Observational longitudinal study on Toxoplasma gondii infection in fattening beef cattle: serology and associated haematological findings.

Toxoplasmosis, caused by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, is a globally distributed zoonotic infection with significant implications for human and animal health. This study investigated the prevalence of T. gondii infection in a population of beef cattle at three different stages of their productive lifespan and examined the impact of T. gondii serological status on blood parameters. A commercial beef fattening unit in Italy was the setting for this research, which involved a biosecurity assessment upon cattle arrival, blood sampling at three time points and Toxoplasma-specific serological testing using indirect fluorescent antibody tests (IFAT). Results revealed a dynamic pattern of T. gondii seropositivity in cattle, with an initial prevalence of 30.6% at arrival (T0) that increased to 44.6% at 14 days (T1) and then decreased slightly to 39.3% at slaughter after 5 months (T2). Interestingly, seroconversion was observed during the study, indicating ongoing infections, and antibody waning occurred in some animals. In terms of blood parameters, seropositive cattle exhibited significantly lower mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and a higher neutrophil-lymphocyte (N/L) ratio, suggesting an activation of the innate immune response. Furthermore, cattle with higher antibody titres displayed higher neutrophil counts. However, all blood parameters with a statistical significance were within the reference range. This study provides for the first time a longitudinal investigation on the serological status for T. gondii in naturally exposed beef cattle. These findings provide valuable insights into the clinico-pathological aspects of natural T. gondii exposure in cattle and underscore the importance of monitoring and managing T. gondii infection in livestock production systems.

Subcutaneous neurofibroma as a cause of lameness in a warmblood horse: Neurofibroma in a horse.

A neurofibroma was excised from the subcutis on the medial side of the left thigh of a 15-year-old Warmblood gelding, which had shown lameness of the left hind limb. No other source of lameness was found. Two weeks after surgery, the horse was sound at a lameness examination.

Therapeutic management of chronic hepatitis B in clinical practice: a region-wide survey.

GOALS: To characterize the clinical and treatment pattern in a large population of hepatitis B virus (HBV) patients managed at tertiary referral centers in clinical practice. BACKGROUND: Successful treatment, either with interferon (IFN) or nucleos(t)ide analogs (NUCs), of chronic HBV infection is associated with improved long-term patient outcome. However, in clinical practice, the actual management of these patients is not well characterized, and data regarding treatment pattern in this setting are lacking. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated 505 patients chronically infected with HBV alone and who had at least 1-year follow-up. We assessed indication to, rate of, and type of treatment as well as the characteristics of treated patients. RESULTS: Overall prevalence of positivity for HBe antigen was 19.3%, and the majority of patients had chronic hepatitis (47.5%). Non-Italian patients represented approximately one third of the population (27.1%). Among patients with indication to antiviral therapy (n=318), treatment was actually carried out in 264 patients (83.0%), prevalently with NUCs (65.9%). IFN-treated patients were younger (P<0.001), more frequently male (P=0.025) and HBeAg positive (P=0.003), and less frequently cirrhotics (P<0.001) as compared with patients treated with NUCs. CONCLUSIONS: In a geographical area with a low positivity for HBe antigen, antiviral therapy is actually carried out in the majority of patients who have indication to treatment, prevalently with NUCs, whereas IFN treatment is more frequently carried out in young, HBe antigen-positive patients who do not have advanced liver disease.

Evaluation of antimicrobial and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory treatments for BRD on health and welfare in fattening bulls: a cross-sectional study.

Our study aimed to evaluate the effect of different treatments for BRD on health and welfare in fattening bulls. A total of 264 bulls were enrolled. Welfare was assessed on day 2 (T0) and day 15 (T1) after arrival. A decrease in the welfare level was observed from T0 to T1. All bulls were inspected clinically at T0 and T1 revealing an increase of skin lesions and lameness in T1. In both periods, a high incidence of respiratory disease was observed. A prevalence of 79.55% and 95.45% of Mycoplasma bovis using RT-PCR and culture at T0 and T1 respectively was observed. Blood samples were collected for haematology at T0 and T1. At T0, 36 animals were individually treated for BRD with an antimicrobial (IT), 54 received a metaphylactic treatment with tulathromycin (M), 150 received a metaphylactic treatment with tulathromycin plus a second antimicrobial (M + IT) whereas 24 were considered healthy and therefore not treated (NT). Additionally, 128 were treated with a non-steroid anti-inflammatory (NSAID). Neutrophils of M + IT were significantly higher than groups NT and M and the lymphocytes of M + IT were significantly lower than that of IT. White blood cells, neutrophils and N/L ratio of animals treated with an NSAID was significantly higher than that not treated. Lung inspection of 172 bulls at the abattoir indicated that 92.43% presented at least one lung lesion. A statistically significant effect of the NSAID treatment on the lung lesions was observed. Our findings indicate that BRD was a major welfare and health concern and evidence the difficulties of antimicrobial treatment of M. bovis.

Lung Ultrasonography and Clinical Follow-Up Evaluations in Fattening Bulls Affected by Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) during the Restocking Period and after Tulathromycin and Ketoprofen Treatment.

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is a global infectious disease, causing decreased well-being and economic losses in livestock, frequently during the restocking period. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of thoracic ultrasonography (TUS) to assess BRD in restocked animals, and the effectiveness of tulathromycin and ketoprofen treatment in sick animals. A total of 60 Limousin fattening bulls were enrolled. On the day of restocking (T0), the animals were divided into two groups based on TUS assessment of six lung areas: group C (ultrasonography score (US score) < 3) and group D (US score ≥ 3). Group D received a single administration of tulathromycin and ketoprofen at T0: this group was revaluated after 1.5, 3, 7, and 14 days. Both groups were revaluated after 21 days. The two groups showed a significant difference both in US score and clinical symptoms (respiratory score, nasal and ocular discharges, and rectal temperature) at T0. In group D, the treatment was effective in improving the clinical symptoms and US score, particularly reducing the severity of lung lesions. TUS represents a non-invasive and cost-effective tool for BRD early diagnosis and for monitoring treatment efficacy in restocked livestock.

Treatment of Septic Arthritis With Acoustic Cavitation and Lavage: A Case Report.

A 2-year-old Quarter Horse filly was admitted to our facility with a two-day history of trauma caused by barbed wire on the front face of the right front limb fetlock joint. A septic arthritis was confirmed with the synovial fluid examination. The cytologic evaluation of synovial fluid showed 101,000 leukocytes/mm3, 90% neutrophils, and a total protein concentration of 4 g/dL. It was, therefore, decided to perform an arthroscopic lavage using an ultrasonic device with the tip inserted inside the synovial cavity to exploit the phenomenon of acoustic cavitation. After the removal of the synovial pannus, the probe was left to vibrate in the area near the visible penetrating wound inside the joint until three liters of saline was finished. Further studies are needed for understanding and applying this technology in different equine fields and with different bacterial species. However, these first results are promising for the efficacy of this innovative procedure.

Clinical and virological survey of patients with hepatitis B surface antigen in an Italian region: clinical considerations and disease burden.

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in an Italian region, Liguria (1,572,000 inhabitants), by means of a network of 12 referral centers for liver diseases. All patients with HBV surface antigen followed throughout 2006 were included. Personal data, infectious status with risk factors, other non-infectious risk factors for liver disease, clinical status, and treatment were the questionnaire. Four hundred forty-five patients (71% male) were evaluated. Their median age was 48 years (range 5-84), and 83.4% were of Italian origin. Community-acquired infection was the principal mode of HBV transmission (82.5%), followed by previous intravenous drug use (9.4%), perinatal transmission (6.3%), and transfusion-associated transmission (1.8%). Hepatitis B e-antigen was present in 20.4% of the patients, while co-infections with hepatitis D virus and/or hepatitis C virus and/or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) were observed in 18.7% of the patients. Chronic active hepatitis was present in 62.5% of the patients, cirrhosis in 13.5%, hepatocellular carcinoma in 2.2%, and 21.8% of the patients were inactive carriers of HBV. In all, 42.5% of the patients were treated with interferon or lamivudine and/or adefovir-dipivoxil. Forty-nine patients were co-infected with HIV (86% on highly active antiviral therapy). Nevertheless, this study identified only 2.2% of the expected patients with HBV. Hence, it has to be reasoned that few potential infectious or treatable patients are referred to liver disease centers. HBV infection is still an underestimated health problem, and few potential infectious or treatable patients are referred to tertiary centers.

A significant proportion of patients with chronic hepatitis B who are candidates for antiviral treatment are untreated: A region-wide survey in Italy.

BACKGROUND: Between 350 and 400 million people worldwide have chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, and in Italy this figure is 1% to 2% in the general population. In clinical practice, however, it is not known how many patients chronically infected by HBV and eligible for antiviral therapy are not treated. AIM: To characterize the clinical picture of untreated HBV patients, and to assess whether current experts' recommendations for treatment are actually applied. METHODS: We evaluated 362 patients chronically infected by HBV alone who were followed for at least 1 year at tertiary referral centers in Liguria region, Italy. Patients' data were evaluated on the basis of the Panel of Experts algorithm for the management of HBV [ie, HBV DNA levels > or =20,000 IU/mL in hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive patients, HBV DNA levels > or =2000 IU/mL in HBeAg-negative patients, and evidence of biochemical and/or histologic activity of disease in both groups]. RESULTS: One-hundred and sixteen viremic chronic hepatitis B disease patients were not on antiviral therapy (33 HBeAg positive, 83 HBeAg negative). Serum HBV DNA was > or =20,000 IU/mL and > or =2000 IU/mL in 32 HBeAg-positive and 54 HBeAg-negative patients, respectively, and disease was present in 59 of these 86 patients. Treatment was not indicated in 10 of 59 patients, and had been planned in 8 (4 HBeAg positive), thus 84% potential treatment candidates (41 of 49 patients) were not treated. CONCLUSIONS: Evaluation of a large series of patients chronically infected by HBV alone identified a significant proportion of patients who are actually untreated despite being potential candidates for antiviral therapy.

Clinically stable treatment-experienced adults receiving tenofovir and didanosine.

METHOD: Analysis of virological, immunological, and clinical data over 24 weeks of treatment of drug-experienced patients administered didanosine (ddI) and tenofovir (TDF) plus either PI or NNRTI (17 patients) compared to 14 patients on ddI plus lamivudine and to 19 patients on ddI plus stavudine. RESULTS: Patients treated with TDF and ddI do not have a higher risk of early immunological or virological failure. CONCLUSION: Treatment success and increase in CD4+ lymphocytes may depend, among other factors, on historical CD4+ nadir. These data agree with previous work and argue against preemptive switches for fear of side effects or immunological/virological failure away from a successful ddI-TDF combination in clinically stable drug-experienced patients.

Epidemiological and clinical features of hepatitis delta in HBsAg-positive patients by HIV status.

BACKGROUND: The epidemiology of HBV-associated hepatitis has changed in recent years, especially after the introduction of anti-HBV vaccination, with a consequent decrease in the incidence of HDV-associated hepatitis. However, HDV remains of concern in non-vaccinated people and in immigrants. The aim of this retrospective survey has been to assess prevalence and clinical characteristics of HDV infection in Liguria, a region in Northern Italy, in both HIV-positive and negative patients. METHODS: During the year 2010, 641 patients chronically infected with HBV entered an observational study of HBV infection conducted in eight tertiary care centres belonging to the 'Ligurian HBV Study Group'. RESULTS: Of 641 patients, 454 (70.8%) were evaluated for HDV serology and 26 (5.7%) were found positive. Among them, 16 were also HIV-positive and 10 were not. Of the 428 HDV-negative patients, only 313 were tested for HIV and 33 (10.5%) were positive. At the time point of study entry there was no age difference between HIV-positive or negative patients, but HIV-positive patients were 10 years younger than HIV-negative (mean age 34.25 ±6.16 versus 41.50 ±8.89 years; P=0.021) at the time point of their first visit in each centre and they were also more frequently intravenous drug users (P=0.009). Despite a similar rate of cirrhosis in the two groups, no HIV-positive patient received an HDV-active therapy (that is, interferon), versus 4 of 10 HIV-negative patients (P=0.014). CONCLUSIONS: HDV infection is still a problem in patients not covered by HBV vaccination. Both HDV and HIV testing were frequently overlooked in our setting.

Role of linezolid in the treatment of orthopedic infections.

Gram-positive organisms, particularly staphylococci and streptococci, are responsible for the majority of bone and joint infections. The rising incidence of antimicrobial resistance among Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase-negative staphylococci and enterococci means that novel antibiotics with unique mechanisms of antimicrobial activity are needed, especially in orthopedic infections. Linezolid is the first of the oxazolidinones, a new class of antibacterial agents particularly effective against Gram-positive infections including methicillin- and vancomycin-resistant strains. With an excellent oral bioavailability and acceptable safety profile, linezolid offers a valuable alternative to more traditional therapies, such as glycopeptides. No large randomized trials have been published on its use in patients with orthopedic infections, but early results are encouraging. Reported adverse events, especially bone marrow suppression and optic neuropathy seen with prolonged administration, mean that treatment of such patients must be undertaken with careful follow-up of laboratory tests. Until now, little resistance has been reported.