scholarly journals Molecular Epidemiology of Campylobacter coli Strains Isolated from Different Sources in New Zealand between 2005 and 2014

2016 ◽  
Vol 82 (14) ◽  
pp. 4363-4370 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antoine Nohra ◽  
Alex Grinberg ◽  
Anne C. Midwinter ◽  
Jonathan C. Marshall ◽  
Julie M. Collins-Emerson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Environmental Water ◽  
Water Sources ◽  
Human Infection ◽  
Poultry Meat ◽  
Campylobacter Coli ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Sequence Types ◽  
Clinical Cases

ABSTRACTCampylobacteriosis is one of the most important foodborne diseases worldwide and a significant health burden in New Zealand.Campylobacter jejuniis the predominant species worldwide, accounting for approximately 90% of human cases, followed byCampylobacter coli. Most studies in New Zealand have focused onC. jejuni; hence, the impact ofC. colistrains on human health is not well understood. The aim of this study was to genotypeC. coliisolates collected in the Manawatu region of New Zealand from clinical cases, fresh poultry meat, ruminant feces, and environmental water sources, between 2005 and 2014, to study their population structure and estimate the contribution of each source to the burden of human disease.Campylobacterisolates were identified by PCR and typed by multilocus sequence typing.C. coliaccounted for 2.9% (n =47/1,601) ofCampylobacterisolates from human clinical cases, 9.6% (n =108/1,123) from poultry, 13.4% (n =49/364) from ruminants, and 6.4% (n =11/171) from water. Molecular subtyping revealed 27 different sequence types (STs), of which 18 belonged to clonal complex ST-828. ST-1581 was the most prevalentC. colisequence type isolated from both human cases (n =12/47) and poultry (n =44/110). When classified using cladistics, all sequence types belonged to clade 1 except ST-7774, which belonged to clade 2. ST-854, ST-1590, and ST-4009 were isolated only from human cases and fresh poultry, while ST-3232 was isolated only from human cases and ruminant sources. Modeling indicated ruminants and poultry as the main sources ofC. colihuman infection.IMPORTANCEWe performed a molecular epidemiological study ofCampylobacter coliinfection in New Zealand, one of few such studies globally. This study analyzed the population genetic structure of the bacterium and included a probabilistic source attribution model covering different animal and water sources. The results are discussed in a global context.

scholarly journals Campylobacter jejuni Strains Associated with Wild Birds and Those Causing Human Disease in Six High-Use Recreational Waterways in New Zealand

2019 ◽  
Vol 85 (24) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rima D. Shrestha ◽  
Anne C. Midwinter ◽  
Jonathan C. Marshall ◽  
Julie M. Collins-Emerson ◽  
Eve J. Pleydell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Campylobacter Jejuni ◽  
Human Disease ◽  
River Flow ◽  
Human Infection ◽  
Wild Birds ◽  
Recreational Waters ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sequence Types

ABSTRACT Campylobacter jejuni, a leading cause of gastroenteritis worldwide, has been frequently isolated from recreational rivers and streams in New Zealand, yet the public health significance of this is unknown. This study uses molecular tools to improve our understanding of the epidemiology and sources of Campylobacter in recreational waterways, with a view to preventing human infection. Epidemiological and microbiological data were collected between 2005 and 2009 from six high-use recreational waterways in the Manawatu-Wanganui region of the North Island. Campylobacter spp. and C. jejuni were isolated from 33.2% and 20.4% of 509 samples, respectively. Isolation of Campylobacter was observed in both low and high river flows. After adjusting for the confounding effects of river flow, there was a significantly higher likelihood of isolating Campylobacter in the winter month of June compared to January. A high diversity of C. jejuni multilocus sequence types was seen, with the most commonly isolated being the water rail-associated ST-2381 (19/91 isolates [20.9%]), ST-1225 (8/91 isolates [8.8%]), and ST-45 (6/91 isolates [6.6%]). The ST-2381 was found in all rivers, while the most commonly isolated ST from human cases in New Zealand, the poultry-associated strain ST-474, was isolated only in one river. Although the majority of Campylobacter sequence types identified in river water were strains associated with wild birds that are rarely associated with human disease, poultry and ruminant-associated Campylobacter strains that are found in human infection were also identified and could present a public health risk. IMPORTANCE In 2016, there was a large-scale waterborne outbreak of campylobacteriosis in New Zealand, which was estimated to have affected over 5,000 people. This highlighted the need for a greater understanding of the sources of contamination of both surface and groundwater and risks associated with exposure to both drinking and recreational water. This study reports the prevalence and population structure of Campylobacter jejuni in six recreational waters of the Manawatu-Wanganui region of New Zealand and models the relationship between Campylobacter spp. and ruminant-associated Campylobacter and the parameters “sites,” “months,” and “river flow.” Here, we demonstrate that both low and high river flows, month of the year, and recreational sites could influence the Campylobacter isolation from recreational waters. The presence of genotypes associated with human infection allowed us to describe potential risks associated with recreational waters.

scholarly journals Listeria monocytogenes Associated with New Zealand Seafood Production and Clinical Cases: Unique Sequence Types, Truncated InlA, and Attenuated Invasiveness

2013 ◽  
Vol 80 (4) ◽  
pp. 1489-1497 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina D. Cruz ◽  
Andrew R. Pitman ◽  
Sally A. Harrow ◽  
Graham C. Fletcher
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Listeria Monocytogenes ◽  
Stop Codon ◽  
Premature Stop Codon ◽  
Potential Health ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Processing Plants ◽  
Seafood Processing ◽  
Sequence Types ◽  
Clinical Cases

ABSTRACTListeriosis is caused by the food-borne pathogenListeria monocytogenes, which can be found in seafood and processing plants. To evaluate the risk to human health associated with seafood production in New Zealand, multi-virulence-locus sequence typing (MVLST) was used to define the sequence types (STs) of 31L. monocytogenesisolates collected from seafood-processing plants, 15 from processed foods, and 6 from human listeriosis cases. The STs of these isolates were then compared with those from a collection of seafood isolates and epidemic strains from overseas. A total of 17 STs from New Zealand clustered into two lineages: seafood-related isolates in lineages I and II and all human isolates in lineage II. None of the New Zealand STs matched previously described STs from other countries. Isolates (belonging to ST01-N and ST03-N) from mussels and their processing environments, however, were identical to those of sporadic listeriosis cases in New Zealand. ST03-N isolates (16 from mussel-processing environments, 2 from humans, and 1 from a mussel) contained aninlApremature stop codon (PMSC) mutation. Therefore, the levels of invasiveness of 22 isolates from ST03-N and the three other common STs were compared using human intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cell lines. STs carryinginlAPMSCs, including ST03-N isolates associated with clinical cases, had a low invasion phenotype. The close relatedness of some clinical and environmental strains, as revealed by identical MVLST profiles, suggests that local and persistent environmental strains in seafood-processing environments pose a potential health risk. Furthermore, a PMSC ininlAdoes not appear to giveL. monocytogenesa noninvasive profile.

scholarly journals Human Infections Attributable to the d-Tartrate-Fermenting Variant of Salmonella enterica Serovar Paratyphi B in Germany Originate in Reptiles and, on Rare Occasions, Poultry

2012 ◽  
Vol 78 (20) ◽  
pp. 7347-7357 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Toboldt ◽  
Erhard Tietze ◽  
Reiner Helmuth ◽  
Angelika Fruth ◽  
Ernst Junker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Salmonella Enterica ◽  
Antimicrobial Agents ◽  
Human Infection ◽  
Sequence Type ◽  
Poultry Meat ◽  
Gene Repertoire ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Paratyphi B ◽  
Human Infections ◽  
Sequence Types

ABSTRACTIn this study, the population structure, incidence, and potential sources of human infection caused by thed-tartrate-fermenting variant ofSalmonella entericaserovar Paratyphi B [S. Paratyphi B (dT+)] was investigated. In Germany, the serovar is frequently isolated from broilers. Therefore, a selection of 108 epidemiologically unrelatedS. entericaserovar Paratyphi B (dT+) strains isolated in Germany between 2002 and 2010 especially from humans, poultry/poultry meat, and reptiles was investigated by phenotypic and genotypic methods. Strains isolated from poultry and products thereof were strongly associated with multilocus sequence type ST28 and showed antimicrobial multiresistance profiles. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis XbaI profiles were highly homogeneous, with only a few minor XbaI profile variants. All strains isolated from reptiles, except one, were strongly associated with ST88, another distantly related type. Most of the strains were susceptible to antimicrobial agents, and XbaI profiles were heterogeneous. Strains isolated from humans yielded seven sequence types (STs) clustering in three distantly related lineages. The first lineage, comprising five STs, represented mainly strains belonging to ST43 and ST149. The other two lineages were represented only by one ST each, ST28 and ST88. The relatedness of strains based on the pathogenicity gene repertoire (102 markers tested) was mostly in agreement with the multilocus sequence type. Because ST28 was frequently isolated from poultry but rarely in humans over the 9-year period investigated, overall, this study indicates that in GermanyS. entericaserovar Paratyphi B (dT+) poses a health risk preferentially by contact with reptiles and, to a less extent, by exposure to poultry or poultry meat.

scholarly journals Comparison of Genotypes and Antibiotic Resistances of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli on Chicken Retail Meat and at Slaughter

2013 ◽  
Vol 79 (12) ◽  
pp. 3875-3878 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonja Kittl ◽  
Bożena M. Korczak ◽  
Lilian Niederer ◽  
Andreas Baumgartner ◽  
Sabina Buettner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Campylobacter Jejuni ◽  
Human Infection ◽  
Chicken Meat ◽  
Campylobacter Coli ◽  
Production Chain ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Resistance Patterns ◽  
Retail Meat ◽  
Retail Chicken Meat ◽  
Antibiotic Resistance Patterns

ABSTRACTMultilocus sequence typing (MLST) and antibiotic resistance patterns ofCampylobacter jejuniandCampylobacter colifrom retail chicken meat showed high overlap with isolates collected at slaughterhouses, indicating little selection along the production chain. They also showed significant common sequence types with human clinical isolates, revealing chicken meat as a likely source for human infection.

scholarly journals The Host Genotype and Environment Affect Strain Types of Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum Inhabiting the Intestinal Tracts of Twins

2015 ◽  
Vol 81 (14) ◽  
pp. 4774-4781
Author(s):  
Min Zhang ◽  
Xiaomin Hang ◽  
Jing Tan ◽  
Hong Yang
Keyword(s):  
Multilocus Sequence Typing ◽  
Twin Pair ◽  
Bifidobacterium Longum ◽  
Host Genotype ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Living Together ◽  
Adult Twins ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Mz Twins ◽  
Sequence Types

ABSTRACTTo investigate the influences of host genotype and environment onBifidobacterium longumsubsp.longuminhabiting human intestines at the strain level, six pairs of twins, divided into two groups (children and adults), were recruited. Each group consisted of two monozygotic (MZ) twin pairs and one dizygotic (DZ) twin pair. Child twins had been living together from birth, while adult twins had been living separately for 5 to 10 years. A total of 345B. longumsubsp.longumisolates obtained from 60 fecal samples from these twins were analyzed by multilocus sequence typing (MLST), and 35 sequence types (STs) were finally acquired. Comparison of strains within and between the twin pairs showed that no strains with identical STs were observed between unrelated individuals or within adult DZ twin pairs. Eight STs were found to be monophyletic, existing within MZ twins and child DZ twins. The similarity of strain types within child cotwins was significantly higher than that within adult cotwins, which indicated that environment was one of the important determinants inB. longumsubsp.longumstrain types inhabiting human intestines. However, although these differences between MZ and DZ twins were observed, it is still difficult to reach an exact conclusion about the impact of host genotype. This is mainly because of the limited number of subjects tested in the present study and the lack of strain types tracing in the same twin pairs from birth until adulthood.

New Zealand study shows both gender and national culture influence impact of high-performance work systems (HPWS)

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Job Performance ◽  
National Culture ◽  
Attribution Theory ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Service Sector ◽  
External Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The authors based their study on the findings of attribution theory, which suggests some people attribute experiences at work to external factors, and others to internal factors. Their theory was that women and men made different attributions and this affected the impact of HPWS. Design/methodology/approach The authors sent out a questionnaire that tested whether ability was the main factor for male performance. And it tested if the main predictor of job performance for female employees was opportunity. The authors also considered the influence of national culture. The authors collected data from a purposive sample of service sector organizations in New Zealand. Findings All four of their hypotheses were supported showing that ability was the main predictor for males and external factors were the main predictor for women. In addition, the study found a mediating role existed for ability for males and opportunity for females in the HPWS-job performance relationship. Originality/value The authors said the main contribution of the research was to show the relevance of context in studies of employees. They said the research could contribute to understanding why motivation, as an AMO element, does not feature much in studies. In addition, highlighting the role of national culture helped to explain the formation of gendered behaviour. The authors felt it was reasonable to speculate that the results were impacted by New Zealand’s national culture.

scholarly journals The spectacle of research assessment systems: insights from New Zealand and the United Kingdom

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (6) ◽  
pp. 1219-1246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bikram Chatterjee ◽  
Carolyn J. Cordery ◽  
Ivo De Loo ◽  
Hugo Letiche
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Research Assessment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cultural Aspects ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
Context Specific ◽  
The Impact

PurposeIn this paper, we concentrate on the use of research assessment (RA) systems in universities in New Zealand (NZ) and the United Kingdom (UK). Primarily we focus on PBRF and REF, and explore differences between these systems on individual and systemic levels. We ask, these days, in what way(s) the systemic differences between PBRF and REF actually make a difference on how the two RA systems are experienced by academic staff.Design/methodology/approachThis research is exploratory and draws on 19 interviews in which accounting researchers from both countries offer reflections on their careers and how RA (systems) have influenced these careers. The stories they tell are classified by regarding RA in universities as a manifestation of the spectacle society, following Debord (1992) and Flyverbom and Reinecke (2017).FindingsBoth UK and New Zealand academics concur that their research activities and views on research are very much shaped by journal rankings and citations. Among UK academics, there seems to be a greater critical attitude towards the benefits and drawbacks of REF, which may be related to the history of REF in their country. Relatively speaking, in New Zealand, individualism seems to have grown after the introduction of the PBRF, with little active pushback against the system. Cultural aspects may partially explain this outcome. Academics in both countries lament the lack of focus on practitioner issues that the increased significance of RA seems to have evoked.Research limitations/implicationsThis research is context-specific and may have limited applicability to other situations, academics or countries.Practical implicationsRA and RA systems seem to be here to stay. However, as academics we can, and ought to, take responsibility to try to ensure that these systems reflect the future of accounting (research) we wish to create. It is certainly not mainly or solely up to upper management officials to set this in motion, as has occasionally been claimed in previous literature. Some of the academics who participated in this research actively sought to bring about a different future.Originality/valueThis research provides a unique contextual analysis of accounting academics' perspectives and reactions to RA and RA systems and the impact these have had on their careers across two countries. In addition, the paper offers valuable critical reflections on the application of Debord's (1992) notion of the spectacle society in future accounting studies. We find more mixed and nuanced views on RA in academia than many previous studies have shown.

Why amending building codes? An investigation of the benefits of regular building code amendment in New Zealand

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amarachukwu Nnadozie Nwadike ◽  
Suzanne Wilkinson
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Construction Materials ◽  
Building Code ◽  
Ground Shaking ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Building Collapse ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe New Zealand building code has played a vital role in reducing the impact of disasters in the built environment. Following the nature of earthquake occurrences, the associated impacts such as building collapse and the increase in technological innovation in the building sector, the New Zealand building code has been frequently amended. The building code amendment ensures that buildings and other related infrastructures can withstand the impact of ground shaking without substantial damages to buildings. The purpose of this paper is to identify and explore the benefits of building code amendments in New Zealand.Design/methodology/approachDocument analysis and closed-ended questionnaire were adopted as data collection instruments for this study. The relevant stakeholders comprise structural engineer, geotechnical engineer, architect, building services consulting engineer, licensed building practitioner, project manager, building contractor, local authority, academic/researcher and quantity surveyor.FindingsA significant proportion of the survey participants that agreed to the importance of building code amendments in New Zealand justify the benefits of the amendments. The study serves as a useful guide to policy regulators and researchers who are exploring other aspects of regular building code amendments in New Zealand. The findings from this study suggest that amending the New Zealand building code needs a proactive approach to promote local technology, enhance low-cost construction materials, training of code users and reducing bureaucracy in design approval and construction inspection. The study concludes that improving on the 28 factors identified in this study would contribute intensively to disaster risk reduction in the built environment and an increase in compliance level in New Zealand.Originality/valueThis paper originality comes from its practical approach towards identifying the benefits of building code amendments

Factors influencing disclosures of statements of service performance of New Zealand local authorities

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 304-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prae Keerasuntonpong ◽  
Keitha Dunstan ◽  
Bhagwan Khanna
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Political Competition ◽  
Influential Factors ◽  
Service Performance ◽  
Personal Attributes ◽  
Local Authorities ◽  
Content Type ◽  
New Research ◽  
Audit Reports ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide an understanding of the influential factors that may affect disclosures in the statements of service performance (SSPs) on wastewater services by New Zealand local authorities. Design/methodology/approach – Drawing on neo-institutional sociology theory, coercive power from the authoritative requirements, the authors investigate the impact of this primary pressure on SSP reporting. A disclosure index is used to measure the level of correspondence of SSPs with the authoritative requirements. Based on prior research, influential factors were quantified to examine their association with the disclosures, using regression analysis. Findings – The results indicate that the coercive pressure alone, without the support of mimetic and normative pressures, has had little influence on disclosure practice, with the majority of local authorities not adhering to the authoritative requirements. Political competition, size of constituency, constituency sophistication, political visibility, staff availability, personal attributes of accounting staff and financial resource availability are identified as likely influential factors for the SSPs. Size, proxied by total assets, proves to be significantly associated with the SSP reporting correspondence. Research limitations/implications – The results from the analysis of wastewater disclosures may have limited generalizability to other activities’ disclosures. Nevertheless, wastewater services are considered a critical activity and are expected to be prepared with expertise. Therefore, it is likely that the reporting capability of wastewater services will extend to other activities’ disclosures. Practical implications – The findings reported provide evidence that the authoritative requirements for SSP reporting need further development, smaller local authorities and outsourcing local authorities need more assistance in preparing SSPs and audit reports can be more informative in identifying non-compliance with the authoritative requirements for SSPs. Originality/value – The paper investigates a range of factors that influence the SSP reporting by the New Zealand Government and opens new research opportunities for other influential factors. Such findings may provide further help to regulators and reporting entities in improving the SSP reporting practice.

ASD and offending: reflections of practice in from a New Zealand perspective

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 90-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Bathgate
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Rare Condition ◽  
Background Information ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Specialist Services ◽  
Secure Unit ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Training Position ◽  
The Impact

Purpose There is growing awareness in New Zealand (NZ) of the impact that Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has on individuals and their families and the ability to engage in health services. Although it is a relatively rare condition, approximately 1 per cent of the population will have ASD, directly affecting approximately 40,000 individuals in NZ. The purpose of this paper is to provide some reflections and questions on what we can learn from a NZ perspective. This is based on an overview of the limited literature around ASD and offending and the author’s experience in the UK working in a medium secure unit. Design/methodology/approach Through a past site visit as part of the annual international conference on the Care and Treatment of Offenders with an Intellectual and/or Developmental Disability in the United Kingdom (UK), the author became aware of the medium secure forensic unit for male patients with ASD at the Roseberry Park Hospital (UK’s Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust). During the author’s advanced training in forensic psychiatry with the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists the author was privileged to be able to apply and be accepted for a four-month sabbatical training position at this hospital. Findings Outlined is background information about ASD and review findings from the limited literature on ASD and offending. Also outlined is the author’s learning as a trainee working in medium secure unit for people with ASD who have offended, and finally how this experience may help in the development of services in NZ, given that at this stage such services are under-developed. Originality/value To be able to share the valuable experience and learning opportunity the author was able to have, as well as raise the awareness of ASD generally, and specifically the need for specialist services for the small number of people with ASD who come into contact with Justice Services.

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