In Xayaboury province, located in the northern region of Lao PDR, the foot and mouth disease (FMD) vaccination campaign just began in 2009. Up until now, a small number of farms have been vaccinated. ...When FMD outbreaks occur, it is interesting to determine the risk factors of FMD, especially in the area where vaccination rates are low. The questionnaire survey, using a case-control design at the household level, was carried out. From 59 villages with a total number of 434 households, 181 households who experienced FMD were assigned as case households, 146 households without FMD occurrence inside the outbreak villages as inside control households, and 107 households without FMD occurrence outside the outbreak villages as outside control households. Household owners were interviewed. The logistic regression model was used to identify the relationship between FMD occurrence (dependent variable) and the collected data (independent variables), including the social status of livestock owners, FMD prevention strategies, and farm locations. A non-parametric test was performed to determine the association of FMD and network parameters of animal movements among villages. In general, results show that a limited number of holders did vaccinate animals before the outbreaks (13.8–17.8%). The results indicated that livestock owners who had known information about FMD before the outbreaks had been less severely affected by the FMD outbreak than the owners who had not known information about FMD (
P
< 0.01, OR 0.16, 95% CI 0.09–0.29). Before the outbreaks, higher FMD risk was observed in owners who sold the livestock through animal traders (
P
< 0.01, OR 4.76, 95% CI 1.68–13.50). Spatial data show that households in the community closer to the main roads had higher FMD risk (
P
< 0.01, OR 4.76, 95% CI 1.68–13.50). In addition, the network parameters including in-degree, out-degree, and betweenness indicated that the villages with high movements of livestock were at high risk of FMD (
P
< 0.05). The present study emphasized the importance of the government units to distribute the information about FMD to all livestock farmers in Xayaboury. Disease awareness and prevention strategy should be prioritized in areas close to high density communities and in the trading of livestock.
This study investigated the prevalence of white spot disease (WSD) in an intensive shrimp culture area located in Chanthaburi province, Thailand, during 2009−2014. Retrospective data of 1952 WSD ...cases obtained from government laboratories were analyzed to study the association between WSD occurrence and climate factors using negative binomial regression (NBR) models. Climate factors included daily atmospheric temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, total amount of rainfall and rain days during the disease notifications. The annual prevalence of WSD was significantly higher from 2009 to 2011 than from 2012 to 2014. Interestingly, the monthly WSD occurrence was unchanged between those time periods. A high number of WSD cases was found between October and February, while fewer cases were reported during March to June, and the lowest numbers were reported in May. The multivariate NBR model indicated significant associations between an increased number of WSD cases with decreased atmospheric temperature and increased variation in daily atmospheric temperature. A high incident rate ratio (IRR) of WSD was observed when average atmospheric temperature ranged between 24.5 and 27.2°C (IRR: 2.53, 95% CI: 1.72−3.75) and there was increased variation in daily atmospheric temperature (IRR: 1.08, 95% CI: 0.99−1.20). The time series analysis concluded that low ambient atmospheric temperature and high daily atmospheric temperature variation were promoting factors for WSD occurrence.
In June 2017, mass mortalities were reported at whiteleg shrimp Penaeus vannamei farms in Texas, USA. PCR testing for OIE-listed and non-listed pathogens detected the pirA and pirB toxin genes ...associated with acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND). DNA sequence analyses of cloned pirA and pirB genes showed them to be identical to those detected in other AHPND-causing Vibrio sp. Amplicons generated using PCR tests targeted to the toxR gene showed the Pir toxin genes to be associated with a V. parahaemolyticus type more similar to a genotype found in Mexico compared to that found in Asia. Histology detected masses of bacteria and hemocytic infiltrations as well as extensive necrosis and sloughing of epithelial cells in hepatopancreatic tubules pathognomonic of AHPND. The data support AHPND as the cause of the mortalities. Given that US companies produce shrimp broodstock for farms in Asia and Latin America, the further spread of AHPND in the USA needs to be prevented to avoid serious economic consequences to these industries.
Two Vibrio parahaemolyticus virulence genes, pirAvp and pirBvp, are known to encode a binary photorhabdus insect-related (Pir) toxin that causes acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) in ...shrimp. These genes are flanked with repeats of a mobile element (insertion sequence) in a large plasmid. This insertion sequence is closely (92%) related to the known insertion sequence ISVal1. The pirABvp genes and the flanking ISVal1 forms a 5535-bp composite transposon, designated Tn6264. There are pirABvp gene deletions in some strains of V. parahaemolyticus. During 2013–2016, we found 2 types of pirABvp deletion mutants from AHPND-affected farms. The type I mutants included 3 strains with deletions (4.4-kb or 6.0-kb) of entire pirABvp genes and the downstream ISVal1, and these mutants were named pirABvp(‐). The type II mutants included 3 strains with smaller deletions (1.5-kb or 1.6-kb) including a pirAvp gene and a partial pirBvp gene, and were named pirAvp(‐). In laboratory bioassays, these were not pathogenic to shrimp confirming that both pirAvp and pirBvp are required for AHPND pathogenicity. During 2016, we also isolated 4 V. campbellii strains carrying pirABvp genes from diseased shrimp. These V. campbellii stains were found, through laboratory bioassays and histological evaluation, to cause AHPND.
•A composite transposon, named Tn6264, consists of pirABvp genes and the flanking insertion sequence (ISVal1), is associated with AHPND of shrimp.•Two types of pirABvp deletion mutants of V. parahaemolyticus were found in the AHPND-affected farms.•The type I mutants, named pirABvp(-), have deletions (4.4-kb or 6.0-kb) of entire pirABvp genes and the downstream ISVal1.•The type II mutants, named pirAvp(-), have smaller deletions (1.5-kb or 1.6-kb) of pirAvp and including a partial pirBvp.•V. campbellii strains carrying pirABvp genes were found, through laboratory bioassays and histologicial evaluation, to cause AHPND.
Over the past 2 decades, shrimp aquaculture in Thailand has been impacted by white spot disease (WSD) caused by white spot syndrome virus (WSSV). Described here are results of a survey of 157 ...intensive shrimp farms in Chanthaburi province, Thailand, to identify potential farm management and location risk factors associated with the occurrence of WSD outbreaks. Logistic regression analysis of the survey responses identified WSD risks to be associated with farms sharing inlet water and culturing shrimp year round and with a single owner operating more than 1 farm. The analysis also showed WSD risks to be reduced at farms that used probiotics and applied lime to pond bottoms when fallow to neutralize acidity and kill microorganisms. Regression modeling identified no association of geographical location with WSD. The data should assist shrimp farms in mitigating the effects of WSD in Thailand.
A Phase I study of the novel angiogenesis inhibitor TNP-470 was performed. Patients with inoperable recurring or metastatic
squamous cell cancer of the cervix with evaluable disease, no coagulopathy, ...and adequate renal, hepatic, and hematological
function were eligible. One course of treatment consisted of an i.v. infusion of TNP-470 over 60 min every other day for 28
days, followed by a 14-day rest period. The starting dose was 9.3 mg/m2. Eighteen evaluable patients were treated, with a
median age of 48 years (range 27-55) and performance status Zubrod 1 (range 0-2). Grade 3 neurotoxicities consisting of weakness,
nystagmus, diplopia, and ataxia were encountered in two patients receiving the 71.2 mg/m2 dose. An intermediate dose level
of 60 mg/m2 was evaluated and found to be well tolerated by three patients. Only one patient experienced grade 3 nausea on
the 60 mg/m2 dose level. No myelosuppression, retinal hemorrhage, weight loss, or significant alopecia were observed. One
patient had a complete response, which continues for 26 months, and three patients with initially progressive disease stage
had stable disease for 5, 7.7, and 19+ months. Other Phase I studies, including over 200 patients, were performed concurrently
with this study. Based on this experience, the dose of TNP-470 recommended for further studies is 60 mg/m2 as a 60-min i.v.
infusion every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Neurotoxicity was dose limiting, but appears to be reversible. Otherwise, the
treatment was well tolerated. The drug may be active in squamous cell cancer of the cervix. Further studies of TNP-470 in
squamous cell cancer of the cervix are warranted.
Significant carotid stenosis in the presence of an occluded contralateral artery has a poor prognosis with medical therapy alone. Carotid cross clamping during surgical endarterectomy results in ...critical flow reductions in patients with inadequate collateral flow, and represents a significant risk for procedural strokes. Carotid stenting is being evaluated as an alternative to endarterectomy. We describe the immediate and late outcome of a series of 26 patients treated with carotid stenting in the presence of contralateral carotid occlusion. The mean age of the patients in this group was 65 ± 9 years, 23 (89%) were men and 10 (39%) were symptomatic from the vessel treated. The procedural success of carotid stenting in this group of patients was 96%. The mean diameter stenosis was reduced from 76 ± 15% to 2.8 ± 5%. There was 1 (3.8%) minor stroke in a patient who developed air embolism during baseline angiography. At late follow-up there was no neurologic event in any patient at a mean of 16 ± 9.5 months after the procedure. Thus, carotid stenting of lesions with contralateral occlusion can be performed successfully with a low incidence of procedural neurologic complications and late stroke.
We undertook a study to determine the efficacy of stents in reducing restenosis in cardiac allograft vasculopathy. The result shows that coronary stenting significantly reduces restenosis in cardiac ...allograft vasculopathy compared with balloon angioplasty alone.
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