Viral Enteritis in Cattle: To Well Known Viruses and Beyond

Livestock products supply about 13 percent of energy and 28 percent of protein in diets consumed worldwide. Diarrhea is a leading cause of sickness and death of beef and dairy calves in their first month of life and also affecting adult cattle, resulting in large economic losses and a negative impact on animal welfare. Despite the usual multifactorial origin, viruses are generally involved, being among the most important causes of diarrhea. There are several viruses that have been confirmed as etiological agents (i.e., rotavirus and coronavirus), and some viruses that are not yet confirmed as etiological agents. This review summarizes the viruses that have been detected in the enteric tract of cattle and tries to deepen and gather knowledge about them.

The Aging Bowel Dysfunction and Elderly Vulnerability towards COVID-19 Infection

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, primarily a respiratory tract virus, also affects the enteric organs. The most affected sector of the community are the retirement and nursing home elderly residents. Along their life the senescent gastrointestinal functions are deteriorating and failing to fully execute their digestive, absorptive, mucosal barriers, and immune protective duties. Adding the decreased motility, increased intestinal permeability, dysbiosis, morbid chronic disease background, the consumed polypharmacy enteric adverse effects to the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 host receptor along the intestinal tracts put the basis for the current hypothesis. It is hypothesized that the disadvantages and failures of the aging enteric tract contribute to the elderly morbidity and mortality during the current new coronavirus pandemic. In a more optimistic look, several nutraceuticals can prevent or restore the dysfunctional intestinal barrier functions, mainly in the elderly and potentially in those who are SARS-CoV-2 infected.

An arabinogalactan from Lycium barbarum attenuates DSS-induced chronic colitis in C57BL/6J mice associated with modulation of intestinal barrier function and gut microbiota

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an incurable chronic inflammation of the enteric tract. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effects of arabinogalactan from Lycium barbarum on DSS-induced...

Minimum Determinants of Transmissible Gastroenteritis Virus Enteric Tropism Are Located in the N-Terminus of Spike Protein

Transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) is an enteric coronavirus causing high morbidity and mortality in porcine herds worldwide, that possesses both enteric and respiratory tropism. The ability to replicate in the enteric tract directly correlates with virulence, as TGEVs with an exclusive respiratory tropism are attenuated. The tissue tropism is determined by spike (S) protein, although the molecular bases for enteric tropism remain to be fully characterized. Both pAPN and sialic acid binding domains (aa 506–655 and 145–155, respectively) are necessary but not sufficient for enteric tract infection. Using a TGEV infectious cDNA and enteric (TGEV-SC11) or respiratory (TGEV-SPTV) isolates, encoding a full-length S protein, a set of chimeric recombinant viruses, with a sequential modification in S protein amino terminus, was engineered. In vivo tropism, either enteric, respiratory or both, was studied by inoculating three-day-old piglets and analyzing viral titers in lung and gut. The data indicated that U655>G change in S gene (S219A in S protein) was required to confer enteric tropism to a respiratory virus that already contains the pAPN and sialic acid binding domains in its S protein. Moreover, an engineered virus containing U655>G and a 6 nt insertion at position 1124 (Y374-T375insND in S protein) was genetically stable after passage in cell cultures, and increased virus titers in gut by 1000-fold. We postulated that the effect of these residues in enteric tropism may be mediated by the modification of both glycosaminoglycan binding and S protein structure.

Lipomatrix: A Novel Ascorbyl Palmitate-Based Lipid Matrix to Enhancing Enteric Absorption of Serenoa Repens Oil

The class of lipophilic compounds coming from vegetal source represents a perspective in the adjuvant treatment of several human diseases, despite their poor bioavailability in humans. These compounds are generally soluble in fats and poorly soluble in water. The major reason for the poor bioavailability of lipophilic natural compounds after oral uptake in humans is related to their reduced solubility in enteric water-based fluids, leading to an ineffective contact with absorbing epithelium. The main goal to ensure efficacy of such compounds is then creating technological conditions to deliver them into the first enteric tract as hydro-dispersible forms to maximize epithelial absorption. The present work describes and characterizes a new technological matrix (Lipomatrix, Labomar Research, Istrana, TV, Italy) based on a molten fats core in which Ascorbyl Palmitate is embedded, able to deliver lipophilic compounds in a well-dispersed and emulsified form once exposed to duodenal fluids. Authors describe and quantify Lipomatrix delivery of Serenoa repens oil through an innovative in vitro model of human gastro-enteric digestion, reporting results of its improved bioaccessibility, enteric absorption and efficacy compared with not formulated Serenoa repens oil-containing commercial products using in vitro models of human intestine and prostatic tissue.

Vascular Diseases of the Hepaticopancreaticobiliary System

The liver, pancreas, and biliary tree exist within a complex, interconnected relationship among each other and the enteric tract. They play vital roles in endocrine physiology, metabolism, and immunity. These anatomically complex organs can be affected by a variety of vascular conditions, ranging from acute and self-limited to chronic and life-threatening. The clinical workup and management of these conditions are as important to the interventional radiologist as the procedures that they are asked to perform to treat them. Knowledge of the diseases themselves, their natural course, and medical management can help to familiarize proceduralists with the reasons for referral and the complications and comorbidities that one can expect when treating these patients. In this chapter, we present a clinical overview of vascular diseases affecting the hepaticopancreaticobiliary systems.

Pre-Transplant Screening for Latent Adenovirus in Donors and Recipients

Human adenoviruses are frequent cause of slight self-limiting infections in immune competent subjects, while causing life-threatening and disseminated diseases in immunocompromised patients, particularly in the subjects affected by acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and in bone marrow and organ transplant recipients. Here, infections interest lungs, liver, encephalon, heart, kidney and gastro enteric tract. To date, human adenoviruses comprise 51 serotypes grouped into seven species, among which species C especially possesses the capability to persist in infected tissues. From numerous works, it emerges that in the recipient, because of loss of immune-competence, both primary infection, via the graft or from the environment, and reactivated endogenous viruses can be responsible for transplantation related adenovirus disease. The transplants management should include the evaluation of anti-adenovirus pre-transplant screening similar to that concerning cytomegalovirus. The serological screening on cytomegalovirus immunity is currently performed to prevent viral reactivation from grafts and recipient, the viral spread and dissemination to different organs and apparatus, and potentially lethal outcome.

Secondary Malignancies in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: A Single Centre Retrospective Analysis of 514 Cases

Background: chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is characterized by progressive immunodeficiency with high prevalence of infections, autoimmune phenomena and secondary malignancies. The immune deregulation may be due to the disease itself or it may be a consequence of the treatment performed. Despite the use of highly effective chemo-immunotherapy, CLL remains incurable nowadays, even if the availability of new drugs is improving life expectancy. Aims: to evaluate the incidence of second cancers in CLL patients, and to investigate their relationship with disease features and therapy lines. Methods: 514 CLL patients diagnosed and followed from 1983 until 2014 at our Institution were retrospectively evaluated. Secondary cancers were categorized according to the originating organ or tissue; skin cancers were divided into melanoma and non-melanoma. History of neoplasia preceding CLL diagnosis was also registered. Results: clinical, hematological and biological characteristics at CLL diagnosis are listed in Table 1. During the follow up 88 patients (17%) developed secondary cancers, with a mean time from diagnosis to secondary neoplasia of 9 years. Considering tumor site, we observed 9 hematological malignancies, 9 lung, 5 breast, 19 uro-genital tract (5 kidney, 10 prostate, 4 bladder, 2 uterus, and 2 ovarian), 15 gastro-enteric tract (12 colon, 2 gastric and 1 tongue), 4 pancreas, 3 melanoma and 15 skin cancers other than melanoma. No significant differences were observed according to age, gender, Rai/Binet stage and hematologic parameters in patients with or without secondary tumors (Table 1). Considering prognostic features, no association was found with 13q deletion, chromosome 12 trisomy, VHIG mutational status, or with ZAP-70 and CD-38 positivity. On the contrary, the development of second cancers was associated with the presence of chromosome 17p (8% with secondary neoplasia versus 6% without, p=0.05) and 11q deletions (13% versus 9%, p=0.08). Medical history was positive for malignancies in 70 patients (13%): 2 hematological malignancies, 3 airways (2 lower and 1 upper), 3 breast, 6 uro-genital tract (3 bladder, 3 prostate, 2 uterus and 1 ovarian), 3 gastro-enteric tract, 3 skin cancers other than melanoma, and 3 melanoma. As regards treatment, 46/88 (52.3%) and 219/426 (51.4%) patients with or without secondary cancers, underwent at least one therapy line. Eighty-six patients were treated with fludarabine containing regimens, of whom 11 developed a secondary cancer; 180 patients received chlorambucil and 34 developed a secondary tumor. Among 65 patients who underwent alemtuzumab treatment, 10 were later diagnosed with a second cancer. During the follow up, 121 patients died, 18 with secondary malignancy. Of note, 41 patients died from CLL progression, 2 from thrombotic events, 11 from infections and 8 from secondary malignancy. Conclusions: secondary malignancies are not infrequent in patients with CLL and their occurrence is not clearly related to biologic markers or to the treatment performed. A careful clinical follow up, encompassing sex and age adjusted tumors screening, is advisable for an early diagnosis and appropriate treatment of secondary malignancies in CLL. Table 1. clinical and laboratory features of 514 CLL patients with or without secondary malignancies. Data are expressed as median (range) or absolute number (%). Secondary malignancies Yes (N=88) No (N=426) Age years 64 (39-80) 63 (31-90) Gender M/F 57/31 250/176 Follow-up years 12 (0-30) 12 (1-25) Rai/Binet<C/III> C/III 85 (97) 3 (3) 401 (94) 25 (6) WBC x10e3/mmc 18.74 (3.6-138) 17.3 (3-384) ALC x10e3/mmc 12.63 (1.8-91.8) 11.9 (1.4-381) Hb g/dL 14 (9-17) 14 (8-18) PLT x10e3/mmc 198 (77-608) 184 (58-472) LDH U/L 325 (144-838) 334 (142-795) Beta2microglobulin mg/L 2 (1-23) 2 (0-10) FISH*Del11qDel13qDel17p+12 6 (13) 19 (40) 4 (8) 6 (13) 23 (9) 101 (40) 15 (6) 38 (15) VHIG unmutated** 15 (42) 80 (39) ZAP-70 positive*** 14 (39) 73 (36) CD-38 positive**** 15 (42) 76 (37) *Tested in 48 and 252 patients respectively. **Tested in 36 and 205 patients respectively. ***Tested in 33 and 182 patients respectively. ****Tested in 56 and 291 patients respectively. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE;

Introduction: Since the development of antibiotics there is a growing concern about the increasing incidence of antibioticresistance. As a result the therapeutic value of originally effective antibiotics become significantly reduced overtimes. Extensive data isavailable on antibiotic susceptibilities of hospital isolates but very little information is available about the susceptibilities of community strains.Design: Descriptive. Period: July 2004 to June 2005. Setting: Department of Microbiology, Shaikh Zayed Hospital Lahore. Hence the presentstudy was design to assess the environmental load of the antibiotic resistance using fecal flora as an indicator of overall problem. It will alsoprovide guidance in antibiotic protocol for antibiotic policy. Objective: Objective of the present study was to determine the developingresistance to β – Lactam Antibiotics which is the commensal microbe of enteric tract. Materials & Methods: One hundred samples werecollected from ten different areas of Lahore city (10 samples from each area) and were inoculated on Mac Conkey’s agar. Five morphologicallydistinct lactose fermenting colonies were selected & identified using standard laboratory methods. Five hundred different colonies of E.coli wereidentified and analyzed for their susceptibility to b-lactam antibiotic. Results: Out of 500 isolates, the resistant isolates with ampicillin (48%), coamoxiclav(40%) and cephradine (37%) were detected, with cheaper oral agents high prevalence of resistance was detected. Conclusions:Ampicillin, co-amoxiclav and cephradine are not much useful for the treatment of urinary tract infection and septicemia caused by E-coli & otherMembers of fecal flora.