Case Study INCIDENCE OF RABBIT HEMORRHAGIC DISEASE (RHD) IN MEAT TYPE RABBITS

ABSTRACT An outbreak of Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease among meat type rabbits at the Institutional demonstration rabbit farm has been described. The clinical signs, post mortem lesions and treatment / control procedure undertaken were discussed

Analysis of production and reproduction performances of Soviet Chinchilla and White Giant rabbits in tropical climatic conditions of India

[EN] The aim of the present study was to analyse the influence of year, season and parity on productive and reproductive performances in 110 Soviet Chinchilla and 64 White Giant rabbits under tropical climatic conditions of Tamil Nadu in the period between 2005 and 2009. A total of 731 records for the overall leastsquares means for litter size at birth and weaning, litter weight at birth and weaning, average weight of kit at birth and weaning and pre-weaning growth rate in Soviet Chinchilla rabbits were 5.1±0.1, 3.7±0.1, 256.4±6.9 g, 2465.4±73.6 g, 50.4±0.7 g, 694.1±13.1 g and 15.3±0.3 g/d, respectively, and the values for White Giant rabbits were 5.1±0.1, 4.1±0.1, 259.6±6.1 g, 2432.6±68.7 g, 50.8±0.4 g, 614.6±13.5 g and 13.4±0.3 g/d, respectively. Breed had significant effect on litter size at weaning (P<0.01), average weight of kit at weaning (P<0.05) and pre-weaning growth rate (P<0.01). Year of birth had significant effect on litter size and litter weight at birth (P<0.05), litter size and litter weight at weaning (P<0.01), average weight of kits at weaning and pre-weaning growth rate (P<0.01) in Soviet Chinchilla and White Giant rabbits. Season of birth had significant effect on litter weight at birth and weaning (P<0.05), average weight of kits at birth (P<0.05) and weaning (P<0.01) and pre-weaning growth rate (P<0.01) in both the breeds. Parity had significant effect on litter weight and average weight of kits at weaning (P<0.01) and pre-weaning growth rate (P<0.01). The study revealed that the Soviet Chinchilla and White Giant breeds performed well in the tropical climatic conditions of Tamil Nadu and could be used for profitable meat production. The significant influence of factors such as year of birth and season of birth observed on different production traits emphasises the role played by the management in optimising the realisation of genetic potential under local agro-climatic conditions.Sivakumar, K.; Thiruvenkadan, A.; Ramesh Saravana Kumar, V.; Muralidharan, J.; Anandha Prakash Singh, D.; Saravanan, R.; Jeyakumar, M. (2013). Analysis of production and reproduction performances of Soviet Chinchilla and White Giant rabbits in tropical climatic conditions of India. World Rabbit Science. 21(2):101-106. doi:10.4995/wrs.2013.1208.SWORD10110621

Endocrine Autoimmunity in Association with Female Infertility

Infertility is the inability to conceive after a year of regular unprotected sexual intercourse, affecting 10-15% of couples. Advanced age, obesity, and certain medications can hinder fertility. Endocrine autoimmunity is increasingly recognized as a significant contributor to female infertility, often complicating various gynecological conditions. Autoimmune issues involving the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, thyroid, adrenal glands, and ovaries can impact fertility. A multidisciplinary approach is essential for diagnosing infertility, with a crucial focus on identifying potential endocrine disorders. Here we discuss how to identify endocrine autoimmune patients with ovulatory dysfunction. Women must be advised about limiting factors to be avoided, to protect their fertility. A comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanisms, coupled with appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, is crucial for effectively managing this complex condition and helping women achieve their reproductive goals

ADEQUACY OF THE CURRENT RECOMMENDED DOSAGE OF CIPROFLOXACIN IN PRETERM AND TERM NEONATES WITH SEPSIS

Objectives: To determine the percentage of neonates with sepsis, on treatment with standard recommended dose of intravenous  ciprofloxacin, who had the serum ciprofloxacin Peak concentration: Minimum inhibitory concentration (Cmax:MIC), within the acceptable range. Design: Observational study design Intervention : In the Neonatology ICU, ciprofloxacin was initiated at a dose of 10mg/kg, twice daily in 95 neonates diagnosed with sepsis. On day 3 of ciprofloxacin, blood specimens were collected to measure the trough and peak concentrations  of ciprofloxacin and was measured by high performance liquid chromatography. The MIC was measured if the blood culture was positive. When the blood culture was negative,the reference values for the MIC from ‘The Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute Guidelines’ were adopted. Main outcomes: Minimum inhibitory concentration and serum concentrations of ciprofloxacin Results: Blood culture was positive in 14 babies. The mean (±SD) trough concentration of ciprofloxacin in term, preterm and very preterm neonates was 3.21(±1.99), 2.54 (±1.26)  and  4.01(±1.80) μg/mL respectively. The mean (±SD) peak concentration of serum ciprofloxacinin term, preterm and very preterm neonates was, 12.55 (±4.945) 8.68(±3.61) and 12.07(±3.63) μg/mL, respectively.  The percentage of neonates who achieved the acceptable Cmax /MIC ratio was predicted to be 74.07% if the strain was sensitive, 7.41% if intermediate and zero for resistant strains. Conclusion: The current recommended dose of intravenous ciprofloxacin in neonates in India may be adequate for treating sepsis due to susceptible organisms. For the treatment of sepsis caused by organisms with intermediate susceptibility, higher dosing regimens may be needed

Diagnostic Accuracy of Dried Blood Spots Collected on HemaSpot HF Devices Compared to Venous Blood Specimens To Estimate Measles and Rubella Seroprevalence.

Fingerprick blood spotted onto filter paper offers an alternative to venous blood for use in population-based surveillance because it is comparatively inexpensive, acceptable, and easy to manage in the field. Prior studies have shown excellent agreement for immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody detection from dried blood spots (DBS) and venous blood samples. However, much of this evidence is from high-income settings or laboratories where the samples were unlikely to be exposed to extreme temperatures and humidity, factors known to degrade DBS. We report the diagnostic accuracy of DBS collected using HemaSpot HF devices against venous sera in measuring measles- and rubella-specific IgG antibodies in a household serosurvey conducted in two districts in India. Paired serum and DBS samples collected by fingerprick were collected from women aged 15 to 50 years enrolled in a serosurvey in Palghar District of Maharashtra and Kanpur Nagar District of Uttar Pradesh in India. Specimen quality and volume were assessed in the laboratory. Samples were tested for antimeasles and antirubella IgG antibodies by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (Euroimmun). Sensitivity of antibody detection by DBS was greater than 98%, and specificity was 90% and 98%, for measles and rubella IgG, respectively. Antibody concentrations were strongly correlated between paired specimens with adequate volume (measles R2 = 0.94; rubella R2 = 0.89). Although correlation was poor if DBS specimens had lower volumes, impact on qualitative results was minimal. This study showed DBS collected with HemaSpot HF devices can generate highly accurate results of measles- and rubella-specific IgG compared to sera in community-based surveys when protocols are optimized for DBS specimens. IMPORTANCE Dried blood spot (DBS) collection provides an easy, practical, and acceptable alternative to venous blood collection, especially for community-based studies, provided that results from DBS are accurate. We demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity for measles- and rubella-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) with DBS collected via HemaSpot HF devices compared to serum samples. This is one of the largest community-based diagnostic accuracy studies of measles and rubella antibody testing with DBS and the first application we are aware of using HemaSpot HF device for measles and rubella serology. Results support the use of DBS in community-based serosurveillance

Global, regional, and national burden of disorders affecting the nervous system, 1990–2021: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

BackgroundDisorders affecting the nervous system are diverse and include neurodevelopmental disorders, late-life neurodegeneration, and newly emergent conditions, such as cognitive impairment following COVID-19. Previous publications from the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factor Study estimated the burden of 15 neurological conditions in 2015 and 2016, but these analyses did not include neurodevelopmental disorders, as defined by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-11, or a subset of cases of congenital, neonatal, and infectious conditions that cause neurological damage. Here, we estimate nervous system health loss caused by 37 unique conditions and their associated risk factors globally, regionally, and nationally from 1990 to 2021.MethodsWe estimated mortality, prevalence, years lived with disability (YLDs), years of life lost (YLLs), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), with corresponding 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs), by age and sex in 204 countries and territories, from 1990 to 2021. We included morbidity and deaths due to neurological conditions, for which health loss is directly due to damage to the CNS or peripheral nervous system. We also isolated neurological health loss from conditions for which nervous system morbidity is a consequence, but not the primary feature, including a subset of congenital conditions (ie, chromosomal anomalies and congenital birth defects), neonatal conditions (ie, jaundice, preterm birth, and sepsis), infectious diseases (ie, COVID-19, cystic echinococcosis, malaria, syphilis, and Zika virus disease), and diabetic neuropathy. By conducting a sequela-level analysis of the health outcomes for these conditions, only cases where nervous system damage occurred were included, and YLDs were recalculated to isolate the non-fatal burden directly attributable to nervous system health loss. A comorbidity correction was used to calculate total prevalence of all conditions that affect the nervous system combined.FindingsGlobally, the 37 conditions affecting the nervous system were collectively ranked as the leading group cause of DALYs in 2021 (443 million, 95% UI 378–521), affecting 3·40 billion (3·20–3·62) individuals (43·1%, 40·5–45·9 of the global population); global DALY counts attributed to these conditions increased by 18·2% (8·7–26·7) between 1990 and 2021. Age-standardised rates of deaths per 100 000 people attributed to these conditions decreased from 1990 to 2021 by 33·6% (27·6–38·8), and age-standardised rates of DALYs attributed to these conditions decreased by 27·0% (21·5–32·4). Age-standardised prevalence was almost stable, with a change of 1·5% (0·7–2·4). The ten conditions with the highest age-standardised DALYs in 2021 were stroke, neonatal encephalopathy, migraine, Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, diabetic neuropathy, meningitis, epilepsy, neurological complications due to preterm birth, autism spectrum disorder, and nervous system cancer.InterpretationAs the leading cause of overall disease burden in the world, with increasing global DALY counts, effective prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation strategies for disorders affecting the nervous system are needed