Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Upper respiratory tract'
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Stanley, P. "Host defence mechanisms of the upper respiratory tract." Thesis, Imperial College London, 1988. http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/47263.
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Lichaba, Mamosilo. "Upper respiratory tract symptoms and allergies in Ironman triathletes." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/2758.
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Includes bibliographical references (leaves 69-77).Triathletes, in particular Ironman triathletes, undergo intense training and compete in a very physically demanding race. Medical conditions in the pre-race period in these triathletes have not been well documented, but there is evidence form other endurance sports that symptoms of respiratory tract infection are particularly common. However, the prevalence, causes and consequences of these symptoms have not been studied in Ironman triathletes. The aims of this study were: 1) to determine the incidence of respiratory tract symptoms (RTS) in triathletes preparing for an Ironman Triathlon, 2) to establish the factors associated with the development of these RTS, and 3) to determine the effects of the RTS on pre-race training and race performance. Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive study, 304 triathletes entering the 2006 Ironman triathlon in South Africa were recruited as subjects. All the subjects completed a validated questionnaire in the 1-3 days before the race (during registration). The questionnaire contained sections on demographics, training and previous competitions, common general medical conditions that they may have experienced, and a detailed section pertaining to RTS and allergies, including use of medication. Data on race performance was collected after completion of the race. Subjects were divided into the following groups, based on their self-reported history of RTS in the 6 weeks period prior to the race: no RTS, all RTS, only upper respiratory tract symptoms (URTS), lower respiratory tract and/or systemic symptoms (LRT +SS).
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Viljoen, Deon Andre. "The effect of upper respiratory tract illness on exercise performance." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 1999. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/26753.
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Two studies were undertaken to investigate the relationship between upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) and exercise performance. The first study documented the incidence of URTI in an athletic population and the second study determined the effect of URTI on exercise performance during the recovery period. Endurance runners (n=29) were used for these studies and the athletes were monitored for 45 months. During this time the subjects ran an average of 40 kilometers/week. In the first study, 22 reports of symptoms (n=22) of URTI occurred during the 45-month period. Of these, 10 subjects (n=10) were ill for less than 3 days. All 10 subjects reported their symptoms directly following an endurance event. The other 12 subjects (n=12) were ill for 5 days and longer and fulfilled the inclusion criteria for illness due to infection. The incidence of symptoms of URTI/1000 hours of training for the group of 29 runners was 1,26. The incidence of symptoms for the 10 athletes not fulfilling the inclusion criteria for illness was 0.58 and the incidence for the 12 athletes fulfilling the inclusion criteria was 0.69. The odds ratio for the athletes (n=22) for developing symptoms of URTI during a year is 1.03 compared to the odds ratio of 2.5 for the general population during the similar period. These results seem to indicate that 45% of athletes (n=10) who reported URTI symptoms directly following strenuous exercise do not have clinical infection. Furthermore, the study indicates that regular, moderate, endurance exercise may afford protection against URTI, when compared to the general population. In the second study, 5 athletes (n=5) of the original 12 subjects with URTI complied with all the test protocols. On recruitment, baseline tests were done for muscle strength, muscle endurance, aerobic endurance and maximal effort to exhaustion. Following the development of the URTI, the above parameters were tested over six days on days 0, 2, 4 and 6. After regaining their pre-illness fitness levels over a three-month period, the subjects were detrained for comparative periods and the above tests repeated on similar days for comparative purposes. iv Parameters for muscle strength and muscle endurance [Work (Joule), Power (Watt), Torque to mass (Nm/kg), and Total power (Watt)] appeared to be unaffected following periods of illness and following comparative periods of detraining.
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Novas, Anabela M. P. C. "Tennis training, upper respiratory tract infections and salivary immunoglobulin A." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2003. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/36789/1/36789_Digitised%20Thesis.pdf.
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Upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) are one of the most common illnesses affecting the general population and particularly athletes, often reducing the individual capacity of physical performance. Epidemiological data suggest that intensive exercise, training and competition may increase susceptibility to respiratory infections. On the other hand, some studies defend that less active subjects may reduce their risk of URTI by engaging in moderate exercise training. Nevertheless, reports are not unanimous and frequently contained various limitations. The higher incidence of infections in elite athletes has been widely attributed to immune suppression induced by exhaustive exercise, however this has not been clearly demonstrated. The present series of studies aimed to investigate the relationship between physical activity and the incidence of URTI in young healthy females with a range of physical activity levels, from sedentary to elite athletes (tennis players). Additionally, it was intended to explore the temporal association between specific characteristics of tennis training and competition, the incidence of URTI, and salivary lgA levels (μg.mr1 ; μg.min-1 ) and changes, in elite female tennis players over a 12-week period. To accomplish the objectives described, a practical method for quantifying tennis play was validated and applied. Major findings of this research include the greater incidence of URTI symptomatology in girls with low or extremely high levels of physical activity as compared to those with moderate levels. Moreover, the incidence of URTI in elite tennis players was directly correlated with the training load and competition level, on a weekly basis. In the subsequent study, one hour of intense tennis play produced a significant drop in salivary lgA secretion rate (S-lgA), and the magnitude of the immune suppression was directly associated with the amount of training undertaken during the previous day and week (P<0.05). Nevertheless, tennis training did not seem to suppress chronically salivary lgA as positive correlations were found between resting salivary lgA levels of concentration and secretion rate, and the amount of training undertaken previously. Finally, it was noted a sharper post-exercise drop in S-lgA in occasions preceding an URTI episode compared to occasions when the infection did not develop subsequently (within 7 days). However, this parameter was not a specific predictor of URTI, in this cohort of athletes.
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Johnston, Sebastian L. "The association of upper respiratory tract infections with exacerbations of asthma." Thesis, University of Southampton, 1993. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.295871.
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Page, K. "The modulatory effects of commensal neisseriae on upper respiratory tract infections." Thesis, University of the West of England, Bristol, 2014. http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/22932/.
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The human nasopharynx is a reservoir of both commensal and pathogenic bacteria that can be easily transmitted from one individual to another. It has long been hypothesised that host commensal flora give protection from carriage of pathogens and invasive disease. The commensal Neisseria lactamica has previously been associated with protection against the closely related human pathogen Neisseria meningitidis, which is thought to be due to the acquisition of cross-reactive immunity to N. meningitidis. The objective of this study was to identify the extent of protection by N. lactamica in the absence of host immune cells, using an in vitro model of the human nasopharyngeal epithelium with the Detroit 562 (D562) cell line. N. lactamica has been demonstrated to attenuate the induction of innate inflammatory cytokines and chemokines from D562 cells challenged with N. meningitidis. For the first time in this study, N. lactamica was found to attenuate the induction of IL6, IL8 and TNFα from D562 cells challenged with the unrelated Gram-positive human pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae. Attenuation by N. lactamica did not extend to suppression of MAPK pathways when stimulated with chemical agonists, but was able to suppress inflammation induced through the intracellular PAMP receptor TLR3, which is not involved in meningococcal or pneumococcal inflammation. This suggests a global mechanism of attenuation in host cells by N. lactamica. N. lactamica was further demonstrated to reduce association with and invasion of D562 epithelial cells by N. meningitidis serogroup B (MenB) by up to 60% and 90%, respectively. This suppression was dependent on live N. lactamica and did not require invasion of host cells by the commensal, suggesting an active mechanism employed by N. lactamica. The occasional human commensal coloniser Neisseria polysaccharea was found to reduce adhesion and invasion of MenB to a similar degree, however the related commensal Neisseria cinerea was not. The reduction in MenB association with host cells protected host cells from MenB-induced apoptosis, which was mediated by activation of caspase 3. This study demonstrates that commensal Neisseria spp. N. lactamica and N. polysaccharea protect the host at the nasopharyngeal epithelium from experimental colonisation and invasive disease by MenB. Additionally, commensal neisseriae protect against inflammation and cell death induced by the unrelated pathogen S. pneumoniae. Therefore, commensal neisseriae warrant further study to evaluate their effectiveness for use as probiotics to protect against bacterial pathogens responsible for meningitis.
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Coughtrie, Abigail Lois. "Epidemiology and ecology of microbial communities of the upper respiratory tract." Thesis, University of Southampton, 2015. https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/412472/.
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Respiratory tract infections (RTI) are responsible for over 4 million deaths per year worldwide. Microbial carriage in the upper respiratory tract is a precursor to respiratory infection and facilitates person-to-person transmission. A large community-based swabbing study was conducted, enabling the collection of a large number of swab samples that would provide key information concerning the epidemiology and ecology of respiratory tract communities. Traditional culture-based techniques, molecular methods and ecological and mathematical modelling methods were used. Participation of members of the community within the swabbing study was shown to be greater within the self-swabbing group, in older individuals and in less deprived locations. Carriage of bacterial and viral species within the respiratory tract was shown to vary with participant age, recent RTI and the presence of other species. Self-taken swabs were largely non-inferior to healthcare professional (HCP)-taken swabs in assessing carriage of the targeted bacteria, offering a cheaper and more flexible alternative to HCP swabbing. Large numbers of capsular types (serotypes), sequence types and low levels of vaccine-targeted types demonstrate the genetic diversity of respiratory bacteria as well as their evolution in response to immunisation. Microbial respiratory community structure was shown to be highly variable with less nested communities and facilitative relationships between species within young individuals and those with recent RTI potentially enhancing transmission and survival of carried species. Neutral and niche processes were both found to be important in respiratory tract community assembly. These insights into respiratory tract communities will allow predictions of microbial variation as a result of infection, varying age and season. Future work will involve 16S rDNA community analysis, further development of ecological methods and the conduction of larger multi-centre carriage studies.
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Al, Alwadhi Fahimah Kamil M. R. "Upper respiratory tract infection : implementation of multiple interventions on antibiotic prescribing for patients with upper respiratory tract infection in primary health care settings in United Arab Emirates." Thesis, University of Aberdeen, 2006. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.440096.
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Part I. Aims: The aims of part I of this research programme were to: measure the prevalence of antibiotic prescription for U.R.T.I. in Primary Health Care Centres in the United Arab Emirates; understand the rational behind antibiotic prescription; Evaluate the effect of different patient characteristics such as self treatment, age, education, occupation and gender; evaluate the effect of physician characteristics such as gender, communication and practice location; and to evaluate the degree of patient compliance and satisfaction with treatment. Main Conclusions: U.R.T.I. is one of the main reasons for patient visits and antibiotic prescription; physicians’ advice to patients regarding dosage and duration of the prescribed medication was limited; a significant association existed between patients’ expectation from practitioners and practitioners’ perception of patients’ expectations; poor compliance is strongly correlated with poor patient-doctor interaction; diagnoses were typically based on clinical findings; patient satisfaction is strongly linked to the level of communication. Part II. Aims: To measure the influence of introducing guidelines to doctors and educational leaflets to patients on reducing the level of prescribed antibiotics; and to investigate the effect of factors such as socio-demographic characteristics, signs, symptoms and patient self management. Main Results: The total number of antibiotic prescriptions for patients suffering from U.R.T.I. including sore throat was significantly reduced in the intervention group. Conclusions: A multi-dimensional interventional approach for reducing antibiotic prescription in U.A.E. clinics resulted in a significant positive outcome; and the significant reduction in antibiotic prescriptions indicates the willingness of physicians to follow guidelines and the willingness of patients to respond to educational information. Main Recommendations: Clinical guidelines are most effective if implemented as part of a systemic strategy, involving dissemination of guidelines by departmental heads and utilisation of computer generated reminders; physicians should be involved as part of the working group to develop guidelines; ongoing educational programmes for physicians; and a public educational campaign on the problem of over use of antibiotics is essential.
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Almeida, Sónia T. "Dynamics of bacterial colonization in the upper respiratory tract of the adult host." Doctoral thesis, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, 2020. http://hdl.handle.net/10362/101972.
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"Bacterial infections caused by microorganisms such as, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus are a main cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly among young children, the elderly, and the immunocompromised of all ages. However, disease is incidental, and the natural lifestyle of these bacteria is through asymptomatic colonization of the upper respiratory tract. (...)"N/A
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Davies, Bronwen J. "Physical activity and symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection in university students." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 2000. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/ftp01/MQ61257.pdf.
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Corne, Jonathan. "The association of upper respiratory tract viral infection and asthma in adults." Thesis, University of Southampton, 1999. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.287055.
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McDonald, John Leslie. "The Effects of Acupuncture on Mucosal Immunity in the Upper Respiratory Tract." Thesis, Griffith University, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10072/367594.
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Allergic rhinitis is a common disease in Australia, with an estimated 3.17 million Australians affected. Allergic rhinitis represents a significant burden to the community in quality of life and wellbeing, impaired performance, loss of productivity and health care costs. A review was undertaken firstly of the research literature on the efficacy and effectiveness of acupuncture for allergic rhinitis, then secondly of the research into the mechanisms of acupuncture in allergic rhinitis. A total of 4 systematic reviews, 15 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and other non- randomised studies on acupuncture treatment for allergic rhinitis were reviewed. Acupuncture was reported to significantly reduce signs and symptoms of allergic rhinitis in both children and adults. Evidence of acupuncture efficacy for persistent (perennial) allergic rhinitis was reported to be stronger than for intermittent (seasonal) allergic rhinitis. Multiple physiological pathways appear to mediate the anti-inflammatory effects of acupuncture including the hypothalamic-pituitary-arenal (HPA) axis, sympathetic pathways, descending inhibitory pathways and possibly parasympathetic cholinergic pathways. Studies have also suggested that acupuncture may down-regulate pro- inflammatory neuropeptides and neurotrophins and may shift the Th1/Th2 balance in T helper cells and hence alter allergic status, however the evidence for these actions is inconclusive.Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
School of Medicine
Griffith Health
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Thornton, Hannah Victoria. "The diagnosis of respiratory tract infection in children presenting to primary care : exploring the relationship between clinical presentation and upper respiratory tract microbes." Thesis, University of Bristol, 2014. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.681564.
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Introduction Diagnostic uncertainty in the treatment of respiratory tract infections (RTls) in children contributes to over-prescription of antibiotics, with detrimental effects on the global population. Improved treatment accuracy could be achieved with an improved understanding of underlying microbiology. This thesis explores the relationships between the information available to primary care clinicians during the consultation, the clinical symptoms and signs, and detection of microbes from the upper respiratory tract. Methods Evidence was systematically reviewed for associations between clinical presentation and microbial detection. Changes in RTI-related microbe prevalence from throat swabs in children with and without RTI were investigated at two time points in a small prospective cohort study known as the 'MASS' study. Results from the MASS study were used to guide cross-sectional investigation of the relationship between clinical symptoms and signs and microbe detection in a larger cohort of children. Results The systematic review demonstrated a marked absence of evidence. Meta-analysis found consistent associations between cl inical signs and respiratory syncytial virus. The MASS study found strong evidence that two RTI -related microbes were more prevalent when children were symptomatic than at asymptomatic follow-up. A further five RTI related microbes were more prevalent when children were symptomatic, but evidence was weak; the prevalence of a further three did not change. The seven microbes detected with greater prevalence at baseline than follow-up were associated with clinical presentation in cross-sectional analyses. None of the three microbes with similar baseline and follow-up rates were associated with clinical presentation. Discussion This work demonstrates associations between clinical presentation and seven RTI related microbes detected from the throat in children with RTI. These associations are not sufficient to definitively establish causality. They provide some evidence that these microbes could have an aetiological role in paediatric RTI, and are therefore potential candidates for future diagnostic, prognostic and point-of-care testing research to improve targeted antimicrobial treatment.
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Bailey, Julia Vivian. "Doctor-patient communication in consultations for upper respiratory tract infections : a discourse analysis." Thesis, King's College London (University of London), 2007. https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/doctorpatient-communication-in-consultations-for-upper-respiratory-tract-infections-a-discourse-analysis(48b873c4-38a4-4e73-b619-10cfa3a9504c).html.
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Illnesses such as upper respiratory tract infections (URTls(coughs and colds) are positioned within medical discourse as 'minor' and 'trivial', and consulting doctors with cough and cold symptoms is morally accountable. In this thesis I explore different methodological approaches to understanding doctor-patient consultations for URTls. I critically review quantitative and qualitative approaches to URTI consultation research, and explore qualitative discursive approaches through analyses of consultation data. Data comprise 33 video-taped consultations and post-consultation interviews with inner London general practitioners and patients with cough and cold symptoms, supplemented with ethnographic data. I draw from a range of discursive methodological approaches including conversation analysis, socio-Iinguistic analysis of institutional talk and discursive psychology. I show how discursive approaches can illuminate the complexity and meaning of doctor-patient interaction, exploring the way that coughing is used by patients as an interactional resource. In a detailed micro-analysis, I show that coughing is associated with interactional problems such as misunderstanding and disagreement, and how it also functions as a resource to assert patients' legitimacy. ,. In another detailed analysis, I show that the 'minor' status of coughs and colds (and consequent 'no problem' diagnosis) is associated with interactional difficulty for both doctors and patients: I show how doctors' and patients'legitimacy and 'face' are at stake in a contest to define the meaning of cough and cold symptoms (as significant and treatable, or alternatively, 'no problem'). I discuss conflicts between doctors' and patients' interests: for example, prescribing antibiotics may legitimise the patient but discredit the doctor. . I discuss the way that discourse analytic approaches can contribute richer understandings of doctor-patient interaction through detailed analysis of social transactions in consultation (such as the negotiation of identity and face). I contend that discursive approaches represent valuable and under-utilised resources for research and practice in primary care.
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Cunningham, Iain Telfer Scott. "Rationalisation of antibiotic use in upper respiratory tract infection in primary health care." Thesis, Robert Gordon University, 2001. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.365111.
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Mortazhejri, Sameh. "Reducing Unnecessary Antibiotic Use for Upper Respiratory Tract Infections by Focusing On Patients." Thesis, Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/10393/38088.
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Background: Antibiotics are prescribed frequently for upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) despite the fact that most of them do not require antibiotics. This over-prescription contributes to antibiotic resistance which is a major health problem. Physicians perceive that patients’ expectations influence their antibiotic prescribing practice.
Methods: As the first phase of the thesis, we conducted a systematic review to determine the effectiveness of patient-oriented interventions to reduce unnecessary use of antibiotics for URTIs. As the second phase, we conducted a qualitative descriptive study to explore patients’ views about URTIs and identify ways they manage them by using semi-structured interviews based on Common Sense-Self-Regulation Model (CS-SRM).
Results: Our systematic review included 14 studies which based on their interventions were classified into two major categories: delayed prescriptions and patient/public information and education interventions. Our meta-analysis revealed that almost all studies with delayed prescription significantly reduced use of antibiotics for URTIs. Our subgroup analysis showed that prescriptions that were given at a later time and prescriptions that were given at the index consultation had similar effects regarding antibiotic use. The small number of included studies in the patient/public information and education group did not allow us to make a definite conclusion on their effectiveness. For the qualitative study, 15 individuals were interviewed. almost all participants mentioned that they only visited their doctor if their symptoms got progressively worse and they could no longer self-manage URTI symptoms. When visiting a doctor, most participants reported that they expected to receive an examination and an explanation for their symptoms.
Discussion: Patient-oriented interventions (especially delayed prescriptions) may be effective in reducing antibiotic use or prescription for URTIs in patients. Further research is needed to investigate the costs and feasibilities of implementing these interventions as part of routine clinical practice. Our participants reported good knowledge regarding the likely lack of benefit from antibiotics for URTIs. The results suggest a discrepancy between our participants’ reported reasons for visiting doctors and doctors’ perceptions about patients’ reason for their visit identified in previous studies. Focusing on interventions that facilitate the communication between patients and doctors, instead of providing more education to public may help in reducing the use of unnecessary antibiotics.
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Lee, Patrick Chi Lik. "Experimental studies on cough associated with acute upper respiratory tract infection in man." Thesis, Cardiff University, 2001. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.715399.
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Srinivasan, Raghavan. "CFD Heat Transfer Simulation of the Human Upper Respiratory Tract for Oronasal Breathing Condition." Thesis, North Dakota State University, 2011. https://hdl.handle.net/10365/29310.
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In this thesis. a three dimensional heat transfer model of heated airflow through the upper human respiratory tract consisting of nasal, oral, trachea, and the first two generations of bronchi is developed using computational fluid dynamics simulation software. Various studies have been carried out in the literature investigating the heat and mass transfer characteristics in the upper human respiratory tract, and the study focuses on assessing the injury taking place in the upper human respiratory tract and identifying acute tissue damage based on level of exposure. The model considered is for the simultaneous oronasal breathing during the inspiration phase with high volumetric flow rate of 90/liters minute and a surrounding air temperature of 100 degrees centigrade. The study of the heat and mass transfer, aerosol deposition and flow characteristics in the upper human respiratory tract using computational fluid mechanics simulation requires access to a two dimensional or three dimensional model for the human respiratory tract. Depicting an exact model is a complex task since it involves the prolonged use of imaging devices on the human body. Hence a three dimensional geometric representation of the human upper respiratory tract is developed consisting of nasal cavity, oral cavity, nasopharynx, pharynx, oropharynx, trachea and first two generations of the bronchi. The respiratory tract is modeled circular in cross-section and varying diameter for various portions as identified in this study. The dimensions are referenced from the literature herein. Based on the dimensions, a simplified model representing the human upper respiratory tract is generated.This model will be useful in studying the flow characteristics and could assist in treatment of injuries to the human respiratory tract as well as help optimize drug delivery mechanism and dosages. Also a methodology is proposed to measure the characteristic dimension of the human nasal and oral cavity at the inlet/outlet points which are classified as internal measurements.
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Kiessig, Michael, and Michael Kiessig. "The effect of "fusafungine" on the incidence of upper respiratory tract symptoms in ultradistance runners." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 1998. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/25545.
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Fusafungine is an antibiotic of fungal origin with a potent local anti-inflammatory action (German-Fattal, 1995; German-Fattal, 1996). It is administered locally to the nasal and pharyngeal mucosa by spray. It can be hypothesised that the anti-inflammatory action of fusafungine may decrease the development of mucosa! inflammation in such a manner that the incidence of symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection may be reduced if it is administered before, during and after completion of an ultramarathon. Furthermore, fusafungine could also reduce the risk of secondary bacterial infection. The potential value of fusafungine in reducing the symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections or the development of bacterial upper respiratory infection is the focus of this thesis.
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Cox, Rebecca Jane. "The humoral immune response in the peripheral blood and upper respiratory tract after influenza vaccination." Thesis, Queen Mary, University of London, 1995. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.369509.
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Moolla, Mahomed Ebrahim. "The role of anti-oxidants in the prevention of post-race upper respiratory tract infection." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 1997. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/26558.
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Several epidemiological reports suggest that athletes engaging in marathon-type running events are at increased risk of symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections (URTI). A possible explanation for this increased susceptibility is that during prolonged, strenuous exercise, production of immunosuppressive oxygen free radicals is increased. The purpose of this study therefore was to examine the effect of anti-oxidant vitamin supplementation on the incidence and severity of post-race symptoms of URTI's among athletes competing in a 90-kilometer ultramarathon footrace. A double blind, randomised, placebo controlled study design was employed. Eighty-five subjects were divided into three experimental and three control groups. Each athlete selected a non-running partner with whom they were paired. This non-running control was of a similar age and was a member of the same household or otherwise closely associated with the runner. The experimental and control groups were divided into those ingesting 250 mg/day of ascorbic acid (n = 13 runners, 11 non-running controls), or 4.5 mg/day of beta-carotene (n = 12 runners, 11 non-running controls) or placebo (n = 19 runners and 19 nonrunning controls). All groups commenced supplementation six weeks before the ultramarathon and continued for two weeks after the race. The runners and non-running controls experienced the same incidence of symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections during the study period (50% and 53% respectively) but significantly more runners than non-running controls experienced severe symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections of infective origin (45% and 18% respectively, p < 0.01). Of the runners, 30. 8% on supplemental ascorbic acid, 41. 7% on beta-carotene and 68% on placebo developed symptoms of URTI's. The comparative figures for non-running controls were 45.5%, 45.5% and 63% respectively. All of the non-running controls (100%) and 80% of the athletes who developed severe symptoms of URTIs were on placebo medication. Al though post-race symptoms of URTI 's are common in distance runners, prolonged, strenuous exercise itself is only one of a number of risk factors for symptoms of URTI. However, ingestion of supplemental anti-oxidant in the form of ascorbic acid or beta-carotene for an eight-week period before and after an endurance running event significantly decreases the severity of athletes' symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections.
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He, Cheng-Shiun. "Factors influencing upper respiratory tract illness incidence in athletes : the important role of vitamin D." Thesis, Loughborough University, 2015. https://dspace.lboro.ac.uk/2134/17953.
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Firstly, the aims of the study were to investigate the influences of various factors, sex differences, Cytomegalovirus/Epstein-Barr virus (CMV/EBV) serostatus and vitamin D concentrations on respiratory illness incidence and immune function during the winter months in a student cohort of endurance athletes. In Chapter 3, the findings of the study concur with recent reports of illness incidence at major competitive games which indicate that female athletes may be more susceptible than their male counterparts to upper respiratory tract illness (URTI) symptoms and that lower oral-respiratory mucosal immunity may, in part, account for this. It was also found that previous coinfection with CMV and EBV might promote protective immune surveillance to lower the risk of URTI. In addition, it can be concluded that athletes with low plasma vitamin D concentrations may have a higher risk of URTI and suffer more severe symptoms when URTI is present. This may be due to impaired mucosal and systemic immunity as secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) secretion, cathelicidin levels and antigen-stimulated pro-inflammatory cytokine production appear to be increased by vitamin D-dependent mechanisms. A series of follow-up studies were also conducted to examine the effect of vitamin D on mucosal and systemic immunity in athletes. In Chapter 4, it was reported that the influence of vitamin D on circulating cytokines might be different in athletes compared with non-athletes and that both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine production by multi-antigen stimulated whole blood culture were not influenced by 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D (1, 25(OH)2D) iconcentrations within the normal healthy range. In Chapter 5, it was found that 5000 IU of vitamin D3 supplementation daily appears to have a beneficial effect in up-regulating the expression of SIgA and cathelicidin in athletes during a winter training period. Nevertheless, the findings reported in Chapter 6 showed that there were no significant effects of vitamin D status and a 4-week period of daily high does vitamin D3 supplementation on salivary antimicrobial protein (AMP) responses to prolonged exercise. In conclusion, a series of studies in this thesis have demonstrated the influence of various factors (sex differences, CMV/EBV serostatus and vitamin D concentrations) on susceptibility to URTI among athletes. Moreover, it was suggested that vitamin D3 supplementation could have a positive effect on immune function and lead to decreased incidence of respiratory infections.
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Cranston, Tracy E. "The effect of exercise training on the severity and duration of an upper respiratory tract infection." Virtual Press, 1995. http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/941357.
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Although upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) are the most frequent illness among humans, insufficient evidence exists to determine if exercise training during an URTI may prolong or intensify an URTI. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effect of exercise training on the severity and duration of URTI symptoms. Following serological screening, those subjects who were rhinovirus 16 (RV 16) antibody-free completed a graded exercise test. Thirty-four individuals (ages 18-29 years) of moderate fitness (between 32 ml/kg"1/miri 1- 60 ml/kg 1/min"1) were randomly assigned to the exercise group (EX) while 16 individuals of similar age served as a nonexercise control group (CTL). All subjects were inoculated with RV 16 on two consecutive days. EX subjects completed 40 minutes of supervised exercise at 70% of heart rate reserve within 18 hours of each inoculation and then exercised every other day for the next eight days (total of six exercise sessions). Immediately following each exercise period subjects completed a symptom checklist. EX subjects were strongly encouraged to abstain from any additional physical activity while the CTL group was encouraged to be as sedentary as possible for ten days beginning the first day of inoculation. Prior to the first inoculation and every 12 hours afterwards all subjects completed a 13 item symptom severity checklist and a physical activity log (e.g., minutes of walking, and hours of work). Used facial tissues were collected and weighed during these same reporting periods. One-way analysis of variance indicated that there! was no significant difference between groups with respect to additional physical activity. Two-way analysis of variance indicated that there were no significant differences in either the severity or duration of an URTI (symptom scores, mucous weights) between the EX and CTL groups for any given day. Further, no significant differences were observed between the pre and post exercise symptom scores for the EX group. These results suggests that moderate exercise training during a rhinovirus-caused URTI does not appear to alter the severity and duration of the illness. This was the first study to examine the influence of exercise on symptom severity and duration during an URTI. Additional studies should be performed utilizing various exercise prescriptions (e.g. intensity, frequency and duration), subject populations (e.g. younger and older), and fitness levels (e.g. sedentary, and highly fit).School of Physical Education
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Wallwork, Benjamin, and n/a. "The Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Macrolide Antibiotics in Chronic Rhinosinusitis." Griffith University. School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, 2006. http://www4.gu.edu.au:8080/adt-root/public/adt-QGU20070201.160023.
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Chronic rhinosinusitis is a common disorder of chronic inflammation of the upper respiratory tract. It is associated with significant symptoms and impairment of the quality of life of sufferers. Despite recent advances in the medical and surgical management of chronic rhinosinusitis, there remains a population of patients who fail to obtain relief from their symptoms. Chronic inflammation of the mucosa of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses is one of the hallmarks of chronic rhinosinusitis. This inflammation is demonstrated by an increased number of chronic inflammatory cells, elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, increased expression of adhesion molecules and metaplastic changes in the epithelium. The current medical treatments for chronic sinusitis aim to reduce this inflammation and consequently improve symptoms. In recent years, evidence has emerged that macrolide antibiotics have an anti-inflammatory effect that is separate from their anti-bacterial effect. This effect was first described in the treatment of diffuse panbronchiolitis, a disorder of chronic inflammation of the lower respiratory tract. Following the success of macrolides in treating this condition it was trialed in chronic rhinosinusitis. Several open-label trials have subsequently demonstrated a beneficial effect. Laboratory studies have investigated the mechanism of the anti-inflammatory effect of macrolides. These have shown that macrolides effect cytokine production, inflammatory cell apoptosis, expression of adhesion molecules, neutrophil oxidative burst, bacterial virulence and mucociliary function. In this thesis we report a series of experiments designed to further investigate the mechanism of action and clinical effect of macrolides. In vitro studies using whole sections of chronic rhinosinusitis mucosa cultured for 24 hours in macrolide, prednisolone or control showed that macrolide and prednisolone produced significant reductions in the production of interleukin-5, interleukin-8 and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor. The same cultured specimens also showed a reduction in expression of transforming growth factor-?. No reduction was seen in the expression of the key pro-inflammatory nuclear transcription factor Nuclear factor-?B. In our in vivo experiments, biopsies were taken from chronic rhinosinusitis patients who had received a 3-month course of macrolide. These biopsies showed a reduction in the number of neutrophils present following treatment. There was no reduction in the number of other inflammatory cells or in the expression of TGF-? and NK-?B. We have performed the first ever double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of macrolide in the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis. Patients receiving macrolide showed significant improvements in saccharine transit time, nasal endoscopic scoring and symptom scores following a 12 week course. Patients with low levels of serum immunoglobulin E showed significantly improved outcomes compared to those with high levels. Interleukin-8 levels in nasal lavage fluid were significantly reduced in the patients with low levels of IgE following macrolide treatment. No improvements in any of the objective or subjective outcome measures were seen in the placebo-treated patients. We have performed a series of experiments investigating the anti-inflammatory effect of macrolide antibiotics from 'the bench to the bedside'. These experiments have provided insight into the mechanism of action of macrolides in the laboratory setting and evidence of a beneficial effect in the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis patients.
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Wallwork, Benjamin. "The Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Macrolide Antibiotics in Chronic Rhinosinusitis." Thesis, Griffith University, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10072/367299.
Full textAbstract:
Chronic rhinosinusitis is a common disorder of chronic inflammation of the upper respiratory tract. It is associated with significant symptoms and impairment of the quality of life of sufferers. Despite recent advances in the medical and surgical management of chronic rhinosinusitis, there remains a population of patients who fail to obtain relief from their symptoms. Chronic inflammation of the mucosa of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses is one of the hallmarks of chronic rhinosinusitis. This inflammation is demonstrated by an increased number of chronic inflammatory cells, elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, increased expression of adhesion molecules and metaplastic changes in the epithelium. The current medical treatments for chronic sinusitis aim to reduce this inflammation and consequently improve symptoms. In recent years, evidence has emerged that macrolide antibiotics have an anti-inflammatory effect that is separate from their anti-bacterial effect. This effect was first described in the treatment of diffuse panbronchiolitis, a disorder of chronic inflammation of the lower respiratory tract. Following the success of macrolides in treating this condition it was trialed in chronic rhinosinusitis. Several open-label trials have subsequently demonstrated a beneficial effect. Laboratory studies have investigated the mechanism of the anti-inflammatory effect of macrolides. These have shown that macrolides effect cytokine production, inflammatory cell apoptosis, expression of adhesion molecules, neutrophil oxidative burst, bacterial virulence and mucociliary function. In this thesis we report a series of experiments designed to further investigate the mechanism of action and clinical effect of macrolides. In vitro studies using whole sections of chronic rhinosinusitis mucosa cultured for 24 hours in macrolide, prednisolone or control showed that macrolide and prednisolone produced significant reductions in the production of interleukin-5, interleukin-8 and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor. The same cultured specimens also showed a reduction in expression of transforming growth factor-?. No reduction was seen in the expression of the key pro-inflammatory nuclear transcription factor Nuclear factor-?B. In our in vivo experiments, biopsies were taken from chronic rhinosinusitis patients who had received a 3-month course of macrolide. These biopsies showed a reduction in the number of neutrophils present following treatment. There was no reduction in the number of other inflammatory cells or in the expression of TGF-? and NK-?B. We have performed the first ever double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of macrolide in the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis. Patients receiving macrolide showed significant improvements in saccharine transit time, nasal endoscopic scoring and symptom scores following a 12 week course. Patients with low levels of serum immunoglobulin E showed significantly improved outcomes compared to those with high levels. Interleukin-8 levels in nasal lavage fluid were significantly reduced in the patients with low levels of IgE following macrolide treatment. No improvements in any of the objective or subjective outcome measures were seen in the placebo-treated patients. We have performed a series of experiments investigating the anti-inflammatory effect of macrolide antibiotics from 'the bench to the bedside'. These experiments have provided insight into the mechanism of action of macrolides in the laboratory setting and evidence of a beneficial effect in the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis patients.Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Sciences
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Baxter, Peter. "Clinical and immunological factors associated with post-race upper respiratory tract symptoms (URTS) in Ironman triathletes." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/2743.
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Includes bibliographical references (leaves 87-103).Ultra-endurance events, in particular Ironman Triathlons, are physically very demanding for the competitors. There is a large body of evidence showing the Upper Respitory Tract Symptoms (URTS) are very common in athletes in the 2-week period after such an event. However, there is no definitive explanation as t the exact cause of mechanism for the development of post-race URTS. The aims of this study were: (1) to determine the incidence of post-race URTS in triathletes competing in an Ironman Triathlon; (2) to identify clinical and immunological factors that are associated with the development of post-race URTS in these triathletes. In this prospective cohort study, 99 triathletes entering the 2006 South African Ironman Triathlon were recruited as subjects. All the subjects completed a validated questionnaire in the one to three days before the race (during registration). The questionnaire contrained sections on demographics, training history and previous performances, common general medical conditions that they may have experienced, and a detailed section pertaining to respiratory tracgt symptoms (RTS) and allergies. At registration, each subject had a blood sample taken for analysis of cytokines representing mainly a TH1 response (IL-2, and IL-12) (cell mediated immunity) and a TH2 response (IL-4, IL-6, IL-10) (humoral immunity), as well as a saliva sample (for salivary α-amylase, cortisol and IgA concentrations). Collection of blood and saliva samples was repeated immediately post-race. Data regarding race performance was collected within one week after completion of the race.
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Thors, Valtyr Stefansson. "Effects of viral infections on upper respiratory tract bacterial colonisation in children - observational and interventional studies." Thesis, University of Bristol, 2016. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.702186.
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Prevalence of the common nasopharyngeal colonisers, S. pneumoniae, S. pyogenes, N. meningitidis, M. catarrhalis, H. influenzae and S. aureus depends on several factors. The aim was to explore associations between viral infections (URTI) and prevalence and density of bacteria in the nasopharynx, first in an observational cohort study (2011-12) and subsequently in a randomised, laboratory blinded intervention study (2012-13) using nasal flu vaccine (LAIV). Quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays were developed and validated to efficiently detect and quantify target organisms. 161 healthy children were recruited to the first study and 151 to the second, all attending nurseries in Bristol, UK. All had repeated nasopharyngeal swabs taken and stored in STGG broth. qPCR was used for detecting respiratory viruses and six bacterial species. t-tests and logistic regression models were used for analysis. Carriage rates of S. pneumoniae, M. catarrhalis and H. influenzae were high (78.8%, 85.7% and 85.0%, respectively) in both studies, remained stable throughout the study period and were more frequently found at higher density (>1000 gene copies/ml) in comparison with other species. Younger age was associated with higher density which was explained by more frequent respiratory viruses and nasal discharge which both were independently associated with higher bacterial density of S. pneumoniae, M. catarrhalis and H. influenzae. In the randomised controlled study, LAIV led to a delayed six-fold increase in pneumococcal density when compared to controls. Multivariable analyses showed that LAIV was also associated with increases in M. catarrhalis, H. influenzae and S. aureus density. The observed effects of LAIV provide a valuable potential tool for studying transmission of bacteria. Further studies of the biology of respiratory bacteria and viruses, including bacterial and host transcriptomics, may provide valuable information to inform vaccine design and epidemiological models to predict the indirect effects and thus overall effectiveness of both viral and bacterial vaccines.
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Montes, Mary Elizabeth. "Decreasing Antibiotic Overuse in Upper Respiratory Tract Infections Through an Educational Intervention Aimed at Nurse Practitioners." Diss., The University of Arizona, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/265342.
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The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effect of an educational intervention, aimed at nurse practitioners, on increasing knowledge and decreasing prescribing habits of antibiotics in upper respiratory tract infections. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention currently estimates that nearly fifty percent of antibiotics prescribed in the outpatient setting are unnecessary. The world health organization states that antibiotic overuse is becoming a growing problem worldwide. Numerous studies have been completed targeting physicians and patients, but no long term decrease in antibiotic prescribing has been seen. As the number and role of nurse practitioners increase, this intervention was aimed to target a specially this specially educated group. Research has shown that nurse practitioners have equal outcomes and equal to higher patient satisfaction ratings when compared to physician counterparts. Thus, this group may help to decrease antibiotic overuse. Lewin's three step change theory served as the conceptual framework. The theory uses initial unfreezing, then finding a new equilibrium and finally refreezing, thus creating a new baseline for participants. A sample of fifty one nurse practitioners participated in the one group pretest/posttest/4-week posttest measuring knowledge and intention. Knowledge was measure using the questionnaire results; intention was measured by reviewing Likert-type rankings. Change in knowledge was found to be statistically significant, demonstrating that education will affect knowledge. However, intention was not found to be statistically significant. Intention did increase during the study, but not enough to show that there was an overall statistically significant effect.
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Dedrick, Sandra. "Microbial Community Structure and Function: Implications for Current and Future Respiratory Therapies." Thesis, Boston College, 2021. http://hdl.handle.net/2345/bc-ir:109223.
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Thesis advisor: Babak MomeniDiseases of the upper respiratory tract encompass a plethora of complex multifaceted etiologies ranging from acute viral and bacterial infections to chronic diseases of the lung and nasal cavity. Due to this inherent complexity, typical treatments often fail in the face of recalcitrant infections and/or severe forms of chronic disease, including asthma. Thus, in order to provide improved standard of care, the mechanisms at play in hard-to-treat etiologies must be better understood. More recently, research has demonstrated a significant association between microbiota and many URT diseases. Previous work has also identified species capable of directly inhibiting standard treatments used to control asthma exacerbations. Despite an exhaustive collection of data characterizing microbiota composition in states of both health and disease, our knowledge of what microbiota profiles are observed in what specific disease etiologies is severely lacking. Yet, gaining these insights is crucial for the translation of such data into application. In this thesis I sought to: 1) identify gut microbiota profiles associated with severe and treatment resistant forms of childhood asthma, and 2) formulate a predictive model to facilitate the restructuring of microbiota for desired therapeutic outcomes. To identify gut microbiota and metabolites enriched in severe and treatment resistant childhood asthma, I looked to an ongoing longitudinal human study on vitamin D and childhood asthma. In this study, I find several fecal bacterial taxa and metabolites associated with more severe (i.e., higher wheeze proportion) and treatment resistant asthma in children at age 3 years. Specifically, several Veillonella species were enriched in children with higher wheeze proportion and in children that responded poorly to inhaled corticosteroid treatment (ICS) (i.e., non-responders). Haemophilus parainfluenzae, a species previously identified as enriched in the airway of adults with ICS-resistant asthma, was also uniquely enriched in children considered ICS non-responders in this study. Several metabolic pathways were also distinctly enriched: histidine metabolism was enriched in children with higher wheeze proportion while sphingolipid metabolism was enriched in ICS non-responders. Both metabolic pathways have been previously identified in association with asthma, further corroborating their role in this disease. Yet, this study is the first to identify these taxa and metabolites in children with preexisting and treatment resistant asthma. In the pursuit of improved treatment outcomes for recalcitrant URT diseases, recent efforts have turned towards microbiota-based therapies. While such treatments have proven successful in the treatment of gastrointestinal infections, these methods have not yet been extended to other conditions. Considering this, I ask whether a predictive model describing microbial interactions can facilitate the restructuring of microbiota for desired therapeutic outcomes. For this, I use a community of nasal microbiota to determine when a simply Lotka-Volterra-like (LV) model is a suitable representation for microbial interactions. I then utilize our LV-like model to examine whether environmental fluctuations have a major influence on community assembly and composition. For this, I looked specifically at pH fluctuations. In this study, I found that LV-like models are most suitable for describing community dynamics in complex low nutrient conditions. I also identified simple in vitro experiments that can reliably predict the suitability of a LV-like model for describing outcomes of a two-species community. When our LV-like model was applied to an in silico community of nasal species to determine the impact of environmental fluctuations, I find that nasal communities are generally robust against pH fluctuations and that, in this condition, facilitative interactions are a stabilizing force, and thus, selected for in in silico enrichment experiments. Overall, this thesis further corroborates the association of microbiota with URT diseases and treatment outcomes while also providing unique insight into their association with specific etiologies in childhood asthma. This thesis also provides a framework for developing models able to facilitate the development of future microbiota-based therapies while also determining how, and when, environmental factors impact community assembly and composition
Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2021
Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Discipline: Biology
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Wheeler, Anthony John. "Upper respiratory tract infections, adenotonsillar hypertrophy and atopy in children : can adenotonsillectomy be avoided with medical treatment?" Thesis, University College London (University of London), 2006. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.428549.
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Hallissey, Claire Marie. "The role of dendritic cells in the induction of immune responses in the human upper respiratory tract." Thesis, University of Bristol, 2010. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.525462.
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Machado, Catarina Augusta Bôto. "Antimicrobial resistance of the upper respiratory tract commensal microbiota in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), under human care." Master's thesis, Universidade de Lisboa. Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10400.5/6754.
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Dissertação de Mestrado Integrado em Medicina VeterináriaRespiratory affections, especially bacterial pneumonia, are a major cause of death in dolphins, both free-range individuals and those under human care. Animals affected by stress, immunocompromised or with underlying affections are more likely to be infected by opportunistic agents, usually present in the host in the commensal microbiota. Several colonizing microorganisms were recovered from the upper respiratory tract of nine healthy bottlenose dolphins, living under human care at the entertainment and educational oceanographic park Zoomarine - Mundo Aquático, S.A., Portugal. The isolated bacteria belonged to the species Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Morganella morganii, Klebsiella oxytoca, Staphylococcus hominis, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus simulans e Staphylococcus delphini group A. Disk diffusion method and genotypic characterization through PCR were the techniques performed in order to evaluate the antimicrobial resistance of these strains, regarding different families of antibiotics. The presence of resistance genes to β-lactams was investigated in the E. coli isolates through PCR, in order to identify β-lactamases’ producing strains (TEM, SHV, OXA-1, CTX-M, AmpC), as well as the resistance genes to aminoglycosides (aaC(3’)-IV and aaC(6’)-Ib). The mecA and mecC genes were investigated in the Staphylococcus spp. isolates. The results demonstrated that the majority of the isolates were multidrug-resistant, 76% of the isolates were considered clinically resistant to more than three antibiotic families (R>3), followed by 17% of resistant strains (1≤R≤3) and a small representation of 7% of fully susceptible bacteria (R=0). Resistance genes were detected in all the E. coli isolates, most frequently the blaTEM, followed by blaOXA-1, blaCTX-M-15 and aaC(6’)-Ib and less frequently the blaDHA-1.. The mecA gene was identified in one S. aureus and in the S. hominis isolates. The isolation of multidrug-resistant bacteria from the commensal microbiota is relevant in that these microorganisms are capable of inactivating a wide spectrum of antibiotics, limiting the therapeutic options. Associated with the colonization of the respiratory tract of dolphins by these organisms, the question arises of the potential risk of colonization and transmission between these animals and humans.
RESUMO - Resistência aos antibióticos da microbiota comensal do trato respiratório superior em golfinhos-roazes (Tursiops truncatus) mantidos sob cuidados humanos - As afeções respiratórias, especialmente a pneumonia bacteriana, são a principal causa de morte em golfinhos, tanto de vida livre como mantidos sob cuidados humanos. Os animais afetados por stresse, imunodeprimidos ou com outras condições subjacentes são mais suscetíveis a infeções por agentes oportunistas, frequentemente presentes no hospedeiro enquanto parte da microbiota comensal. Diversos microrganismos colonizadores do trato respiratório superior foram isolados a partir de um grupo de nove golfinhos saudáveis que vivem sob cuidados humanos no parque oceanográfico de entretenimento e educação Zoomarine - Mundo Aquático, S.A.. As estirpes identificadas pertencem às espécies bacterianas de Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Morganella morganii, Klebsiella oxytoca, Staphylococcus hominis, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus simulans e Staphylococcus delphini grupo A. O presente estudo visou a avaliação das resistências destas estirpes relativamente a diferentes classes de antibióticos, tendo como base o método de difusão de disco e caracterização genotípica pela técnica de PCR. Nos isolados de E. coli, os genes de resistência a β-lactâmicos foram pesquisados através de PCR, para identificação de estirpes produtoras de β-lactamases (TEM, SHV, OXA-1, CTX-M, AmpC) assim como os genes de resistência a aminoglicosídeos (aaC(3’)-IV e aaC(6’)-Ib). Quanto aos isolados de estafilococos, foram pesquisados os genes de resistência mecA e mecC. De acordo com o método de difusão de disco, a maioria dos isolados demonstrou ser multirresistente, com uma percentagem de 76% de isolados resistentes a mais do que três classes de antibióticos, seguidos de 17% de estirpes resistentes e por uma pequena representação de isolados suscetíveis a todas as classes testadas, de 7%. Foram detetados genes de resistência em todos os isolados de E. coli, tendo sido mais comummente identificado o gene blaTEM, seguido do blaOXA-1, blaCTX-M-15 e aaC(6’)-Ib, e com menor frequência o blaDHA-1. O gene mecA foi identificado numa estirpe de S. aureus e na única estirpe de S. hominis. O isolamento de estirpes multirresistentes na microbiota comensal do trato respiratório superior destes golfinhos-roazes é relevante na medida em que estes microrganismos são capazes de inativar um largo espectro de antibióticos, colocando limitações terapêuticas em caso de infeção. Associada à colonização do trato respiratório dos golfinhos, por estes organismos, surge a questão do potencial de transmissão e colonização entre estes animais e humanos.
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Goto, Masashi. "Influence of loxoprofen use on recovery from naturally acquired upper respiratory tract infections : a randomized controlled trial." Kyoto University, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/2433/135776.
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Cheung, Wai-yee Betty. "Factors affecting the severity and duration of outbreaks of upper respiratory tract infection in kindergartens in Hong Kong case-control study /." Click to view the E-thesis via HKUTO, 2009. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record/B42994652.
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Akhteruzzaman, Mohammad Som-arch Wongkhomthong. "Cost analysis of upper respiratory tract infection at two health centers in Nakhon Chaisi district, Nakhonpathom province, Thailand /." Abstract, 2003. http://mulinet3.li.mahidol.ac.th/thesis/2546/4537450.pdf.
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Osiri, Sunantha. "Comparison of treatments for upper respiratory tract infections recommended in community pharmacies and hospital in North East Thailand." Thesis, Robert Gordon University, 2002. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.395752.
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Karlíková, Adéla. "Modelling of flow and pressure characteristics in the model of the human upper respiratory tract under varying conditions." Master's thesis, Vysoké učení technické v Brně. Fakulta elektrotechniky a komunikačních technologií, 2020. http://www.nusl.cz/ntk/nusl-413820.
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Cílem této diplomové práce je vytvořit 3D model horních dýchacích cest podle originálního modelu segmentovaného z CT dat, aplikovat různé podmínky na průtok vzduchu v modelu, a poté hodnotit změnu charakteristik rychlosti a tlaku. Model horních dýchacích cest byl vytvořen v prostředí softwaru ANSYS, který využívá výpočetní dynamiku tekutin, a byly použity Navier-Stokesovy rovnice pro modelování průtoku vzduchu v modelu. Nejprve byl vytvořen jednoduchý 2D model za účelem seznámení se s prostředím ANSYS. Dále byl zkonstruován 3D model horních dýchacích cest a byly modelovány charakteristiky rychlosti a tlaku za různých podmínek. Tyto podmínky zahrnují různé umístění a množství míst pro odběr vzorků v modelu a výběr různých kombinací vstupů. Nakonec byly prezentovány a hodnoceny výsledky spolu s ilustracemi modelů modelovaných za různých podmínek. 3D model lze považovat ze kompromis mezi výpočetní náročností a složitostí modelu a lze jej použít jako základ pro další výzkum.
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Vaughan, Andrew. "Host-commensal interactions in the human upper respiratory tract: the mucosal immune response to Neisseria lactamica and Neisseria meningitidis." Thesis, University of Bristol, 2008. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.492620.
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The human upper respiratory tract is colonised by a diverse commensal flora that is tolerated by the host without inducing an aberrant inflammatory response. N. meningitidis is an opportunistic pathogen that asymptomatically colonises the nasopharyngeal epithelium of older children and adults, but infrequently causes invasive disease. N. lactamica is a closely related commensal that colonises the nasopharyngeal epithelium of young children without causing disease. Both species can colonise for prolonged periods without being cleared. We have Investigated the development of mucosal immunity to N. lactamica and compared the response with N. meningitidis to further understand how each maintains a commensal relationship with the host.
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Mayerhofer, Raphaela. "Daratumumab treatment increases the risk of upper respiratory tract infections in multiple myeloma : A systematic review and meta-analysis." Thesis, Södertörns högskola, Miljövetenskap, 2020. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-41517.
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Purpose This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the risk of upper respiratory tract infection in multiple myeloma patients undergoing antineoplastic therapy with the anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody Daratumumab. Methods PubMed, CINAHL, and Scopus databases were searched for publications describing rate of upper respiratory tract infections in multiple myeloma patients treated with Daratumumab. Covidence.org was used as a framework to conduct the evidence synthesis, the statistical calculations were performed in RStudio. Results Patients receiving Daratumumab to treat multiple myeloma are 1.63 times more likely to suffer from upper respiratory tract infections. Conclusion Daratumumab significantly increases the risk of upper respiratory tract infections in multiple myeloma patients. Healthcare providers should be aware of this risk and take appropriate measures to protect and educate multiple myeloma patients undergoing Daratumumab treatment.
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Guo, Jing, and 郭婧. "Effect of vitamin D supplementation on prevention of upper respiratory tract infections : a systematic review of randomized controlled trials / y Guo Jing." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10722/193840.
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Background
The prevention of chronic diseases has always been a major focus in the medical field as a measure to improve public health. As a potential prevention to one of the most common chronic diseases, vitamin D was previously reported to show some signs of positive effect on the prevention of upper respiratory tract infections. Although trials were performed to demonstrate the association between the effectiveness of vitamin D and upper respiratory tract infections in the past few years, the number of randomized controlled trials was limited. Only one systematic review with meta-analysis was carried out to study the effect of vitamin D supplementation on prevention of respiratory tract infections (Charan et al., 2012).
Aim
A systematic review of the existing evidence was carried out with the aim to examine the effectiveness of vitamin D supplementation as an intervention in prevention of upper respiratory tract infections.
Method
Studies were selectively chosen based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Retrieval of studies was performed and identified from MEDLINE (Ovid) and PUBMED. MeSH terms of “Vitamin D” and “Upper respiratory tract infections” were applied in the search. Only randomized controlled trials were selected. Non-English publications, reviews, discussions, conference papers, and publications with outcomes being not incidence of URTI, were excluded. The quality of each study was evaluated using the Jadad scale (Jadad et al., 1996). Data from the trials was extracted into the meta-analysis, and odds ratios and confidence intervals were used as measures of the association between vitamin D supplementation and incidence of upper respiratory tract infections across studies.
Result
Five randomized controlled trials were included in this review. In this meta-analysis, the number of events of upper respiratory tract infections in vitamin D group was lower than that in the placebo group (OR=0.53), suggesting that a 47% lower odds of falling in vitamin D groups than in controls. The 95% confidence interval ranged from 0.30to 0.93and did not include 1, suggesting that the effect of vitamin D on prevention of upper respiratory tract infections was significant. However, when the trials were divided into children and adult groups, the results were significantly different. The result of the trials with two children gave an OR of 0.33(95%CI: 0.13, 0.83), meaning a positive effect of vitamin D could be observed in the vitamin D group, compared to the placebo group. Meanwhile, three trials on adults had an OR of 0.78 (95%CI: 0.56, 1.09), which was insufficient to suggest the two groups were different.
Conclusion
While the positive effect of vitamin D supplementation for the prevention of upper respiratory tract infections is evident on children in this review, it is much less significant on adults due to inconsistencies in the results. Therefore, more research and trials with improved methodologies would be required in the future to increase our understanding and provide more certainty on this matter.published_or_final_version
Public Health
Master
Master of Public Health
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張慧儀 and Wai-yee Betty Cheung. "Factors affecting the severity and duration of outbreaks of upper respiratory tract infection in kindergartens in Hong Kong: case-control study." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2009. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B42994652.
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Jorge, Francis Mark. "The potential pathogenicity of Dolosigranulum pigrum in multiple sclerosis, and the occurrence of the organism in the upper respiratory tract." Thesis, University of Portsmouth, 2014. https://researchportal.port.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/the-potential-pathogenicity-of-dolosigranulum-pigrum-in-multiple-sclerosis-and-the-occurrence-of-the-organism-in-the-upper-respiratory-tract(45abde04-e04a-4138-bb0f-f12a097f6051).html.
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The bacterial toxins hypothesis in multiple sclerosis postulates that bacterial toxins from the human nasopharynx access the central nervous system and are implicated in the disease. Dolosigranulum pigrum was originally found in acute multiple sclerosis tissues. This study seeks to determine if the organism is found in human nasal tracts and explores the relationship between Dolosigranulum pigrum infection and multiple sclerosis by measuring antibody to the bacterium in multiple sclerosis patients and matched controls. Eighty eight clinical specimens were cultured onto blood agar and analysed using rabbit anti-Dolosigranulum pigrum sera, and fluorescein isothiocyanate. None tested positive for Dolosigranulum pigrum. Dolosigranulum pigrum was looked for using a novel polymerase chain reaction test. Thirty samples tested positive, 17 male, 13 female, with an age range from 8 days to 74 years. Twelve were sent for sequencing, seven matched Dolosigranulum pigrum, two showed mixed amplicons and three produced signals not matching Dolosigranulum pigrum. Sixty five multiple sclerosis sera and matched controls were tested for anti-Dolosigranulum pigrum using a novel enzyme linked immunosorbant assay. The multiple sclerosis group showed raised antibodies, significantly different to the controls, p ≤ 0.001. Fifteen of the multiple sclerosis sera and controls were Western blotted. There were no common bands when compared with rabbit sera containing antibodies to Dolosigranulum pigrum. This study shows that Dolosigranulum pigrum is found in the nasal tract. The elevated antibodies were not found to be anti-Dolosigranulum pigrum but their presence may be suggestive of bacterial products leaking from the nasal tract into the central nervous system. Further research into bacteria in the nasal tract is indicated. Introduction of markers into the nasal passages with subsequent tracking into the central nervous system by magnetic resonance imaging could provide evidence of a route by which bacterial molecules enter the central nervous system „behind‟ the blood brain barrier.
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Klinteskog, Magnus. "Prevalence of ctrA and crgA genes in non-meningococcal neisserial species colonising the upper respiratory tract among university students in Örebro." Thesis, Örebro universitet, Institutionen för medicinska vetenskaper, 2021. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:oru:diva-90277.
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Introduction: A Neisseria meningitidis carrier study has been conducted among students at Örebro university in Sweden in 2018 and 2019. Pharyngeal samples were collected from 3489 students. PCR for the genes ctrA and crgA was run on all samples. The positive samples were then cultured on agar plates to find the N. meningitidis. In 349 of the PCR positive samples, no N. meningitidis could be isolated, which raised the question if other bacteria could have these genes. The most likely bacteria to have these genes were assumed to be other species within the genus Neisseria. Aim: To identify whether other neisserial species have the ctrA and crgA genes. Methods: The 349 samples were cultured on agar plates for two days. The species were then identified by MALDI-TOF MS. The isolated Neisserial species and some other species as controls were saved. PCR for ctrA and crgA genes were then run on these bacteria to determine whether they possessed these genes. Results: Five N. meningitidis that had been missed by the first round of culture were identified. Seventy-five other colonies of neisserial species were isolated. N. subflava (n=40) were the most common. Nine (12 %) were crgA positive but none were ctrA positive. At least one crgA positive colony was found in four of the five different non-meningococcal neisserial species isolated in this study. Conclusion: The crgA gene seems quite common among non-meningococcal neisserial species while ctrA seems to be specific for N. meningitidis
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Горбась, Вікторія Анатоліївна, Виктория Анатольевна Горбась, Viktoriia Anatoliivna Horbas, Т. Р. Коломієць, Н. П. Куропятник, and Н. В. Хрін. "Ефективність застосування лаферобіону у дітей раннього віку з ГРВІ." Thesis, Сумський державний університет, 2015. http://essuir.sumdu.edu.ua/handle/123456789/41806.
Full textAbstract:
Гострі респіраторні вірусні інфекції верхніх дихальних шляхів відносяться до найбільш
часто діагностуємих захворювань в усьому світі. Основну роль у їх виникненні відіграють
віруси. Лаферобіон (інтерферон альфа) представляє собою
противірусний препарат у вигляді водорозчинного білку. Він надає антипроліферативну дію і
володіє значною імуномоделюючою активністю. Інтерферон альфа також пригнічує
реплікацію вірусів.
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Голубнича, Вікторія Миколаївна, Виктория Николаевна Голубничая, Viktoriia Mykolaivna Holubnycha, and О. І. Перешивайло. "Особливості етіології та перебігу ГРВІ у різних верств населення." Thesis, Сумський державний університет, 2015. http://essuir.sumdu.edu.ua/handle/123456789/42214.
Full textAbstract:
Гострі респіраторні вірусні інфекції є однією із найбільш актуальних проблем сучасної
науки та практичної медицини. Незважаючи на значні зусилля, спрямовані на вивчення ГРВІ,
вони залишаються малокерованими інфекціями. Важливим напрямком у вивченні ГРВІ є
встановлення етіології та особливостей клінічного перебігу у різних груп населення.
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Козлова, К. Г., Микола Сергійович Линдін, Николай Сергеевич Лындин, Mykola Serhiiovych Lyndin, Д. Є. Бойчук, Вікторія Анатоліївна Горбась, Виктория Анатольевна Горбась, and Viktoriia Anatoliivna Horbas. "Інфекції верхніх дихальних шляхів у дітей: постійна проблема - нові рішення." Thesis, Видавництво СумДУ, 2009. http://essuir.sumdu.edu.ua/handle/123456789/5283.
Full textAbstract:
На сьогодні в руках педіатра достатньо широкий арсенал ефективних і безпечних засобів профілактики і лікування ГРВІ у дітей, при цьому максимальна ефективність попередження цих захворювань досягається при суворому дотриманні режимних і загальнозміцнюючих заходів, комбінованому використанню специфічних і неспецифічних методів імунопрофілактики .
Лікування ГРВІ завжди повинно бути комплексним і проводитися з урахуванням індивідуальних особливостей дитини.
При цитуванні документа, використовуйте посилання http://essuir.sumdu.edu.ua/handle/123456789/5283
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Power, Daniel Aaron, and n/a. "Non-culture based studies of the human upper respiratory tract microbiota and preliminary considerations of the influence of bacteriocin producing commensal and pathogenic oral streptococci." University of Otago. Department of Microbiology & Immunology, 2007. http://adt.otago.ac.nz./public/adt-NZDU20070620.160726.
Full textAbstract:
The upper respiratory tract (URT) of humans is complex and interconnected region and comprises several major ecosystems including the oral cavity, oropharynx, nasal cavity, sinuses, nasopharynx and middle ear. Most of the anatomical locations within the URT are colonised with a normal bacterial microbiota, within which are often organisms having the potential to cause disease. The diseases of the URT are both varied and frequent in their occurrence, and conditions such as otitis media, rhinosinusitis and pharyngitis are sources of morbidity and mortality in adults and children in both developing and developed countries.
The study of diseases of the URT has traditionally been based on application of culture-based methods in which the infection-implicated organisms are first grown in vitro and then studied further. Ongoing advances in DNA-based techniques have led to the development of new molecular tools for the study of infectious diseases. One such technique is PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE). This is a PCR-based tool that allows the investigation of microbial communities independent of culture. Although this technique has been applied extensively in the study of the gastrointestinal tract, the vagina and endodontic infections in humans, there have been few reports of its application to URT infections. PCR-DGGE was applied in the present study to investigate (a) the bacteria present in the middle ear of children suffering from otitis media with effusion (OME), (b) the microbiota associated with the sinuses in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and (c) perioperative changes in the bacterial population of the middle meatus of patients undergoing nasal or sinus surgery. The analysis of the middle ear fluid samples indicated an increased role in OME for the newly-discovered pathogen Alloiococcus otitidis and also the possible involvement of certain coryneform bacteria and coagulase-negative staphylococci in the aetiology of this condition. PCR-DGGE analysis of patients with CRS revealed a polymicrobial disease with considerable variability in the predominant species detected when multiple, serial samples were evaluated. The perioperative audit showed that when good clinical practice is adhered to, there was no apparent introduction of potentially-harmful organisms into the middle meatus.
Streptococcus salivarius is a common, commensal inhabitant of the oral cavity of humans and has also been shown to inhabit the nasopharynx of infants. S. salivarius is also a well known producer of bacteriocins with activity directed against Streptococcus pyogenes. One such strain, S. salivarius K12, is now marketed in New Zealand as the probiotic, K12 Throat Guard[TM]. In the present study, S. salivarius K12 was compared with two additional strongly-inhibitory S. salivarius (strains T18A and T30A) for activity against the common causative pathogens of otitis media. A paediatric formulation of strain K12 was also tested in a pilot clinical trial for its ability to colonise the URT of young children. Although the levels of colonisation of these subjects was not as high as typically obtained with use of the K12 Throat Guard[TM] formulation, it was considered that further development of the paediatric formulation is warranted, particularly with respect to use of a different pre-treatment regimen. In other studies, the molecular basis for the unusual in vitro inhibitory activity of S. salivarius strain T30A was investigated. Although this still remains unresolved, other observations made during the course of this study have led to the introduction of a schema for the division of inhibitory S. salivarius into three groups based on (a) their sensitivity to the lantibiotic salivaricin A and (b) the structure of their salivaricin A genetic locus. This grouping is analogous to the "rock-paper-scissors" system previously described for colicin-producing strains of E. coli.
Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major human pathogen responsible for a variety of diseases in humans. There have been very few reports of bacteriocin production by S. pneumoniae when compared to other streptococcal species. In the present study a putative cluster of bacteriocins encoded by the blp locus has been investigated. The distribution of the individual blp determinants within this locus was evaluated in a collection of S. pneumoniae strains using PCR. The blp genes were detected in 92% of 57 tested strains and a variant form (termed the B-form) of the cluster was identified that appeared to have arisen due to a genetic recombination event. In this case an approximately 250 bp portion of the blpMNO cluster appears to have recombined into blpK of the blpIJK cluster. Attempts were made to express the putative bacteriocin peptide genes in an Escherichia coli expression system. Failure to achieve expression was taken to indicate that these bacteriocin-like peptides may be toxic for the host producer cells under these test conditions. Future attempts to achieve expression of the Blp peptides, could explore the use of different fusion proteins, a Gram-positive expression host or a cell-free protein expression system.
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West, Nicholas Peter. "Exercise, Immunity and Illness." Thesis, Griffith University, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10072/367462.
Full textAbstract:
Identifying immune biomarkers in healthy humans that indicate an increased susceptibility to upper respiratory tract illness (URTI) is necessary to develop improved diagnostic and treatment strategies. URTI is associated with substantial socio-economic and personal cost. Small to moderate reductions in the severity and duration of illness could lead to substantial reductions in these costs. This thesis investigated the relationship between the immune system and URTI in healthy individuals utilising exercise as a model of stress. Chapter 2 (Section 2.2) reviews the effects of exercise on the immune system and URTI, with a particular focus on the way in which exercise can be used to better understand the role of the salivary antimicrobial proteins (AMPs) lactoferrin and lysozyme in host defence. Determining mucosal immune status, that is the condition of the immune system at body surfaces interfacing with the external environment, is necessary to understand the role of the immune system in host defence. Exercise-related disturbances in the immune system may increase susceptibility to URTI, particularly when prolonged intense exercise is undertaken frequently. Th e link between exercise-induced disturbances in immunity and URTI risk suggests that exercise may be a useful model by which to study the relationship between immunity and illness in healthy individuals.Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science
Griffith Health
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Jones, Cristina Ann. "MYCOPLASMA AGASSIZII IN THE SONORAN POPULATION OF THE DESERT TORTOISE IN ARIZONA." Thesis, The University of Arizona, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/193431.
Full textAbstract:
Upper Respiratory Tract Disease (URTD), caused by the pathogens Mycoplasma agassizii and M. testudineum, has been documented in the desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii). Although URTD was identified as a putative agent that led to federal listing of the Mojave population of the desert tortoise, little is known about this disease in the Sonoran population of the desert tortoise. The purpose of this study was to determine: 1) the prevalence of URTD across an urban gradient in Greater Tucson, Arizona, 2) the relationship between URTD and captive and free-ranging tortoises in Mohave, Maricopa, and Pima counties in Arizona, and 3) the effects of URTD on desert tortoise home range size and winter temperature selection.
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Harrison, Linda M. "The effect of upper respiratory tract infection and sleeping position on the nasopharyngeal bacterial flora in infancy : possible relevance to sudden infant death syndrome." Thesis, Lancaster University, 1998. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.287100.
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