scholarly journals Prevalence and Risk Factors for ESBL/AmpC-E. coli in Pre-Weaned Dairy Calves on Dairy Farms in Germany

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 2135
Author(s):  
Laura Patricia Weber ◽  
Sylvia Dreyer ◽  
Maike Heppelmann ◽  
Katharina Schaufler ◽  
Timo Homeier-Bachmann ◽  
...  

The objectives of this study were to ascertain the fecal ESBL/AmpC-E. coli prevalence and to detect risk factors for their occurrence in young pre-weaned calves and their dams on large dairy farms in Germany. From 2018–2019 we investigated 2816 individual fecal samples from pre-weaned dairy calves and their dams, representing seventy-two farms (mean = 667 milking cows) from eight German federal states. To assess possible risk factors associated with ESBL/AmpC-E. coli prevalence in calves and dams, a questionnaire was performed, collecting management data. We observed an ESBL/AmpC-E. coli prevalence of 63.5% (95% CI: 57.4–69.5) among the sampled calves and 18.0% (95% CI: 12.5–23.5) among the dams. On all farms, at least one positive sample was obtained. To date, this is the highest ESBL/AmpC-E. coli prevalence observed in dairy herds in Europe. Feeding with waste milk was identified as a significant risk factor for a high prevalence of ESBL/AmpC-E. coli in calves. Many calves at large dairies in Germany are fed with waste milk due to the large amounts generated as a result of antibiotic dry-off routines and mastitis treatment with antibiotics. Other notable risk factors for high ESBL/AmpC-E. coli in calves were the general fitness/health of dams and calves, and the quality of farm hygiene. Taken together, these findings suggest that new or improved approaches to animal health management, for example, antibiotic dry cow management (selective dry cow therapy) and mastitis treatment (high self-recovery), as well as farm hygiene, should be researched and implemented.

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Alexandra Haggerty ◽  
Colin Mason ◽  
Kathryn Ellis ◽  
Katharine Denholm

Abstract Failure of passive transfer (FPT) has health, welfare and economic implications for calves. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentration of 370 dairy calf serum samples from 38 Scottish dairy farms was measured via radial immunodiffusion (RID) to determine FPT prevalence. IgG concentration, total bacteria count (TBC) and total coliform count (TCC) of 252 colostrum samples were also measured. A questionnaire was completed at farm enrollment to investigate risk factors for FPT and poor colostrum quality at farm-level. Multivariable mixed effect logistic and linear regressions were carried out to determine significant risk factors for FPT and colostrum quality. Prevalence of FPT at calf level was determined to be 14.05%. Of 252 colostrum samples, 111 (44.05%) failed to meet Brix thresholds for colostrum quality. Of these 28 and 38 samples also exceeded TBC and TCC thresholds, respectively. Increased time between parturition and colostrum harvesting was numerically (non-significantly) associated with a colostrum Brix result <22%, and increased time spent in a bucket prior to feeding or storing was significantly associated with high TBC (≥100 000 cfu/ml and also ≥10 000 cfu/ml). High TBC values in colostrum were significantly associated with lower serum IgG concentrations. This study highlights associations between colostrum quality and FPT in dairy calves as well as potential risk factors for reduced colostrum quality; recommending some simple steps producers can take to maximise colostrum quality on farm.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oliver Mounsey ◽  
Hannah Schubert ◽  
Jacqueline Findlay ◽  
Katy Morley ◽  
Emma F. Puddy ◽  
...  

SynopsisBackgroundOur primary aim was to test whether cattle-associated fluoroquinolone-resistant (FQ-R) Escherichia coli found on dairy farms were a significant cause of bacteriuria in humans living in the same 50 x 50 km geographical region located in South West England. Another aim was to identify risk factors for the presence of FQ-R E. coli on dairy farms.MethodsFQ-R E. coli were isolated during 2017-18 from 42 dairy farms and from community urine samples. Forty-two cattle and 489 human urinary isolates were subjected to WGS, allowing phylogenetic comparisons. Risk factors were identified using a Bayesian regularisation approach.ResultsOf 489 FQ-R human isolates, 255 were also 3rd generation cephalosporin-resistant (3GC-R), with strong genetic linkage between aac(6’)Ib-cr and blaCTX-M-15. We identified possible farm-to-human sharing for pairs of ST744 and ST162 isolates, but core genome SNP distances (71 and 63, respectively) were smaller in pairs of ST744 and ST162 isolates from different farms (7 and 3 SNPs, respectively). Total farm fluoroquinolone use showed a positive association with the odds of isolating FQ-R E. coli while total dry cow therapy use showed a negative association.ConclusionsThis work suggests that FQ-R E. coli found on dairy farms have a limited impact on community bacteriuria within the local human population, however, this appears greater than observed for 3GC-R E. coli when studied in parallel. Reducing fluoroquinolone use may reduce the on-farm prevalence of FQ-R E. coli, and this reduction may be greater when dry cow therapy is targeted to the ecology of resistant E. coli on the farm.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. e0254091
Author(s):  
Gizat Almaw ◽  
Andrew J. K. Conlan ◽  
Gobena Ameni ◽  
Balako Gumi ◽  
Alemseged Alemu ◽  
...  

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is an important disease for dairy productivity, as well as having the potential for zoonotic transmission. Previous prevalence studies of bTB in the dairy sector in central Ethiopia have suggested high prevalence, however, they have been limited to relatively small scale surveys, raising concerns about their representativeness. Here we carried out a cross sectional one-stage cluster sampling survey taking the dairy herd as a cluster to estimate the prevalence of bTB in dairy farms in six areas of central Ethiopia. The survey, which to date is by far the largest in the area in terms of the number of dairy farms, study areas and risk factors explored, took place from March 2016 to May 2017. This study combined tuberculin skin testing and the collection of additional herd and animal level data by questionnaire to identify potential risk factors contributing to bTB transmission. We applied the single intradermal cervical comparative tuberculin (SICCT) test using >4mm cut-off for considering an individual animal as positive for bTB; at least one reactor animal was required for a herd to be considered bTB positive. Two hundred ninety-nine dairy herds in the six study areas were randomly selected, from which 5,675 cattle were tested. The overall prevalence of bTB after standardisation for herd-size in the population was 54.4% (95% CI 48.7–60%) at the herd level, and it was 24.5% (95% CI 23.3–25.8) at the individual animal level. A Generalized Linear Mixed Model (GLMM) with herd and area as random effect was used to explore risk factors association with bTB status. We found that herd size, age, bTB history at farm, and breed were significant risk factors for animals to be SICCT positive. Animals from large herds had 8.3 times the odds of being tuberculin reactor (OR: 8.3, p-value:0.008) as compared to animals from small herds. The effect of age was strongest for animals 8–10 years of age (the oldest category) having 8.9 times the odds of being tuberculin reactors (OR: 8.9, p-value:<0.001) compared to the youngest category. The other identified significant risk factors were bTB history at farm (OR: 5.2, p-value:0.003) and cattle breed (OR: 2.5, p-value: 0.032). Our study demonstrates a high prevalence of bTB in central Ethiopia but with a large variation in within-herd prevalence between herds, findings that lays an important foundation for the future development of control strategies.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yannick Lechedem Ngunyi ◽  
Gregory Halle-Ekane ◽  
Nicholas Tendongfor ◽  
Etheldreda Leinyuy Mbivnjo ◽  
Armel Evouna Mbarga ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Postpartum febrile morbidity is relatively common, occurring in approximately 5–7% of births. Differentiating between potentially serious and benign causes of postpartum pyrexia (PP) is fundamental in curbing the mortality rate from sinister causes such as sepsis. The paucity of data on PP in Cameroon makes it difficult to access its actual burden. This study was aimed at determining the prevalence, risk factors and aetiologies of PP at a tertiary hospital in Douala, Cameroon. Methods This was a 2 – year hospital – based retrospective cohort study carried out at the Douala General Hospital (DGH), during which medical records of all postpartum admissions between January 1 st 2017 and December 31st 2018 were reviewed. The review consisted of collecting data on socio-demographic characteristics, clinical profile, investigations and final diagnoses. The collected data was analysed in SPSS 23.0. Chi-squared test was used to test the association between variables and a logistic regression analysis was fitted to identify risk factors associated to PP. Results A total of 1520 postpartum files were reviewed. The prevalence of PP was 8.82%. The most frequent causes of PP were: malaria (46.7%), urinary tract infections (18.7%), puerperal sepsis (17.9%) and pneumonia (8.7%). E. coli was the most (49.3%) cultured germ isolated in positive cultures. Onset of PP was more common (85%) within the first 3 days postpartum and malaria (60%) was the leading aetiology within this period. Five or more vaginal examinations prior to delivery (OR 59.151, 95% CI: 21.463-163.019; p<0.001), perineal tears (OR 45.157, 95% CI: 2.266-899.722; p<0.001), and duration of labour >18hours (OR 26.760, 95% CI: 7.100-100.862; p<0.001) were the most significant risk factors associated with PP. Conclusion Approximately 1 in every 12 postpartum cases in the DGH presents with PP . Malaria was the leading cause of PP at DGH especially for cases registered within 3 days postpartum. The risk factors identified were mostly associated to perinatal events, such as frequent vaginal examinations, perineal tears and prolonged labour. Efforts towards preventing identified risk factors thus becomes paramount in order to curb this high rate of PP in the DGH.


2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 2007-2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabrine Fazia Ouslimani ◽  
Safia Tennah ◽  
Naouelle Azzag ◽  
Salima Yamina Derdour ◽  
Bernard China ◽  
...  

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the seroprevalence of the Toxoplasma gondii in horses in different parts of Algeria and to determine risk factors for the infection. Materials and Methods: A total of 736 blood samples were collected from horses of various breeds, gender, coat colors, and ages. All horses came from various farms, racecourses, and equestrian centers. The seroprevalence was investigated by three different methods: Indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) as reference method, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and latex agglutination test (LAT). Results: Out of the 736 sera, 178 (24.18%) were positive for IFAT, 133 (18.07%) for LAT, and 317 (43.07%) for ELISA. It was found that IFAT and LAT were in high agreement (Kappa 0.79), indicating that LAT and IFAT had similar capabilities in the detection of anti-T. gondii antibodies from horse sera. Risk factors analysis based on IFAT results indicated that the habit of the animals was significant risk factors (p≤0.05) for Toxoplasma infection. The seroprevalence was significantly higher in horses living on farms. Moreover, a higher seroprevalence was found in older animals compared to younger ones. Furthermore, the seroprevalence in females was significantly higher than that in males and gelding. Breed, coat color, and water sources are also important factors to influence the seroprevalence of T. gondii. Conclusion: The results indicated that T. gondii is present in horses throughout Algeria and thus represents a risk for both human and animal health. These results underline the need to increase the vigilance and the preventive measures against this disease not only to protect the horses but also to limit the spread of the parasite.


2020 ◽  
Vol 75 (9) ◽  
pp. 2471-2479 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maryam Alzayn ◽  
Jacqueline Findlay ◽  
Hannah Schubert ◽  
Oliver Mounsey ◽  
Virginia C Gould ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives To characterize putative AmpC-hyperproducing third-generation cephalosporin-resistant E. coli from dairy farms and their phylogenetic relationships; to identify risk factors for their presence; and to assess evidence for their zoonotic transmission into the local human population. Methods Proteomics was used to explain differences in antimicrobial susceptibility. WGS allowed phylogenetic analysis. Multilevel, multivariable logistic regression modelling was used to identify risk factors. Results Increased use of amoxicillin/clavulanate was associated with an increased risk of finding AmpC hyperproducers on farms. Expansion of cephalosporin resistance in AmpC hyperproducers was seen in farm isolates with marR mutations (conferring cefoperazone resistance) or when AmpC was mutated (conferring fourth-generation cephalosporin and cefoperazone resistance). Phylogenetic analysis confirmed the dominance of ST88 amongst farm AmpC hyperproducers but there was no evidence for acquisition of farm isolates by members of the local human population. Conclusions Clear evidence was found for recent farm-to-farm transmission of AmpC-hyperproducing E. coli and of adaptive mutations to expand resistance. Whilst there was no evidence of isolates entering the local human population, efforts to reduce third-generation cephalosporin resistance on dairy farms must address the high prevalence of AmpC hyperproducers. The finding that amoxicillin/clavulanate use was associated with an increased risk of finding AmpC hyperproducers is important because this is not currently categorized as a highest-priority critically important antimicrobial and so is not currently targeted for specific usage restrictions in the UK.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Scala ◽  
Claudia Tamponi ◽  
Giuliana Sanna ◽  
Giulio Predieri ◽  
Luisa Meloni ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Equine ascariosis, caused by Parascaris spp., is a worldwide endoparasitic disease affecting young horses in particular. Despite the great number of horses reared in Italy, large-scale epidemiological surveys dealing with ascariosis prevalence in the country are not reported in the current literature. For this reason, the present survey aims to describe, for the first time, the spread and infestation of Parascaris spp. in a large population of Italian horses (6896 animals) using faecal egg counts, and further to identify risk factors associated with ascarid egg shedding. Methods Individual rectal faecal samples collected during routine veterinary examinations were used and Parascaris spp. prevalence was tested against the animal’s age, sex, housing conditions, geographic provenance as well as the respective sampling season. Results Among the examined stables, 35.8% showed at least one horse to be positive for Parascaris spp. eggs and an overall prevalence of 6.3% was found. Ascariosis rates tended to decrease significantly with age and, proportionally, 80.0% of the recorded Parascaris spp. eggs were found in 0.7% of the examined animals. Statistically significant differences among prevalence rates were found between the different geographic areas of provenance and prevalence was found to be higher in horses reared outdoors compared to those raised indoors. Analysis of data based on sex and season did not show any significant differences. Despite the lower prevalence found compared to other European countries, ascariosis was concluded to represent a significant health challenge for horses reared in Italy, especially foals. Age (foals and yearlings) and outdoor rearing were identified to be significant risk factors for Parascaris spp. egg shedding. Furthermore, the relevance of the infected horses over 6 years of age should not be underestimated as these represent a significant source of contamination for younger animals. Conclusions The development of improved treatment protocols based on regular faecal examination combined with follow-up assessment of the efficacy of integrated action plans would prove beneficial in regard to animal health and anthelmintic resistance reduction in the field. Graphic Abstract


Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 112
Author(s):  
Clair Firth ◽  
Katrin Kremer ◽  
Thomas Werner ◽  
Annemarie Käsbohrer

A number of studies have reported that there is a high prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant faecal bacteria excreted by dairy calves. Although faecal shedding is influenced by a variety of factors, such as the environment and calf age, feeding milk with antimicrobial residues contributes significantly to an increased prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacteria, such as extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing E. coli. As a follow-up to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Scientific Opinion on the risk of AMR development in dairy calves published in January 2017, this review aims to illustrate more recent research in this area, focusing on the period 2016 to 2020. A total of 19 papers are reviewed here. The vast majority assess the commensal faecal bacteria, E. coli, isolated from dairy calves, in particular its antimicrobial-resistant forms such as ESBL-producing E. coli and AmpC-producing E. coli. The effect of waste milk feeding on the prevalence of pathogens such as Salmonella spp. has also been investigated. Current research findings include positive effects on daily liveweight gain and other advantages for calf health from feeding waste milk compared to milk replacer. However, the negative effects, such as the demonstrable selection for antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, the shift in the intestinal microbiome and the possible negative consequences that these could have on global public health, should always be taken into consideration.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mussie Hailemelekot ◽  
Melaku Chalachew ◽  
Sam Laiju

Abstract Background Cross-sectional study was conducted from June 2017 to January 2018 with the objective of determining the prevalence of mastitis and identify the associated risk factors in and around Bahir dar dairy farms. Totally 302 lactating cows were selected using simple random sampling method. Initially, mastitis cases were diagnosed based on California Mastitis Test (MCT) results and the nature of gel formation. Then positive samples were subjected to bacterial culture and isolation using blood agar, MacConkey agar, colony morphology, Gram stain, and biochemical tests. Statistical analysis was carried out using STATA software and association of mastitis with risk factors was analyzed using chi square test. The association was considered as significant when p-value was less than 0.05. Result The overall cow level prevalence of mastitis using CMT was 25.16% (76/302) with clinical and sub clinical mastitis of 3.64% and 21.52%, respectively. Similarly, the quarter level mastitis was 10.43% (126/1208) with clinical and sub clinical cases of 1.49% and 8.94%, respectively. Bacteria identified were Staphylococci Spp, Escherichia coli, Bacillus Spp, and Streptococcus Spp. with a proportion of 66.07% .94%, 8.0% and 7.14%, respectively. Body condition score, cow Hygiene, Parity, history of mastitis, stage of lactation, teat lesion, use of same clothing, lactating mastitis positive animal last were found to be significant risk factors. Conclusion The current study revealed moderate prevalence of mastitis warranting application of appropriate hygienic practices during milking and awareness creation to the dairy farmers.


2017 ◽  
Vol 84 (2) ◽  
pp. 124-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Célia Leão ◽  
Ana Botelho ◽  
Elisabete Martins ◽  
Carla Aguiar ◽  
Inês Rebelo ◽  
...  

This Technical Research communication describes results of a study aimed at detecting the presence of Map in milk fed to calves, and identifying possible risk factors for that presence. A questionnaire was performed on 37 dairy farms and waste milk samples were collected on 3 occasions separated by a minimum of 1 week. For farms not feeding waste milk, bulk tank milk samples were collected instead. A real time PCR for the detection of the IS900 sequence was performed for the detection of Map. A majority of farms (89·2%) fed waste milk, with only one pasteurising the milk before feeding it to calves. Results of the PCR showed that 51·5% of the farms that were feeding waste milk had a positive result for Map on that milk. None of the studied risk factors were significantly associated with the presence of Map in milk samples, possibly due to the small number of farms entering the study. However, the prevalence of positive samples for Map on PCR was 3·5 times higher for farms that bought in animals from a single origin and 1·9 times higher for farms that bought from multiple farms, when compared with closed farms. Having a calving area for multiple cows also increased the risk of a positive Map result by 1·5 when compared with single pens. The risk of having a positive Map result on waste milk was 1·6 times higher for farms feeding that milk to male calves and 1·4 for farms feeding to both male and female calves, when compared with farms not feeding waste milk. This study highlights paratuberculosis as one of the potential risks of feeding waste milk to calves, and the need for mitigation strategies to be in place to avoid unnecessary disease transmission.


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