Abstract The condition called "river disease" (MDR by its acronym in Spanish) is an intoxication in immature stages of honey bees caused by a compound from the genus Sebastiania Spreng and concentrated in the exudates of Epormenis cestri Berg. Our objective was to determine the temporal dynamics of the life cycle of E. cestri, its association with the predominant vegetation components and the influence of the Uruguay river on the size of its populations. With this aim, we selected 5 sites in the vicinity of the Uruguay river where populations of E. cestri were sampled using the Stem-tap technique modified for this purpose. The effect of landscape components on the abundance of E. cestri was evaluated using GLMM. It was determined that the hatching of the E. cestri eggs was in mid-October, finding a staggered distribution of its phenophases. In addition, we found significantly negative effects of the Espinal forest cover and the increase in the distance from the banks of the Uruguay river on the total abundance of E. cestri. This work shows some first clues for the understanding of how the components of the landscape structure the populations of E. cestri, allowing to predict the critical moment of incidence of MDR.

BACKGROUND: Colistin is an old antibiotic that has been reintroduced as salvage therapy in hospitalised patients because it is frequently the only agent active against Gram-negative bacteria. Various guidelines for colistin administration have led to confusion in establishing the appropriate dose, which has potential for adverse consequences including treatment failure or toxicity. The emergence and spread of colistin resistance has been documented in South Africa (SA), but no local information exists on how and why colistin is used in hospitals, and similarly, compliance with current dosing guidelines is unknown. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the current utilisation of colistin in SA hospitals, in order to identify stewardship opportunities that could enhance the appropriate use of this antibiotic. METHODS: Electronic patient records of adult patients on intravenous (IV) colistin therapy for >72 hours in four private hospitals were retrospectively audited over a 10-month period (1 September 2015 - 30 June 2016). The following data were recorded: patient demographics, culture and susceptibility profiles, diagnosis, and indication for use. Compliance with six colistin process measures was audited: obtaining a culture prior to initiation, administration of a loading dose, administration of the correct loading dose, adjustments to maintenance dose according to renal function, whether colistin was administered in combination with another antibiotic, and whether de-escalation following culture and sensitivity results occurred. Outcome measures included effects on renal function, overall hospital mortality, intensive care unit length of stay (LoS), and hospital LoS. RESULTS: Records of 199 patients on IV colistin were reviewed. There was 99.0% compliance with obtaining a culture prior to antibiotic therapy, 93.5% compliance with prescription of a loading dose, and 98.5% compliance regarding prescription of colistin in combination with another agent. However, overall composite compliance with the six colistin stewardship process measures was 82.0%. Non-compliance related to inappropriate loading and maintenance doses, lack of adjustment according to renal function and lack of de-escalation following culture sensitivity was evident. Significantly shorter durations of treatment were noted in patients who received higher loading doses (p=0.040) and in those who received maintenance doses of 4.5 MU twice daily v. 3 MU three times daily (p=0.0027). In addition, compared with patients who survived, more patients who died received the 3 MU three times daily maintenance dose (p=0.0037; phi coefficient 0.26). CONCLUSIONS: The study identified multiple stewardship opportunities to optimise colistin therapy in hospitalised patients. Urgent implementation of a stewardship bundle to improve colistin utilisation is warranted.

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar as variações de Proteínas de Fase Aguda (APPs) e outros constituintes sanguíneos durante o início do status patológico de sub-acute ruminal acidosis (SARA). O total de 108 vacas de 12 rebanhos leiteiros foram aleatoriamente selecionados e divididos em três grupos com 36 animais cada. Todos os animais foram submetidos a ruminocentesis. O Grupo A foi composto por sujeitos com rumen pH>5.8, o Grupo B foi composto por sujeitos com rumen pH ≤5.5≤5.8 e o Grupo C foi composto por sujeitos com rumen pH<5.5. Amostras sanguíneas foram coletas por punção venosa jugular e Haptoglobin (Hp), Serum Amyloid A (SAA), Proteínas totais, Albumin e células brancas do sangue (WBC) foram determinadas. ANOVA em via única mostrou significância estatística em Rumen pH, Hp, SAA. SARA não parece estimular a produção de APPs pelo fígado.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the variations of Acute Phase Proteins (APPs) and other blood constituents during the onset of the sub-acute ruminal acidosis (SARA) pathological status. A total of 108 cows from 12 dairy herds were randomly selected and divided into three Groups of 36 animals each. All animals were subjected to a rumenocentesis. Group A was composed by subjects with a rumen pH>5.8, Group B was composed by subjects with a rumen pH ≤5.5≤5.8 and Group C was composed by subjects with a rumen pH<5.5. Blood samples were collected by jugular venipuncture and Haptoglobin (Hp), Serum Amyloid A (SAA), Total Proteins, Albumin and White Blood Cells (WBC) were determined. One-way ANOVA showed a statistical significance on Rumen pH, Hp, SAA. SARA seems not stimulate the APPs production from liver.