Cryopreservation of Salmonella enterica in porcine fecal samples

Fecal samples are normally tested for Salmonella soon after collection because storage at any temperature, including refrigeration or freezing, can reduce detection. To evaluate several cryopreservation techniques, autoclaved porcine feces with and without additives were inoculated with 103 CFU S. Derby (UW -9)/g with autoclaved feces pnor to freezing. The mixtures and % of the CFU inoculum that was recovered was as follows: Feces only, 11 %; 50% feces plus 50% glycerol, 45%, 25% feces, 50% glycerol, 25% tetrathionate broth, 63%, 25% feces, 50% glycerol, 25% buffered peptone water (BPW), 66%; 50% feces, 50% glycyceroi/Tris buffer, 58%; 50 % feces, 50% BPW, 30%. When fresh (not autoclaved) feces were used, inoculated with a nalidixic acid resistant S Typhimurium (WI-73), 4% of the inoculum was recovered from undiluted frozen feces wh1le the add1tlon of 50% BPW before freezmg mcreased recovery to 27%

A multifactorial system for equitable selection of cadaver kidney recipients

During 1986, a total of 270 cadaver renal transplantations were performed at the University of Pittsburgh. Kidneys were allocated by a point system that awarded points to recipients for waiting time, antigen matching, antibody analyses, medical urgency, and logistic practicality. Kidneys were given to patients with the highest point totals in 98% of cases. To our knowledge, this is the first such multifactorial system for cadaver kidney allocation. Possibly it may be modified for extrarenal organs

Association of Early Introduction of Solids With Infant Sleep: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months. However, 75% of British mothers introduce solids before 5 months and 26% report infant waking at night as influencing this decision. Objective: To determine whether early introduction of solids influences infant sleep. Design, Setting, and Participants: The Enquiring About Tolerance study was a population-based randomized clinical trial conducted from January 15, 2008, to August 31, 2015, that included 1303 exclusively breastfed 3-month-old infants from England and Wales. Clinical visits took place at St Thomas' Hospital, London, England, and the trial studied the early introduction of solids into the infant diet from age 3 months. Interventions: The early introduction group (EIG) continued to breastfeed while nonallergenic and then 6 allergenic foods were introduced. The standard introduction group (SIG) followed British infant feeding guidelines (ie, exclusive breastfeeding to around age 6 months and to avoid any food consumption during this period). Main Outcomes and Measures: Secondary analysis of an a priori secondary outcome of the effect of early food introduction on infant sleep using the standardized Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire. Results: Of the 1303 infants who were enrolled in the Enquiring About Tolerance study, 1225 participants (94%) completed the final 3-year questionnaire (618 SIG [95%] and 607 EIG [93%]). Randomization was effective and there were no significant baseline differences between the 2 groups. Following the early introduction of solids, infants in the EIG slept significantly longer and woke significantly less frequently than infants in the SIG. Differences between the 2 groups peaked at age 6 months. At this point, in the intention-to-treat analysis infants in the EIG slept for 16.6 (95% CI, 7.8-25.4) minutes longer per night and their night waking frequency had decreased from 2.01 to 1.74 wakings per night. Most clinically important, very serious sleep problems, which were significantly associated with maternal quality of life, were reported significantly more frequently in the SIG than in the EIG (odds ratio, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.22-2.61). Conclusions and Relevance: In a randomized clinical trial, the early introduction of solids into the infant's diet was associated with longer sleep duration, less frequent waking at night, and a reduction in reported very serious sleep problems. Trial Registration: isrctn.org Identifier: ISRCTN14254740

The association between herd characteristics and salmonella prevalence in slaughter age pigs

Many factors have the potential to result in exposure of pigs to Salmonella and/or to increase the potential shedding at the time of slaughter. Observation of selected production systems has suggested that control of Salmonella may not occur using common disease management strategies, such as batch pig flow, as do many other diseases.\u27 A rational approach to Salmonella reduction would be to rank risk factors, to aid in selecting. We designed this study to assess risk factors of Salmonella status at slaughter

Farm-level Risk Factor Assessment for Infection with Salmonella spp.

We are focusing on the factors that predispose to Salmonella spp. infection in commercial pig production systems. Our current project aims to accomplish two primary goals. First, we will define the herd-level and pig-level prevalence for Salmonella infection. Second, we will quantify the farm-level risk factors for Salmonella herd- and pig-level prevalence. The determination of Salmonella infection is species and serotype specific. Twenty-five pigs will be sampled on the farm and 15 at slaughter from each of 70 herds that participate in an ongoing slaughter monitoring project (PigMON). Risks will be assessed by a survey of farms at the time of the slaughter inspection

The association of antimicrobial resistance patterns and reported usage of antimicrobials in commercial growing pig production

The relationship between into microbial use and the development of resistance to antimicrobials has been demonstrated through both external models and has been observed clinically. However, the strength of this relationship in practical production systems has not been clearly quantified. We designed this study to examine the strength of the relationship between use of antimicrobials and the occurrence of antimicrobial resistence among Salmonella spp. collected from the same groups of growing pig

Repeated observations on the Salmonella culture status of midwest U.S. herds

Mesenteric lymph nodes were collected from pigs from 115 Midwest U.S. swine herds at slaughter on two occasions separated by 6-9 months. These herds were sampled up to three additional times during a three-year period, with 30 herds sampled five times. Thirty pigs were sampled at each collection. Herds were categorized positive if one or more samples revealed Salmonella spp. While culture status at collection one was associated with the second sampling collection (p \u3c 0.01), the association was only moderate in strength (OR = 2.6). Herds with three consecutive positive tests (9 of 38) were all positive on sample four. Prevalence estimates were weakly or not correlated between samplings. In conclusion, Salmonella culture status of these swine herds was weakly predictive of future culture results. Accurate description of Salmonella status based on bacterial culture appears to require repeated or ongoing testing

Antimicrobial resistance patterns of Salmonella isolates collected from slaughter age pigs

Salmonellae are ubiquitous in nature and are recovered from many animal species including swine. However, prevalence of specific serotypes can vary. Although carriage is often observed, fecal shedding can be sporadic (2). Salmonella, as well as other food borne pathogens, can be transferred from animals to the human population. However, since the federally mandated HACCP program has been implemented, a reduction in Salmonella among the major food animals has been observed

The effect of buffered peptone water pre-enrichment on detected prevalence of Salmonella in swine feces

Sensitive and specific detection methods are important to understand the epidemiology of Salmonella and to develop appropriate control strategies. The risk of Salmonella contamination of pork is associated with subclinical Salmonella infections in pigs. In most epidemiological investigations, microbiological culture has been used to deterimine Salmonella infection status for infections on swine farms or at slaughter plants. However, identification of Salmonella by culture among subclinically infected pigs may be highly influenced by the intermittent shedding status of pigs. The types and volume of samples used for culture as well as culture protocol used in microbiological examination can influence the sensitivity of the method

Prevalence and Predictors of Abnormal Cardiovascular Responses to Exercise Testing Among Individuals With Type 2 Diabetes: The Look AHEAD (Action for Health in Diabetes) study

OBJECTIVE We examined maximal graded exercise test (GXT) results in 5,783 overweight/obese men and women, aged 45–76 years, with type 2 diabetes, who were entering the Look AHEAD (Action for Health in Diabetes) study, to determine the prevalence and correlates of exercise-induced cardiac abnormalities. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Participants underwent symptom-limited maximal GXTs. Questionnaires and physical examinations were used to determine demographic, anthropometric, metabolic, and health status predictors of abnormal GXT results, which were defined as an ST segment depression ≥1.0 mm, ventricular arrhythmia, angina pectoris, poor postexercise heart rate recovery (<22 bpm reduction 2 min after exercise), or maximal exercise capacity less than 5.0 METs. Systolic blood pressure response to exercise was examined as a continuous variable, without a threshold to define abnormality. RESULTS Exercise-induced abnormalities were present in 1,303 (22.5%) participants, of which 693 (12.0%) consisted of impaired exercise capacity. ST segment depression occurred in 440 (7.6%), abnormal heart rate recovery in 206 (5.0%), angina in 63 (1.1%), and arrhythmia in 41 (0.7%). Of potential predictors, only greater age was associated with increased prevalence of all abnormalities. Other predictors were associated with some, but not all, abnormalities. Systolic blood pressure response decreased with greater age, duration of diabetes, and history of cardiovascular disease. CONCLUSIONS We found a high rate of abnormal GXT results despite careful screening for cardiovascular disease symptoms. In this cohort of overweight and obese individuals with type 2 diabetes, greater age most consistently predicted abnormal GXT. Long-term follow-up of these participants will show whether these abnormalities are clinically significant. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors improve with exercise in individuals with diabetes (1). Similarly, individuals with diabetes who are physically active or have higher fitness levels have reduced CVD incidence and mortality (2,3). Nevertheless, participation in exercise may involve risks for individuals with diabetes because of their high prevalence of CVD, including silent ischemia, and other comorbid conditions (4). Knowledge about the typical cardiovascular responses to exercise in individuals with type 2 diabetes has come mainly from small clinic-based studies (5) and a few larger studies in the general population (4,6,7). The Look AHEAD (Action for Health in Diabetes) study is a multicenter randomized clinical trial designed to evaluate the long-term effects of an intensive lifestyle intervention program of weight loss and physical activity on morbidity and mortality from CVD in overweight and obese individuals with type 2 diabetes (8). Graded exercise tests (GXTs) with electrocardiographic monitoring were conducted at baseline in 5,783 individuals, providing the largest sample of systematic stress testing ever conducted in individuals with type 2 diabetes. The aims of this analysis are to examine the range of abnormal exercise responses and to examine the degree to which demographic factors, health characteristics, and medication use associate with abnormal exercise responses. Identifying predictors from readily available demographic and clinical data may assist risk stratification before exercise testing or exercise prescription for individuals with diabetes