Effects of skin abrasion in immersion challenge with Vibrio harveyi in Asian seabass Lates calcarifer fingerlings.

Skin abrasions often occur in farmed fish following handling by labourers, injury by farm facilities, cannibalism and ectoparasites. Vibrio spp. are opportunistic pathogens that can invade host fish through damaged tissues and cause outbreaks of vibriosis. This study describes the effect of skin abrasions on the infectivity of V. harveyi using Asian seabass Lates calcarifer (Bloch, 1790) fingerlings as a case example and compares bacterial load and fish survival following immersion challenge with different doses. In total, 315 fish (6.67 ± 1.8 g) were divided into 3 treatments: skin abrasion followed by immersion infection, immersion infection only and an uninfected, uninjured control. Fish in the infection treatments were divided into 3 subgroups and exposed in triplicate to a 7 d immersion challenge with 106, 107 and 108 CFU ml-1 of live V. harveyi. No mortalities were observed in the control and immersion infection groups. However, fish in the skin abrasion treatment group that were infected with 108 CFU ml-1 of live V. harveyi showed signs of progressing disease throughout the experiment, which resulted in mortalities. Significantly higher bacterial loads (p < 0.05) were recorded in the intestine, liver and gills of the fish in this group. Fish in the skin abrasion treatment that were exposed to 107 and 108 CFU ml-1 of V. harveyi showed 100% mortality by Days 5 and 4, respectively. These findings confirm that skin injuries increase the susceptibility of seabass fingerlings to V. harveyi infection.

In-vitro phagocytosis and intracellular killing of Pasteurella multocida B:2 by phagocytic cells of buffaloes.

Pasteurella multocida B:2 is a Gram-negative organism causing haemorrhagic septicaemia (HS) in buffaloes. It causes severe pulmonary infection, leading to infiltration of numerous macrophages and neutrophils. Despite the inflammatory response, buffaloes succumb to HS. This study aims to evaluate the in-vitro efficacy of macrophages and neutrophils of buffalo following exposure to P. multocida B:2. In-vitro infections were done using 107 cfu/ml of P. multocida B:2 for Group 1, Escherichia coli for Group 2 and Mannhaemia haemolytica A:2 for Group 3 cells. The inoculated cell cultures were harvested at 0, 30, 60 and 120 min post-exposure and the phagocytic, killing and cell death rates were determined. Both phagocytosis and killing rates of all bacteria increased over time. Phagocytosis involved between 71% and 73% neutrophils and between 60% and 64% macrophages at 120 min. Killing rate of all bacteria involved between 76% and 79% for neutrophils and between 70% and 74% for macrophages at 120 min. Death rate of neutrophils ranged between 67% in Group 3, and 88% in Group 1 at 120 min, significantly (p < 0.05) higher than Group 3 but insignificant (p > 0.05) than Group 2. Similar pattern was observed for death rate of macrophages. The phagocytosis and killing rates of P. multocida B:2 were similar to other bacterial species used in this study but more neutrophils and macrophages were dead following infection by P. multocida B:2 than M. haemolytica A:2.

Proper patient education improves hepatitis C patients’ disease-related knowledge and antiviral treatment acceptance in rural China / 中华肝脏病杂志

Objective@#To evaluate the affect of hepatitis C virus (HCV) education in chronic hepatitis C patients’ disease related knowledge and antiviral treatment acceptance in rural china.@*Methods@#Rural HCV patients of attended CHC project of HCV education. Doctor delivered subsequent interactive lecture, and patients completed pre- and post-education questionnaires before and after taking the lectures.@*Results@#151 CHC patients were included. Mean age was 57.3 years old, 50.3% were male, 51.0% of the students had primary school education or illiterate, and 76.2% had a monthly income below RMB 3,000. 98.0% of patients defined their baseline HCV knowledge as "nothing" or "a little bit". A multivariate analysis reveled baseline knowledge scores were associated with age and household income. After education, mean knowledge score (range: 0-28) increased from 13.1 to 23.0 (P < 0.001) and average percent of patients with correct answers from the topic rose from 46.8% to 82.1% (P < 0.001), and patients’ antiviral treatment acceptance increased from 33.9% to 65.6% (P < 0.001).@*Conclusion@#A rural Chinese patients had less education, HCV education delivered on the preferred format of patients substantially improved hepatitis C patients’ disease-related knowledge and antiviral treatment acceptance in rural china.

Analysis of Lethality in Echinococcal Disease

The information on mortality from echinococcosis is important not only for a better understanding of the severity of the disease, but also for evaluating the effectiveness of public health interventions. The aim of this research was to study the causes of mortality from echinococcosis. We have collected and analyzed the materials of 1,470 patients in 10 age - groups in the Republic of Armenia (from 2000 to 2016). To find out the causes of mortality from echinococcosis, we have analyzed the medical histories and protocols of postmortem examinations of 19 deaths from echinococcosis and 17 deaths due to other indirect causes not associated with the parasite. The average annual death rate from echinococcosis is 0.007 per 10,000 population, and the mortality is 1.29 (per 100 patients). The highest mortality occurs in people aged 70–79. Mortality from echinococcosis is also recorded among the unoperated children. The rupture of the parasitic cyst and hepatic insufficiency are major among the direct causes of mortality. Sometimes the hydatid cysts unrecognized during the life were first diagnosed at autopsy. Insufficient qualification of doctors in the field of helminthology, as well as the latent course of the disease or manifestation of minor symptoms in echinococcosis over a long period often led to medical errors. Further decline in mortality can be achieved by early diagnosis, timely hospitalization and treatment before the development of severe complications worsening the prognosis and outcomes of surgical intervention.

Comparative clinicopathological changes in buffalo and cattle following infection by Pasteurella multocida B:2.

Haemorrhagic septicaemia (HS) is an acute, septicaemic disease of cattle and buffalo of Asia and Africa caused by Pasteurella multocida B:2 or E:2. Buffaloes are believed to be more susceptible than cattle. In this study, 9 buffaloes of 8 months old were divided equally into 3 groups (Groups 1, 3, 5). Similarly, 9 cattle of 8 months old were equally divided into 3 groups (Groups 2, 4, 6). Animals of Groups 1 and 2 were inoculated with PBS while Groups 3 and 4 were inoculated subcutaneously with 10(5) cfu/ml of P. multocida B:2. Animals of Groups 5 and 6 were inoculated intranasally with the same inoculum. Both buffaloes and cattle that were inoculated subcutaneously succumbed to the infection at 16 h and 18 h, respectively. Two buffaloes that were inoculated intranasally (Group 5) succumbed at 68 h while the remaining cattle and buffaloes survived the 72-h study period. Endotoxin was detected in the blood of infected cattle (Group 4) and buffaloes (Groups 3 and 5) prior to the detection of P. multocida B:2 in the blood. The endotoxin was detected in the blood of buffaloes of Group 3 and cattle of Group 4 at 0.5 h post-inoculation while buffaloes of Group 5 and cattle of Group 6 at 1.5 h. On the other hand, bacteraemia was detected at 2.5 h in buffaloes of Group 3 and cattle of Group 4 and at 12 h in buffaloes of Group 5 and cattle of Group 6. Affected cattle and buffaloes showed lesions typical of haemorrhagic septicaemia. These included congestion and haemorrhages in the organs of respiratory, gastrointestinal and urinary tracts with evidence of acute inflammatory reactions. The severity of gross and histopathology lesions in cattle and buffalo calves that succumbed to the infection showed insignificant (p > 0.05) difference. However, inoculated buffalo and cattle that survived the infection showed significantly (p < 0.05) less severe gross and histopathological changes than those that succumbed. In general, cattle are more resistant to intranasal infection by P. multocida B:2 than buffaloes.

Personalized treatment of hepatitis B

There are seven approved drugs for treatment of hepatitis B. Professional guidelines provide a framework for managing patients but these guidelines should be interpreted in the context of the individual patient's clinical and social circumstances. Personalized management of hepatitis B can be applied based on prediction of the individual patient's risk of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma to guide the frequency and intensity of monitoring and urgency of treatment. It can also be applied to decisions regarding when to start treatment, which drug to use, and when to stop based on the individual patient's disease characteristics, preference, comorbidities and other mitigating circumstances.

Optimization of Protein Extraction for Lichen Thalli

Lichen-forming fungal proteins have been seldom searched due to many difficulties in their extraction. Phenols, quinones, proteases, and other components released during cell disruption have been known to be the greatest challenges related to protein extraction from lichens. To overcome these problems and maintain good electrophoretic resolution and high protein concentration, an extraction buffer containing polyvinylpolypyrrolidone, ascorbic acid, Triton X-100, polyethylene glycol, proteinase, and oxidase inhibitors in sodium phosphate buffer was developed. This extraction buffer showed high efficiency for all lichen species tested in the study.

Three New Monotypic Genera of the Caloplacoid Lichens (Teloschistaceae, Lichen-Forming Ascomycetes)

Three monophyletic branches are strongly supported in a phylogenetic analysis of the Teloschistaceae based on combined data sets of internal transcribed spacer and large subunit nrDNA and 12S small subunit mtDNA sequences. These are described as new monotypic genera: Jasonhuria S. Y. Kondr., L. Lokos et S. -O. Oh, Loekoesia S. Y. Kondr., S. -O. Oh et J. -S. Hur and Olegblumia S. Y. Kondr., L. Lokos et J. -S. Hur. Three new combinations for the type species of these genera are proposed.

Hepatitis B Screening and Vaccination Practices in Asian American Primary Care

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Screening for hepatitis B virus (HBV) is recommended in populations with anticipated prevalence > or =2%. This study surveyed HBV screening and vaccination practices of Asian American primary care providers (PCPs). METHODS: Approximately 15,000 PCPs with Asian surnames in the New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, and Chicago areas were invited to participate in a web-based survey. Asian American PCPs with > or =25% Asian patients in their practice were eligible. RESULTS: Of 430 (2.9%) survey respondents, 217 completed the survey. Greater than 50% followed > or =200 Asian patients. Although 95% of PCPs claimed to have screened patients for HBV, 41% estimated that < or =25% of their adult Asian patients had ever been screened, and 50% did not routinely screen all Asian patients. In a multivariable analysis, the proportion of Asian patients in the practice, provider geographic origin and the number of liver cancers diagnosed in the preceding 12 months were significantly associated with a higher likelihood of screening for HBV. Over 80% of respondents reported that < or =50% of their adult Asian patients had received the HBV vaccine. CONCLUSIONS: Screening and vaccination for HBV in Asian American patients is inadequate. Measures to improve HBV knowledge and care by primary-care physicians are critically needed.