Murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) infections in house mice: a matter of age or sex?

2004 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 369 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jens Jacob ◽  
Duncan R. Sutherland
Keyword(s):  
Fertility Control ◽  
Linear Increase ◽  
Murine Cytomegalovirus ◽  
House Mice ◽  
Agricultural Pest ◽  
Density Dependent ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Old Mice

The murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) may be used as a vector for fertility control in house mice, which are a significant agricultural pest in south-eastern Australia. The transmission of MCMV can be density dependent and is mostly subclinical in its effect on mice; however, little is known about which individual parameters influence whether an animal is likely to be infected or not.We examined the impact of age and reproductive history on seroprevalence of MCMV in house mice during the breeding season. MCMV seroprevalence was density dependent and there was a linear increase in seroprevalence with increasing age, starting at 25% for 1-month-old mice and 100% for all individuals older than five months. There was no clear indication that the number of previous pregnancies was related to MCMV seroprevalence.The high prevalence of MCMV among adult female house mice (84%) implies that an Australian field strain of MCMV could be a promising vector for an immunocontraceptive for house mice.

The impact of murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) on enclosure populations of house mice (Mus domesticus)

2002 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. N. Farroway ◽  
G. R. Singleton ◽  
M. A. Lawson ◽  
D. A. Jones
Keyword(s):  
Fertility Control ◽  
Murine Cytomegalovirus ◽  
Adult Survival ◽  
House Mice ◽  
Host Immune System ◽  
High Survival ◽  
Rate Of Increase ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Young Mice

Feral house mice are a significant agricultural pest in south-eastern Australia. Fertility control is favoured as a long-term control strategy, using murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) as a viral delivery system for an immunocontraceptive. We examined the impact of one and two non-sterilising field strains of MCMV on populations of house mice housed under semi-natural conditions. MCMV had no effect on the proportion of females pregnant or lactating or on the number of placental scars per female. However, females in enclosures with two strains of MCMV produced fewer litters. No impact of MCMV was detected on adult survival, with high survival (>95%) detected in all enclosures. Similar numbers of the first cohort of young entered the trappable population of all enclosures. There was no significant impact of MCMV on survival of young mice, although there was a trend for reduced numbers of the second cohort of young and less successful recruitment in enclosures with two strains of MCMV. The two cohorts of young mice in enclosures with MCMV had poorer body condition. These impacts of infection on young mice imply that MCMV may have negative effects on survival only when the host immune system is not fully developed or the host is immunocompromised. Overall, there was no effect of MCMV on the rate of increase of the mouse populations. Therefore, the effects of MCMV were minor at a demographic level, confirming the suitability of an Australian field strain of MCMV as a vector for an immunocontraceptive of mice.

Predicting the effect of immunocontraceptive recombinant murine cytomegalovirus on population outbreaks of house mice (Mus musculus domesticus) in mallee wheatlands

2005 ◽  
Vol 32 (7) ◽  
pp. 631 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. D. Arthur ◽  
R. P. Pech ◽  
G. R. Singleton
Keyword(s):  
Transmission Rate ◽  
Strong Support ◽  
Murine Cytomegalovirus ◽  
House Mice ◽  
Single Strain ◽  
Mouse Population ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Population Outbreak ◽  
Successful Control

Virally vectored immunocontraception using a modified murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) is being developed for the control of house mice in Australia. In this paper, we develop disease–host models using a combination of laboratory and field data. We then combine these models with a model of a previous mouse population outbreak to explore the likely effectiveness of modified MCMV for controlling mice. Models of homogeneous mixing with and without vertical/pseudovertical transmission provided reasonable fits to field serological data collected during the onset and development of a mouse population outbreak in south-eastern Australia. Both models include the high transmission rate of MCMV suggested by the data. We found no strong support for non-linear contact rates or heterogeneous mixing. When applied to a past outbreak of mice both models gave similar results and suggested that immunocontraceptive MCMV could be effective at reducing agricultural damage to acceptable levels. Successful control was still possible when lags in the development of infertility of up to 10 weeks were added to the model, provided high levels of infertility were achieved. These lags were added because mice can become pregnant just before becoming infertile – the resultant litter would not emerge for 6–7 weeks. Trade-offs between two parameters that could be altered by engineering strains of MCMV – the level of infertility in infected mice and the virus transmission rate – were explored and suggest that a variety of parameter combinations could produce successful control. Our results are encouraging for the future development of virally vectored immunocontraception control of house mice, but future work will need to consider some of the assumptions of these single-strain models.

The transmission rate of MCMV in house mice in pens: implications for virally vectored immunocontraception

2009 ◽  
Vol 36 (5) ◽  
pp. 386 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. D. Arthur ◽  
C. J. Krebs ◽  
R. P. Pech ◽  
L. N. Farroway ◽  
G. R. Singleton
Keyword(s):  
Transmission Rate ◽  
Wild Mouse ◽  
Fertility Control ◽  
Murine Cytomegalovirus ◽  
House Mice ◽  
Recombinant Viruses ◽  
Economic Thresholds ◽  
Rapid Transmission ◽  
Future Work ◽  
Free Ranging

Pest mammals have severe economic, environmental and social impacts throughout the world. Fertility control could reduce these impacts. Murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) is being considered as an immunocontraceptive vector to control outbreaks of house mice (Mus domesticus) in Australian grain-growing regions. For successful control, a modified MCMV must transmit at a sufficient rate to keep populations of house mice below acceptable economic thresholds. We used disease models developed previously by using observations of free-ranging wild-mouse populations to assess the transmission rate of two laboratory strains of MCMV (N1 and G4) collected in a previous experiment. Mice contained in pens were deliberately infected with the N1 strain only, or with the N1 strain followed by the G4 strain. If we assume density-dependent transmission, which is the more likely mode of transmission, we found the N1 strain of MCMV transmitted at a rate ~1/300 of the rate of field strains, and hence too slowly for successful virally vectored immunocontraception (VVIC). If transmission was frequency-dependent, the rate of transmission was ~1/3 of the rate of field strains, and hence may allow successful VVIC. The G4 strain transmitted at least as slowly as the N1 strain, and possibly much more slowly; however, we could not determine whether this was an inherent property of the G4 strain or whether it was caused by competition with the N1 strain. Given the reliance of successful VVIC on rapid transmission, we recommend that future work in any VVIC system explicitly quantifies the transmission rate of recombinant viruses relative to field strains, both in the presence and absence of competing strains.

Comparing the Impact of Religious Discourse on HIV/AIDS in Islam and Christianity in Africa

2012 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sloane Speakman
Keyword(s):  
Social Factors ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Hiv Prevalence ◽  
Religious Discourse ◽  
Prevalence Rates ◽  
The Social ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Islam And Christianity ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
The Impact

In examining the strikingly high prevalence rates of HIV in many parts of Africa, reaching as high as 5% in some areas, how does the discourse promoted by the predominant religions across the continent, Islam and Christianity, affect the outlook of their followers on the epidemic? This question becomes even more intriguing after discovering the dramatic difference in rate of HIV prevalence between Muslims and Christians in Africa, confirmed by studies that have found a negative relationship to exist between HIV prevalence and being Muslim in Africa, even in Sub-Saharan African nations. Why does this gap in prevalence rates exist? Does Islam advocate participating in less risky behavior more so than Christianity? By comparing the social construction, epidemiological understanding and public responses among Muslim populations in Africa with Christian ones, it becomes apparent that many similarities exist between the two regarding discourse and that, rather than religious discourse itself, other social factors, such as circumcision practices, contribute more to the disparity in HIV prevalence than originally thought.

Double, triple or quadruple hits? Exploring the impact of cybercrime on victims in the Netherlands

2021 ◽  
pp. 026975802110106
Author(s):  
Raoul Notté ◽  
E.R. Leukfeldt ◽  
Marijke Malsch
Keyword(s):  
Public Opinion ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Public Discourse ◽  
Moral Judgments ◽  
Victim Blaming ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Different Types ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Insight Into

This article explores the impact of online crime victimisation. A literature review and 41 interviews – 19 with victims and 22 with experts – were carried out to gain insight into this. The interviews show that most impacts of online offences correspond to the impacts of traditional offline offences. There are also differences with offline crime victimisation. Several forms of impact seem to be specific to victims of online crime: the substantial scale and visibility of victimhood, victimisation that does not stop in time, the interwovenness of online and offline, and victim blaming. Victims suffer from double, triple or even quadruple hits; it is the accumulation of different types of impact, enforced by the limitlessness in time and space, which makes online crime victimisation so extremely invasive. Furthermore, the characteristics of online crime victimisation greatly complicate the fight against and prevention of online crime. Finally, the high prevalence of cybercrime victimisation combined with the severe impact of these crimes seems contradictory with public opinion – and associated moral judgments – on victims. Further research into the dominant public discourse on victimisation and how this affects the functioning of the police and victim support would be valuable.

scholarly journals The RATIONS (Reducing Activation of Tuberculosis by Improvement of Nutritional Status) study: a cluster randomised trial of nutritional support (food rations) to reduce TB incidence in household contacts of patients with microbiologically confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis in communities with a high prevalence of undernutrition, Jharkhand, India

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. e047210
Author(s):  
Anurag Bhargava ◽  
Madhavi Bhargava ◽  
Banurekha Velayutham ◽  
Kannan Thiruvengadam ◽  
Basilea Watson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factor ◽  
Nutritional Status ◽  
G Proteins ◽  
Randomised Trial ◽  
Cluster Randomised Trial ◽  
Household Contacts ◽  
Cluster Randomised ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Secondary Outcomes ◽  
The Impact

IntroductionIndia has the largest burden of cases and deaths related to tuberculosis (TB). Undernutrition is the leading risk factor accounting for TB incidence, while severe undernutrition is a common risk factor for mortality in patients with TB in India. The impact of nutritional supplementation on TB incidence is unknown, while few underpowered studies have assessed its impact on TB mortality. We designed an open-label, field-based cluster randomised trial to assess the impact of nutritional supplementation (with food rations) on TB incidence in a group at higher risk of TB infection and disease, viz household contacts (HHC) of patients with microbiologically confirmed pulmonary TB (PTB) in Jharkhand, a state with a high prevalence of undernutrition.Methods and analysisWe shall enrol 2800 adult patients with PTB of the national TB programme, across 28 treatment units in 4 districts, and their approximately 11 200 eligible contacts. The sample size has 80% power to detect the primary outcome of 50% reduction in incidence of active TB in HHC over 2 years of follow-up. Patients and HHC in both the arms will undergo nutritional assessment and counselling. Patients will receive monthly food rations (supplying 1200 kcal and 52 g proteins/day) and multivitamins along with antitubercular treatment. The HHC in the intervention arm will receive food rations (supplying 750 kcal and 23 g proteins/day) and multivitamins while HHC in control arm will be on usual diet. The secondary outcomes in HHC will include effects on nutritional status, non-TB infections. Secondary outcomes in patients are effects on TB mortality, adherence, adverse effects, nutritional and performance status. Substudies will examine micronutrient status and effects on dietary intake, body composition, muscle strength and immune function.Ethics and disseminationThe institutional ethics committee of ICMR-NIRT, Chennai, approved the study (289/NIRT-IEC/2018). The results will be disseminated in publications and presentations.Trial registration numberClinical Trial Registry of India: CTRI/2019/08/020490.

Computational Analysis of Olfactory Airspace in Patients With Unilateral Cleft Lip Nasal Deformity

2020 ◽  
pp. 105566562098275
Author(s):  
Reanna Shah ◽  
Jeffrey R. Marcus ◽  
Dennis O. Frank-Ito
Keyword(s):  
Cleft Lip ◽  
Computational Analysis ◽  
Normal Subjects ◽  
Nasal Deformity ◽  
Normal Anatomy ◽  
3 Dimensional ◽  
Computed Tomography Images ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Dimensional Reconstruction ◽  
The Impact

Objectives: To evaluate the magnitude of olfactory recess opacity in patients with unilateral cleft lip nasal deformity (uCLND). Design: Subject-specific 3-dimensional reconstruction of the nasal airway anatomy was created from computed tomography images in 11 (4 males and 7 females) subjects with uCLND and 7 (3 males, and 4 females) normal subjects. The volume and surface area of each subject’s unilateral and bilateral olfactory airspace was quantified to assess the impact of opacification. Qualitatively speaking, patients with 75% to 100% olfactory recess opacification were classified as extreme, 50% to 75% as severe, 25% to 50% as moderate, and 0% to 25% as mild. Results: Of the 11 subjects with uCLND, 5 (45%) were classified as having extreme olfactory recess opacification, 3 (27%) subjects had severe opacification, and 3 (27%) subjects had moderate opacification. Mean (±SD) bilateral olfactory recess volume was significantly greater in normal subjects than in subjects with uCLND (0.9668 cm3 ± 0.4061 cm3 vs 0.3426 cm3 ± 0.1316 cm3; P < .001). Furthermore, unilateral olfactory airspace volumes for the cleft and non-cleft sides in subjects with uCLND were considerably less than unilateral olfactory volume in subjects with normal anatomy (uCLND cleft side = 0.1623 cm3 ± 0.0933 cm3; uCLND non-cleft side = 0.1803 cm3 ± 0.0938 cm3; normal = 0.4834 cm3 ± 0.2328 cm3; P < .001). Conclusions: Our findings indicate a high prevalence of olfactory recess opacification among subjects with uCLND when compared to subjects with normal anatomy. The majority of subjects with uCLND had extreme olfactory recess opacity, which will likely influence their sense of smell.

scholarly journals Impact of On-Farm Interventions against CTX-Resistant Escherichia coli on the Contamination of Carcasses before and during an Experimental Slaughter

Antibiotics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 228
Author(s):  
Michaela Projahn ◽  
Jana Sachsenroeder ◽  
Guido Correia-Carreira ◽  
Evelyne Becker ◽  
Annett Martin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Broiler Chickens ◽  
Stocking Density ◽  
Resistant Bacteria ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Cross Contamination ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
On Farm ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Slow Growing

Cefotaxime (CTX)-resistant Enterobacteriaceae are still an ongoing challenge in human and veterinary health. High prevalence of these resistant bacteria is detected in broiler chickens and the prevention of their dissemination along the production pyramid is of major concern. The impact of certain on-farm interventions on the external bacterial contamination of broiler chickens, as well as their influence on single processing steps and (cross-) contamination, have not yet been evaluated. Therefore, we investigated breast skin swab samples of broiler chickens before and during slaughter at an experimental slaughter facility. Broiler chickens were previously challenged with CTX-resistant Escherichia coli strains in a seeder-bird model and subjected to none (control group (CG)) or four different on-farm interventions: drinking water supplementation based on organic acids (DW), slow growing breed Rowan × Ranger (RR), reduced stocking density (25 kg/sqm) and competitive exclusion with Enterobacteriales strain IHIT36098(CE). Chickens of RR, 25 kg/sqm, and CE showed significant reductions of the external contamination compared to CG. The evaluation of a visual scoring system indicated that wet and dirty broiler chickens are more likely a vehicle for the dissemination of CTX-resistant and total Enterobacteriaceae into the slaughterhouses and contribute to higher rates of (cross-) contamination during processing.

scholarly journals Impact of aging on gene expression response to x-ray irradiation using mouse blood

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Constantinos G. Broustas ◽  
Axel J. Duval ◽  
Sally A. Amundson
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Differentially Expressed Genes ◽  
Differentially Expressed ◽  
X Rays ◽  
Gene Expression Response ◽  
X Ray ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Old Mice ◽  
Radiation Biodosimetry ◽  
Young Mice

AbstractAs a radiation biodosimetry tool, gene expression profiling is being developed using mouse and human peripheral blood models. The impact of dose, dose-rate, and radiation quality has been studied with the goal of predicting radiological tissue injury. In this study, we determined the impact of aging on the gene expression profile of blood from mice exposed to radiation. Young (2 mo) and old (21 mo) male mice were irradiated with 4 Gy x-rays, total RNA was isolated from whole blood 24 h later, and subjected to whole genome microarray analysis. Pathway analysis of differentially expressed genes revealed young mice responded to x-ray exposure by significantly upregulating pathways involved in apoptosis and phagocytosis, a process that eliminates apoptotic cells and preserves tissue homeostasis. In contrast, the functional annotation of senescence was overrepresented among differentially expressed genes from irradiated old mice without enrichment of phagocytosis pathways. Pathways associated with hematologic malignancies were enriched in irradiated old mice compared with irradiated young mice. The fibroblast growth factor signaling pathway was underrepresented in older mice under basal conditions. Similarly, brain-related functions were underrepresented in unirradiated old mice. Thus, age-dependent gene expression differences should be considered when developing gene signatures for use in radiation biodosimetry.

scholarly journals Transgenerational effects modulate density-dependent prophylactic resistance to viral infection in a lepidopteran pest

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 20150012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth Wilson ◽  
Robert I. Graham
Keyword(s):  
Disease Resistance ◽  
Survival Rates ◽  
Post Challenge ◽  
Transgenerational Effects ◽  
Density Dependent ◽  
Offspring Fitness ◽  
Rearing Density ◽  
Lepidopteran Pest ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Resistance To Viral Infection

There is an increasing appreciation of the importance of transgenerational effects on offspring fitness, including in relation to immune function and disease resistance. Here, we assess the impact of parental rearing density on offspring resistance to viral challenge in an insect species expressing density-dependent prophylaxis (DDP); i.e. the adaptive increase in resistance or tolerance to pathogen infection in response to crowding. We quantified survival rates in larvae of the cotton leafworm ( Spodoptera littoralis ) from either gregarious- or solitary-reared parents following challenge with the baculovirus S. littoralis nucleopolyhedrovirus. Larvae from both the parental and offspring generations exhibited DDP, with gregarious-reared larvae having higher survival rates post-challenge than solitary-reared larvae. Within each of these categories, however, survival following infection was lower in those larvae from gregarious-reared parents than those from solitary-reared, consistent with a transgenerational cost of DDP immune upregulation. This observation demonstrates that crowding influences lepidopteran disease resistance over multiple generations, with potential implications for the dynamics of host–pathogen interactions.

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