Epidemiology and Antibiotic Succeptibility Profile of Methicillin Sensitive Staphylococcus aureus among Livestock and Pet Animals

Staphylococcus aureus is an important zoonotic pathogen that is responsible for a variety of infectious diseases in humans and animals. The present study was designed to check the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of MSSA from three different animal origins (bovine, caprine and pet). A total of n= 450 samples (150 each source) were collected from bovine, caprine and pets. Collected samples were subjected to S. aurues identification by microbiological examination and confirmed S. aurues isolates were put to oxacillin disk diffusion test to declare them MSSA. The MSSA confirmed isolates were subjected to various antibiotics for susceptibility profiling using Kirby Baur Disk Diffusion test. The present study found higher prevalence of MSSA from caprine origin (goat 83.33%) as compared to pet (cat 69.33%; dog 65.33%) and bovine origin (buffalo 26.66%; cattle 31.66%). The in-vitro findings of current study revealed oxytetracycline and gentamicin presented 100% efficacy against MSSA of all origins while the vancomycin presented >35%, >40% and > 65% resistance against MSSA isolated from bovine, caprine and pet origin respectively. However, ciprofloxacin was equally effective (50%) against MSSA from buffalo and cattle while >80% efficacy was noted against MSSA from cat and dogs. Linezolid and amoxicillin+ clavulanic acid were 77.78% and 66.67% sensitive to MSSA isolates from caprine milk. The present study found higher prevalence of MSSA from bovine, caprine and pet isolates with diversified pattern of susceptibility of different antibiotics from all sources

Viral outbreaks: A real threat to the world

Global public health is facing significant challenges in terms of emerging and re-emerging pathogens. The world is facing a new public health crisis emergence and spread of Coronaviruses outbreaks especially COVID-19 after nine deadliest viral outbreaks including Marburg virus, Ebola virus, Rabies, HIV, Smallpox, Hantavirus, Influenza, Dengue and Rotavirus. Coronaviruses (enveloped non-segmented positive-sense RNA viruses) belong to the Coronaviridae family, broadly distributed in humans as well as in other mammals. In December 2019, the COVID-19 outbreak was reported in the Wuhan, Hubei province of China. WHO confirmed that COVID-19 is associated with Huanan seafood (Wuhan). COVID-19 virus outbreak is more dangerous than its ancestors MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV. Although the case fatality rate is lower, it has alarmed the world because of its rapid spread during this era of the modern world where the whole world is connected through different channels of trade. As the world is already facing economic challenges, underdeveloped countries are not capable of facing such challenges, and this outbreak may become worse than ever before.Keywords: Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Marburg virus; Ebola virus; Rabies; HIV; Smallpox; Hantavirus; Influenza; Dengue; Rotaviru

Efficacy of Azadirachta indica (Neem) leaf extract and hypertonic saline solution as intratesticular chemical sterilizing agents in dogs

A castração consiste na indução da esterilidade por meio físico, químico ou hormonal. A castração química é uma técnica eficiente e confiável, em contraste com outros procedimentos de esterilização, pois é menos dolorosa para os métodos físicos e econômicos para os métodos hormonais. Azadirachta indica (neem), é uma planta carismática, pois possui folhas anti-inflamatórias, antimicrobianas e antiandrogênicas. Para diminuir a crescente população humana no sul da Ásia, o óleo de nim e o extrato de folhas de nim têm sido efetivamente usados como agente contraceptivo. O principal determinante deste estudo atual foi avaliar o Neem como um agente esterilizante químico (necrótico ou apoptótico) em cães injetados intratesticularmente em comparação com uma solução salina hipertônica. O tamanho da largura testicular pré e pós-injeção e as amostras de sangue para os níveis séricos de testosterona foram colhidas em dias alternados. Os resultados obtidos revelaram alterações substanciais no tamanho da largura testicular, perfil histopatológico e nível sérico de testosterona. Observou-se uma leitura não significativa (P> 0,05) da largura testicular da pré-injeção, em contraste com um aumento significativo (P <0,05) três dias após a injeção em todos os grupos competitivos. Os valores médios registrados para o tamanho da largura testicular no final do estudo via extrato de folhas de nim, HSS a 30% e grupos controle foram 27,7362 ± 2,3315 mm, 30,9594 ± 4,6861 mm e 24,5023 ± 2,5387 mm, respectivamente. Uma tendência decrescente, com relação ao nível sérico de testosterona sendo estatisticamente significante (P <0,05), foi registrada nos grupos tratados (A, B), em contraste com o grupo controle (C), pois os valores eram 1,5357 ± 0,7819ng, 1,2669 ± 0,9095ng e 2,4517 ± 0,1827ng nos grupos A, B e C, respectivamente. Os achados histopatológicos advogaram a presença de corpos apoptóticos no grupo tratado com nim, enquanto a presença de células intersticiais degeneradas, túbulos seminíferos necrosados, epitélio germinativo danificado e espermatogênese interrompida também foi estudada nos dois grupos competitivos. Assim, o efeito apoptótico e a propriedade anti-inflamatória do extrato de folhas de nim resultaram em uma castração menos dolorosa e confirmaram que a Azadirachta indica foi um melhor substituto para a castração química do que a solução salina hipertônica.Castration refers to induced sterility via physical, chemical, or hormonal methods. Chemical castration is an efficient and reliable technique in contrast to other sterilization procedures as it is less painful to physical methods and cost‑effective to hormonal methods. Azadirachta indica (neem), is a charismatic plant as its leaves possess anti-inflammatory, anti‑microbial, and anti-androgenic chattels. To abate the escalating human population in South Asia, neem oil and neem leaf extract have been effectively used as a contraceptive agent. The key determinant of the current study was to evaluate Neem as a chemical sterilizing agent, (either necrotic or apoptotic), in dogs injected intratesticular in comparison to a hypertonic saline solution. Pre- and post-injection testicular width size and blood samples for serum testosterone levels were collected on alternative days. Results disclosed substantial changes in testicular width size, histopathological profile, and serum testosterone level. A non-significant (P > 0.05) pre-injection testicular width readings in contrast to a significant increase (P < 0.05) three days post-injection was noted in all the competitive groups. The mean values recorded for testicular width size at the end of the trial study via neem leaf extract, 30% HSS and, control groups were 27.7362 ± 2.3315mm, 30.9594 ± 4.6861mm, and 24.5023 ± 2.5387mm, respectively. A declining trend, regarding serum testosterone level being statistically significant (P < 0.05) was recorded in treated groups (A, B) in contrast to the control group (C) as the values were 1.5357 ± 0.7819ng, 1.2669 ± 0.9095ng, and 2.4517 ± 0.1827ng in groups A, B, and C, respectively. Histopathological findings advocated the presence of apoptotic bodies in the neem treated group whereas the presence of degenerated interstitial cells, necrosed seminiferous tubules, damaged germinal epithelium, and ceased spermatogenesis was also studied in both competitive groups. Thus, the apoptotic effect and anti-inflammatory property of neem leaf extract resulted in less painful castration and verified Azadirachta indica as a better substitute for chemical castration in contrast to hypertonic saline solution

Etiology of Bovine Mastitis

Mastitis in dairy animals is the primary concern of dairy farmers, which is the most common disease that causes huge economic losses in the dairy industry. The economic losses due to mastitis are from a reduction in milk yield, condemnation of milk with antibiotic residues, veterinary treatment costs, and death. In addition, some mastitis pathogens also cause serious human diseases associated with the contamination of milk or milk products with bacteria or their toxins. Bovine mastitis is mainly caused by a wide range of environmental and contagious bacterial mastitis pathogens. Contagious pathogens are those whose main reservoir is the infected udder. Contagious pathogens mainly spread among animals during milking process whereas environmental pathogens spread from environment to udder at any time. The source of the environmental pathogens is the surrounding environment of an animal. The major contagious pathogens include Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Mycoplasma spp. and the minor contagious pathogens include Corynebacterium bovis and others. Major environmental pathogens include coliform bacteria (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., Enterobacter spp. and Citrobacter spp.), environmental streptococci (Strep. dysgalactiae, Strep. uberis). This chapter covers detailed review of published data on contagious and environmental pathogens responsible for bovine mastitis

Global burden of 288 causes of death and life expectancy decomposition in 204 countries and territories and 811 subnational locations, 1990–2021: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

BACKGROUND Regular, detailed reporting on population health by underlying cause of death is fundamental for public health decision making. Cause-specific estimates of mortality and the subsequent effects on life expectancy worldwide are valuable metrics to gauge progress in reducing mortality rates. These estimates are particularly important following large-scale mortality spikes, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. When systematically analysed, mortality rates and life expectancy allow comparisons of the consequences of causes of death globally and over time, providing a nuanced understanding of the effect of these causes on global populations. METHODS The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021 cause-of-death analysis estimated mortality and years of life lost (YLLs) from 288 causes of death by age-sex-location-year in 204 countries and territories and 811 subnational locations for each year from 1990 until 2021. The analysis used 56 604 data sources, including data from vital registration and verbal autopsy as well as surveys, censuses, surveillance systems, and cancer registries, among others. As with previous GBD rounds, cause-specific death rates for most causes were estimated using the Cause of Death Ensemble model-a modelling tool developed for GBD to assess the out-of-sample predictive validity of different statistical models and covariate permutations and combine those results to produce cause-specific mortality estimates-with alternative strategies adapted to model causes with insufficient data, substantial changes in reporting over the study period, or unusual epidemiology. YLLs were computed as the product of the number of deaths for each cause-age-sex-location-year and the standard life expectancy at each age. As part of the modelling process, uncertainty intervals (UIs) were generated using the 2·5th and 97·5th percentiles from a 1000-draw distribution for each metric. We decomposed life expectancy by cause of death, location, and year to show cause-specific effects on life expectancy from 1990 to 2021. We also used the coefficient of variation and the fraction of population affected by 90% of deaths to highlight concentrations of mortality. Findings are reported in counts and age-standardised rates. Methodological improvements for cause-of-death estimates in GBD 2021 include the expansion of under-5-years age group to include four new age groups, enhanced methods to account for stochastic variation of sparse data, and the inclusion of COVID-19 and other pandemic-related mortality-which includes excess mortality associated with the pandemic, excluding COVID-19, lower respiratory infections, measles, malaria, and pertussis. For this analysis, 199 new country-years of vital registration cause-of-death data, 5 country-years of surveillance data, 21 country-years of verbal autopsy data, and 94 country-years of other data types were added to those used in previous GBD rounds. FINDINGS The leading causes of age-standardised deaths globally were the same in 2019 as they were in 1990; in descending order, these were, ischaemic heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and lower respiratory infections. In 2021, however, COVID-19 replaced stroke as the second-leading age-standardised cause of death, with 94·0 deaths (95% UI 89·2-100·0) per 100 000 population. The COVID-19 pandemic shifted the rankings of the leading five causes, lowering stroke to the third-leading and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to the fourth-leading position. In 2021, the highest age-standardised death rates from COVID-19 occurred in sub-Saharan Africa (271·0 deaths [250·1-290·7] per 100 000 population) and Latin America and the Caribbean (195·4 deaths [182·1-211·4] per 100 000 population). The lowest age-standardised death rates from COVID-19 were in the high-income super-region (48·1 deaths [47·4-48·8] per 100 000 population) and southeast Asia, east Asia, and Oceania (23·2 deaths [16·3-37·2] per 100 000 population). Globally, life expectancy steadily improved between 1990 and 2019 for 18 of the 22 investigated causes. Decomposition of global and regional life expectancy showed the positive effect that reductions in deaths from enteric infections, lower respiratory infections, stroke, and neonatal deaths, among others have contributed to improved survival over the study period. However, a net reduction of 1·6 years occurred in global life expectancy between 2019 and 2021, primarily due to increased death rates from COVID-19 and other pandemic-related mortality. Life expectancy was highly variable between super-regions over the study period, with southeast Asia, east Asia, and Oceania gaining 8·3 years (6·7-9·9) overall, while having the smallest reduction in life expectancy due to COVID-19 (0·4 years). The largest reduction in life expectancy due to COVID-19 occurred in Latin America and the Caribbean (3·6 years). Additionally, 53 of the 288 causes of death were highly concentrated in locations with less than 50% of the global population as of 2021, and these causes of death became progressively more concentrated since 1990, when only 44 causes showed this pattern. The concentration phenomenon is discussed heuristically with respect to enteric and lower respiratory infections, malaria, HIV/AIDS, neonatal disorders, tuberculosis, and measles. INTERPRETATION Long-standing gains in life expectancy and reductions in many of the leading causes of death have been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the adverse effects of which were spread unevenly among populations. Despite the pandemic, there has been continued progress in combatting several notable causes of death, leading to improved global life expectancy over the study period. Each of the seven GBD super-regions showed an overall improvement from 1990 and 2021, obscuring the negative effect in the years of the pandemic. Additionally, our findings regarding regional variation in causes of death driving increases in life expectancy hold clear policy utility. Analyses of shifting mortality trends reveal that several causes, once widespread globally, are now increasingly concentrated geographically. These changes in mortality concentration, alongside further investigation of changing risks, interventions, and relevant policy, present an important opportunity to deepen our understanding of mortality-reduction strategies. Examining patterns in mortality concentration might reveal areas where successful public health interventions have been implemented. Translating these successes to locations where certain causes of death remain entrenched can inform policies that work to improve life expectancy for people everywhere. FUNDING Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Double tail anomaly and surgical intervention

Congenital problems can be caused by genetic or chromosomal abnormalities. Some of these problems can be treated through different methods. These methods of treatment depend on the level defection. A twenty-fi ve days old female cross bred buffalo calf was presented at out-door of Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad with a complaint of an extra tail and maggots’ infestation. On complete physical examination abnormal growth was suspected as congenital problem with the presence of second tail. Surgical intervention was proposed as line of action against this anomaly.</p

Cotton fabric loaded with ZnO nanoflowers as a photocatalytic reactor with promising antibacterial activity against pathogenic E. coli

Nanofinishing is the process by which ultrafine dispersion of nanomaterials is applied to a textile for the development of functionalities. The utilization of nanometal oxides as antimicrobial agents have shown a substantial antimicrobial property in cotton. In the present study, previously synthesized powder containing ZnO nanoflowers (ZnO NFs) was characterized for morphology, surface composition, roughness, and charge using Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), Atomic force microscopy(AFM) and Zeta potential. Optical properties of crystalline ZnO were determined by Photoluminescence (PL), Diffused reflectance Spectroscopy (DRS), and bandgap energy determination. Highly crystalline, ZnO NFs bearing crystal defects and high surface charge were loaded onto the pristine cotton by a dip coating method using Triton X-100 as dispersant and iSys MTX fabric binder. The pristine cotton fabric of 125 g/m2 was nano finished by loading 20,42 and 58 µg/cm2 (1–3 dip cycles) ZnO NFs respectively. The loading of ZnO NFs onto the surface of cotton fabric was confirmed by SEM and used for antibacterial activity against E. coli as a photocatalytic reactor. The prepared samples were irradiated with a UV lamp of λmax = 254 nm (15 min, 30 min, 45 min) and D65 artificial sunlight (60 min, 120 min, 180 min) to investigate their photocatalytic activity against pathogenic E. coli using modified Breed Smear’s method. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of ZnO NFs@ cotton were determined as 19.53 µg/ml and 39.06 µg/ml respectively after exposure to UV light. After exposure to sunlight MIC and MBC observed were higher i.e. 156.25 µg/ml and 312.5 µg/ml respectively showing lesser activity in sunlight as compared to ionizing UV radiations. To verify the photocatalytic activity, hydroxyl radicals generated by ZnO NFs@ cotton were also determinedtime-resolved PL on exposure to a UV lamp and D65 artificial sunlight. This nano-finished cotton is a promising candidate to be used as a medical textile with high antibacterial activity even after 20 washing cycles with only a 5% decrease in efficiency

Regulatory Role of Apoptotic and Inflammasome Related Proteins and Their Possible Functional Aspect in Thiram Associated Tibial Dyschondroplasia of Poultry

Tibial dyschondroplasia debilities apoptotic and inflammasomal conditions that can further destroy chondrocytes. Inflammasomes are specialized protein complexes that process pro-inflammatory cytokines, e.g., interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-18. Moreover, there is mounting evidence that many of the signaling molecules that govern programmed cell death also affect inflammasome activation in a cell-intrinsic way. During the last decade, apoptotic functions have been described for signaling molecules involving inflammatory responses and cell death pathways. Considering these exceptional developments in the knowledge of processes, this review gives a glimpse of the significance of these two pathways and their connected proteins in tibial dyschondroplasia. The current review deeply elaborates on the elevated level of signaling mediators of mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis and the inflammasome. Although investigating these pathways’ mechanisms has made significant progress, this review identifies areas where more study is especially required. It might lead to developing innovative therapeutics for tibial dyschondroplasia and other associated bone disorders, e.g., osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, where apoptosis and inflammasome are the significant pathways

Age–sex differences in the global burden of lower respiratory infections and risk factors, 1990–2019: results from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Summary Background The global burden of lower respiratory infections (LRIs) and corresponding risk factors in children older than 5 years and adults has not been studied as comprehensively as it has been in children younger than 5 years. We assessed the burden and trends of LRIs and risk factors across all age groups by sex, for 204 countries and territories. Methods In this analysis of data for the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019, we used clinician-diagnosed pneumonia or bronchiolitis as our case definition for LRIs. We included International Classification of Diseases 9th edition codes 079.6, 466–469, 470.0, 480–482.8, 483.0–483.9, 484.1–484.2, 484.6–484.7, and 487–489 and International Classification of Diseases 10th edition codes A48.1, A70, B97.4–B97.6, J09–J15.8, J16–J16.9, J20–J21.9, J91.0, P23.0–P23.4, and U04–U04.9. We used the Cause of Death Ensemble modelling strategy to analyse 23 109 site-years of vital registration data, 825 site-years of sample vital registration data, 1766 site-years of verbal autopsy data, and 681 site-years of mortality surveillance data. We used DisMod-MR 2.1, a Bayesian meta-regression tool, to analyse age–sex-specific incidence and prevalence data identified via systematic reviews of the literature, population-based survey data, and claims and inpatient data. Additionally, we estimated age–sex-specific LRI mortality that is attributable to the independent effects of 14 risk factors. Findings Globally, in 2019, we estimated that there were 257 million (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 240–275) LRI incident episodes in males and 232 million (217–248) in females. In the same year, LRIs accounted for 1·30 million (95% UI 1·18–1·42) male deaths and 1·20 million (1·07–1·33) female deaths. Age-standardised incidence and mortality rates were 1·17 times (95% UI 1·16–1·18) and 1·31 times (95% UI 1·23–1·41) greater in males than in females in 2019. Between 1990 and 2019, LRI incidence and mortality rates declined at different rates across age groups and an increase in LRI episodes and deaths was estimated among all adult age groups, with males aged 70 years and older having the highest increase in LRI episodes (126·0% [95% UI 121·4–131·1]) and deaths (100·0% [83·4–115·9]). During the same period, LRI episodes and deaths in children younger than 15 years were estimated to have decreased, and the greatest decline was observed for LRI deaths in males younger than 5 years (–70·7% [–77·2 to –61·8]). The leading risk factors for LRI mortality varied across age groups and sex. More than half of global LRI deaths in children younger than 5 years were attributable to child wasting (population attributable fraction [PAF] 53·0% [95% UI 37·7–61·8] in males and 56·4% [40·7–65·1] in females), and more than a quarter of LRI deaths among those aged 5–14 years were attributable to household air pollution (PAF 26·0% [95% UI 16·6–35·5] for males and PAF 25·8% [16·3–35·4] for females). PAFs of male LRI deaths attributed to smoking were 20·4% (95% UI 15·4–25·2) in those aged 15–49 years, 30·5% (24·1–36·9) in those aged 50–69 years, and 21·9% (16·8–27·3) in those aged 70 years and older. PAFs of female LRI deaths attributed to household air pollution were 21·1% (95% UI 14·5–27·9) in those aged 15–49 years and 18·2% (12·5–24·5) in those aged 50–69 years. For females aged 70 years and older, the leading risk factor, ambient particulate matter, was responsible for 11·7% (95% UI 8·2–15·8) of LRI deaths. Interpretation The patterns and progress in reducing the burden of LRIs and key risk factors for mortality varied across age groups and sexes. The progress seen in children younger than 5 years was clearly a result of targeted interventions, such as vaccination and reduction of exposure to risk factors. Similar interventions for other age groups could contribute to the achievement of multiple Sustainable Development Goals targets, including promoting wellbeing at all ages and reducing health inequalities. Interventions, including addressing risk factors such as child wasting, smoking, ambient particulate matter pollution, and household air pollution, would prevent deaths and reduce health disparities