Prevalence of respiratory pathogens in nasal swabs from horses with acute respiratory disease in Belgium

Contagious respiratory infections are an important cause of respiratory disease in horses, resulting in impaired pulmonary function, poor performance and sometimes severe illness. Although bacterial infections are often suspected to be involved, viruses are frequently overlooked and are an underestimated cause of respiratory disease outbreaks in horses. In this study, nasal swabs of 103 horses with acute symptoms of respiratory disease were analyzed for the presence of 13 different respiratory pathogens. Gamma herpesviruses were the most commonly detected, with 60% of the samples being positive, followed by streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus infection (30%). Rhinovirus B, streptococcus equi subsp. equi, adenovirus 1 and EHV-4 were more rarely detected. Further research is necessary to correctly interpret the importance of gamma herpesviruses in horses, for example by screening a healthy control population. National surveillance of respiratory viruses in horses by PCR analysis on nasal swabs might be a useful, early warning system for viral epidemics

On the potential of using fractional-order systems to model the respiratory impedance

This contribution provides an analysis of the human respiratory system in frequency domain by means of estimating the respiratory impedance. Further on, analysis of several models for human respiratory impedance is done, leading to the conclusion that a fractional model gives a better description of the impedance than the classical theory of integer-order systems. A mathematical analysis follows, starting from the conclusions obtained heuristically. Correlation to the physiological characteristics of the respiratory system is discussed

Evaluation of Functional Condition of Respiratory Muscles of Patients with a Complicated Bronchial Asthma Pathology and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases

The aim of the research was to study the functional state of respiratory muscles and neuro-respiratory drive in patients with a combined pathology of bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.The functional condition of the respiratory muscles and the tone of the respiratory centre were determined with the help of a device for occlusion spirometry. Also, the patient was observed with a spirometry, a general plethysmography of the body.Materials and methods.140 patients with combined broncho-obstructive pathology, 34 patients with asthma and 17 patients with COPD were examined. Spirometry, general plethysmography of the body and occlusion spirometry were provided for all patients.Results show a decrease in muscle strength of breath in all categories of patients with broncho-obstructive diseases, especially expressed in patients with bronchial asthma and asthma-COPD intersection. The muscle strength of breath was maintained with a significant increase in COPD patients compared with those with bronchial asthma. With increasing broncho-obstruction in patients with asthma-COPD intersection, there was a progressive and reliable decrease in muscle strength for breath and expiration, as well as a tendency to increase neuron respiratory drive. In patients with asthma-COPD intersection with more expressed symptoms revealed a significant and reliable weakening of muscle strength for breath and increased neuro-respiratory drive. During the work were obtained reliable links of the parameters of respiratory muscle strength not only with the parameters of pulmonary volume and bronchial patency, but also with the degree of neutrophilic inflammation in this category of patients.Conclusions The obtained data on failure of the functional state of the respiratory muscles and the neuro-respiratory drive can be used in the development of rehabilitation programs for the management of patients with combined broncho-obstructive pathology

Multilocus sequence typing of a global collection of pasteurella multocida isolates from cattle and other host species demonstrates niche association

Background- Pasteurella multocida causes disease in many host species throughout the world. In bovids, it contributes to bovine respiratory disease (BRD) and causes haemorrhagic septicaemia (HS). Previous studies have suggested that BRD-associated P. multocida isolates are of limited diversity. A multilocus sequence typing (MLST) scheme for P. multocida was used to determine whether the low levels of diversity reported are due to the limited discriminatory power of the typing method used, restricted sample selection or true niche association. Bovine respiratory isolates of P. multocida (n = 133) from the UK, the USA and France, collected between 1984 and 2008 from both healthy and clinically affected animals, were typed using MLST. Isolates of P. multocida from cases of HS, isolates from other host species and data from the MLST database were used as comparison. Results - Bovine respiratory isolates were found to be clonal (ISA 0.45) with 105/128 belonging to clonal complex 13 (CC13). HS isolates were not related to bovine respiratory isolates. Of the host species studied, the majority had their own unique sequence types (STs), with few STs being shared across host species, although there was some cross over between porcine and bovine respiratory isolates. Avian, ovine and porcine isolates showed greater levels of diversity compared to cattle respiratory isolates, despite more limited geographic origins. Conclusions - The homogeneity of STs of bovine respiratory P. multocida observed, and the differences between these and P. multocida subpopulations from bovine non-respiratory isolates and non-bovine hosts may indicate niche association

Regularity of Respiratory Waveform Depends on Ventilation Parameters

Entropy is a nonlinear method for quantifying the regularity and order of a system. Entropy was originally born from thermodynamics and is now used in various fields, such as statistical mechanics and information ethics. Approximate Entropy (ApEn) is an index that has been developed to quantify the complexity of data over time. This study aimed to use ApEn measurement to clarify the relationship between the regularity of the respiratory waveform and ventilation parameters for humans in a resting state. The 5 minutes resting respiratory metabolism of thirteen healthy participants was measured, including respiratory rate (RR), tidal volume (VT), minute ventilation (V ̇ E), end-tidal oxygen concentration (ETO2), end-tidal carbon dioxide concentration (ETCO2), end-tidal carbon dioxide tension (PETCO2), inspiration time (TI), expiration time (TE), and respiration time (TTOT), and the ventilatory response to end-tidal carbon dioxide tension (V ̇ E /PETCO2) was calculated. ApEn values and ventilation parameters were examined using Pearson\u27s product-moment correlation coefficient. The ApEn value of the respiratory waveforms of participants was 0.291 ±0.050 (mean±SD); these values were positively correlated with TI, TE, TTOT, ETO2, and PETCO2, and negatively correlated with RR, ETCO2, and V ̇ E/PETCO2. There were no correlations with VT or V ̇ E. The results revealed a correlation between ApEn values and RR, TI, TE, and TTOT. The respiratory waveform of a person with fast respiration and a high respiration rate was regular. The correlation between the regularity of the respiratory waveform and PETCO2 and V ̇ E/PETCO2 showed that those with regular respiratory waveforms had increased sensitivity to CO2 and were in a respiratory state close to hyperventilation. Those with regular respiratory waveforms at rest may have unconsciously felt breathless due to anxiety. The fact that no correlation was observed between VT and V ̇ E supports the notion that the regularity of the respiratory waveform is not determined by ventilation volume but by respiration rate.東京有明医療大学2019年

Skin TLR7 triggering promotes accumulation of respiratory dendritic cells and natural killer cells.

The TLR7 agonist imiquimod has been used successfully as adjuvant for skin treatment of virus-associated warts and basal cell carcinoma. The effects of skin TLR7 triggering on respiratory leukocyte populations are unknown. In a placebo-controlled experimental animal study we have used multicolour flow cytometry to systematically analyze the modulation of respiratory leukocyte subsets after skin administration of imiquimod. Compared to placebo, skin administration of imiquimod significantly increased respiratory dendritic cells (DC) and natural killer cells, whereas total respiratory leukocyte, alveolar macrophages, classical CD4+ T helper and CD8+ T killer cell numbers were not or only moderately affected. DC subpopulation analyses revealed that elevation of respiratory DC was caused by an increase of respiratory monocytic DC and CD11b(hi) DC subsets. Lymphocyte subpopulation analyses indicated a marked elevation of respiratory natural killer cells and a significant reduction of B lymphocytes. Analysis of cytokine responses of respiratory leukocytes after stimulation with Klebsiella pneumonia indicated reduced IFN-γ and TNF-α expression and increased IL-10 and IL-12p70 production after 7 day low dose skin TLR7 triggering. Additionally, respiratory NK cytotoxic activity was increased after 7d skin TLR7 triggering. In contrast, lung histology and bronchoalveolar cell counts were not affected suggesting that skin TLR7 stimulation modulated respiratory leukocyte composition without inducing overt pulmonary inflammation. These data suggest the possibility to modulate respiratory leukocyte composition and respiratory cytokine responses against pathogens like Klebsiella pneumonia through skin administration of a clinically approved TLR7 ligand. Skin administration of synthetic TLR7 ligands may represent a novel, noninvasive means to modulate respiratory immunity

Incidence of viral respiratory infections in a prospective cohort of outpatient and hospitalized children aged ≤5 years and its associated cost in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Background: Although information about the incidence of viral respiratory illnesses and their associated cost can help health officials explore the value of interventions, data are limited from middle-income countries. Methods: During 2008-2010, we conducted a prospective cohort study and followed ~1,800 Argentinian children aged ≤5years to identify those children who were hospitalized or who sought care at an emergency room with any acute respiratory infection sign or symptom (e.g., rhinorrhea, cough, wheezing, tachypnea, retractions, or cyanosis). Respiratory samples were obtained for respiratory syncytial virus, influenza, parainfluenza, adenovirus, and metapneumovirus testing by immunofluorescence and for rhinovirus by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results: The incidence of respiratory syncytial virus (24/1000 children-years), human metapneumovirus (8/1000 children-years), and influenza (8/1000 children-years) illnesses was highest among hospitalized children aged <6months and decreased among older children. In contrast, the incidence of rhinovirus was highest (12/1000 children-years) among those aged 6-23 months. In the emergency room, the incidence of rhinovirus was 459; respiratory syncytial virus 352; influenza 185; parainfluenza 177; metapneumovirus 130; and adenovirus 73/1,000 children-years. The total cost of hospitalization was a median of US$529 (Interquartile range, US$362-789). Conclusions: Our findings indicate that respiratory viruses, in particular rhinovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, metapneumovirus, and influenza may be associated with severe illness causing substantial economic burden.Fil: Marcone, Débora Natalia. Centro de Educaciones Médicas e Investigación Clínica ; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Durand, Lizette O.. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Estados UnidosFil: Azziz Baumgartner, Eduardo. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Estados UnidosFil: Vidaurreta, Santiago Manuel. Centro de Educaciones Médicas e Investigación Clínica ; ArgentinaFil: Ekstrom, Jorge. Centro de Educaciones Médicas e Investigación Clínica ; ArgentinaFil: Carballal, Guadalupe. Centro de Educaciones Médicas e Investigación Clínica ; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Echavarría, Marcela Silvia. Centro de Educaciones Médicas e Investigación Clínica ; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Comparative Effectiveness of Step-up Therapies in Children with Asthma Prescribed Inhaled Corticosteroids : A Historical Cohort Study

This work was supported by the Respiratory Effectiveness Group. Acknowledgments We thank the Respiratory Effectiveness Group for funding this work, Annie Burden for assistance with statistics, and Simon Van Rysewyk and Lisa Law for assistance with medical writing.Peer reviewedPostprin