Yersinia enterocolitica in wild and peridomestic rodents within Great Britain, a prevalence study

Small mammals as carriers of zoonotic bacteria on pig and cattle farms - Prevalence and risk of exposure in an integrative approach

To prevent foodborne infections from pigs and cattle, the whole food chain must act to minimize the contamination of products, including biosecurity measures which prevent infections via feed and the environment in production farms. Rodents and other small mammals can be reservoirs of and key vectors for transmitting zoonotic bacteria and viruses to farm animals, through direct contact but more often through environmental contamination. In line with One Health concept, we integrated results from a sampling study of small mammals in farm environments and data from a capture-recapture experiment into a probabilistic model which quantifies the degree of environmental exposure of zoonotic bacteria by small mammals to farm premises. We investigated more than 1200 small mammals trapped in and around 38 swine and cattle farm premises in Finland in 2017/2018. Regardless of the farm type, the most common species caught were the yellow-necked mouse (Apodemus flavicollis), bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus), and house mouse (Mus musculus). Of 554 intestine samples (each pooled from 1 to 10 individuals), 33% were positive for Campylobacter jejuni. Yersinia enterocolitica was detected in 8% of the pooled samples, on 21/38 farm premises. Findings of Salmonella and the Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) were rare: the pathogens were detected in only single samples from four and six farm premises, respectively. The prevalence of Campylobacter, Salmonella, Yersinia and STEC in small mammal populations was estimated as 26%/13%, 1%/0%, 2%/3%, 1%/1%, respectively, in 2017/2018. The exposure probability within the experimental period of four weeks on farms was 17-60% for Campylobacter and 0-3% for Salmonella. The quantitative model is readily applicable to similar integrative studies. Our results indicate that small mammals increase the risk of exposure to zoonotic bacteria in animal production farms, thus increasing risks also for livestock and human health.

Role of rodents in the zoonotic transmission of giardiasis

Four species of Giardia out of nine have been identified in rodents based on molecular data: G. muris, G. microti, G. cricetidarum, and G. duodenalis. A total of seven G. duodenalis assemblages (A, B, C, D, E, F, G) have been identified in rodents to date. The zoonotic assemblages A and B are responsible for 74.88% (480/641) of the total identified genotypes in rodents by statistic. For sub-assemblage A in humans, AII is responsible for 71.02% (1397/1967) of the identified sub-assemblages, followed by AI with 26.39% (519/1967) and AIII with 1.17% (23/1967), indicating a significantly greater zoonotic potential for G. duodenalis infections in humans originating from animals. For sub-assemblages of type A in rodents, AI was identified in 86.89% (53/61), and AII in 4.92% (3/61). For assemblage B, 60.84% (390/641) were identified in rodents as having zoonotic potential to humans. In environmental samples, the zoonotic assemblages A and B were responsible for 83.81% (533/636) in water samples, 86.96% (140/161) in fresh produce samples, and 100% (8/8) in soil samples. The same zoonotic potential assemblage A or B simultaneously identified in humans, rodents, and environment samples had potential zoonotic transmission between humans and animals via a synanthropic environment. The infections and zoonotic potential for G. duodenalis were higher in farmed rodents and pet rodents than that in zoo, lab, and wild rodents. In conclusion, the role of rodents in zoonotic transmission of giardiasis should be noticed. In addition to rodents, dogs, cats, wild animals, and livestock could be involved in the zoonotic transmission cycle. This study aims to explore the current situation of giardiasis in rodents and seeks to delineate the role of rodents in the zoonotic transmission of giardiasis from the One Health perspective.

Shrews Under-Represented in Fruit Farms and Homesteads

Shrews are a less studied group of small mammals than rodents. Between 2018 and 2022, we surveyed 23 sites in Lithuania, including natural and anthropogenic habitats, with the aim to assess the proportion of Soricidae in small mammal communities and their diet based on stable isotope analysis. The average representation of Soricidae was 3.1%, about half the long-term average in other habitats in the country. The highest proportions were in meadows and farmsteads, at 4.9% and 5.0% respectively. Shrews were not trapped on farms or in young orchards, and their relative abundance was very low in intensively managed orchards (0.006 individuals per 100 trap days). Neomys fodiens and N. anomalus were unexpectedly found in homesteads, including in outbuildings. Sorex araneus and S. minutus had similar diets. The trophic carbon/nitrogen discrimination factor between invertebrates and shrew hair was 2.74‰/3.98‰ for S. araneus, 1.90‰/3.78‰ for S. minutus in the orchards. The diet of N. fodiens and N. anomalus at the homesteads requires further investigation. We propose that the under-abundance of shrews may be due to contamination by plant protection products and a lack of invertebrates under intensive agricultural practices.

Retrospective study on the prevalence of Yersinia enterocolitica in food collected in Umbria region (central Italy)

Yersinia enterocolitica represents one of the main foodborne pathogens in Europe and the evaluation of possible sources of contamination and its prevalence in food is of considerable interest for risk analysis approach. The results of the search for Yersinia enterocolitica in food samples taken in Umbria region (central Italy) were evaluated during the years 2015-2018. Different types of foods were considered, both ready-to-eat (meat products, dairy products, and raw vegetables) and meat preparations to be eaten after cooking. Samples were assayed by molecular screening for the species indicator gene ompF. Screening positives were subjected to isolation and characterization by searching for specific virulence marker genes, including the ail gene responsible for invasiveness and the ystB gene for the production of enterotoxin. The total prevalence of positive samples for Yersinia enterocolitica was 16.86% with a higher percentage of positive samples in meat preparations (19.35%), followed by ready-to-eat vegetables (11.76%). Poultry meat samples had a higher prevalence than pork and beef samples. Neither positive samples were found in meat products and dairy, nor seasonality in positivity was observed. All isolated strains of Yersinia enterocolitica were biotype 1A, with absence of the ail virulence gene but presence of ystB gene. Since the strains isolated from human patients appear to be primarily biotypes that possess the ail marker, future investigations would be needed regarding the real role of biotype 1A in human disease. In this context, attention should certainly be paid to ready-to-eat vegetables and to careful cooking of meat preparations.

Prevalence and Persistence of Multidrug-Resistant Yersinia enterocolitica 4/O:3 in Tonsils of Slaughter Pigs from Different Housing Systems in Croatia

Yersinia enterocolitica is one of the priority biological hazards in pork inspection. Persistence of the pathogen, including strains resistant to antimicrobials, should be evaluated in pigs from different housing systems for risk ranking of farms. In this 2019 study, tonsils were collected from 234 pigs, of which 69 (29.5%) were fattened on 3 big integrated farms, 130 (55.5%) on 10 medium-sized farms, and 35 (15%) on 13 small family farms. In addition, 92 pork cuts and minced meat samples from the same farms were tested for the presence of Y. enterocolitica using the culture method. Phenotypic and genetic characteristics of the isolates were compared with previously collected isolates from 2014. The overall prevalence of Y. enterocolitica in pig tonsils was 43% [95% CI 36.7−49.7]. In pigs from big integrated, medium-sized, and small family farms, the prevalence was 29%, 52%, and 40%, respectively. All retail samples of portioned and minced pork tested negative for pathogenic Y. enterocolitica, likely due to high hygienic standards in slaughterhouses/cutting meat or low sensitivity of culture methods in these matrices. The highest recovery rate of the pathogen from tonsils was found when alkali-treated PSB and CIN agar were combined. The biosecurity category of integrated and medium farms did not affect the differences in prevalence of Y. enterocolitica (p > 0.05), in contrast to family farms. Pathogenic ail-positive Y. enterocolitica biotype 4 serotype O:3 persisted in the tonsils of pigs regardless of the type of farm, slaughterhouse, and year of isolation 2014 and 2019. PFGE typing revealed the high genetic concordance (80.6 to 100%) of all the Y. enterocolitica 4/O:3 isolates. A statistically significant higher prevalence of multidrug-resistant Y. enterocolitica 4/O:3 isolates was detected in the tonsils of pigs from big integrated farms compared to the other farm types (p < 0.05), with predominant and increasing resistance to nalidixic acid, chloramphenicol, and streptomycin. This study demonstrated multidrug resistance of the pathogen in pigs likely due to more antimicrobial pressure on big farms, with intriguing resistance to some clinically relevant antimicrobials used in the treatment of yersiniosis in humans.