The principles of rational chemotherapy of bacterial infections in poultry

Growing levels of microbial resistance to chemotherapeutic agents pose a threat to public health and constitute a global problem. The above can be often attributed to improper and excessive use of antibacterial drugs in veterinary and human medicine, animal breeding, agriculture and industry. To address this problem, veterinary and human health practitioners, animal breeders and the public have to be made aware of the consequences and threats associated with the uncontrolled use of antibacterial preparations. In recent years, many countries have implemented programs for monitoring antibiotic resistance which provide valuable information about the applied antibiotics and the resistance of various bacterial species colonizing livestock, poultry and the environment. Special attention should be paid to the sources and transmission routes of antibiotic resistance. There are no easy solutions to this highly complex problem. The relevant measures should address multiple factors, beginning from rational and controlled use of chemotherapeutic agents in veterinary practice, to biosecurity in animal farms, food production hygiene, and sanitary and veterinary inspections in the food chain. The tissues of treated birds should not contain antibiotic residues upon slaughter. Rational use of antibiotics should minimize the risk of drug resistance and decrease treatment costs without compromising the efficacy of treatment. Therefore, the key principles of antibiotic therapy of bacterial infections in poultry should be the adequate selection and dosage of the administered drug, a sound knowledge of the drug’s pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties, as well as a knowledge of the differences between bacteriostatic and bactericidal drugs and between time-dependent and concentration-dependent drugs. There is an urgent need to revise the existing approach to the use of chemotherapeutic agents in the treatment of poultry diseases, and to increase the awareness that antibiotics cannot compensate for the failure to observe the fundamental principles of biosecurity in all stages of poultry farming

Ranging and PositioningAccuracy for Selected Correlatorsunder VHF Maritime PropagationConditions, Journal of Telecommunications and Information Technology, 2022, nr 3

The article presents an analysis of the features of selected correlators impacting the accuracy of determining the receiver’s range and position in VHF marine environment. The paper introduces the concept of various correlators – including the double delta correlator – and describes the proposed measurement scenarios that have been designed to demonstrate the effectiveness of those components. The entire work was performed as part of the R-Mode Baltic and R-Mode Baltic 2 projects, with our goals including analyzing the impact of multipath phenomena, changes in the sampling frequency or Signac type on the determination of the received signal delay at the receiver. The measured data were processed in a signal correlation application and in a TOA-based tool in order to determine the receiver’s position. This process made it possible to compare the selected correlating devices. The results presented in this article are to be used by IALA in developing a current version of the VHF data exchange system’s (VDES) specification

Evaluation of the efficacy of an autogenous Escherichia coli

In poultry production Escherichia coli autogenous vaccines are often used. However, the efficacy of autogenous E. coli vaccinations has not been evaluated experimentally in chickens after start of lay. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the protective effect of an autogenous E. coli vaccine in broiler breeders. Three groups of 28 weeks old broiler breeders (unvaccinated, vaccinated once and twice, respectively) were challenged with a homologous E. coli strain (same strain as included in the vaccine) or a heterologous challenge strain in an experimental ascending model. The clinical outcome was most pronounced in the unvaccinated group; however, the vast majority of chickens in the vaccinated groups had severe pathological manifestations similar to findings in the unvaccinated group after challenge with a homologous as well as a heterologous E. coli strain. Although significant titer rises in IgY antibodies were observed in the twice vaccinated group, antibodies did not confer significant protection in terms of pathological impact. Neither could transfer of maternal derived antibodies to offspring be demonstrated. In conclusion, with the use of the present model for ascending infection, significant protection of an autogenous E. coli vaccine against neither a homologous nor a heterologous E. coli challenge could not be documented

The impact of a fellow-driven debriefing program after pediatric cardiac arrests

Background In the United States, post-cardiac arrest debriefing has increased, but historically it has occurred rarely in our pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). A fellow-led debriefing tool was developed as a tool for fellow development, as well as to enhance communication amongst a multidisciplinary team. Methods A curriculum and debriefing tool for fellow facilitators was developed and introduced in a 41-bed cardiac and medical PICU. Pre- and post-intervention surveys were sent to multidisciplinary PICU providers to assess effectiveness of debriefings using newly-trained leaders, as well as changes in team communication. Results Debriefing occurred after 84% (63/75) of cardiac arrests post-intervention. Providers in various team roles participated in pre-intervention (129 respondents/236 invitations) and post-intervention (96 respondents /232 invitations) surveys. Providers reported that frequently occurring debriefings increased from 9 to 58%, pre- and post-intervention respectively (p < .0001). Providers reported frequent identification and discussion of learning points increased from 32% pre- to 63% post-intervention. In the 12 months post-intervention, 62% of providers agreed that the overall quality of communication during arrests had improved, and 61% would be more likely to request a debriefing after cardiac arrest. Conclusion The introduction of a fellow-led debriefing tool resulted in regularly performed debriefings after arrests. Despite post-intervention debriefings being led by newly-trained facilitators, the majority of PICU staff expressed satisfaction with the quality of debriefing and improvement in communication during arrests, suggesting that fellow facilitators can be effective debrief leaders

Neurologic Involvement in Children and Adolescents Hospitalized in the United States for COVID-19 or Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome

This article is made available for unrestricted research re-use and secondary analysis in any form or by any means with acknowledgement of the original source. These permissions are granted for the duration of the World Health Organization (WHO) declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic.Importance Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) affects the nervous system in adult patients. The spectrum of neurologic involvement in children and adolescents is unclear. Objective To understand the range and severity of neurologic involvement among children and adolescents associated with COVID-19. Setting, Design, and Participants Case series of patients (age <21 years) hospitalized between March 15, 2020, and December 15, 2020, with positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 test result (reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and/or antibody) at 61 US hospitals in the Overcoming COVID-19 public health registry, including 616 (36%) meeting criteria for multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. Patients with neurologic involvement had acute neurologic signs, symptoms, or diseases on presentation or during hospitalization. Life-threatening involvement was adjudicated by experts based on clinical and/or neuroradiologic features. Exposures Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Main Outcomes and Measures Type and severity of neurologic involvement, laboratory and imaging data, and outcomes (death or survival with new neurologic deficits) at hospital discharge. Results Of 1695 patients (909 [54%] male; median [interquartile range] age, 9.1 [2.4-15.3] years), 365 (22%) from 52 sites had documented neurologic involvement. Patients with neurologic involvement were more likely to have underlying neurologic disorders (81 of 365 [22%]) compared with those without (113 of 1330 [8%]), but a similar number were previously healthy (195 [53%] vs 723 [54%]) and met criteria for multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (126 [35%] vs 490 [37%]). Among those with neurologic involvement, 322 (88%) had transient symptoms and survived, and 43 (12%) developed life-threatening conditions clinically adjudicated to be associated with COVID-19, including severe encephalopathy (n = 15; 5 with splenial lesions), stroke (n = 12), central nervous system infection/demyelination (n = 8), Guillain-Barré syndrome/variants (n = 4), and acute fulminant cerebral edema (n = 4). Compared with those without life-threatening conditions (n = 322), those with life-threatening neurologic conditions had higher neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratios (median, 12.2 vs 4.4) and higher reported frequency of D-dimer greater than 3 μg/mL fibrinogen equivalent units (21 [49%] vs 72 [22%]). Of 43 patients who developed COVID-19–related life-threatening neurologic involvement, 17 survivors (40%) had new neurologic deficits at hospital discharge, and 11 patients (26%) died. Conclusions and Relevance In this study, many children and adolescents hospitalized for COVID-19 or multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children had neurologic involvement, mostly transient symptoms. A range of life-threatening and fatal neurologic conditions associated with COVID-19 infrequently occurred. Effects on long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes are unknown

The epidemiology, molecular characterization and clinical pathology of circovirus infections in pigeons – current knowledge

The first cases of circovirus infections in pigeons were documented less than 25 years ago. Since then, circovirus infections have been reported on nearly all continents. The specificity of pigeon breeding defies biosecurity principles, which could be the reason for the high prevalence of PiCV infections. PiCV infections in pigeons lead to atrophy of immune system organs and lymphocyte apoptosis. Infected birds could be more susceptible to infections of the respiratory and digestive tract. PiCV has been associated with the young pigeon disease syndrome (YPDS). PiCVs are characterized by high levels of genetic diversity due to frequent point mutations, recombination processes in the PiCV genome and positive selection. Genetic recombinations and positive selection play the key role in the evolution of PiCV. A protocol for culturing PiCV under laboratory conditions has not yet been developed, and traditional vaccines against the infection are not available. Recombinant capsid proteins for detecting anti-PiCV antibodies have been obtained, and these antigens can be used in the production of diagnostic tests and subunit vaccines against PiCV infections. However, YPDS has complex etiology, and it remains unknown whether immunization against PiCV alone will contribute to effective control of YPDS

Effect of immunomodulation in turkeys infected with haemorrhagic enteritis virus on the percentage of CD4+ and CD8α+ T lymphocyte subpopulations synthesising IFN-γ

Haemorrhagic enteritis virus (HEV) is a common turkey pathogen which suppresses the immune function. The immunosuppressive potential of both field and vaccine strains of HEV makes it necessary to seek substances which can limit or prevent this phenomenon. The aim of the presented work was to investigate the effect of two immunomodulators in the immune response of HEV-infected turkeys. The immunomodulators were synthetic methisoprinol and a natural preparation containing 34.2% β-glucans (β-1,3/1,6) and 12% mannan oligosaccharides (MOS)

Communication Skills and Decision Making for Elderly Patients With Advanced Kidney Disease: A Guide for Nephrologists

Elderly patients comprise the most rapidly growing population initiating dialysis therapy and may derive particular benefit from comprehensive assessment of geriatric syndromes, coexisting comorbid conditions, and overall prognosis. Palliative care is a philosophy that aims to improve quality of life and assist with treatment decision making for patients with serious illness such as kidney disease. Palliative skills for the nephrology provider can aid in the care of these patients. This review provides nephrology providers with 4 primary palliative care skills to guide treatment decision making: (1) use prognostic tools to identify patients who may benefit from conservative management, (2) disclose prognostic information to patients who may not do well with dialysis therapy, (3) incorporate patient goals and values to outline a treatment plan, and (4) prepare patients and families for transitions and end of life