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Yersiniosis is a zoonosis causing gastroenteritis, diarrhoea, and occasionally reactive arthritis and septicaemia. Cases are often linked to meat consumption and the most common aetiological agent is the Gram-negative bacilliform Yersinia enterocolitica bacterium. The occurrence of Yersinia spp. among wild animals has mostly been studied in wild boar, but it has seldom been in other species.

Wildlife may represent an important source of infectious diseases for humans and other wild and domestic animals. Wild ruminants can harbour and transmit Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) to humans, and some strains even carry important antimicrobial resistance. In this study, 289 livers of wild roe deer, fallow deer, red deer and chamois collected in Liguria, north-west Italy, from 2019 to 2023 were analysed. Overall, 44 STEC strains were isolated from 28 samples. The characterisation of serogroups showed the presence of O104, O113, O145 and O146 serogroups, although for 28 colonies, the serogroup could not be determined. The most prevalent Shiga toxin gene in isolated strains was Stx2, and more specifically the subtype Stx2b. The other retrieved subtypes were Stx1a, Stx1c, Stx1d and Stx2g. The isolated strains generally proved to be susceptible to the tested antimicrobials. However, multi-drug resistances against highly critical antimicrobials were found in one strain isolated from a roe deer. This study highlights the importance of wildlife monitoring in the context of a "One Health" approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Reptiles usually carry Salmonella without showing any signs of infection. In this case, an adult male corn snake died 48 h after eating a feeder mouse bought online. The snake and mouse livers tested positive for Salmonella, specifically Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Midway. A genome analysis revealed that the two samples were from the same bacterial strain, and both had genes responsible for the bacteria's virulence. This report is about a pet snake that acquired Salmonella from a feeder mouse and then died from septic shock. It shows how feeder mice can be a source of clinical salmonellosis in pet snakes, which can pose a risk to humans too. Reptiles are usually asymptomatic carriers of Salmonella, with the manifestation of typical clinical signs of acute forms in adult and non-immunocompromised animals being considered exceptions. In the present case, an adult male corn snake (Pantherophis guttatus) was found dead due to septic shock 48 h after consuming a feeder mouse purchased online. The snake's tissue samples and faeces were cultured for bacteria isolation. Microbiological examinations of the snake and mouse livers revealed the presence of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Midway. A whole-genome analysis of these two isolates showed a high correlation between them: they belonged to the strain type ST-357 for the classic MLST scheme and to the strain type ST 171322 for the cgMLST scheme. Also, a virulence gene analysis revealed the presence of stdB and STM3026 genes. This report conveys a case of food-borne salmonellosis in a pet snake, transmitted from a feeder mouse, likely responsible for the snake's death due to septic shock. It highlights the relevance of feeder mice as a source of Salmonella infections in snakes and the associated risks to human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spread of antimicrobial resistant Campylobacter strains, linked to antimicrobials use and abuse in humans and food animals, has become a global public health problem. In this study, we determine the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in human Campylobacter isolates (n = 820) collected in Piedmont, Italy, from March 2020 to July 2023. The strains underwent susceptibility testing to determine the minimal inhibitory concentration for erythromycin, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, streptomycin, and tetracycline: 80.1% of the strains showed resistance to at least one antibiotic. The highest prevalence of AMR was noted for ciprofloxacin and tetracycline (72.1% and 52.9%, respectively) and the lowest for erythromycin and aminoglycosides (streptomycin/gentamicin) (3.2% and 5.4%, respectively). The prevalence of co-resistance against fluoroquinolones and tetracyclines was 41.1%. The prevalence of multidrug resistant strains was 5.7%. Our data support evidence that AMR in human Campylobacter strains is common, particularly against ciprofloxacin and tetracycline, two medically important antimicrobials for humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salmonella enterica is among the most common causes of foodborne outbreaks in humans in Europe. The global emergence of resistance to antimicrobials calls for close monitoring of the spread and prevalence of resistant Salmonella strains. In this study, we investigated the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella serotypes isolated from humans between 2012 and 2021 in Piedmont, northwest Italy. A total of 4814 Salmonella strains (168 serotypes) were tested against six classes of antimicrobials. Many strains (83.3%) showed resistance to at least one antibiotic: tetracycline (85.1%), ampicillin (79.2%), quinolones (47.4%), and gentamicin (28.4%). Between the first (2012–2016) and the second study period (2017–2021), a decrease in antimicrobial resistance was noted for tetracycline (from 92.4% to 75.3%), ampicillin (from 85.3% to 71.3%), quinolones (from 49.4% to 44.6%), and cefotaxime (from 34.8% to 4.0%). Many multidrug resistant Salmonella strains (43.6%) belonged to S. ser. Typhimurium, S. ser. Infantis, and S. ser. Typhimurium 1,4,[5],12:i:-. Overall, multidrug resistance decreased from 60.7% to 26.4%, indicating a reduction in the antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella strains in Piedmont and in Europe and demonstrating the effectiveness of the measures that were put in place to reduce antimicrobial resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]