Seropositivity rates for agents of canine vector-borne diseases in Spain : a multicentre study

Background: Controlling canine vector-borne diseases (CVBD) is a major concern, since some of these diseases are serious zoonoses. This study was designed to determine seropositivity rates in Spain for agents causing the following five CVBD: leishmaniosis (Leishmania infantum: Li), heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis: Di), ehrlichiosis (Ehrlichia canis: Ec), anaplasmosis (Anaplasma phagocytophilum/Anaplasma platys: An) and Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi: Bb). Methods: Anti-An, -Bb, and -Ec antibodies and the Di antigen were determined using the 4DX SNAP® Test (IDEXX Laboratories) and anti-L. infantum (Li) antibodies using the Leishmania SNAP® Test (IDEXX Laboratories) in blood and/or serum samples. Results: Among 1100 dogs examined, overall seropositivity rates were: Li (15.7%), Ec (5%), An (3.1%), Di (1.25%) and Bb (0.4%). While seropositivity towards Bb and Di was similar in all geographic regions, rates were significantly higher in the east of Spain (8.3%) for An, significantly higher in the north (20%) for Ec, and significantly higher in the Southeast (46.6%) and South (27.4%), and significantly lower in the north (0%) for Li. No statistical associations were observed between sex and the CVBD analyzed (p ≥ 0.05) while the following associations with other variables were detected: a higher seropositivity to Ec (40%) and Bb (6.7%) in dogs under one year of age compared with adults (p < 0.05); and a higher seropositivity to An and Li in dogs that lived outdoors versus indoors (p = 0.01; p < 0.001, respectively). Seropositivity rates of 2.1%, 0%, 1.7%, 0.5% and 4.2% were recorded respectively for An, Bb, Ec, Di and Li in dogs with no clinical signs (n = 556) versus 3.8%, 0.6%, 7.5%, 1.8% and 25.9% for those with signs (n = 507) suggestive of a CVBD. Conclusion: The data obtained indicate a risk for dogs in Spain of acquiring any of the five CVBD examined. Veterinarians in the different regions should include these diseases in their differential diagnoses and recommend the use of repellents and other prophylactic measures to prevent disease transmission by arthropod vectors. Public health authorities also need to become more involved in the problem, since some of the CVBD examined here also affect humans

Immunoglobulin, glucocorticoid, or combination therapy for multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children: a propensity-weighted cohort study

Background Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), a hyperinflammatory condition associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection, has emerged as a serious illness in children worldwide. Immunoglobulin or glucocorticoids, or both, are currently recommended treatments. Methods The Best Available Treatment Study evaluated immunomodulatory treatments for MIS-C in an international observational cohort. Analysis of the first 614 patients was previously reported. In this propensity-weighted cohort study, clinical and outcome data from children with suspected or proven MIS-C were collected onto a web-based Research Electronic Data Capture database. After excluding neonates and incomplete or duplicate records, inverse probability weighting was used to compare primary treatments with intravenous immunoglobulin, intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids, or glucocorticoids alone, using intravenous immunoglobulin as the reference treatment. Primary outcomes were a composite of inotropic or ventilator support from the second day after treatment initiation, or death, and time to improvement on an ordinal clinical severity scale. Secondary outcomes included treatment escalation, clinical deterioration, fever, and coronary artery aneurysm occurrence and resolution. This study is registered with the ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN69546370. Findings We enrolled 2101 children (aged 0 months to 19 years) with clinically diagnosed MIS-C from 39 countries between June 14, 2020, and April 25, 2022, and, following exclusions, 2009 patients were included for analysis (median age 8·0 years [IQR 4·2–11·4], 1191 [59·3%] male and 818 [40·7%] female, and 825 [41·1%] White). 680 (33·8%) patients received primary treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin, 698 (34·7%) with intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids, 487 (24·2%) with glucocorticoids alone; 59 (2·9%) patients received other combinations, including biologicals, and 85 (4·2%) patients received no immunomodulators. There were no significant differences between treatments for primary outcomes for the 1586 patients with complete baseline and outcome data that were considered for primary analysis. Adjusted odds ratios for ventilation, inotropic support, or death were 1·09 (95% CI 0·75–1·58; corrected p value=1·00) for intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids and 0·93 (0·58–1·47; corrected p value=1·00) for glucocorticoids alone, versus intravenous immunoglobulin alone. Adjusted average hazard ratios for time to improvement were 1·04 (95% CI 0·91–1·20; corrected p value=1·00) for intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids, and 0·84 (0·70–1·00; corrected p value=0·22) for glucocorticoids alone, versus intravenous immunoglobulin alone. Treatment escalation was less frequent for intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids (OR 0·15 [95% CI 0·11–0·20]; p<0·0001) and glucocorticoids alone (0·68 [0·50–0·93]; p=0·014) versus intravenous immunoglobulin alone. Persistent fever (from day 2 onward) was less common with intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids compared with either intravenous immunoglobulin alone (OR 0·50 [95% CI 0·38–0·67]; p<0·0001) or glucocorticoids alone (0·63 [0·45–0·88]; p=0·0058). Coronary artery aneurysm occurrence and resolution did not differ significantly between treatment groups. Interpretation Recovery rates, including occurrence and resolution of coronary artery aneurysms, were similar for primary treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin when compared to glucocorticoids or intravenous immunoglobulin plus glucocorticoids. Initial treatment with glucocorticoids appears to be a safe alternative to immunoglobulin or combined therapy, and might be advantageous in view of the cost and limited availability of intravenous immunoglobulin in many countries. Funding Imperial College London, the European Union's Horizon 2020, Wellcome Trust, the Medical Research Foundation, UK National Institute for Health and Care Research, and National Institutes of Health

Hábitos alimentarios de tres especies de raya (Rajiformes: Urotrygonidae) en el Pacífico central mexicano

Se realizó el análisis del contenido estomacal y de las interacciones tróficas de tres especies de raya (Urobatis halleri, Urotrygon munda y Urotrygon rogersi) capturadas en la plataforma continental del Pacífico central mexicano durante los dos periodos hidroclimáticos (T1 y T2) que caracterizan la variabilidad ambiental en la zona. Las tres especies de raya presentaron un estrecho intervalo de distribución batimétrica, y su máxima abundancia se presentó a los 20 m en ambos periodos de estudio. En general, las dietas estuvieron compuestas principalmente de microcrustáceos bentónicos (camarones carídeos) y en menor proporción de peces, poliquetos y moluscos. Las categorías de presas de mayor abundancia en las dietas fueron los carídeos de las familias Processidae y Ogyriididae, y peneidos, y en segundo término las larvas de braquiuros y estomatópodos. La estrategia alimentaria exhibida por las tres especies fue generalista. Las dietas mostraron valores altos de superposición durante el periodo T1 tanto en el análisis de intra como de interespecies, mientras que durante el periodo T2 la superposición de las dietas fue menor. No se evidenciaron cambios ontogénicos en las dietas, y el sexo tampoco representó un factor de diferencias tróficas. Se considera que las ligeras diferencias en las dietas son debidas a los cambios estacionales en las asociaciones de macroinvertebrados de fondos blandos de la zona somera, y que las relaciones como competencia y depredación no son los factores más determinantes en la dinámica de las tres especies de raya analizadas

Feeding habits of three round stingrays (Rajiformes: Urotrygonidae) in the central Mexican Pacific

Stomach contents and dietary overlap of three round stingray species (Urobatis halleri, Urotrygon munda, and Urotrygon rogersi) captured off the central Pacific coast of Mexico were analyzed during the two main hydroclimatic periods (T1 and T2) that characterize the environmental variability in the area. The three round stingray species showed a narrow bathymetric distribution range, and the highest abundances were located at 20 m depth in both seasons. In general, the diets were mainly composed of benthic microcrustaceans (caridean shrimps) and to a lesser extent of fishes, polychaetes, and molluscs. The most abundant prey items in the diets were carideans of the families Processidae and Ogyriididae, and penaeids, followed by brachyuran and stomatopod larvae. All three stingrays exhibited a generalist feeding strategy. The diets showed high overlap values during period T1 in both inter- and intraspecies analyses, but lower values during period T2. There was no evidence of ontogenetic diet changes and sex was not a factor for trophic differences. The slight differences among diets were due to seasonal changes in the soft-bottom macrobenthic invertebrate assemblages in the shallow waters, and relationships like predation and competition were not the main factors influencing the population dynamics of the three stingray species.