ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to investigate stressful responses during a 6-week training protocol in young Lusitano horses used for dressage. The hypothesis was that the proposed training protocol would improve fitness and ensure the welfare of the animals by reducing stress predictors. Nine 4-year-old horses were evaluated before (M1) and six weeks after (M2) beginning a training protocol. The training program was performed six times per week and included 40−80 min of individually intensity-adjusted preparatory exercises for dressage. For both moments, the horses were examined before (T0) and after (T1) dressage simulation tests (DST), and at 30 (T2) and 240 min (T3) during the recovery period. Blood samples were taken to determine the horses' cortisol levels, total WBC, and neutrophil and lymphocyte counts. All variables were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Tukey tests, with p ≤ 0.05. After training, there was a significant reduction in cortisol (p = 0.0133), HR (p = 0.0283), total WBC (p < 0.0001), and neutrophil (p < 0.0001) and lymphocyte (p = 0.0341) counts. Other findings included an increase in HRV parameters related to a cardiac vagal modulation. In conclusion, the chosen training protocol led to better fitness as the horses worked more intensively with lower cardiovascular requirements, and they showed blunted cortisol responses at M2. Such data can be used to evaluate performance, but also to predict the welfare of athletic horses.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Although there is some evidence suggesting that certain viruses may be involved in the onset of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), data regarding viral prevalence and viral load in blood and mucosa of patients with IBD are scarce. The main aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence and viral load of common Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and human herpes virus 6 in blood and mucosa of adult patients with endoscopic active IBD. METHODS: From January to December 2014, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease patients with active endoscopic disease were consecutively enrolled. Subjects undergoing colonoscopy for colorectal cancer screening served as healthy controls (HCs). Paired blood and mucosal samples from each patient and HC were collected for EBV, CMV, and human herpes virus 6 quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction assessment of the viral load. RESULTS: One hundred forty-five subjects were included; 95 IBD patients with active endoscopic disease (43 ulcerative colitis and 52 Crohn's disease) and 50 healthy subjects. CMV and EBV DNA were detected more frequently in the mucosa of patients with IBD compared with HCs (CMV P = 0.017; EBV P < 0.001), irrespective of IBD type. The frequency of human herpes virus 6 DNA detection both in the blood and in the mucosa did not differ between patients with IBD and HCs. EBV median viral load was similar in the inflamed and noninflamed mucosa was not affected by the use of immunomodulators and/or anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha agents, and did not correlate with endoscopic disease activity. CONCLUSIONS: EBV, and to a lesser extent CMV, were more prevalent in patients with IBD than in HCs. Mucosal viral load was not influenced by the therapeutic regimen, did not differ between inflamed and noninflamed mucosa, and did not seem to be influenced by the endoscopic activity of the disease, suggesting that EBV may be more involved in the onset of IBD than in its severity and clinical evolution.
Subject(s)
Cytomegalovirus Infections/complications , Epstein-Barr Virus Infections/complications , Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/virology , Roseolovirus Infections/complications , Viral Load , Adolescent , Adult , Cytomegalovirus/genetics , Cytomegalovirus/isolation & purification , Cytomegalovirus Infections/virology , DNA, Viral/genetics , Epstein-Barr Virus Infections/virology , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Herpesvirus 4, Human/genetics , Herpesvirus 4, Human/isolation & purification , Herpesvirus 6, Human/genetics , Herpesvirus 6, Human/isolation & purification , Humans , Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/epidemiology , Male , Middle Aged , Prognosis , Roseolovirus Infections/virology , Young AdultSubject(s)
Anticoagulants/administration & dosage , Antiphospholipid Syndrome , Hepatic Artery , Liver Diseases , Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic , Warfarin/administration & dosage , Adult , Antiphospholipid Syndrome/blood , Antiphospholipid Syndrome/diagnostic imaging , Antiphospholipid Syndrome/drug therapy , Antiphospholipid Syndrome/etiology , Constriction, Pathologic , Female , Humans , Liver Diseases/blood , Liver Diseases/diagnostic imaging , Liver Diseases/drug therapy , Liver Diseases/etiology , Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/blood , Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/complications , Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/diagnostic imaging , Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/therapy , RadiographyABSTRACT
A 6-year-old girl developed shock and multiple organ dysfunction including acute respiratory distress syndrome in association with parvovirus B19 infection. The diagnosis was based on positive antibodies and the detection of parvovirus 19 DNA in serum, bronchial secretions and skin biopsy. It seems likely, but it was not proved, that the parvovirus infection caused acute respiratory distress syndrome.
