Epidemiological investigation of Leptospira spp. in a dairy farming enterprise after the occurrence of three human leptospirosis cases

An epidemiological investigation was conducted in an unvaccinated dairy farming enterprise in which three workers on one of the milking herds (Herd 1) were diagnosed with leptospirosis due to serovars Hardjo (H) (n = 2) and Pomona (P) (n = 1) between January and March 2015. Blood and urine samples were collected from milking cows in Herd 1 (N = 230) and Herd 2 (N = 400), rising one‐ (R1, N = 125) and rising two‐year‐old (R2, N = 130) replacement heifers, and four pigs associated with Herd 1, in March 2015. Sera were tested using the MAT for serovars H, P, Copenhageni (C), Ballum (B) and Tarassovi (T), and urine samples were tested by qPCR. Seventy‐five per cent of 109 cows in Herd 1 and 36% of 121 in Herd 2 were seropositive (≥48), predominantly to H and P, and 23% of 74 cows in Herd 1 and 1% of 90 cows in Herd 2 were qPCR positive. Fifty‐five per cent of 42 R2 heifers were seropositive to T. No R1 and 17% of 42 R2 heifers were qPCR positive. Subsequently, all cattle were vaccinated for H and P, and Herds 1 and 2 were given amoxicillin. After the booster vaccination, 7% of 91 in Herd 1, 2% of 82 in Herd 2 and 11% of 38 R1 heifers (sampled as R2) were PCR positive. After the amoxicillin treatment, no cows in Herd 1 and 5% of 62 cows in Herd 2 were urine PCR positive. Calves and pigs were seropositive to H, P, C and B. Vaccination and antibiotic treatment appeared effective in reducing the risk of exposure of workers to vaccine serovars. However, evidence of non‐vaccine serovars indicated that workers likely remain at risk of exposure to Leptospira.     

白藜芦醇对玉米赤霉烯酮致小鼠肝脏氧化损伤及炎症的保护作用

为探究白藜芦醇（RSV）对玉米赤霉烯酮（ZEA）中毒小鼠肝脏损伤是否具有保护作用,试验将40只清洁级雄性BALB/c小鼠随机分为5组：对照组（生理盐水）、ZEA组（40 mg/kg）、不同浓度的RSV （50、100或200 mg/kg）与ZEA （40 mg/kg）共处理组,每组8只,各组均灌胃给药,试验期12 d。试验结束后采集小鼠肝脏样品,计算肝脏系数,采用苏木素-伊红（HE）染色和免疫组织化学染色法观察各组肝脏病理变化;检测肝脏NF-κB蛋白表达;比色法检测肝脏组织中丙二醛（MDA）含量、超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）和过氧化氢酶（CAT）活性及血清中谷丙转氨酶（ALT）、谷草转氨酶（AST）和乳酸脱氢酶（LDH）活性,ELISA法检测血清中白细胞介素-6（IL-6）、肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）和IL-1β含量。结果显示,与对照组相比,ZEA组小鼠肝组织发生明显病理学变化;与ZEA组相比,不同浓度RSV与ZEA共处理组小鼠肝脏组织病理学变化都有所减轻。免疫组织化学结果显示,与对照组相比,ZEA组肝脏NF-κB蛋白表达增多;与ZEA组相比,不同浓度的RSV与ZEA共处理组肝脏NF-κB蛋白表达均有下降。与对照组相比,ZEA组肝脏系数和肝脏组织MDA含量极显著升高（P<0.01）,肝脏组织SOD和CAT活性显著或极显著降低（P<0.05;P<0.01）,血清中AST、ALT和LDH活性,IL-6、TNF-α和IL-1β含量均极显著升高（P<0.01）。与ZEA组相比,不同浓度RSV与ZEA共处理组肝脏组织CAT活性显著或极显著升高（P<0.05;P<0.01）,血清中AST、ALT和LDH活性及IL-6和IL-1β含量显著或极显著降低（P<0.05;P<0.01）;50 mg/kg RSV与ZEA共处理组肝脏组织SOD活性和血清中TNF-α含量分别显著升高（P<0.05）和极显著降低（P<0.01）;100和200 mg/kg RSV与ZEA共处理组肝脏系数和肝脏组织MDA含量显著或极显著降低（P<0.05;P<0.01）。结果表明,ZEA对小鼠肝脏有严重的氧化及炎症损伤作用,RSV对ZEA中毒的肝损伤具有一定保护作用,尤其以100 mg/kg RSV保护效果最佳。