Joining forces to administer COVID-19 vaccines.

The national vaccination effort for novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) is among the greatest operational challenges America has ever faced, the success of which depends upon reaching communities across the United States. In this Commentary, the Executive Dean of Ohio University's Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine (OUHCOM) describes the logistics and processes of vaccine delivery at OUHCOM, both on campus and beyond. Among those logistical considerations is a partnership with the local health department and hospital system, as well as student involvement in vaccination efforts.

Suppurative polyarthritis in striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) from Cape Cod, Massachusetts: detection of mycoplasma DNA.

Striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, U.S.A. were necropsied (n=34; 1995-1997) or clinically evaluated (n=25, 2002-2003) to characterize a lameness and polyarthritis, reported by wildlife veterinarians and rehabilitators, and unsuccessfully treated with antibiotics. Overall, 22 affected skunks had one or multiple swollen joints, swollen paws, and subcutaneous abscesses. Purulent exudate was located in joint spaces, in periarticular connective tissue between muscle fascicles and tendons, and between and along flexor and extensor tendons of the paws. Histologic examination revealed suppurative arthritis, with necrosis and erosion of articular cartilage, and suppurative osteomyelitis. Special stains failed to reveal a causative microorganism within affected joints, and routine bacteriologic cultures failed to isolate a pathogen with any significant frequency or consistency. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) experiments were performed using DNA extracted from archived, formalin-fixed joint samples of 11 affected skunks, and DNA from joints of 7 of 11 affected skunks yielded amplicons with sequences highly similar to sequences of Mycoplasma fermentans within the Mycoplasma bovis cluster, whereas DNA samples from joints of four unaffected skunks were negative by PCR. Skunks from Connecticut, U.S.A. (n=21; 1995-2003) were similarly examined and were found not to have suppurative polyarthritis, suggesting a unique geographic distribution of this condition. Concurrent pathologic conditions in adult skunks from both Cape Cod and Connecticut included verminous pneumonia, gastric nematodiasis, arthropod ectoparasitism, and canine distemper. Amyloidosis was present in skunks with and without suppurative polyarthritis, and the amyloid was immunohistochemically identified as AA-amyloid. This is the first report of suppurative polyarthritis in wild skunks with evidence of a mycoplasmal etiology.

Osteopathic manipulative treatment in prenatal care: a retrospective case control design study.

The use of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) during pregnancy has a long tradition in osteopathic medicine. A retrospective study was designed to compare a group of women who received prenatal OMT with a matched group that did not receive prenatal OMT. The medical records of 160 women from four cities who received prenatal OMT were reviewed for the occurrence of meconium-stained amniotic fluid, preterm delivery, use of forceps, and cesarean delivery. The randomly selected records of 161 women who were from the same cities, but who did not receive prenatal OMT, were reviewed for the same outcomes. The results of a logistic regression analysis were statistically reliable, chi2 (4, N = 321) = 26.55; P < .001, indicating that the labor and delivery outcomes, as a set, were associated with whether OMT was administered during pregnancy. According to the Wald criterion, prenatal OMT was significantly associated with meconium-stained amniotic fluid (Z = 13.20, P < .001) and preterm delivery (Z = 9.91; P < .01), while the use of forceps was found to be marginally significant (Z = 3.28; P = .07). The case control study found evidence of improved outcomes in labor and delivery for women who received prenatal OMT, compared with women who did not. A prospective study is proposed as the next step in evaluating the effects of prenatal OMT.