Antimicrobially Active Semen Extenders Allow the Reduction of Antibiotic Use in Pig Insemination

Antibiotic use in semen extenders for livestock may contribute to the development and spreading of multi-drug resistance. Antimicrobial control in semen doses for artificial insemination of pigs is indispensable due to the relatively high storage temperature (17 °C). The objectives of this study were first, to examine whether the antimicrobial capacity differs between antibiotic-free extenders and second, to determine whether an antimicrobial active extender provides the possibility to reduce antibiotics. Antibiotic-free semen extenders Beltsville Thawing Solution (BTS) and Androstar Premium were inoculated at 103 to 104 CFU/mL with four pure bacterial strains isolated from boar ejaculates or a mixture thereof, and then stored for 144 h at 17 °C. Bacterial counts after aerobic culture decreased in BTS up to one log level and decreased in Androstar Premium by 2 to 3.5 log levels (p < 0.05). In semen samples from nine boars stored in the inoculated Androstar Premium extender containing half of the standard concentration of gentamicin, bacteria counts were below 101 CFU/mL. Likewise, half of the standard dose of apramycin and ampicillin was fully antimicrobially active and sperm quality was maintained. In conclusion, semen extenders with intrinsic antimicrobial activity allow a reduction in antibiotic use in pig insemination.

Enterococcus spp. Meningoencephalitis, Ventriculitis, and Hypophysitis in a Dog

ABSTRACT A 13 yr old spayed female Yorkshire terrier was hospitalized for a dull mentation, anorexia, presumptive gastroenterocolitis, and a suspected gastrointestinal bleed with melena. Despite supportive therapy, the patient’s clinical signs persisted. Throughout hospitalization, the patient became progressively dull to stuporous with a progressive hypernatremia. On day 3 of hospitalization, the patient acutely developed neurological signs with a neuroanatomical localization consistent with a process at the caudal cranial fossa. Per the owner’s wishes, the patient was euthanized with necropsy performed. Histo-pathology revealed a suppurative meningoencephalitis, ventriculitis, hypophysitis, otitis interna, and an ulcerative pharyngitis. Aerobic culture collected from the area of the pituitary gland grew an Enterococcus spp. Enterococcal meningoencephalitis is rare in humans but has not been reported in veterinary medicine. In future cases of canine bacterial meningitis, Enterococcus spp. should be considered. Because of the inherent resistance patterns of Enterococcus spp., targeted antibiotic selection would be required for treatment.

Crop Establishment Methods and Integrated Nutrient Management Improve: Part II. Nutrient Uptake and Use Efficiency and Soil Health in Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Field in the Lower Indo-Gangetic Plain, India

Rice, the predominant food crop in India, is being grown traditionally with improper plant nutrient management mostly under the flooded situation. Recent advancement in research on crop science focuses on water-saving rice technologies for maximization in crop and water productivity under the backdrop of a shrinking water resource base for ensuring environmental and agricultural sustainability. Under this situation, an experiment was conducted in two consecutive years in a split-plot design keeping rice cultivation methodologies, viz., aerobic culture, System of Rice Intensification (SRI), and conventional flooded culture in main plots and integrated plant nutrient management (INM) treatments in sub-plots. The experiment was aimed at understanding the effects of different rice production systems and INM on nutrient content, uptake, and use efficiency. The change in soil quality parameters was also studied to understand the impact of crop establishment methods (CEM) and INM options. Significant reduction (p ≤ 0.05) in nutrient uptake and use efficiency was observed under aerobic culture compared to SRI and flooded method, although aerobic culture showed the highest physiological nitrogen use efficiency. Post-harvest available Fe status was significantly lower in aerobic rice (mean 10.39 ppm) compared to other crop establishment technologies; however, Zn status was higher in aerobic rice over the flooded situation. Although available potassium was not affected due to rice cultivation methods, available nitrogen and phosphorus status were influenced remarkably. Soil microbial quality was improved in aerobic rice in comparison to flooded rice. SRI proved to be the most efficient rice establishment method for enhancement in nutrient uptake, use efficiency, and enrichment of soil chemical and microbiological quality. Irrespective of crop culture, integrated plant nutrition in rice improved the nutrient uptake, use efficiency, and soil quality parameters. The study revealed that, under the alluvial soils of the Indo-Gangetic Plains of Eastern India, SRI can be considered as a water-saving rice production method. The method can also improve nutrient uptake, efficiency, and soil quality parameters if proper INM is adopted.

Crop Establishment Methods and Integrated Nutrient Management Improve: Part I. Crop Performance, Water Productivity and Profitability of Rice (Oryza sativa L.) in the Lower Indo-Gangetic Plain, India

In the eastern part of India, rice as the most vital staple food crop supports as well the livelihood security of a vast population. Rice is mostly grown under conventional flooded culture without proper nutrient management. Crop performance, water productivity and economic profitability of rice cultivation need to be assessed under water-saving rice production methodologies with proper integrated plant nutrient management strategies using locally available low-cost nutrient sources. A field trial was conducted at the Adaptive Research Farm, Polba (58.57 m msl), Agriculture Department, West Bengal, India, during the rainy/wet seasons of 2014 and 2015 under aerobic culture, the system of rice intensification (SRI) and conventional flooded culture. The experiment was conducted to evaluate the influence of integrated plant nutrition and water-saving rice production methodologies on the crop performance and water productivity of rice and analyse the economic profitability of rice under different nutritional management and crop production methods such as aerobic culture, conventional flooded and SRI with an objective of sustainability in rice cultivation in the agroclimatic region. The results revealed that crop productivity significantly (p ≤ 0.05) varied from 4.68 t ha−1 (average yield recorded under aerobic culture) to 6.21 t ha−1 (average yield as achieved under SRI). Cultivation of rice under aerobic and conventional culture resulted in 24.6% and 20.9% yield reduction respectively as compared to SRI. Integrating 75% of the recommended dose of nitrogen (RDN) through chemicals with 25% RDN from vermicompost resulted in maximum crop productivity irrespective of crop culture. Aerobic rice culture registered maximum water economy in terms of both irrigation water productivity and total productivity. The study concludes that, for maximization of economic profitability, value cost ratio and partial factor productivity of nutrients the SRI method can be adopted along with integrated nutrient management (75% of RDN through chemicals with 25% RDN from vermicompost) in the lower Indo-Gangetic Plain Zone (IGPZ) of West Bengal, India.

A novel Streptococcus species causing clinical mastitis in a pregnant donkey

An 8-y-old jenny was presented because of anorexia and mild depression. The jenny had weaned her colt 10 d before the admission. Upon arrival at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital, the heart rate was elevated, and the right udder was painful and swollen on palpation. Milk stripping of the affected side revealed purulent content; the contralateral udder had normal-appearing milk. Cytology of mammary gland secretions from the affected side revealed a large number of hypersegmented reactive neutrophils with phagocytized bacteria. Complete blood count, serum chemistry, and fibrinogen were within normal limits. A diagnosis of clinical mastitis was made, and the jenny was started on a 5-d course of broad-spectrum antibiotics, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, hydrotherapy, and milk stripping. Clinical signs reduced over time, and the cure was attained by 96 h post-admission. Aerobic culture and subsequent MALDI-TOF MS analysis identified a bacterium of the Streptococcus genus but not the species. Whole-genome analysis was performed, and 16S rDNA sequencing and analysis determined that our isolate 20-37394 clustered with 2 other Streptococcus strains (27284-01 and 28462). Single-nucleotide variations and phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that Streptococcus 20-37394 had 96.8% and 94.9% identities to Streptococcus strains 27284-01 and 28462, respectively; therefore, the bacteria isolated in our case was deemed as a new Streptococcus species.

Reactive Oxygen Species Limit Intestinal Mucosa-Bacteria Homeostasis in Vitro

The gut microbiome and its interactions with epithelial and immune cells have wide-ranging effects on many aspects of human health. Thus, in vitro models that enable highly controlled studies of these interactions are of value, yet critical parameters enabling long term homeostasis between bacteria and mammalian cultures have not been established. In this study, we developed a model incorporating epithelial and immune cells as well as different bacterial species (B. fragilis, E. coli, L. rhamnosus, or R. gnavus) over a 50 hour culture period. Interestingly, both obligate and facultative anaerobes grew to similar extents in aerobic culture environments in co-culture with epithelial and immune cells, potentially due to measured microaerobic oxygen levels near the epithelial apical surface. It was demonstrated that bacteria elicited reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and that these species heavily contribute to observed epithelial barrier damage in these static cultures. Introduction of a ROS scavenger significantly mitigated ROS-mediated damage, improving cell monolayer integrity and reducing lipid peroxidation, although not to control (bacteria-free culture) levels. These results indicate that monitoring and mitigating ROS concentrations can enable longer term bacteria-intestinal epithelial cultures, but also highlight the significance of additional factors that impact homeostasis in mammalian cell-bacteria systems.

Vaginal Bacterial Profile in Pregnant Women

Summary This study aimed to determine the bacterial profile of vaginal samples from pregnant women and the prevalence of identified microorganisms. Materials and methods: A prospective epidemiological study was conducted on 150 pregnant women admitted to the Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Dr. G. Stranski University Hospital in Pleven. Vaginal secretion samples were collected from all the 150 women. Direct microscopy of native smears prepared by the wet mount method to detect Trichomonas vaginalis and direct microscopy of Gram-stained smears was performed. Aerobic culture studies were conducted to identify pathogenic bacteria and Sabouraud glucose agar (SGA) to detect the presence of Candida spp. Samples were also collected from 107 of the women for PCR tests for mycoplasma detection. Results: The highest relative share in the study was women aged 21 to 35 years 104 (69.33%). Of all the hospitalized and examined pregnant women, 87 (57.99%) had medical problems during the current pregnancy and postpartum complications, and 63 women (42%) gave birth without accompanying complications. In 86 (57.32%) of the women, bacteria were detected by direct microscopy of Gram-stained smears. Of these, 24 (16%) had gram-negative rods, 28 (18.66%) had gram-positive cocci. In 34 (22.66%), we found gram-negative and gram-variable pleomorphic bacteria. The aerobic culture study revealed microbiological growth in 44 (29.33%) of the women investigated. Conclusions: Studies on the profile of the vaginal microbiota in pregnant women and the spread of pathogenic microorganisms are essential for make prognoses for pregnancy outcome, evaluating the risk of developing a maternal-fetal infection, and discussing options for timely treatment.

Contamination of CSF Culture: Serious Risk to Patient Safety

Background: Acute bacterial meningitis is a medical emergency, and early initiation of appropriate therapy is important to improving outcomes. Culture-based methods are still the standards for the detection of microorganisms in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Automated blood culture systems yield better results in cultures sterile body fluids, including CSF. However, the high sensitivity of this technology does not negate the danger of contamination compromising the final outcome. Thus, we tried to study the culture yield in suspected meningitis to determine the rate of contamination. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of CSF samples collected for culture over 1 year from January 2018 to December 2018 from patients who presented with signs and symptoms indicative of meningitis. The bacterial etiologies and rates of contamination were extracted from laboratory records. Descriptive statistics from Microsoft Excel software were used to analyze patient data. Limited statistical analysis (ie, the Fisher exact test) was performed using SPSS for Windows version 18 software. Results: In total, 1,053 CSF samples were received for aerobic culture, of which the most frequent were conventional cultures (685 of 1053, 65%), whereas BacT/ALERT cultures were requested for 368 of 1,053 cases (35%). Of 685 conventional CSF cultures, pathogens were isolated in 28 of 685 (4.1%), most commonly Acinetobacter baumannii complex (10 of 28, 35.7%). Contaminants were identified in 0.58% samples (4 of 685). In the 368 BacT/ALERT cultures, pathogens were detected in 15 (4.1%), most commonly Streptococcus spp (5 of 15, 33.3%). The contamination rate was 51.1% (188 of 368 cases). The overall rate of contamination was 18.2% (192 of 1,053 cases). The most CSF cultures were received from patients in neurosurgery (350 of 1,053, 33.2%) followed by medicine wards (270 of 1,053, 25.6%). Aerobic spore bacilli was by far the most common contaminant (109 of 1,053, 10.35%).Conclusions: We believe efforts to decrease contamination are among the most cost-effective, but targeted clinical re-evaluation for all patients with positive CSF cultures remains vital. Due to the high sensitivity of the automated culture system, it is a imperative to maintain strict aseptic conditions while collecting CSF samples. Failure to do so may lead to overgrowth of contaminants masking the growth of the true pathogens in culture.Disclosures: NoneFunding: None