Analyses of Extended-Spectrum-β-Lactamase, Metallo-β-Lactamase, and AmpC-β-Lactamase Producing Enterobacteriaceae from the Dairy Value Chain in India

The consumption of milk contaminated with antibiotic-resistant bacteria poses a significant health threat to humans. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of Enterobacteriaceae producing beta-lactamases (ESBL, MBL, and AmpC) in cow and buffalo milk samples from two Indian states, Haryana and Assam. A total of 401 milk samples were collected from dairy farmers and vendors in the specified districts. Microbiological assays, antibiotic susceptibility testing, and PCR-based genotyping were employed to analyze 421 Gram-negative bacterial isolates. The overall prevalence of beta-lactamase genes was 10% (confidence interval (CI) (7-13)), with higher rates in Haryana (13%, CI (9-19)) compared to Assam (7%, CI (4-11)). The identified beta-lactamase genes in isolates were blaCMY, blaMOX, blaFOX, blaEBC, and blaDHA, associated with AmpC production. Additionally, blaCTX-M1, blaSHV, and blaTEM were detected as ESBL producers, while blaVIM, blaIMP, blaSPM, blaSIM, and blaGIM were identified as MBL producers. Notably, Shigella spp. were the dominant beta-lactamase producers among identified Enterobacteriaceae. This study highlights the presence of various prevalent beta-lactamase genes in milk isolates, indicating the potential risk of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in dairy products. The presence of beta-lactam resistance raises concern as this could restrict antibiotic options for treatment. The discordance between genotypic and phenotypic methods emphasizes the necessity for comprehensive approaches that integrate both techniques to accurately assess antibiotic resistance. Urgent collaborative action incorporating rational and regulated use of antibiotics across the dairy value chain is required to address the global challenge of beta-lactam resistance

Foodborne hazards in food in Burkina Faso, 1990-2019: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Foodborne diseases impose substantial public health burden and jeopardize socio-economic development worldwide. While accurate information on foodborne hazards is needed for informed decision in food safety interventions, such information is scarce in developing countries such as Burkina Faso. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies reporting foodborne hazards in foods in Burkina Faso to describe the present knowledge of the situation.Methods: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline was used to conduct this review. Abstracts were searched in PubMed and CAB direct between 1 January 1990 to 30 September 2019. We used random-effects models to estimate pooled prevalence and I-2 values to measure heterogeneity between studies.Results: 188 articles were identified, of which 14 are included in this review: 12 were on bacterial hazards (Salmonella, Campylobacter, Staphylococcus, E. coli, Shigella), three on fungal hazards and one on parasitic hazards (Toxoplasma gondii). The overall pooled prevalence of Salmonella spp. was 13% (95% CI: 8-21), the highest in lettuce: 50% (95% CI: 30-70) and the lowest in milk: 1.2% (95% CI: 0-5), demonstrating substantial variation among the studies (I-2 = 85, 95% CI: 79-90%,

Farmer's knowledge and suggested approaches for controlling aflatoxin contamination of raw milk in Pakistan

Monitoring of aflatoxin levels in milk is often complicated in developing countries due to the dominance of informal markets channeling milk in raw form. Farmer's awareness and voluntary participation in aflatoxin mitigation can be critical in such scenarios. Therefore, the present study was conducted to understand the perceptions of dairy farmers about aflatoxins and link it with aflatoxin mitigation programs on milk in Pakistan. Information was collected from 450 peri-urban dairy farmers in seven cities using questionnaires. Majority (77.9%) of the farmers were aware of the negative impact of moldy feed on animal health. However, only 40.6% of the farmers were aware of the transferability of the toxins from moldy feed to milk. The farmers had almost no awareness of aflatoxins as 95% never heard of the term. After receiving an onsite briefing on effects of the toxin on animal and human health, and its transferability to milk, 98.3% farmers showed willingness to buy aflatoxin-safe feedstuffs, while 88.5% showed willingness to control aflatoxin in milk. Around half of the farmers considered aflatoxin control programs as affordable. On average, farmers agreed to pay 10.1% higher price for aflatoxin certified oilseed cakes. Availability of feedstuffs certified of low aflatoxin content was suggested by 22% of the participants as the critical step in reducing aflatoxins in milk. Other important suggestions included; subsidy on quality feeds (18%), raising awareness (18%), and legislation and monitoring (16%). The present results suggest that the current practice of milk monitoring in the country can yield desirable results only if it is coupled with feed certification programs ensuing availability of aflatoxin-safe feeds. Further, awareness can positively impact participation of producers in aflatoxin control programs. In this regard, awareness about effects of aflatoxins on animal health was found to be a more powerful trigger of voluntary control compared with the awareness of the toxin's transferability to milk

Rabies Vaccination in Dogs in Laos: Owner Knowledge and Serological Status of Dogs

Rabies is an infectious disease which is virtually 100% fatal. Humans are most often infected through the bite of an infected dog, and most cases could be prevented by vaccinating dogs. However, vaccination coverage is insufficient in most countries where canine rabies occurs endemically. This study conducted interviews and sampling of dogs in Laos to understand more about the barriers for vaccination and to evaluate the antibody status of dogs using a commercial ELISA. The study found that only 62% out of 359 dog owners knew what rabies was, and only 24% knew the disease could be fatal. Higher education was associated with higher knowledge scores. Only 56 out of 437 (13%) dogs had been rabies vaccinated according to their owner, and out of these dogs, only 34 (61%) had antibodies, and only 48% had adequate levels (above 0.5 IU/mL). However, 24% of the dogs with no known history of vaccination had antibodies, indicating either exposure or vaccination in the past without the owner's awareness. In conclusion, this study indicates that there is a low level of knowledge about rabies, and that owner knowledge is not a good indicator of whether a dog is vaccinated or not

Evaluating farm-level livestock interventions in low-income countries: a scoping review of what works, how, and why

Livestock interventions can improve nutrition, health, and economic well-being of communities. The objectives of this review were to identify and characterize livestock interventions in developing countries and to assess their effectiveness in achieving development outcomes. A scoping review, guided by a search strategy, was conducted. Papers needed to be written in English, published in peer-reviewed journals, and describe interventions in animal health and production. Out of 2739 publications systematically screened at the title, abstract, and full publication levels, 70 met our inclusion criteria and were considered in the study. Eight relatively high-quality papers were identified and added, resulting in 78 reviewed publications. Only 15 studies used randomized controlled trial designs making it possible to confidently link interventions with the resulting outcomes. Eight studies had human nutrition or health as outcomes, 11 focused on disease control, and four were on livestock production. Eight interventions were considered successful, but only four were scalable. We found good evidence that livestock-transfer programs, leveraging livestock products for nutrition, and helping farmers manage priority diseases, can improve human well-being. Our report highlights challenges in garnering evidence for livestock interventions in developing countries and provides suggestions on how to improve the quantity and quality of future evaluations

Mindre erfarna veterinärers subjektiva bedömning av hältor hos hästar som longeras i trav

The purpose of this study was to compare less experienced veterinarians’ subjective assessments of lameness in horses on the lunge. Previous studies on subjective lameness evaluation have mainly focused on horses trotting in a straight line and the results have shown generally low compliance. With a web-based questionnaire, 43 veterinarians assessed 60 recordings that showed both fore- and hindlimb lameness, interspersed with sound horses that were trotting on the lunge in one direction. The horses showed mild to moderate lameness. To evaluate the within-observer agreement ten of the films were repeated. The veterinarians were to identify which limb the horse was lame on and which limb they would choose to start examine. They were also to score the lameness on a scale from 0 - 5. The compliance was calculated statistically by using the Fleiss' and Cohen's kappa. The result indicates that there is low compliance between less experienced veterinarians subjective assessments when it comes to assessing which limb the horse is lame on and to grade lameness and that the within-observer agreement is low

Usage of FTA (R) Classic Cards for Safe Storage, Shipment, and Detection of Arboviruses

Infections caused by arthropod-borne RNA viruses are overrepresented among emerging infectious diseases. Effective methods for collecting, storing, and transporting clinical or biological specimens are needed worldwide for disease surveillance. However, many tropical regions where these diseases are endemic lack analytical facilities and possibility of continuous cold chains, which presents challenges from both a biosafety and material preservation perspective. Whatman (R) FTA (R) Classic Cards may serve as an effective and safe option for transporting hazardous samples at room temperature, particularly for RNA viruses classified as biosafety level (BSL) 2 and 3 pathogens, from sampling sites to laboratories. In this study, we investigated the biosafety and perseverance of representative alpha-and flaviviruses stored on FTA (R) cards. To evaluate the virus inactivation capacity of FTA (R) cards, we used Sindbis virus (SINV), chikungunya virus (CHIKV), and Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV). We inoculated susceptible cells with dilution series of eluates from viral samples stored on the FTA (R) cards and observed for cytopathic effect to evaluate the ability of the cards to inactivate viruses. All tested viruses were inactivated after storage on FTA (R) cards. In addition, we quantified viral RNA of JEV, SINV, and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) stored on FTA (R) cards at 4 degrees C, 25 degrees C, and 37 degrees C for 30 days using two reverse transcriptase quantitative PCR assays. Viral RNA of SINV stored on FTA (R) cards was not reduced at either 4 degrees C or 25 degrees C over a 30-day period, but degraded rapidly at 37 degrees C. For JEV and TBEV, degradation was observed at all temperatures, with the most rapid degradation occurring at 37 degrees C. Therefore, the use of FTA (R) cards provides a safe and effective workflow for the collection, storage, and analysis of BSL 2- and 3-virus RNA samples, but there is a risk of false negative results if the cards are stored at higher temperatures for long periods of time. Conscious usage of the cards can be useful in disease surveillance and research, especially in tropical areas where transportation and cold chains are problematic