Low temperature preservation of porcine semen: influence of short antimicrobial lipopeptides on sperm quality and bacterial load.

Antimicrobial resistance is a steadily increasing problem and poses a serious threat to global public health. Therefore, it is highly necessary to advance the development of novel antimicrobial compounds and semen preservation strategies. The aim of this study was to evaluate a low temperature, antibiotic-free preservation procedure using Androstar Premium (ASP) extender (Minitüb) with antimicrobial lipopeptides. Firstly, seven lipopeptides in two concentrations (1 × minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC)/2 × MIC) were tested on their sperm-compatibility at 17 °C. Two lipopeptides, C16-KKK-NH2 and C16-KKKK-NH2, did not negatively affect sperm quality and were further evaluated for their efficiency of bacterial growth inhibition at 5 °C. Besides an overall diminution of colony forming units, both peptides showed a reduction of bacterial subcultures (n = 103) with a decrement in Gram-positive rods from 65 (ASP w/o supplements) to 39/52 (ASP w/ C16-KKK-NH2/C16-KKKK-NH2), in Gram-positive cocci from 21 to 9/10 and in Gram-negative species from 17 to 8/5 total subcultures. Furthermore, lipopeptides revealed activity towards selected bacteria of potential concern in artificial insemination like Trueperella pyogenes, Alcaligenes faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (not C16-KKK-NH2), Pasteurella sp., Providencia stuartii, Escherichia coli (not C16-KKKK-NH2) and Streptococcus porcinus (not C16-KKKK-NH2). Consequently, both tested lipopeptides are promising candidates for alternative antibiotic-free preservation techniques of boar semen.

Diabetes insipidus due to herpes encephalitis in a patient with diffuse large cell lymphoma. A case report.

The major causes of central diabetes insipidus are neoplastic or infiltrative lesions of the hypothalamus or pituitary, severe head injuries and pituitary or hypothalamic surgery. Central diabetes insipidus caused by viral infections has been rarely reported in immunosuppressed patients, such as those with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or Cushing's syndrome. We report the case of a 48-year-old woman suffering from diffuse large cell lymphoma, who developed hypotonic polyuria, hypernatriaemia and somnolence after the first course of chemotherapy with CHOEP and rituximab. Diabetes insipidus was diagnosed by low urine osmolarity and an undetectable vasopressin concentration. MRI revealed no pituitary abnormalities but encephalitis, and lumbar punction confirmed herpes zoster infection. To the best of our knowledge this is the first description of central diabetes insipidus in a lymphoma patient caused by an opportunistic CNS-infection.