCLUSIONS: READ-TB is an improved version of the MBLA and is available to be adopted by clinical microbiology laboratories as a tool for tuberculosis treatment monitoring. READ-TB will have a particular impact in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) for laboratories with no BSL-3 laboratory and for clinical trials testing new combinations of anti-tuberculosis drugs.

[Research on the framework of biosafety standards for pathogenic microbial laboratories].

Developing and implementing biosafety standards for pathogenic microbiology laboratories is essential to achieving scientific, efficient, and standardized management and operation. This article analyzes the current standardization construction in biosafety in pathogenic microbiology laboratories domestically and internationally. It proposes a framework for the biosafety standard system of pathogenic microbiology laboratories, which mainly includes four parts: basic standards, management standards, technical standards, and industry applications. It provides a reference for the standardization work of pathogenic microbiology laboratories and helps to standardize the biosafety industry in China.

Potential Biosafety of Mxenes: Stability, Biodegradability, Toxicity and Biocompatibility.

MXenes are two-dimensional nanomaterials with unique properties that are widely used in various fields of research, mostly in the field of energy. Fewer publications are devoted to MXene application in biomedicine and the question is: are MXenes safe for use in biological systems? The sharp edges of MXenes provide the structure of "nanoknives" which cause damage in direct physical contact with cells. This is effectively used for antibacterial research. However, on the other hand, most studies in cultured cells and rodents report that they do not cause obvious signs of cytotoxicity and are fully biocompatible. The aim of our review was to consider whether MXenes can really be considered non-toxic and biocompatible. Often the last two concepts are confused. We first reviewed aspects such as the stability and biodegradation of MXenes, and then analyzed the mechanisms of toxicity and their consequences for bacteria, cultured cells, and rodents, with subsequent conclusions regarding their biocompatibility.

Engineering stringent genetic biocontainment of yeast with a protein stability switch.

Synthetic biology holds immense promise to tackle key problems in resource use, environmental remediation, and human health care. However, comprehensive safety measures are lacking to employ engineered microorganisms in open-environment applications. Genetically encoded biocontainment systems may solve this issue. Here, we describe such a system based on conditional stability of essential proteins. We used a destabilizing domain degron stabilized by estradiol addition (ERdd). We ERdd-tagged 775 essential genes and screened for strains with estradiol dependent growth. Three genes, SPC110, DIS3 and RRP46, were found to be particularly suitable targets. Respective strains showed no growth defect in the presence of estradiol and strong growth inhibition in its absence. SPC110-ERdd offered the most stringent containment, with an escape frequency of <5×10-7. Removal of its C-terminal domain decreased the escape frequency further to <10-8. Being based on conditional protein stability, the presented approach is mechanistically orthogonal to previously reported genetic biocontainment systems.

Pros and Cons on Use of Live Viral Vaccines in Commercial Chicken Flocks.

The poultry industry is the largest source of meat and eggs for the growing human population worldwide. Key concerns in poultry farming are nutrition, management, flock health, and biosecurity measures. As part of the flock health, use of live viral vaccines plays a vital role in the prevention of economically important and common viral diseases. This includes diseases and production losses caused by Newcastle disease virus, infectious bronchitis virus, infectious laryngotracheitis virus, infectious bursal disease virus, Marek's disease virus, chicken infectious anemia virus, avian encephalomyelitis virus, fowlpox virus, and avian metapneumovirus. These viruses cause direct and indirect harms, such as financial losses worth millions of dollars, loss of protein sources, and threats to animal welfare. Flock losses vary by type of poultry, age of affected animals, co-infections, immune status, and environmental factors. Losses in broiler birds can consist of high mortality, poor body weight gain, high feed conversion ratio, and increased carcass condemnation. In commercial layers and breeder flocks, losses include higher than normal mortality rate, poor flock uniformity, drops in egg production and quality, poor hatchability, and poor day-old-chick quality. Despite the emergence of technology-based vaccines, such as inactivated, subunit, vector-based, DNA or RNA, and others, the attenuated live vaccines remain as important as before. Live vaccines are preferred in the global veterinary vaccine market, accounting for 24.3% of the global market share in 2022. The remaining 75% includes inactivated, DNA, subunit, conjugate, recombinant, and toxoid vaccines. The main reason for this is that live vaccines can induce innate, mucosal, cellular, and humoral immunities by single or multiple applications. Some live vaccine combinations provide higher and broader protection against several diseases or strains of viruses. This review aimed to explore insights on the pros and cons of attenuated live vaccines commonly used against major viral infections of the global chicken industry, and the future road map for improvement.

Estudio recapitulativo- Pros y contras del uso de vacunas virales vivas en parvadas de pollos comerciales. La industria avícola es la mayor fuente de carne y huevos para la creciente población humana en todo el mundo. Las principales preocupaciones en la avicultura son la nutrición, el manejo, la salud de las parvadas y las medidas de bioseguridad. Como parte de la salud de las parvadas avícolas, el uso de vacunas virales vivas juega un papel vital en la prevención de enfermedades virales comunes y de importancia económica. Esto incluye enfermedades y pérdidas en la producción causadas por el virus de la enfermedad de Newcastle, el virus de la bronquitis infecciosa, el virus de la laringotraqueítis infecciosa, el virus de la enfermedad infecciosa de la bolsa, el virus de la enfermedad de Marek, el virus de la anemia infecciosa del pollo, el virus de la encefalomielitis aviar, el virus de la viruela aviar y el metapneumovirus aviar. Estos virus causan daños directos e indirectos, como pérdidas financieras valoradas en millones de dólares, pérdida de fuentes de proteínas y amenazas al bienestar animal. Las pérdidas en las parvadas avícolas varían según el tipo de aves, la edad de los animales afectados, las coinfecciones, el estado inmunológico y los factores ambientales. Las pérdidas en aves de engorde pueden consistir en una alta mortalidad, un pobre aumento de peso corporal, un alto índice de conversión alimenticia y un mayor decomiso de las canales. En las gallinas de postura comerciales y en las parvadas de reproductoras, las pérdidas incluyen una tasa de mortalidad superior a la normal, una escasa uniformidad de la parvada, caídas en la producción y calidad de los huevos, una pobre incubabilidad y una mala calidad de los pollitos de un día. A pesar de la aparición de vacunas de base tecnológica, como las inactivadas, subunitarias, vectoriales, de ADN o ARN, entre otras, las vacunas vivas atenuadas siguen siendo tan importantes como antes. Las vacunas vivas son las preferidas en el mercado mundial de vacunas para uso veterinario y representaron el 24.3% de la cuota de mercado mundial en el año 2022. El 75% restante incluye vacunas inactivadas, de ADN, de subunidades, conjugadas, recombinantes y toxoides. La razón principal de esto es que las vacunas vivas pueden inducir inmunidad innata, de mucosas, celular y humoral mediante aplicaciones únicas o múltiples. Algunas combinaciones de vacunas vivas brindan una protección mayor y más amplia contra varias enfermedades o cepas de virus. Esta revisión tuvo como objetivo explorar ideas sobre los pros y los contras de las vacunas vivas atenuadas comúnmente utilizadas contra las principales infecciones virales de la industria avícola mundial, y las rutas futuras para mejorar.

Gaps and inconsistencies in the current knowledge and implementation of biosafety and biosecurity practices for rickettsial pathogens.

INTRODUCTION: Rickettsia spp. and Orientia spp. are the causes of neglected infections that can lead to severe febrile and systemic illnesses in humans. Implementing proper biosafety practices when handling these pathogens is crucial to ensure a safe and sustainable work environment. It is essential to assess the current knowledge and identify any potential gaps to develop effective measures that minimise the risk of exposure to these pathogens. By doing so, we can establish a comprehensive framework that promotes safety, mitigates hazards, and safeguards the well-being of personnel and the surrounding community. METHODS AND RESULTS: This review aimed to synthesise and determine the evidence base for biosafety precautions for Rickettsia spp. and Orientia spp. pathogens. Enhancing our understanding of the relative infectious risk associated with different strains of Rickettsia and Orientia spp. requires identifying the infectious dose of these pathogens that can cause human disease. The application of risk groups for Rickettsia and Orientia spp. is inconsistent across jurisdictions. There is also incomplete evidence regarding decontamination methods for these pathogens. With regards to Orientia spp. most of the available information is derived from experiments conducted with Rickettsia spp. CONCLUSIONS: Rickettsia and Orientia spp. are neglected diseases, as demonstrated by the lack of evidence-based and specific biosafety information about these pathogens. In the case of Orientia spp., most of the available information is derived from Rickettsia spp., which may not be appropriate and overstate the risks of working with this pathogen. The advent of effective antibiotic therapy and a better understanding of the true hazards and risks associated with pathogen manipulation should inform decisions, allowing a sustainable and safe work environment.