Host and bacterial factors in listeriosis pathogenesis

Members of the Genus Listeria are ubiquitous environmental saprophytic microorganisms. If ingested they can cause a severe disseminated disease (listeriosis) that has a high mortality rate, the highest of any food-borne pathogen, even with antibiotic therapy. Central to the high mortality rate is the hallmark characteristic of the microorganism to grow intracellularly. The presence of listeriae in food processing plants has resulted in many outbreaks of human disease and large scale recalls of processed foods. Despite the ubiquity of the microorganism, the actual disease rate (those animals showing disease signs over those exposed) is quite low and disease is almost always associated with an underlying predisposition (pregnancy being the most common in otherwise normal individuals). There are many features of the pathogenesis of listeriosis that have remained mysterious despite the extensive use of the microorganism in the study of cell-mediated immunity and intracellular growth. Informational advances such as the sequence of the mouse and listerial genomes, and technical advances such as the discovery of listeria-susceptible mouse strains, may renew interest in the study of the natural pathogenesis of the disease. This may be further facilitated by studies that employ the natural inoculation route and mimic common predisposing conditions witnessed in victims of natural outbreaks.     

Effect of intravenous lidocaine and ketamine on isoflurane minimum alveolar concentration in goats

This study evaluated the effects of IV lidocaine (L) and ketamine (K), alone and in combination (LK), on the isoflurane MAC (ISO_MAC) in goats. It was hypothesized that L and K would reduce ISO_MAC and that the effect of LK would be additive. Eight adult goats (24–51 kg) were used in the study. Each goat was studied on four occasions, at weekly intervals, using a randomized crossover design. Anesthesia was induced with isoflurane (ISO) in O₂ and goats were intubated and ventilated to normocapnia. End‐tidal ISO (ET_ISO) and CO₂ were monitored with a calibrated infrared analyzer. Body temperature was maintained in the normal range using a heating pad. Approximately 45 minutes after intubation, and with the ET_ISO having been held constant for at least 20 minutes, determination of the baseline MAC (MAC_B) was initiated. A noxious stimulus, which consisted of clamping a claw between the jaws of a 10‐inch Vulsellum forceps, was administered for 60 seconds or until purposeful movement occurred. If purposeful movement occurred, the ET_ISO was increased by 0.1 vols% otherwise it was decreased by 0.1 vols% and the stimulus was reapplied following a 20 minute equilibration period. Following MAC_B determination treatments were administered as a loading dose (Ld) in 10 mL 0.9% NaCl over 3 minutes followed by a constant rate infusion to a final volume of 60 mL hour^–1 in 0.9% NaCl, as follows: L (Ld 2.5 mg kg^–1 + 100 μg kg^–1 minutes^–1); K (Ld 1.5 mg kg^–1 + 50 μg kg^–1minutes); LK or 0.9% NaCl. Post‐treatment MAC (MAC_T) determination began 45 minutes after the start of the loading dose. MAC_B and MAC_T were determined in triplicate and the mean value was used for data analysis. Difference in percent change in MAC was tested using a mixed‐model anova . Means separation among levels of treatment was tested using the Tukey‐Kramer method. The mean MAC_B for all treatments was 1.13 ± 0.03 vols%. L, K and LK reduced (p < 0.05) MAC_B by 19%, 49% and 69%, respectively. No change (p > 0.05) occurred with saline. It was concluded that L and K caused clinically significant decreases in ISO_MAC; however, the percent MAC reduction with L was less than expected given the MAC reduction reported with L for other species. The combination (LK) caused a profound decrease in ISO_MAC and this effect was additive.