Public Health Aspects in Relation to Beef Production

SUMMARY This study aimed to assess the prevalence and spatial distribution of bovine cysticercosis in the state of Goiás, Brazil; to verify its association with epidemiological variables, and to establish the economical losses for beef farms. A set of 23 255 979 bovines from 246 municipalities were slaughtered from 2007 through 2014. The prevalence of bovine cysticercosis was 0·53% [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0·5295–0·5354]. The Central mesoregion showed a higher risk [odds ratio (OR) = 4·44; 95% CI 4·2936–4·5895] for detecting infected animals with cysticerci compared with those raised at North and Northeast mesoregion (OR = 1·02 and OR = 1·02). The microregion of Goiânia had a higher risk for bovine cysticercosis occurrence (OR = 11·05, 95% CI 10·6933–11·4099) compared with the microregion of São Miguel do Araguaia (OR = 1). None of the epidemiological variables evaluated in this study was significantly associated (P > 0·05) with bovine cysticercosis prevalence. In conclusion, the prevalence of bovine cysticercosis in the state of Goiás, Brazil, was 0·53% and some mesoregions and microregions presented a higher risk for its occurrence. The economical losses due to its occurrence during the period ranged from US$9 260 728·57 to 11 313 816·67. These results highlighted the needs of adopting prophylactic measures and the development of political strategies in specific regions in order to control this zoonose and reduce the economical losses for beef production chain and the costs for public health.

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Resistome diversity in cattle and the environment decreases during beef production

eLife ◽

10.7554/elife.13195 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 5 ◽

Cited By ~ 59

Author(s):

Noelle R Noyes ◽

Xiang Yang ◽

Lyndsey M Linke ◽

Roberta J Magnuson ◽

Adam Dettenwanger ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Pathogenic Bacteria ◽

Selective Pressure ◽

Meat Products ◽

Beef Production ◽

The Public ◽

Management Procedures ◽

Beef Products ◽

Pooled Samples ◽

Livestock Systems

Antimicrobial resistant determinants (ARDs) can be transmitted from livestock systems through meat products or environmental effluents. The public health risk posed by these two routes is not well understood, particularly in non-pathogenic bacteria. We collected pooled samples from 8 groups of 1741 commercial cattle as they moved through the process of beef production from feedlot entry through slaughter. We recorded antimicrobial drug exposures and interrogated the resistome at points in production when management procedures could potentially influence ARD abundance and/or transmission. Over 300 unique ARDs were identified. Resistome diversity decreased while cattle were in the feedlot, indicating selective pressure. ARDs were not identified in beef products, suggesting that slaughter interventions may reduce the risk of transmission of ARDs to beef consumers. This report highlights the utility and limitations of metagenomics for assessing public health risks regarding antimicrobial resistance, and demonstrates that environmental pathways may represent a greater risk than the food supply.

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