Assessment of animal diseases caused by bacteria resistant to antimicrobials: cattle

In this opinion, the antimicrobial resistant bacteria responsible for transmissible diseases that constitute a threat to the health of cattle have been assessed. The assessment has been performed following a methodology based on information collected by an extensive literature review and expert judgement. Details of the methodology used for this assessment are explained in a separate opinion. A global state of play on antimicrobial resistance in clinical isolates of Escherichia coli (non-VTEC), Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus uberis, Streptococcus dysgalactiae, Pasteurella multocida, Mannheimia haemolytica, Histophilus somni, Mycoplasma bovis, Moraxella bovis, Fusobacterium necrophorum and Trueperella pyogenes is provided. Among those bacteria, EFSA identified E. coli and S. aureus with ≥ 66% certainty as being the most relevant antimicrobial resistant bacteria in cattle in the EU based on the available evidence. The animal health impact of these most relevant bacteria, as well as their eligibility for being listed and categorised within the animal health law framework will be assessed in separate scientific opinions

Assessment of animal diseases caused by bacteria resistant to antimicrobials: sheep and goats

In this opinion, the antimicrobial-resistant bacteria responsible for transmissible diseases that constitute a threat to the health of sheep and goats have been assessed. The assessment has been performed following a methodology based on information collected by an extensive literature review and expert judgement. Details of the methodology used for this assessment are explained in a separate opinion. A global state of play on antimicrobial resistance in clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli (non-VTEC), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Dichelobacter nodosus, Moraxella ovis, Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida, Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae, Mycoplasma agalactiae, Trueperella pyogenes, Streptococcus uberis, Bibersteinia trehalosi, Campylobacter fetus, Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. capri, Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capricolum, Fusobacterium necrophorum is provided. Among those bacteria, EFSA identified E. coli with ≥ 66% certainty as being the most relevant antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in sheep and goat in the EU based on the available evidence. The animal health impact of these most relevant bacteria, as well as their eligibility for being listed and categorised within the animal health law framework will be assessed in separate scientific opinions

Assessment of animal diseases caused by bacteria resistant to antimicrobials: Horses

In this opinion, the antimicrobial-resistant bacteria responsible for transmissible diseases that constitute a threat to the health of horses have been assessed. The assessment has been performed following a methodology composed of information collected via an extensive literature review and expert judgement. Details on the methodology used for this assessment are explained in a separate opinion. A global state of play of antimicrobial-resistant Actinobacillus equuli, Dermatophilus congolensis, Enterococcus spp., Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pasteurella spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Rhodococcus equi, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. dysgalactiae/equisimilis and Streptococcus equi subsp. equi and subsp. zooepidemicus has been provided. Among those bacteria, EFSA identified E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus and R. equi with more than 66% certainty as the most relevant antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in the EU, given their importance as causative agents of clinical disease in horses and the significant levels of resistance to clinically relevant antimicrobials. The animal health impact of these ‘most relevant’ bacteria as well as their eligibility of being listed and categorised within the animal health law framework will be assessed in separate scientific opinions

Assessment of animal diseases caused by bacteria resistant to antimicrobials: Poultry

open25siIn this opinion, the antimicrobial-resistant bacteria responsible for transmissible diseases that constitute a threat to poultry health have been assessed. The assessment has been performed following a methodology based on information collected by an extensive literature review and expert judgement. Details of the methodology used for this assessment are explained in a separate opinion. A global state of play is provided for: Avibacterium (Haemophilus) paragallinarum, Bordetella avium, Clostridium perfringens, Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus cecorum, Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, Escherichia coli, Gallibacterium spp., Mycoplasma synoviae, Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale, Pasteurella multocida, Riemerella anatipestifer and Staphylococcus aureus. Among those bacteria, EFSA identified Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus cecorum with ≥ 66% certainty as being the most relevant antimicrobial resistant bacteria in the EU based on the available evidence. The animal health impact of these most relevant bacteria, and their eligibility for being listed and categorised within the Animal Health Law Framework, will be assessed in separate scientific opinions.mixedNielsen S.S.; Bicout D.J.; Calistri P.; Canali E.; Drewe J.A.; Garin-Bastuji B.; Gonzales Rojas J.L.; Gortazar Schmidt C.; Herskin M.; Michel V.; Miranda Chueca M.A.; Padalino B.; Pasquali P.; Roberts H.C.; Spoolder H.; Stahl K.; Velarde A.; Viltrop A.; Winckler C.; Dewulf J.; Guardabassi L.; Hilbert F.; Mader R.; Baldinelli F.; Alvarez J.Nielsen S.S.; Bicout D.J.; Calistri P.; Canali E.; Drewe J.A.; Garin-Bastuji B.; Gonzales Rojas J.L.; Gortazar Schmidt C.; Herskin M.; Michel V.; Miranda Chueca M.A.; Padalino B.; Pasquali P.; Roberts H.C.; Spoolder H.; Stahl K.; Velarde A.; Viltrop A.; Winckler C.; Dewulf J.; Guardabassi L.; Hilbert F.; Mader R.; Baldinelli F.; Alvarez J

Assessment of the control measures of the category A diseases of Animal Health Law: Classical Swine Fever

EFSA received a mandate from the European Commission to assess the effectiveness of some of the control measures against diseases included in the Category A list according to Regulation (EU) 2016/429 on transmissible animal diseases (‘Animal Health Law’). This opinion belongs to a series of opinions where these control measures will be assessed, with this opinion covering the assessment of control measures for Classical swine fever (CSF). In this opinion, EFSA and the AHAW Panel of experts review the effectiveness of: (i) clinical and laboratory sampling procedures, (ii) monitoring period and (iii) the minimum radii of the protection and surveillance zones, and the minimum length of time the measures should be applied in these zones. The general methodology used for this series of opinions has been published elsewhere; nonetheless, details of the model used for answering these questions are presented in this opinion as well as the transmission kernels used for the assessment of the minimum radius of the protection and surveillance zones. Several scenarios for which these control measures had to be assessed were designed and agreed prior to the start of the assessment. Here, several recommendations are given on how to increase the effectiveness of some of the sampling procedures. Based on the average length of the period between virus introduction and the reporting of a CSF suspicion, the monitoring period was assessed as non-effective. In a similar way, it was recommended that the length of the measures in the protection and surveillance zones were increased from 15 to 25 days in the protection zone and from 30 to 40 days in the surveillance zone. Finally, the analysis of existing Kernels for CSF suggested that the radius of the protection and the surveillance zones comprise 99% of the infections from an affected establishment if transmission occurred. Recommendations provided for each of the scenarios assessed aim to support the European Commission in the drafting of further pieces of legislation, as well as for plausible ad hoc requests in relation to CSF

Valeurs de référence concernant le développement des mues des bois du Cerf ibérique (Cervus elaphus hispanicus)

[EN] Given that the introduction of allochthonous deer breeds in Spanish farms and hunting estates is becoming increasingly common, it is urgent to describe the morphology of Iberian red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) antlers. We use over 2,000 cast antlers collected in Sierra Morena (southern Spain) to provide reference values for beam and first (brow) tine length, beam and burr circumference, and antler weight, depending on the number of antler points. In addition, this study includes a mean gross score of the trophy calculated according to the official formulae, as well as its correlation with the antler variables considered in this study. Beam length is the single most important factor for high score trophies, while factors such as antler weight or the number of antler points contribute little to the gross score. Management implications of these data are discussed.[DE] Da die EinbÜrgerung von allochthonen Rotwildunterarten in spanischen Jagdrevieren immer Üblicher wird, ist es wichtig die Morphologie des Geweihes bei der Iberischen Unterart (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) zu beschreiben. In der vorliegenden Studie werden Über 2000 Abwurfstangen aus der Sierra Morena (SÜdspanien) beschrieben. FÜr jede Endenzahl werden Referenzdaten Über Stangenlänge, Augsprossenlänge, Stangenumfang zwischen Aug- und Mittelsprosse, Rosenumfang und Gewicht angegeben. Weiterhin wird untersucht, wie diese Faktoren die offizielle Bewertung beeinflussen. Die Stangenlänge ist der wichtigste Fakor fÜr hochwertige Trophäen. Gewicht oder Endenzahl haben dagegen einen relativ geringen Einfluss. Die Management-Konsequenzen dieser Ergebnisse werden diskutiert.This is a contribution to the Agreement between YOLANDA FIERRO and Universidad de Castilla - La Mancha, and has been partly funded by project AGL2001-3947, Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnologfa, FEDER.Peer reviewe

Risk of acquisition of human diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli virulence genes in intercontinental travellers:A prospective, multi-centre study

Background: We studied geographic distribution of diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli virulence genes (DEC VGs) acquisition in travellers and investigated if they acquired highly virulent EAEC/STEC hybrid strains. Methods: From the prospective, multicentre COMBAT study among 2001 Dutch travellers, 491 travellers were selected based on travel destination to 7 subregions. Faecal samples taken directly before and after travel were screened for nine DEC VGs with real-time PCR. Incidence proportions and rates were calculated for each gene and subregion. Results: 479 travellers were analysed. 21.8% acquired aggR (EAEC), with highest acquisition rates in Northern and Western Africa and 15.3% acquired eae (STEC/EPEC) with highest rates in travellers to Western and Eastern Africa. ETEC (elt or est gene) was acquired by 4.2% of travellers and acquisition of est was associated with traveller's diarrhoea. Overall, the risk of acquiring DEC VGs was low in Southern Africa and South America. Although the combination of aggR (EAEC) and stx1/2 (STEC) was acquired by 3 travellers, these genes could not be detected together in a single E. coli strain. Conclusions: The risk of acquisition of DEC VGs strongly depends on the travel destination, with those travelling to Africa - except Southern Africa - having a higher risk

Epidemiological analyses of African swine fever in the European Union (November 2018 to October 2019)

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