Influence of Three Probiotics Strains, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. Lactis BB-12 and Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745 on the Biochemical and Haematological Profiles and Body Weight of Healthy Rabbits.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of three strains of probiotics, these being Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. Lactis BB-12 and Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745, on the body weight, animal performances and blood parameters of rabbits (male and female) of the ITELV2006 strain. The supplementation of the feed of the rabbits with the three probiotic strains allowed observing positive effects on most of the biochemical and haematological parameters investigated during a period of 60 days (30 days of supplementation and 30 days without treatment). Further, there was a significant improvement in the body weight of the rabbits at the end of the experiment. The effect of the three probiotics investigated in this trial was found to be related to the sex of the rabbits and to the intake period (duration). Ultimately, these findings raise the possibility of using probiotics to investigate in an in-depth and specific manner based on fixed factors such as the strain, the gender and age of the animals, the main underlying mechanisms and effects, which would allow achieving optimal and adapted health benefits and sustainable production. In the context of animal production, it is worth investigating in a targeted study the effect of the three strains on muscle growth and development and finding evidence of the possible consequences on meat quality traits of the rabbits supplemented with probiotics.

Study of Probiotic Effects of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 and Lactobacillus plantarum 299v Strains on Biochemical and Morphometric Parameters of Rabbits after Obesity Induction.

This study aimed first to develop an experimental model of obesity and metabolic syndrome over 14 weeks using a diet called "cafeteria", which is a high-fat diet, to evaluate its consequences on the biochemical and morphometric parameters in ITELV2006 strain rabbits. Second, the trial aimed to evaluate the effect of two strains of probiotics, these being Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12® and Lactobacillus plantarum 299v®, on the obesity and MetS induced during the first experiment. Overall, the results of the "cafeteria" diet demonstrated significant changes in numerous biochemical and morphometric parameters, reproducing obesity and the main clinical manifestations of the metabolic syndrome in humans. The administration of the two probiotic strains demonstrated an impact on certain parameters of obesity and induced MetS. This study makes it possible to conclude that probiotics could be useful in the treatment of obesity and metabolic syndrome of rabbits, but in a dependent manner. Furthermore, this study evidenced the importance of selecting specific probiotic strains and dosages to achieve desirable results on rabbits or other species.

Hospital effluent constitutes a source of vancomycin-resistant Enterococci / El efluente hospitalario como fuente de enterococos vancomicina resistentes

Objectives: Enterococci are intrinsically resistant to many commonly used antimicrobial agents. They are able to acquire resistance with relative ease and can spread these genes to other species. Enterococci resistant to antibiotics are associated with the use of these in clinical practice and also the spread of resistant clones in the world. The aim of this work was to compare the characteristics of the strains of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) isolated from municipal wastewater and hospital effluent. Methods: Samples were obtained from the effluent of the Hospital Universitario José de San Martín (Buenos Aires) and the municipal wastewater of the city of Buenos Aires. Results: The bacterial counts of VRE were greater in the hospital effluent, with an odds ratio of 36.4 (95% CI: 26.0-50.8; p<0.0001). The VRE isolated were mainly identified as E. faecium. The results indicate a high prevalence of enterococci resistant to the antibiotics tested. Conclusion: We may conclude that the effluents of hospitals constitute a source of VRE showing multiple resistance to antibiotics

Objetivos: Las especies de enterococos son intrínsecamente resistentes a varios antibióticos, adquieren resistencia con relativa facilidad, y difunden estos genes de resistencia a otras especies. La resistencia a los antibióticos en enterococos está asociada al uso de los mismos en la clínica médica y también a la diseminación de clones resistentes en el mundo. El objetivo de este trabajo fue comparar las características de las cepas de enterococos resistentes a vancomicina (ERV) aisladas en efluentes hospitalarios y aguas residuales urbanas. Métodos: Se obtuvieron muestras de los efluentes del Hospital Universitario José de San Martín (Buenos Aires) y muestras de aguas residuales urbanas de la ciudad de Buenos Aires. Resultados: Los recuentos de ERV fueron mayores en los efluentes hospitalarios, siendo la odds ratio 36.4 (IC95%: 26.0-50.8; p<0.0001). Los ERV aislados se identificaron principalmente como E. faecium. Los resultados indicaron una alta prevalencia de enterococos resistentes al resto de los antibióticos ensayados. Conclusión: Podemos concluir que los efluentes de los centros hospitalarios constituyen una fuente de enterococos de resistencia múltiple a antibióticos

Prevalence of CTX-M-Type extended-spectrum ß-lactamases in Escherichia coli strains isolated in poultry farms.

The aim of the study was to detect the prevalence of CTX-M-type extended-spectrum ß-lactamases (ESBL) in Escherichia coli strains isolated in healthy chickens at poultry farms in Tenerife, Spain. From November 2012 to February 2013, 260 live chickens were screened. Samples were cultured in chromogenic media. Suspect strains were identified by Vitek 2 system and ESBL production was confirmed by the double-disk synergy test. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was performed with XbaI (Promega, Madison, WI) to ESBL-E. coli isolates. The presence of CTX-M-type was detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Of 260 rectal swabs, 237 (91.1%) were ESBL-E. coli, 196 (75.38%) strains were characterized by PFGE, and CTX-M-type was detected in 116 (59.1%) of these strains. With respect to the susceptibility patterns of E. coli blaCTX-M strains, 7.8% showed resistance to more than two non-ß-lactam antibiotics. In our area, the prevalence of CTX-M-type in E. coli isolated in chicken was even higher than those found in other countries. The impact of food animals as a possible reservoir for ESBL-E. coli, especially CTX-M-type ESBL, and the dissemination of such strains into the food production chain need to be assessed.

Sustainable and effective control of trihalomethanes in the breakpoint chlorination of wastewater effluents.

The control of trihalomethanes (THMs) in waters subjected to chlorination is essential for protecting public health. However, the necessary means are not always available, especially in developing countries and regions. Under circumstances of scarce resources, one can utilize various means available for the control of THMs: a simple and affordable analytical method for testing of THMs, the study of the parameters tested routinely that could be used as indicators and the dose of chlorine used for the chlorination process. The objective of this work was to study the potential formation of THMs in wastewater effluents using a simple method of detection and various doses of chlorine in relation to the breakpoint and to validate some commonly determined parameters as indicators of THM formation. THM concentrations were measured using a simple spectrophotometric method based on the Fujiwara reaction. To determine the chlorine demand, a super-chlorination was performed and free and residual chlorine was measured; the mean value of chlorine demand was 166.6 mgCl2/L. The chlorination with concentrations well below the chlorine demand produces a significant reduction in microbial content. With regard to the formation of THMs the higher the dose of chlorine added, the higher the concentration of THMs. In relation to commonly determined parameters our data only provide a logarithmic linear regression between THMs and ammonium. According to our results, the breakpoint must be determined for the chlorination of sewage and their effluents, and chlorination should be performed with concentrations of chlorine at approximately 1/3 of the demand.

Administration of the stress protein gp96 prolongs rat cardiac allograft survival, modifies rejection-associated inflammatory events, and induces a state of peripheral T-cell hyporesponsiveness.

High-dose gp96 has been shown to inhibit experimental autoimmune disease by a mechanism that appears to involve immunoregulatory CD4+ T cells. This study tested the hypothesis that high-dose gp96 administration modifies allograft rejection and associated inflammatory events. Wistar cardiac allografts were transplanted into Lewis recipient rats and graft function was monitored daily by palpation. Intradermal administration of gp96 purified from Wistar rat livers (100 microg) at the time of transplantation and 3 days later significantly prolonged allograft survival (14 vs 8 days in phosphate-buffered saline [PBS]-treated recipients; P = 0.009). Rejected allografts from gp96-treated animals were significantly less enlarged than allografts from their PBS-treated counterparts (2.8 vs 4.3 g; P < 0.004). Gp96 was also effective when administered on days 1 and 8 (13 vs 7 days), but not if it was derived from recipient (Lewis) liver tissue or administered on days 0, 3, and 6. In parallel studies, CD3+ T cells from gp96-treated untransplanted animals secreted less interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10, and interferon (IFN)-gamma after in vitro polyclonal stimulation than CD3+ T cells from PBS-treated animals. Gp96 administration might therefore influence the induction of immunity to coencountered antigenic challenges and inflammatory events by inducing what appears to be a state of peripheral T-cell hyporesponsiveness.

Isolation of Salmonella serotypes in wastewater and effluent: Effect of treatment and potential risk.

The characteristics of strains of Salmonella isolated in wastewater were compared before and after treatment with activated sludge (conventional sewage treatment). Of the 21 strains studied, 11 came from raw wastewater and 10 from treated water. Our objective was to determine if the treatment affected all serotypes to the same extent, and whether it had an effect on the plasmidic composition and selection of resistances to antibiotics and disinfectants. The serotypes of all strains were identified, and we also determined the sensitivity to antibiotics, the minimal bactericidal concentration of three disinfectants (peracetic acid, glutaraldehyde, and sodium hypochlorite), and plasmidic content. Results showed no significant differences in the isolated strains before versus after treatment, thus indicating that the conventional treatment of sewage does not constitute a risk factor in the selection of Salmonella strains with a greater pathogenic potential.