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BMC Infectious Diseases Jun 2024Q fever, caused by the zoonotic pathogen Coxiella burnetii, exhibits a worldwide prevalence. In China, Q fever is not recognized as a notifiable disease, and the disease...
BACKGROUND
Q fever, caused by the zoonotic pathogen Coxiella burnetii, exhibits a worldwide prevalence. In China, Q fever is not recognized as a notifiable disease, and the disease is overlooked and underestimated in clinical practice, leading to diagnostic challenges.
CASE PRESENTATION
We present a case series of three patients diagnosed with persistent Q fever between 2022 and 2023. The average age of our three cases was 63.33 years old, consisting of two males and one female. The medical history of the individuals included previous valve replacement, aneurysm followed by aortic stent-graft placement and prosthetic hip joint replacement. At the onset of the disease, only one case exhibited acute fever, while the remaining two cases were devoid of any acute symptoms. The etiology was initially overlooked until metagenomic next-generation sequencing test identified Coxiella burnetii from the blood or biopsy samples. Delayed diagnosis was noted, with a duration ranging from three months to one year between the onset of the disease and its confirmation. The epidemiological history uncovered that none of the three cases had direct exposure to domestic animals or consumption of unpasteurized dairy products. Case 1 and 2 resided in urban areas, while Case 3 was a rural resident engaged in farming. All patients received combination therapy of doxycycline and hydroxychloroquine, and no recurrence of the disease was observed during the follow-up period.
CONCLUSION
Q fever is rarely diagnosed and reported in clinical practice in our country. We should be aware of persistent Q fever in high-risk population, even with unremarkable exposure history. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing holds great potential as a diagnostic tool for identifying rare and fastidious pathogens such as Coxiella burnetii.
Topics: Q Fever; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Female; China; Coxiella burnetii; Aged; Delayed Diagnosis; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Doxycycline; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing
PubMed: 38886677
DOI: 10.1186/s12879-024-09484-w -
Environmental Science and Pollution... Jun 2024Livestock excrement is used around the world as natural fertilizers or, after processing, as organic fertilizers for crops and grasslands. But due to the presence of...
Livestock excrement is used around the world as natural fertilizers or, after processing, as organic fertilizers for crops and grasslands. But due to the presence of veterinary antibiotics in them, they may pose a threat not only to the natural environment, mainly to soil microorganisms, but also to human and animal health. This article describes a method for detecting 21 antibacterial substances in solid natural and organic fertilizers. Antibiotics from fertilizers were extracted with a mixture of acetonitrile and McIlvain-NaEDTA buffer, twice. The extracts were purified by solid phase extraction technique on Strata-X cartridges and analyzed with the use UHPLC-MS/MS technique. The method was validated in accordance with EU Commission Implementing Regulation 2021/808; the obtained recovery ranged from 93.6 to 116.6% (depending on the analytes), and the linearity ranged from 50 to 1000 µg/kg. The developed method was used to analyze 73 samples of solid natural and organic fertilizers. Our research has shown that over 38% of natural fertilizers were contaminated with antibiotics, mainly doxycycline in concentrations reaching several dozen milligrams per kilogram of fertilizers. In the case of processed organic fertilizers, the presence of antibiotics was found in over 37% of the analyzed samples. The research results showed that the developed and validated analytical method may be useful for assessing the presence and content of antibacterial substances in solid natural and organic fertilizers.
PubMed: 38886273
DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-33956-w -
Sexually Transmitted Infections Jun 2024
PubMed: 38886053
DOI: 10.1136/sextrans-2024-056240 -
New Zealand Veterinary Journal Jun 2024An 8-month-old male, entire, mixed-breed dog was presented with a 1-month history of left exophthalmos and green mucopurulent ocular discharge. Subsequently,...
CASE HISTORY
An 8-month-old male, entire, mixed-breed dog was presented with a 1-month history of left exophthalmos and green mucopurulent ocular discharge. Subsequently, exophthalmos resolved but esotropia (medial strabismus) developed in the left eye, prompting referral to an ophthalmologist.
CLINICAL FINDINGS
At the initial referral consultation, enophthalmos and esotropia of the left eye were identified. The patient showed mild improvement after a 3-week tapering course of oral prednisolone and doxycycline. MRI was performed and showed left medial rectus muscle atrophy with increased contrast enhancement which was consistent with chronic extraocular muscle myositis (EOM). A forced duction test was performed to confirm the diagnosis of fibrosing esotropia, which is likely a sequela of chronic EOM.
DIAGNOSIS
Fibrosing esotropia presumably caused by untreated EOM.
TREATMENT AND OUTCOME
One month later, esotropia progressed to a marked ventro-medial strabismus resulting in visual deprivation. Surgical release of the ventral oblique, medial and ventral recti muscles was performed, resulting in immediate resolution of the enophthalmos. Despite a tapering post-operative course of oral prednisolone, mild esotropia was present 4 weeks later. In an effort to stabilise the globe position, the low dose of prednisolone was increased to a higher anti-inflammatory dose before slowly tapering over 2 months. The vision in the left eye was improved after surgery and has been maintained since without further treatment.
CLINICAL RELEVANCE
This is the first documented case of fibrosing esotropia in a young dog with prior signs of acute exophthalmos. Fibrosing esotropia has been documented in certain breeds or as a sequela to chronic EOM. In this patient, it was presumably caused by EOM, which was strongly supported by the case history, progression and MRI findings. Most historical reports of EOM described it as a bilateral condition that resolves with systemic corticosteroids at an anti-inflammatory dose. EOM has been shown to also present unilaterally and it can progress to strabismus if not promptly recognised and treated with systemic steroids. Surgical management can restore vision when severe strabismus results in visual deprivation.
PubMed: 38885962
DOI: 10.1080/00480169.2024.2361619 -
Journal of Pharmacy & Bioallied Sciences Apr 2024In this study, we synthesized and characterized a novel starch glutaraldehyde cross-linked hydrogel for drug release. The hydrogel exhibited excellent properties such as...
In this study, we synthesized and characterized a novel starch glutaraldehyde cross-linked hydrogel for drug release. The hydrogel exhibited excellent properties such as absorption capacity and drug release. By optimizing the cross-linking reaction using varying concentrations of glutaraldehyde and reaction time, we obtained a hydrogel with a three-dimensional network structure, superior swelling properties, and mechanical strength. The results revealed doxycycline sustained and controlled drug release over a prolonged period, which could be adjusted by altering the cross-linking density of the hydrogel. Overall, the starch glutaraldehyde cross-linked hydrogel shows great promise as a drug delivery system with controlled release properties, applicable in pharmaceuticals and tissue engineering.
PubMed: 38882769
DOI: 10.4103/jpbs.jpbs_538_23 -
Journal of Pharmacy & Bioallied Sciences Apr 2024Delayed wound healing is one of the most common problems associated with diabetic patients. There are several factors associated with delayed wound healing. It has been...
Delayed wound healing is one of the most common problems associated with diabetic patients. There are several factors associated with delayed wound healing. It has been observed that if not cured the wound healing takes a long time. This is the reason that researchers are engaged in developing sustainable, biodegradable, biocompatible, and effective wound-healing dressings. However, it has been observed that the traditional wound-healing bandages have drawbacks such as allergies and less efficiency in the absorption of wound exudate. To fill the gap, hydrogels have been developed recently which have higher absorption capacity. In addition, they pose slow drug release properties. Therefore, the present study was conducted to prepare an effective and promising hydrogel that has high drug absorption and release properties.
PubMed: 38882755
DOI: 10.4103/jpbs.jpbs_541_23 -
SAGE Open Medical Case Reports 2024Rocky Mountain spotted fever, a potentially fatal tick-borne disease thought to be confined to specific climates and geographic locations, is expanding its reach due to...
Rocky Mountain spotted fever, a potentially fatal tick-borne disease thought to be confined to specific climates and geographic locations, is expanding its reach due to climate change. This is demonstrated by a 73-year-old woman who contracted Rocky Mountain spotted fever outside endemic areas during travel in Canada. Presenting with fevers, arthralgia, weakness, non-bloody diarrhea, conjunctivitis, mild cough, and a rash, this patient was initially started on moxifloxacin (400 mg PO/day) for suspected pneumonia. Treatment was changed to doxycycline (100 mg PO twice daily for 7 days) after dermatology was consulted, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever was thought to be higher on the differential. Rocky Mountain spotted fever was confirmed, and the patient responded well to antibiotics, improving by discharge. The disease's expansion into previously thought nonendemic areas is thought to be linked to milder winters and more extreme dry summers, facilitating pathogen development and tick lineage expansion.
PubMed: 38881973
DOI: 10.1177/2050313X241260980 -
European Journal of Ophthalmology Jun 2024A 64-year-old male, working at a mountain site in Taitung County, suffered from primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) post trabeculectomy with well-controlled intraocular...
A 64-year-old male, working at a mountain site in Taitung County, suffered from primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) post trabeculectomy with well-controlled intraocular pressure (IOP) in both eyes (OU). He presented with headache accompanied by red eyes (OU) for 10 days. Physical examination revealed fever up to 38.2°C, neck stiffness, one eschar at the left forearm and another at the left ankle. Abnormal laboratory data indicated bacterial infection with central nervous system involvement. Ophthalmic examination showed elevated IOP, moderate conjunctival congestion, subconjunctival hemorrhage, anterior uveitis, cotton-wool spots on the retina and multiple white dots on the temporal retina (OU). Under the impression of uveitis in tsutsugamushi disease with atypical meningitis, oral doxycycline, anti-glaucoma and anti-inflammation eye drugs were prescribed. IOP returned to 12 mmHg and anterior uveitis subsided. The lesions of cotton-wool spots on the retina disappeared within 2 weeks, but multiple white dots remained persistently on the temporal retina.
PubMed: 38881302
DOI: 10.1177/11206721241262840 -
Environmental Pollution (Barking, Essex... Jun 2024Water pollution caused by antibiotics and synthetic dyes and imminent energy crises due to limited fossil fuel resources are issues of contemporary decades. Herein, we...
Water pollution caused by antibiotics and synthetic dyes and imminent energy crises due to limited fossil fuel resources are issues of contemporary decades. Herein, we address them by enabling the multifunctionality in dual Z-scheme MoS/WO/AgBiS across photolysis, photo Fenton-like, and night catalysis. Defect, basal, and facet-engineered WO is modified with MoS and AgBiS, which extended its photoresponse from the UV-NIR region, inhibited carrier recombination, and reduced carrier transfer resistance. The electric field rearrangement leads to a flow of electrons from MoS and AgBiS to WO and intensifies the electron population, which is crucial for night catalysis. When MoS/WO/AgBiS was employed against doxycycline hydrochloride (DOXH), it removed 95.65, 81.11, and 77.92 % of DOXH in 100 min during photo-Fenton (PFR), night-Fenton (NFR), and photocatalytic (PCR) reactions, respectively. It also effectively removed 91.91, 98.17, 99.01, and 98.99 % of rhodamine B (RhB), Congo red (CR), methylene blue (MB), and methylene orange (MO) in Fenton reactions, respectively. ESR analysis consolidates the ROS generation feature of MoS/WO/AgBiS using HO with and without irradiation. This work provides a strategy to eliminate the deficiencies of WO and is conducive to the evolution of applications seeking to combat environmental and energy crises.
PubMed: 38880327
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124375 -
Journal of Neuropathology and... Jun 2024In patients with TDP43 proteinopathy, phosphorylated TDP43 (p-TDP43) accumulates in the cytoplasm of neurons. The accumulation of p-TDP43 has also been reported in...
In patients with TDP43 proteinopathy, phosphorylated TDP43 (p-TDP43) accumulates in the cytoplasm of neurons. The accumulation of p-TDP43 has also been reported in patients with tauopathy and α-synucleinopathy. We investigated spatiotemporal changes in p-TDP43 accumulation in the brains of rTg4510 mice that overexpressed human mutant tau (P301L) and exhibited hyperphosphorylated tau (hp-tau) and phosphorylated αSyn (p-αSyn) accumulation. Immunohistochemically, p-TDP43 aggregates were observed in the cytoplasm of neurons, which increased with age. A significant positive correlation was observed between the number of cells with p-TDP43 aggregates and hp-tau and p-αSyn aggregates. Suppression of the human mutant tau (P301L) expression by doxycycline treatment reduces the accumulation of p-TDP43, hp-tau, and p-αSyn. Proteinase K-resistant p-TDP43 aggregates were found in regions with high hp-tau, and p-αSyn accumulation. Western blotting of the sarkosyl-insoluble fraction revealed bands of monomeric TDP43 and p-TDP43. These results indicate that the accumulation of mouse p-TDP43 is associated with the accumulation of human mutant tau (P301L) in rTg4510 mouse brains. The accumulation of hp-tau and p-αSyn may promote sarkosyl-insoluble p-TDP43 aggregates that are resistant to proteinase K. The synergistic effects of tau, TDP43, and αSyn may be involved in the pathology of proteinopathies, leading to the accumulation of multiple abnormal proteins.
PubMed: 38879441
DOI: 10.1093/jnen/nlae063