Mycoplasma gallisepticum: an emerging challenge to the poultry industry in Egypt.

In this study, the authors examined the technical performance of culture methodology using specific media: Mycoplasma isolation media of pleuropneumonia-like organisms (PPLO) broth and PPLO agar. Digitonin sensitivity, growth inhibition, the serum plate agglutination test, a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a commercially available simplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test were used to detect Mycoplasma gallisepticum infections in samples collected from the lungs, trachea and tracheal swabs of poultry. These samples were collected from broiler-breeder flocks, broiler flocks and layer flocks. In addition, genomic bacterial deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was extracted and amplified, using a simplex PCR. The seroprevalence of M. gallisepticum antibodies in chickens and chicks was also investigated. The prevalence of M. gallisepticum was found to be highest in the layer flocks, at 33.3% (17/51), when the tracheal swab procedure was adopted. In young birds, the serum plate agglutination test and ELISA assay detected antibodies against M. gallisepticum in 69.9% (320/458) and 58.3% (267/458) of the chicken samples, respectively, and 48.7% (146/300) and 60% (180/300) of the samples from the chicks.

Efficacy of biphasic waveform compared to monophasic waveform for cardioversion of atrial flutter in pediatric patients.

The efficacy of biphasic waveform cardioversion of atrial flutter in pediatric patients has not previously been demonstrated. Cardioversion outcomes were compared in two sequential groups of patients with atrial flutter undergoing transthoracic cardioversion using monophasic and biphasic waveforms at a single pediatric institution. The mean energy required for procedural success was 1.7 +/- 1.2 J/kg in the monophasic group compared to 0.9 +/- 0.6 J/kg in the biphasic group (p = 0.002). The mean number of attempts before achieving procedural success was 1.9 +/- 1.2 for the monophasic group and 1.3 +/- 1.0 for the biphasic group (p = 0.019). Procedure success rate was 89.5% (33/38) in the monophasic group compared to 100% (27/27) in the biphasic group (p = 0.13). Success rate for biphasic waveform cardioversion was 83% (5/6) when using energy less than 0.5 J/kg. These findings provide the impetus for lower starting energies and more widespread use of devices utilizing biphasic waveforms in pediatric patients.