Photodynamic therapy against common bacteria causing wound and skin infections

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) uses the combination of a photosensitising (PS) agent and visible light. Historically, various injectable PS agents have been used with medical grade lasers to treat neoplasia. The objective of this in vitro study was to determine whether PDT using topical aminolevulinic acid (ALA) with a non-coherent light source would kill common wound infecting bacteria, namely, Staphylococcus intermedius, Streptococcus canis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli. Bacterial strains were sensitised to light with ALA before exposing to the non-coherent light source. Colony counts were performed in triplicate and compared to controls. When compared with controls there was a significant decrease in bacterial survival following PDT for all organisms except E. coli. A single treatment required 2-3h of light exposure. These data suggest that PDT may be a possible treatment option for wound infections but repeated treatments or alterations in the PS or its carrier will be needed to decrease treatment times.     

Colonization of the canine skin with bacteria

Abstract Aspects of colonization of the canine skin with bacteria are reviewed. Owing to variability in sampling techniques, anatomical sites involved and lack of temporal studies, there is still controversy as to which bacteria are residents or transients on the canine skin. The establishment of the cutaneous flora is determined by the ability of bacteria to adhere to canine corneocytes, to use available nutrients from skin secretions and to resist challenge from competing bacteria. Variations in humidity and temperature due to environment, skin folds or differences in the haircoat are also likely to have an effect. Much research has focused around Staphylococcus intermedius, the main pathogen of the canine skin but its cutaneous residency status remains questionable. Pathological conditions such as atopy and seborrhoea favour the colonization of S. intermedius and predispose to infection. Recent studies indicate that bacterial interference as a method of preventing colonization of pathogenic staphylococci may be feasible. Résumé— Les aspects de la colonisation de la peau canine par des bactéries sont étudiées. A cause de la variabilité des techniques de prélèvements, des sites anatomiques, et du caratère ponctuel des études, le doute subsiste toujours quant à savoir quelle sont les bactéries résidentes ou transitoires sur la peau de chien. L'établissement d'une flore cutanée est déterminée par la capacité de la bactérie à adhérer aux cornéocytes canines, à utiliser les nutriments disponibles à partir des sécrétions cutanées et à résister aux autres bactéries qui concourent à l'occupation des memes sites. Les variations d'humidité et de température, dues à l'environnement, aux plis de peau et aux différences de pelage jouent probablement un role. La plupart des études concernent Staphylococcus intermedius, l'agent pathogène principal de la peau du chien, mais son statut de résident cutané est toujours débattu. Des conditions pathologiques telles que l'atopie et la séborrhée favorisent la colonisation par S. intermedius et prédisposent à l'infection. Des études récentes indiquent que l'interférence bactérienne peut être envisagée comme une méthode de prévention de la colonisation cutanée par un staphylocoque pathogène. [Saijonmaa-Koulumies, L. & Lloyd, D. H. Colonization of the canine skin with bacteria (Colonisation de la peau canine par des bactéries). Veterinary Dermatology 1996; 7 : 153–162.] Resumen Se revisan algunos aspectos de la colonización bacteriana en la piel canina. Existe aún controversia sobre qué bacterias son résidentes o transitorias en la piel del perro, debido a la variabilidad en las técnicas de recolección, localización y falta de estudios temporales. El establecimiento de la flora cutánea depende de su capacidad de adhesión a los corneocitos, de utilizar los nutrientes de las secreciones cutáneas y de resistir la competencia de otras bacterias. También es probable que tengan un papel los cambios de humedad y temperatura por los pliegues cutáneos o las diferencias en el pelaje. Se ha centrado mucha investigación en Staphylococcus intermedius, el principal patógeno de la piel canina, aunque se sigue cuestionando su existencia como residente cutáneo. Situaciones patológicas como la atopia o la seborrea favorecen la colonización por S. intermedius y predisponen a infección. Algunos estudios recientes indican que es factible la interferencia bacteriana como método de prevenir la colonización por estafilococos patógenos. [Saijonmaa-Koulumies, L. & Lloyd, D. H. Colonization of the canine skin with bacteria (Colonizacion de la piel cannina con bacterias). Veterinary Dermatology 1996; 7 : 153–162.] Zusammenfassung— Es werden Aspekte der Besiedelung der Hundehaut mit Bakterien dargestellt. Entsprechend der Variabilität in der Probenentnahme, verwendeten anatomischen Regionen und dem Mangel an temporären Studien exisitieren immer noch unterschiedliche Ansichten, ob Bakterien auf der Haut des Hundes als resident oder transient gelten. Die Aufstellung der kutanen Flora wird durch die Fähigkeit der Bakterien bestimmt, sich an die kaninen Korneozyten anzuheften, verfügbare Nährstoffe aus den Hautsekretionen zu verwenden und sich gegenüber konkurrierenden Keimen zu behaupten. Veränderungen in Feuchtigkeit und Temperatur in Abhängigkeit von Umgebung, Hautfalten oder Unterschieden im Haarkleid scheinen ebenfalls einen Effekt zu besitzen. Viele Untersuchungen konzentrierten sich auf Staphylococcus aureus, der hauptpathogene Keim auf der Hundehaut, aber sein Status als residenter Keim bleibt fraglich. Pathologische Zustände wie Atopie und Seborrhoe begünstigen die Besiedelung mit S. intermedius und prädisponieren für eine Infektion. Kürzliche Studien zeigen, daß bakterielle Interferenzen als Methode zur Verhinderung der Ansiedlung von pathogenen Staphylokokken möglich sein könnten. [Saijonmaa-Koulumies, L., Lloyd, D.H. Colonization of the canine skin with bacteria (Besiedelung der Haut des Hundes mit Bakterien). Veterinary Dermatology 1996; 7 : 153–162.]     

Coxiella burnetii infections and infections with bacteria of the genus Chlamydia in dairy cattle

Comparative studies on the prevalence of infections caused by Coxiella burnetii (C. burnetii) and Chlamydia were carried out with 592 cattle older than 2 years and 234 cattle younger than 2 years. Of these 477 originated from 24 dairy herds with considerable fertility problems (positive herds) and 349 from 14 dairy herds without major fertility problems (control herds). For the direct detection of these pathogens in the genitals capture ELISAs were employed, for the demonstration of antibodies the complement fixation test (CFT). Direct detection of C. burnetii and Chlamydia single as well as mixed infection revealed significant higher values for cattle from positive herds compared with those from the control herds. Animals revealing insemination ratios of > or = 2 showed significantly more frequent excretion of Chlamydia via the genitals and antibodies against C. burnetii than cattle with an insemination ratio of < 2. Investigations of cows which had had an abortion showed no indications of significantly more frequent C. burnetii or chlamydial infections. Inseminated but non-pregnant cows excreted significantly more C. burnetii and Chlamydia than pregnant cows. Clinical signs of endometritis were associated with an enhanced excretion of Chlamydia. Animals younger than 2 years excreted significantly more frequently C. burnetii but not Chlamydia via the genitals than animals older than 2 years. Indirect test showed results vice versa.     

Food-borne parasitic infections — A review

A review of food-borne parasitic infections is presented. Parasitic infections in conventional slaughtered animals and seafood (fish and shellfish) constituting a public health hazard are discussed. To the former category belong cysticercosis, echinococcosis and trichinellosis, and to the latter category belong various trematole, cestode and nematode infections. Examples of trematode infections are heterophyidiasis, transmitted to man by marine fish and Paragonimus spp. parasites, transmitted by crustaceans. Cestode infections include diphyllobothriasis transmitted by freshwater fish and fish from brackish waters. Special attention is drawn to the condition known as sparganosis. Of the nematode infections the eosinophilic granulomatous enteritis is mentioned. It is due to infections with members of the genera Anisakis, Phocanema and Contracaecum and is transmitted to man by either marine fish of crustaceans. Two other nematode infections Angiostrongylus cantonensis and Capillaria philippinensis can also be transmitted to man by marine fish.Apart from a possible direct effect of these parasites, chemical alterations in seafood resulting from the presence of parasites may also be deleterious to the consumer.Special attention is drawn to a newly developed serological detection method, the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, enabling not only detection of infection at the slaughter-house, but also in large herds at the farm.Strategies to control parasitic infections both in conventional slaughtered animals and in seafood are discussed.     

Prevention and surveillance of surgical infections: A review

Optimal patient care cannot be realized without effectively managing risks related to healthcare‐associated infections (HAI). Among human hospital admissions in the United States in 2002, there were approximately 4.5 HAI per 100 admissions, with surgical site infections (SSI) accounting for an estimated 20%, or approximately 2 SSI per 100 procedures. When considering the occurrence of disease in a population, it is important to remember that disease does not occur randomly in populations. Therefore, when thinking about managing risks associated with the occurrence of SSI, consideration should be given to key factors in disease development (the agent, the host, and the environment), and a multifaceted approach to prevention efforts should be considered, including the identification of high‐risk populations, adherence to aseptic principles, judicious use of antimicrobial drugs, and surveillance targeting SSI to better inform infection control practices within a facility. Although not all HAI are preventable, it is important to focus efforts on the preventable fraction and to take all reasonable precautions to mitigate foreseeable risks.     

Borrelia burgdorferi infections with special reference to horses. A review

Summary This review discusses the literature on B. burgdorferi infections in view of the rising incidence of this infection in general and the increasing concerns of horse owners and equine practitioners. Lyme disease, the clinical expression of Borrelia infections in man is an important health problem. The geographic distribution of B. burgdorferi infections in equidae should resemble that of human cases because the vector tick involved, Ixodes ricinus, feeds on both species and, indeed, the infection has been established many times in horses. However, a definite diagnosis of the disease "Lyme borreliosis" in human beings as well as in horses and other animals is often difficult to accomplish. Although a broad spectrum of clinical signs has been attributed to B. burgdorferi infections in horses, indisputable cases of equine Lyme borreliosis are extremely rare so far, if they exist at all.     

Borrelia burgdorferi infections with special reference to horses. A review

This review discusses the literature on B. burgdorferi infections in view of the rising incidence of this infection in general and the increasing concerns of horse owners and equine practitioners. Lyme disease, the clinical expression of Borrelia infections in man is an important health problem. The geographic distribution of B. burgdorferi infections in equidae should resemble that of human cases because the vector tick involved, Ixodes ricinus, feeds on both species and, indeed, the infection has been established many times in horses. However, a definite diagnosis of the disease "Lyme borreliosis" in human beings as well as in horses and other animals is often difficult to accomplish. Although a broad spectrum of clinical signs has been attributed to B. burgdorferi infections in horses, indisputable cases of equine Lyme borreliosis are extremely rare so far, if they exist at all.     

Relationships between teat-end bacteria and intramammary infections

Teat-end populations of staphylococci and streptococci were studied on teat apices of an experimental herd. Individual cows were found to have higher numbers of some of these microorganisms than other cows and certain teats had consistently higher populations than other teats in the same individual. A positive relationship was found between the numbers of staphylococci on teat-ends and presence of intramammary infections of the quarters. High teat-end bacterial numbers were present prior to the laboratory recognition of intramammary infections.     

Cell-mediated immunity in cytomegalovirus infections —A review

Cell-mediated immunity is of critical significance in the host response to cytomegalovirus infection. This fact is evidenced by numerous reports of disease in immunosuppressed hosts and by other clinical and experimental observations. Methodologies are now available for elucidation of the specific role of the various facets of cell-mediated immunity in normal and susceptible individuals during different stages of infection. Most progress has been made recently using assays of lymphocyte transformation and cell-mediated immune lysis, but other areas also deserve specific attention. A comprehensive picture of the function of cellular immunity should greatly advance understanding of disease pathogenesis as well as direct the development of future models for immunotherapy.     

A review of multidrug resistant surgical site infections.

Surgical site infections caused by bacteria that are resistant to multiple classes of antimicrobials are an important and increasing problem in veterinary medicine. Organisms such as methicillin-resistant staphylococci, extended spectrum beta-lactamase Enterobacteriaceae and multi-drug resistant Enterococcus, Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas spp. are among the current concerns; however, the emergence and dissemination of other multi-drug resistant organisms will likely follow. Despite the negative connotations that are associated with multi-drug resistant infections, most infections are potentially treatable if basic principles of infection treatment and infection control are followed.     

犬真菌性皮肤病的诊治

一、病原、发病特点 （一）犬真菌性皮肤病的病原主要有三种： 1．犬小孢霉,又称羊毛状小孢霉,属不全菌丝孢目丛梗科小孢霉属。 2．石膏状小孢霉,属不全菌类丝孢目梗孢科小孢霉属。     

A review of regional limb perfusion for distal limb infections in the horse

Regional limb perfusion (RLP) is a technique widely used for the treatment of limb infections in horses. The objective is to deliver high concentrations of an antimicrobial to a focal region to optimise the bacterial kill with minimal systemic effects. However, experimentally, realising these objectives has been unreliable because conflicting methodologies have produced highly variable results. The aim of this study is to review all of the experimental and clinical literature on RLP between 1990 and 2019 to determine whether there is evidence that RLP has a consistent and practical application for the treatment of distal limb infections in equine practice. A large number of reports have been published on RLP in the horse; however, there are many variations in the technique including the drug used, dose, volume and concentration of perfusate, dosing interval, the type, method and duration of application of the tourniquet and whether the procedure is performed standing or anaesthetised. Prospective clinical studies are lacking, retrospective studies are limited by their nature, while wide differences in treatment regimen and methodology in retrospective and experimental studies have complicated the interpretation of the findings and make it difficult to rationalise an approach that provides a reliable and repeatable outcome. The optimal method of performing RLP has not been established, so the apparent clinical benefits of the technique are often difficult to confirm and quantify. Future studies need to standardise methodologies to enable meaningful comparisons.     

Investigation on the effects of topical therapy with 0.1% tacrolimus ointment (Protopic) on intradermal skin test reactivity in atopic dogs

Tacrolimus ointment (TAC) is an effective treatment for atopic dermatitis in humans and dogs. The purposes of the present study were to evaluate the effect of 4 weeks of TAC on intradermal skin testing (IST), and in case of suppression, to investigate if reactivity returned to baseline by 2 or 4 weeks post treatment. Intradermal skin test was performed using saline, histamine, lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 0.4 mg mL(-1)), house dust (25 PNU mL(-1)) and house dust mite (1 : 40 000 w/v) at weeks 0, 4, 6 and 8 on nine dogs enrolled in a blinded, crossover, clinical trial, using 0.1% TAC or placebo once daily for 4 weeks. Reactions were evaluated at 15 min, and at 4 and 6 h. Ointment was applied after the 15-min evaluation on weeks 0 and 4. Data were analysed using the statistical software SAS System for Windows. At week 4, TAC did not affect 15-min IST, but some reactions in the TAC group were suppressed at 6 h compared to baseline. In the TAC group, 4-h IST reactivity was reduced 2 weeks after discontinuation but returned to baseline by 4 weeks. In conclusion, TAC has no effect on immediate reactions but decreased some late-phase reactions. Therefore, no withdrawal is recommended to evaluate only immediate reactions, but a 4-week withdrawal may be necessary for evaluation of late-phase reactions.