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Campylobacteriosis and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are global public health concerns. Africa is estimated to have the world’s highest incidence of campylobacteriosis and a relatively high prevalence of AMR in Campylobacter spp. from humans and animals. Few studies have compared Campylobacter spp. isolated from humans and poultry in Africa using whole-genome sequencing and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. We explored the population structure and AMR of 178 Campylobacter isolates from East Africa, 81 from patients with diarrhea in Kenya and 97 from 56 poultry samples in Tanzania, collected during 2006–2017. Sequence type diversity was high in both poultry and human isolates, with some sequence types in common. The estimated prevalence of multidrug resistance, defined as resistance to >3 antimicrobial classes, was higher in poultry isolates (40.9%, 95% credible interval 23.6%–59.4%) than in human isolates (2.5%, 95% credible interval 0.3%–6.8%), underlining the importance of antimicrobial stewardship in livestock systems.

Leptospirosis is largely an occupational disease for people working with livestock in Aotearoa New Zealand. Introduction of livestock vaccination and use of personal protective equipment has been associated with a reduction in the incidence. However, the incidence of occupational leptospirosis remains high, with significant burdens for affected families and healthcare system. For this article, a subset of thirteen participants from a nationwide leptospirosis case-control study (2019–2021) who were diagnosed with leptospirosis and worked with livestock at the time of illness were invited and agreed to a semi-structured interview. Interviewees reflected on their experiences as messages for medical professionals. The analysis of transcripts reveals widely shared experiences with infection, hospitalisation, and treatment, as well as long-term effects and recovery. Conclusions for medical professionals include that ill workers continue to have their diagnosis of leptospirosis delayed. This delay may contribute to more than half the people ill with leptospirosis hospitalised. Further, medical professionals' communication and relationship with ill people strongly colours the latter's experience, for good or for bad. Moreover, most interviewees experienced a recovery process that took several months of feeling tired, which undermined professional performance and emotional wellbeing.

BackgroundIn Aotearoa New Zealand, 90% of patients with notified leptospirosis (a zoonotic bacterial disease) have been men working in agricultural industries. However, since 2008, the epidemiology of notified cases has been gradually changing, that is, more women are affected; there are more cases associated with occupations traditionally not considered high risk in New Zealand; infecting serovars have changed; and many patients experience symptoms long after infection. We hypothesized that there is a shift in leptospirosis transmission patterns with substantial burden on affected patients and their families. ObjectiveIn this paper, we aimed to describe the protocols used to conduct a nationwide case-control study to update leptospirosis risk factors and follow-up studies to assess the burden and sources of leptospirosis in New Zealand. MethodsThis study used a mixed methods approach, comprising a case-control study and 4 substudies that involved cases only. Cases were recruited nationwide, and controls were frequency matched by sex and rurality. All participants were administered a case-control questionnaire (study 1), with cases being interviewed again at least 6 months after the initial survey (study 2). A subset of cases from two high-risk populations, that is, farmers and abattoir workers, were further engaged in a semistructured interview (study 3). Some cases with regular animal exposure had their in-contact animals (livestock for blood and urine and wildlife for kidney) and environment (soil, mud, and water) sampled (study 4). Patients from selected health clinics suspected of leptospirosis also had blood and urine samples collected (study 5). In studies 4 and 5, blood samples were tested using the microscopic agglutination test to test for antibody titers against Leptospira serovars Hardjo type bovis, Ballum, Tarassovi, Pomona, and Copenhageni. Blood, urine, and environmental samples were also tested for pathogenic Leptospira DNA using polymerase chain reaction. ResultsParticipants were recruited between July 22, 2019, and January 31, 2022, and data collection for the study has concluded. In total, 95 cases (July 25, 2019, to April 13, 2022) and 300 controls (October 19, 2019, to January 26, 2022) were interviewed for the case-control study; 91 cases participated in the follow-up interviews (July 9, 2020, to October 25, 2022); 13 cases participated in the semistructured interviews (January 26, 2021, to January 19, 2022); and 4 cases had their in-contact animals and environments sampled (October 28, 2020, and July 29, 2021). Data analysis for study 3 has concluded and 2 manuscripts have been drafted for review. Results of the other studies are being analyzed and the specific results of each study will be published as individual manuscripts.. ConclusionsThe methods used in this study may provide a basis for future epidemiological studies of infectious diseases. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/47900

Abstract Background Campylobacter is a genus of bacteria that has been isolated from the gastrointestinal tract of humans and animals, and the environments they inhabit around the world. Campylobacter adapt to new environments by changes in their gene content and expression, but little is known about how they adapt to long-term human colonization. In this study, the genomes of 31 isolates from a New Zealand patient and 22 isolates from a United Kingdom patient belonging to Campylobacter jejuni sequence type 45 (ST45) were compared with 209 ST45 genomes from other sources to identify the mechanisms by which Campylobacter adapts to long-term human colonization. In addition, the New Zealand patient had their microbiota investigated using 16S rRNA metabarcoding, and their level of inflammation and immunosuppression analyzed using biochemical tests, to determine how Campylobacter adapts to a changing gastrointestinal tract. Results There was some evidence that long-term colonization led to genome degradation, but more evidence that Campylobacter adapted through the accumulation of non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and frameshifts in genes involved in cell motility, signal transduction and the major outer membrane protein (MOMP). The New Zealand patient also displayed considerable variation in their microbiome, inflammation and immunosuppression over five months, and the Campylobacter collected from this patient could be divided into two subpopulations, the proportion of which correlated with the amount of gastrointestinal inflammation. Conclusions This study demonstrates how genomics, phylogenetics, 16S rRNA metabarcoding and biochemical markers can provide insight into how Campylobacter adapts to changing environments within human hosts. This study also demonstrates that long-term human colonization selects for changes in Campylobacter genes involved in cell motility, signal transduction and the MOMP; and that genetically distinct subpopulations of Campylobacter evolve to adapt to the changing gastrointestinal environment.

Understanding the relative contribution of different between-farm transmission pathways is essential in guiding recommendations for mitigating disease spread. This study investigated the association between contact pathways linking poultry farms in New Zealand and the genetic relatedness of antimicrobial resistant Campylobacter jejuni Sequence Type 6964 (ST-6964), with the aim of identifying the most likely contact pathways that contributed to its rapid spread across the industry. Whole-genome sequencing was performed on 167C. jejuni ST-6964 isolates sampled from across 30 New Zealand commercial poultry enterprises. The genetic relatedness between isolates was determined using whole genome multilocus sequence typing (wgMLST). Permutational multivariate analysis of variance and distance-based linear models were used to explore the strength of the relationship between pairwise genetic associations among the C. jejuni isolates and each of several pairwise distance matrices, indicating either the geographical distance between farms or the network distance of transportation vehicles. Overall, a significant association was found between the pairwise genetic relatedness of the C. jejuni isolates and the parent company, the road distance and the network distance of transporting feed vehicles. This result suggests that the transportation of feed within the commercial poultry industry as well as other local contacts between flocks, such as the movements of personnel, may have played a significant role in the spread of C. jejuni. However, further information on the historical contact patterns between farms is needed to fully characterise the risk of these pathways and to understand how they could be targeted to reduce the spread of C. jejuni.

Background: Warts pose a considerable challenge in dermatology, necessitating effective therapeutic interventions. This prospective study aims to compare the efficacy and safety of intralesional administration of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine with intralesional vitamin D3 in patients with multiple warts. Methods: Conducted at the Department of Dermatology, Government Medical College, Anantnag, this prospective study involved patients attending the Dermatology OPD with clinically diagnosed cutaneous warts, either multiple or single, based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. A total of 200 patients were randomly selected, with 100 patients allocated to each group. Patients clinically diagnosed with cutaneous warts were divided into two groups: Group A received intralesional MMR, and Group B received intralesional vitamin D3. Results: In Group A, 43 cases (86%) exhibited a complete treatment response, 4 cases (8%) showed a partial response, and 3 cases (6%) had no response to treatment. Similarly, in Group B, 39 cases (78%) demonstrated a complete treatment response, 6 cases (12%) showed a partial response, and 5 cases (10%) had no response. The comparison between the two groups yielded a non-significant p-value of 0.578. Regarding distant wart clearance, Group A displayed a complete response in 39 cases (78%), while Group B showed a comparable response in 35 cases (70%). Partial response was observed in 14% of cases in Group A and 16% in Group B. Additionally, no response was recorded in 8% of cases in Group A and 14% in Group B. Both groups were comparable with respect to the clearance of distant warts with a non-significant p-value of 0.576. Furthermore, our findings affirm the favorable tolerability and safety profiles of both intralesional MMR vaccine and vitamin D3 immunotherapy, with no occurrences of serious adverse events documented. Conclusion: The study demonstrates that both treatments exhibit similar effectiveness and safety profiles, with MMR showing slightly better response rates. No serious adverse events were reported with either treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2014, antimicrobial drug–resistant Campylobacter jejuni sequence type 6964 emerged contemporaneously in poultry from 3 supply companies in the North Island of New Zealand and as a major cause of campylobacteriosis in humans in New Zealand. This lineage, not previously identified in New Zealand, was resistant to tetracycline and fluoroquinolones. Genomic analysis revealed divergence into 2 major clades; both clades were associated with human infection, 1 with poultry companies A and B and the other with company C. Accessory genome evolution was associated with a plasmid, phage insertions, and natural transformation. We hypothesize that the tetO gene and a phage were inserted into the chromosome after conjugation, leaving a remnant plasmid that was lost from isolates from company C. The emergence and rapid spread of a resistant clone of C. jejuni in New Zealand, coupled with evolutionary change in the accessory genome, demonstrate the need for ongoing Campylobacter surveillance among poultry and humans.

Cross-species transmission of pathogens is intimately linked to human and environmental health. With limited healthcare and challenging living conditions, people living in poverty may be particularly susceptible to endemic and emerging diseases. Similarly, wildlife is impacted by human influences, including pathogen sharing, especially for species in close contact with people and domesticated animals. Here we investigate human and animal contacts and human health in a community living around the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP), Uganda. We used contact and health survey data to identify opportunities for cross-species pathogen transmission, focusing mostly on people and the endangered mountain gorilla. We conducted a survey with background questions and self-reported diaries to investigate 100 participants' health, such as symptoms and behaviours, and contact patterns, including direct contacts and sightings over a week. Contacts were revealed through networks, including humans, domestic, peri-domestic, and wild animal groups for 1) contacts seen in the week of background questionnaire completion, and 2) contacts seen during the diary week. Participants frequently felt unwell during the study, reporting from one to 10 disease symptoms at different intensity levels, with severe symptoms comprising 6.4% of the diary records and tiredness and headaches the most common symptoms. After human-human contacts, direct contact with livestock and peri-domestic animals were the most common. The contact networks were moderately connected and revealed a preference in contacts within the same taxon and within their taxa groups. Sightings of wildlife were much more common than touching. However, despite contact with wildlife being the rarest of all contact types, one direct contact with a gorilla with a timeline including concerning participant health symptoms was reported. When considering all interaction types, gorillas mostly exhibited intra-species contact, but were found to interact with five other species, including people and domestic animals. Our findings reveal a local human population with recurrent symptoms of illness in a location with intense exposure to factors that can increase pathogen transmission, such as direct contact with domestic and wild animals and proximity among animal species. Despite significant biases and study limitations, the information generated here can guide future studies, such as models for disease spread and One Health interventions.

Introduction: Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) is a highly contagious and viral disease primarily affecting goats and sheep, caused by the PPR virus (PPRV), which belongs to the family paramyxoviridae, and genus morbillivirus. Methodology: A total of 100 blood samples (female n=67 and male n=33) of goats from different areas of Thatta district were collected. Risk factors like area, age, sex and season were analyzed. Clinically affected animals exhibited high temperature (41oC), anorexia, dullness, lacrimal secretions, and nasal discharge diahhrea starting from 2 to 6 days post infection, hair blow the eyes becomes wet and there is matting together of the eyelids as well as partial blockage of the nostrils by dried up purulent discharges. Samples were transported to Central Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (CVDL) Tandojam, Sindh for laboratory confirmation. The competitive ELISA was performed to measure antibodies to the PPR virus. Results: The sero-positivity of PPR cases in female were 76.12% (51/67) and male 51.52% (17/33). The highest sero-prevalence was observed in age group of 4-12 month 75.56% (34/45). Lowest sero-prevalence was detected in age group of 0-4 month 47.83% (11/23). Highest prevalence of PPR infections were observed in the month of August 70% (21/30), followed by 69.04% (29/42) in the September, the lowest prevalence was 64.28% (18/28) in the July. Conclusion: It is concluded from the present study that female animals were more affected than males. The higher infection was recorded during the August. Comparatively, young animals were more affected than the suckler and adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this communication, we proposed two parametric generalized divergence measures. The well-known divergence measures available in the literature are a particular case of our new proposed divergence measure. We also looked into its monotonic behaviour and characterization results. We applied the proposed measure to some life-time distributions and observed that the deviation has been reduced. We have shown the mortality rate of two different countries based on COVID-19 data sets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research article, we proposed a new two-parametric divergence measure and developed its weighted version. We also looked at its properties and specific cases with examples and also obtained some results and bounds for new two prametric weighted generalized divergence measure. With the aid of a numerical example that determine the distribution function and also studied some inequality for the new proposed divergence measure. The known divergence measure is the particular case of our proposed measure. The proposed measure uniquely characterized the distribution function using the proportional hazard rate model (PHRM). Its residual function is also being worked on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]