Salmonella enterica serotype Virchow associated with human infections in Switzerland: 2004-2009

BACKGROUND: Salmonellosis is one of the most important foodborne diseases and a major threat to public health. Salmonella serotype Virchow ranks among the top five serovars in Europe. METHOD: A total of 153 strains isolated from different patients from 2004 through 2009 in Switzerland were further characterized by (i) assessing phenotypic antibiotic resistance profiles using the disk diffusion method and (ii) by genotyping using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) after macrorestriction with XbaI in order to evaluate strain relationship. RESULTS: The relative frequency of S. Virchow among other Salmonella serovars varied between 4th to 8th rank. The annual incidence ranged from 0.45/100'000 in 2004 to 0.40/100'000 in 2009. A total of 48 strains (32%) were resistant to one to 3 antimicrobials, 54 strains (36%) displayed resistance patterns to more than three antibiotics. No trend was identifiable over the years 2004 to 2009. We found a high prevalence (62%) of nalidixic acid resistant strains, suggesting an equally high rate of decreased fluoroqionolone susceptibility, whereas intermediate resistance to ciprofloxacin was negligible. Two strains were extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producers. Analysis of PFGE patterns uncovered a predominant cluster (similarity coefficient above 80%) consisting of 104 of the 153 strains. CONCLUSION: The worldwide increase of antibiotic resistances in Salmonella is an emerging public health problem. For Switzerland, no clear trend is identifiable over the years 2004 to 2009 for S. Virchow. Antimicrobial susceptibility and resistance profiles varied considerably within this period. Nevertheless, the situation in Switzerland coincided with findings in other European countries. Genotyping results of this strain collection revealed no evidence for an undetected outbreak within this time period

Bovine antibody-based oral immunotherapy for reduction of intragastric Helicobacter pylori colonization: A randomized clinical trial

BACKGROUND: Antibiotic-based regimens are frequently used for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection. These regimens fail to eradicate H pylori in 15% to 40% of patients, primarily due to antimicrobial resistance and insufficient patient compliance. Effective prevention and eradication of H pylori by passive immunization with orally administered bovine antibodies has been demonstrated in animal studies, and may serve as an alternative therapy in humans

Faecal carriage of Clostridioides difficile is low among veterinary healthcare workers in the Netherlands

Veterinary healthcare workers are in close contact with many different animals and might be at an increased risk of acquiring Clostridioides difficile. In this cross-sectional study, we assessed the prevalence and risk factors of C. difficile carriage in Dutch veterinary healthcare workers. Participants provided a faecal sample and filled out a questionnaire covering potential risk factors for C. difficile carriage. C. difficile culture positive isolates were polymerase chain reaction (PCR) ribotyped and the presence of toxin genes tcdA, tcdB and cdtA/cdtB was determined. Eleven of 482 [2.3%; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.3-4.0] veterinary healthcare workers were carriers of C. difficile. Three persons carried C. difficile ribotype 078 (0.6%; 95% CI 0.2-1.8). Risk factors for carriage were health/medication and hygiene related, including poor hand hygiene after patient (animal) contact, and did not include occupational contact with certain animal species. In conclusion, the prevalence of C. difficile carriage in veterinary healthcare workers was low and no indications were found that working in veterinary care is a risk for C. difficile carriage

Overview of Screening carbapenemase-producing bacteria in animals and animal products: is the current screening sufficient?

In dit onderzoek is gekeken of de huidige monitoring van carbapenemase-producerende bacteriën (CPE) voldoende is om betrouwbare uitspraken te kunnen doen over het vóórkomen van deze bacteriën in dieren en/of dierlijke producten. De conclusie van dit rapport is dat méér en gerichter monsters van dieren en dierlijke producten genomen zouden moeten worden om lage prevalenties (vóórkomen) van CPE te kunnen monitoren. Daarmee wordt tevens de kans verhoogd besmettingen met CPE te ontdekken, voordat het verspreid is naar meerdere bedrijven, dieren en/of (dierlijke) producten. Het gaat om antibioticaresistente bacteriën die resistent zijn tegen het soms nog laatste redmiddel bij infecties, carbapenem antibiotica. Deze bacteriën worden gezien als bedreiging voor de volksgezondheid. Gelukkig komen deze nog niet zo vaak bij mensen in Nederland voor. Als dit type bacteriën in ziekenhuizen wordt aangetroffen, worden maatregelen getroffen om ervoor te zorgen dat ze zich niet verder kunnen verspreiden naar risicogroepen. Hoewel CPE tot nu toe in Nederland nog niet in dieren en/of dierlijke producten zijn aangetroffen, kunnen ook dieren en/of dierlijke producten een rol spelen bij de verspreiding ervan naar de mens. CPE zijn in het buitenland al wel incidenteel gevonden bij dieren. In de Nederlandse veestapel, onder gezelschapsdieren en in (dierlijke) producten vindt op dit moment een monitoring plaats naar CPE. Het is echter onzeker of deze monitoring voldoende is om veranderingen in het vóórkomen van CPE te bepalen en om CPE te vinden, op het moment dat deze nog niet verspreid zijn naar meerdere bedrijven, dieren en/of (dierlijke) producten. Daarom heeft het ministerie van VWS het RIVM gevraagd voorliggend onderzoek te doen. Het brengt de huidige monitoring van CPE in de Nederlandse veestapel, gezelschapsdieren en dierlijke producten gedetailleerd in kaart, geeft een overzicht van de betrouwbaarheid van deze metingen en inventariseert mogelijke verbeteringen. Uit het onderzoek blijkt dat de aantallen monsters die van dieren en producten genomen worden te klein zijn om betrouwbare uitspraken te doen over de afwezigheid van CPE in de veestapel en om veranderingen bij een lage prevalentie te kunnen waarnemen. Daarom wordt aanbevolen om in de monitoring meer monsters te onderzoeken. Ook is het zinvol om te analyseren waar de grootste risico's voor introductie van CPE in dieren en/of dierlijke producten liggen, zodat de aanvullende metingen zo gericht mogelijk kunnen worden uitgevoerd. Een eerste verkennende risico inventarisatie laat zien dat import van dieren en/of dierlijke producten uit gebieden waar CPE voorkomt, een mogelijk risico is voor invoer van CPE naar Nederland. Productiedieren kunnen ook besmet worden door overdracht vanuit bedrijven hoger in de productieketen, waar op dit moment geen monitoring plaatsvindt. Daarnaast kan er ook overdracht plaats vinden via besmette mensen. Door méér en gerichter monsters van dieren en (dierlijke) producten te nemen kan de afwezigheid van CPE met een betere betrouwbaarheid worden bepaald. Daarmee wordt tevens de kans verhoogd besmettingen met CPE te ontdekken, voordat het verspreid is naar meerdere bedrijven, dieren en/of (dierlijke) producten.This study examined whether current monitoring of carbapenemase-producing bacteria (CPE) can reliably detect the presence or absence of CPE in animals and/or animal products. The report concludes that it is necessary to take more samples of animals and animal products in a more targeted manner to be able to monitor a low prevalence of CPE This will also increase the chance of finding CPE before it has spread to different farms, animals and/or (animal) products. CPE are antibiotic-resistant bacteria that are resistant to the last resort in infections, carbapenem antibiotics. These bacteria are seen as a threat to public health. Fortunately, they are not often found in humans in the Netherlands as yet. When this type of bacteria is found in hospitals, measures are taken to ensure they cannot spread further to risk groups. Although CPE have not been found in animals and/or animal products in the Netherlands as yet, animals and/or animal products can play a role in spreading it to humans. CPE are occasionally found in animals abroad. Dutch livestock, pets and animal products are currently monitored for CPE. However, it is uncertain whether this monitoring is sufficient to detect changes in CPE presence and to find CPE when they are not yet widely distributed among farms, animals and/or (animal) products. For this reason, the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport has asked RIVM to conduct a preliminary study. It gives a detailed assessment of current monitoring of CPE in Dutch livestock, pets and animal products, provides an overview of the reliability of these measurements and identifies potential improvements. The study shows that the numbers of samples taken from animals and products are too low to make reliable statements about the absence of CPE among livestock and to detect trends when the prevalence is low. Therefore more samples will have to be examined in order to monitor these trends. It is also useful to investigate where the greatest risks for the introduction of CPE in animals and/or animal products lie so that additional measurements can be carried out in the most targeted manner. A first exploratory risk inventory shows that import of animals and/or animal products from areas where CPE occurs is a potential risk for CPE entry into the Netherlands. Production animals can also acquire CPE through transmission from farms higher in the production chain. No monitoring currently takes place in the farms higher in the production chain. In addition, transmission can also occur via human carriers. Absence of CPE can be investigated more reliably by taking more samples from animals and (animal) products in a more targeted manner. This will also increase the chance of finding CPE before it has spread to more farms, animals and/or (animal) products.Ministerie van VW