Detecting farm outbreaks, vaccine effectiveness and other Mac research

New rapid test for farm animal will halt deadly infection outbreaks in farm settings

Deadly infections in farm animals can now be detected in just minutes thanks to a new rapid test created at McMaster University.

The test - developed over four years by Mac biochemist Yingfu Li and engineer Leyla Soleymani - mixes a small saliva sample with a chemical reagent. The blend is then applied to a small microchip reader that quickly transmits results to an attached smartphone.

McMaster says the scientific breakthrough could help stem the rising threat of dangerous livestock outbreaks, which often require entire herds to be euthanized and cause severe economic and environmental consequences.

A prototype of the test already proved successful in detecting a devastating diarrheal infection in pigs first identified in Canada in 2014.

Once widely available, McMaster says the test is expected to be a valuable tool for identifying and isolating outbreaks in farms, and for limiting the risk of animal-to-human transmission of infections.

Inhaled vaccines provide better protection, require less doses than nasal sprays

Vaccines delivered through inhaled aerosols provide far better protection and stronger immunity to viruses than nasal sprays, a McMaster University study suggests.

The study - recently published in the journal Frontiers in Immunology" - found inhaled aerosols bypass the nose and deliver vaccine droplets deep in the airway, directly targeting respiratory pathogens. It induces a broader protective immune response compared to nasal sprays, which primarily only reach the nose and throat, according to the study.

Researchers used a tuberculosis vaccine to compare the delivery methods, measuring each's droplet distribution, immune response and potency in animals. They found vaccines delivered deep in the lungs render much stronger immune responses than the nose, mainly because the tissues and cells in the two pathways are very different.

While nasal mist vaccines are highly effective in children, they're much less so in adults, researchers said.

In addition to being needle-free and painless, researchers said vaccines delivered orally are so efficient in targeting the lungs that they can achieve maximum protection with much smaller doses.

Older people with Type 1 diabetes at greater risk of weakened muscles, cardiovascular issues

A research project at McMaster University has found older adults with Type 1 diabetes (T1D) are at much greater risk of muscles weakening and cardiovascular complications.

Researchers compared the gripping power of 126 people - half with T1D, half without - with an average age of 59 in the three-year study, which is hoped to guide clinical practice and help diabetics make better health decisions.

They found older patients suffering from T1D had abnormally low diastolic blood pressure (when the heart muscle is relaxed between beats), an early indicator of increased risk for cardiovascular disease.

While some people with T1D avoid exercise out of fear it lower their blood sugar, the study suggests patients should try to preserve their strength with resistance-based exercises.

Researchers said evidence is now overwhelmingly clear" that diminishing muscle strength is strongly associated with higher mortality.

Sebastian Bron is a reporter at The Spectator. sbron@thespec.com