Assessing the occurrence and transfer dynamics of ESBL/pAmpC-producing Escherichia coli across the broiler production pyramid

Extended-spectrum \u3b2-lactamase (ESBL)- and plasmid mediated AmpC-type cephalosporinase (pAmpC)-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL/pAmpC E. coli) in food-producing animals is a major public health concern. This study aimed at quantifying ESBL/pAmpC-E. coli occurrence and transfer in Italy's broiler production pyramid. Three production chains of an integrated broiler company were investigated. Cloacal swabs were taken from parent stock chickens and offspring broiler flocks in four fattening farms per chain. Carcasses from sampled broiler flocks were collected at slaughterhouse. Samples were processed on selective media, and E. coli colonies were screened for ESBL/pAmpC production. ESBL/pAmpC genes and E. coli phylogroups were determined by PCR and sequencing. Average pairwise overlap of ESBL/pAmpC E. coli gene and phylogroup occurrences between subsequent production stages was estimated using the proportional similarity index, modelling uncertainty in a Monte Carlo simulation setting. In total, 820 samples were processed, from which 513 ESBL/pAmpC E. coli isolates were obtained. We found a high prevalence (92.5%, 95%CI 72.1-98.3%) in day-old parent stock chicks, in which blaCMY-2 predominated; prevalence then dropped to 20% (12.9-29.6%) at laying phase. In fattening broilers, prevalence was 69.2% (53.6-81.3%) at the start of production, 54.2% (38.9-68.6%) at slaughter time, and 61.3% (48.1-72.9%) in carcasses. Significantly decreasing and increasing trends for respectively blaCMY-2 and blaCTX-M-1 gene occurrences were found across subsequent production stages. ESBL/pAmpC E. coli genetic background appeared complex and bla-gene/phylogroup associations indicated clonal and horizontal transmission. Modelling revealed that the average transfer of ESBL/pAmpC E. coli genes between subsequent production stages was 47.7% (42.3-53.4%). We concluded that ESBL/pAmpC E. coli in the broiler production pyramid is prevalent, with substantial transfer between subsequent production levels

Effects of the feeding system on performance and myopathy occurrence in two broiler chicken genotypes

To evaluate whether performance and myopathy occurrence differed according to genotype (Cobb 500 vs. Ross 308) and feeding system (AL: ad libitum vs. ER: early restricted from 13 to 23 d of age, vs. LR: late restricted from 27 to 37 d; restriction rate: 80% of ad libitum), 828 day- old male chicks were assigned to 6 groups (2 x 3 arrangement), housed in 36 pens, and controlled for: individual live weight (weekly) and pen feed intake (daily) until slaughter (48 d); white striping and wooden breast occurrence at slaughter. Individual data were analysed by PROC MIXED of SAS (fixed effects: feeding system, genotype, and interaction; random effect: pen); pen feed intake and myopathy occurrence were analysed by PROC GLM and CATMOD, respectively. The feeding system affected performance: at the end of the first period (1-22 d), ER chickens showed lower weight gain (40.5 g/d vs. 47.8 g/d and 48.0 g/d), feed intake (50.8 g/d vs 61.0 g/d and 60.2 g/d) and weight (903 g vs 1056 g and 1059 g) than AL and LR broilers (P<0.001); at the end of the second period (23-48 d), ER chickens showed higher weight gain (98.3 g/d vs 93.6 g/d and 90.2 g/d) and feed intake (182 g/d vs. 177 g/d and 171 g/d) compared to AL and LR chickens (P<0.001). Final live weight was the highest in AL group, intermediate in ER group, and the lowest in the LR one (3482 g, 3454 g, and 3399 g; P<0.01). Feed conversion in the whole period did not change with the feeding system. At gross examination, white striping occurrence changed from 77.8% to 67.1%, and 81.7% in AL, ER and LR broilers (p<0.10). Differences between genotypes were evident from the first day and, at the end of the trial, weight gain (74.3 g/d vs 70.1 g/d), feed intake (126 g/d vs 114 g/d), feed conversion (1.69 vs 1.64), and live weight (3548 g vs. 3342 g) were higher in the Ross than in the Cobb chickens (P<0.001). At slaughter, the rate of white-striped breasts was similar (on average 75.5%), but the occurrence of severely white-striped breasts was higher in the Ross than in the Cobb chickens (25.9% vs. 7.41%; P<0.001). Wooden breast occurrence (on average 5.1%) did not change with the feeding system or the genotype. In conclusion, under our conditions, a late feed restriction did not permit to recover performance at the end of the trial nor to control white striping occurrence. Moreover, the genotype affected growth rate and white striping degree: the highest the growth rate, the highest the severity of white striping

Imipenem resistance in clinical Escherichia coli from Qom, Iran

OBJECTIVE: The emergence of metallo-\u3b2-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae is a worldwide health concern. In this study, the first evaluation of MBL genes, bla IMP and bla VIM , in Escherichia coli resistant to imipenem isolated from urine and blood specimens in Qom, Iran is described. Three hundred urine and blood specimens were analysed to detect the presence of E. coli. Resistance to imipenem and other antimicrobials was determined by disk diffusion and MIC. MBL production was screened using CDDT. PCR was also carried out to determine the presence of bla IMP and bla VIM genes in imipenem-resistant isolates. RESULTS: In total, 160 E. coli isolates were collected from March to May 2016. According to disk diffusion, high-level of resistance (20%) to cefotaxime was observed, whereas the lowest (1%) was detected for tetracycline. In addition, five isolates showed resistance to imipenem with a MIC\u2009 65\u20094 \ub5g/mL. CDDT test confirmed that five isolates were MBL-producing strains, but no bla IMP and bla VIM genes were detected. Results of this study show a very low level of resistance to imipenem in our geographical area

Erythema gyratum perstans: association with a familial neurologic disease.

Two members of the same family with erythema gyratum perstans and hypertrophic neuritis are reported. The dermatosis could be an expression of localization of neuritis to nerva vasorum with abnormal neurovascular response of cutaneous small vessels to normal stimuli with active erythema followed by cyanosis

Enantioselective HF loss promoted by resonant two photon ionization of supersonically expanded (R)-1-phenyl-2,2,2-trifluoroethanol clusters.

(R)-1-Phenyl-2,2,2-trifluoroethanol and its hydrogen bonded adducts with achiral (water, tetrahydrofuran) and chiral solvent mols. ((R)- and (S)-butan-2-ol, (R)- and (S)-3-hydroxy-tetrahydrofuran) have been ionized by resonant two-photon absorption. The presence of photofragments, attributable to the occurrence of a hydrogen fluoride loss reaction, has been interpreted with the aid of theor. predictions at the DFT level of theory with the inclusion of dispersive terms. The HF elimination process takes place by a mechanism involving the preliminary C.alpha.-H hydrogen transfer to an hydroxyl oxygen assisted by the solvent mol. which is followed by extrusion of the HF mol. The calcd. energy barriers depend on the type of solvent as well as on its configuration and are consistent with the obsd. fragmentation ratios

Acquired hypertrichosis lanuginosa: a case report.

The authors present a patient with hypertrichosis lanuginosa acquisita without associated malignancy

Full genome sequence-based comparative study of wild-type and vaccine strains of infectious laryngotracheitis virus from Italy

Infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) is an acute and highly contagious respiratory disease of chickens caused by an alphaherpesvirus, infectious laryngotracheitis virus (ILTV). Recently, full genome sequences of wild-type and vaccine strains have been determined worldwide, but none was from Europe. The aim of this study was to determine and analyse the complete genome sequences of five ILTV strains. Sequences were also compared to reveal the similarity of strains across time and to discriminate between wild-type and vaccine strains. Genomes of three ILTV field isolates from outbreaks occurred in Italy in 1980,2007 and 2011, and two commercial chicken embryo origin (CEO) vaccines were sequenced using the 454 Life Sciences technology. The comparison with the Serva genome showed that 35 open reading frames (ORFs) differed across the five genomes. Overall, 54 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 27 amino acid differences in 19 ORFs and two insertions in the UL52 and ORFC genes were identified. Similarity among the field strains and between the field and the vaccine strains ranged from 99.96% to 99.99%. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a close relationship among them, as well. This study generated data on genomic variation among Italian ILTV strains revealing that, even though the genetic variability of the genome is well conserved across time and between wild-type and vaccine strains, some mutations may help in differentiating among them and maybe involved in ILTV virulence/attenuation. The results of this study can contribute to the understanding of the molecular bases of ILTV pathogenicity and provide genetic markers to differentiate between wild-type and vaccine strains

QUIJOTE Scientific Results. II. Polarisation Measurements of the Microwave Emission in the Galactic molecular complexes W43 and W47 and supernova remnant W44

We present Q-U-I JOint TEnerife (QUIJOTE) intensity and polarisation maps at 10-20 GHz covering a region along the Galactic plane 24<l<45 deg, |b|<8 deg. These maps result from 210 h of data, have a sensitivity in polarisation of ~40 muK/beam and an angular resolution of ~1 deg. Our intensity data are crucial to confirm the presence of anomalous microwave emission (AME) towards the two molecular complexes W43 (22 sigma) and W47 (8 sigma). We also detect at high significance (6 sigma) AME associated with W44, the first clear detection of this emission towards a SNR. The new QUIJOTE polarisation data, in combination with WMAP, are essential to: i) Determine the spectral index of the synchrotron emission in W44, beta_sync =-0.62 +/-0.03, in good agreement with the value inferred from the intensity spectrum once a free-free component is included in the fit. ii) Trace the change in the polarisation angle associated with Faraday rotation in the direction of W44 with rotation measure -404 +/- 49 rad/m2. And iii) set upper limits on the polarisation of W43 of Pi_AME <0.39 per cent (95 per cent C.L.) from QUIJOTE 17~GHz, and <0.22 per cent from WMAP 41 GHz data, which are the most stringent constraints ever obtained on the polarisation fraction of the AME. For typical physical conditions (grain temperature and magnetic field strengths), and in the case of perfect alignment between the grains and the magnetic field, the models of electric or magnetic dipole emissions predict higher polarisation fractions.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRA