Occurrence of antimicrobial resistance among bacterial pathogens and indicator bacteria in pigs in different European countries from year 2002 – 2004 : the ARBAO-II study

Background: The project "Antibiotic resistance in bacteria of animal origin – II" (ARBAO-II) was funded by the European Union (FAIR5-QLK2-2002-01146) for the period 2003–05. The aim of this project was to establish a program for the continuous monitoring of antimicrobial susceptibility of pathogenic and indicator bacteria from food animals using validated and harmonised methodologies. In this report the first data on the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance among bacteria causing infections in pigs are reported. Methods: Susceptibility data from 17,642 isolates of pathogens and indicator bacteria including Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Streptococcus suis and Escherichia coli isolated from pigs were collected from fifteen European countries in 2002–2004.Results: Data for A. pleuropneumoniae from infected pigs were submitted from five countries. Most of the isolates from Denmark were susceptible to all drugs tested with the exceptions of a low frequency of resistance to tetracycline and trimethoprim – sulphonamide. Data for S. suis were obtained from six countries. In general, a high level of resistance to tetracycline (48.0 – 92.0%) and erythromycin (29.1 – 75.0%) was observed in all countries whereas the level of resistance to ciprofloxacin and penicillin differed between the reporting countries. Isolates from England (and Wales), France and The Netherlands were all susceptible to penicillin. In contrast the proportion of strains resistant to ciprofloxacin ranged from 12.6 to 79.0% (2004) and to penicillin from 8.1 – 13.0% (2004) in Poland and Portugal. Data for E. coli from infected and healthy pigs were obtained from eleven countries. The data reveal a high level of resistance to tetracyclines, streptomycin and ampicillin among infected pigs whereas in healthy pigs the frequency of resistance was lower. Conclusion: Bacterial resistance to some antimicrobials was frequent with different levels of resistance being observed to several antimicrobial agents in different countries. The occurrence of resistance varied distinctly between isolates from healthy and diseased pigs, with the isolates from healthy pigs generally showing a lower level of resistance than those from diseased pigs. The study suggests that the choice of antimicrobials used for the treatment of diseased animals should preferably be based on knowledge of the local pattern of resistance

Occurrence of antimicrobial resistance among bacterial pathogens

Background: The project "Antibiotic resistance in bacteria of animal origin – II" (ARBAO-II) was funded by the European Union (FAIR5-QLK2-2002-01146) for the period 2003–05. The aim of this project was to establish a program for the continuous monitoring of antimicrobial susceptibility of pathogenic and indicator bacteria from food animals using validated and harmonised methodologies. In this report the first data on the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance among bacteria causing infections in pigs are reported. Methods: Susceptibility data from 17,642 isolates of pathogens and indicator bacteria including Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Streptococcus suis and Escherichia coli isolated from pigs were collected from fifteen European countries in 2002–2004.Results: Data for A. pleuropneumoniae from infected pigs were submitted from five countries. Most of the isolates from Denmark were susceptible to all drugs tested with the exceptions of a low frequency of resistance to tetracycline and trimethoprim – sulphonamide. Data for S. suis were obtained from six countries. In general, a high level of resistance to tetracycline (48.0 – 92.0%) and erythromycin (29.1 – 75.0%) was observed in all countries whereas the level of resistance to ciprofloxacin and penicillin differed between the reporting countries. Isolates from England (and Wales), France and The Netherlands were all susceptible to penicillin. In contrast the proportion of strains resistant to ciprofloxacin ranged from 12.6 to 79.0% (2004) and to penicillin from 8.1 – 13.0% (2004) in Poland and Portugal. Data for E. coli from infected and healthy pigs were obtained from eleven countries. The data reveal a high level of resistance to tetracyclines, streptomycin and ampicillin among infected pigs whereas in healthy pigs the frequency of resistance was lower. Conclusion: Bacterial resistance to some antimicrobials was frequent with different levels of resistance being observed to several antimicrobial agents in different countries. The occurrence of resistance varied distinctly between isolates from healthy and diseased pigs, with the isolates from healthy pigs generally showing a lower level of resistance than those from diseased pigs. The study suggests that the choice of antimicrobials used for the treatment of diseased animals should preferably be based on knowledge of the local pattern of resistance

Hip geometry, bone mineral distribution, and bone strength in European men and women: the EPOS study.

Hip geometry and bone mineral density (BMD) have been shown previously to relate, independently of each other, to risk of hip fracture. We used Lunar DPX "beta" versions of hip strength analysis (HSA) and hip axis length (HAL) software to analyze scans from ten representative age-stratified population samples in the European Prospective Osteoporosis Study (EPOS). All 1617 subjects were >50 years of age, and 1033 were women. The data were modeled with gender and center as categorical variables. The bone mineral density of the upper half of the femoral neck declined at a faster rate with age than that in the lower half. Femoral neck cross-sectional moment of inertia (CSMI), a measure of resistance to bending, showed no significant age reduction in either gender. However, height and weight effects on CSMI were significantly more beneficial in men than in women (0.002 < p < 0.012) and the weight effect appeared to be mediated by bone mineral content (BMC). Compressive stress (Cstress), defined as the stress in the femoral neck at its weakest cross section arising from a standardized fall, was higher in women. Although Cstress increased with body weight when BMC was held constant, in practice it fell through the association and statistical interaction of rising body weight with rising BMC. HAL, as expected, was strongly positively associated with male gender and also height (p < 0.0001). Hip strength-related indices were markedly center-dependent. Significant differences (p < 0.0001) were noted between the centers for all the variables investigated that related to hip geometry. Adjustment for femoral neck bone mineral content (totBMC) showed these center differences to account for >50% of center variation in hip strength, which remained highly significant (p < 0.0001). We conclude that there are substantial geographical differences in femoral neck geometry as well as in BMD. These geometric variations may contribute to the large variations in hip fracture risk across Europe. The effects of aging on hip strength need to be explored in longitudinal studies

Hip geometry, bone mineral distribution, and bone strength in European men and women: the EPOS study.

Hip geometry and bone mineral density (BMD) have been shown previously to relate, independently of each other, to risk of hip fracture. We used Lunar DPX "beta" versions of hip strength analysis (HSA) and hip axis length (HAL) software to analyze scans from ten representative age-stratified population samples in the European Prospective Osteoporosis Study (EPOS). All 1617 subjects were >50 years of age, and 1033 were women. The data were modeled with gender and center as categorical variables. The bone mineral density of the upper half of the femoral neck declined at a faster rate with age than that in the lower half. Femoral neck cross-sectional moment of inertia (CSMI), a measure of resistance to bending, showed no significant age reduction in either gender. However, height and weight effects on CSMI were significantly more beneficial in men than in women (0.002 50% of center variation in hip strength, which remained highly significant (p < 0.0001). We conclude that there are substantial geographical differences in femoral neck geometry as well as in BMD. These geometric variations may contribute to the large variations in hip fracture risk across Europe. The effects of aging on hip strength need to be explored in longitudinal studies