Lighting during grow-out and Salmonella in broiler flocks

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Lighting is used during conventional broiler grow-out to modify bird behaviour to reach the goals of production and improve bird welfare. The protocols for lighting intensity vary. In a field study, we evaluated if the lighting practices impact the burden of <it>Salmonella </it>in broiler flocks.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Conventional grow-out flocks reared in the states of Alabama, Mississippi and Texas, USA in 2003 to 2006 were sampled 1 week before harvest (<it>n </it>= 58) and upon arrival for processing (<it>n </it>= 56) by collecting feathered carcass rinsate, crop and one cecum from each of 30 birds, and during processing by collecting rinsate of 30 carcasses at pre-chilling (<it>n </it>= 56) and post-chilling points (<it>n </it>= 54). Litter samples and drag swabs of litter were collected from the grow-out houses after bird harvest (<it>n </it>= 56). Lighting practices for these flocks were obtained with a questionnaire completed by the growers. Associations between the lighting practices and the burden of <it>Salmonella </it>in the flocks were tested while accounting for variation between the grow-out farms, their production complexes and companies.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Longer relative duration of reduced lights during the grow-out period was associated with reduced detection of <it>Salmonella </it>on the exterior of birds 1 week before harvest and on the broiler carcasses at the post-chilling point of processing. In addition, starting reduced lights for ≥18 hours per day later in the grow-out period was associated with decreased detection of <it>Salmonella </it>on the exterior of broilers arriving for processing and in the post-harvest drag swabs of litter from the grow-out house.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The results of this field study show that lighting practices implemented during broiler rearing can impact the burden of <it>Salmonella </it>in the flock. The underlying mechanisms are likely to be interactive.</p

Mathematical modelling of antimicrobial resistance in agricultural waste highlights importance of gene transfer rate

Antimicrobial resistance is of global concern. Most antimicrobial use is in agriculture; manures and slurry are especially important because they contain a mix of bacteria, including potential pathogens, antimicrobial resistance genes and antimicrobials. In many countries, manures and slurry are stored, especially over winter, before spreading onto fields as organic fertilizer. Thus these are a potential location for gene exchange and selection for resistance. We develop and analyze a mathematical model to quantify the spread of antimicrobial resistance in stored agricultural waste. We use parameters from a slurry tank on a UK dairy farm as an exemplar. We show that the spread of resistance depends in a subtle way on the rates of gene transfer and antibiotic inflow. If the gene transfer rate is high, then its reduction controls resistance, while cutting antibiotic inflow has little impact. If the gene transfer rate is low, then reducing antibiotic inflow controls resistance. Reducing length of storage can also control spread of resistance. Bacterial growth rate, fitness costs of carrying antimicrobial resistance and proportion of resistant bacteria in animal faeces have little impact on spread of resistance. Therefore effective treatment strategies depend critically on knowledge of gene transfer rates

First-Line Therapy for Patients with Advanced Hodgkin’s Lymphoma: Efficacy and Toxicity of Intensive ЕАСОРР-14 Program (NN Blokhin National Medical Cancer Research Center Data)

Aim. To assess the efficacy and toxicity of intensive 6 courses EACOPP-14 treatment with or without radiotherapy (RT) for advanced stages of Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL). Materials & Methods. From November 2009 to February 2015, 95 patients with advanced stages of HL (IIX–IIE, III–IV) aged between 17 and 50 years (median 29 years) were selected for the participation in the protocol ЛХМосква1-3. The study population consisted of 46.3 % men and 53.7 % women. The results of the treatment were assessed in 91 patients who have received more than 2 courses of EACOPP-14. The follow up period was at least 3 months after the receiving the therapy. Consolidation RT with a total dose of 30 Gy for residual tumor lesions and/or initially large tumors was performed after the chemotherapy. Results. Complete remission was achieved in 82 (90.1 %) patients, partial remission in 2 (2.2 %), and the progression was observed in 7 (7.7 %) patients. The overall 4-year survival rate was 90.8 %, the progression-free survival was 88.2 %. The toxicity of the ЕАСОРР-14 program was slightly lower than that of 8 courses of ВЕАСОРРesc, and was comparable to the toxicity of other modifications of intensified ВЕАСОРР scheme. Hematological toxicity grade 3 and 4 was most commonly observed: leukopenia was observed after 64.9 % of courses, anemia — after 24 % of courses, thrombocytopenia — after 3.8 % of courses. The rate of infections did not singificantly differ and accounted for 24 %. The most frequent non-infectious complications were mucositis (21.1 %) and polyneuropathy (11.7 %). Complications resulted in the change of treatment in only 3 (3.01 %) of patients. The exclusion of bleomycine from the ЕАСОРР-14 program reduced the frequency of RT complications. Grade 3 pulmonitis developed in 4.5 % of cases, while radiation-induce pulmonary fibrosis verified by CT developed in 15.2 % of cases. The ЕАСОРР-14 6 courses program showed its high efficacy both with and without RT, high tolerance and the possibility of full administration for the majority of patients with the various stages of HL. Conclusion. Current research showed the efficacy of treatment without RT for patients with advanced stages of HL with negative PET results and small (< 2.5 cm) residual tumors after intensive ЕАСОРР-14 program. This approach allowed to avoid a number of late treatment complications