Occurrence of antimicrobial resistance among bacterial pathogens and indicator bacteria in pigs in different European countries from year 2002 – 2004: the ARBAO-II study

Background

The project "Antibiotic resistance in bacteria of animal origin – II" (ARBAO-II) was funded by the European Union (FAIR5-QLK2-2002-01146) for the period 2003–05. The aim of this project was to establish a program for the continuous monitoring of antimicrobial susceptibility of pathogenic and indicator bacteria from food animals using validated and harmonised methodologies. In this report the first data on the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance among bacteria causing infections in pigs are reported.

Methods

Susceptibility data from 17,642 isolates of pathogens and indicator bacteria including Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Streptococcus suis and Escherichia coli isolated from pigs were collected from fifteen European countries in 2002–2004.

Results

Data for A. pleuropneumoniae from infected pigs were submitted from five countries. Most of the isolates from Denmark were susceptible to all drugs tested with the exceptions of a low frequency of resistance to tetracycline and trimethoprim – sulphonamide.Data for S. suis were obtained from six countries. In general, a high level of resistance to tetracycline (48.0 – 92.0%) and erythromycin (29.1 – 75.0%) was observed in all countries whereas the level of resistance to ciprofloxacin and penicillin differed between the reporting countries. Isolates from England (and Wales), France and The Netherlands were all susceptible to penicillin. In contrast the proportion of strains resistant to ciprofloxacin ranged from 12.6 to 79.0% (2004) and to penicillin from 8.1 – 13.0% (2004) in Poland and Portugal.Data for E. coli from infected and healthy pigs were obtained from eleven countries. The data reveal a high level of resistance to tetracyclines, streptomycin and ampicillin among infected pigs whereas in healthy pigs the frequency of resistance was lower.

Conclusion

Bacterial resistance to some antimicrobials was frequent with different levels of resistance being observed to several antimicrobial agents in different countries. The occurrence of resistance varied distinctly between isolates from healthy and diseased pigs, with the isolates from healthy pigs generally showing a lower level of resistance than those from diseased pigs.The study suggests that the choice of antimicrobials used for the treatment of diseased animals should preferably be based on knowledge of the local pattern of resistance.     

Soil contamination by organic and inorganic pollutants at the regional scale: the case of Piedmont,Italy

Background, aim, and scope  

Diffuse soil contamination has often been neglected in scientific literature, as most studies focus on contaminants from point-sources (either of industrial or agricultural origin). However, soil pollution from diffuse sources is recognized as one of the major soil threats by the EU Soil Thematic Strategy. In fact, some pollutants are nowadays ubiquitarious in the soil system, and they have to be considered for the implementation of environmental legislation, the definition of clean-up values in remediation activities and, more generally, for a sustainable management of rural areas. In the literature large scale studies on diffuse contamination are few and scattered and often do not consider a wide range of contaminants, the effect of land use, the vertical variability and the potential natural contribution. Aim of this work was to provide an overview of the diffuse soil contamination on a regional scale for a large set of contaminants. Soil inorganic (Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, Cu, Zn) and organic contaminants (polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins(PCDD), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as well as other soil general parameters were investigated on a 18 × 18 km grid covering a whole Italian region heavily industrialized and intensively cultivated. Soils were sampled at different depths both for natural–undisturbed soil and for agricultural–plow soil. Differences in the trends of investigated contaminants, as a consequence of land use, vertical variability, natural or geogenic origin, relationships among contaminants, and with main soil properties, were explored by means of enrichment factors, bi- and multi-variate statistics.     

Identification of 19-epi-okadaic Acid,a New Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning Toxin,by Liquid Chromatography with Mass Spectrometry Detection

Okadaic acid (1) (OA) and its congeners are mainly responsible for diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP) syndrome. The presence of several OA derivatives have already been confirmed in Prorocentrum and Dinophysis spp. In this paper, we report on the detection and identification of a new DSP toxin, the OA isomer 19-epi-okadaic acid (2) (19-epi-OA), isolated from cultures of Prorocentrum belizeanum, by determining its retention time (RT) and fragmentation pattern using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS).     

Functional properties of spice extracts obtained via supercritical fluid extraction

In the present study the antioxidant, anticancer, and antimycobacterial activities of extracts from ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.), and turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) were evaluated. The extracts were obtained using supercritical CO(2) with and without ethanol and/or isopropyl alcohol as cosolvent. The extracts' antioxidant power was assessed using the reaction between beta-carotene and linolenic acid, the antimycobacterial activity against M. tuberculosis was measured by the MABA test, and their anticancer action was tested against nine human cancer ancestries: lung, breast, breast resistant, melanoma, colon, prostate, leukemia, and kidney. The rosemary extracts exhibited the strongest antioxidant and the lowest antimycobacterial activities. Turmeric extracts showed the greatest antimycobacterial activity. Ginger and turmeric extracts showed selective anticancer activities.     

Quality Evaluation of Sediments from 24 Tributaries of the Po River, Italy

Sediment samples from 24 tributaries of the Po River (Italy) were screened for selected trace elements (Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn) and extractable organic compounds; a proxy for contamination by organic microcontaminants. The toxicity of sediment extracts was evaluated using a battery of biotests (Dugesia gonocephala, Paracentrotus lividus, and Tamnocephalus platyurus). Contamination by trace elements (including very high Hg pollution – 4 to 16ppm total Hg – in one sub-basin) reached potentially harmful levels only in the sediments of four tributaries; while contamination by organic microcontaminants was present in most sub-basins. Sediments from most study sites did actually show signs of anthropogenic stress and were able to elicit a toxic response. A more detailed evaluation of sediment quality in the Po River tributaries seems to be urgently needed for developing the necessary remediation strategies. Research priorities should include more thorough testing of sediment toxicity, determination of metal background levels in the various sub-basins and a more detailed identification of the organic micropollutants of possible concern.     

Urban agriculture, using sustainable practices that involve the reuse of wastewater and solid waste

This study proposes a safe method for the disinfection of wastewater destined for reuse in urban agriculture. It also discusses the year-round production of fresh vegetables in confined urban spaces, using sustainable practices that involve the recycling and reuse of waste while at the same time saving water. To address the aforementioned problems, this study aimed to determine the efficiency of applying organoponic techniques to urban crops, using selected organic compounds and recyclable solid waste products, plus home-made organic fertilizers and treated wastewater. The results obtained demonstrate that in addition to disinfecting the wastewater, ozone contributes oxygen and nutrients to the soil, thereby reducing the need for chemical fertilizers. Ozone also reduces the risk of infection by eliminating highly pathogenic micro-organisms, and increases the rate of plant growth such as: radishes (Raphanus sativus L.), tomatoes (Lycopersicum esculentum), spearmint (Mentha piperita), camomile (Matricaria recutita), Romaine lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa). Great benefits can therefore be derived from employing these urban agriculture techniques because, in addition to putting to good use waste products that are generated by the ton, these techniques also produce quality food plants that are 100% organic.