Prognostic impact of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin interruption at the time of induction and consolidation.

CONTEXT: Intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is a cause of bladder and systemic toxicity that is difficult to prevent and is responsible for treatment drop out in bladder cancer patients. More recently, BCG shortage has become the main cause of incomplete treatment. AIMS: The aim of this study was to examine the impact on long-term prognosis of bladder cancer patients following discontinuation of BCG instillations. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: In this retrospective study, data were examined from 333 consecutive nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer patients treated from 2005 to 2015 by transurethral resection (TUR) and had undergone adjuvant BCG therapy after TUR. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Rate of complete cure, the reason for the interruption, toxicity, and the associations between discontinuance of BCG therapy, tumor characteristics, association with carcinoma in situ and tumor recurrence or progression were analyzed. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Recurrence and progression-free survival rate curves were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and were compared using the log-rank test. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using the Cox proportional hazards model. Differences among groups were considered as statistically significant when P < 0.05. RESULTS: Overall, 303 patients were eligible for analysis. Median follow up was 36 (confidence interval: 7-120) months. A total of 55 (18.1%) had <6 installations (Group I); 87 (28.7%) completed induction and 1-year maintenance (Group III); and 161 (53.1%) completed the induction course, but not the 1-year maintenance (Group II). Grade III-IV toxicity rates were significantly higher in Group I than Group II and III. Interruption for BCG shortage was the main cause of interrupting BCG in Group II. Multivariate analysis showed that discontinuation of BCG induction therapy was an independent predictor for tumor recurrence (P < 0.001) and 1-year BCG maintenance therapy for tumor progression (P = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Discontinuation of BCG therapy has a significantly deleterious effect on tumor recurrence and progression rates. Although BCG toxicity is a major cause of drop out, BCG shortage became a major cause of discontinuation. All effort must be done today to restore normal production of BCG worldwide.

[Use of the immunoenzyme test ELISA-NS3 to distinguish horses infected by African horsesickness virus from vaccinated horses]. / Utilisation de l'épreuve immuno-enzymatique ELISA-NS3 pour différencier les chevaux infectés par le virus de la peste équine des chevaux vaccinés.

A vaccination protocol involving three horses, with five repeated injections of inactivated serotype 4 African horse sickness virus, was undertaken to determine a possible threshold for the appearance of antibodies against the non-structural protein NS3. Using an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, with the recombinant NS3 protein as an antigen, the authors detected a response to NS3 as of the second injection for the first horse and after four injections for the second horse. No response to NS3 was detected for the third horse. The results show that the inactivated vaccine is insufficiently purified to eliminate the non-structural protein NS3. Therefore using the NS3 protein as a marker did not enable differentiation between vaccinated and infected horses.

Clinical, virological and immune responses of normal and immunosuppressed donkeys (Equus asinus africanus) after inoculation with African horse sickness virus.

To elucidate the role that donkeys may play in African horse sickness virus (AHSV) persistence during inter-epizootic periods we looked for clinical signs of infection and studied the viraemia and neutralising antibody kinetics in 3 immunocompetent and 3 immunosuppressed donkeys inoculated with AHSV-4. None of the donkeys developed signs of AHS. However infectious AHSV was isolated from the blood of the immunocompetent donkeys for up to 17 days post infection (dpi) and viral antigens were detected for up to 28 dpi. Immune cells also increased significantly from 35 to 60 dpi. There was no evidence of a recrudescence of viraemia following immunosuppression of these donkeys at 90 dpi despite a decrease in the numbers of immune cells. Infectious virus was not isolated from the blood of donkeys that had been immunosuppressed, prior to AHSV inoculation. However viral antigens were detected for up to 35 dpi. The titres of AHSV-specific neutralising antibodies and the number of immune cells were also significantly lower than in immunocompetent animals. Our findings suggest that donkeys may be able to play a role in the epidemiology of AHS but the ability of vectors to become infected by feeding upon viraemic donkeys needs to be assessed before the significance of that role can be fully understood.

[Mycoplasma bovis infection: epidemiological and clinical survey of dairy cattle farms in Morocco]. / Infection à Mycoplasma bovis: suivi épidémiologique et clinique dans des élevages bovins laitiers au Maroc.

An epidemiological survey of M bovis infection in dairy cattle was performed in 10 herds of the Gharb's region, by sampling the animals three times with a two-month interval, between November 1985 and May 1986. M bovis was isolated in six herds with calf enzootic bronchopneumonia with a total frequency of 39% during the first visit, then 25 and 13% after two and four months, respectively. The severity of the symptoms seems closely related to the age of the animals: the youngest being the most susceptible. On the other hand, M bovis was isolated in two herds from 11% of cows suffering from clinical and subclinical mastitis. The isolation occurs at any lactation stage and the infection lasted more than four months in 40% of the animals. These results suggest that mycoplasma are important bovine pathogens in Morocco.

[Epidemiology of diarrhea caused by Escherichia coli and rotavirus in calves and lambs in Morocco]. / Epidèmiologie des diarrhées à Escherichia coli et à rotavirus chez le veau et l'agneau au Maroc.

An epidemiological survey on E coli and rotavirus associated diarrheas in one to twenty five days old calves and lambs was made in three regions: Rabat-Kenitra, Marrakech and Agadir. Isolated E coli K99 stains have been studied of a biochemical, serotypical (O antigen) and antibiotypical point of view. The identification of rotavirus was made by ELISA test. Persistence of K99 antigen and heat stable toxin A was examined after a conservation of 5 weeks at - 18 degrees C. The frequency of E coli K99 or rotavirus associated diarrheas is respectively 26.9% and 29.7% in calf, 10% and 30% in lamb. This incidence considerably decreases from the 20th day in calf and from the 11th day in lamb. It must be observed that 34.8% of cases of diarrheas in calf and 55% in lamb cannot be ascribed to investigated agents. Only 12 out of 42 E coli K99 strains belong to serogroups O101, O8 and O9. Preservation of strains to - 18 degrees C comes with the loss of K99 antigen. These strains are not toxinogens. Among the strains having kept this antigen, 29% are toxinogens. Surveyings of antibiotics resistance was discussed.

[Experimental study of postvaccinal immunity to sheep-pox]. / Etude expérimentale de l'immunité anticlaveleuse post-vaccinale.

Two live virus sheep-pox vaccines have been prepared on lamb testicular cells from strains Perego and RM65. Inocuity and activity have been compared to those of a commercial vaccine on a small number of lambs. Immunogenicity has been studied through neutralizing and precipitating antibodies, and through challenge resistance (strain Held), using a protective index. Results show that Perego vaccine titrated at 10(4) DICT50 gives a reliable immunity and does not provoke severe reaction post-inoculation. RM65 vaccine of which protection index is lower, only avoid infection to generalize. Although some correlation exists between seroneutralizing titers and protective index, virulent challenge appears and seems to give better data with regards to the level of protection conferred.

Brucellosis control in an infected herd by serological testing, removal of reactors, vaccination with reduced dose of strain 19 and improved hygiene.

Brucellosis was diagnosed in a closed herd of approximately 200 Fresian cattle in February 1982. Diagnosis was based on positive serologic tests and abortions from which B. abortus was isolated. Initial efforts to control the disease were the isolation of all cows which were positive on the standard tube agglutination test. In addition all cows which calved or aborted were isolated. In August 1982 all cows which were negative to the standard tube agglutination test were vaccinated with a reduced dose of strain 19 vaccine (approximately 1 X 10(9) organisms). The herd was retested 60 days after vaccination and all animals which were positive on the rivanol supplemental test at a titer of 1:50 or greater were considered infected and removed from the herd. Subsequent to vaccination there were an additional 22 cows which aborted. These cows were removed from the herd. A calfhood vaccination programme utilizing the standard dose of strain 19 has been initiated in the herd. An increased effort was made to maintain all of the stables at a higher level of sanitation.