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Mendoza-Roldan JA, Perles L, Filippi E, Szafranski N, Montinaro G, Carbonara M, Scalera R, de Abreu Teles PP, Walochnik J, Otranto D. Parasites and microorganisms associated with the snakes collected for the "festa Dei serpari" in Cocullo, Italy. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0011973. [PMID: 38381797 PMCID: PMC10911609 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
While in much of the Western world snakes are feared, in the small, rural, mountainous town of Cocullo, in the middle of central Italy, snakes are annually collected and celebrated in a sacro-profane ritual. Every 1st of May, Serpari (snake catchers) capture and showcase dozens of non-venomous snakes to celebrate the ritual of San Domenico. In order to detect potential zoonotic pathogens within this unique epidemiological context, parasites and microorganisms of snakes harvested for the "festa dei serpari" ritual were investigated. Snakes (n = 112) were examined and ectoparasites collected, as well as blood and feces sampled. Ectoparasites were identified morpho-molecularly, and coprological examination conducted through direct smear and flotation. Molecular screenings were performed to identify parasites and microorganisms in collected samples (i.e., Mesostigmata mites, Anaplasma/Ehrlichia spp., Rickettsia spp., Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Coxiella burnetii, Babesia/Theileria spp., Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia spp., Leishmania spp. and helminths). Overall, 28.5% (32/112) of snakes were molecularly positive for at least one parasite and/or microorganism. Endosymbiont Wolbachia bacteria were identified from Macronyssidae mites and zoonotic vector-borne pathogens (e.g., Rickettsia, Leishmania), as well as orally transmitted pathogens (i.e., Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Proteus vulgaris, Pseudomonas), were detected from blood and feces. Thus, given the central role of the snakes in the tradition of Cocullo, surveys of their parasitic fauna and associated zoonotic pathogens may aid to generate conservation policies to benefit the human-snake interactions, whilst preserving the cultural patrimony of this event.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Livia Perles
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, Italy
| | - Ernesto Filippi
- Biologist consultant for the Cocullo municipality, Rome, Italy
| | - Nicole Szafranski
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, United States
| | | | | | | | | | - Julia Walochnik
- Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Domenico Otranto
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano, Italy
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR China
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Unger F, Eisenberg T, Prenger-Berninghoff E, Leidner U, Semmler T, Ewers C. Imported Pet Reptiles and Their “Blind Passengers”—In-Depth Characterization of 80 Acinetobacter Species Isolates. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10050893. [PMID: 35630338 PMCID: PMC9144363 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10050893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Reptiles are popular pet animals and important food sources, but the trade of this vertebrate class is—besides welfare and conservation—under debate due to zoonotic microbiota. Ninety-two shipments of live reptiles were sampled during border inspections at Europe’s most relevant transshipment point for the live animal trade. Acinetobacter spp. represented one significant fraction of potentially MDR bacteria that were further analyzed following non-selective isolation or selective enrichment from feces, urinate, or skin samples. Taxonomic positions of respective isolates were confirmed by MALDI-TOF MS and whole-genome sequencing analysis (GBDP, dDDH, ANIb, and rMLST). The majority of the 80 isolates represented established species; however, a proportion of potentially novel taxa was found. Antimicrobial properties and genome-resistance gene screening revealed novel and existing resistance mechanisms. Acinetobacter spp. strains were most often resistant to 6–10 substance groups (n = 63) in vitro. Resistance to fluorchinolones (n = 4) and colistin (n = 7), but not to carbapenems, was noted, and novel oxacillinase variants (n = 39) were detected among other genes. Phylogenetic analysis (MLST) assigned few isolates to the known STs (25, 46, 49, 220, and 249) and to a number of novel STs. No correlation was found to indicate that MDR Acinetobacter spp. in reptiles were associated with harvesting mode, e.g., captive-bred, wild-caught, or farmed in natural ecosystems. The community of Acinetobacter spp. in healthy reptiles turned out to be highly variable, with many isolates displaying a MDR phenotype or genotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Unger
- Institute of Hygiene and Infectious Diseases of Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany; (F.U.); (E.P.-B.); (U.L.)
| | | | - Ellen Prenger-Berninghoff
- Institute of Hygiene and Infectious Diseases of Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany; (F.U.); (E.P.-B.); (U.L.)
| | - Ursula Leidner
- Institute of Hygiene and Infectious Diseases of Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany; (F.U.); (E.P.-B.); (U.L.)
| | - Torsten Semmler
- NG1 Microbial Genomics, Robert Koch Institute, 13353 Berlin, Germany;
| | - Christa Ewers
- Institute of Hygiene and Infectious Diseases of Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany; (F.U.); (E.P.-B.); (U.L.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-641-9938300
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Prevalence and Genetic Relationship of Predominant Escherichia coli Serotypes Isolated from Poultry, Wild Animals, and Environment in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Vet Med Int 2021; 2021:6504648. [PMID: 34804471 PMCID: PMC8601835 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6504648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) is the main causative agent of avian colibacillosis, which is an important systemic disease of profound economic and clinical consequences for the poultry industry worldwide. In this study, 975 E. coli strains were isolated from 2,169 samples collected from cloacal swabs of chickens, in-farm wild animals (ants, geckos, flies, and rats), and environment. The highest proportion of E. coli isolation was obtained from chicken cloacal swabs with 71.05% (95% confidence interval (CI) 66.69-75.05%) followed by the proportions of 38.15% (95% CI 35.41-40.97%) and 38.11% (95% CI 34.15-42.24%) from wild animals or environment, respectively. Distribution of O-antigen serotypes of the E. coli isolates, including O1, O2, O18, and O78, was determined by PCR. The most predominant serotype was O18 (10.56%) followed by O2 (9.44%), O1 (7.79%), and O78 (6.56%). Of note, serotype O18 was more likely distributed in the examined wild animals, especially in geckos. Polymorphic DNA fingerprints, generated by ERIC-PCR, of representative E. coli strains of each serotype revealed genetic heterogeneity of the examined E. coli, and O18 was more divergent with 63 clusters formed from 66 isolates. Furthermore, several E. coli strains from different sample sources shared high DNA fingerprint relatedness, suggesting that there exists complex transmission of E. coli from chickens to wild animals and environment and vice versa in poultry husbandry settings. Although pathotypes of the examined E. coli were not determined in this study, our results provided important findings of epidemiological and genetic characteristics of E. coli in the Mekong Delta and highlighted the prerequisite of stricter biocontainment to reduce the prevalence and consequences of APEC in poultry production.
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Ríos R, Flores B, Mora-Sánchez B, Torres D, Sheleby-Elías J, Jirón W, Balcázar JL. Isolation of Salmonella spp. from black spiny-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura similis) meat commercialised in markets of León city, Nicaragua. Vet Med Sci 2021; 8:695-699. [PMID: 34614292 PMCID: PMC8959313 DOI: 10.1002/vms3.654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The black spiny‐tailed iguana (Ctenosaura similis) is an endemic animal in Mesoamerica, whose meat is consumed by the local population. Objectives Because the black spiny‐tailed iguana may be potential reservoirs of pathogens, this study aimed to isolate and characterise Salmonella spp. in their meat commercialised in markets of the city of León, Nicaragua. Methods Thirteen specimens were analysed for the isolation of Salmonella spp., as well as their antimicrobial resistance patterns, including the presence of genes encoding extended‐spectrum β‐lactamases. Results Salmonella spp. isolates were found in eight out of 13 samples, with S. enterica serovar Enteritidis being found in six out of eight samples. Moreover, eight Salmonella spp. isolates were resistant to amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid and cephalexin, but sensitive to other tested antibiotics. The blaSHV gene was detected in seven out of eight Salmonella spp. isolates, followed by the blaTEM (two out of eight) and blaCXT‐M (one out of eight) genes. Conclusions These findings represent an important contribution to the implementation of appropriate strategies to prevent foodborne diseases. A high frequency of Salmonella was observed in Ctenosura similis meat in markets of the city of León. Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis was the most frequent. Moreover, high antimicrobial resistance to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and cephalexin was observed coinciding with the presence of the blaSHV gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosmary Ríos
- Centro Veterinario de Diagnóstico e Investigación (CEVEDI), Departamento de Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Escuela de Ciencias Agrarias y Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua-León (UNAN-León), León, Nicaragua
| | - Byron Flores
- Centro Veterinario de Diagnóstico e Investigación (CEVEDI), Departamento de Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Escuela de Ciencias Agrarias y Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua-León (UNAN-León), León, Nicaragua
| | - Brenda Mora-Sánchez
- Centro Veterinario de Diagnóstico e Investigación (CEVEDI), Departamento de Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Escuela de Ciencias Agrarias y Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua-León (UNAN-León), León, Nicaragua
| | - Dayana Torres
- Centro Veterinario de Diagnóstico e Investigación (CEVEDI), Departamento de Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Escuela de Ciencias Agrarias y Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua-León (UNAN-León), León, Nicaragua
| | - Jessica Sheleby-Elías
- Centro Veterinario de Diagnóstico e Investigación (CEVEDI), Departamento de Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Escuela de Ciencias Agrarias y Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua-León (UNAN-León), León, Nicaragua
| | - William Jirón
- Centro Veterinario de Diagnóstico e Investigación (CEVEDI), Departamento de Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Escuela de Ciencias Agrarias y Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua-León (UNAN-León), León, Nicaragua
| | - José L Balcázar
- Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Girona, Spain.,University of Girona, Girona, Spain
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Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance is one of the most serious threats to medical science. Food supply is recognized as a potential source of resistant bacteria, leading to the development of surveillance programs targeting primarily poultry, pork, and beef. These programs are limited in scope, not only in the commodities tested, but also in the organisms targeted (Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and Campylobacter); consequently, neither the breadth of food products available nor the organisms that may harbour clinically relevant and (or) mobile resistance genes are identified. Furthermore, there is an inadequate understanding of how international trade in food products contributes to the global dissemination of resistance. This is despite the recognized role of international travel in disseminating antimicrobial-resistant organisms, notably New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase. An increasing number of studies describing antimicrobial-resistant organisms in a variety of imported foods are summarized in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongyun Jung
- Department of Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Beverly J Morrison
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Joseph E Rubin
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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Rodríguez-Santiago J, Cornejo-Juárez P, Silva-Sánchez J, Garza-Ramos U. Polymyxin resistance in Enterobacterales: overview and epidemiology in the Americas. Int J Antimicrob Agents 2021; 58:106426. [PMID: 34419579 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2021.106426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Revised: 08/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The worldwide spread of carbapenem- and polymyxin-resistant Enterobacterales represents an urgent public-health threat. However, for most countries in the Americas, the available data are limited, although Latin America has been suggested as a silent spreading reservoir for isolates carrying plasmid-mediated polymyxin resistance mechanisms. This work provides an overall update on polymyxin and polymyxin resistance and focuses on uses, availability and susceptibility testing. Moreover, a comprehensive review of the current polymyxin resistance epidemiology in the Americas is provided. We found that reports in the English and Spanish literature show widespread carbapenemase-producing and colistin-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae in the Americas determined by the clonal expansion of the pandemic clone ST258 and mgrB-mediated colistin resistance. In addition, widespread IncI2 and IncX4 plasmids carrying mcr-1 in Escherichia coli come mainly from human sources; however, plasmid-mediated colistin resistance in the Americas is underreported in the veterinary sector. These findings demonstrate the urgent need for the implementation of polymyxin resistance surveillance in Enterobacterales as well as appropriate regulatory measures for antimicrobial use in veterinary medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Rodríguez-Santiago
- Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública (INSP), Centro de Investigación sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas (CISEI), Laboratorio de Resistencia Bacteriana, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México; Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - P Cornejo-Juárez
- Departamento de Infectología, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología (INCan), Ciudad de México, México
| | - J Silva-Sánchez
- Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública (INSP), Centro de Investigación sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas (CISEI), Laboratorio de Resistencia Bacteriana, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
| | - U Garza-Ramos
- Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública (INSP), Centro de Investigación sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas (CISEI), Laboratorio de Resistencia Bacteriana, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México.
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