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Salmonellosis is a zoonotic infection of humans and animals. In recent years, an increase in the number of resistant strains of Salmonella from animals and animal products have been recorded. We conducted microbiological testing, and antibiotic resistance profile of 34 Salmonella strains isolated from foods of animal origin between 2018 to 2021 in Ukraine. Twenty isolates were successfully assigned to six different serovars [S. Enteritidis (n=13, S. Infantis (n=2), S. Schwarzengrund (n=1), S. Livingstone (n=2), S. Vuadens (n=1) and S. Hadar (n=1)], and 14 isolates remained untyped. Most of the isolated strains were recovered from poultry products. The strains were tested for six antibacterial groups: quinolones, aminoglycosides, β-lactams, cephalosporins, phenols, and dihydrofolate reductase inhibitors by disc diffusion method. The highest level of resistance was recorded to 4th generation cephalosporins, e.g., cefepime (88.2%). The lowest level of resistance was to cefotaxime and ceftriaxone (5.9%). No resistance was found to imipenem and aminoglycoside antibiotics, particularly gentamicin and amikacin. The study results are of concern because antibiotic-resistant bacteria and their genes can cause human infections by penetration and transmission at any stage of the food production cycle. Further research is required to monitor the contamination of food products of animal origin with salmonellosis pathogens, including antibiotic-resistant strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Iranian Journal of Veterinary Science & Technology is the property of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Salmonellosis remains an important zoonotic disease and public health concern, Salmonella enterica serovar Albany is one of the motile serovars which has been identified from poultry and humans. However, its pathogenic potentials and shedding probability and duration from infected/colonized chickens have never been reported. To assess its pathogenic potentials and shedding probability 6 SPF BALB/c mice was inoculated with 0.1ml volume for each mice bacterial solution of 108 CFU/ml of Salmonella entrica serovar Albany after 24 hours the segments of the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, caecum and colon were fixed to study the histopathology and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to confirm the Salmonella entrica serovar Albany in the intestinal mucus swabs. The control group consist of 6 SPF BALB/c mice were inoculated with 0.1ml of 0.9% normal saline, The pathogenesis incidence rate of the disease caused by S. entrica serovar Albany revealed that prominent blood vessels on caecum 100%, red intestinal serosal 100%, infiltration of inflammatory cells in the crypt of liberkhun and submuscular layer of small intestine 100%, enterocyte necrosis 100%, haemorrhagic enteritis 83.3%, cecitis 33.3%, colonitis 66.6%, villus atrophy 100%, crypt atrophy 100%, and detachment of epithelial tissue 50%, can occur as soon as 24 hours post infection. Infected S. entrica serovar Albany was also successfully re-isolated from the intestinal swabs which revealed that the mice is potentially shed the bacteria through feces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An emphasis on biosecurity in the cattle industry was made over the years to improve animal and public health. Nevertheless, the level of implementation of biosecurity measures (BSM) remains largely insufficient due to certain constraints. It is therefore necessary to prioritize the different BSM to be applied in accordance with the individual context and the main infectious diseases affecting cattle. Previous prioritization exercises of infectious diseases were neither specific to Belgium nor based on an exhaustive list of diseases. This study aimed at classifying the most important infectious diseases affecting cattle in Belgium. A list of 74 cattle infectious diseases reported in Europe was compiled based on a literature review. Through an online survey, Belgian rural veterinary practitioners (RVP) were asked to assign a score to each disease according to their frequency (question 1), their trends estimated between 2013‐15 (question 2), and finally to list the five most important diseases for adult cattle (question 3). Respectively, 107 and 93 RVP answered the first two questions and the last one. Results of the survey were used to classify the diseases based on their frequency, trends, and importance through an additional weighting system and a subsequent regression tree analysis. Belgian laboratory databases and previous disease prioritization exercises were also analysed and taken into account as additional data sources. For the most important diseases identified (those ranked as important by the three data sources), a literature review was performed in PubMed to identify their related risk factors and BSM. A total of 48 infectious diseases were classified as important in Belgium with six of them considered as important from the three data sources: bovine respiratory diseases (BRD), bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV), bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD), infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), Q fever, and salmonellosis. Their related BSM should be prioritized in terms of BSM implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Salmonella was isolated from a field left empty by pigs for more than 2 years. • Wild birds and pigs had the same Salmonella serotypes and phage types. • Salmonella strains from wild birds and pigs were closely related. • Pigs are the likely to be the original source of Salmonella infection in wild birds. • Wild birds are likely recycling and contributing to the persistence of Salmonella. Abstract Foodborne outbreaks caused by Salmonella are often attributed to the pork consumption. Salmonella contamination of retail pork is directly linked to the Salmonella prevalence on farm. In UK, approximately 40% of breeding pigs are kept outdoors. Aim of this study was to investigate the role of wild birds in the epidemiology of Salmonella in one outdoor pig farm. Three sampling visits were carried out at monthly intervals to an outdoor farm consisting of two fields, one left empty of pigs for more than 2 years (field A) while the second (field B) was occupied by pigs during the first visit only. Faeces from wild bird droppings, environmental samples and pig faeces were tested for Salmonella. Salmonella spp. was isolated from environmental samples also in field A that had not been occupied by pigs more than 2 years. Interestingly, the wild bird population accessing the fields increased considerably once the pigs had left the farm and the proportion of Salmonella positive wild bird droppings increased over time with 7.4%, 15.8% and 44.3% at the first, second and third visit, respectively. The levels of Salmonella identified in some of the wild bird droppings were unusually high (105–106 CFU/g) suggesting that Salmonella was actively replicating in the gastrointestinal tract of these birds. Monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium DT193 was the predominant serotype isolated in pigs as well as in wild bird droppings and the environment, suggesting that the pigs were the original source of infection, as this serovar is typically associated with pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the B. subtilis RX7 and B. subtilis C14 on the growth performance, blood profiles, nutrient retention, and caecal microflora of broiler chickens. A total of 288, 1-d-old Ross 308 male broilers were assigned to one of four dietary treatment groups for 35 days; the negative control (NC; basal diet with no antibiotic or B. subtilis), positive control (PC; NC + 40 ppm avilamycin), T1 (NC + 0.1% B. subtilis RX7 1.0×109 cfu/g), and T2 (NC + 0.1% B. subtilis C14 1.0×109 cfu/g). B. subtilis supplementation led to significantly higher weight gain than that in the NC. The serum haptoglobin concentration was lower in the Bacillus groups than in the NC and PC groups. The energy retention of broilers fed B. subtilis was significantly higher than that of the NC and PC broilers. The numbers of caecal Lactobacillus or Salmonella in the Bacillus groups were higher and lower, respectively, than those in the numbers in the NC and PC. The results showed that B. subtilis RX7 and C14 increased the weight gain, energy retention, and caecal Lactobacillus numbers and decreased serum haptoglobin levels and caecal Salmonella numbers in broiler chickens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salmonella infection is an important risk to public health, as newly hatched chicks are very sensitive to Salmonella and the infection transfers to humans through contaminated meat and eggs. Vaccination and antibiotic treatment are common strategies to control salmonellosis. However, it is doubtful whether these strategies succeed, because immune functions depend on the activity of several genes. Genetic improvement of the immune system is an effective method to control salmonellosis. There is genetic variation among breeds and individuals inside breeds in terms of resistance to infection. Genes responsible for resistance to disease can be identified through quantitative trait loci and gene expression analysis. High-throughput technologies assist us to detect single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and to analyse the regulation of several genes simultaneously. By now, several SNPs have been detected in the chicken genome that influence the function of immune genes. Additionally, the expression level of genes varies during infection depending on the breed and age of chicken and environmental conditions. This review summarizes the results of previous studies on the identification of genes and gene regulation during Salmonella infection in chickens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comparative study of the treatment-and-prophylactic efficacy of probiotic in the sublimation-dried form as compared to the liquid one against salmonellosis in experimental rabbits has been carried out. A high therapeutic activity of the probiotic used in the experiment has been established both in combination with antibiotic and without it. The disease of rabbits was mild, their rapid recovery was noted, and the transition from the acute form of the disease to the chronic one was prevented, which has been confirmed by bacteriological studies. However, in some cases, the dry drug had an advantage over the liquid one due to the higher content of biologically active substances therein. The best result was obtained when treating salmonellosis and pasteurellosis in rabbits, simultaneously receiving antibiotics in combination with probiotic. Prolonged administration of probiotics by experimental rabbits protected them from salmonella infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Salmonellosis is an enteric or multisystemic disease of global distribution that affects numerous animal species. Although Salmonella enterica has been associated with urinary tract lesions in man, information on urocystitis/ureteritis in cattle caused by salmonellae is lacking. This communication describes lesions of the inferior urinary tract in four Holstein calves with septicaemia caused by S. enterica subsp. enterica serotype Dublin. Examination of the urinary bladder revealed either diffuse irregular thickening (three cases) or petechiation (one case) of the mucosa. On histopathological examination, urocystitis with submucosal histiocytic, lymphocytic and plasmacytic infiltration and neutrophil transmigration through the urothelium was noted in all cases. In one case, a fibrinosuppurative ureteritis was detected. Salmonella Dublin was identified by culture, 16S rDNA sequencing and serotyping and Salmonella antigen was detected intralesionally by immunohistochemistry. Other lesions, indicative of septicaemia included hepatitis, enteritis, pericarditis, splenitis, lymphadenitis and pneumonia. We conclude that S. Dublin can be uropathogenic in cattle with septicaemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salmonella is a major foodborne pathogen causing important zoonosis worldwide. Pigs asymptomatically infected in mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) can be intermittent shedders of the pathogen through faeces, being considered a major source of human infections. European baseline studies of fattening pig salmonellosis are based on Salmonella detection in MLN. This work studies the relationship between Salmonella infection in MLN and intestinal content (IC) shedding at slaughter and the relationship between the presence of the pathogen and the serologic status at farm level. Mean Salmonella prevalence in the selected pigs (vertically integrated production system of Navarra, Spain) was 7.2% in MLN, 8.4% in IC and 9.6% in serum samples. In this low-moderate prevalence context, poor concordance was found between MLN infection and shedding at slaughter and between bacteriology and serology. In fact, most of shedders were found uninfected in MLN (83%) or carrying different Salmonella strains in MLN and in IC (90%). The most prevalent Salmonellae were Typhimurium resistant to ACSSuT ± Nx or ASSuT antibiotic families, more frequently found invading the MLN (70%) than in IC (33.9%). Multivariable analysis revealed that risk factors associated with the presence of Salmonella in MLN or in IC were different, mainly related either to good hygiene practices or to water and feed control, respectively. Overall, in this prevalence context, detection of Salmonella in MLN is an unreliable predictor of faecal shedding at abattoir, indicating that subclinical infections in fattening pigs MLN could have limited relevance in the IC shedding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses several questions put forward in European Parliament (EP). Topics discussed include non-conformity of meat exports within Europe, new regulation on Acrylamide in food, new outbreaks of salmonellosis, risk of dangerous infections due to the constant use of antibiotics in animals, and food safety for children.

Copyright of Canadian Veterinary Journal / Revue Vétérinaire Canadienne is the property of Canadian Veterinary Medical Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Several studies have been conducted on decomposition patterns and rates of surface remains; however, much less are known about this process for buried remains. Understanding the process of decomposition in buried remains is extremely important and aids in criminal investigations, especially when attempting to estimate the post mortem interval (PMI). The aim of this study was to compare the rates of decomposition between buried and surface remains. For this purpose, 25 pigs ( Sus scrofa; 45-80 kg) were buried and excavated at different post mortem intervals (7, 14, 33, 92, and 183 days). The observed total body scores were then compared to those of surface remains decomposing at the same location. Stages of decomposition were scored according to separate categories for different anatomical regions based on standardised methods. Variation in the degree of decomposition was considerable especially with the buried 7-day interval pigs that displayed different degrees of discolouration in the lower abdomen and trunk. At 14 and 33 days, buried pigs displayed features commonly associated with the early stages of decomposition, but with less variation. A state of advanced decomposition was reached where little change was observed in the next ±90-183 days after interment. Although the patterns of decomposition for buried and surface remains were very similar, the rates differed considerably. Based on the observations made in this study, guidelines for the estimation of PMI are proposed. This pertains to buried remains found at a depth of approximately 0.75 m in the Central Highveld of South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salmonellosis is a disease of major zoonotic importance and canine parvovirus is a potentially fatal cause of canine enteritis with a world-wide distribution. Persistent isolation of Salmonella during routine environmental sampling surveys of a hospital ward, reserved for the treatment of dogs with canine parvovirus infection, prompted investigation into a possible source. We hypothesised that dogs affected by canine parvovirus would have a higher prevalence of faecal salmonellae compared to an apparently healthy cohort. Seventy-four client-owned dogs naturally infected with canine parvovirus and 42 apparently healthy client-owned dogs were included in the study. This prospective, longitudinal, observational study was conducted over an 18-month period. Fresh faecal samples were collected from dogs aged 6 weeks to 9 months diagnosed with canine parvovirus infection and admitted for treatment, and from apparently healthy dogs presented for vaccination or routine hospital procedures. Faeces were submitted for the isolation, antimicrobial susceptibility testing and serotyping of salmonellae. The prevalence of faecal Salmonella shedding was 22% and 31% for the affected and apparently healthy dogs, respectively, which was not statistically different. No significant associations between Salmonella status and possible risk factors or continuous variables such as age, body weight and duration of hospitalisation were identified. All the Salmonella isolates (n = 32) were resistant to penicillin G, lincomycin and tylosin. Salmonellae from nine different serotypes were identified. The prevalence of Salmonella shedding in both groups was higher than that commonly reported, yet similar to those in previous reports on young dogs, shelter dogs or dogs fed a raw meat diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Streptococcus suis is one of the major pathogens that cause economic losses in the swine industry worldwide. However, current bacterins only provide limited prophylactic protection in the field. An ideal vaccine against S. suis should protect pigs against the clinical diseases caused by multiple serotypes, or at least protect against the dominant serotype in a given geographic region. A new recombinant Salmonella enterica serotype Choleraesuis vaccine vector, rSC0011, that is based on the regulated delayed attenuation system and regulated delayed antigen synthesis system, was developed recently. In this study, an improved recombinant attenuated Salmonella Choleraesuis vector, rSC0016, was developed by incorporating a sopB mutation to ensure adequate safety and maximal immunogenicity. In the spleens of mice, rSC0016 colonized less than rSC0011. rSC0016 and rSC0011 colonized similarly in Peyer's patches of mice. The recombinant vaccine rSC0016(pS-SaoA) induced stronger cellular, humoral, and mucosal immune responses in mice and swine against SaoA, a conserved surface protein that is present in many S. suis serotypes, than did rSC0011(pS-SaoA) without sopB or rSC0018(pS-SaoA), which is an avirulent, chemically attenuated vaccine strain. rSC0016(pS-SaoA) provided 100% protection against S. suis serotype 2 in mice and pigs, and full cross-protection against SS7 in pigs. This new vaccine vector provides a foundation for the development of a universal vaccine against multiple serotypes of S. suis in pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many low-income countries have a human population with a high number of cattle owners depending on their livestock for food and income. Infectious diseases threaten the health and production of cattle, affecting both the farmers and their families as well as other actors in often informal value chains. Many infectious diseases can be prevented by good biosecurity. The objectives of this study were to describe herd management and biosecurity routines with potential impact on the prevalence of infectious diseases, and to estimate the burden of infectious diseases in Ugandan cattle herds, using the seroprevalence of three model infections. Results: Farmer interviews (n = 144) showed that biosecurity measures are rarely practised. Visitors' hand-wash was used by 14%, cleaning of boots or feet by 4 and 79% put new cattle directly into the herd. During the 12 months preceding the interviews, 51% of farmers had cattle that died and 31% had noticed abortions among their cows. Interestingly, 72% were satisfied with the health status of their cattle during the same time period. The prevalence (95% CI) of farms with at least one seropositive animal was 16.7% (11.0;23.8), 23.6% (16.9;31.4), and 53.4% (45.0;61.8) for brucella, salmonella and BVD, respectively. A poisson regression model suggested that having employees looking after the cattle, sharing pasture with other herds, and a higher number of dead cattle were associated with a herd being positive to an increasing number of the diseases. An additive bayesian network model with biosecurity variables and a variable for the number of diseases the herd was positive to resulted in three separate directed acyclic graphs which illustrate how herd characteristics can be grouped together. This model associated the smallest herd size with herds positive to a decreasing number of diseases and having fewer employees. Conclusion: There is potential for improvement of biosecurity practices in Ugandan cattle production. Salmonella, brucella and BVD were prevalent in cattle herds in the study area and these infections are, to some extent, associated with farm management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-typhoidal Salmonella spp. (hereafter referred to as Salmonella ) on beef and pork is an important cause of foodborne illness and death globally. A systematic review of the effectiveness of interventions to reduce Salmonella prevalence or concentration in beef and pork was undertaken. A broad search was conducted in Scopus and CAB abstracts. Each citation was appraised using screening tools tested a priori . Level 1 relevance screening excluded irrelevant citations; level 2 confirmed relevance and categorized studies. Data were then extracted, and intervention categories were descriptively summarized. Meta-analysis was performed to provide a summary estimate of treatment effect where two or more studies investigated the same intervention in comparable populations. The Grading of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach was used to assess the confidence in the estimated measures of intervention effect for data subgroups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid screening for enteric bacterial pathogens in clinical environments is essential for biosecurity. Salmonella found in veterinary hospitals, particularly Salmonella enterica serovar Dublin, can pose unique challenges for culture and testing because of its poor growth. Multiple Salmonella serovars including Dublin are emerging threats to public health given increasing prevalence and antimicrobial resistance. We adapted an automated food testing method to veterinary samples and evaluated the performance of the method in a variety of matrices including environmental samples (n = 81), tissues (n = 52), feces (n = 148), and feed (n = 29). A commercial kit was chosen as the basis for this approach in view of extensive performance characterizations published by multiple independent organizations. A workflow was established for efficiently and accurately testing veterinary matrices and environmental samples by use of real-time PCR after selective enrichment in Rappaport-Vassiliadis soya (RVS) medium. Using this method, the detection limit for S. Dublin improved by 100-fold over subculture on selective agars (eosin-methylene blue, brilliant green, and xylose-lysine-deoxycholate). Overall, the procedure was effective in detecting Salmonella spp. and provided next-day results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-typhoidal Salmonellae are a major cause of infectious diarrhoea worldwide and can cause invasive diseases, including bacteraemia, meningitis and osteomyelitis. Young or immunocompromised children and those with underlying conditions such as sickle cell disease are particularly vulnerable to invasive disease. There has been an increase in the rate of resistant non-typhoidal Salmonella, which is associated with invasive disease and hospitalisation. The intracellular nature of non-typhoidal Salmonella protects against extracellular antibiotics and can facilitate disease relapse, particularly meningitis. Effective antimicrobial agents with good intracellular penetration include azithromycin, fluoroquinolones and third-generation cephalosporins. Antibiotic treatment of non-typhoidal Salmonella gastroenteritis is only indicated if there are risk factors for invasive disease as it can prolong excretion and does not shorten the duration of gastrointestinal symptoms. Optimal choice and length of therapy for gastroenteritis and invasive disease in children is not clear. Here, we provide a review of the literature and treatment recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Veterinary Journal / Revue Vétérinaire Canadienne is the property of Canadian Veterinary Medical Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of immunoglobulin Y (IgY) obtained from chickens immunized with Salmonella vaccines. Chickens were vaccinated three times with inactivated monovalent, bivalent, and combined vaccines. Immunized hen eggs were collected after the third vaccination and IgYs were purified. In total, 100 mice were orally challenged with Salmonella serotypes. After the challenge, IgYs were orally administered to mice. Mice were observed for morbidity and mortality. Fecal samples from the mice were also cultured for the reisolation of Salmonella serotypes. The antibody titers in the serum samples of vaccinated chickens were higher than those of controls (P < 0.001). Neither morbidity nor mortality were observed in these mice. In all of the groups the reisolation numbers of the Salmonella serotypes from internal organs and fecal samples were low (P < 0.001) In conclusion, it is suggested that IgYs from immunized chickens could be used to establish protection against Salmonella infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigated the protective effects of tannin-derived components, gallic acid (GA) and tannic acid (TA), in vitro and in vivo against Salmonella infection in mice. Both GA and TA showed antibacterial effects against Salmonella ( S. ) Typhimurium as well as inhibitory effects on the adherence, invasion, and intracellular growth of the pathogens in macrophages. Following a lethal dose of Salmonella infection in mice, reduced virulence in both GA- and TA-treated groups was observed based on reduced mortality rates. In the non-infected groups, the average weights of the spleens and livers of GA- or TA-treated mice were not significantly different with the control group. In addition, the average weights of these organs in all of the Salmonella -infected groups were not significantly different but the numbers of bacteria in the spleens and livers in both GA- and TA-treated mice were significantly reduced. The levels of cytokine production in non-infected mice revealed that GA-treated and TA-treated mice elicited an increased level of IFN-γ, and both IFN-γ and MCP-1, respectively, as compared with the PBS-treated group. These findings highlight the potential of GA and TA as alternatives for the treatment of salmonellosis and as supplements to conventional antimicrobial food additives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the phenotypic and genotypic profile of antimicrobial susceptibility and the possible involvement of extended spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) in the resistance profile of Salmonella Heidelberg (SH) isolated from chicken meat. We used 18 SH isolates from chicken meat produced in 2013 in the state of Paraná, Southern Brazil. The isolates were submitted to disk-diffusion tests and from these results it was possible to determine the number of isolates considered multiresistant and the index of multiple antimicrobial resistance (IRMA) against ten antimicrobials routinely used in human and veterinary medicine. It was considered multidrug resistant the isolate that showed resistance to three or more classes of antibiotics. Another test performed was the disc-approximation in order to investigate interposed zones of inhibition, indicative of ESBLs production. In the isolates that presented multidrug resistance (18/18), a search of resistance genes involved in the production of ESBLs was performed using PCR: bla CMY-2, bla SHV-1, bla TEM-1, bla CTX-M2, bla OXA-1, bla PSE-1 and Amp C. The overall antimicrobial resistance was 80.55%. The highest levels of resistance were observed for nalidixic acid and ceftiofur (100%). The most commonly resistance pattern found (42.1%) was A (penicillin-cephalosporin-quinolone-tetracycline). The results were negative for ghost zone formation, indicative of ESBLs. However, PCR technique was able to detect resistance genes via ESBLs where the bla TEM-1 gene showed the highest amplification (83.33%), and the second most prevalent genes were bla CMY-2 (38.88%) and Amp C gene (38.88%). The bla OXA-1 and bla PSE-1 genes were not detected. These results are certainly of concern since SH is becoming more prevalent in the South of Brazil and able to cause severe disease in immune compromised individuals, showing high antimicrobial resistance to those drugs routinely used in the treatment and control of human and animal salmonellosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Each category of pigs is susceptible to diseases caused by pathogenic bacteria, which negatively reflects on animal health, farm production results or meat quality. Animal feed is one of the potential reservoirs of pathogenic bacteria and infection source of domestic animals. Salmonella spp. is major microbiological hazard in animal feed. Thus, there is importance for implementation of strategies for preventing feed contamination with Salmonella, by minimizing dust, maximizing hygiene of space and processing equipment in feed mills and implementing control measures in each stage of feed production. Existing Salmonella feed contamination can be eliminated by conditioning and later different heat treatments (pelleting, extrusion, expansion) in production process while changing physical structure of the feed (coarsely or finely ground mash or pellets) can influence on conditions for Salmonella development in gastrointestinal tract of pigs. Contamination of feed by pathogenic bacteria and conditions for their development can be also controlled by addition of acidifiers, prebiotics, probiotics and, more recently, essential oils of plant origin, into feed. Various strategies for prevention of feed bacterial contamination, processes for feed decontamination, as well as possibilities for controlling pathogenic bacteria, especially Salmonella, in pig feed were presented and discussed in this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to develop a Salmonella Typhimurium (ST) challenge model in weaned pigs suitable to evaluate effects of water and feed interventions on fecal shedding and growth performance. Two studies were performed. In Exp. 1 weaned pigs were fed either a standard diet (CON) or a diet with a high buffer capacity (HB) and challenged for either 3 or 7 consecutive days in a Latin square design with 4 x 8 individually housed pigs. In Exp. 2, the CON 7-d challenge method was chosen for further model development and validation. Thirty-two individually housed weaned pigs were divided over 4 treatments: a nonchallenged control group (NCON), a challenged positive control group (PCON), a challenged intervention group with acidified water (WATER), and a challenged intervention group with acidified feed (FEED). Pigs were orally challenged once daily on d 7 to 9 or d 7 to 13 after weaning (d 0) with 1 x109 cfu ST. From d 0 to 28, rectal temperature and occurrence of diarrhea were recorded daily, and BW and feed intake were measured weekly. Fecal samples were collected on d 0, 2, 7, 9, 13, 16, 20, 23, and 27 in Exp. 1 and d 0, 2, 7, 8, 9, 13, 15, and 27 in Exp. 2 for Salmonella quantification. The results of both experiments showed quantifiable fecal Salmonella shedding (average peak shedding of approximately 3.5 log10 and 5.5 log10 cfu/g, respectively), accompanied by a transient 0.5°C increase in rectal temperature and an increase in occurrence of diarrhea. In Exp. 2 during the week of challenge (i.e., d 7 to 14), a reduction in growth performance (ADG: -157 to 200 g/d and G:F: -0.22 to 0.25 g/d; P < 0.01) in PCON and FEED was observed compared to NCON, with WATER showing an intermediate response. The WATER treatment also showed a numerically lower peak shedding (difference of -1.3 to 1.4 log10 cfu/g) compared to PCON and FEED. To conclude, we repeatedly infected weaned pigs successfully with 1 x 109 cfu of ST for 7 consecutive days, resulting in detectable and quantifiable fecal Salmonella shedding. This ST challenge model may be suitable for evaluation of effects of water and feed interventions on peak fecal shedding and growth performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the effectiveness of bacteriophage treatment for reducing Salmonella attachment and biofilms on hard surfaces. Bacteriophages (n = 6) were selected for bacteriophage treatment based on host ranges against Salmonella isolates (n = 10) obtained from rendering plants. The effectiveness of bacteriophage treatment (104–108 PFU/mL) was initially evaluated against strong Salmonella biofilm formers in 96-well microplate. Then, the bacteriophage treatment (109 PFU/mL) was applied for 7 d to reduce Salmonella attached to the stainless steel surfaces under laboratory and greenhouse conditions. The inhibition of biofilm formation and reduction of pre-formed biofilm in 96-well microplate with bacteriophage treatment reached up to 90 and 66%, respectively. Under laboratory conditions, bacteriophage treatment reduced up to 2.9 and 3.0 log CFU/cm2 of attachment and slightly formed biofilm of selected top 10 Salmonella strains and an avirulent Salmonella Typhimurium strain 8243, respectively, as compared with reductions of 3.4, 1.4, and 3.0 log CFU/cm2 of S. Typhimurium strain 8243 in summer, fall/winter, and spring seasons under greenhouse conditions, respectively. Clearly, bacteriophages were effective on reducing Salmonella attachment and biofilms formed on hard surfaces under both laboratory and greenhouse conditions. The use of bacteriophages on hard surfaces may have merits in reducing the likelihood of finished rendered products being recontaminated with Salmonella in rendering plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zoonotic Salmonella infections cause approximately 130 000 illnesses annually in the United States. Of 72.9 million US households owning at least one pet, five million own small mammals; 3000 hedgehogs were documented by USDA in USDA-licensed breeding facilities and pet stores in 2012. State health department collaborators and PulseNet, the national bacterial subtyping network, identified human infections of a Salmonella Typhimurium outbreak strain, which were investigated by CDC, USDA- APHIS and state public and animal health officials. A case was defined as an illness in a person infected with the outbreak strain identified between 1 December 2011 and 3 June 2013. Investigators collected information on patient exposures, cultured animal and environmental specimens for Salmonella, and conducted traceback investigations of USDA-licensed hedgehog facilities. There were 26 cases in 12 states. Illness onset dates ranged from 26 December 2011 to 8 April 2013. The median patient age was 15 years (range = <1-91 years); 58% were female. Among 23 persons with available information, 8 (35%) were hospitalized and one outbreak strain -associated death was reported. Of 25 patients with available information, 20 (80%) reported pet hedgehog contact in the week before illness onset. The outbreak strain was isolated from animal and environmental samples collected from three ill persons' homes in three states. Hedgehogs were purchased in geographically distant states from USDA-licensed breeders (10/17, 59%); a USDA-licensed pet store (1/17, 6%); unlicensed or unknown status breeders (3/17, 18%); and private individuals (3/17, 18%). Traceback investigations of USDA-licensed facilities did not reveal a single source of infection. Public and animal health collaboration linked pet hedgehog contact to human infections of Salmonella Typhimurium, highlighting the importance of a One Health investigative approach to zoonotic salmonellosis outbreaks. More efforts are needed to increase awareness among multiple stakeholders on the risk of illness associated with pet hedgehogs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary We report epidemic occurrences of fatal salmonellosis caused by Salmonella Enteritidis in captive maras ( Dolichotis patagonum ) in a zoological garden in Japan. The deaths were sudden or followed a peracute course within a few hours of the first observations of clinical abnormalities. Gross lesions included haemorrhages in the subcutis and skeletal muscles, liver, spleen, lung, heart and gastrointestinal tract. Microscopically, there were haemorrhagic and necrotizing lesions with gram-negative bacilli in the liver, spleen, small intestine and Peyer's patches. These bacilli showed strong immunolabelling for Salmonella O9 antigen and S. Enteritidis was isolated from the lesions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of salmonellosis in maras. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Salmonella enterica serovars Enteritidis and Typhimurium represent the major serovars associated with human salmonellosis. Contamination of meat products with these serovars is considered the main source of infection. Methodology: In this study, 100 raw chicken meat samples were investigated for the presence of Salmonella spp., which were subsequently identified based on biochemical and serological tests as well as matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) profile. Furthermore, the isolated serovars were examined using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of virulence genes suspected to have a role in infection. Results: S. Enteritidis was isolated from two samples (2%), while S. Typhimurium was isolated from three samples (3%) of chicken meat. Of the 17 examined virulence genes using multiplex PCR, the sitC, sopB, sifA, lpfC, spaN, sipB, invA, spiA, and msgA genes were detected in S. Enteritidis. However, the sitC, iroN, sopB, sifA, lpfC, spaN, sipB, invA, and tolC genes were successfully amplified in S. Typhimurium. Conclusions: The detection of S. Enteritidis and S. Typhimurium in meat, even at low incidence, has important implications. In addition, the data presented here is the first attempt to identify a wide range of virulence genes in Egyptian Salmonella isolates recovered from meat products. A strict public health and food safety regime is urgently needed in order to decrease the human health hazard risk associated with salmonellosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estimates of prevalence of faecal Salmonella shedding among dogs in the United States have varied widely. Surveillance among shelter dogs has been limited, although dogs in animal shelters may be at elevated risk of Salmonella infection because of their previous exposure history as well as factors inherent to shelter environments. Our objectives were to estimate the prevalence of Salmonella shedding among shelter dogs across Texas, to identify risk factors for shedding and to characterize the isolates. Using a repeated cross-sectional study design, we collected faecal samples from dogs on two or three visits to each of seven Texas animal shelters between May 2013 and December 2014. Standard bacteriologic culture methods were used to isolate Salmonella from samples, and isolates were characterized via serotyping and anti-microbial susceptibility testing. The prevalence of faecal Salmonella shedding among sampled dogs was 4.9% (27/554), and within-shelter prevalence ranged from 1.9% to 8.3%. There was a marginal association ( P = 0.09) between watery faecal samples and positive Salmonella status, as estimated by a logistic regression model that controlled for shelter as a random effect. However, over 60% of Salmonella-positive dogs had grossly normal faeces. Salmonella prevalence did not vary significantly by age group or sex. The most common serovars were Newport (22%) and Javiana (15%), both of which were widespread among shelters. Resistance to anti-microbial agents was uncommon. The prevalence of faecal Salmonella shedding among shelter dogs in Texas appears to be comparable to that seen among pet dogs in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of Salmonella spp. and their antimicrobial susceptibilities on poultry and swine farms, sampled in 2 regions in Central Vietnam. A total of 67 poultry farms and 46 swine farms were sampled in a period of 5 months (from September 2012 to January 2013). Salmonella spp. was prevalent in 46.3% and 71.7% of poultry and swine farms, respectively. Altogether, 99 non-typhoidal Salmonella were isolated and the most common serovars were Salmonella Weltevreden (19%), followed by Salmonella Typhimurium (12%) and Salmonella 4,[5],12:i:- (11%). Overall, 71 of 99 (72%) Salmonella isolates were resistant to at least one of the 14 antimicrobial agents tested. Both in poultry and swine farms, high levels of resistance were observed for ampicillin, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, sulphamethoxazole and tetracycline. The presence of Salmonella isolates from poultry and swine farms which were resistant to different classes of antimicrobials suggests that alternative control measures to antimicrobials should be implemented. Moreover, an effective policy should be promoted to encourage a prudent use of these agents in animal farming in Vietnam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes are foodborne pathogens of global importance. We assessed their risks and associated factors in a highly dynamic population of animals. Animal and environmental samples were collected from dairy cattle, sheep, camel and chickens at either the farms or the abattoirs. The pathogens were detected using a combination of bacterial enrichment culture and real-time polymerase chain reaction ( PCR). Data on putative risk factors were collect and analysed for their significance of association with these pathogens. Salmonella spp. were detected at higher proportions in sheep faeces and sheep carcasses in comparison to cattle faeces (odds ratio = 2.4 and 2.2, respectively). This pathogen was less common in milk or carcasses samples from cattle or chickens. Sheep and camel carcass samples were highly contaminated with Salmonella spp. Faecal samples from cattle had the most diverse serovars of Salmonella enterica including S. Newport, S. Haifa, S. Kedougou, S. Kentucky, S. Mbandaka and S. Goettingen. Exotic serovars in sheep included S. Eastbourne, S. Chester and S. Kottnus. Serovars that were shed in camel faeces included S. Newport, S. Bovismorbificans and S. Infantis. In all sampled populations, detection of Salmonella spp. was more likely during warmer months than cold months. Listeria monocytogenes was not common in the targeted populations and was detected at a rate of 2.4%, mainly from sheep carcasses. The study highlights the role of food animals as reservoirs of pathogens across boundaries since all feed are imported in that population from different parts of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Kentucky is frequently isolated from healthy poultry and dairy cows and is occasionally isolated from people with clinical disease. A genomic analysis of 119 isolates collected in the United States from dairy cows, ground beef, poultry and poultry products, and human clinical cases was conducted. Results of the analysis demonstrated that the majority of poultry and bovine-associated S. Kentucky were sequence type (ST) 152. Several bovine-associated (n = 3) and food product isolates (n = 3) collected from the United States and the majority of human clinical isolates were ST198, a sequence type that is frequently isolated from poultry and occasionally from human clinical cases in Northern Africa, Europe and Southeast Asia. A phylogenetic analysis indicated that both STs are more closely related to other Salmonella serovars than they are to each other. Additionally, there was strong evidence of an evolutionary divergence between the poultry-associated and bovine-associated ST152 isolates that was due to polymorphisms in four core genome genes. The ST198 isolates recovered from dairy farms in the United States were phylogenetically distinct from those collected from human clinical cases with 66 core genome SNPs differentiating the two groups, but more isolates are needed to determine the significance of this distinction. Identification of S. Kentucky ST198 from dairy animals in the United States suggests that the presence of this pathogen should be monitored in food-producing animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nontyphoidal Salmonella spp. are a leading cause of foodborne illness. Risk factors for salmonellosis include the consumption of contaminated chicken, eggs, pork and beef. Agricultural, environmental and socioeconomic factors also have been associated with rates of Salmonella infection. However, to our knowledge, these factors have not been modeled together at the community-level to improve our understanding of whether rates of salmonellosis are variable across communities defined by differing factors. To address this knowledge gap, we obtained data on culture-confirmed Salmonella Typhimurium, S. Enteritidis, S. Newport and S. Javiana cases (2004–2010; n=14,297) from the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet), and socioeconomic, environmental and agricultural data from the 2010 Census of Population and Housing, the 2011 American Community Survey, and the 2007 U.S. Census of Agriculture. We linked data by zip code and derived incidence rate ratios using negative binomial regressions. Multiple community-level factors were associated with salmonellosis rates; however, our findings varied by state. For example, in Georgia (Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR)=1.01; 95% Confidence Interval (CI)=1.005–1.015) Maryland (IRR=1.01; 95% CI=1.003–1.015) and Tennessee (IRR=1.01; 95% CI=1.002–1.012), zip codes characterized by greater rurality had higher rates of S . Newport infections. The presence of broiler chicken operations, dairy operations and cattle operations in a zip code also was associated with significantly higher rates of infection with at least one serotype in states that are leading producers of these animal products. For instance, in Georgia and Tennessee, rates of S. Enteritidis infection were 48% (IRR=1.48; 95% CI=1.12–1.95) and 46% (IRR=1.46; 95% CI=1.17–1.81) higher in zip codes with broiler chicken operations compared to those without these operations. In Maryland, New Mexico and Tennessee, higher poverty levels in zip codes were associated with higher rates of infection with one or more Salmonella serotypes. In Georgia and Tennessee, zip codes with higher percentages of the population composed of African Americans had significantly higher rates of infection with one or more Salmonella serotypes. In summary, our findings show that community-level agricultural, environmental and socioeconomic factors may be important with regard to rates of infection with Salmonella Typhimurium, Enteritidis, Newport and Javiana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pork is an important source of human salmonellosis and low-cost on-farm control measures may provide a useful element in reducing the prevalence of this pathogen in food. This study investigated the effectiveness of dietary supplementation with sodium butyrate administered to finisher pigs for ∼4-weeks prior to slaughter to control Salmonella shedding on highly contaminated farms. Two trials (A and B) were conducted on two commercial pig farms, which had a history of high Salmonella seroprevalence. In both trials, pens (14 pens of 12 pigs/pen in Trial A and 12 pens of 12–17 pigs/pen in Trial B) were randomly assigned to a control (finisher feed without additive) or a treatment group (the same feed with 3 kg sodium butyrate/t) for 24–28 days, depending on the trial. Faeces were collected from each pig on days 0, 12 and 24/28, and blood, caecal digesta and ileocaecal/mesenteric lymph nodes were collected from the slaughterhouse. Pigs were weighed at the start and end of the trials, feed intake was recorded, and carcass quality parameters were recorded at slaughter. In Trial A, Salmonella shedding was reduced in the treatment compared to the control group at the end of the trial (30% versus 57% probability of detecting Salmonella in faeces, respectively; p < 0.001). This reflected the serology results, with detection of a lower seroprevalence in the treatment compared to the control group using the 20% optical density cut-off (69.5% versus 89%; p = 0.001). However, no effect on faecal shedding or seroprevalance was observed in Trial B, which may be explained by the detection of a concomitant infection with Lawsonia intracellularis . No significant differences in Salmonella recovery rates were observed in the caecal digesta or lymph nodes in either trial. Furthermore, feed intake, weight gain, and feed conversion efficiency (FCE) did not differ between groups (p > 0.05) in either trial. Numerical improvements in weight gain and FCE were found with sodium butyrate treatment, which gave a cost benefit of €0.04/kg of live-weight gain. Overall, results suggest that strategic feeding of sodium butyrate, at 3 kg/t of feed, to finishing pigs for 24–28 days prior to slaughter was effective in reducing Salmonella shedding and seroprevalance but perhaps only in the absence of co-infection with other pathogens. However, sodium butyrate supplementation at this rate did not influence intestinal carriage, nor did it reduce seroprevalence to below the cut-off used for the high Salmonella risk category in Ireland (50%), or significantly improve growth performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was performed with a view to collect epidemiological data to proper control of duck salmonellosis in Bangladesh. A total of 12 small to medium sized duck farms and 28 individual households were visited for data collection. On the basis of history and clinical signs and as per the information provided by the farmers the prevalence rate of duck salmonellosis was recorded as 38.1% and the P value was calculated as 0.003 (p<0.01) which was noted as highly significant. Based on tentative occurrences of duck salmonellosis as per information taken from the structured questionnaire a total of 120 fecal samples were collected from apparently healthy and diseased ducks on the basis of age, sex, season, location and health status. The isolated bacteria were identified by studying cultural properties on different selective media, biochemical tests, and finally by PCR. The test results of cultural and biochemical exhibited the typical characteristics of bacteria. On the basis of their cultural and biochemical characteristics it was found that among 120 fecal samples 32 (26.67%) were found to be positive for Salmonella and the P value was recorded as 0.0019 (p<0.01) which was also considered as highly significant. In motility test duck Salmonella were identified as motile and all tested duck Salmonella showed indole and VP test negative with MR test positive. In PCR reaction, the organism was further confirmed as Salmonella species using the SAL-G primer. Results of antibiotic susceptibility test shows that the selected isolated Salmonella were highly sensitive to ciprofloxacin and azithromycin, intermediate sensitive to tobramycin and gentamicin and resistant to oxacillin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During 2006-2014, a total of 15 multistate outbreaks of turtle-associated salmonellosis in humans were reported in the United States. Exposure to small pet turtles has long been recognized as a source of human salmonellosis. The risk to public health has persisted and may be increasing. Turtles are a popular reptilian pet among children, and numerous risky behaviors for the zoonotic transmission of Salmonella bacteria to children have been reported in recent outbreaks. Despite a long-standing federal ban against the sale and distribution of turtles <4 in (<10.16 cm) long, these small reptiles can be readily acquired through multiple venues and continue to be the main source of turtle-associated salmonellosis in children. Enhanced efforts are needed to minimize the disease risk associated with small turtle exposure. Prevention will require novel partnerships and a comprehensive One Health approach involving human, animal, and environmental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examined the effects of a licensed live Salmonella Typhimurium vaccine, administered to sows and gilts on three commercial pig units experiencing clinical salmonellosis associated with S. Typhimurium or its monophasic variant. After vaccination, clinical salmonellosis resolved and shedding of S. Typhimurium declined markedly and persistently on all breeding or breeding-finishing units, during the one- to two-year monitoring period. On two finishing units supplied in part by one of the vaccinated herds, pigs from the vaccinated herd were less likely to shed Salmonella than those from non-vaccinating herds, and Salmonella counts in faeces were also lower from the vaccine-linked animals. Non-Typhimurium Salmonella serovars were isolated typically in fewer than 10% of samples, and showed no clear temporal changes in frequency. Vaccination of dams alone with S. Typhimurium was associated with reduced shedding of closely-related serovars among all age groups in this commercial setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salmonellosis is an economic burden to the livestock industry in Reunion Island. In this study, we wanted to improve our understanding of Salmonella epidemiology by studying the wild fauna of Reunion Island. We assessed Salmonella diversity in small non-flying mammals, birds and cockroaches in order to evaluate their potential role in the epidemiology of Salmonella . A total of 268 samples were collected from cockroaches, small mammals and birds. The bacteriological analyses revealed that 11.7% of non-flying mammals and 25% of cockroaches tested were Salmonella infected; two wild bird species were also detected positive. The 128 Salmonella isolates were distributed in fifteen serotypes and the most predominant were S. 4,[5],12:i:- (21.9% of positive samples) followed by S. Enteritidis (15.6%), S. Typhimurium (15.6%), S. Infantis (12.5%) and S. Weltevreden (12.5%). A total of 27 Xba I profiles were identified using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Comparison of these Salmonella strains with our collection of Salmonella isolated from pigs and pig farm environments at the same period revealed 14 strains in common between wild fauna and pigs, especially for cockroaches. Our results suggest that wild fauna of Reunion Island could be infected by strains of Salmonella also isolated from pigs or pig environment. They may play a role in both persistence and spreading of Salmonella and therefore, could be a source of infection in pig farms. Pest control against cockroaches could be a helpful tool in the reduction of Salmonella infection of pigs, limiting contacts between wild fauna and both pigs and pig environment. Special attention should be paid to S. 4,[5],12:i:- since it was predominant in Reunion Island’s wild fauna and pigs and was the third most frequently reported serotype in human salmonellosis in Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE To describe the antimicrobial resistance patterns of Salmonella isolates obtained from horses in the northeastern United States and to identify trends in resistance to select antimicrobials over time. SAMPLE 462 Salmonella isolates from horses. PROCEDURES Retrospective data were collected for all Salmonella isolates obtained from equine specimens that were submitted to the Cornell University Animal Health Diagnostic Center between January 1, 2001, and December 31, 2013. Temporal trends in the prevalence of resistant Salmonella isolates were investigated for each of 13 antimicrobials by use of the Cochran-Armitage trend test RESULTS The prevalence of resistant isolates varied among antimicrobials and ranged from 0% (imipenem) to 51.5% (chloramphenicol). During the observation period, the prevalence of resistant isolates decreased significantly for amoxi-cillin-clavulanic acid, ampicillin, cefazolin, cefoxitin, ceftiofur, chloramphenicol, and tetracycline and remained negligible for amikacin and enrofloxacin. Of the 337 isolates for which the susceptibility to all 13 antimicrobials was determined. 138 (40.9%) were pansusceptible and 192 (57.0%) were multidrug resistant (resistant to 23 antimicrobial classes). The most common serovar isolated was Salmonella Newport, and although the annual prevalence of that serovar decreased significantly over time, that decrease had only a minimal effect on the observed antimicrobial resistance trends. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results suggested that current antimicrobial use in horses is not promoting the emergence and dissemination of antimicrobial-resistant Salmonella strains in the region served by the laboratory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Salmonellosis is an infectious and a food-borne disease of humans and animals. The initial source of the infection is the intestinal tracts of birds and other animals. Apparently healthy animals can become subclinical carriers and persistently shed Salmonella in their feces which can act as a reservoir for the pathogen. The aim of this study is to detect the carriers of Salmonella among apparently healthy sheep and goat flocks of Bushehr and Lorestan provinces, Iran. Methods: A total of 389 fecal samples were aseptically collected from the rectum of apparently healthy sheep and goat flocks of Bushehr and Lorestan provinces. Bacteriological culture was conducted using selenite cystine, Rappaport-Vassiliadis, brilliant green and xylose lysine deoxycholate agar. Suspected colonies were inoculated in to TSI, peptone water, Simmon's Citrate, Urea medium and MRVP. Sero groups were detected by antisera. Results: Two samples from 189 samples (1.05%) were positive for Salmonella in Bushehr province. Salmonella abortusovis and Salmonella typhimurium were detected following serotyping. No Salmonella carriers were detected in Lorestan province. Conclusion: As the rate of carriers of Salmonella was low, the risk of food-borne salmonellosis due to consumption of small ruminant's meat is low, especially in the condition of well cooked meat. Since S. abortusovis was detected, strategies of prevention and control of abortion due to this agent must be taken to reduce the economic losses. Moreover, the presence of S. typhimurium is a hazard to public health and people who have close contact to sheep and goats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Salmonella enterica Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) is the most common cause of bovine salmonellosis in Japan and where it is also cause of salmonellosis in wild birds. In 2008, a postpartum cow at a dairy farm developed diarrhea caused by S. Typhimurium. The herd was extensively surveilled for Salmonella sp. and we characterized bacterial isolates from this and other cows to determine the source of infection. Results: Eight isolates of S. Typhimurium from cattle were identified as phage type DT40 and showed a 100 % similarity by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and the same or similar multiple-locus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis profiles as those of S. Typhimurium isolated from dead sparrows (Passer montanus) collected at Asahikawa in 2006. S. Typhimurium DT40 was considered to be a major cause of high sparrow mortality in Hokkaido in 2005-2006 and 2008-2009, suggesting that DT40 maintained in sparrows was transmitted to cattle. Conclusions: S. Typhimurium DT40 may be transmitted from sparrows to dairy cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to investigate the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella spp. and Escherichia (E.) coli isolated from ducks in Korea. A total of 400 cecal content samples were collected from 40 duck farms in Korea. Isolated Salmonella spp. and E. coli strains were 83 and 364 of the 400 cecal samples, respectively. The most prevalent serotype among the 83 Salmonella isolates was Salmonella Typhimurium (51 isolates: 61.45%). Resistance to the tested antimicrobial agents by Salmonella isolates was low except for erythromycin, while the resistance of the E. coli isolates to the other tested antimicrobial agents was high and 90.9% (331/364) of E. coli isolates showed multi-antimicrobial resistance. Antimicrobial resistance in duck zoonotic pathogens should be of concern to the Korean duck industry, as these pathogens exhibit a high rate of antimicrobial resistance and pose a potential hazard to public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The February 2016 Animal and Plant Health Agency's disease survielance report in England and Wales is presented. Topics discussed include emerging issues related to haplotype cholesterol Holstein cattle and mass mortalities in wild mute swans, K99 Escherichia coli infection in calves, and acute salmonellosis in finishing pigs.