Pociūtė, Paulina

Iodine is a rapidly acting antiseptic with bactericidal, fungicidal, sporicidal properties (McDonnell and Russell, 1999). Iodine-based teat dips are widely used in dairy farms for teat disinfection (Ruegg, 2017). Fungi have been associated with subclinical and clinical mastitis in dairy cattle (Mahendra Pal, 2022). Therefore, evaluation of iodine-based teat disinfectants against fungal species isolated from teat skin is important for improving udder hygiene and mastitis prevention.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antifungal activity of different iodine concentrations against Aspergillus species isolated from dairy cow teat skin.

Aspergillus spp. were isolated from teat skin samples using direct plating and washing–dilution methods on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar supplemented with chloramphenicol. Pure cultures were identified according to cultural and morphological characteristics using light microscopy. Antifungal activity was evaluated using the disk diffusion method. 1 mL fungal suspension (3 × 10^8 CFU mL) was inoculated onto Sabouraud Dextrose Agar. Iodine concentrations of 0.15%, 0.25%, 0.50%, and 0.75% (w/w iodine) were tested. Plates were incubated at 25 ± 1°C for 72–96 h, and antifungal activity was assessed by measuring fungal growth inhibition zones (mm).

Antifungal activity varied depending on iodine concentration and fungal species susceptibility. The strongest antifungal effect was observed at 0.50% iodine concentration. The highest susceptibility was detected in Aspergillus candidus (19.58 mm), followed by A. oryzae (11.0 mm), A. flavus (10.42 mm), and A. ochraceus (9.17 mm). A. niger showed the lowest sensitivity (5.58 mm). Lower iodine concentrations demonstrated weaker and species-dependent activity, while increasing iodine concentration to 0.75% did not improve antifungal efficacy.The results indicate that iodine-based teat disinfectants possess antifungal activity against environmental Aspergillus species isolated from teat skin. The 0.50% iodine concentration showed the highest inhibitory effect and may contribute to improved teat hygiene and reduced fungal contamination in dairy farms.

Introduction. Relatives, facing the first episode of psychosis in a loved one, experience acute emotional reactions, become entangled, avoid seeking help from healthcare professionals, and, as a result, have a strong impact on both the well-being of relatives and the patient. It is observed that in healthcare institutions, attention is focused only on the patient, and relatives often remain unaddressed for assistance, further exacerbating their perceived suffering, coupled with dwindling resources. Methods. A qualitative strategy was chosen for the study. Four participants (2 males, 2 females) took part in the study – individuals whose close family member experienced the first episode of psychosis. Data were collected through indepth interviews and analyzed using the phenomenological psychological analysis method according to Amadeo P. Giorgi. Results. Relatives, faced with the first episode of psychosis, experience estrangement towards the affected family member. In the process of providing assistance, relatives feel confusion, involving emotions that hinder concentration, find strength to take action, and perceive treatment as a helpless way out, bringing relief but also guilt. Relatives experience a unique kind of loss of the family member, realizing that the person may never return to what they once were. This insight is accompanied by denial, guilt, shame, anxious questions about the future, and hopelessness. From these intense emotions, relatives are freed by the impatient indication that the return of the family member is anticipated, leading to acceptance of the experience of loss. Relatives are left with the responsibility for the fluctuations of the affected family member, emotional overload due to the impact of psychosis, and heightened vigilance to avoid recurrent psychosis episodes. Conclusions. Being a relative of someone who experienced the first episode of psychosis is primarily a reaction based on estrangement, stemming from the experience of a drastic change in the close one, imperceptibly entering the unbalanced process of providing assistance to the relative. Additionally, relatives experience a different kind of loss of the family member’s personality, which compels them to take the first steps on the path of accepting this loss.

Introduction. Bipolar affective disorder affects 45 million people worldwide, making it one of the top ten mental disorders that interferes with one's ability to maintain productive daily and professional life. The suicide rate for this disorder is the highest of all psychiatric conditions. Treatment plays an important in the lives of patients because long-term medication and ongoing disease control are required to achieve remission and prevent relapse. With this in mind, this study aims to understand what patients experience during treatment, what their attitudes are to the treatment being provided, and what their treatment heeds are. [...].