Search results for "INFECTIONS"
showing 10 items of 2671 documents
In vitro cytokine profile revealed differences from dorsal and ventral skin susceptibility to pathogen-probiotic interaction in gilthead seabream
2016
Skin is the first barrier of defense on fish, which is crucial to protection against different stressors, including pathogens. Skin samples obtained from dorsal and ventral part of Sparus aurata specimens were incubated with Photobacterium damselae subsp. piscicida (a pathogen for this fish species), with Shewanella putrefaciens Pdp11 (a probiotic bacteria isolated from healthy gilthead seabream skin) or with both bacteria. The gene expression profile of nine cytokines (il1b, tnfa, il6, il7, il8, il15, il18, il10 and tgfb) was studied by qPCR in all the skin samples. The present findings revealed different patterns of cytokine profile in dorsal and ventral skin of gilthead seabream, which c…
Priming of host resistance to protect cultured rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss against eye flukes and parasite-induced cataracts
2010
In the present study, immunologically naive rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss were experimentally exposed to a low-level Diplostomum spathaceum (Trematoda) infection to stimulate acquired resistance and, along with unexposed controls, were subsequently exposed to natural infection for 8 weeks. The priming of the host resistance, designed to simulate a procedure applicable in aquaculture, decreased the number of establishing parasites compared to untreated controls by the end of the experiment. This effect was slow and did not protect the fish against the parasite-induced cataracts. The results suggest that this type of priming of host resistance is probably inefficient in preventing the del…
The Influence of Infective Dose on the Virulence of a Generalist Pathogen in Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and Zebra Fish (Danio rerio)
2015
Pathogen density and genetic diversity fluctuate in the outside-host environment during and between epidemics, affecting disease emergence and the severity and probability of infections. Although the importance of these factors for pathogen virulence and infection probability has been acknowledged, their interactive effects are not well understood. We studied how an infective dose in an environmentally transmitted opportunistic fish pathogen, Flavobacterium columnare, affects its virulence both in rainbow trout, which are frequently infected at fish farms, and in zebra fish, a host that is not naturally infected by F. columnare. We used previously isolated strains of confirmed high and low …
Intensive fish farming and the evolution of pathogen virulence: the case of columnaris disease in Finland.
2009
Ecological changes affect pathogen epidemiology and evolution and may trigger the emergence of novel diseases. Aquaculture radically alters the ecology of fish and their pathogens. Here we show an increase in the occurrence of the bacterial fish disease Flavobacterium columnare in salmon fingerlings at a fish farm in northern Finland over 23 years. We hypothesize that this emergence was owing to evolutionary changes in bacterial virulence. We base this argument on several observations. First, the emergence was associated with increased severity of symptoms. Second, F. columnare strains vary in virulence, with more lethal strains inducing more severe symptoms prior to death. Third, more vir…
Treatment of columnaris disease of rainbow trout: low pH and salt as possible tools?
2005
The impact of salt and low pH on columnaris disease of fish was studied. Survival of Flavobacterium columnare after exposure to either 4% NaCl (pH 7.2) or pH 5.0, pH 4.86 or pH 4.6 for 15 min or 1 h was studied in vitro. All conditions significantly reduced the numbers of viable bacterial cells. The effects of salt (4 and 2%) and acidic baths (pH 4.6) were studied in 2 experiments in vivo with rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss infected with F. columnare. Both salt and acidic baths failed to prevent fish mortality; the overall mortality reached 100% in all groups. However, according to survival analysis, the mortality rate was lower in fish treated with 4% salt baths compared to a control gr…
Changes to legal forensic inspections in Sicily during Covid-19
2020
Our institute, in collaboration with the Public Prosecutor’s Office, arranges for cadaveric inspections during a judicial inspection, jointly with the police. With the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic, operating methods have changed. Specifically, we now discuss the cases individually before attending to guarantee the health of operators and citizens
Rapid development of Epstein-Barr virus-associated Hodgkin's disease after cessation of foscarnet therapy in an HIV-infected patient.
2000
Epidemiological features suggest a link between Hodgkin's disease (HD) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection1. Indeed, EBV genome and expression of latent antigens can be found in Reed-Sternberg cells. In the majority of cases HD in HIV patients seems to be EBV-associated. We report on a 51-year-old HIV-infected patient in whom EBV-positive HD of mixed cellularity rapidly developed within one month after cessation of treatment with intravenous foscarnet.
Outside-host growth of pathogens attenuates epidemiological outbreaks.
2012
Opportunist saprotrophic pathogens differ from obligatory pathogens due to their capability in host-independent growth in environmental reservoirs. Thus, the outside-host environment potentially influences host-pathogen dynamics. Despite the socio-economical importance of these pathogens, theory on their dynamics is practically missing. We analyzed a novel epidemiological model that couples outside-host density-dependent growth to host-pathogen dynamics. Parameterization was based on columnaris disease, a major hazard in fresh water fish farms caused by saprotrophic Flavobacterium columnare. Stability analysis and numerical simulations revealed that the outside-host growth maintains high pr…
Management of infections in cirrhotic patients: Report of a Consensus Conference
2014
a b s t r a c t The statements produced by the consensus conference on infection in end-stage liver disease promoted by the Italian Association for the Study of the Liver, are here reported. The topics of epidemiology, risk factors, diagnosis, prophylaxis, and treatment of infections in patient with compensated and decompensated liver cirrhosis were reviewed by a scientific board of experts who proposed 26 statements that were graded according to level of evidence and strength of recommen- dation, and approved by an independent jury. Each topic was explored focusing on the more relevant clinical questions. By systematic literature search of available evidence, comparison and discussion of e…
Procalcitonin as a marker of Candida species detection by blood culture and polymerase chain reaction in septic patients
2014
Background: The aim of our study is to test procalcitonin (PCT) as surrogate marker of identification of Candida spp. by blood culture (BC) and real-time-polymerase chain reaction (PCR), whether alone or in association with bacteria, in septic patients.Methods: We performed a single-centre retrospective study. We reviewed the clinical charts of patients with a diagnosis of severe sepsis or septic shock treated at our general intensive care unit from March 2009 to March 2013. We analysed all diagnostic episodes consisting of BC, real-time PCR assay and dosage of PCT. We registered age, sex, white blood count, sequential organ failure assessment score and type of admission between medical or …