Trend analysis of antimicrobial resistance in Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli isolated from Belgian pork and poultry meat products using surveillance data of 2004-2009

The purpose of this study was to analyze and compare antimicrobial resistance in Campylobacter spp. isolated from pork and poultry carcasses and pork and poultry meat(at slaughterhouse level, during meat cutting and at retail) in Belgium, using available surveillance data over the period 2004-2009. The susceptibilities of 1724 Campylobacter isolates for ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, nalidixic acid, tetracycline, erythromycin and gentamicin were tested by E-test. Gentamicin resistance was low (near 0%) till 2007, with an increase to over 20% by 2009 for all species-matrix combinations. Resistance to tetracycline fluctuated around the same level during the entire study period and was significantly higher (p-value <0.05) in C. coli than in C. jejuni. Erythromycin resistance was low and showed a slight decrease between 2004 and 2007, but increased from 2007 till 2009. Fluoroquinolone and ampicillin resistance was significantly higher in isolates derived from poultry, compared to pork-related isolates. This correlates with the higher use of these antimicrobials in poultry husbandry. With one out of four, C. coli from poultry showed the most apparent multiresistance (resistance to four or more antimicrobials). Approximately 1% of the poultry-derived isolates (both C. coli and C. jejuni) showed resistance to all tested antimicrobials, while none was found in pork product

High-resolution GPS tracking reveals sex differences in migratory behaviour and stopover habitat use in the lesser black-backed gull Larus fuscus

Sex-, size-or age-dependent variation in migration strategies in birds is generally expected to reflect differences in competitive abilities. Theoretical and empirical studies thereby focus on differences in wintering areas, by which individuals may benefit from avoiding food competition during winter or ensuring an early return and access to prime nesting sites in spring. Here, we use GPS tracking to assess sex-and size-related variation in the spatial behaviour of adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls (Larus fuscus) throughout their annual cycle. We did not find sex-or size-dependent differences in wintering area or the timing of spring migration. Instead, sexual differences occurred prior to, and during, autumn migration, when females strongly focussed on agricultural areas. Females exhibited a more protracted autumn migration strategy, hence spent more time on stopover sites and arrived 15 days later at their wintering areas, than males. This shift in habitat use and protracted autumn migration coincided with the timing of moult, which overlaps with chick rearing and migration. Our results suggest that this overlap between energy-demanding activities may lead females to perform a more prolonged autumn migration, which results in spatiotemporal differences in foraging habitat use between the sexes

Make EU trade with Brazil sustainable

Brazil, home to one of the planet's last great forests, is currently in trade negotiations with its second largest trading partner, the European Union (EU). We urge the EU to seize this critical opportunity to ensure that Brazil protects human rights and the environment