Results of Influenza Vaccination: Short Follow-Up Study of a Turkish Population

Abstract INTRODUCTION: The trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine was approved for use in Turkey during the 2018-2019 influenza season. We evaluated beliefs regarding the vaccine and vaccination outcomes in a Turkish population. METHODS: Individuals who were vaccinated with the trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine between November 1 and December 31, 2018, at the Sisli Hamidiye Training and Research Hospital in Istanbul, Turkey, were included in this study. A 15-item questionnaire was completed by a physician during a face-to-face interview with the participants. All participants were followed during the 2018-2019 influenza season through May 2019. The participants were instructed to consult the same physician in case of sudden illness. Participants' beliefs and outcomes were assessed by their vaccination status for the 2017-2018 influenza season. RESULTS: A total of 150 participants were recruited. Their median age was 66 (range, 22-88) years. During the 2017-2018 influenza season, 4.1% had been hospitalized, 53.5% had developed an upper respiratory disease (URD), and 16.2% had been diagnosed with pneumonia. There were no cases of influenza, pneumonia, or hospitalization in the 2019 season; 49.3% of the participants developed a URD (n = 74). Among participants who had been vaccinated during both influenza seasons, 47.5% had had and/or developed a URD, with a higher number of cases during the 2018-2019 season. CONCLUSIONS: After vaccination, no cases of influenza, hospitalization, and pneumonia were observed and the incidence of URD decreased compared with that of the previous season.

Occurrence of Chlamydophila felis in a cattery in Osasco city, São Paulo state / Ocorrência de Chlamydophila felis em um gatil na região de Osasco, São Paulo

Chlamydophila felis is associated with upper respiratory tract infections. In the present study, 31 cats from a noncommercial shelter located in Osasco, SP, Brazil, were examined. The cats presented with clinical manifestations, which were classified from grade 1 to 4, with 4 indicating severe manifestations. In total, 16.13% of the cats presented with grade 1 severity of clinical manifestations, 25.81% presented with grade 2, 38.71% presented with grade 3, and 19.35% presented with grade 4. PCR was used to detect C. felis in samples taken from the oral mucosa and ocular conjunctiva of both eyes using sterile, dry cotton swabs. Overall, 58% of the samples were positive for C. felis. Of these animals, none showed clinical manifestations that were classified as grade 1, whereas 5.56% of cats were classified as grade 2, 61.11% were classified as grade 3, and 33.33% were classified as grade 4. The median clinical manifestation intensity score for the first group was 3 and ranged from 2 to 4. In the second group not positive for C. felis, 38.45% of the animals (5/13) presented with manifestations classified as grade 1, 53.85% (7/13) were classified as grade 2, 7.69% (1/13) were classified as grade 3, and no animals were classified as grade 4. The median clinical manifestation intensity score for the second group was 2 and ranged from 1 to 3. In this study, there was a high occurrence of C. felis in animals with clinical manifestations.

A Chlamydophila felis está associada à infecção de trato respiratório superior. No presente estudo, foram utilizados 31 felinos de um gatil não comercial, localizado em Osasco/SP. Os gatos apresentavam manifestações clínicas, classificadas de 1 a 4, sendo 4 atribuído àqueles que apresentavam pior manifestação clínica. Foi observada a intensidade de manifestação clínica grau 1 em 16,13% dos gatos, a 2 em 25,81%, a 3 em 38,71% e a 4 em 19,35%. A detecção de C. felis foi realizada por técnica de PCR em amostras obtidas com suabes de algodão, seco e estéril, de mucosa oral e de conjuntiva ocular de ambos os olhos. Verificou-se que 58% das amostras para C. felis foram positivas, entre esses animais, nenhum apresentou manifestação clínica classificada como grau 1, o grau 2 foi observado em 5,56% dos gatos, 61,11% para o 3 e 33,33% dos animais apresentava a intensidade 4. Verificou-se que para o primeiro grupo a mediana dos escores de intensidade das manifestações clínicas observadas foi de 3, variando de 2 a 4. No segundo grupo, foi observado 38,45% (5/13) dos animais para a intensidade 1, 53,85% (7/13) para a 2 e 7,69% (1/13) para a 3, nenhum animal deste grupo apresentou o grau 4. Verificou-se para o segundo grupo, a mediana dos escores de intensidade das manifestações clínicas observadas foi de 2, variando de 1 a 3. Neste trabalho foi observada uma elevada ocorrência de C. felis em animais com manifestação clínica.

Etiologic and epidemiologic analysis of bacterial infectious upper respiratory disease in Thoroughbred horses at the Seoul Race Park

Infectious upper respiratory disease (IURD) of Thoroughbred racehorses has been a frequent problem (29.6% of incidence) at the Seoul Race Park (Korea). Risk factors for IURD include the season with a high transfer rate (summer and fall), the stabling period (< or = 3 months), and age (2 to 3 years old), suggesting that the movement and new environment may have depressed the immune system of the horses and decreased their ability to respond properly to pathogens. The bacterial strains (n = 98) isolated from IURD horses included Pseudomonas spp., Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus spp., Streptococcus equi subsp. equi and zooepidemicus.