Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae infection in pigs, pork and raw pork handlers in Kamuli District, Eastern Uganda

Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae is a zoonotic ubiquitous gram-positive bacterium, which causes erysipelas in swine, mammals, birds and erysipeloid in humans. People in contact with animals, animal products or animal wastes are at greatest risk. From June 2013 to December 2015, a multidisciplinary risk assessment was conducted to identify the risks associated with E. rhusiopathiae along the pig value chain in Kamuli District, Eastern Uganda. Quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection were employed. Serum from 460 pigs and 100 fresh pork samples and human EDTA blood was gathered from 302 raw pork handlers (butchers, abattoir workers and housewives), for microbiology cultures and serology. Six focus group discussions were conducted with 26 butchers/abattoir workers and with 26 housewives. Three key informant interviews were conducted with a health assistant, veterinary officer and a nursing officer. Overall, 308/460 (67%) of the pig sera carried antibodies against E. rhusiopathiae. Forty-five percent (45/100, 45%) of the fresh pork samples were contaminated with E. rhusiopathiae and 30/302 (9.9%) of the raw pork handlers were positive for infection with E. rhusiopathiae. The mean age of the raw pork handlers was 38 years, 21/30 (70%) of men were infected compared to 9/30(30%) of the women. The main risk factor for the infection was the type of raw pork handler. Of the abattoir workers 14/38 (47%) were positive, 9/59 (30%) of the butchers and 7/205 (23.3%) of the housewives were infected with E.rhusiopathiae. This is the first ever report of E. rhusiopathiae in pigs and humans in Uganda and East Africa. Previously, the acute form of swine erysipelas may have been confused for other diseases in pigs reported in Uganda which are characterized acute symptoms such as sudden death (for example, African swine fever). We recommend increasing awareness of the disease among animal and human practitioners as treatment is easy and available and vaccination is possible. However, the disease is still unknown to local veterinarians, clinical doctors, meat inspectors, butchers and laboratory personnel. Proper hygiene, regular pork inspection, use of protective wear among people working/ in contact with animals should be promoted. The study was conducted under the Safe Food, Fair Food project led by the International Livestock Research Institute and carried out with the financial support of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany, and the CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health, led by the International Food Policy Research Institute

Standardization and quality control of Doppler and fetal biometric ultrasound measurements in low-income setting.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the quality of fetal biometry and pulsed-wave Doppler ultrasound measurements in a prospective cohort study in Uganda. METHODS: This was an ancillary study of the Ending Preventable Stillbirths by Improving Diagnosis of Babies at Risk (EPID) project, in which women enroled in early pregnancy underwent Doppler and fetal biometric assessment at 32-40 weeks of gestation. Sonographers undertook 6 weeks of training followed by onsite refresher training and audit exercises. A total of 125 images for each of the umbilical artery (UA), fetal middle cerebral artery (MCA), left and right uterine arteries (UtA), head circumference (HC), abdominal circumference (AC) and femur length (FL) were selected randomly from the EPID study database and evaluated independently by two experts in a blinded fashion using objective scoring criteria. Inter-rater agreement was assessed using modified Fleiss' kappa for nominal variables and systematic errors were explored using quantile-quantile (Q-Q) plots. RESULTS: For Doppler measurements, 96.8% of the UA images, 84.8% of the MCA images and 93.6% of the right UtA images were classified as of acceptable quality by both reviewers. For fetal biometry, 96.0% of the HC images, 96.0% of the AC images and 88.0% of the FL images were considered acceptable by both reviewers. The kappa values for inter-rater reliability of quality assessment were 0.94 (95% CI, 0.87-0.99) for the UA, 0.71 (95% CI, 0.58-0.82) for the MCA, 0.87 (95% CI, 0.78-0.95) for the right UtA, 0.94 (95% CI, 0.87-0.98) for the HC, 0.93 (95% CI, 0.87-0.98) for the AC and 0.78 (95% CI, 0.66-0.88) for the FL measurements. The Q-Q plots indicated no influence of systematic bias in the measurements. CONCLUSIONS: Training local healthcare providers to perform Doppler ultrasound, and implementing quality control systems and audits using objective scoring tools in clinical and research settings, is feasible in low- and middle-income countries. Although we did not assess the impact of in-service retraining offered to practitioners deviating from prescribed standards, such interventions should enhance the quality of ultrasound measurements and should be investigated in future studies. © 2022 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology

Egg Formation in Lepidoptera

Reproductive biology in the Twentieth Century produced comprehensive descriptions of the mechanisms of egg formation in most of the major orders of insects. While many general principles of ovarian development and physiology emerged, every order turned out to have a set of its own special motifs. Discovery of the lepidopteran motifs is summarized in this essay. The emphasis is on developmental mechanisms, beginning with the early growth and differentiation of female germ cells and ending, after many turns in morphogenesis, physiology and biosynthesis, with eggs that are filled with yolk and encased in chorions. Examples of uniquely lepidopteran traits include the cellular composition of ovarian follicles, the number of tubular ovarioles in which they mature, the functions of cell-to-cell junctional complexes in their maturation, their use of glycosaminoglycans to maintain intercellular patency during vitellogenesis, the role of proton and calcium pumps in their ion physiology, a separate postvitellogenic period of water and inorganic ion uptake, and the fine structure and protein composition of their chorions. Discovery of this combination of idiosyncracies was based on advances in the general concepts and techniques of cell and molecular biology and on insights borrowed from studies on other insects. The lepidopteran ovary in turn has contributed much to the understanding of egg formation in insects generally

Protocol for the Birth Asphyxia in African Newborns (Baby BRAiN) Study: a Neonatal Encephalopathy Feasibility Cohort Study

BACKGROUND: Neonatal encephalopathy (NE) is a leading cause of child mortality worldwide and contributes substantially to stillbirths and long-term disability. Ninety-nine percent of deaths from NE occur in low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs). Whilst therapeutic hypothermia significantly improves outcomes in high-income countries, its safety and effectiveness in diverse LMIC contexts remains debated. Important differences in the aetiology, nature and timing of neonatal brain injury likely influence the effectiveness of postnatal interventions, including therapeutic hypothermia. METHODS: This is a prospective pilot feasibility cohort study of neonates with NE conducted at Kawempe National Referral Hospital, Kampala, Uganda. Neurological investigations include continuous video electroencephalography (EEG) (days 1-4), serial cranial ultrasound imaging, and neonatal brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy (MRI/ MRS) (day 10-14). Neurodevelopmental follow-up will be continued to 18-24 months of age including Prechtl’s Assessment of General Movements, Bayley Scales of Infant Development, and a formal scored neurological examination. The primary outcome will be death and moderate-severe neurodevelopmental impairment at 18-24 months. Findings will be used to inform explorative science and larger trials, aiming to develop urgently needed neuroprotective and neurorestorative interventions for NE applicable for use in diverse settings. DISCUSSION: The primary aims of the study are to assess the feasibility of establishing a facility-based cohort of children with NE in Uganda, to enhance our understanding of NE in a low-resource sub-Saharan African setting and provide infrastructure to conduct high-quality research on neuroprotective/ neurorestorative strategies to reduce death and disability from NE. Specific objectives are to establish a NE cohort, in order to 1) investigate the clinical course, aetiology, nature and timing of perinatal brain injury; 2) describe electrographic activity and quantify seizure burden and the relationship with adverse outcomes, and; 3) develop capacity for neonatal brain MRI/S and examine associations with early neurodevelopmental outcomes

Long-Term Effects of Methoxyfenozide on the Adult Reproductive Processes and Longevity of Spodoptera exigua (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

The long-term effects of methoxyfenozide on the longevity and reproductive processes of beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), adults were assessed after exposure by ingestion. Methoxyfenozide significantly reduced adult male longevity compared with females by 1.1 and 1.5 d at 75 and 150 mg (AI)/liter, respectively. Fecundity decreased by >60% with both concentrations at 72 and 96 h after treatment, but at 48 h, no significant effect was observed. The carbohydrate, protein, and lipid content in the eggs were determined as representatives of the biochemical effects of methoxyfenozide associated with the disruption of reproductive processes. The content of carbohydrates in the eggs laid 48 h at treatment was similar to that of controls, but it increased by ≈1.5 and 2-fold in eggs laid after 72 and 96 h, respectively, compared with controls (15 μ g per egg). Protein content was reduced ′2.5 and ′3-fold for each treatment concentration, respectively, compared with the controls (25 and 23 μg per egg for 75 and 150 mg [AI]/liter, respectively) in eggs collected 72 and 96 h after treatment. Lipid content significantly decreased by ≈1.6-fold in both treatment concentrations in eggs collected at 48 and 96 h after treatment compared with the controls (24 and 21 μg per egg for 48 and 96, respectively), but it was similar to controls (=19 μg per egg) at 72 h (≈15 μg per egg) for both concentrations. The biochemical effects of methoxyfenozide on S. exigua egg formation detected in this work are consistent with the reduction in fertility observed, as reported previously.Fil: Luna, Juan Carlos. Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo; MéxicoFil: Robinson, Virginia Angélica. Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo; MéxicoFil: Martinez, Ana Mabel. Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo; MéxicoFil: Schneider, Marcela Inés. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores; ArgentinaFil: Figueroa, Jose Isaac. Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo; MéxicoFil: Smagghe, Guy. University of Ghent; BélgicaFil: Viñuela, Elisa. Universidad Politécnica de Madrid; EspañaFil: Budia, Flor. Universidad Politécnica de Madrid; EspañaFil: Pineda, Samuel. Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo; Méxic