Evidence of Bordetella pertussis infection in vaccinated 1-year-old Danish children

We measured IgA and IgG antibodies to pertussis toxin (PT) and filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA) in sera from 203 1-year-old children who had received one to three doses of a monocomponent PT toxoid vaccine. Ten children (5%) had IgA antibody to PT indicating recent infection; seven of these children had received three doses of vaccine. PT IgA responders did not have significantly longer coughing episodes than PT IgA non-responders. Since an IgA antibody response occurs in only ∼50% of infected children, the actual infection rate in our cohort is estimated to ∼10%. The apparent high Bordetella pertussis infection rate in Danish infants suggests that the monocomponent PT toxoid vaccine used in Denmark has limited efficacy against B. pertussis infection. A prospective immunization study comparing a multi-component vaccine with the present monocomponent PT toxoid vaccine should be undertaken

Primary Pneumocystis Infection in Infants Hospitalized with Acute Respiratory Tract Infection

Primary P. jirovecii infection may appear as a self-limiting upper respiratory tract infection in infants

Efeito de um imunomodulador na qualidade do colostro e na incidência de doenças no pós-parto de vacas leiteiras

Dissertação de Mestrado Integrado em Medicina VeterináriaEste estudo analisou a eficácia do pegbovigrastim (ImrestorTM) na incidência de doenças no pós-parto de vacas leiteiras e o seu efeito na qualidade do colostro. Às vacas do grupo experimental foi administrado pegbovigrastim e às vacas do grupo controlo soro fisiológico. Não se observaram diferenças significativas no número de neutrófilos e macrófagos nos esfregaços de colostro. Contudo, os seus valores máximos foram superiores no colostro de vacas do grupo ImrestorTM. Verificou-se que no colostro não centrifugado das vacas tratadas com ImrestorTM o número de linfócitos foi tendencialmente superior (p=0,08). O colostro de vacas que receberam as duas doses de ImrestorTM teve uma média de 300 mil células/ml superior ao colostro do grupo controlo. A incidência de mastites, metrites e RP foi inferior no grupo experimental, comparativamente ao grupo controlo, contudo esta redução não foi estatisticamente significativa. O valor Brix foi semelhante entre os dois grupos em estudo. Não se observaram diferenças significativas entre os dois grupos na produção leiteira acumulada no primeiro mês após o parto. A percentagem de vacas com hipercetonémia foi 5,3% no grupo experimental e 8,2% no grupo controlo. É de todo o interesse que futuramente se desenvolvam mais estudos de modo a obter conclusões mais consolidadas.ABSTRACT - EFFECT OF AN IMMUNOMODULATOR IN THE QUALITY OF COLOSTRUM AND THE INCIDENCE OF DISEASES IN THE POSTPARTUM OF DAIRY COWS - This study examined the efficacy of pegbovigrastim (ImrestorTM) on the incidence of postpartum diseases in dairy cows and its effect on the quality of colostrum. Cows in the experimental group received pegbovigrastim and cows in the control group saline solution. No significant differences were observed in the number of neutrophils and macrophages in the colostrum. However, its maximum values were higher in colostrum of the ImrestorTM group. It was found that in the non-centrifuged colostrum of cows treated with ImrestorTM the number of lymphocytes was tendentially higher (p=0,08). The colostrum of cows that received the two doses of ImrestorTM was an average of 300,000 cells/ml higher than colostrum in the control group. The incidence of mastitis, metritis and RP was lower in the experimental group, compared to the control group, but this reduction was not statistically significant. The Brix value was similar between the two groups under study. There were no significant differences between the two groups in milk production accumulated in the first month after calving. The percentage of cows with hyperketonemia was 5.3% in the experimental group and 8.2% in the control group. It is of great interest that more studies are carried out in the future in order to obtain more consolidated conclusions.Fonte de Leite Exploração Agrícola e Pecuária, S.A.N/

Inflammatory pathways are central to posterior cerebrovascular artery remodelling prior to the onset of congenital hypertension

Cerebral artery hypoperfusion may provide the basis for linking ischemic stroke with hypertension. Brain hypoperfusion may induce hypertension that may serve as an auto-protective mechanism to prevent ischemic stroke. We hypothesised that hypertension is caused by remodelling of the cerebral arteries, which is triggered by inflammation. We used a congenital rat model of hypertension and examined age-related changes in gene expression of the cerebral arteries using RNA sequencing. Prior to hypertension, we found changes in signalling pathways associated with the immune system and fibrosis. Validation studies using second harmonics generation microscopy revealed upregulation of collagen type I and IV in both tunica externa and media. These changes in the extracellular matrix of cerebral arteries pre-empted hypertension accounting for their increased stiffness and resistance, both potentially conducive to stroke. These data indicate that inflammatory driven cerebral artery remodelling occurs prior to the onset of hypertension and may be a trigger elevating systemic blood pressure in genetically programmed hypertension. </jats:p