Effectiveness of a hand hygiene training intervention in improving knowledge and compliance rate among healthcare workers in a respiratory disease hospital.

Background: Practicing hand hygiene (HH) is a crucial element of infection control, with healthcare workers (HCWs) playing a vital role in preventing the spread of infection. However, inadequate knowledge and non-compliance to HH protocols pose significant challenges in healthcare settings. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an HH training intervention in enhancing knowledge and staff compliance within a respiratory disease hospital. Method: A pre-and post-training study was conducted among the healthcare workers in a respiratory disease treatment facility. The intervention comprised a series of 3-hour training sessions conducted over five days, focusing on the World Health Organization's (WHO) recommended guideline "Your Five Moments For Hand Hygiene." These sessions covered proper HH techniques and underscored the repercussions of inadequate compliance. Educational materials related to HH were displayed in prominent locations throughout the facility. The knowledge levels and compliance rate were assessed before and after the intervention. Result: The intervention significantly improved HH knowledge levels and compliance rates among the participants. Marking a significant improvement, the compliance rate of HH protocols increased from 66.0% to 88.3% during the pre-to post-training period, with a concurrent increase in the mean knowledge score from 68.6% to 78.9%. Conclusion: This study underscores the potential of training and education in elevating HH compliance and knowledge among healthcare workers. The findings advocate that healthcare facilities routinely incorporate such interventions into their infection control programs, ultimately improving patient and healthcare worker safety.

Live performance, nutrient digestibility, immune response and fecal microbial load modulation in Japanese quails fed a Bacillus-based probiotic alone or combination with xylanase.

Animal industry seeks cost-effective solutions to enhance performance and health of domestic animals. This study investigated the effects of supplementing Bacillus spp. probiotics and xylanase on 2000 one-day-old Japanese quails, randomly assigned to four treatment groups (10 replicates). The control group received no supplementation, while the others were supplemented with a Bacillus-based probiotic at 7.5 × 107 cfu/kg of feed, xylanase enzyme (2,000 U/kg) alone or in combination. Quails receiving both probiotic and enzyme exhibited significantly (p < 0.01) higher weekly and overall weight gain, and lower feed conversion ratios compared to the control group. Dressing percentage was higher (p < 0.01), and mortality lower in birds supplemented with a combination of enzyme and probiotic. Antibody titres against infectious bronchitis and infectious bursal disease were significantly (p < 0.01) higher in quails receiving combined probiotic and enzyme supplementation, while titres against Newcastle disease virus were higher (p < 0.01) in groups supplemented with probiotic and enzyme individually or in combination. Additionally, digestibility was significantly (p < 0.01) higher in groups receiving combined enzyme and probiotic supplementation, with higher apparent metabolizable energy compared to the control. The populations of beneficial Lactobacillus increased, while harmful E. coli and Salmonella decreased significantly in quails supplemented with both probiotic and enzyme. In conclusion, supplementing xylanase enzyme and probiotic together in Japanese quails positively influenced growth, nutrient digestibility, immune response, and cecal microbiota.

Growth performance, nutrients digestibility, intestinal microbiota and histology altered in broilers fed maize- or sorghum-based diets.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of varying levels of sorghum-based diets as an alternative to maize in broiler nutrition. A total of 320 one-day-old male Ross 708 broiler chickens were randomly allocated to four treatment groups (5 pens per treatment and 16 birds per pen), comprising a control group with a basal diet and groups receiving sorghum-based diets with 20%, 40%, and 100% maize replacement. The overall weight gain was significantly (p < 0.0001) higher in the control group, followed by 20%, 40%, and 100% sorghum replacement. Additionally, overall feed intake was significantly (p < 0.01) higher in the 20% sorghum replacement group compared to the control and other groups. Broilers fed sorghum-based diets exhibited a significantly (p < 0.01) increased feed conversion ratio. Carcass characteristics showed no significant differences between broilers fed corn and sorghum; however, the digestibility of crude protein and apparent metabolizable energy significantly (p < 0.01) increased in the 20% sorghum-corn replacement compared to the 40% and 100% replacement levels. Ileal villus height and width did not differ among the corn-sorghum-based diets, regardless of the replacement percentage. Furthermore, among the cecal microbiota, Lactobacillus count was significantly (p < 0.041) higher in the 20% corn-sorghum diet compared to the 40% and 100% replacement levels. These findings suggest that replacing corn up to 20% of corn with sorghum in broiler diet positively impact growth performance, gut health, nutrient digestibility, and cecal microbiota in broilers. However, larger replacements (40% and 100%) may have negative implications for broiler production and health.

The potential of synthetic biology for improving environmental quality and human health in developing countries / Biología Sintética: un nuevo potencial para mejorar la calidad ambiental y la salud humana en países en desarrollo

ABSTRACT Environmental quality is a major factor in global health that mainly affects the poorest populations. Vector- borne diseases, climate change, pollution and unintentional poisonings are recognized as the primary causes of environmental diseases burden in developing countries. The development and implementation of new technologies to reduce the impact of these risk factors on health in developing countries is a priority in the current research. In this regard, synthetic biology, a nearly new research area, has initiated a big revolution through the de novo design or rewiring of biological components, organisms, and functions with the aim to reduce the adverse effects of environmental risk factors on human health. Despite synthetic biology is well recognized for being a multidisciplinary area where biotechnologist, biologist, physicists, mathematicians and engineers play together, its integration with public health and other social sciences seems to be of relevance to apply these technologies into a practical context. In this review, we discuss the major advances in synthetic biology with potential to improve environmental quality and human health in developing countries.

RESUMEN La calidad ambiental es reconocida como uno de los factores con mayor impacto sobre la salud humana principalmente en los países en vías de desarrollo. Las enfermedades transmitidas por vectores, el cambio climático, la contaminación y las intoxicaciones no intencionales han sido reportados como las principales causas de enfermedades ambientales en estos países. El desarrollo y la implementación de nuevas tecnologías encaminadas a reducir el impacto de estos factores ambientales en la salud es una prioridad de la investigación actual. En ese sentido, la biología sintética ha iniciado una gran revolución al permitir el diseño de novo y el mejoramiento de diversos componentes biológicos, organismos y funciones biológicas que tienen el potencial de reducir los efectos adversos de estos factores en la salud humana de una manera más eficiente y económica. A pesar de que la biología sintética es reconocida como un área multidisciplinaria donde biotecnólogos, biólogos, físicos, matemáticos e ingenieros unen sus esfuerzos, su integración con el área de la salud pública y las ciencias sociales es muy importante para llevar estas tecnologías a la práctica. En esta revisión, nosotros discutimos los más importantes avances en biología sintética y su potencial para mejorar la calidad ambiental y la salud humana en países en vías de desarrollo.