Varicella-zoster-virus vaccination of immunosuppressed children with inflammatory bowel disease or autoimmune hepatitis: A prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) receiving immunosuppressive treatment are at risk for severe varicella zoster virus (VZV)-induced disease. This study evaluated vaccination of susceptible patients with stable disease and documented immunoreactivity without interruption of their current immunosuppression (IS). METHODS: This prospective multicentre observational study used a prevaccination checklist to select patients with low-intensity and high-intensity IS for VZV vaccination. Tolerability and safety after immunization were assessed by questionnaire. The immune response was measured by the VZV-IgG concentration, relative avidity index (RAI), and specific lymphocyte proliferative response. RESULTS: A total of 29 VZV vaccinations were performed in 17 seronegative patients aged 3-16 years (IBD n = 15, AIH n = 2). Eight patients received high-intensity immunosuppression, another six low-intensity immunosuppression, and three patients interrupted IS before VZV vaccination. All 29 vaccinations were well tolerated; only minor side effects such as fever and abdominal pain, were reported in two patients. One patient experienced a flare of Crohn's disease the day after vaccination. The VZV-IgG-concentration increased significantly (p = 0.018) after vaccination, and a specific lymphocyte response towards VZV in vitro was detected in all tested patients which correlated with the RAI (r = 0.489; p = 0.078). CONCLUSIONS: VZV vaccination was well tolerated, safe and immunogenic in children receiving ongoing IS due to IBD and AIH. Ensuring immunoreactivity by clinical and laboratory parameters, rather than the type and dosage of IS, is a reasonable approach to decide on live-attenuated virus vaccinations in immunosuppressed children (German clinical trials DRKS00016357).

Vaccination rate and immunity of children and adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease or autoimmune hepatitis in Germany.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Immunosuppressed patients are at risk of severe infections with vaccination preventable diseases. We evaluated vaccination rate and immunity of children and adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). METHODS: Immunization rate of 329 children with IBD (n = 300) and AIH (n = 29) was assessed in seven German centres using vaccination certificates, history of chicken pox and by determining anti-varicella zoster virus (VZV) and anti-measles IgG antibodies. RESULTS: Of the total cohort 86% received long-term immunosuppression. Four doses of a hexavalent vaccine were documented in 89%, at least one dose of measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination was documented in 325 (99%), with 300 (92%) receiving two doses. Anti-measles IgG concentrations were insufficient in 11% of the immunized patients. VZV vaccination was officially recommended in Germany since 2004, and implemented in 88% born from 2005 onwards. In patients born earlier VZV catch up vaccination only reached 25% (n = 67). Of 118 patients with documented VZV vaccination 25 (21%) did not display sufficient anti-VZV IgG. Of 198 patients with a history of chicken pox, six had undetectable anti-VZV IgG. Of 29 patients having neither had chicken pox nor VZV vaccination, 20 were found to have sufficient anti-VZV IgG. CONCLUSIONS: In our cohort vaccination coverage for hexavalent and MMR vaccinations was good, but insufficient for VZV vaccination in patients born before 2005. Neither the vaccination certificate nor the history of chicken pox is reliable to predict VZV immunity indicating a need for serologic investigations and if needed vaccination before initiating immunosuppressive therapy.

Adsorption of aquaculture pollutants using a sustainable biopolymer.

Intensive aquaculture needs to adopt techniques that are able to contribute towards sustainability. Closed systems that employ water recirculation can combine intensive production with environmental sustainability, since there is no exchange of water or discharge of effluents into the environment. In order to achieve this, effective filtration systems are required to ensure that the water quality is satisfactory for the cultivation of aquatic organisms. Chitosan, an industrial waste material derived from crustacean farming, is a renewable natural material that is biodegradable and possesses adsorbent characteristics. In this work, chitosan foam was incorporated in filters and was evaluated as an adsorbent of aquaculture pollutants, adding value to the material and at the same time providing a use for industrial waste. The foam was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy, apparent density, and water absorption capacity. It was used to remove ammonia, nitrite, orthophosphate, and turbidity from aquaculture effluents. The foam consisted of a bilayer with smooth and porous sides, which presented low density, flexibility, and high water absorption capacity. The best proportion of the foam, in terms of the mass of foam per volume of solution (% m v-1), was 0.10, which resulted in removal of 32.8, 57.2, 89.5, and 99.9% of ammonia, nitrite, orthophosphate, and turbidity, respectively. This biopolymer produced is biodegradable, and when saturated with organic compounds from aquaculture, and no longer suitable for reuse as a filter material, it can be employed as a fertilizer, hence closing the sustainability cycle of the aquaculture production chain.

Disponibilidade do fósforo em alimentos de origem vegetal: atuação na nutrição de peixes / Phosphorus availability in food from vegetable origin: performance in fish nutrition / Disponibilidad del fósforo en alimentos de origen vegetal: actuación en la nutrición de peces

O trabalho aborda a utilização do fósforo na nutrição de peixes e em dietas formuladas com ingredientes de origem vegetal. Nestes ingredientes, o fósforo encontra-se de forma indisponível para animais monogástricos, devido à carência da enzima fitase. A suplementação de enzimas exógenas (fitase) em ração tem por objetivo aumentar a capacidade de absorção do fósforo em dietas contendo ingredientes de origem vegetal, reduzindo a perda por excreção deste nutriente para o ambiente aquático. A enzima atua hidrolisando o fitato, tornando-o disponível para o organismo. Devido à importância do fósforo na nutrição de peixes, esta revisão apresenta alguns aspectos, sobre a importância na nutrição bem como sobre os fatores antinutricional e os benefícios causados pela inclusão da enzima em dietas balanceadas para peixes.

This paper discusses the use of phosphorus in fish nutrition and diets formulated with ingredients from vegetable origin. These ingredients from, phosphorus is unavailable for monogastric animals, due to the lack of the phytase enzyme. The supplementation of exogenous enzymes (phytase) in feed is intended to increase the phosphorus absorption capacity in diets containing ingredients from vegetable origin, reducing the loss of such nutrient by excretion into the aquatic environment. The enzyme acts hydrolyzing phytate, making it available to the body. Due to the importance of phosphorus in fish nutrition, this review presents some aspects importance, and anti-nutritional factor and benefits caused by the inclusion of the enzyme in fish balanced diets.

En este trabajo se aborda el uso de fósforo en la nutrición de peces y en dietas formuladas con ingredientes de origen vegetal. Estos ingredientes, el fósforo se encuentra de forma indisponible para animales monogástricos, debido a la falta de la enzima fitasa. La suplementación de enzimas exógenas (fitasa) en la ración tiene por objetivo aumentar la capacidad de absorción del fósforo en dietas que contienen ingredientes de origen vegetal, reduciendo la pérdida por excreción de este nutriente para el ambiente acuático. La enzima actúa hidrolizando el fitato, haciéndolo disponible para el cuerpo. Debido la importancia del fósforo en la alimentación de peces, esta revisión presenta algunos aspectos, tales como la importancia en la nutrición de peces, como el factor anti nutricional y los beneficios causados por la inclusión de la enzima en dietas balanceadas.