Fifty one episodes of bacteremia due to Enterobacter spp. appearing within 7 years among 12 301 admissions in a single cancer institution were studied for risk factors, clinical presentation and ...outcome. Fifteen episodes were due to Enterobacter aerogenes, 23 due to E. cloacae and 13 due to E. agglomerans. The proportion of bacteremia due to Enterobacter spp. among Gram-negative bacteremias was 10.1% and infection associated mortality was 13.8%. The incidence in 1989-1995 varied from 3.7 to 8.7% and was relatively stable. Most common risk factors were: solid tumors as underlying disease, central venous catheter insertion, prior surgery and prior chemotherapy within 48 h. Neutropenia and urinary catheters were not at high risk in either one of the patients subgroups. Comparing two subgroups of 51 bacteremias, monomicrobial and polymicrobial (when Enterobacter spp. was isolated from blood culture with other microorganism), previous chemotherapy, vascular catheter insertion and prior endoscopy were more frequently associated with polymicrobial Enterobacter spp. bacteremia. There was also differences in infection associated mortality: bacteremias due to Enterobacter spp. only had significantly lower mortality in comparison to polymicrobial Enterobacter spp. bacteremias (3.3 vs. 29.3%; P<0.02). Susceptibility of Enterobacter spp. strains isolated from 51 episodes was stable and showed only two episodes due to quinolone-resistant strains, both in 1992 despite of the use of ofloxacin in prophylaxis of neutropenic patients since 1990 in our institute. Ninety-two to 94% of all strains were susceptible to aminoglycosides, 96-98% to ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin, respectively and 94.9% to meropenem but only 75.5% to ceftazidime.
From 1989 until 1996, during the last 8 years, the proportion of Candida (C.) krusei, and other non-albicans Candida spp. isolated from surveillance cultures and from sterile body sites, was analyzed ...among 13,758 admissions in a National Cancer Institute. During these admissions a total of 9,042 isolates were prospectively collected from surveillance cultures, and 126 from blood cultures. The proportion of C. krusei among all organisms was 12.7% to 16.5% in 1989 through 1991, i.e., before fluconazole was introduced into prophylactic protocols. After the introduction of fluconazole into prophylaxis in acute leukemia in 1992 the incidence of C. krusei was 7.9% to 8.6% during 1994 to 1996. After 5 years of using this drug for prophylaxis, the incidence of C. krusei was lower than before this drug was introduced in our institute. Among yeasts, the most frequently isolated pathogen was still Candida albicans (72.2% of all isolated fungal organisms). Among molds, Aspergillus spp. was the most frequently isolated agent. Analyzing the etiology of proven fungal infections (fungemias) confirmed by positive blood cultures, C. albicans was the most common causative organism in 53.8% of cases. The incidence of fungemia due to Torulopsis (C.) glabrata and C. krusei before and after fluconazole introduction did not change. Of 126 organisms isolated from blood cultures, there was no increase in T. (C.) glabrata or C. krusei after introduction of fluconazole for prophylaxis and therapy, and the quoted 6.4% of fungemic episodes remained stable with an incidence of 1 fungemia/year since 1991. The proportion of C. krusei and C. glabrata among Candida spp. was decreasing in our center between 1989 and 1996. Also, the proportion of non-albicans Candida spp. among isolates decreased from 25.7% in 1990 to 11.9% in 1996.
Economic values of 14 production and functional traits for two Slovak dairy sheep breeds (Improved Valachian and Tsigai) were calculated. Semi-extensive production systems with one lambing per year ...were simulated using a bio-economic deterministic computer model. The marginal economic value of a trait was defined as the partial derivative of the profit function with respect to that trait. The relative economic value expressed the percentage proportion of standardized economic value (marginal economic value${\times}$genetic standard deviation) of a trait in the sum of the absolute values of the standardized economic values over all traits. Milk yield was of highest relative importance (26% and 32% in Improved Valachian and Tsigai) followed by productive lifetime and conception rate of ewes (16% and 15% in Improved Valachian and Tsigai, in both traits). Conception rate of female lambs and litter size had nearly the same relative economic importance in both breeds (9% to 11%). Survival rate of lambs at lambing and till weaning reached slightly lower economic values (4% to 7%). The economic importance of all remaining traits was less than 4%.
Economic values of traits for Slovakian Pied cattle under different marketing strategies Krupa, E.(Vyskumny Ustav Zivocisnej Vyroby, Nitra (Slovak Republic)); Wolfova, M.(Vyzkumny Ustav Zivocisne Vyroby, Prague (Czech Republic)); Peskovicova, D.(Vyskumny Ustav Zivocisnej Vyroby, Nitra (Slovak Republic)) ...
Czech Journal of Animal Science
50, Issue:
10
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Fifteen production and functional traits in cattle were studied as follows: birth weight of calves, weight gain of calves, weight of cows, weights of calves at 120, 210 and 365 days of age, dressing ...percentage, mean class for fleshiness and fat covering, conception rate of heifers and cows, losses of calves, longevity and mean class for calving performance. The following marketing strategies were taken into account: (A) export of all surplus calves, (B) intensive fattening of all surplus calves, (C) rearing and selling of all surplus non-pregnant (1) or pregnant (2) breeding heifers and fattening or export of surplus male calves. The longevity was the most important trait when applying export or fattening of all calves or when selling pregnant heifers, whereas the yearling weight was even more important when selling non-pregnant heifers. The second most important trait was weaning weight in strategy A, yearling weight in strategy B and longevity in strategy C.
The aim of the study was to assess the outcome of inappropriately treated cancer patients with documented bacteremia.
95 cases of inappropriately treated bacteremias in febrile cancer patients in a ...tertiary-care center were analyzed and compared with a group of appropriately treated bacteremias to assess risk factors for inappropriate therapy and outcome.
Among 285 bacteremias, 95 (33.3%) were not treated appropriately, with 42 receiving the wrong antibiotics and 17 having too short a therapeutic course of appropriate antibiotics. In 13, therapy was delayed for more than 48 hours after the onset of fever. Twenty-three patients did not receive antibiotic therapy at all despite bacteremia. A group of 95 inappropriately treated bacteremias was compared to 190 appropriately treated bacteremias occurring in the same period. Microbiological cure after the initial course of therapy was achieved more often (76.8% vs 38.9%, P < .001) in the group of appropriately treated bacteremias in all cases and also in the subgroup of leukemic patients (P < .01). Overall and attributable mortality were significantly lower in patients who were treated appropriately. There was no difference in the number of antibiotics administered in appropriately versus inappropriately treated bacteremias. Cost of therapy between both groups was similar.
Inappropriately treated bacteremic cancer patients had outcomes that were significantly worse than patients who were treated appropriately. The reasons for inappropriate therapy were selection of the wrong antimicrobials, too short a duration of therapy, delayed onset of therapy, or absence of antimicrobial therapy.
60 patients with 60 viridans streptococcal bacteraemic episodes (42 due to penicillin-sensitive and 18 due to penicillin-resistant viridans streptococci) were analysed in a population of 12,185 ...admissions and 1,380 bacteraemic episodes during a 7-year period in a National Cancer Institute. The incidence of viridans streptococci among bacteraemias decreased from 11.5% in 1989 to 2.5% in 1995 after penicillin was introduced for prophylaxis of febrile neutropenia in acute leukaemia in 1993. However, the proportion of penicillin-resistant viridans streptococcal bacteraemias increased from 0 in 1989 and 1990 before any prophylaxis was given, to 12.9-16.7% after quinolones were used for prophylaxis in 1991 and 1992, and to 44.4-81.8% in 1993-1995 after penicillin was added to the quinolones. Mortality rate was higher in the subgroup of penicillin-resistant viridans streptococcal bacteraemias (p < 0.05). Statistically significant risk factors in patients with penicillin-resistant (compared with penicillin-sensitive) viridans streptococcal bacteraemia were: acute leukaemia (p < 0.03), high doses of cytarabine (p < 0.05), mucocutaneous lesions (p < 0.004), breakthrough bacteraemia during prophylaxis with ofloxacine plus penicillin (p < 0.001). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that only acute leukaemia (OR 2.05, CI 0.85-1.85, p < 0.0452) and penicillin-resistance (OR 0.71, CI 0.103-4.887, p < 0.0209) were significant independent predictors of inferior outcome. Breakthrough bacteraemia during empiric therapy with vancomycine occurred in 5 of 116 patients treated with vancomycine, and during therapy with ampicillin plus gentamicin in 6 patients of 18 treated.
Comparison of growth intensity of purebred calves of beef breeds in SK Krupa, E.,Vyskumny ustav zivocisnej vyroby, Nitra (Slovak Republic); Peskovicova, D.,Vyskumny ustav zivocisnej vyroby, Nitra (Slovak Republic); Polak, P.,Vyskumny ustav zivocisnej vyroby, Nitra (Slovak Republic) ...
Journal of Farm Animal Science (Slovak Republic),
(2004), Volume:
37
Journal Article
We analysed data about purebred calves of specialized beef breeds Aberdeen Angus, Blonde d'Aquitaine, Charolais, Hereford, Limousine and beef Simmental. We observed birth weight, weight at the age of ...120, 210 and 365 days and average daily gains from birth to the age of 120, 210 and from 120 to 210 days. The model of variance analysis was used that takes into account the effects: breed, year of birth, month of birth, sex, age of mother at birth of calf, herd in which it was born or housed, and linear regression on age at weighing. The highest weight at birth and/or at the age of 120 days reached animals of Blonde d'Aquitaine breed (43.43 kg and/or 169.99 kg). Charolais, polled Simmental and Aberdeen Angus followed them. We found the lowest values with the breeds Herford and/or Limousine that reached very similar weights (31.74 kg and 31.17 kg at birth and/or 139.82 and 139.71 at the age of 120 days). We noticed similar trend with the weight at the age of 365 days also. Animals of polled Simmental reached the highest average daily gains (1154 g was the gain from birth to the age of 120 days).
Methods for calculating economic weights of important traits in sheep Krupová, Z., Slovak Agricultural Research Centre, Nitra (Slovak Republic). Research Institute of Animal Production; Oravcová, M., Slovak Agricultural Research Centre, Nitra (Slovak Republic). Research Institute of Animal Production; Krupa, E., Slovak Agricultural Research Centre, Nitra (Slovak Republic). Research Institute of Animal Production ...
Slovak Journal of Animal Science (Slovak Republic),
(2008), Volume:
41, Issue:
1
Journal Article
Selection of animals is performed on the basis of a complex of traits, which are characterised by their breeding values and economic weights. The economic weight (EW) of a trait is defined as the ...change in economic outcome of a production system caused by a change in the genetic value of the trait. The methods used for the calculation of EW can be divided into two - objective and subjective. Using subjective methods, the EW of the traits are set by subjective decisions of the breeders or are calculated according to desired gains in the given traits. The objective methods describe the behaviour of a production system while increasing the genetic level of a trait. Production systems can be modelled by positive or by normative approach. The main disadvantage of the positive approach is the evaluation of historical data (level of the traits and prices achieved in the past) while breeding is oriented towards the future. Normative approaches describe relations between the levels of important traits and the economic result of the production system using profit functions or bio-economic models. These methods are preferred by many authors. The major advantages of profit function are the simplicity and facility for interpretation of results. Bio-economic models consist of a set of equations characterising biological and economic parameters of the system. The main advantages are precision, flexibility, inclusion of many biological details and a more accurate reflection of trait change on overall profitability. These models are difficult to develop but they are most frequently used for the calculation of EW.
