Vaccines against sexually transmitted diseases

Human sexually transmitted infections are prevalent throughout the world. Several have been associated with adverse pregnancy outcome and increased susceptibility to HIV infection, in addition to the discomfort of inflammation of the genital tract. Yet vaccines to protect against the infection at the genital mucosa are not available. Hepatitis B is an exception, but this virus becomes systemic and protection may be at the systemic level. Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) have long been associated with reproductive failure in cattle. These infections cause considerable economic loss, which has been a stimulus to investigation. Consequently, vaccines and mechanisms of immune protection have been studied quite thoroughly. The results obtained with two commercially available vaccines will be used to illustrate principles of protective immunity against STDs. Both Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis and Tritrichomonas foetus are only transmitted sexually and both cause reproductive failure in cattle

Effect of Dexamethasone in Neospora Caninum Seropositive Calves

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Dexamethasone (DXM) on clinical parameters, absolute and differential leukocyte count, specific IgG titers, IFN-γ production and parasitemia in beef calves seropositive to Neospora caninum. Fifteen calves were assigned to four experimental groups as follow: group A: 4 sero- positive calves treated with DXM; group B: 4 seropositive calves without DXM; group C: 3 seronegative calves treated with DXM, and group D: 4 seronegative calves without DXM treatment. The absolute leukocyte count was higher in both groups A and C in the 3rd day after the first dose of DXM mainly due to a significant neutrophilia (p0.05). Similarly, IFN-γ levels did not change among experimental groups (p>0.05). DNA was de- tected in calves from groups A and B at 7 Days Post Administra- tion (dpa) and from group A at 14 dpa. Even when DXM adminis- tration induced hemotological parameter changes, no reactivation of Neospora-infection was observed according to specific IgG titers and presence of the parasite on leukocytes in naturally seropositive beef male calves.Fil: Idarraga Bedoya, S.. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata; ArgentinaFil: Armendano, Joaquín Ignacio. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata; ArgentinaFil: Gual, Ignacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata; ArgentinaFil: Hecker, Yanina Paola. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Leunda, M. R.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Buenos Aires Sur. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce; ArgentinaFil: Pereyra, S.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Buenos Aires Sur. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce; ArgentinaFil: Verna, Andrea Elizabeth. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Buenos Aires Sur. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce; ArgentinaFil: Campero, C. M.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Buenos Aires Sur. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce; ArgentinaFil: Odeón, Anselmo Carlos. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata; ArgentinaFil: Moore, Dadin Prando. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

An Ibero-American inter-laboratory trial to evaluate serological tests for the detection of anti-<i>Neospora caninum</i> antibodies in cattle

We carried out an inter-laboratory trial to compare the serological tests commonly used for the detection of specific Neospora caninum antibodies in cattle in Ibero- American countries. A total of eight laboratories participated from the following countries: Argentina (n = 4), Brazil (n = 1), Peru (n = 1), Mexico (n = 1), and Spain (n = 1). A blind panel of well-characterized cattle sera (n = 143) and sera representative of the target population (n = 351) was tested by seven in-house indirect fluorescent antibody tests (IFATs 1–7) and three enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs 1–3; two in-house and one commercial). Diagnostic performance of the serological tests was calculated and compared according to the following criteria: (1) the BPre-test information,^ which uses previous epidemiological and serological data; (2) the BMajority of tests,^ which classifies a serumas positive or negative according to the results obtained by most tests evaluated. Unexpectedly, six tests showed either sensitivity (Se) or specificity (Sp) values lower than 90%. In contrast, the best tests in terms of Se, Sp, and area under the ROC curve (AUC) values were IFAT 1 and optimized ELISA 1 and ELISA 2. We evaluated a high number of IFATs, which are the most widely used tests in Ibero-America. The significant discordances observed among the tests regardless of the criteria employed hinder control programs and urge the use of a common test or with similar performances to either the optimized IFAT 1 and ELISAs 1 and 2.Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria

A membrane computing simulator of trans-hierarchical antibiotic resistance evolution dynamics in nested ecological compartments (ARES)

In this article, we introduce ARES (Antibiotic Resistance Evolution Simulator) a software device that simulates P-system model scenarios with five types of nested computing membranes oriented to emulate a hierarchy of eco-biological compartments, i.e. a) peripheral ecosystem; b) local environment; c) reservoir of supplies; d) animal host; and e) host's associated bacterial organisms (microbiome). Computational objects emulating molecular entities such as plasmids, antibiotic resistance genes, antimicrobials, and/or other substances can be introduced into this framework and may interact and evolve together with the membranes, according to a set of pre-established rules and specifications. ARES has been implemented as an online server and offers additional tools for storage and model editing and downstream analysisThis work has also been supported by grants BFU2012-39816-C02-01 (co-financed by FEDER funds and the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, Spain) to AL and Prometeo/2009/092 (Ministry of Education, Government of Valencia, Spain) and Explora Ciencia y Explora Tecnologia/SAF2013-49788-EXP (Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness) to AM. IRF is recipient of a "Sara Borrell" postdoctoral fellowship (Ref. CD12/00492) from the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Spain). We are also grateful to the Spanish Network for the Study of Plasmids and Extrachromosomal Elements (REDEEX) for encouraging and funding cooperation among Spanish microbiologists working on the biology of mobile genetic elements (Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, reference number BFU2011-14145-E).Campos Frances, M.; Llorens, C.; Sempere Luna, JM.; Futami, R.; Rodríguez, I.; Carrasco, P.; Capilla, R.... (2015). A membrane computing simulator of trans-hierarchical antibiotic resistance evolution dynamics in nested ecological compartments (ARES). Biology Direct. 10(41):1-13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13062-015-0070-9S1131041Baquero F, Coque TM, Canton R. Counteracting antibiotic resistance: breaking barriers among antibacterial strategies. Expert Opin Ther Targets. 2014;18:851–61.Baquero F, Lanza VF, Canton R, Coque TM. Public health evolutionary biology of antimicrobial resistance: priorities for intervention. Evol Appl. 2014;8:223–39.Baquero F, Coque TM, de la Cruz F. 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Microbiol Mol Biol Rev. 2010;74:417–33.Palmer AC, Kishony R. Understanding, predicting and manipulating the genotypic evolution of antibiotic resistance. Nat Rev Genet. 2013;14:243–8.Baquero F, Tedim AP, Coque TM. Antibiotic resistance shaping multi-level population biology of bacteria. Front Microbiol. 2013;4:15.Partridge SR. Analysis of antibiotic resistance regions in Gram-negative bacteria. FEMS Microbiol Rev. 2011;35:820–55.Baquero F, Coque TM. Multilevel population genetics in antibiotic resistance. FEMS Microbiol Rev. 2011;35:705–6.Martinez JL, Baquero F, Andersson DI. Predicting antibiotic resistance. Nat Rev Microbiol. 2007;5:958–65.Martinez JL, Baquero F. Emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance: setting a parameter space. Upsala Journal of Medical Sciences. Upsala J Med Sci. 2014, Early Online: 1–10, doi: 10.3109/03009734.2014.901444 ).Baquero F, Nombela C. The microbiome as a human organ. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2012;18 Suppl 4:2–4.Kumsa B, Socolovschi C, Parola P, Rolain JM, Raoult D. Molecular detection of Acinetobacter species in lice and keds of domestic animals in Oromia Regional State. Ethiopia PLoS One. 2012;7:e52377.Ahmad A, Ghosh A, Schal C, Zurek L. Insects in confined swine operations carry a large antibiotic resistant and potentially virulent enterococcal community. BMC Microbiol. 2011;11:23.Graczyk TK, Knight R, Gilman RH, Cranfield MR. The role of non-biting flies in the epidemiology of human infectious diseases. Microbes Infect. 2001;3:231–5.Limoee M, Enayati AA, Khassi K, Salimi M, Ladonni H. Insecticide resistance and synergism of three field-collected strains of the German cockroach Blattella germanica (L.) (Dictyoptera: Blattellidae) from hospitals in Kermanshah, Iran. Trop Biomed. 2011;28:111–8.Salehzadeha A, Tavacolb P, Mahjubc H. Bacterial, fungal and parasitic contamination of cockroaches in public hospitals of Hamadan, Iran. 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Efecto de la suplementación con mg sobre diversos parámetros en vacas con restricción alimentaria

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of oral Mg supplements on intracellular and extracellular macro element concentrations in breeding cows with nutritional restrictions between the last third of the gestational period up to 45 days after birth. Three groups of 15 pregnant Aberdeen Angus cows each, were used in this study. Group 1 received a magnesium oxide supplement in addition to free access to agropyron and fescue pastures. Group 2 did not receive mineral supplements but did have access to the pastures. Group 3 had nutritional restrictions during the pre-partum period, with access exclusively to agropyron hay. Six samples of blood, forage and drinking water were collected. Blood serum, erythrocytes and forages were subjected to atomic absorption spectrophotometry in order to determi- ne Mg, Ca, Na and K levels. Phosphorus levels were determined through colorimetry in serum and grass samples. Drinking water was used to measure Ca, Mg and Na through atomic absorption spectrophotometry and total salt levels were obtained through gravimetric analysis. The data set was analyzed through ANOVA and groups were compared using Duncan's Test (MRT). Magnesium concentrations in pastures and hay were below 0.20% dry matter. No significant differences were observed on serum Mg levels among groups, although group 1 presented the highest levels throughout the study. Intracellular Mg levels were consistently lower than extracellular levels in all groups. During post- partum, erythrocytes magnesium levels increased for all groups. At the time of the last sample collection, animals from groups 1 and 2 exhibited a body condition value of 6 while group 3 presented a body condition value of 4. The animals from groups 1 and 2 gained 26 kg and 16 kg respectively while those from group 3 lost 44 kg. Weaning percentages were 93.3% for groups 1 and 2 and 66.6% for group 3. Weights at birth for calves belonging to animals in group 3 were lower (<4 kg) than those belonging to groups 1 and 2 (p<0.05). The magnesium decrease in plasma occurred earlier than the erythrocytes magnesium decrease. This suggests that plasma magnesium measu- rements are a more sensitive and earlier indicator to detect significant Mg level decrease than intracellular measurements. No significant differences were observed among the analyzed biochemical parameters. However, group 3 presented more productive losses than group 1 and 2. Even though clinical sign linked to hypomagnesaemia were not observed in group 3, this type of nutritional management may encourage productive losses that must be evaluated at the time of implementing such a nutritional strategy.Se evaluó el efecto de la suplementación oral con Mg sobre la concentración intra y extracelular de macroelementos en vacas de cría con restric- ción nutricional durante el último tercio de gesta- ción y 45 días posparto y determinar su influencia sobre parámetros bioquímicos y el estado clínico y productivo de los animales. Se utilizaron tres grupos de 15 vacas Abeerden Angus, preñadas. El grupo 1 fue suplementado con óxido de magnesio con libre acceso a una pastura de agropiro y festuca; el grupo 2 no recibió suplementación mineral y tuvo acceso a las pasturas; en el grupo 3, los animales fueron sometidos a restricción alimentaria en el preparto, con acceso sólo a heno de agropiro. Se realizaron 6 muestreos de sangre, forraje y uno de agua de bebida. En suero sanguíneo, eritrocitos y forraje se midió Mg, Ca, Na y K por espectrofotometría de absorción atómica. En suero y pasto P por colorimetría. En agua Ca, Mg, Na por espectro- fotometría de absorción atómica y sales totales por gravimetría. Los datos fueron analizados mediante ANOVA y comparados por el test de Duncan para cada grupo según muestreos. Las concentraciones de Mg en las pasturas y en heno fueron inferiores al 0,20% sobre materia seca. No existieron diferencias significativas en los valo- res del Mg sérico entre los 3 grupos de animales si bien el grupo 1 presentó valores más elevados. La concentración de Mg intracelular fue menor que la del extracelular en todos los grupos y durante el posparto se observó un aumento de los valores de Mg eritrocitario en todos los animales. Durante el último muestreo, los animales de los grupos 1 y 2 mantenían una condición corporal de 6 mientras que los del grupo 3 tenían una condición de 4. Los animales de los grupos 1 y 2 ganaron 26 y 16 kg respectivamente, mientras que los del grupo 3 perdieron 44 kg. Los porcentajes de destete fue- ron de 93,3% para los grupos 1 y 2 y 66,6% para el grupo 3. El peso al nacer de los terneros del grupo 3 fue de 4 kg menos que el de los grupos 1 y 2 (p<0,05). La caída de Mg sérico fue más rápida que la del eritrocitario por lo que es mejor indicador para detectar la deficiencia de Mg. Si bien, no se observaron diferencias significativas entre los parámetros bioquímicos analizados, el grupo de animales bajo restricción alimentaria tuvo mayo- res pérdidas productivas que los animales sin restricción. Aunque no se observaron signos clínicos vinculantes a la hipomagnesemia en los animales en restricción este tipo de manejo alimen- ticio puede predisponer a pérdidas productivas que deberán ser evaluadas al momento de definir dicha estrategia