Berliner Und Munchener Tierarztliche Wochenschrift, 2020
Domestic dogs are the main source of human rabies deaths – approximately 60,000 annually occurrin... more Domestic dogs are the main source of human rabies deaths – approximately 60,000 annually occurring mostly in Africa and Asia. The World Health Organisation and its partners declared “zero human deaths due to canine rabies by 2030” as a strategic goal. In the context of rabies control, an ethical case scenario from the perspective of a veterinary officer in Uganda is presented. A practice-oriented tool, Ropohl’s responsibil-ity checklist, is applied to structure the individual responsibility of the veterinary officer according to the six core questions. This ethical deliberation was performed in a work-shop following a participatory approach. Based on the ethical deliberation it becomes evident, that the case scenario could be potentially described by moral distress. We suggest that a better understanding of personal responsibility, including its extent and its limits, would help veterinary officers to better cope with difficult and challeng-ing situations.
Background: To understand brain function in health and disease, functional magnetic resonance ima... more Background: To understand brain function in health and disease, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is widely used in rodent models. Because animals need to be immobilised for image acquisition, fMRI is commonly performed under anaesthesia. The choice of anaesthetic protocols and may affect fMRI readouts, either directly or via changing physiological balance, and thereby threaten the scientific validity of fMRI in rodents. Methods: The present study systematically reviewed the literature investigating the influence of different anaesthesia regimes and changes in physiological parameters as confounders of blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) fMRI in rats and mice. Four databases were searched, studies selected according to pre-defined criteria, and risk of bias assessed for each study. Results are reported in two separate articles; this part of the review focuses on effects of changes in physiological parameters. Results: A total of 121 publications was included, of which 49 ...
Background One of the emerging themes in epidemiology is the use of interval estimates. Currently... more Background One of the emerging themes in epidemiology is the use of interval estimates. Currently, three interval estimates for confidence (CI), prediction (PI), and tolerance (TI) are at a researcher's disposal and are accessible within the open access framework in R. These three types of statistical intervals serve different purposes. Confidence intervals are designed to describe a parameter with some uncertainty due to sampling errors. Prediction intervals aim to predict future observation(s), including some uncertainty present in the actual and future samples. Tolerance intervals are constructed to capture a specified proportion of a population with a defined confidence. It is well known that interval estimates support a greater knowledge gain than point estimates. Thus, a good understanding and the use of CI, PI, and TI underlie good statistical practice. While CIs are taught in introductory statistical classes, PIs and TIs are less familiar. Results In this paper, we provi...
Dogs play a major role in public health because of potential transmission of zoonotic diseases, s... more Dogs play a major role in public health because of potential transmission of zoonotic diseases, such as rabies. Dog roaming behavior has been studied worldwide, including countries in Asia, Latin America, and Oceania, while studies on dog roaming behavior are lacking in Africa. Many of those studies investigated potential drivers for roaming, which could be used to refine disease control measures. However, it appears that results are often contradictory between countries, which could be caused by differences in study design or the influence of context-specific factors. Comparative studies on dog roaming behavior are needed to better understand domestic dog roaming behavior and address these discrepancies. The aim of this study was to investigate dog demography, management, and roaming behavior across four countries: Chad, Guatemala, Indonesia, and Uganda. We equipped 773 dogs with georeferenced contact sensors (106 in Chad, 303 in Guatemala, 217 in Indonesia, and 149 in Uganda) and ...
Background Despite their indispensability in human medicine, fluoroquinolones (FQ) are used for t... more Background Despite their indispensability in human medicine, fluoroquinolones (FQ) are used for the treatment of bacterial infections in farm animals which increases the risk of transferring FQ-resistant bacteria into the environment and via the food chain to humans. The objectives of this observational study were to follow-up of the presence of quinolone non-susceptible Escherichia coli (QNSE) qualitatively and quantitatively in faecal samples of pigs at four time points (2 weeks old, 4 weeks old, 2 weeks post weaning and during fattening period). Moreover differences between groups of FQ-treated pigs, pigs with contact to treated pigs and control pigs were investigated. Additionally, quinolone and FQ resistance of Escherichia coli isolates of the faecal samples were investigated by determining minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs). Results 40.9% of 621 fecal samples contained QNSE. Proportion of samples with detectable QNSE from treated and contact pigs did not differ significa...
Abstract Background Hand hygiene (HH) is one of the most important measures to prevent healthcare... more Abstract Background Hand hygiene (HH) is one of the most important measures to prevent healthcare‐associated infections. Data on HH compliance in companion animal veterinary institutions in Europe are sparse. Methods This observational study assessed HH according to WHO standards in three large and two medium‐sized clinics and two primary care practices in Switzerland. Associations with HH indication, professional group, clinical area and institution were determined using a generalized linear mixed effects model. Results Based on 2056 observations, overall HH compliance [95% confidence interval] was 32% [30%–34%]. HH compliance was highest in the consultation area (41% [38%–45%]) and after contact to body fluids (45% [40%–50%]), and lowest in the pre‐OR area (20% [15%–24%]) and before clean/aseptic procedures (12% [9%–15%]). Veterinarians showed a higher HH compliance (37% [34%–40%]) than veterinary nurses (25% [22%–28%]). HH compliance was lower before clean/aseptic procedures compared to all other indications (all p < 0.015 except ‘before touching a patient’ in medium‐sized clinics/practices, p = 0.095) and higher in the consultation area compared to all other areas in large clinics (all p < 0.04). Conclusion Effective HH training should urgently be promoted for all veterinary personnel with special emphasis on the importance of HH before clean/aseptic procedures.
Our objective was to estimate the diagnostic accuracy of real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-... more Our objective was to estimate the diagnostic accuracy of real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) tests for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), depending on the time after symptom onset. Based on the cross-classified results of RT-PCR and LFIA, we used Bayesian latent-class models, which do not require a gold standard for the evaluation of diagnostics. Data were extracted from studies that evaluated LFIA (immunoglobulin G (IgG) and/or immunoglobulin M (IgM)) assays using RT-PCR as the reference method. The sensitivity of RT-PCR was 0.68 (95% probability interval (PrI): 0.63, 0.73). IgG/M sensitivity was 0.32 (95% PrI :0.23; 0.41) for the first week and increased steadily. It was 0.75 (95% PrI: 0.67; 0.83) and 0.93 (95% PrI: 0.88; 0.97) for the second and third weeks after symptom onset, respectively. Both tests had a high to absolute specificity, with higher point median estimates for RT-PCR specificity and narrower probability intervals. The...
Chlamydia pecorum is an obligate intracellular pathogen with a wide host range including livestoc... more Chlamydia pecorum is an obligate intracellular pathogen with a wide host range including livestock such as sheep, cattle, goats, and pigs as well as wildlife species such as koalas. Chlamydial polyarthritis is an economically important disease resulting in swollen joints, lameness, stiffness, and weight loss in young sheep. In the present study, tissues from sheep experimentally or naturally infected with Chlamydia pecorum were assessed by histopathology and immunohistochemistry. Carpal, hock, and stifle joints as well as spleen, liver, kidney, lymph nodes, lung, and brain of 35 sheep from different inoculation groups were available. Two different C. pecorum strains (IPA and E58), different routes of administration (intraarticular or intravenous), UVA-irradiated IPA strain, and corresponding noninfected control groups were investigated. Similar investigations on tissues from 5 naturally infected sheep were performed. The most obvious inflammatory lesions were observed in synovial ti...
In rodent models the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) under anesthesia is comm... more In rodent models the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) under anesthesia is common. The anesthetic protocol might influence fMRI readouts either directly or via changes in physiological parameters. As long as those factors cannot be objectively quantified, the scientific validity of fMRI in rodents is impaired. In the present systematic review, literature analyzing in rats and mice the influence of anesthesia regimes and concurrent physiological functions on blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) fMRI results was investigated. Studies from four databases that were searched were selected following pre-defined criteria. Two separate articles publish the results; the herewith presented article includes the analyses of 83 studies. Most studies found differences in BOLD fMRI readouts with different anesthesia drugs and dose rates, time points of imaging or when awake status was compared to anesthetized animals. To obtain scientifically valid, reproducible results from roden...
With great interest we read the article from Dramé et al. 1 "Should RT-PC be considered as g... more With great interest we read the article from Dramé et al. 1 "Should RT-PC be considered as gold standard in the diagnosis of Covid-19" questioning the conclusions from Cassaniti et al.2 . We agree with the argument that considering RT-PCR as gold standard when evaluating a new test will inevitably lead to biased test accuracy estimates of the new test1 . This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the incidence of tranexamic acid (TXA)-induced nausea and vomiting after th... more OBJECTIVE To evaluate the incidence of tranexamic acid (TXA)-induced nausea and vomiting after the prophylactic use of 2 antiemetics, ondansetron and maropitant, compared with saline. DESIGN Prospective, blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized, crossover study. SETTING University research facility. ANIMALS Eight adult, purpose-bred Beagles. INTERVENTION Dogs received 3 treatments on 3 occasions with a 3-week washout period. Either maropitant (1 mg/kg), ondansetron (0.2 mg/kg), or saline solution was given intravenously in equal volumes, followed 10 minutes later by 50 mg/kg IV TXA. A blinded observer evaluated the dogs for signs of vomiting and nausea for 30 minutes. The severity of nausea was assessed with a visual analog scale (VAS) and recorded at baseline before TXA, and at the end of 3 observational periods: 0-5, 5-15, and 15-30 minutes after TXA. A generalized linear mixed effect model was used to assess for group and period effects. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05 . MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS None of the dogs vomited after maropitant. Emesis occurred in 5 out of 8 dogs (62.5%), a median (range) of 1 time (1-2) after ondansetron and 1 time (1-3) after saline. There was a significant effect on vomiting of maropitant against saline (P < 0.0001) but not for ondansetron against saline (P = 0.53). The highest nausea VASs were recorded during the first 5 minutes after TXA with a significant reduction of VAS variability in the maropitant group (P = 0.003). The effect of maropitant and ondansetron against saline on the severity of nausea was not statistically significant (P = 0.069). CONCLUSION The neurokinin 1 receptor antagonist maropitant at the dose used, administered IV 10 minutes before 50 mg/kg TXA, was effective in preventing vomiting compared with ondansetron and placebo. Our results support the prophylactic IV administration of maropitant in dogs that are scheduled to receive TXA.
Background: Antimicrobial stewardship activities are essential to improve prudent antimicrobial u... more Background: Antimicrobial stewardship activities are essential to improve prudent antimicrobial use. The aim of the present study was to evaluate changes in antimicrobial prescriptions in cats after the introduction of prudent use guidelines promoted by an online antimicrobial stewardship tool (AntibioticScout.ch) in Switzerland. Data from 792 cats presented to two university hospitals and 14 private practices in 2018 were included and compared to 776 cases from 2016. Cats were diagnosed with acute upper respiratory tract disease (aURTD), feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) and abscesses. Clinical history, diagnostic work-up and antimicrobial prescriptions (class, dosage, duration) were assessed. Type and proportions [95% confidence intervals] of antimicrobial prescriptions were compared between the two evaluation periods and a mixed effects logistic regression model was applied to evaluate compliance with Swiss prudent use guidelines. Results: From 2016 to 2018, the proportion of antimicrobial prescription in all included cases decreased from 75.0% [71.8-78.0] to 66.7% [63.3-69.9]; this decrease was most pronounced for treatments at university hospitals (67.1% [59.5-74.0] to 49.3% [40.9-57.8]) and for cats with FLUTD (60.1% [54.6-65.4] to 48.8% [43.2-54.4]). Use of 3rd generation cephalosporins in private practices declined from 30.7% [26.5-35.1] to 22.1% [18.4-26.2], while overall use of non-potentiated aminopenicillins increased from 19.6% [16.4-23.0] to 27.8% [24.1-31.9]. In cases where antimicrobial therapy was indicated, compliance with guidelines did not increase (33.3% [26.6-40.6] to 33.5% [27.2-40.2]), neither at universities nor in private practices. On the other hand, antimicrobial treatment was more often withheld in cases with no indication for antimicrobial therapy (35.6% [30.1-41.4] to 54.0% [47.6-60.4]); this was found for private practices (26.7% [20.8-33.4] to 46.0% [38.4-53.7]) and for aURTD cases (35.0% [26.5-44.2] to 55.4% [44.7-65.8]).
OBJECTIVE To compare the prevalence rates and severity of acquired urinary incontinence (AUI) bet... more OBJECTIVE To compare the prevalence rates and severity of acquired urinary incontinence (AUI) between dogs spayed with laparoscopic and open laparotomy approaches. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective matched-pair cohort study. ANIMALS In total, 1285 privately owned dogs spayed >5 years previously were included in the study. METHODS Laparoscopically spayed dogs were matched with dogs spayed by traditional laparotomy. Matching variables were breed, bodyweight, age at spaying, time of spaying in relation to the onset of puberty, time interval since spaying, and age. In 400 matched-paired dogs, the outcome of AUI was assessed by using an owner questionnaire. A conditional logistic regression for matched pairs was performed on the data of 308 dogs. RESULTS Among 308 dogs, 30 and 29 dogs spayed by laparotomy and laparoscopy, respectively, were affected by AUI. The identified risk factors for AUI were age and time interval since spaying. The surgical approach (laparoscopy or laparotomy) was neither revealed as a risk factor nor did it influence the severity of AUI. CONCLUSION The risk of AUI after spaying is not influenced by the surgical approach, (laparoscopy or laparotomy). Nearly every fifth dog spayed by laparotomy or by laparoscopy was affected by AUI. A relatively longer time interval since spaying and increased age of the dog increased the risk for AUI. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE Owners of dogs with a predisposition for AUI must be counseled about this risk when they present their dogs for spaying, regardless of surgical approach chosen.
Background: Multi-drug resistant bacteria are seen increasingly and there are gaps in our underst... more Background: Multi-drug resistant bacteria are seen increasingly and there are gaps in our understanding of the complexity of antimicrobial resistance, partially due to a lack of appropriate statistical tools. This hampers efficient treatment, precludes determining appropriate intervention points and renders prevention very difficult. Methods: We re-analysed data from a previous study using additive Bayesian networks. The data contained information on resistances against seven antimicrobials and seven potential risk factors from 86 non-typhoidal Salmonella isolates from laying hens in 46 farms in Uganda. Results: The final graph contained 22 links between risk factors and antimicrobial resistances. Solely ampicillin resistance was linked to the vaccinating person and disposal of dead birds. Systematic associations between ampicillin and sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim and chloramphenicol, which was also linked to sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim were detected. Sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim was also directly linked to ciprofloxacin and trimethoprim. Trimethoprim was linked to sulfonamide and ciprofloxacin, which was also linked to sulfonamide. Tetracycline was solely linked to ciprofloxacin. Conclusions: Although the results needs to be interpreted with caution due to a small data set, additive Bayesian network analysis allowed a description of a number of associations between the risk factors and antimicrobial resistances investigated.
In rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus L.), pododermatitis is a chronic multifactorial skin disease th... more In rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus L.), pododermatitis is a chronic multifactorial skin disease that appears mainly on the plantar surface of the hind legs. This presumably progressive disease can cause pain leading to poor welfare, yet the progression of this disease has not been thoroughly assessed on the level of individual animals. The aim of this longitudinal study thus was to investigate the possible risk factors and the progression of pododermatitis in group housed breeding does in Switzerland on litter and plastic slats.Three commercial rabbit farms with part-time group housing on litter and plastic slats were visited every four weeks throughout one year. During every visit, the same 201 adult female breeding rabbits (67 does per farm) were evaluated for the presence and severity of pododermatitis. Additionally, the does' age, parity, body weight, reproductive state, hybrid, claw length, cleanliness and moisture of the paws and the temperature and humidity inside the barns were recorded as potential risk factors. The risk factors were analysed through general linear models and additive Bayesian network (ABN) modelling using a directed acyclic graph (DAG) for visualising associations between potential risk factors. The progression of pododermatitis was analysed with a transition matrix. Relative humidity inside the barns, body weight, number of kindlings, age, and claw length were the most important risk factors, all being positively associated with pododermatitis. In contrast to expectations, the cleanliness of the left hind paw was negatively associated with the occurrence of pododermatitis, but the effect was small. In young does, the severity of pododermatitis quickly increased and in some rabbits proceeded to ulcerated spots. It was shown that 60.00%, 14.17% and 3.33% of ulcerated lesions recovered to a state without ulceration within 4, 8 or >12 weeks, respectively.
Berliner Und Munchener Tierarztliche Wochenschrift, 2020
Domestic dogs are the main source of human rabies deaths – approximately 60,000 annually occurrin... more Domestic dogs are the main source of human rabies deaths – approximately 60,000 annually occurring mostly in Africa and Asia. The World Health Organisation and its partners declared “zero human deaths due to canine rabies by 2030” as a strategic goal. In the context of rabies control, an ethical case scenario from the perspective of a veterinary officer in Uganda is presented. A practice-oriented tool, Ropohl’s responsibil-ity checklist, is applied to structure the individual responsibility of the veterinary officer according to the six core questions. This ethical deliberation was performed in a work-shop following a participatory approach. Based on the ethical deliberation it becomes evident, that the case scenario could be potentially described by moral distress. We suggest that a better understanding of personal responsibility, including its extent and its limits, would help veterinary officers to better cope with difficult and challeng-ing situations.
Background: To understand brain function in health and disease, functional magnetic resonance ima... more Background: To understand brain function in health and disease, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is widely used in rodent models. Because animals need to be immobilised for image acquisition, fMRI is commonly performed under anaesthesia. The choice of anaesthetic protocols and may affect fMRI readouts, either directly or via changing physiological balance, and thereby threaten the scientific validity of fMRI in rodents. Methods: The present study systematically reviewed the literature investigating the influence of different anaesthesia regimes and changes in physiological parameters as confounders of blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) fMRI in rats and mice. Four databases were searched, studies selected according to pre-defined criteria, and risk of bias assessed for each study. Results are reported in two separate articles; this part of the review focuses on effects of changes in physiological parameters. Results: A total of 121 publications was included, of which 49 ...
Background One of the emerging themes in epidemiology is the use of interval estimates. Currently... more Background One of the emerging themes in epidemiology is the use of interval estimates. Currently, three interval estimates for confidence (CI), prediction (PI), and tolerance (TI) are at a researcher's disposal and are accessible within the open access framework in R. These three types of statistical intervals serve different purposes. Confidence intervals are designed to describe a parameter with some uncertainty due to sampling errors. Prediction intervals aim to predict future observation(s), including some uncertainty present in the actual and future samples. Tolerance intervals are constructed to capture a specified proportion of a population with a defined confidence. It is well known that interval estimates support a greater knowledge gain than point estimates. Thus, a good understanding and the use of CI, PI, and TI underlie good statistical practice. While CIs are taught in introductory statistical classes, PIs and TIs are less familiar. Results In this paper, we provi...
Dogs play a major role in public health because of potential transmission of zoonotic diseases, s... more Dogs play a major role in public health because of potential transmission of zoonotic diseases, such as rabies. Dog roaming behavior has been studied worldwide, including countries in Asia, Latin America, and Oceania, while studies on dog roaming behavior are lacking in Africa. Many of those studies investigated potential drivers for roaming, which could be used to refine disease control measures. However, it appears that results are often contradictory between countries, which could be caused by differences in study design or the influence of context-specific factors. Comparative studies on dog roaming behavior are needed to better understand domestic dog roaming behavior and address these discrepancies. The aim of this study was to investigate dog demography, management, and roaming behavior across four countries: Chad, Guatemala, Indonesia, and Uganda. We equipped 773 dogs with georeferenced contact sensors (106 in Chad, 303 in Guatemala, 217 in Indonesia, and 149 in Uganda) and ...
Background Despite their indispensability in human medicine, fluoroquinolones (FQ) are used for t... more Background Despite their indispensability in human medicine, fluoroquinolones (FQ) are used for the treatment of bacterial infections in farm animals which increases the risk of transferring FQ-resistant bacteria into the environment and via the food chain to humans. The objectives of this observational study were to follow-up of the presence of quinolone non-susceptible Escherichia coli (QNSE) qualitatively and quantitatively in faecal samples of pigs at four time points (2 weeks old, 4 weeks old, 2 weeks post weaning and during fattening period). Moreover differences between groups of FQ-treated pigs, pigs with contact to treated pigs and control pigs were investigated. Additionally, quinolone and FQ resistance of Escherichia coli isolates of the faecal samples were investigated by determining minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs). Results 40.9% of 621 fecal samples contained QNSE. Proportion of samples with detectable QNSE from treated and contact pigs did not differ significa...
Abstract Background Hand hygiene (HH) is one of the most important measures to prevent healthcare... more Abstract Background Hand hygiene (HH) is one of the most important measures to prevent healthcare‐associated infections. Data on HH compliance in companion animal veterinary institutions in Europe are sparse. Methods This observational study assessed HH according to WHO standards in three large and two medium‐sized clinics and two primary care practices in Switzerland. Associations with HH indication, professional group, clinical area and institution were determined using a generalized linear mixed effects model. Results Based on 2056 observations, overall HH compliance [95% confidence interval] was 32% [30%–34%]. HH compliance was highest in the consultation area (41% [38%–45%]) and after contact to body fluids (45% [40%–50%]), and lowest in the pre‐OR area (20% [15%–24%]) and before clean/aseptic procedures (12% [9%–15%]). Veterinarians showed a higher HH compliance (37% [34%–40%]) than veterinary nurses (25% [22%–28%]). HH compliance was lower before clean/aseptic procedures compared to all other indications (all p < 0.015 except ‘before touching a patient’ in medium‐sized clinics/practices, p = 0.095) and higher in the consultation area compared to all other areas in large clinics (all p < 0.04). Conclusion Effective HH training should urgently be promoted for all veterinary personnel with special emphasis on the importance of HH before clean/aseptic procedures.
Our objective was to estimate the diagnostic accuracy of real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-... more Our objective was to estimate the diagnostic accuracy of real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) tests for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), depending on the time after symptom onset. Based on the cross-classified results of RT-PCR and LFIA, we used Bayesian latent-class models, which do not require a gold standard for the evaluation of diagnostics. Data were extracted from studies that evaluated LFIA (immunoglobulin G (IgG) and/or immunoglobulin M (IgM)) assays using RT-PCR as the reference method. The sensitivity of RT-PCR was 0.68 (95% probability interval (PrI): 0.63, 0.73). IgG/M sensitivity was 0.32 (95% PrI :0.23; 0.41) for the first week and increased steadily. It was 0.75 (95% PrI: 0.67; 0.83) and 0.93 (95% PrI: 0.88; 0.97) for the second and third weeks after symptom onset, respectively. Both tests had a high to absolute specificity, with higher point median estimates for RT-PCR specificity and narrower probability intervals. The...
Chlamydia pecorum is an obligate intracellular pathogen with a wide host range including livestoc... more Chlamydia pecorum is an obligate intracellular pathogen with a wide host range including livestock such as sheep, cattle, goats, and pigs as well as wildlife species such as koalas. Chlamydial polyarthritis is an economically important disease resulting in swollen joints, lameness, stiffness, and weight loss in young sheep. In the present study, tissues from sheep experimentally or naturally infected with Chlamydia pecorum were assessed by histopathology and immunohistochemistry. Carpal, hock, and stifle joints as well as spleen, liver, kidney, lymph nodes, lung, and brain of 35 sheep from different inoculation groups were available. Two different C. pecorum strains (IPA and E58), different routes of administration (intraarticular or intravenous), UVA-irradiated IPA strain, and corresponding noninfected control groups were investigated. Similar investigations on tissues from 5 naturally infected sheep were performed. The most obvious inflammatory lesions were observed in synovial ti...
In rodent models the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) under anesthesia is comm... more In rodent models the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) under anesthesia is common. The anesthetic protocol might influence fMRI readouts either directly or via changes in physiological parameters. As long as those factors cannot be objectively quantified, the scientific validity of fMRI in rodents is impaired. In the present systematic review, literature analyzing in rats and mice the influence of anesthesia regimes and concurrent physiological functions on blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) fMRI results was investigated. Studies from four databases that were searched were selected following pre-defined criteria. Two separate articles publish the results; the herewith presented article includes the analyses of 83 studies. Most studies found differences in BOLD fMRI readouts with different anesthesia drugs and dose rates, time points of imaging or when awake status was compared to anesthetized animals. To obtain scientifically valid, reproducible results from roden...
With great interest we read the article from Dramé et al. 1 "Should RT-PC be considered as g... more With great interest we read the article from Dramé et al. 1 "Should RT-PC be considered as gold standard in the diagnosis of Covid-19" questioning the conclusions from Cassaniti et al.2 . We agree with the argument that considering RT-PCR as gold standard when evaluating a new test will inevitably lead to biased test accuracy estimates of the new test1 . This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the incidence of tranexamic acid (TXA)-induced nausea and vomiting after th... more OBJECTIVE To evaluate the incidence of tranexamic acid (TXA)-induced nausea and vomiting after the prophylactic use of 2 antiemetics, ondansetron and maropitant, compared with saline. DESIGN Prospective, blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized, crossover study. SETTING University research facility. ANIMALS Eight adult, purpose-bred Beagles. INTERVENTION Dogs received 3 treatments on 3 occasions with a 3-week washout period. Either maropitant (1 mg/kg), ondansetron (0.2 mg/kg), or saline solution was given intravenously in equal volumes, followed 10 minutes later by 50 mg/kg IV TXA. A blinded observer evaluated the dogs for signs of vomiting and nausea for 30 minutes. The severity of nausea was assessed with a visual analog scale (VAS) and recorded at baseline before TXA, and at the end of 3 observational periods: 0-5, 5-15, and 15-30 minutes after TXA. A generalized linear mixed effect model was used to assess for group and period effects. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05 . MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS None of the dogs vomited after maropitant. Emesis occurred in 5 out of 8 dogs (62.5%), a median (range) of 1 time (1-2) after ondansetron and 1 time (1-3) after saline. There was a significant effect on vomiting of maropitant against saline (P < 0.0001) but not for ondansetron against saline (P = 0.53). The highest nausea VASs were recorded during the first 5 minutes after TXA with a significant reduction of VAS variability in the maropitant group (P = 0.003). The effect of maropitant and ondansetron against saline on the severity of nausea was not statistically significant (P = 0.069). CONCLUSION The neurokinin 1 receptor antagonist maropitant at the dose used, administered IV 10 minutes before 50 mg/kg TXA, was effective in preventing vomiting compared with ondansetron and placebo. Our results support the prophylactic IV administration of maropitant in dogs that are scheduled to receive TXA.
Background: Antimicrobial stewardship activities are essential to improve prudent antimicrobial u... more Background: Antimicrobial stewardship activities are essential to improve prudent antimicrobial use. The aim of the present study was to evaluate changes in antimicrobial prescriptions in cats after the introduction of prudent use guidelines promoted by an online antimicrobial stewardship tool (AntibioticScout.ch) in Switzerland. Data from 792 cats presented to two university hospitals and 14 private practices in 2018 were included and compared to 776 cases from 2016. Cats were diagnosed with acute upper respiratory tract disease (aURTD), feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) and abscesses. Clinical history, diagnostic work-up and antimicrobial prescriptions (class, dosage, duration) were assessed. Type and proportions [95% confidence intervals] of antimicrobial prescriptions were compared between the two evaluation periods and a mixed effects logistic regression model was applied to evaluate compliance with Swiss prudent use guidelines. Results: From 2016 to 2018, the proportion of antimicrobial prescription in all included cases decreased from 75.0% [71.8-78.0] to 66.7% [63.3-69.9]; this decrease was most pronounced for treatments at university hospitals (67.1% [59.5-74.0] to 49.3% [40.9-57.8]) and for cats with FLUTD (60.1% [54.6-65.4] to 48.8% [43.2-54.4]). Use of 3rd generation cephalosporins in private practices declined from 30.7% [26.5-35.1] to 22.1% [18.4-26.2], while overall use of non-potentiated aminopenicillins increased from 19.6% [16.4-23.0] to 27.8% [24.1-31.9]. In cases where antimicrobial therapy was indicated, compliance with guidelines did not increase (33.3% [26.6-40.6] to 33.5% [27.2-40.2]), neither at universities nor in private practices. On the other hand, antimicrobial treatment was more often withheld in cases with no indication for antimicrobial therapy (35.6% [30.1-41.4] to 54.0% [47.6-60.4]); this was found for private practices (26.7% [20.8-33.4] to 46.0% [38.4-53.7]) and for aURTD cases (35.0% [26.5-44.2] to 55.4% [44.7-65.8]).
OBJECTIVE To compare the prevalence rates and severity of acquired urinary incontinence (AUI) bet... more OBJECTIVE To compare the prevalence rates and severity of acquired urinary incontinence (AUI) between dogs spayed with laparoscopic and open laparotomy approaches. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective matched-pair cohort study. ANIMALS In total, 1285 privately owned dogs spayed >5 years previously were included in the study. METHODS Laparoscopically spayed dogs were matched with dogs spayed by traditional laparotomy. Matching variables were breed, bodyweight, age at spaying, time of spaying in relation to the onset of puberty, time interval since spaying, and age. In 400 matched-paired dogs, the outcome of AUI was assessed by using an owner questionnaire. A conditional logistic regression for matched pairs was performed on the data of 308 dogs. RESULTS Among 308 dogs, 30 and 29 dogs spayed by laparotomy and laparoscopy, respectively, were affected by AUI. The identified risk factors for AUI were age and time interval since spaying. The surgical approach (laparoscopy or laparotomy) was neither revealed as a risk factor nor did it influence the severity of AUI. CONCLUSION The risk of AUI after spaying is not influenced by the surgical approach, (laparoscopy or laparotomy). Nearly every fifth dog spayed by laparotomy or by laparoscopy was affected by AUI. A relatively longer time interval since spaying and increased age of the dog increased the risk for AUI. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE Owners of dogs with a predisposition for AUI must be counseled about this risk when they present their dogs for spaying, regardless of surgical approach chosen.
Background: Multi-drug resistant bacteria are seen increasingly and there are gaps in our underst... more Background: Multi-drug resistant bacteria are seen increasingly and there are gaps in our understanding of the complexity of antimicrobial resistance, partially due to a lack of appropriate statistical tools. This hampers efficient treatment, precludes determining appropriate intervention points and renders prevention very difficult. Methods: We re-analysed data from a previous study using additive Bayesian networks. The data contained information on resistances against seven antimicrobials and seven potential risk factors from 86 non-typhoidal Salmonella isolates from laying hens in 46 farms in Uganda. Results: The final graph contained 22 links between risk factors and antimicrobial resistances. Solely ampicillin resistance was linked to the vaccinating person and disposal of dead birds. Systematic associations between ampicillin and sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim and chloramphenicol, which was also linked to sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim were detected. Sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim was also directly linked to ciprofloxacin and trimethoprim. Trimethoprim was linked to sulfonamide and ciprofloxacin, which was also linked to sulfonamide. Tetracycline was solely linked to ciprofloxacin. Conclusions: Although the results needs to be interpreted with caution due to a small data set, additive Bayesian network analysis allowed a description of a number of associations between the risk factors and antimicrobial resistances investigated.
In rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus L.), pododermatitis is a chronic multifactorial skin disease th... more In rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus L.), pododermatitis is a chronic multifactorial skin disease that appears mainly on the plantar surface of the hind legs. This presumably progressive disease can cause pain leading to poor welfare, yet the progression of this disease has not been thoroughly assessed on the level of individual animals. The aim of this longitudinal study thus was to investigate the possible risk factors and the progression of pododermatitis in group housed breeding does in Switzerland on litter and plastic slats.Three commercial rabbit farms with part-time group housing on litter and plastic slats were visited every four weeks throughout one year. During every visit, the same 201 adult female breeding rabbits (67 does per farm) were evaluated for the presence and severity of pododermatitis. Additionally, the does' age, parity, body weight, reproductive state, hybrid, claw length, cleanliness and moisture of the paws and the temperature and humidity inside the barns were recorded as potential risk factors. The risk factors were analysed through general linear models and additive Bayesian network (ABN) modelling using a directed acyclic graph (DAG) for visualising associations between potential risk factors. The progression of pododermatitis was analysed with a transition matrix. Relative humidity inside the barns, body weight, number of kindlings, age, and claw length were the most important risk factors, all being positively associated with pododermatitis. In contrast to expectations, the cleanliness of the left hind paw was negatively associated with the occurrence of pododermatitis, but the effect was small. In young does, the severity of pododermatitis quickly increased and in some rabbits proceeded to ulcerated spots. It was shown that 60.00%, 14.17% and 3.33% of ulcerated lesions recovered to a state without ulceration within 4, 8 or >12 weeks, respectively.
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Papers by Sonja Hartnack