Zoonotic Escherichia coli

Escherichia coli is a normal inhabitant of the gastrointestinal tract of all warm-blooded animals, but variants of this species is also among the important etiological agents of enteritis and several extraintestinal diseases. The E. coli strains that cause diarrhoeal illness are categorised into pathogenicity groups based on virulence properties, mechanisms of pathogenicity, clinical symptoms and serology. The five main categories include enterotoxinogenic E. coli (ETEC), enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), enteroaggregative E. coli (EAggEC), enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC) and Shiga (Vero) toxin-producing E. coli (STEC/VTEC). From a zoonotic point of view, STEC is the only E. coli pathogenicity group of major interest, as the shiga toxin-producing strains are able to cause severe disease in humans when being transmitted through the food chain from their animal reservoirs. The focus of this manuscript is therefore on STEC; pathogenicity factors, disease, the reservoirs and on-farm ecology, transmission into the food chain, growth and survival in food and in the environment, and the shiga toxin-encoding bacteriophages.</p

Bakteriologisk kvalitet av salat gjødsla med storfegjødsel

Målet med denne undersøkinga var å samanlikna den bakteriologiske kvaliteten, inkludert førekomsten av visse patogen, av økologisk dyrka salat gjødsla med ulike typar storfegjødsel. Feltforsøk med isbergsalat ( Lactuca sativavar. Crispum, ’Iglo’) vart utført i 2001 og 2002. Behandlingane var blautgjødsel, fastgjødsel, kompostert storfegjødsel og mineralgjødsel. Prøvar av jord, gjødsel, gjødsla jord, oppalsplantar, salat og dei ytre blada av salatplantane (i 2002) vart analysert for indikatorbakteriar for fekal forureining (termotolerante koliforme bakteriar (TKB) og Escherichia coli), E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp. og L. monocytogenes. Det vart funne statistisk sikker forskjell mellom behandlingane i mengde TKB i gjødsla jord, men det vart ikkje funne noko forskjell i bakteriologisk kvalitet på salat ved hausting. I 2002 vart det funne E. coli O157:H7 i blautgjødsel og fastgjødsel, og jord gjødsla med blautgjødsel og fastgjødsel ei veke etter gjødsling. Bakterien vart ikkje funne på salat ved hausting. Ingen prøvar i undersøkinga inneheld Salmonella spp. eller L. monocytogenes. Resultata frå forsøket tyder på ingen forskjell i bakteriologisk kvalitet på økologisk dyrka isbergsalat gjødsla med ulike typar storfegjødsel

Antimicrobial resistance—Do we share more than companionship with our dogs?

Aims To investigate and compare antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) in faeces from cohabiting dogs and owners. Methods and Results DNA from faecal samples from 35 dogs and 35 owners was screened for the presence of 34 clinically relevant ARGs using high throughput qPCR. In total, 24 and 25 different ARGs were present in the dog and owner groups, respectively. The households had a mean of 9.9 ARGs present, with dogs and owners sharing on average 3.3 ARGs. ARGs were shared significantly more in households with dogs over 6 years old (3.5, interquartile range 2.75–5.0) than in households with younger dogs (2.5, interquartile range 2.0–3.0) (p = 0.02). Dogs possessed significantly more mecA and aminoglycoside resistance genes than owners. Conclusions Dogs and owners can act as reservoirs for a broad range of ARGs belonging to several antimicrobial resistance classes. A modest proportion of the same resistance genes were present in both dogs and owners simultaneously, indicating that ARG transmission between the dog and human gut is of minor concern in the absence of antimicrobial selection. Significance and Impact of the Study This study provides insight into the common dog and human gut resistomes, contributing to an improved knowledge base in risk assessments regarding ARG transmission between dogs and humans.Antimicrobial resistance—Do we share more than companionship with our dogs?publishedVersio

Freshwater plastispheres as a vector for foodborne bacteria and viruses

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A risk assessment of shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in the Norwegian meat chain with emphasis on dry-cured sausages

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Additive Bayesian networks for antimicrobial resistance and potential risk factors in non-typhoidal Salmonella isolates from layer hens in Uganda

Background: Multi-drug resistant bacteria are seen increasingly and there are gaps in our understanding of the complexity of antimicrobial resistance, partially due to a lack of appropriate statistical tools. This hampers efficient treatment, precludes determining appropriate intervention points and renders prevention very difficult. Methods: We re-analysed data from a previous study using additive Bayesian networks. The data contained information on resistances against seven antimicrobials and seven potential risk factors from 86 non-typhoidal Salmonella isolates from laying hens in 46 farms in Uganda. Results: The final graph contained 22 links between risk factors and antimicrobial resistances. Solely ampicillin resistance was linked to the vaccinating person and disposal of dead birds. Systematic associations between ampicillin and sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim and chloramphenicol, which was also linked to sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim were detected. Sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim was also directly linked to ciprofloxacin and trimethoprim. Trimethoprim was linked to sulfonamide and ciprofloxacin, which was also linked to sulfonamide. Tetracycline was solely linked to ciprofloxacin. Conclusions: Although the results needs to be interpreted with caution due to a small data set, additive Bayesian network analysis allowed a description of a number of associations between the risk factors and antimicrobial resistances investigated

Nordic Vets against AMR—An Initiative to Share and Promote Good Practices in the Nordic–Baltic Region

In the Nordic countries, antimicrobial use in animals and the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance are among the lowest in Europe. The network “Nordic Vets Against AMR” organized a meeting in 2021, with key actors including representatives from universities, veterinary authorities and veterinary organizations in Finland, Norway and Sweden. This paper reflects the most important discussions on education, research, policy and future perspectives, including the experiences of these countries. It concludes that Nordic veterinarians are well placed to lead the way in the fight against antimicrobial resistance and that the sharing of experiences can support colleagues in other countries. Veterinary education must go hand in hand with research activities and continuously updated guidelines and legislation. There is also a need for postgraduate training on antimicrobial resistance and prudent antimicrobial use. The veterinary profession must, by any means necessary, protect the efficiency of antimicrobials for the sake of animal health, animal welfare and productivity, as well as public health. While restrictive use of antimicrobials is crucial, the ability of veterinarians to use this medical tool is also important for the sake of animal welfare and global food security

Surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in the environment - Scientific Opinion of the Panel on Microbial Ecology, Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment

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Surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in the environment - Scientific Opinion of the Panel on Microbial Ecology, Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment

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