Risk factors for Salmonella sp. in pig lymph nodes in Portuguese abattoirs

Salmonella is one of the major causes of food borne disease in the European Union (EU). Some of the human cases are related to pork products. An EU baseline survey to assess the Salmonella pork prevalence was performed. Mesenteric lymph nodes were cultured and Salmonella sp. isolates were serotyped. Data concerning the animal and the slaughterhouse was also collected. The aim of the present study was to search for potential risk factors to the presence of Salmonella sp. in pigs lymph nodes in Portugal and to search for differences in the risk profile between groups of serotypes. The data was analysed using a Bayesian approach to incorporate the hierarchical structure of the data (samples nested in slaughterhouses). Two models were analysed: a binomial (presence/absence of Salmonella sp.) and categorical model (absence of Salmonella sp., serotype Typhimurium or serotype 1,4,[5],12:i:-, other serotypes). A total number of 659 samples were tested, belonging to 36 slaughterhouses. Around 23.7% of the samples were positive for Salmonella sp.. In the binomial model a significant association was found for region of the slaughterhouse - Lisbon and Tagus Valley Region with lower risk compared to the Centre Region (OR=0.36). In the categorical model a significant association for category Typhimurium or 1,4,[5],12:i:- was found for the variable hour when the sample was taken - afternoon with lower risk compared to morning (OR=0.20). The association found for the slaughterhouse region should be a matter of furthers studies to evaluate the hygiene practices in the slaughterhouses of that region

Risk associations for presence of Salmonella sp. in pen samples of breeding pigs in Portugal using binomial multilevel models

As Salmonella is one of the major causes of food-borne disease in the European Union (EU), EU approved legislation to achieve a reduction of the prevalence of this agent in the pig sector. To set the target for this reduction in each country it was decided to carry out baseline surveys in the EU to estimate the prevalence of the agent. The dataset analyzed in this work refers to the cross sectional baseline survey on the prevalence of Salmonella in breeding pigs in Portugal. A total of 1670 pen fecal samples from 167 herds were submitted to fecal culture

Factors influencing young people (aged 14-19) in education about STEM subject choices: a systematic review of the UK literature

Everyone has to make choices at different stages in their life. Some of the most crucial relate to their education, in particular what combination of subjects they decide to take for higher-level study. For most young people such choices take place between the ages of 14 and 18. In England they are likely to be asked to make selections at 14, when they decide which GCSE courses they are to pursue, at 16 when they select their post-16 studies and then at 18 in deciding on higher or further education programmes or their chosen area of employment. As important as these choices are for individuals, such decisions also have wider economic implications for the country. This is particularly the case with STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects. Major government funded inquiries (e.g. Roberts, 2002; Smith, 2004) identified a mismatch between skills acquired during formal education and those required in the workplace. This phenomenon is not unique to the UK, with many OECD countries facing similar difficulties in terms of student participation in STEM (OECD Global Science Forum, 2006). In common with other countries the UK government is committed to fostering STEM related innovation in the UK. The Science and Innovation Investment Framework 2004-2014 (HM Treasury, 2004; 2006) set out priorities for addressing skills shortages. Improving education in the STEM subjects was identified as a key element, leading to the STEM Programme that was launched in October 2006. This provides a strategic framework through which support for STEM subjects in schools and colleges is made more effective and more accessible (DfES, 2006). A key premise underpinning many of the proposals is the view that young people begin to make choices about careers early in their education. Helping young people to make the most appropriate subject choices is therefore crucial, both to ensure that the country has the skills its needs for the economy and to enable young people to make the best choices to meet their own future needs and aspirations

Fraud and error in financial, welfare and revenue services: a systematic map of the empirical research evidence with particular reference to 'notification of changes of circumstances'

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) recognises that, in order to meet its strategic objectives, it is crucial to pay the right amount of benefit to the right person at the right time. During 2008/09, the DWP spent approximately £135.6 billion on benefits, of which it is estimated that about two per cent (£2.7 billion) was overpaid due to fraud and error. Recent estimates suggest that there were about £550 million of overpayments of Income Support (IS) and Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) (about five per cent of total spending on this type of benefit), £770 million on Housing Benefit (HB) (about 4.5 per cent of the total) and £340 million on Pension Credit (about 4.6 per cent of the total). Despite the increased measures undertaken to reduce fraud and error in the benefit system, the DWP acknowledges that new strategies for improving correctness of benefit payments are a priority. / In the light of this official commitment to reducing overpayments, there is considerable interest in the process of notifying a ‘change of circumstances (CoCs)’ and in potential strategies to reduce fraud and error. This project aimed to identify and describe existing research literature on issues within related fields of financial products/services, welfare provision, taxation, and tax credit systems. / This review is part of a wider programme of systematic review work commissioned by the DWP and carried out by the EPPI-Centre

Transmission parameters estimated for Salmonella typhimurium in swine using susceptible-infectious-resistant models and a Bayesian approach.

This is a freely-available open access publication. Please cite the published version which is available via the DOI link in this record.BACKGROUND: Transmission models can aid understanding of disease dynamics and are useful in testing the efficiency of control measures. The aim of this study was to formulate an appropriate stochastic Susceptible-Infectious-Resistant/Carrier (SIR) model for Salmonella Typhimurium in pigs and thus estimate the transmission parameters between states. RESULTS: The transmission parameters were estimated using data from a longitudinal study of three Danish farrow-to-finish pig herds known to be infected. A Bayesian model framework was proposed, which comprised Binomial components for the transition from susceptible to infectious and from infectious to carrier; and a Poisson component for carrier to infectious. Cohort random effects were incorporated into these models to allow for unobserved cohort-specific variables as well as unobserved sources of transmission, thus enabling a more realistic estimation of the transmission parameters. In the case of the transition from susceptible to infectious, the cohort random effects were also time varying. The number of infectious pigs not detected by the parallel testing was treated as unknown, and the probability of non-detection was estimated using information about the sensitivity and specificity of the bacteriological and serological tests. The estimate of the transmission rate from susceptible to infectious was 0.33 [0.06, 1.52], from infectious to carrier was 0.18 [0.14, 0.23] and from carrier to infectious was 0.01 [0.0001, 0.04]. The estimate for the basic reproduction ration (R0) was 1.91 [0.78, 5.24]. The probability of non-detection was estimated to be 0.18 [0.12, 0.25]. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed framework for stochastic SIR models was successfully implemented to estimate transmission rate parameters for Salmonella Typhimurium in swine field data. R0 was 1.91, implying that there was dissemination of the infection within pigs of the same cohort. There was significant temporal-cohort variability, especially at the susceptible to infectious stage. The model adequately fitted the data, allowing for both observed and unobserved sources of uncertainty (cohort effects, diagnostic test sensitivity), so leading to more reliable estimates of transmission parameters.FC

Assessing risk profiles for Salmonella serotypes in breeding pig operations in Portugal using a Bayesian hierarchical model

This is the final version of the article. Available from BioMed Central via the DOI in this record.BACKGROUND: The EU Regulation No 2160/2003 imposes a reduction in the prevalence of Salmonella in pigs. The efficiency of control programmes for Salmonella in pigs, reported among the EU Member States, varies and definitive eradication seems very difficult. Control measures currently recommended for Salmonella are not serotype-specific. Is it possible that the risk factors for different Salmonella serotypes are different? The aim of this study was to investigate potential risk factors for two groups of Salmonella sp serotypes using pen faecal samples from breeding pig holdings representative of the Portuguese pig sector. METHODS: The data used come from the Baseline Survey for the Prevalence of Salmonella in breeding pigs in Portugal. A total of 1670 pen faecal samples from 167 herds were tested, and 170 samples were positive for Salmonella. The presence of Salmonella in each sample (outcome variable) was classified in three categories: i) no Salmonella, ii) Salmonella Typhimurium or S. Typhimurium-like strains with the antigenic formula: 1,4,5,12:i:-, , and iii) other serotypes. Along with the sample collection, a questionnaire concerning herd management and potential risk factors was utilised. The data have a "natural" hierarchical structure so a categorical multilevel analysis of the dataset was carried out using a Bayesian hierarchical model. The model was estimated using Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods, implemented in the software WinBUGS. RESULTS: The significant associations found (when compared to category "no Salmonella"), for category "serotype Typhimurium or S. Typhimurium-like strains with the antigenic formula: 1,4,5,12:i:-" were: age of breeding sows, size of the herd, number of pigs/pen and source of semen. For the category "other serotypes" the significant associations found were: control of rodents, region of the country, source of semen, breeding sector room and source of feed. CONCLUSIONS: The risk factors significantly associated with Salmonella shedding from the category "serotype Typhimurium or serotype 1,4,5,12:i:-" were more related to animal factors, whereas those associated with "other serotypes" were more related to environmental factors. Our findings suggest that different control measures could be used to control different Salmonella serotypes in breeding pigs.We would like to thank FCT for the PhD scholarship (SFRH/BD/40932/2007) and for the strategic research project Pest-OE/AGR/UIO772/2011. We would like also to thank the Portuguese official veterinary authority (DGAV) for the data

Vet-OncoNet: Malignancy Analysis of Neoplasms in Dogs and Cats

Analysis of canine and feline tumor malignancy data can help clinicians identify high-risk patients and make more accurate decisions. Based on a sample of 16,272 cancer records, including 3266 cats and 13,006 dogs, collected from January 2019 to December 2021 in the Vet-OncoNet Network database, this study aimed to compare the tumor malignancy profile between cats and dogs, considering animal-related factors (sex, age, and breed), topography, and geographic location using a mixed-effects logistic regression model. Cats had a higher proportion of malignant tumors (78.7%) than dogs (46.2%), and the malignancy profile was very different regarding tumors’ topographies.The mean age of malignant tumors occurred eight months later than benign ones (9.1, SD = 3.4; 9.8,SD = 3.2), in general. Species (OR = 3.96, 95%CI 3.57: 4.39) and topography (MOR = 4.10) were the two most important determinants of malignancy risk. Female dogs had a higher risk than male dogs (OR = 1.19, 95%CI 1.08: 1.31), which does not appear to be the case in cats (OR = 0.98, 95%CI0.77: 1.23). Breed contributed significantly to differences in malignancy risk in dogs (MOR = 1.56), particularly in pit bulls and boxers. District of residence was not so relevant in predicting malignancy risk (MOR = 1.14). In both species, the risk of malignancy increased by approximately 20% every three years. It could be hypothesized that species differences in genetic structure may contribute to tumor malignancy

Cross Species Analysis and Comparison of Tumors in Dogs and Cats, by Age, Sex, Topography and Main Morphologies. Data from Vet-OncoNet

The animal cancer burden is essential for the translational value of companion animals in comparative oncology. The present work aims to describe, analyze, and compare frequencies and associations of tumors in dogs and cats based on the Animal Cancer Registry created by Vet-OncoNet. With 9079 registries, regarding 2019 and 2020, 81% (n = 7355) belonged to dogs. In comparison, cats have a general one-year right advance in the mean age of cancer diagnosis compared to dogs. The multivariate topography group analysis shows a distinct pattern between the two species: dogs have higher odds of cancer in the genito-urinary system, spleen, soft tissue tumors and skin, while cats show higher odds for tumors in the eyes, digestive organs, nasal cavity, lymph nodes, bones and mammary glands. Regarding morphologies, dogs are overrepresented in mast cell tumors (MCT), melanomas, and hemangiosarcomas. While cats are overrepresented in fibrosarcomas, lymphomas (T and B-cell), in malignant mammary tumors, and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Females have greater odds only in the mammary gland, with males having greater odds in six of twelve topographies. This study is the first outcome of continuous animal cancer registration studies in Portugal