Prognostic significance of lymphocyte subpopulations for ICU-acquired infections in patients with sepsis: a retrospective study.

AIM: To determine the prognostic value of lymphocyte subpopulations in predicting intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired infections among patients admitted to the ICU with sepsis. METHODS: Data on peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations [CD3+ T cells, CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, CD16+CD56+ natural killer (NK) cells and CD19+ B cells] were collected continuously from 188 patients admitted to the study ICUs with sepsis between January 2021 and October 2022. Clinical data collected from these patients, including medical history, number of organ failures, severity of illness scores, and characteristics of ICU-acquired infections, were reviewed. RESULTS: Lymphocyte subpopulation counts were significantly lower in patients who acquired an infection in the ICU compared with those who did not. Univariate analyses showed that the number of organ failures [odds ratio (OR) 3.37, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.25-5.05], severity of illness scores [Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score - OR 1.69, 95% CI 1.41-2.02; Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score - OR 1.26, 95% CI 0.17-1.36], history of immunosuppressant use (OR 2.41, 95% CI 1.01-5.73) and lymphocyte subpopulations (CD3+ T cells - OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.51-0.71; CD4+ T cells - OR 0.51, 95% CI 0.41-0.63; CD8+ T cells - OR 0.32, 95% CI 0.22-0.47; CD16/CD56+ NK cells - OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.28-0.59; CD19+B cells - OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.37-0.75) were associated with ICU-acquired infections. Multi-factor logistic regression analysis demonstrated that APACHE II score (OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.13-1.38), CD3+ T cells (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.54-0.81) and CD4+ T cells (OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.50-0.82) were independent significant risk factors for ICU-acquired infections. CONCLUSION: Assessing CD3+ T cells and CD4+ T cells within 24 h of ICU admission may help in identification of patients at risk for developing ICU-acquired infections.

Sequence variability in two mitochondrial DNA regions and internal transcribed spacer among three cestodes infecting animals and humans from China.

Sequence variability in two mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) regions, namely cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 4 (nad4), and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of rDNA among and within three cestodes, Spirometra erinaceieuropaei, Taenia multiceps and Taenia hydatigena, from different geographical origins in China was examined. A portion of the cox1 (pcox1), nad4 genes (pnad4) and the ITS (ITS1+5.8S rDNA+ITS2) were amplified separately from individual cestodes by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Representative amplicons were subjected to sequencing in order to estimate sequence variability. While the intra-specific sequence variations within each of the tapeworm species were 0-0.7% for pcox1, 0-1.7% for pnad4 and 0.1-3.6% for ITS, the inter-specific sequence differences were significantly higher, being 12.1-17.6%, 18.7-26.2% and 31-75.5% for pcox1, pnad4 and ITS, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses based on the pcox1 sequence data revealed that T. multiceps and T. hydatigena were more closely related to the other members of the Taenia genus, and S. erinaceieuropaei was more closely related to the other members of the Spirometra genus. These findings demonstrated clearly the usefulness of mtDNA and rDNA sequences for population genetic studies of these cestodes of socio-economic importance.

Severe infection of adult dogs with helminths in Hunan Province, China poses significant public health concerns.

The prevalence of helminths in adult dogs was investigated in Hunan Province, the People's Republic of China between June 2006 and December 2007. A total of 438 adult farm dogs slaughtered in local abattoirs from 9 representative administrative regions in Hunan Province were examined for the presence of helminths using a helminthological approach. All collected worms were counted and identified to species according to existing keys and descriptions. A total of 11 helminth species were found in the dogs, and they represented 2 phyla, 3 classes, 6 families and 8 genera. All dogs were infected by more than one helminth species. Clonorchis sinensis (29.4%) was the only trematode species found, Dipylidium caninum (42.3%) was the most common cestode species, and Toxocara canis (45.2%) the most common nematode species. 6 of the 11 dog helminths are also transmissible to humans (i.e., zoonotic), and can cause severe clinical human diseases, posing significant public health threats. The results of the present investigation have implications for the ongoing control of helminth infections in dogs and humans in Hunan Province, China.

Prevalence of Asian fish tapeworm Bothriocephalus in grass carp in Dongting Lake of Hunan province, subtropical China.

We investigated the prevalence of Asian fish tapeworm Bothriocephalus infection in grass carp in Dongting Lake of Hunan province, subtropical China between August 2014 and October of 2015. A total of 2534 fish samples from four representative administrative regions in Hunan province, subtropical China were examined for the presence of Bothriocephalus using helminthological approach. The overall prevalence of Bothriocephalus in grass carp was 6.6% (167/2534). The prevalence of Bothriocephalus in grass carp was higher in summer (10.0%) and spring (7.0%) than in autumn (6.0%) and winter (3.3%) (P<0.01). The highest prevalence of Bothriocephalus was found in grass carp with body weight 0.5

Prevalence of helminths in water buffaloes in Hunan Province, China.

The prevalence of helminths in the Asian water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) was investigated in Hunan Province, People's Republic of China between April 2005 and October 2007. A total of 359 adult buffaloes slaughtered at local abattoirs in 12 representative geographical locations in Hunan Province were examined for the presence of helminths. The worms were examined, counted and identified to species according to existing keys and descriptions. A total of 13 helminth species were found representing one phyla, two classes, eight families and nine genera. All buffaloes were infected by more than one helminth species. 61.8% of the examined buffaloes were infected with Haemonchus contortus, 44.7% with Fasciola hepatica, 24.9% with Fasciola hepatica, 23.5% with Homalogaster paloniae and 23.2% with Setaria labiatopapillosa, whereas the infection of adult buffaloes with cestodes was not detected in the present investigation. The results of the present investigation indicated that the prevalence of nematodes and trematodes in buffaloes is quite severe, some of which pose significant zoonotic public health problems (eg., schistosomiasis). It is imperative that integrated strategies and measures be taken to control helminth infections in buffaloes in Hunan Province and elsewhere.