Salmonellosis: A Case Report

Salmonella sp. is known to infect many different species of animals. This paper will describe a case of Salmonellosis in a conure. The term conure refers to birds in several neotropical genera of the Psittacine family found in South and Central America

Whole-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis capture the emergence of a multi-drug resistant Salmonella enterica serovar Infantis clone from diagnostic animal samples in the United States

IntroductionSalmonella enterica is a major cause of foodborne illness in the United States. A multi-drug resistant (MDR) emergent Salmonella Infantis (ESI) with a megaplasmid (pESI) was first identified in Israel and Italy and subsequently reported worldwide. The ESI clone carrying an extended spectrum β-lactamase blaCTX-M-65 on a pESI-like plasmid and a mutation in the gyrA gene has recently been found in the United States in poultry meat.MethodsWe analyzed the phenotypic and genotypic antimicrobial resistance, genomics and phylogeny of 200 S. infantis isolates from animal diagnostic samples.ResultsOf these, 33.5% were resistant to at least one antimicrobial and 19.5% were multi-drug resistant (MDR). Eleven isolates from different animal sources were phenotypically and genetically similar to the ESI clone. These isolates had a D87Y mutation in the gyrA gene conferring reduced susceptibility to ciprofloxacin and harbored a combination of 6–10 resistance genes: blaCTX-M-65, aac(3)-IVa, aadA1, aph(4)-Ia, aph(3′)-Ia, floR, sul1, dfrA14, tetA, and fosA. These 11 isolates carried class I and class II integrons and three virulence genes: sinH, involved in adhesion and invasion, ybtQ and ybtP, associated with iron transport. These isolates were also closely related to each other (separated by 7 to 27 SNPs) and phylogenetically related to the ESI clone recently found in the U.S.DiscussionThis dataset captured the emergence of the MDR ESI clone in multiple animal species and the first report of a pESI-like plasmid in isolates from horses in the U.S

Identification of equine mares as reservoir hosts for pathogenic species of Leptospira

Equine leptospirosis can result in abortion, stillbirth, neonatal death, placentitis, and uveitis. Horses can also act as subclinical reservoir hosts of infection, which are characterized as asymptomatic carriers that persistently excrete leptospires and transmit disease. In this study, PCR and culture were used to assess urinary shedding of pathogenic Leptospira from 37 asymptomatic mares. Three asymptomatic mares, designated as H2, H8, and H9, were PCR-positive for lipL32, a gene specific for pathogenic species of Leptospira. One asymptomatic mare, H9, was culture-positive, and the recovered isolate was classified as L. kirschneri serogroup Australis serovar Rushan. DNA capture and enrichment of Leptospira genomic DNA from PCR-positive, culture-negative samples determined that asymptomatic mare H8 was also shedding L. kirschneri serogroup Australis, whereas asymptomatic mare H2 was shedding L. interrogans serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae. Sera from all asymptomatic mares were tested by the microscopic agglutination test (MAT) and 35 of 37 (94.6%) were seropositive with titers ranging from 1:100 to 1:3200. In contrast to asymptomatic mares, mare H44 presented with acute spontaneous abortion and a serum MAT titer of 1:102,400 to L. interrogans serogroup Pomona serovar Pomona. Comparison of L. kirschneri serogroup Australis strain H9 with that of L. interrogans serogroup Pomona strain H44 in the hamster model of leptospirosis corroborated differences in virulence of strains. Since lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a protective antigen in bacterin vaccines, the LPS of strain H9 (associated with subclinical carriage) was compared with strain H44 (associated with spontaneous abortion). This revealed different LPS profiles and immunoreactivity with reference antisera. It is essential to know what species and serovars of Leptospira are circulating in equine populations to design efficacious vaccines and diagnostic tests. Our results demonstrate that horses in the US can act as reservoir hosts of leptospirosis and shed diverse pathogenic Leptospira species via urine. This report also details the detection of L. kirschneri serogroup Australis serovar Rushan, a species and serotype of Leptospira, not previously reported in the US

Isolation and characterization of saprophytic and pathogenic strains of Leptospira from water sources in the Midwestern United States

The genus Leptospira is a diverse and unique group of bacteria comprising multiple saprophytic and pathogenic species, which survive and persist in suitable moist environments. Pathogenic species cause human and animal leptospirosis, a global and neglected zoonotic disease. Disease transmission occurs by exposure to contaminated water and moist soil environments or by contact with domestic animals and wildlife acting as reservoir hosts that shed Leptospira via urine. Here, we describe the unexpected diversity of saprophytic and pathogenic species of Leptospira isolated from water in the Midwestern United States. Samples were collected by volunteers in 11 counties in Iowa from water sources, including puddles, sewage, creeks, ponds, lakes, and rivers, during the summer of 2021. One hundred and five water samples were tested by culture for the presence of saprophytic and pathogenic species and by lipL32 qPCR specific for the detection of pathogens; 82 (78.1%) were culture positive and five (4.8%) were positive by lipL32 qPCR. Whole genome sequencing of isolates cultured from water samples identified 10 species of saprophytes, namely L. montravelensis, L. kemamanensis, L. bandrabouensis, L. bourretii, L. bouyouniensis, L. chreensis, L. ellinghausenii, L. terpstrae, L. yanagawae, and L. abararensis, as well as three novel saprophytic species. Whole genome sequencing also identified two novel pathogenic species. The remaining cultures comprised mixed populations of saprophytic species and six comprised a mixture of saprophytic and pathogenic species. One of these mixed cultures was enriched to select for a clonal isolate of pathogenic Leptospira, strain WS101.C1, which was classified as L. interrogans serogroup Djasiman serovar Djasiman. Cumulatively, 9.5% (10/105) of water samples were positive for pathogenic Leptospira. This study emphasizes the diversity of Leptospira present in water sources in the Midwestern United States and provides unique opportunities to explore the geographic diversity and evolution of this genus. The identification of known and novel pathogenic species circulating in local water sources highlights their potential usefulness as diagnostic antigens, as well as the role of water in the transmission of infection to human and animal populations. Integrating knowledge on human, animal, and environmental health is essential to control and predict risk for zoonoses

Characterization of Clinically-Attenuated Burkholderia mallei by Whole Genome Sequencing: Candidate Strain for Exclusion from Select Agent Lists

is an understudied biothreat agent responsible for glanders which can be lethal in humans and animals. Research with this pathogen has been hampered in part by constraints of Select Agent regulations for safety reasons. Whole genomic sequencing (WGS) is an apt approach to characterize newly discovered or poorly understood microbial pathogens. genome. Therefore, the strain by itself is unlikely to revert naturally to its virulent phenotype. There were other genes present in one strain and not the other and vice-versa. was both avirulent in the natural host ponies, and did not possess T3SS associated genes may be fortuitous to advance biodefense research. The deleted virulence-essential T3SS is not likely to be re-acquired naturally. These findings may provide a basis for exclusion of SAVP1 from the Select Agent regulation or at least discussion of what else would be required for exclusion. This exclusion could accelerate research by investigators not possessing BSL-3 facilities and facilitate the production of reagents such as antibodies without the restraints of Select Agent regulation

Mongooses (\u3ci\u3eUrva auropunctata\u3c/i\u3e) as reservoir hosts of leptospira species in the United States Virgin Islands, 2019–2020

During 2019–2020, the Virgin Islands Department of Health investigated potential animal reservoirs of Leptospira spp., the bacteria that cause leptospirosis. In this cross-sectional study, we investigated Leptospira spp. exposure and carriage in the small Indian mongoose (Urva auropunctata, syn: Herpestes auropunctatus), an invasive animal species. This study was conducted across the three main islands of the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI), which are St. Croix, St. Thomas, and St. John. We used the microscopic agglutination test (MAT), fluorescent antibody test (FAT), real-time polymerase chain reaction (lipl32 rt-PCR), and bacterial culture to evaluate serum and kidney specimens and compared the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of these laboratory meth-ods. Mongooses (n = 274) were live-trapped at 31 field sites in ten regions across USVI and humanely euthanized for Leptospira spp. testing. Bacterial isolates were sequenced and evaluated for species and phylogenetic analysis using the ppk gene. Anti-Leptospira spp. antibodies were detected in 34% (87/256) of mongooses. Reactions were observed with the following serogroups: Sejroe, Icterohaemorrhagiae, Pyrogenes, Mini, Cynopteri, Australis, Hebdomadis, Autumnalis, Mankarso, Pomona, and Ballum. Of the kidney specimens exam-ined, 5.8% (16/270) were FAT-positive, 10% (27/274) were culture-positive, and 12.4% (34/ 274) were positive by rt-PCR. Of the Leptospira spp. isolated from mongooses, 25 were L. borgpetersenii, one was L. interrogans, and one was L. kirschneri. Positive predictive values of FAT and rt-PCR testing for predicting successful isolation of Leptospira by culture were 88% and 65%, respectively. The isolation and identification of Leptospira spp. in mongooses highlights the potential role of mongooses as a wildlife reservoir of leptospirosis; mongooses could be a source of Leptospira spp. infections for other wildlife, domestic animals, and humans

Salmonellosis: A Case Report

Salmonella sp. is known to infect many different species of animals. This paper will describe a case of Salmonellosis in a conure. The term conure refers to birds in several neotropical genera of the Psittacine family found in South and Central America.</p