Estudio de la variación del rango de movimiento articular de la articulacion del codo en perros con osteoartritis tratados con campos magnéticos pulsatiles

En los últimos años se ha producido un incremento de la población geriátrica canina y, en consecuencia, un aumento de patologías dependientes de la edad. Una de estas enfermedades es la osteoartritis (OA), que afectaría al 25% de la población geriátrica canina, y que se describe como un proceso degenerativo articular caracterizado por la pérdida progresiva de cartílago, formación y desarrollo de osteofitos y aparición de fibrosis periarticular. En función de la etiología puede clasificarse en OA primaria, sin causa etiológica conocida, o en OA secundaria en la que se conoce la enfermedad que provoca la aparición de OA. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue valorar el papel de los campos magnéticos pulsátiles (CMP) en el tratamiento de la OA. Para ello se determinó la variación del rango de movimiento articular (ROM) de la articulación del codo en 30 animales, 18 de ellos sometidos al tratamiento con CMP y 12 de control. Se calculó el ROM de cada uno de los pacientes al inicio del tratamiento y a los 45, 90 y 180 días de comenzarlo, para ello se utilizó un goniómetro, instrumento que permitió obtener los ángulos de máxima extensión y flexión de la articulación estudiada. La diferencia entre ambos ángulos es el valor del ROM que se usó como referencia. Las mediciones se realizaron con el perro en decúbito lateral y miembro anterior en triple flexión. Los pacientes fueron seleccionados para este estudio siguiendo unos criterios que permitiesen una mayor uniformidad entre los mismos, todos ellos eran de raza labrador o cruce de la misma, se encontraban en un rango de peso entre 28 kg. y 34 kg, misma condición corporal, nivel de actividad física similar, control de la alimentación y edad comprendida entre 8 y 14 años. En función de la etiología se establecieron 4 grupos: (1) OA secundaria y tratados con CMP (n=12), (2) OA primaria y tratados con CMP (n=6), (3) OA secundaria sin tratamiento con CMP (n=8), y (4) OA primaria sin tratamiento con CMP (n=4)

Widespread distribution of hepatitis E virus in Spanish pig herds

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is a serious health problem in developing countries and is also increasingly reported in industrialized regions. HEV is considered a zoonotic agent and strains isolated from swine and human sources are genetically similar. Thus, HEV is of increasing importance to both public and animal health. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the distribution of HEV in a large population of pigs from herds located in different autonomous regions throughout Spain.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The presence of anti-HEV IgG antibodies was analyzed in 1141 swine serum samples (corresponding to 381 pigs younger than 6 months and 760 pigs older than 6 months) collected from 85 herds. Herds were located in 6 provinces in 4 autonomous regions throughout Spain. At least one pig tested positive for anti-HEV IgG in over 80% of herds. Of individual pigs, 20.4% (233/1141) were positive for anti-HEV IgG, with the prevalence being higher in adult pigs than in those under 6 months (30.2% <it>vs. </it>15.5%). A subset of serum samples taken at 2- to 5-week intervals showed that seroprevalence dropped between 3 and 11 weeks of age, and then rose significantly by the 15th week. Pigs were also examined for the presence of HEV-RNA by RT-PCR. Of pigs tested for the presence of HEV-RNA 18.8% (64/341) were positive, with at least one pig in almost half of the herds testing positive. HEV-RNA amplicons from several positive pigs were sequenced and all were of genotype 3.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>HEV was found to be widely distributed among swine farms across Spain, with the prevalence being highest among animals older than 6 months. These results indicate that HEV infection either is or is likely to become endemic in the Spanish swine population.</p

Characterization of probiotic properties of lactic acid bacteria isolated from intestinal microbiota of fish

4 páginas, 5 tablasThe aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of three lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from fish, Lactococcus lactis CLFP 101, Lactobacillus plantarum CLFP 238, and Lactobacillus fermentum CLFP 242 to inhibit adhesion of several fish pathogens (Aeromonas hydrophila, Aeromonas salmonicida, Yersinia ruckeri and Vibrio anguillarum) to host intestinal mucus under in vitro conditions. The results showed that only Lc. lactis CLFP 101 reduced the adhesion of all fish pathogens, whereas L. plantarum CLFP 238 reduced the adhesion of A. hydrophila and A. salmonicida. With the exception of V. anguillarum, the adhesion of all fish pathogens to intestinal mucus was reduced by L. fermentum CLFP 242 and by mixture of the three LAB strains. In addition, only Lc. lactis CLFP 101 showed antibacterial activities against all fish pathogens as measured in spent culture liquid. All LAB strains were able to survive relatively low pH and high fish bile concentrations. Based on the positive results of this study, Lc. lactis CLFP 101, L. plantarum CLFP 238 and L. fermentum CLFP 242 should be further studied in challenge experiments in fish to explore their probiotic effects.This study was supported by a grant from the National Adviser Body of Continental Cultures (JACUCON). J. L. Balcázar was supported by a fellowship from the Spanish International Cooperation Agency (AECI).Peer reviewe

Serological Immunoassay for Detection of Hepatitis E Virus on the Basis of Genotype 3 Open Reading Frame 2 Recombinant Proteins Produced in Trichoplusia ni Larvae▿

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a major cause of acute hepatitis in humans, and strains of genotypes 1 and 2 are endemic in many regions with suboptimal sanitary conditions. In many industrialized countries, HEV strains of genotype 3 are highly endemic in swine, and an increased number of autochthonous infections with HEV genotype 3 strains have been reported lately. Serological studies of HEV infection are often conducted with commercial assays based on peptides and recombinant proteins of HEV genotype 1 and 2 strains. For some patients with proven HEV genotype 3 infections, these assays failed to detect specific antibodies, and they are not applicable or validated for the detection of anti-HEV antibodies in swine. To elucidate the incidence of hepatitis E in regions where HEV genotype 3 infections can be expected, and to study the seroprevalence of HEV in swine, new tools with broad specificity for all genotypes of HEV are needed. We present the expression and partial characterization of recombinant HEV genotype 3 open reading frame 2 (ORF-2) proteins and their usefulness as diagnostic antigens in detecting anti-HEV antibodies in humans and swine with proven HEV genotype 3 infections. The recombinant antigens were produced at relatively high yields and at low cost upon infection of Trichoplusia ni larvae with recombinant baculoviruses expressing recombinant HEV genotype 3 ORF-2 proteins. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay based on the recombinant proteins showed good specificity and sensitivity for anti-HEV genotype 3 immunoglobulin G detection in human and swine sera. These recombinant HEV genotype 3 ORF-2 proteins might be added to diagnostic kits containing HEV genotype 1 and 2 antigens in order to develop a broadly sensitive new tool for the diagnosis of hepatitis E

Quantitative analysis of bacterial adhesion to fish tissue

3 pages, 1 figure.-- PMID: 19349152 [PubMed].-- Printed version published Jul 1, 2009.Adhesion to host tissue represents a first crucial step in most bacterial infections. Both specific adhesion-ligand as well as hydrophobic interactions may be involved. The adhesion of Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida, Lactococcus garvieae, and Yersinia ruckeri strains to fish tissue cells was assessed. To determine whether the observed bacterial adhesion to fish tissue cells was caused by non-specific interactions, adhesion to bovine serum albumin (BSA) and polystyrene was also tested. Our results demonstrated that non-specific adhesion such as hydrophobic interactions are only partially involved in the binding process since adhesion to BSA was low, and there was no correlation between adhesion to polystyrene and adhesion to fish tissue cells.This study was supported by a grant from the National Adviser Body of Continental Cultures (JACUCON). J. L. Balcázar was supported by a fellowship from the Spanish International Cooperation Agency (AECI).Peer reviewe