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Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains are emerging zoonotic pathogens that are of importance not only to human but also to veterinary medicine. MRSA strains spread among humans and animals and can also be transmitted through foods. In this article, we provide a summary of the prevalence of MRSA in the Czech Republic, focusing on the One Health concept, which explores the relationships between human and animal health and the environment. This approach, together with collaboration between health professionals, veterinarians and public health experts, can provide valuable insights and help in preventing and controlling MRSA outbreaks.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to monitor characteristics of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) obtained from animals according to the serogroup they belonged to, Shiga toxin type and subtype and adhesion factor intimin. Then, based on the results, to evaluate the occurrence of Shiga toxin subtypes and their possible significance for humans., Materials and Methods: The study included 131 STEC strains isolated from rectal swabs from cattle (80) and pigs (51) sampled on farms in the Czech Republic from 2000 to 2017. Selected strains differed in origin and serogroup. The presence of Shiga toxins, intimin and the Shiga toxin subtypes stx1a, stx1c, stx1d, stx2a, stx2b, stx2c, stx2d, stx2e, stx2g was determined by PCR., Results: The stx1 gene was confirmed in 33 % of the strains (43/131), the stx2 gene in 55 % (72/131) and 16 strains carried the genes for both toxins simultaneously (12 %). Strains harboring the eae gene were detected in 46 (35 %) cases, mostly in rectal swabs from cattle. STEC from cattle belonged to 21 different serogroups. The presence of Shiga toxin 1 (55; 69 %) predominated in these strains, with subtypes stx1a (54) and stx1d (1). Shiga toxin 2 was confirmed in 39 of the bovine strains (49 %), with the following subtypes: stx2a (9), stx2e (6), stx2g (3), stx2a, stx2c (5), stx2a, stx2b (1) and stx2c, stx2d (1). Also combinations of stx1a, stx2a (12) and stx1a, stx2c (2) were detected. STEC from pigs belonged to 5 different serogroups. Shiga toxin 2 was most frequently detected (49; 96 %), with subtypes stx2e (42) and stx2a (7). Shiga toxin 1 was detected in 4 strains (8 %), as subtypes stx1a (1) and stx1c (1) and also in the combination stx1a, stx2a (2)., Conclusion: STEC strains isolated from cattle, compared to those from pigs, belonged to a larger spectrum of serogroups, they more often carried adherence factor intimin and the diversity of Shiga toxin subtypes was higher, including those associated with serious human diseases. In the set of isolates from pigs, the stx2e gene predominated; its significance for human health has not been fully clarified yet.

Plasmid-mediated resistance to colistin is a recently described phenomenon. The study reports this new type of colistin resistance in food isolates of Escherichia coli in the Czech Republic. Strains with phenotypically determined colistin resistance were studied for presence of the mcr-1 and mcr-2 genes. A positive finding of E. coli harboring the mcr-1 gene was confirmed in a sample of raw minced turkey meat imported from Poland. Two different strains of E. coli carrying the mcr-1 gene were detected in the same sample. This is the first reported case of this type of resistance in E. coli strains isolated from foods at retail in the Czech Republic.

Objectives: Molecular epidemiology is a field that uses results of typing techniques to obtain information on detailed characterization of bacterial strains for determining the identity, similarity or difference in bacteria of the same genus, species or serotype. Nowadays, the most commonly used methods are based on monitoring differences in bacterial genotypes. However, most of these techniques are time-consuming and costly. A method increasingly used in routine microbiological testing is matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), which is based on analysis of the bacterial proteome. It is mainly used for rapid and accurate classification of bacteria into genera and species. The aims were to assess the potential use of this method for typing of Campylobacter below the species level and to apply these results in epidemiological investigations., Material and Methods: The study comprised 39 strains of Campylobacter jejuni isolated from food (16) and humans (23). Macrorestriction fragment profiling by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and simultaneous protein profile analysis using MALDI-TOF MS were performed for all tested strains., Results: Similar pulse profiles were found among isolates originating from the same outbreak or repeatedly collected from a single patient. The same pulse profiles were also detected in strains of unknown relationship but sharing the same place of origin and year of isolation. The comparison of dendrograms from both analyses showed that strains identified as identical by PFGE appeared in the same subgroups in dendrograms obtained by MALDI-TOF MS, the only exception being isolates repeatedly collected from a single patient., Conclusion: The results suggest that confirmation of the identity or similarity of strains in accordance with the established epidemiological facts has not been clearly demonstrated using MALDI-TOF MS.

Objectives: To detect and characterize strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) on pig farms, at slaughterhouses and meat samples at retail sale., Material and Methods: A total of 890 samples were examined in the years 2013-2015, comprising 59 samples from primary production (pig farms), 463 swabs from processing plants (slaughterhouses) and 368 samples of pork meat and liver collected at retail sale. The culture method was used for the detection of MRSA. After homogenization, the samples were enriched in buffered peptone water at 37 °C for 18-24 hours and two-stage selective enrichment was performed. Five milliliters of PPV were transferred to Mueller-Hinton medium with addition of 6.5 % NaCl and after incubation at 37 °C for 18-24 hours, 1 ml was inoculated into tryptone soy broth with cefoxitin and aztreonam. The suspension was plated onto Baird-Parker and BrillianceTM MRSA 2 agar on the next day. Suspected colonies were confirmed by PCR, the specific S. aureus fragment SA442, the mecA gene encoding resistance to methicillin and relation to the clonal complex CC398 were detected. Further, resistance test to a panel of 11 antimicrobial agents using the disk diffusion method was performed., Results: Within this study, 51 MRSA strains were obtained, of which 15 originated from live pigs, 31 isolates were from slaughterhouses and 5 were detected in retail samples. Forty-seven (92.2 %) MRSA strains belonged to the clonal complex CC398. Four non-CC398 isolates were obtained from two slaughterhouses and came from three farms. The strains often showed multiple resistance. In some MRSA isolates, resistance to erythromycin (36; 70.6 %), tetracycline (29; 56.9 %), fluoroquinolones (7; 13.7 %), co-trimoxazole (6; 11.8 %) and aminoglycosides (4; 7.8 %) was detected., Conclusion: MRSA isolates of the clonal complex CC398 dominate in foods of animal origin. These strains originate from livestock and are often characterized by multiple resistance to antimicrobials. The role of the food chain in the spread of LA-MRSA is not yet clearly understood.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to obtain current information on the prevalence and species representation of bacteria of the genus Campylobacter in dogs in Moravia and to evaluate the risk factors affecting their occurrence with respect to possible transmission to the human population., Material and Methods: Rectal swabs of dogs obtained in the routine practice of veterinarians in the South Moravian and Olomouc -regions were examined from May 2013 to December 2014. The basic tests were performed in laboratories of the State Veterinary Institute in Olomouc and the University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno. To detect Campylobacter spp., the samples were cultured on mCCDA (modified charcoal-cefoperazone-deoxycholate agar). Suspected colonies were confirmed by MALDI-TOF MS (Biotyper Microflex, Bruker) or using specific PCR which allows to distinguish between the species C. jejuni, C. coli, C. lari and C. upsaliensis. A detailed history was obtained from questionnaires completed by the dog owners., Results: From a total of 258 rectal swabs examined, 41 samples were positive (16 %). The most frequently detected species was C. jejuni, followed by C. upsaliensis a C. coli. There was only one sample of C. lari. The evaluation of the questionnaire data showed that the frequency of Campylobacter spp. and their species representation depended on the age of the animals, the composition of feed and the clinical signs of the disease., Conclusion: Young dogs on a homemade diet and with diarrhea may be considered a risk group in terms of possible transmission of Campylobacter infections from pets to humans. Households with young children are the most affected group in the Czech Republic and EU countries. As such, they should be given a high priority with respect to the basic hygiene rules if they breed dogs, especially puppies.

Objectives: This study was performed in cooperation with the State Veterinary Administration (SVA) in order to monitor the occurrence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli isolates in swabs from the carcasses of pigs and cattle at slaughterhouses., Material and Methods: From June to August 2013, SVA staff took 168 swabs from cattle and 318 from pigs at 157 different slaughters in the Czech Republic. Basic processing of the samples was carried out in the State Veterinary Institutes (SVIs) in Prague, Jihlava and Olomouc according to the methodical process coordinated by the National reference laboratory (NRL) for Escherichia coli (Czech Ministry of Agriculture). The procedure was based on the guideline ISO TS 13136., Results: Out of the 486 swabs, twenty-two positive samples were detected. There were a total of 22 isolates of Shiga toxigenic E. coli (STEC) and 1 strain with the characteristic of enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC). Genes typical for enteroaggregative E. coli (EAggEC) were not found in any of the isolates. Most STEC strains originated from pigs. The stx1 gene was detected twice (stx1a, stx1d) and the stx2 gene 13 times (12 times stx2e, once stx2a). Seven STEC isolates were detected from samples of cattle origin. One strain was stx1 (stx1a) -positive, the stx2 gene was found 6 times (4 stx2e, 1 stx2a and 1 stx2c). One isolate carried simultaneously both stx1a and stx2a. Each of the serogroups O91, O113 and O146 described as etiological agents of severe disease in humans were detected only once. None of these strains harbored additional virulence factors typical for strains causing serious illness., Conclusion: RESULTS of this study show the overall prevalence of Shiga toxigenic E. coli of 4.5 % and 0.2 % of enterohemorrhagic strains in the studied samples. Raw meat originating from local farms does not currently represent an important source of STEC for humans.