Total Blood Cell Count Research Articles

Effects of a blend of essential oils in milk replacer on performance, rumen fermentation, blood parameters, and health scores of dairy heifers.

The aim of this study was to evaluate how the inclusion of a blend of essential oils in milk replacer (MR) affects different outcomes of dairy heifers. The outcomes evaluated: feed intake, performance, body development, blood cells and metabolites, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), rumen fermentation, fecal scores, and respiratory scores. All outcomes were evaluated during pre-weaning (4-60 d of age), and carry-over effects during post-weaning (61-90 d of age) periods. The experimental units utilized were 29 newborn Holstein × Gyr crossbred dairy heifers, with genetic composition of 5/8 or more Holstein and 3/8 or less Gyr and body weight (BW) at birth of 32.2 ± 5.2 kg. Experimental units were assigned to either a control (CON, n = 15) or a blend of essential oil supplementation (BEO, n = 14) treatment, maintaining a balance of genetic composition. The BEO was supplemented in the MR with 1 g/d/calf of a blend of essential oils (Apex Calf, Adisseo, China) composed by plant extracts derived from anise, cinnamon, garlic, rosemary, and thyme. During the pre-weaning phase, all heifers were fed 5 L of MR/d reconstituted to 15% (dry matter basis), divided into two equal meals. Water and starter were provided ad libitum. During the post-weaning, animals received a maximum of 3 kg of starter/d, and ad libitum corn silage, divided into two meals. Feed intake, fecal and respiratory scores were evaluated daily. The BW was measured every three days, while body development was recorded weekly. Blood samples were collected on 0, 30, and 60 d of age for total blood cell count, weekly and on the weaning day to determinate ß-hydroxybutyrate, urea and glucose, and biweekly for IGF-1. Ruminal parameters (pH, volatile fatty acids, ammonia-N, and acetate:propionate proportion-C2:C3) were measured on days 14, 28, 42, 60, 74 and 90. A randomized complete block design with an interaction between treatment and week was the experimental method of choice to test the hypothesis of the BEO's effect on all outcomes. An ANOVA procedure was used for continuous outcomes, and a non-parametric test was used for the ordered categorical outcomes, both adopting a CI = 95%. Results indicated that there was not enough evidence to accept the alternative hypothesis of the effect of BEO in MR on feed intake, performance, body development, and blood metabolites during both pre-weaning and post-weaning periods. However, results indicated that the inclusion of BEO in MR significantly affects the proportion of C2:C3 during pre- and post-weaning (P = 0.05). Similarly, the effect was significant for basophil (P ≤ 0.001), and platelet (P = 0.04) counts pre-weaning. The interaction between week and treatment was also significant for lymphocytes (P ≤ 0.001), revealing a cumulative effect. Lastly, fecal scores were also significant (P = 0.04) during pre-weaning, with lower values for BEO. The BEO contributed to ruminal manipulation in pre-weaning and carry-over effects in post-weaning, immunity improvement, and decreased morbidity of neonatal diarrhea in the pre-weaning phase.

Trace amounts of antibiotic exacerbated diarrhea and systemic inflammation of weaned pigs infected with a pathogenic Escherichia coli

Abstract The experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of trace amounts of antibiotic on growth performance, diarrhea, systemic immunity, and intestinal health of weaned pigs experimentally infected with an enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli. Weaned pigs (n = 34, 6.88 ± 1.03 kg body weight [BW]) were individually housed in disease containment rooms and randomly allotted to one of the three dietary treatments: nursery basal diet (CON) and two additional diets supplemented with 0.5 or 50 mg/kg carbadox to the nursery basal diet (TRA or REC), respectively. The experiment lasted 18 d with 7 d before and 11 d after the first E. coli inoculation. The E. coli F18 inoculum was orally provided to all pigs with a dose of 1010 colony-forming unit (CFU)/3 mL for three consecutive days. Fecal and blood samples were collected on day 0 before inoculation and days 2, 5, 8, and 11 postinoculation (PI) to test the percentage of β-hemolytic coliforms in total coliforms and complete blood cell count, respectively. Sixteen pigs were euthanized on day 5 PI, whereas the remaining pigs were euthanized at the end of the experiment to collect the jejunal and ileal mucosa and mesenteric lymph node for gene expression and bacterial translocation, respectively. Pigs in REC had greater (P < 0.05) final BW and lower (P < 0.05) overall frequency of diarrhea compared with pigs in the CON and TRA groups. Pigs in TRA had the lowest (P < 0.05) average daily gain and feed efficiency from day 0 to 5 PI, highest (P < 0.05) percentage of β-hemolytic coliforms in fecal samples on days 2 and 5 PI, and greatest (P < 0.05) bacterial colonies in mesenteric lymph nodes on day 11 PI compared with pigs in the CON and REC groups. Pigs in TRA had the greatest (P < 0.05) neutrophils on day 5 PI and higher (P < 0.05) white blood cell counts and lymphocytes than other groups on day 11 PI. Pigs in TRA had the greatest (P < 0.05) serum C-reactive protein on days 2 and 5 PI and serum tumor necrosis factor-α on day 5 PI, compared with pigs in the CON and REC groups. Pigs fed REC had increased (P < 0.05) mRNA expression of zona occludens-1 (ZO-1) and occludin (OCDN) and reduced (P < 0.05) interleukin-1 beta (IL1B), interleukin-6 (IL6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFA) in ileal mucosa on day 5 PI, compared with the CON, whereas TRA upregulated (P < 0.05) mRNA expression of IL1B, IL6, and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2) in the ileal mucosa on day 11 PI, compared with the REC. In conclusion, trace amounts of antibiotic may exacerbate the detrimental effects of E. coli infection on pig performance by increasing diarrhea and systemic inflammation of weanling pigs.

Experimental infections of domestic rabbits (oryctolagus cuniculus) with Trypanosoma brucei and Trypanosma congolense: A comparative study

Comparative study of single infections of domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) with Nigerian isolates of Trypanosoma brucei (Gboko strain), and Trypanosoma congolesense (Binchi strain) was carried out in the laboratory for clinical and haematological effects. Eighteen rabbits of 10-14 weeks old weighing between 600- 1200 grams were used for the study. The rabbits of both sexes were randomly selected and divided into groups. The level of infection was studied by determining red blood cell (RBC) count, haemoglobin estimation, total and differential white blood cell (WBC) count, changes in body weight, mortality, rectal temperature changes and other clinical signs of trypanosomiasis. There was significant reduction (P<0.001) in the total red blood cell counts and haemoglobin level in the rabbits when compared to the control rabbits with the effect being more pronounced in those rabbits infected with T. congolense. The white blood cell count was also highest in those rabbits infected with T. congolense. Both parasites produced similar clinical symptoms which included weight loss, unthriftiness, anorexia, fever, paleness of mucous membrane, and oedema of the facial region. One death was recorded in each of the infected group. Possible reasons for the significant differences in the total red blood cell count, haemoglobin level, and total whitre blood cell count are discussed.

Triterpene-Enriched Olive Extract as an Immunopotentiator in Black Sea Bream (Acanthopagrus schlegelii)

Recently, the use of natural immunopotentiators, such as plant extracts, is predicted to offer high disease-prevention potential in aquaculture. However, few reports on the immunomodulatory impacts of olive extract (OE) on teleost are available. Therefore, the effects of dietary intake of triterpene-enriched OE on black sea bream ( Acanthopagrus schlegelii ) were investigated in this study. Our data showed that total blood cell counts, in vivo content of lysozyme, activities of antiprotease and myeloperoxidase, and contents of IL-4 and IL-6 were significantly up-regulated by dietary intake of triterpene-enriched OE. Additionally, the hampered immune response induced by cadmium exposure was significantly mitigated by the administration of OE as were indicated by partially or completely rescued immune-relating parameters. Furthermore, the expressions of immune-related genes encoding NF-κB inhibitor alpha (IkBα), tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and proto-oncogene protein c-fos (FOS) were found to be significantly up-regulated by the dietary intake of OE. In general, the results suggested that the dietary intake of triterpene-enriched OE has immune enhancing effect in black sea bream. Such effect may be realized by 1) increasing the total counts of diverse blood cells; 2) activating nonspecific immune biomolecules; and 3) affecting signaling pathways such as IKK and ERK and subsequently inducing IL-4 and IL-6 biosyntheses.

Risk Factors of Inpatients Mortality of Visceral Leishmaniasis, Khartoum State, Sudan.

Background:Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is one of the common infections in Sudan and can be associated with an increase in morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to assess the risk factors associated with mortality and morbidity with VL.Materials and Methods:This is a cross-sectional hospital-based study that recruited 150 patients with VL from two centers in Khartoum. Secondary data were extracted from the patient records, and data were analyzed using SPSS version 24.0.Results:The study included 2.5% of infants, 39.4% children, and 58% of adults. Male represents 77.3% of the cohort, and total mortality was 16%. Among the death reported 12.5% in infants, 16.7% were children, and 70.8% were in adults. Laboratory parameters significantly associated with mortality in univariate analysis were low white cell count, low platelets, high creatinine, and high liver enzymes. While risk factors such as infant, male, acquired infection from Eastern Sudan or White Nile, weight loss, morbid diseases, and concomitant bacterial infections were also associated with significant mortality in univariate analysis. Importantly, logistic regression analysis revealed significant association with infant (P = 0.02), concomitant bacterial infections (P = 0.003), comorbid disease (P = 0.001), low total blood cell count (P = 0.018), low platelets (P = 0.013), and high aspartate transaminase/alanine aminotransferase (P = 0.013).Conclusion:Health education and awareness are needed in terms of prevention and control, especially with high mortality seen in the infant. Treatment of underlying co-morbid diseases and bacterial infections are important to enhance survival. Patients with Leishmania are vulnerable; therefore, regular routine blood tests are an essential part of management to manage complications such as renal, hepatic failure, or severe anemia.

Study of The Experimentally Zinc Deficiency in Iraqi Local Breed Goats

The current study was conducted to study experimentaly induced zinc deficiency and its consequnces hematology in Iraqi goats. A twenty five goats, 5-6 months old were involved in this study. The study extended from November 2018 continued for 10 weeks in the farm of College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Diyala. The animals were fed a high calcium content ration (400-500 gm/head/day) in addition to hay and water with ad libitum during the study. The main clinical signs were retardation in hair growth, especially of legs and head, swollen joint, poor growth, rough hair coat, loss of hair on head, limbs, and scrotum, cracking of the hooves. The skin rough, thickened, cracked, alopecia, crusting, and hyperkeratosis also paleness of the mucous membranes of the eye, loss of appetite, itching, and emaciation. Body weight, heart rates, and body temperature were not significantly changed, respiratory rates significantly decreased in 3rd and 6th weeks in comparison with 1st week. The results of total red blood cells counts revealed significantly decreased in the 2nd week compared with 1st week, then increased in the 4th, 6th and 8th weeks in comparison with1st week. Hemoglobin concentration significantly increased at the 2nd, 4th and 6th weeks in comparison with the 1st week. Packed cell volume increased at the 2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th weeks compared with 1st week. Serum zinc was significantly decreased from the 2nd week till the end of the experiment.Significant decrease in lymphocytes was detected at the 4th week compered with 1, 2, 6 and 8 weeks. Eosinophil was also significantly decreased in the 2nd and 6th weeks compared with 1st week, and increased 4th week and 8week compared with 2nd ,6th respectively.It is concluded from this study that zinc deficiency clearly affects the overall health status and may eventually lead to economic losses in local goats.

Preliminary Clinical Data from a Phase 1 Trial with CPI-818, a Selective ITK Inhibitor That Preferentially Blocks the Growth of T Lymphoma Cells

Preliminary Clinical Data from a Phase 1 Trial with CPI-818, a Selective ITK Inhibitor That Preferentially Blocks the Growth of T Lymphoma Cells

P4409Cardiorespiratory fitness is inversely associated with the inflammatory status in the general population

Abstract Background/Introduction Low-grade systemic chronic inflammation is a major risk factor for cardiometabolic diseases. Higher physical activity has athero- and cardioprotective effects, potentially through its anti-inflammatory properties. However, the relation between resting inflammatory status and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in population-based settings remains to be elucidated. While previous research has shown inverse associations between CRF and high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels, relations with other inflammatory markers are not yet well examined. Purpose We assessed the relation between markers of CRF (i.e. maximal oxygen uptake [VO2peak], oxygen uptake at the anaerobic threshold [VO2@AT], oxygen pulse [O2HRmax] and maximal workload [max. Watt]) and hs-CRP as well as total white blood cell (WBC), monocyte, neutrophil, lymphocyte, eosinophil and basophil counts. Methods Data of the population-based cohort Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP) was used (n=1,481; 51% male; age range 20–81 years). CRF was assessed using standardized cardio-pulmonary exercise testing (CPET) according to a modified Jones protocol. The Dimension Vista 500 analytical system was used to measure hs-CRP concentrations. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting was used to assess total as well as subpopulation WBC count. We excluded subjects with missing data, anti-rheumatic/steroid/anti-inflammatory medication as well as chronic inflammatory and hepatic diseases, gastritis, hepatitis infection, severe renal disease, chronic lung disease, asthma, chronic bronchitis, previous myocardial infarction, left ventricular ejection fraction <40% and previous cancer. Linear regression models, adjusted for age, sex, current smoking and lean-mass, were used to assess the relation between CPET and inflammatory parameters. Results A 14 ml/min (95%-confidence interval [CI] −23 to −6, p=0.004) lower VO2peak was associated with a one mg/L higher hs-CRP. A lower VO2peak was also related with a one Gpt/L greater WBC (β: −42. 95% CI: −55 to −27 ml/min, p<0.001) as well as neutrophil (β: −57, 95% CI: −77 to −36 ml/min, p<0.001), lymphocyte (β: −63, 95% CI: −107 to 19 ml/min, p=0.005) and monocyte count (β: −204, 95% CI: −360 to −47 ml/min, p=0.011). No significant associations were found for eosinophil and basophil count. Similar results were found for VO2@AT, O2HRmax and max. Watt. Conclusion Results suggest an inverse association between CRF and resting inflammatory status. Our non-significant findings with regards to eosinophils and basophils may be expected since these cell types are generally involved in type 2 immune responses related to allergic skin and airway inflammation as well as immunity against parasites. Overall, our results imply that potential biological mechanisms underlying the athero- and cardioprotective effects of high CRF may be related to lower chronic inflammation in fitter individuals.

142 Effects of antibiotics on blood profiles in weanling pigs experimentally infected with a pathogenic E. coli

Abstract The experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of antibiotics on blood profiles and serum inflammatory mediators of weaned pigs experimentally infected with F18 Escherichia coli (E. coli). Twenty-six pigs (6.88 ± 1.03 kg BW) were individually housed in disease containment rooms and randomly allotted to one of three treatments with 8–12 replicate pigs per treatment. The three dietary treatments were control diet and 2 additional diets supplemented with 0.5 or 50 mg/kg carbadox, respectively. The experiment lasted 18 d (7 d before and 11 d after first inoculation [d 0]). F18 E. coli inoculum was daily and orally as 1010 cfu/3 mL for 3 d. Blood samples were collected before E. coli inoculation and on d 2, 5, 8, and 11 post-inoculation (PI). Total and differential blood cell count were analyzed by CBC test. All data were analyzed by ANOVA using PROC MIXED of SAS. Supplementation of low-dose antibiotics had greatest (P < 0.05) neutrophils but lowest (P < 0.05) monocytes on d 2 PI, compared with control and high-dose antibiotics groups. Pigs in the low-dose antibiotics group still had higher (P < 0.05) white blood cell counts and lymphocytes than pigs in the other groups on d 11 PI. In consistent with CBC results, pigs supplemented with low-dose antibiotics had greatest (P < 0.05) serum C-reactive protein on d 2 and 5 PI and serum TNF-α on d 5 PI, compared with pigs in the control and high-dose antibiotics groups. No differences were observed in the red blood cell profiles between pigs in control and low-dose antibiotics groups, whereas supplementation of high-dose antibiotics had lowest (P < 0.05) packed cell volume but highest (P < 0.05) mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration among three treatments. In conclusion, low-dose antibiotic supplementation may exacerbate systemic inflammation caused by F18 E. coli infection.

Evaluation of inflammatory and coagulation markers in patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension with comorbid hypercholesterolemia

The aim of the study was to assess inflammatory and coagulation disorders in patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) in dependence on dyslipidemia. Methods. The study involved 22 patients with IPAH and 6 patients with inoperable CTEPH complicated by hypercholesterolemia (total cholesterol (TC) level > 5.8 mmol/L). Healthy volunteers with normal TC level (n = 20) were included in a control group. We measured serum cytokine concentrations, such as interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, and interferon (INF)-γ, using a multiplex fluorescent analyzer GEN-PROBE (Luminex 200) with Bio-Plex Precision Pro set. Von Willebrand factor was measured using an immunoturbidimetric assay with STA-Liatest VWF: Ag set. D-dimer, fibrinogen, C-reactive protein, and the total blood cell count were also measured. Results. CTERH patients had lower IL-2 level and more prominent signs of chronic heart failure (CHF) compared to patients with IPAH. Serum levels of IL-10, IL-4, and IL-12 were significantly related to syncope frequency, INF-γ level and cardiac index (CI). High density lipoprotein (HDL) level was inversely related to mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) in IPAH/CTEPH patients with TC > 6.5 mmol/L. Decreased thrombocyte count and decreased thrombocrit were associated with increased mPAP and mean right atrium (RA) pressure in patients with dilated right pulmonary artery. Increased D-dimer level was associated with enlarged RA area, enlarged right ventricle size, tricuspid regurgitation and decreased CI. Conclusion. Serum concentrations of the inflammatory and coagulation markers, excepting LI-2, did no differ significantly in patients with IPAH and CTEPH. Dyslipidemia was associated with activation of inflammation. Further studies are needed to estimate a predictive value of decreased HDL in patients with IPAH and CTEPH.

White blood cell counts, CRP, GGT and LDH in the elderly German population

Abstract Background Hematological abnormalities are frequently found in geriatric patients. However, little data is available on reference values for total blood cell counts in older patients. This study is focused on the analysis of reference values for white blood cell counts in aged persons ≥60 years. Methods This was a cross-sectional study of outpatient laboratory data of 2015 from a German countrywide working laboratory company; inclusion criteria: age ≥60 years, parameters evaluated by the laboratory company between 1.1.2015 and 31.12.2015; exclusion criteria: glomerular filtration rate (GFR) <60 mL/min, lack of inclusion criteria; primary objective: mean leukocyte count; secondary objective: mean counts of lymphocytes, eosinophil, neutrophil and basophil leukocytes as well as platelets, C-reactive protein (CRP), γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in hematologically healthy persons aged ≥60 years. Results Data of 30,611 persons aged ≥60 years were evaluated by age groups. Results for leukocytes, basophils, eosinophils, neutrophils and lymphocytes remained within the reference ranges recommended by the German Society of Hematology and Oncology (DGHO) and the German Association of Specialists in Internal Medicine (BDI); the lower reference limit for normal platelet values in males was below the DGHO reference value with 136,000/μL (confidence interval [CI] 129,000;142,000); similarly, our results for normal monocyte values were above the DGHO reference values with 6.0% (5.7;6.2) to 14.3% (13.9;14.8) in males and 5.4% (5.2;5.6) to 12.9% (12.6;13.4) in females; CRP, GGT and LDH values were above the BDI reference values, comparable with the previous data of a senior patient cohort analysis. Conclusions Adaptation of reference values for selected laboratory parameters in older German patients should be well considered.

Effect of MS222 on Hemostasis in Zebrafish.

MS222 is a compound used in anesthetizing vertebrates, including fish and frogs. Several side effects of this anesthetic have been reported, but its effect on hemostasis has not been studied. In our laboratory, we have used zebrafish for more than 2 decades as a model system to study hemostasis. During this period, we have had trouble in collecting blood from anesthetized zebrafish and observed more rapid blood clotting than in nonanesthetized counterparts. However, no systematic studies regarding the effect of MS222 on zebrafish hemostasis are available. In this study, we performed various assays such as gill bleeding, measurement of Hct, total blood cell counts, thrombocyte counts, thrombocyte aggregation, and coagula- tion and measured the amount of blood collected. We found that Hct values, the amount of blood collected, bleeding, and coagulation differed significantly between anesthetized and nonanesthetized fish. Our results suggest that blood collected after MS222 anesthesia of zebrafish has altered hemostasis.

Characterisation of Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) blood and validation of flow cytometry cell count and viability assay kit

New Zealand Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) industry has great potential for growth and expansion. While production is relatively free of health problems, there is limited literature on haematology, and immunological tools to safeguard against possible future health threats. The current study aim was to characterise New Zealand farmed O. tshawytscha peripheral blood cellular composition, develop a micro-volume method to isolate peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and validate a microcapillary flow cytometry assay kit for PBMC cell count and viability assessment. We used light microscopy to characterise peripheral blood and PBMC cellular composition in combination with a flow cytometer Sysmex XT 2000i Haematology Analyser. ImageJ version 1.52 was used for cell size characterisation of freshly stained blood. The stability of PBMCs stained with the Muse® Cell Count and Viability Assay Kit and the Trypan blue assay stains were studied at 4 °C and 21 °C for 60 min; while the Muse® Cell Count and Viability Assay Kit was validated against the Trypan blue assay haemocytometer chamber to assess PBMC count and viability. Findings showed that O. tshawytscha smolt yearlings had total blood cell counts in the range of 1.9–2.7 × 106 μL−1. Differential cell counts revealed five cell types, comprising 97.18% erythrocytes, 2.03% lymphocytes, 0.67% thrombocytes, 0.09% monocytes, and unquantifiable neutrophils. Using micro-volumes of blood and Lymphoprep™, we successfully isolated fish PBMCs. Significantly, stained PBMCs remained stable for up to 45 min at 4 °C and 21 °C; while validation of the Muse® protocol showed that this microfluidic instrument delivered more accurate and precise viability results than the haemocytometer. The Muse® protocol is rapid, easy to use, has quick calibration steps, and is suitable for field use to facilitate onsite sample processing. These findings pave the way for future assessments of fish health and in vitro immunological studies in O. tshawytscha.

Effects of dietary dandelion extracts on growth performance, liver histology, immune-related gene expression and CCl4 resistance of hybrid grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus♂ × Epinephelus fuscoguttatus♀)

The study investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with dandelion extracts (DE) on growth performance, feed utilization, body composition, serum biochemical, liver histology, immune-related gene expression and CCl4 resistance of hybrid grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus♂ × Epinephelus fuscoguttatus♀). A basal diet supplemented with DE at 0% (diet 0%), 0.1% (diet 0.1%), 0.2% (diet 0.2%), 0.4% (diet 0.4%) and 0.8% (diet 0.8%) were fed to hybrid grouper for 8 weeks. The results revealed that dietary DE had not a significant impact on growth performance and feed utilization (P > 0.05), but it could decrease the percent of crude lipids in whole body and increase the percent of crude protein in muscle (P < 0.05). Dietary DE increased the mRNA levels of antioxidant enzymes (catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase) and reduced inflammatory factor in the spleen and head-kidney of fish (P < 0.05), but reduced the expression of the liver antioxidant gene except for glutathione reductase (P < 0.05). Dietary supplementation with 0.2%–0.4% DE could effectively improve liver health. After injection of CCL4 by 72 h, fish fed Diet0.2% and Diet0.4% showed regular hepatocyte morphology while fish fed Diet 0%, Diet 0.1% and Diet 0.8% showed hepatocyte damage. Higher survival rate and total blood cell count was observed in fish fed 0.1%–0.4% dietary DE (P < 0.05). In conclusion, DE could be used as a functional feed additive to enhance liver function of farmed fish. The best level of it should be between 0.2% and 0.4%.

Algae-derived β-glucan enhanced gut health and immune responses of weaned pigs experimentally infected with a pathogenic E. coli

Most of the commercially available β-glucans are derived from yeast, while there are limited research on algae-derived β-glucan in pigs. Therefore, the objective of this experiment was to investigate the influence of dietary supplementation of algae-derived β-glucan on diarrhea, gut permeability, and immune responses of weaned pigs experimentally infected with a pathogenic Escherichia coli (E. coli). Thirty-six weaned pigs (7.69 ± 0.77 kg BW) were individually housed in disease containment rooms and randomly allotted to one of three dietary treatments (n = 12): control diet and 2 additional diets containing either 54 or 108 mg/kg of β-glucan. The experiment lasted 17 d [5 d before and 12 d post inoculation (PI)]. The inoculum used in this experiment was F18 E. coli, containing heat-labile toxin, heat-stable toxin b, and shiga-lie toxin 2. The inoculation doses were 1010 cfu/3 mL oral dose daily for 3 days. Diarrhea score (1, normal, to 5, watery diarrhea) was recorded for each pig daily to calculate frequency of diarrhea. Blood samples were collected on d 0 before E. coli challenge, and on d 2, 5, 8, and 12 PI to measure total and differential blood cell count in whole blood and several inflammatory markers in serum. Fresh jejunal tissues were collected from 4 pigs in the control group and high dose β-glucan group to analyze gut permeability on d 5 and d 12 PI with Ussing Chamber. Jejunal and ileal mucosa were also collected to measure the mRNA expression of several genes related to gut barrier function and immune responses. Results of this experiment revealed that inclusion of high dose β-glucan reduced (P < 0.05) frequency of diarrhea (29.01% vs. 17.28%) for the entire experimental period. This was likely due to the reduced (P < 0.05) gut permeability and increased (P < 0.05) mRNA expression of gut barrier function genes (Claudin, Occludin, and MUC2) in jejunal mucosa of E. coli challenged pigs as β-glucan supplemented. Supplementation of β-glucan also reduced (P < 0.05) white blood cells, neutrophils, serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, cortisol, and haptoglobin, and down-regulated (P < 0.05) the mRNA expression of several immune genes (IL1B, IL6, and TNFA) in ileal mucosa of E. coli challenged pigs, compared with the control diet. In conclusion, in feed supplementation of algae-derived β-glucan alleviated diarrhea of F18 E. coli infected pigs by enhancing gut integrity. Feeding β-glucan also boosted host immune response against E. coli infection.

Role of red cell distribution width in assessing response to treatment and prognosis in community-acquired pneumonia: A prospective study

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) elevation occurs in various inflammatory/infectious conditions. RDW levels during monitoring have not been investigated prospectively in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). In CAP, the relationship between antibiotherapy response and RDW levels is unclear. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective cohort study included a total of 65 CAP patients. Total complete blood cell (including RDW) count, blood biochemistry analysis, and arterial blood gas tests were performed on admission. RDW was also performed on the 7th day. RESULTS: Total mean RDW level was 16.2% ± 1.9% in the study population. The level was 17.7% ± 2.1% in nonsurviving CAP patients and 15.9% ± 1.8% in surviving CAP patients (P = 0.01). Pretreatment RDW levels were 16.2% ± 1.9% as compared to 15.3% ± 2.2% on the 7th day (P = 0.002). An RDW cutoff >16.5% predicted 30-day mortality with 78% sensitivity and 70% specificity. The risk of 30-day mortality was 9-fold higher in patients with elevated RDW as assessed by multivariate logistic regression analysis for CAP. CONCLUSION: RDW can be used as an important parameter in assessing response to antibiotherapy. We also speculate that high RDW is a poor prognostic marker for CAP.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome: epidemiology, pathophysiology, and development of specific treatment and prevention measures

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) was first reported in 2011 as an emerging virus infection caused by a novel Phlebovirus in the Bunyaviridae family [SFTS virus (SFTSV)]. In addition, it was reported to be endemic to Hubei, Henan, Shandong, and Heilongjiang provinces in China. The primary symptoms of SFTS are gastrointestinal symptoms such as fever, general fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. The total blood cell counts in patients with SFTS reveal thrombocytopenia and leukopenia. A woman in her 50s died due to multiorgan failure, intestinal hemorrhage, and hemophagocytosis in the autumn of 2012. She was retrospectively diagnosed with SFTS, suggesting that SFTS was endemic not only to China but also to Japan. Subsequently, SFTS was reported to be endemic to South Korea as well. Approximately 5 years have passed since the discovery of SFTS endemicity in Japan. To date, 40-100 patients with SFTS from the western part of Japan have been reported annually to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases. The case-fatality rate of SFTS is approximately 20%. This high case-fatality rate could be attributed to multiorgan failure, coagulopathy, and hemophagocytosis, which are induced in most patients with SFTS. Reportedly, an antiviral drug, favipiravir, was effective in treating SFTSV infection in an animal infection model. SFTSV has been found to circulate between wild animals and several species of ticks in nature, suggesting that we cannot escape the risk of infection with SFTSV and that SFTS will continue to occur in endemic areas. Hence, the development of specific treatment and preventive measures with SFTS vaccines is imperative.

Physiological, immune responses and liver lipid metabolism of orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides) under cold stress

Low temperature is an important environmental factor in aquaculture. Cold stress has caused great economic loss in fish culture worldwide. In the present study, we investigated the effects of low temperature on biochemical parameters, DNA damage, immune and lipid metabolism related genes expression in orange spotted grouper. In the experiment, water temperature decreased from 28 °C to 13 °C at a rate of 1 °C/h, and keep 13 °C for 48 h. Fish blood and liver were collected at 28 °C, 22 °C, 19 °C, 16 °C, 13 °C and 13 °C for 0 h, 3 h, 6 h, 12 h, 24 h and 48 h. The results showed that low temperature decreased total blood cell count and led to DNA damage. Biochemical parameters such as GLU significantly declined in fish under low temperature, while a significant increase in AST, ALT and LDH was observed. The relative expression of genes related to lipid metabolism, such as CPT-1, SCD-1 and FABP10, were significantly induced by low temperature stress. Furthermore, the expression of apoptotic related genes including caspase3, caspase8, caspase9 and BCL-2 were up-regulated, suggesting that caspase-dependent pathway could play important roles in low temperature-induced apoptosis in fish. Moreover, the gene expression of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1α and IL-1R were significantly increased, whereas MHC-1 mRNA levels were significantly decreased. These results indicated that cold stress could lead to a decrease in blood cell count, DNA damage and liver dysfunction, and increase liver lipid metabolism, apoptosis and inflammation-related gene expression in orange spotted grouper.

Hemato-biochemcial characteristics of lambs on dietary feed additives (exogenous fibrolytic enzymes, Artemisia absinthium Linn.) supplementation

Dietary composition affects blood metabolic profile of farm animals. Hemato-biochemical indices serve as clinical indicators for the impact of dietary manipulations on physiological health status. To augment sheep productivity in temperate regions by improving animal health conditions, the present study was undertaken to assess the effect of supplementation of exogenous fibrolytic enzymes (EFE) cocktail and Artemisia absinthium L. (commonly known as wormwood) herb alone and in combination as feed additives on blood metabolic profile in lambs. Crossbred lambs (n = 20) divided into four equal groups of five in each and fed for 90 days followed by 6 days of metabolism trial on oat straw-based complete feeds supplemented with either EFE cocktail (T1) @ 6 g/kg DM or wormwood herb (T2) @ 4.5% of DM or a combination of the two (T3) and complete feed without any supplementation served as control (T0). Hemato-biochemical parameters of all the animals were studied at 0-, 30-, 60-, and 90-day intervals. The feed additives supplementation improved the nutritive value of diets; however, the significant (P < 0.01) effect for percent digestible crude protein and digestible energy were with T3 where combination of enzymes and herb was applied, whereas higher (P < 0.05) percent total digestible nutrients were recorded in groups supplemented with wormwood herb (T2 and T3) compared to control. Feed additive supplementations did not change significantly the mean observations of red blood cell (except hematocrit) and platelet indices, total blood cell counts, energy metabolic profile, serum total cholesterol and total triglycerides, serum total proteins, serum albumin, aspartate aminotransferase, serum creatinine, and uric acid levels; however, feed additive supplementation have a significant positive effect on differential WBC counts, high-density lipoproteins (P < 0.05), low-density lipoproteins, atherogenic index, serum globulin, and albumin: globulin ratio and serum urea nitrogen (P < 0.01) levels among the treatment groups. The hemato-biochemical metabolic profile of feed additive-supplemented lambs revealed better physiological health status compared to un-supplemented animals. Supplementations of EFE cocktail, wormwood herb, or their combination improved the nutritive value of diets without any adverse effects on hematological and blood biochemical parameter suggesting supplementation of the feed additives for successfully raising lambs intensively.

Effects of sub-lethal doses of miconazole nitrate on Labeo rohita and its curing efficacy against Saprolegniasis

Miconazole nitrate (MCZ) is an imidazole derivative antifungal drug used as therapeutic and prophylactic agent against fungal outbreak in human and veterinary animals. However, its use in aquaculture industry has not been reported yet. The aim of this study was to evaluate the acute toxicity of MCZ in fish and the effects of sub-lethal doses of MCZ on the haematological and biochemical parameters in Labeo rohita. Different haematological parameters like total blood cell counts, haemoglobin content along with mean corpuscular haemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration values were observed. Biochemical parameters like plasma glucose level, plasma glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase and plasma glutamic pyruvic transaminase activity, alkaline phosphatase activity, plasma Na+ and K+ levels were also determined. In this experiment, 32 treatments (4 dose × 8 exposure times) of four MCZ doses (control- 0.0 mgMCZ kgBW−1, T1–6.30 mgMCZ kgBW−1, T2–12.61 mgMCZ kgBW−1 and T3–25.22 mgMCZ kgBW−1) with eight exposure times were set up in triplicates. In the second experiment, fish infected with Saprolegnia parasitica were fed with MCZ based feeds @ 1% BW daily for 21 days and their relative percent survival were recorded. The study revealed that the sublethal doses of MCZ have the significant (p < 0.05) effect on the haematological and biochemical parameters of the fish and also lowered (p < 0.05) the mortalities of saprolegnia infected fish. Fish fed with diet T3 (25.2 mgMCZ kg−BW−1) had maximum survivability with highest curing efficacy without any observable harmful effect on the physiology of fish. Thus, MCZ has an effective role in maintaining the health status of fish and providing protection against oomycetes, S. parasitica infection.