Distribution of drug resistance among enterococci and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Salmonella</Emphasis> from poultry and cattle in Ethiopia

Enterococci and Salmonella were isolated from feces of chicken in intensive poultry farms and cattle which are maintained following traditional practices. Their resistance to different antibiotics was also determined. A total of 298 enterococcal isolates consisting of Enterococcus faecium (49.6%), Enterococcus durans (26.9%), Enterococcus hirea (11.9%), and Enterococcus faecalis (11.5%) were obtained. Among the enterococci, resistance to erythromycin (Ery), clindamicin (Cli), amoxicillin (Amo), ampicillin (Amp), and cephalothin (Cep) was high. Resistance to vancomycin (Van) was detected in all enterococcal species. Over 80% of the isolates showed multiple drug resistance. The most dominant patterns in poultry were Amo/Amp/Cep/Pen and Amo/Amp/Cep/Cli/Pen/Van. Among isolates from cattle, Amo/Amp/Cep/Cli/Ery/Pen/Van and Amo/Amp/Cli/Ery/Pen/Van constituted the most dominant multiple resistance patterns. A total of 51 Salmonella isolates were obtained from poultry (43/280) and cattle (8/450). About 70% of the isolates had varying resistance to the tested antibiotics. Multiple drug resistance was observed in over 30% of the Salmonella isolates. The most frequent resistance pattern was Amo/Amp/Cip/Gen/Str in cattle and Amo/Amp/Cep/Cip/Gen/Kan/Str in poultry. Enteroccoccal and Salmonella isolates showed multiple resistance to those antibiotics used in human and veterinary medicine. The high frequency of isolation of resistant enterococci is indicative of the wide dissemination of antibiotic resistant bacteria in the farm environment.     

四川省部分地区山羊沙门氏菌健康带菌率及耐药性调查

为了解四川省山羊沙门氏菌带菌情况,本试验采集了四川省部分地区5个规模化山羊养殖场表观健康山羊粪便196份,经BPW预增菌、TTB选择性增菌后,采用靶向invA基因的PCR方法检测沙门氏菌的带菌率;对阳性样本进行细菌分离鉴定,随机选择25株沙门氏菌分离株测定其对15种抗菌药物的敏感性。结果显示,山羊沙门氏菌的平均带菌率为54.59%。药敏试验结果显示,分离株均对丁胺卡那敏感,而对其余14种抗菌药物呈不同程度的耐药,多重耐药菌株占88%,其中耐2~7种药物的占52%,耐9~13种药物的占36%。结果表明,四川省部分地区山羊的沙门氏菌健康带菌率较高,且多重耐药性普遍,其公共卫生意义值得进一步研究。     

动物源性沙门氏菌的耐药性分析及氟苯尼考类耐药基因的鉴定

为了解动物沙门氏菌的流行情况和药物敏感性及氟苯尼考耐药株的耐药基因分布,本试验对临床上疑似患沙门氏菌病的病料进行病原分离和细菌的多重PCR鉴定;采用K-B法测定分离株对23种抗菌药物的敏感性;选择氟苯尼考耐药菌株扩增floR、fexA、fexB、cfr和pexA基因。结果显示,共鉴定出61株沙门氏菌,其中肠炎沙门氏菌10株,鸡白痢沙门氏菌12株,鼠伤寒沙门氏菌39株。所有菌株对青霉素、红霉素、万古霉素耐药,90.16%对6种及6种以上抗菌药耐药。floR基因广泛存在于鼠伤寒沙门氏菌氟苯尼考耐药菌株中(8/12,66.67%),未发现其他耐药基因。研究结果表明鼠伤寒沙门氏菌是鹅源分离株中的优势血清型;floR基因主要介导沙门氏菌对氟苯尼考耐药性,但可能还存在其他机制。     

Serotype identification and antimicrobial resistance profiles of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Salmonella</Emphasis> spp. isolated from chicken carcasses

In this study, 32 Salmonella strains isolated from 400 chicken carcasses were serotyped, and antibiotic resistance profiles were detected against 12 selected antimicrobial agents using disc diffusion method. Thirty-two isolates were identified as follows; 22 (68.7%) Salmonella Enteritidis, five (15.6%) Salmonella Virchow, three (9.3%) Salmonella Typhimurium and two (6.2%) Salmonella Hadar. In all Salmonella isolates, antibiotic resistance were detected. Out of 32 Salmonella strains, 22 (68.75%) displayed multi-drug resistance. Thirty-two (100.0%) of the isolates were found to be resistant to penicillin G, 20 (62.5%) to nalidixic acid, four (12.5%) to cephalothin, two (6.2%) to streptomycin and two (6.2%) to tetracycline. Fifteen (68.1%) Salmonella Enteritidis, one (33.3%) Salmonella Typhimurium, two (100.0%) Salmonella Hadar and two (40.0%) Salmonella Virchow were shown to be resistant to nalidixic acid. Cephalothin resistance was detected in 9.0%, 33.3%, and 20.0% for Salmonella Enteritidis, Salmonella Typhimurium and Salmonella Virchow, respectively. The results indicate that Salmonella recovered from chicken carcasses were resistant to multiple antimicrobials and that resistance among these isolates varies by serotype. Also, this emerged as a significant public health problem.     

Antibiotic Resistance in Salmonella Isolated from Tegus (Tupinambis spp.)

In recent years, an increase in human clinical cases of reptile-associated salmonellosis has been identified, and it has been attributed to the increased popularity of these animals as pets. Limited information is available regarding the distribution of Salmonella spp. serotypes in different reptile species and the antimicrobial resistance patterns of Salmonella spp. isolated from pet reptiles. This article describes the prevalence of Salmonella spp., distribution of serotypes, and antibiotic susceptibility patterns from isolates cultured from cloacal swabs obtained from 14 tegu lizards (Tupinambis spp.). Eighteen strains of Salmonella belonging to different serotypes were obtained from the 14 tegu lizards. Of the 18 Salmonella spp. isolates, 8 (44.4%) were from Salmonella subspecies I, with a majority of isolates belonging to the Eastbourne serotype (3 strains), Nottingham serotype (2 strains), and Brancaster serotype (2 strains), and only 1 belonging to the Apapa serotype. Less common serotypes were detected in 5 isolates, including 2 each belonging to Salmonella subspecies II and IIIb, respectively, and 1 to Salmonella subspecies IIIa. The serotype of 5 other Salmonella isolates could not be determined. All 18 isolates were resistant to at least 6 of the antimicrobial drugs tested. These results confirm the potential zoonotic risk from handling reptiles, suggesting that measures to educate the reptile-owning public are necessary.     

Prevalence and Antimicrobial Resistance of Salmonella spp. in Non‐diarrhoeic Dogs in Trinidad

The estimated prevalence and antimicrobial resistances of Salmonella spp. in non‐diarrhoeic dogs across Trinidad was determined. The serotypes of Salmonella spp. isolated were also identified. Of a total of 1391 dogs sampled, 50 (3.6%) were positive for Salmonella spp. with 28 different serotypes, the predominant serotypes were Javiana (12), Newport (6), Arechavaleta (5) and Heidelberg (5). Fifty‐seven (85.1%) of 67 isolates exhibited resistance to one or more antimicrobial agents. Of eight antimicrobial agents tested, resistance was exhibited to streptomycin (80.6%), cephalothin (37.3%), neomycin (38.8%) and gentamicin (9.0%). All isolates were sensitive to ampicillin, norfloxacin, choramphenicol and sulphamethoxazole/trimethoprim. It was concluded that the isolation of the Salmonella spp. from non‐diarrhoeic dogs could pose health hazard to their owners as most serotypes are known to be virulent. Furthermore, the prevalence of resistance to antimicrobial agents amongst the Salmonella isolates from these animals indicates susceptibility testing may influence chemotherapeutic choices when treating these isolates.     

Detection of Salmonella in Finishing Pigs on Farm and at Slaughter in Piedmont,Italy

Salmonella is one of the most common causes of human gastroenteritis often associated with pork consumption. The aims of this cross‐sectional study were to collect preliminary data on the presence of Salmonella enterica in pigs in Piedmont (Italy), through sampling on farm and at slaughter and to gather pilot data on serotypes and phagetypes present in the sampled area and distribution of anti‐microbial resistance among isolated strains. Salmonella was detected through culture and identified with Salmonella spp. and Salmonella Typhimurium PCR; positive samples were serotyped, phagetyped and tested for antibiotic susceptibility. Positive samples (from 9% of faeces up to 29% of tonsils) were found in 64% of the herds. Salmonella spp. was retrieved also from scalding water. Most of the isolates were Salmonella Derby, Salmonella Typhimurium and Salmonella 4,5,12:i:‐. The results of Salmonella Typhimurium specific PCR suggested that Salmonella 4,5,12:i:‐ might be unrecognized by serotyping. Anti‐microbial resistance was recorded in 75–100% of the isolates. Phagetyping allowed the identification of DT104B and DT46A strains. These results set the bases for further research studies that would aim to estimate the real herd prevalence in Piedmont and the diffusion of serotypes and anti‐microbial resistant strains within the same region.     

Reptile‐Associated Salmonellosis in Minnesota, 1996–2011

Reptile‐associated salmonellosis (RAS) occurs when Salmonella is transmitted from a reptile to a human. This study describes the epidemiology of RAS in Minnesota during 1996–2011. All Minnesotans with confirmed Salmonella infections are reported to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). Case patients are interviewed about illness characteristics and risk factors, including foods eaten, drinking and recreational water exposures, contact with ill people, and animal contact. Willing RAS case patients can submit stool from the reptile for culture. Serotype and pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) subtype of Salmonella isolates from reptiles and case patients are compared. Of 8389 sporadic (not associated with an outbreak) non‐typhoidal salmonellosis case patients in Minnesotans during 1996–2011, 290 (3.5%) reported reptile exposure. The median age of case patients with reptile exposure was 11 years, 31% were under the age of 5 years and 67% were under the age of 20 years; 50% were female. The median illness duration was 8 days; 23% required hospitalization. The most commonly reported reptile exposures were lizard (47%), snake (20%), turtle (19%) and a combination of reptile types (14%). Eighty‐four per cent of isolates from case patients who reported reptile exposure were Salmonella enterica subspecies I. The three most common serotypes were Typhimurium (15%), Enteritidis (7%) and subspecies IV serotypes (7%). Of 60 reptiles testing positive for Salmonella, 36 (60%) yielded the same Salmonella serotype as the human isolate. Twenty‐six of 27 reptile isolates that were subtyped by PFGE were indistinguishable from the human isolate. Of these, 88% were subspecies I; the most common serotypes were Enteritidis (12%), Typhimurium (8%), and Bareilly (8%). RAS accounts for approximately 3.5% of salmonellosis cases in Minnesota, primarily affecting children. The majority of isolates from case patients and reptiles belonged to Salmonella subspecies I, suggesting that reptiles are a source of human infection with serotypes not traditionally considered to be reptile‐associated.     

Prevalence and characterization of multidrug resistance and variant Salmonella genomic island 1 in Salmonella isolates from cattle,poultry and humans in Iran

Salmonella enterica is a common food‐borne pathogen with occasional multidrug resistance (MDR). Salmonella genomic island (SGI1) is a horizontally transmissible genomic island, containing an MDR gene cluster. All Salmonella serotypes are public health concern, although there is an additional concern associated with those that harbour SGI1. In Iran, there are no data on the presence of SGI1 variants in Salmonella isolates. The present study was conducted to identify MDR‐ and SGI1‐carrying Salmonella strains isolated from various sources and to compare their genetic relatedness between human and animal sources. In total, 242 Salmonella isolates collected from chicken, cattle, and humans from 2008 through 2014 were studied. The isolates were tested for resistance to 14 antimicrobials via the disc diffusion method. They were also tested for the presence of SGI1 variants via PCR, and genetic relatedness was evaluated based on pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Resistance to at least one antimicrobial agent was observed in 132 (54%) Salmonella isolates (n = 242), while more than 40% of the isolates showed MDR. Based on PCR analysis, eight variants of SGI1, including SGI1, SGI1‐B, SGI1‐C, SGI1‐D, SGI1‐F, SGI1‐I, SGI1‐J and SGI1‐O, were found in both human and animal isolates. Statistical analysis revealed no significant difference in the prevalence of SGI1 variants between human and animal isolates (p > 0.05). Macrorestriction PFGE analysis of the isolates with the same SGI1 variant and resistance patterns revealed genetic relatedness ranging from 70% to 100% among human and animal isolates. According to our review, this is the first documentation of SGI1 in Salmonella isolates in Iran. The presence of similar SGI1 variants in both humans and animals, along with their related PFGE patterns, suggests that food‐producing animals may be a source of MDR Salmonella isolates in Iran.     

Prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of Salmonella isolates in Pekin ducks from South Korea

An investigation was carried out to determine the prevalence and antibiotic resistance of Salmonella serotypes at South Korean duck farms. A total of 7119 samples collected from 72 duck farms in five provinces were examined from 2011 to 2012. The overall prevalence of Salmonella serotypes was 43.4% (69/159) in duck flocks from 65.2% (47/72) of the duck farms. Eighty-five strains were isolated from 69 duck flocks. Three serotypes of Salmonella enterica were identified such as S. Typhimurium (39/85), S. Enteritidis (44/85), and S. London (2/85). The prevalence of Salmonella infection decreased significantly in 3-week-old ducks compared to that in 1-week-old ducks (P < 0.05). All isolates except one were resistant to at least one antimicrobial and 27% of the isolates were resistant to 5–16 antimicrobials. Our findings provide baseline information on the degree of Salmonella infection and distribution of Salmonella serotypes in ducks and indicate that ducks should be considered an important source of foodborne pathogens.     

Phenotypic and Genotypic Characterization of Salmonella enterica in Captive Wildlife and Exotic Animal Species in Ohio,USA

The purpose of this study was to investigate the occurrence, antimicrobial resistance patterns, phenotypic and genotypic relatedness of Salmonella enterica recovered from captive wildlife host species and in the environment in Ohio, USA. A total of 319 samples including faecal (n = 225), feed (n = 38) and environmental (n = 56) were collected from 32 different wild and exotic animal species in captivity and their environment in Ohio. Salmonellae were isolated using conventional culture methods and tested for antimicrobial susceptibility with the Kirby–Bauer disc diffusion method. Salmonella isolates were serotyped, and genotyping was performed using the pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Salmonella was detected in 56 of 225 (24.9%) faecal samples; six of 56 (10.7%) environmental samples and six of 38 (15.8%) feed samples. Salmonella was more commonly isolated in faecal samples from giraffes (78.2%; 36/46), cranes (75%; 3/4) and raccoons (75%; 3/4). Salmonella enterica serotypes of known public health significance including S. Typhimurium (64.3%), S. Newport (32.1%) and S. Heidelberg (5.3%) were identified. While the majority of the Salmonella isolates were pan‐susceptible (88.2%; 60 of 68), multidrug‐resistant strains including penta‐resistant type, AmStTeKmGm (8.8%; six of 68) were detected. Genotypic diversity was found among S. Typhimurium isolates. The identification of clonally related Salmonella isolates from environment and faeces suggests that indirect transmission of Salmonella among hosts via environmental contamination is an important concern to workers, visitors and other wildlife. Results of this study show the diversity of Salmonella serovars and public health implications of human exposure from wildlife reservoirs.     

规模化猪场大肠杆菌的耐药性监测及血清流行病学调查

为了调查猪致病性大肠杆菌的耐药性及流行血清型 ,从湖北、河南、江西、安徽、浙江等省的 33个猪场采集 32 1份仔猪黄、白痢病料进行细菌的分离和生化鉴定 ,结果分离到大肠杆菌 30 2株 ,其中致病性大肠杆菌 2 76株。对 112株致病性大肠杆菌进行了 15种抗生素敏感性试验 ,发现分离菌株对 15种药物均有不同程度的耐药性 :青霉素 G对其完全没有抑制作用 ;先锋霉素 抑制作用最强 (97.3% ) ,其次为呋喃妥因 (78.6 % )、痢特灵 (71.4 % )、环丙沙星(6 8.8% )、诺氟沙星 (6 5 .1% )。 112株菌中 ,有 4 7种耐药谱型 ,多数为 6耐以上的菌株 (80株 ) ,占供试菌株的 71.4 %。应用微量平板凝集试验 ,对分离的 2 76株致病菌进行了血清型鉴定 ,鉴定共有 72种血清型 ,其中优势血清型 10种 ,占能定型分离致病菌株的 5 3.7%。     

Antimicrobial resistant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Salmonella</Emphasis> in dairy cattle in the United States

Increased frequency of antimicrobial resistant Salmonella isolated from humans over the last quarter century in the United States has led to concern about the contribution animal production systems have played in the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistant Salmonella. In order to better understand the potential role of dairy cattle as a reservoir for antimicrobial resistant Salmonella, it is important to understand methods currently used to measure the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance among Salmonella from human and animal populations. This review describes the biology of Salmonella and antimicrobial resistance, methods used to monitor antimicrobial resistance, and studies that have measured the prevalence of antimicrobial resistant Salmonella among human and dairy cattle populations in the U.S. Although the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance among Salmonella from healthy dairy cattle is low, similar trends in the prevalence of resistance among Salmonella from clinically ill human and dairy cattle populations were observed in the literature.     

Microbial Safety of Chickens Raised Without Antibiotics

The purpose of the current study was to verify whether there was any validity to the claim that consumers could reduce their exposure to antibiotic-resistant bacteria by purchasing poultry products that were produced without antibiotics. Rinse samples were taken from whole carcasses from chickens grown in small flocks and marketed as antibiotic-free. Salmonella bacteria were isolated from 18.7% of all the carcasses sampled. Campylobacter bacteria were found on 96.0% of the carcasses tested. More than two-thirds (69.4%) of the Salmonella isolates were resistant to at least 1 antibiotic. The antibiotic to which the Salmonella isolates were most commonly resistant was trimethoprim-sulfa, with almost two-thirds (62.9%) of the isolates being resistant to it. Almost three-fourths (73.4%) of the Campylobacter isolates were resistant to at least 1 antibiotic. The most common antibiotic to which Campylobacter isolates were resistant was tetracycline, with almost three-fourths (72.7%) of all Campylobacter isolates being resistant to it.     

Antimicrobial‐resistant Enterobacteriaceae recovered from companion animal and livestock environments

Antimicrobial‐resistant bacteria represent an important concern impacting both veterinary medicine and public health. The rising prevalence of extended‐spectrum beta‐lactamase (ESBL), AmpC beta‐lactamase, carbapenemase (CRE) and fluoroquinolone‐resistant Enterobacteriaceae continually decreases the efficiency of clinically important antibiotics. Moreover, the potential for zoonotic transmission of antibiotic‐resistant enteric bacteria increases the risk to public health. Our objective was to estimate the prevalence of specific antibiotic‐resistant bacteria on human contact surfaces in various animal environments. Environmental surface samples were collected from companion animal shelters, private equine facilities, dairy farms, livestock auction markets and livestock areas of county fairs using electrostatic cloths. Samples were screened for Enterobacteriaceae expressing AmpC, ESBL, CRE or fluoroquinolone resistance using selective media. Livestock auction markets and county fairs had higher levels of bacteria expressing both cephalosporin and fluoroquinolone resistance than did equine, dairy, and companion animal environments. Equine facilities harboured more bacteria expressing cephalosporin resistance than companion animal shelters, but less fluoroquinolone resistance. The regular use of extended‐spectrum cephalosporins in livestock populations could account for the increased levels of cephalosporin resistance in livestock environments compared to companion animal and equine facilities. Human surfaces, as well as shared human and animal surfaces, were contaminated with resistant bacteria regardless of species environment. Detecting these bacteria on common human contact surfaces suggests that the environment can serve as a reservoir for the zoonotic transmission of antibiotic‐resistant bacteria and resistance genes. Identifying interventions to lower the prevalence of antibiotic‐resistant bacteria in animal environments will protect both animal and public health.     

Antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli isolated from chilled meat at retail outlets

Antibiotic resistance was investigated in Escherichia coli isolated from beef, veal, lamb and pork at retail level. A total of 100 samples from each meat species was examined. About 16% of the 400 samples were contaminated with resistant E.coli. Significantly more E.coli isolates from pork were drug-resistant than isolates from other meats(P<0.01). About 7% of the combined beef, veal, and lamb E.coli isolates were resistant to two or more antibiotics compared to about 40.0% of the pork isolates (P<0.01) Transfer of resistance was observed for 39.2% of multiple resistant isolates. The results presented form a base for future monitoring of the presence of antibiotic-resistant coliforms on meat suitable for human consumption.     

Antimicrobial Resistance Profiles and Diversity in Salmonella from Humans and Cattle, 2004–2011

Analysis of long‐term anti‐microbial resistance (AMR) data is useful to understand source and transmission dynamics of AMR. We analysed 5124 human clinical isolates from Washington State Department of Health, 391 cattle clinical isolates from the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory and 1864 non‐clinical isolates from foodborne disease research on dairies in the Pacific Northwest. Isolates were assigned profiles based on phenotypic resistance to 11 anti‐microbials belonging to eight classes. Salmonella Typhimurium (ST), Salmonella Newport (SN) and Salmonella Montevideo (SM) were the most common serovars in both humans and cattle. Multinomial logistic regression showed ST and SN from cattle had greater probability of resistance to multiple classes of anti‐microbials than ST and SN from humans (P < 0.0001). While these findings could be consistent with the belief that cattle are a source of resistant ST and SN for people, occurrence of profiles unique to cattle and not observed in temporally related human isolates indicates these profiles are circulating in cattle only. We used various measures to assess AMR diversity, conditional on the weighting of rare versus abundant profiles. AMR profile richness was greater in the common serovars from humans, although both source data sets were dominated by relatively few profiles. The greater profile richness in human Salmonella may be due to greater diversity of sources entering the human population compared to cattle or due to continuous evolution in the human environment. Also, AMR diversity was greater in clinical compared to non‐clinical cattle Salmonella, and this could be due to anti‐microbial selection pressure in diseased cattle that received treatment. The use of bootstrapping techniques showed that although there were shared profiles between humans and cattle, the expected and observed number of profiles was different, suggesting Salmonella and associated resistance from humans and cattle may not be wholly derived from a common population.     

牛肉源大肠杆菌的耐药性检测及相关耐药基因分布

为了解牛肉源大肠杆菌的耐药性并检测其相关耐药基因分布,本研究选取了117株牛肉源大肠杆菌,经药敏纸片法对11种抗菌药物进行了药敏检测,并根据耐药表型利用普通和(或)多重PCR技术对耐四环素菌中tet(A)、tet(B)和tet(C)基因,耐氨苄西林菌中blaTEM1、blaPSE1和blaOXA1基因,耐链霉素菌中strA-strB、aadA1基因,耐磺胺类药菌中sul1、sul2和sul3基因进行了调查分析。结果显示,117株大肠杆菌对四环素、氨苄西林、链霉素和磺胺异恶唑的耐药率较高,分别为89%、42%、38%和22%。tet(A)基因是所有四环素耐药基因中最为流行的一种基因(55%);在检测的3个β-内酰胺类药物耐药基因中,最流行的为blaTEM1基因(73%);链霉素的耐药性主要由strA-strB基因(38%)编码;sul2基因在耐磺胺异恶唑菌中的检出率最高(77%)。结果表明本次分离的牛肉源大肠杆菌耐药非常严重,进一步肯定了肉牛业生产中抗菌药的使用对大肠杆菌耐药性的产生和发展所发挥的重要作用,提示食品动物养殖应严格控制饲料中抗菌药的滥用。     

Detection of the floR Gene in a Diversity of Florfenicol Resistant Gram‐Negative Bacilli from Freshwater Salmon Farms in Chile

Florfenicol is an important antibiotic in veterinary medicine that is used extensively in aquaculture, including salmon farming in Chile. We analysed a set of 119 florfenicol‐resistant Gram‐negative bacilli from seven freshwater Chilean salmon farms for the molecular determinants involved in the florfenicol resistance. Ninety‐seven of these strains were glucose non‐fermenting bacilli, mainly belonging to the Pseudomonas genus, whereas 22 strains were glucose‐fermenters. The floR gene was detected in 26 strains (21.8%) that had been isolated from three of the seven salmon farms. Most of the floR‐carrying strains were glucose fermenters (21 strains), and most of the floR‐carrying strains were also resistant to streptomycin, chloramphenicol and oxytetracycline. The minimum inhibitory concentrations against florfenicol were assessed in the presence and absence of the efflux pump inhibitor Phe‐Arg‐β‐naphthylamide (MC‐207,110). There was evidence that in the majority of non‐fermenting bacteria (82 strains), florfenicol resistance was at least partially mediated by non‐specific efflux pump systems. Given the diversity of antibiotic resistance patterns observed in this study in the floR‐positive isolates, a single antibiotic has the potential to co‐select for a diversity of resistances. For this reason, human health as well as animal health can potentially be impacted by the use of antibiotics in aquaculture. To assess this potential risk, future studies should focus on the ability of different antibiotics used in aquatic environments to co‐select for multiple resistances, the molecular basis of this diversity of resistance, and whether the genes conferring resistance can be transferred to other bacteria, including those of human health concern.     

Prevalence,Characterization and Antibiotic Resistance of Salmonella Isolates in Large Corvid Species of Europe and North America Between 2010 and 2013

It is well understood that Salmonella is carried by animals and in majority of cases as asymptomatic hosts. Surveillance efforts have focused on the role of agriculture and contamination points along the food chain as the main source of human infection; however, very little attention has been paid to the contribution of wildlife in the dissemination of Salmonella and what effect anthropogenic sources have on the circulation of antibiotic resistant Salmonella serovars in wildlife species. A purposive survey was taken of large corvids roosting yearly between November and March in Europe and North America. Two thousand and seven hundred and seventy‐eight corvid faecal specimens from 11 countries were submitted for Salmonella spp. culture testing. Presumptive positive isolates were further serotyped, susceptibility tested and analysed for antibiotic resistance genes. Overall, 1.40% (39/2778) (CI = 1.01, 1.90) of samples were positive for Salmonella spp. Salmonella Enteritidis was the most prevalent serovar followed by S. Infantis, S. Montevideo and S. Typhimurium. No significant difference (P > 0.05) was found in the proportion of Salmonella recovered in Europe versus North America. The most variability of serovars within a site was in Kansas, USA with five different serovars recovered. European sites were significantly more likely to yield Salmonella resistant to more than one antibiotic (OR 71.5, P < 0.001, CI = 3.77, 1358) than North American sites, where no resistance was found. Resistance to nalidixic acid, a quinolone, was recovered in nine isolates from four serovars in four different sites across Europe. Large corvids contribute to the transmission and dissemination of Salmonella and resistance genes between human and animal populations and across great distances. This information adds to the knowledge base of zoonotic pathogen prevalence and antibiotic resistance ecology in wild birds.