ABSTRACT
We aimed to assess the prevalence of pathogenic bacteria and resistance genes in rectal samples collected among homeless persons in Marseille, France. In February 2014 we enrolled 114 sheltered homeless adults who completed questionnaires and had rectal samples collected. Eight types of enteric bacteria and 15 antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) were sought by real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) performed directly on rectal samples. ARG-positive samples were further tested by conventional PCR and sequencing. We evidenced a 17.5% prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms, a 9.6% prevalence of enteric pathogenic bacteria carriage, including Escherichia coli pathotypes (8.7%) and Tropheryma whipplei (0.9%). Only 2 persons carried blaCTX-M-15 resistance genes (1.8%), while other genes, including carbapenemase-encoding genes and colistin-resistance genes, (mcr-1 to mcr-6, mcr-8) were not detected. Our results suggest that sheltered homeless persons in Marseille do not have a high risk of harbouring gastrointestinal antibiotic resistant bacteria.
ABSTRACT
The Grand Magal is a religious pilgrimage that takes place in Senegal. An estimated 4-5 million individuals yearly gather in the holy city of Touba. Pilgrims comes from the whole Senegal and surrounding countries and from countries outside of Africa where Mouride Senegalese emigrated. It is the largest Mass Gathering (MG) event of the Mouride community and the largest Muslim religious MG in West Africa. The context of the Grand Magal MG is unique given its location in a tropical developing country and its international component which may favour the globalization of local endemic diseases and warrants investment in modern methods for public health surveillance and planning of the event.
