[Clinical and Laboratory Characteristics of Disseminated Non-tuberculous Mycobacterial Disease]

Objective To explore the clinical and laboratory characteristics and the prognosis of disseminated non-tuberculous mycobacteria(NTM)diseases in human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)negative patients. Methods Cases of disseminated NTM disease were retrospectively collected in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2012 to October 2018.Clinical manifestations,laboratory findings,treatment,and prognosis of these cases were retrieved from the electronic medical record system. Results Among the 23 HIV negative patients with disseminated NTM disease,21 had underlying diseases,with rheumatoid immune disease(n=7)as the most common one.The main clinical manifestation was fever(n=23).Laboratory tests showed anemia [hemoglobin(85.78±25.47)g/L],hypoalbuminemia [albumin 29(27-32)g/L],elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate [(85.73±43.78)mm/h] and hypersensitive C-reactive protein [(112.00±70.90)mg/L],and reduction of lymphocyte count [0.69(0.29-2.10)×10 ⁹/L].Lymphocyte subset analysis indicated reduction in CD4 ⁺ T cells [213(113-775)/μl],CD8 ⁺ T cells [267(99-457)/μl],B cells [39(4-165)/μl],and NK cells [88(32-279)/μl] and elevation of human leukocyte antigen-D related(HLA-DR),and CD38 expression in CD8 ⁺ T cells [HLA-DR ⁺CD8 ⁺/CD8 ⁺,60(40-68)%;CD38 ⁺CD8 ⁺/CD8 ⁺,81(65-90)%].The most common species of NTM was Mycobacterium intracellular(n=6).Lymphocyte,CD8 ⁺ T cell,B cell,and NK cell counts were significantly lower in dead patients than surviving patients(P =0.045,P=0.045,P=0.032,and P=0.010,respectively). Conclusions Disseminated NTM disease in HIV negative patients is mainly manifested as fever,anemia,hypoalbuminemia,and elevated inflammatory indicators.It is more likely to occur in immunocompromised patients.Patients with decreased lymphocytes,CD8 ⁺ T cells,B cells and NK cells tend to have a poor prognosis.

Effects of copper-loaded chitosan nanoparticles on growth and immunity in broilers

Effects of dietary copper-loaded chitosan nanoparticle (CNP-Cu) supplementation on growth performance, hematological and immunological characteristics, and the cecal microbiota in broilers were investigated. Three hundred healthy Avian × Avian (1-d-old) broilers were randomly assigned into 5 dietary groups (20 birds per replicate with 3 replicates per group). Birds were fed with 0 (the control group), 50, 100, 150 mg/kg of CNP-Cu and 50 mg/kg chlorotetracycline (CTC, a positive control group) for 42 d. Results indicated that supplemental CNP-Cu could improve growth performance, affect the immune system, enhance protein synthesis, and be beneficial to cecal microbiota of Avian broilers, especially the dietary supplementation with 100 mg/kg of CNP-Cu. Supplementation with 100 mg/kg of CNP-Cu increased the average daily gain(P < 0.05) and the contents of IgA (P < 0.01), IgG (P < 0.01), IgM (P < 0.01), complement C3 (P < 0.05), and complement C4 (P < 0.05). Thymus, spleen, and bursa of Fabricus indexes and the populations of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium in cecal digesta were increased (P < 0.05) by 100 mg/kg of CNP-Cu supplementation, and the population of coliforms was decreased (P < 0.05). Dietary supplementation with 100 mg/kg of CNP-Cu increased (P < 0.05) concentrations of serum total protein and albumin, and decreased (P < 0.05) the content of urea nitrogen in serum. Effects of dietary supplementation with 100 mg/kg of CNP-Cu were similar to 50 mg/kg of CTC supplementation. These results may indicate that CNP-Cu could be a new substitute for CTC in dietary supplementation.