scholarly journals Enhanced Detection of Major Pathogens and Toxins in Poultry and Livestock With Zoonotic Risks Using Nanomaterials-Based Diagnostics

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Priya K. Manhas ◽  
Irwin A. Quintela ◽  
Vivian C. H. Wu

Nanotechnology has gained prominence over the recent years in multiple research and application fields, including infectious diseases in healthcare, agriculture, and veterinary science. It remains an attractive and viable option for preventing, diagnosing, and treating diseases in animals and humans. The apparent efficiency of nanomaterials is due to their unique physicochemical properties and biocompatibility. With the persistence of pathogens and toxins in the poultry and livestock industries, rapid diagnostic tools are of utmost importance. Though there are many promising nanomaterials-based diagnostic tests specific to animal disease-causing agents, many have not achieved balanced sensitivity, specificity, reproducibility, and cost-effectiveness. This mini-review explores several types of nanomaterials, which provided enhancement on the sensitivity and specificity of recently reported diagnostic tools related to animal diseases. Recommendations are also provided to facilitate more targeted animal populations into the development of future diagnostic tools specifically for emerging and re-emerging animal diseases posing zoonotic risks.

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuwen Zhang ◽  
Qiang Su ◽  
Qin Chen

Abstract: Major animal diseases pose a great threat to animal husbandry and human beings. With the deepening of globalization and the abundance of data resources, the prediction and analysis of animal diseases by using big data are becoming more and more important. The focus of machine learning is to make computers learn how to learn from data and use the learned experience to analyze and predict. Firstly, this paper introduces the animal epidemic situation and machine learning. Then it briefly introduces the application of machine learning in animal disease analysis and prediction. Machine learning is mainly divided into supervised learning and unsupervised learning. Supervised learning includes support vector machines, naive bayes, decision trees, random forests, logistic regression, artificial neural networks, deep learning, and AdaBoost. Unsupervised learning has maximum expectation algorithm, principal component analysis hierarchical clustering algorithm and maxent. Through the discussion of this paper, people have a clearer concept of machine learning and understand its application prospect in animal diseases.


2021 ◽  
pp. 095646242110222
Author(s):  
Thomas Juniper ◽  
Chris P Eades ◽  
Eliza Gil ◽  
Harriet Fodder ◽  
Killian Quinn ◽  
...  

Objectives: An elevated serum (1-3)-β-D-glucan (BDG) concentration has high sensitivity for a diagnosis of Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) in people with HIV (PWH). At the current manufacturer-recommended positive threshold of 80 pg/mL (Fungitell), specificity for PCP is variable and other diagnostic tests are required. We evaluated the utility of serum BDG for diagnosis of suspected PCP in PWH at three inner-London hospitals to determine BDG concentrations for diagnosis and exclusion of PCP. Methods: From clinical case records, we abstracted demographic and clinical information and categorised patients as having confirmed or probable PCP, or an alternative diagnosis. We calculated sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value (PPV) of serum BDG concentrations >400 pg/mL and negative predictive value (NPV) of BDG <80 pg/mL. Results: 76 patients were included; 29 had laboratory-confirmed PCP, 17 had probable PCP and 30 had an alternative diagnosis. Serum BDG >400 pg/mL had a sensitivity of 83%, specificity of 97% and PPV 97% for diagnosis of PCP; BDG <80 pg/mL had 100% NPV for exclusion of PCP. Conclusions: In PWH with suspected PCP, BDG <80 pg/mL excludes a diagnosis of PCP, whereas BDG concentrations >400 pg/mL effectively confirm the diagnosis. Values 80–400 pg/mL should prompt additional diagnostic tests.


Author(s):  
Andrea Springer ◽  
Antje Glass ◽  
Julia Probst ◽  
Christina Strube

AbstractAround the world, human health and animal health are closely linked in terms of the One Health concept by ticks acting as vectors for zoonotic pathogens. Animals do not only maintain tick cycles but can either be clinically affected by the same tick-borne pathogens as humans and/or play a role as reservoirs or sentinel pathogen hosts. However, the relevance of different tick-borne diseases (TBDs) may vary in human vs. veterinary medicine, which is consequently reflected by the availability of human vs. veterinary diagnostic tests. Yet, as TBDs gain importance in both fields and rare zoonotic pathogens, such as Babesia spp., are increasingly identified as causes of human disease, a One Health approach regarding development of new diagnostic tools may lead to synergistic benefits. This review gives an overview on zoonotic protozoan, bacterial and viral tick-borne pathogens worldwide, discusses commonly used diagnostic techniques for TBDs, and compares commercial availability of diagnostic tests for humans vs. domestic animals, using Germany as an example, with the aim of highlighting existing gaps and opportunities for collaboration in a One Health framework.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 2675
Author(s):  
Monika Zajkowska ◽  
Agnieszka Kulczyńska-Przybik ◽  
Maciej Dulewicz ◽  
Kamil Safiejko ◽  
Marcin Juchimiuk ◽  
...  

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies. Despite the availability of diagnostic tests, an increasing number of new cases is observed. That is why it is very important to search new markers that would show high diagnostic utility. Therefore, we made an attempt to assess the usefulness of eotaxins, as there are few studies that investigate their significance, in patients with CRC. The study included 80 subjects (CRC patients and healthy volunteers). Serum concentrations of all eotaxins were measured using a multiplexing method (Luminex), while CCR3 was measured by immunoenzymatic assay (ELISA). CRP levels were determined by immunoturbidimetry and classical tumor marker levels (CEA and CA 19-9) and were measured using chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA). The highest usefulness among the proteins tested showed CCR3. Its concentrations were significantly higher in the CRC group than in healthy controls. The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value, and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) of CCR3 were higher than those of CA 19-9. The maximum values for sensitivity, negative predictive value, and AUC were obtained for a combination of CCR3 and CRP. Our findings suggest the potential usefulness of CCR3 in the diagnosis of CRC, especially in combination with CRP or CEA.


2020 ◽  
pp. archdischild-2020-320549
Author(s):  
Fang Hu ◽  
Shuai-Jun Guo ◽  
Jian-Jun Lu ◽  
Ning-Xuan Hua ◽  
Yan-Yan Song ◽  
...  

BackgroundDiagnosis of congenital syphilis (CS) is not straightforward and can be challenging. This study aimed to evaluate the validity of an algorithm using timing of maternal antisyphilis treatment and titres of non-treponemal antibody as predictors of CS.MethodsConfirmed CS cases and those where CS was excluded were obtained from the Guangzhou Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of syphilis programme between 2011 and 2019. We calculated sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) using receiver operating characteristics (ROC) in two situations: (1) receiving antisyphilis treatment or no-treatment during pregnancy and (2) initiating treatment before 28 gestational weeks (GWs), initiating after 28 GWs or receiving no treatment for syphilis seropositive women.ResultsAmong 1558 syphilis-exposed children, 39 had confirmed CS. Area under the curve, sensitivity and specificity of maternal non-treponemal titres before treatment and treatment during pregnancy were 0.80, 76.9%, 78.7% and 0.79, 69.2%, 88.7%, respectively, for children with CS. For the algorithm, ROC results showed that PPV and NPV for predicting CS were 37.3% and 96.4% (non-treponemal titres cut-off value 1:8 and no antisyphilis treatment), 9.4% and 100% (non-treponemal titres cut-off value 1:16 and treatment after 28 GWs), 4.2% and 99.5% (non-treponemal titres cut-off value 1:32 and treatment before 28 GWs), respectively.ConclusionsAn algorithm using maternal non-treponemal titres and timing of treatment during pregnancy could be an effective strategy to diagnose or rule out CS, especially when the rate of loss to follow-up is high or there are no straightforward diagnostic tools.


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1782
Author(s):  
Sergio Migliore ◽  
Roberto Puleio ◽  
Robin A. J. Nicholas ◽  
Guido R. Loria

Contagious agalactia (CA) is suspected when small ruminants show all or several of the following clinical signs: mastitis, arthritis, keratoconjunctivitis and occasionally abortion. It is confirmed following mycoplasma isolation or detection. The historical and major cause is Mycoplasma agalactiae which was first isolated from sheep in 1923. Over the last thirty years, three other mycoplasmas (Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. capri, Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capricolum and Mycoplasma putrefaciens) have been added to the etiology of CA because they can occasionally cause clinically similar outcomes though nearly always in goats. However, only M. agalactiae is subject to animal disease regulations nationally and internationally. Consequently, it makes little sense to list mycoplasmas other than M. agalactiae as causes of the OIE-listed CA when they are not officially reported by the veterinary authorities and unlikely to be so in the future. Indeed, encouraging countries just to report M. agalactiae may bring about a better understanding of the importance of CA. In conclusion, we recommend that CA should only be diagnosed and confirmed when M. agalactiae is detected either by isolation or molecular methods, and that the other three mycoplasmas be removed from the OIE Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines in Terrestrial Animals and associated sources.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tahir Iqbal ◽  
Muhammad Usman Shahid ◽  
Ishfaq Ahmad Shad ◽  
Shahzad Karim Bhatti ◽  
Syed Amir Gilani ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: A common surgical emergency is acute appendicitis. Various diagnostic tools are available to diagnosis acute appendicitis. Radiological investigations play an important role in making accurate and early diagnosis and thus preventing morbidity associated with the disease. OBJECTIVE: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of gray scale ultrasonography versus color Doppler in suspected cases of acute appendicitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was carried in the department of Radiology of Mayo Hospital, Lahore. A total of 75 patients were enrolled of age 18-40 years, both genders who were suspected cases of acute appendicitis. All patients underwent baseline investigations along with gray scale ultrasonography and color Doppler. All patients were subjected to surgery to confirm the diagnosis and findings were subjected to statistical analysis. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 23.25 ±10.55 and mean transverse diameter of appendix was 8.37 ±3.39. There were 62.7% males and 37.3%females. Findings of gray scale ultrasonography and color Doppler were then correlated with surgical findings to calculate the diagnostic accuracy of these modalities. The results revealed that gray scale ultrasonography sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy was 92.7%, 94.32%, 95%, 91.4% and 93.3% respectively, whereas color Doppler had sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of 97.7%, 93.9%, 95.3%, 97% and 96% respectively. Diagnostic accuracy of both modalities together was 98.6%. CONCLUSION: Color Doppler has better diagnostic accuracy than gray scale ultrasonography for diagnosis of acute appendicitis and the combination of both modalities yields diagnostic accuracy that is similar to gold standard.


Author(s):  
MD. ◽  
Sara Gómez de Frutos ◽  
Diego Domingo García PharmD ◽  
Eva Navarro Lara ◽  
Ayla Yarci Carrión ◽  
...  

Abstract BackgroundAntibody detection is essential to establish exposure, infection and immunity to SARS-CoV-2, as well as to perform epidemiological studies. The worlwide urge for new diagnostic tools to control the pandemic has led to a quick in- corporation in clinical practice of the recently developed serological assays.MethodsWe evaluated the diagnostic accuracy to detect Ig G, Ig M+A and/or IgA anti SARS-CoV-2 of 10 different assays: 3 Lateral Flow card inmunoassays, 4 en- zyme-linked inmunoabsorbent assay (ELISA) and 3 chemiluminescent particle immunoassays (CMIA). Using PCR for COVID-19 as gold standard, sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV were determined. Each assay was tested in 2 groups: Positive Controls, formed by 50 sera from 50 patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneu- monia with positive PCR; Negative Controls, formed by 50 sera from 50 pa- tients with respiratory infection non-COVID-19.ResultsSensitivity range of the 10 assays evaluated for patients with positive COVID-19 PCR was 40-77% (65-81% considering IgG plus IgM). Specificity ranged 83-100%. VPP and VPN were respectively 81-100% and 61.6-81%.ConclusionsResults obtained varied widely among the assays evaluated.Highest diagnostic accuracy was obtained with ELISA and CMIAs, but they last much longer.


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