Determination and Comparison of the Lipid Profile and Sodium Content of Gluten-Free and Gluten-Containing Breads from the Spanish Market

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - The objective is to verify if gluten-free (GF) and gluten-containing (G) breads differ in their sodium content and lipid profile. Samples of GF...     

ESBL- and plasmidic class C beta-lactamase-producing E. coli strains isolated from poultry, pig and rabbit farms

This study aims to determine the presence of extended-spectrum (ESBL) and plasmidic class C beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in poultry, pig and rabbit farms of Catalonia (Spain). PFGE typing showed a low clonal relationship among strains carrying these mechanisms of resistance. Ninety-three percent of them were resistant to two or more of the non-beta-lactam antimicrobials tested and harboured ESBL and plasmidic class C beta-lactamases. Greater diversity of these enzymes was found in strains from poultry farms, the CTX-M-9 family, especially CTX-M-14, with CMY-2 being the most frequent. The isolation of TEM-52 and SHV-2-producing Escherichia coli strains from these animal farms is noteworthy. In contrast, 73% of the strains from pig farms had CTX-M-1, and neither the CMY-type nor CTX-M-9 family enzyme was found. Likewise, it is the first time that CTX-M-1 and SHV-5 encoding strains have been isolated in pigs. On the other hand, in rabbit farms CTX-M-9 family was also the most frequent, being detected in three of a total of four strains. The last one showed a CMY-2, for the first time detected in these animals, too. In conclusion, commensal E. coli strains of food-producing animal farms are a reservoir of ESBL and plasmidic class C beta-lactamases.     

Immunomodulatory effect of plasmids co-expressing cytokines in classical swine fever virus subunit gp55/E2-DNA vaccination

The aim of this study was to determine the immunomodulatory effects of IL-12, IL-18 and CD154 (CD40 ligand, CD40L) in DNA-vaccination against the classical swine fever virus. Four recombinant plasmids were constructed including the CSFV coding region for the glycoprotein gp55/E2 alone or together with porcine IL-12, IL-18 or CD154 genes. Five groups of four pigs each were immunized intramuscularly (i.m.) three times with the respective constructs. The control group was inoculated with empty plasmid DNA. Eighteen days after the final immunization, the pigs were challenged with a lethal dose of CSFV strain Eystrup and monitored for a further 16 days. This study showed that co-delivery of IL-18 and CD154 induced an earlier appearance of serum antibodies, reduced B-cell deficiency after infection and protected pigs against a lethal CSFV infection. In contrast, co-delivery of IL-12 led to a reduced titer of neutralizing antibodies and protection against a lethal CSFV challenge in comparison to the other pigs and to pigs that were immunized with a gp55/E2 plasmid alone.