Surveillance of Salmonella prevalence in animal feeds and characterization of the Salmonella isolates by serotyping and antimicrobial susceptibility.

This article presents the surveillance data from the Feed Contaminants Program (2002-2009) and Salmonella Assignment (2007-2009) of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which monitor the trend of Salmonella contamination in animal feeds. A total of 2,058 samples were collected from complete animal feeds, feed ingredients, pet foods, pet treats, and supplements for pets in 2002-2009. These samples were tested for the presence of Salmonella. Those that were positive for Salmonella underwent serotyping and testing for antimicrobial susceptibility. Of the 2,058 samples, 257 were positive for Salmonella (12.5%). The results indicate a significant overall Salmonella reduction (p≤0.05) in animal feeds from 18.2% (187 samples tested) in 2002 to 8.0% (584 samples tested) in 2009. Among these samples, feed ingredients and pet foods/treats had the most significant reduction (p≤0.05). Of the 45 Salmonella serotypes identified, Salmonella Senftenberg and Salmonella Montevideo were the top two common serotypes (8.9%). Of the 257 Salmonella isolates obtained, 54 isolates (21%) were resistant to at least one antimicrobial. The findings provide the animal feed industries with Salmonella prevalence information that can be used to address Salmonella contamination problems. Our findings can also be used to educate pet owners when handling pet foods and treats at home to prevent salmonellosis.

Complications of obstetric regional analgesia: how much information is enough?

Two hundred parturients who had received epidural analgesia during labour (100 in Melbourne, Australia and 100 in London, UK) were asked on the first postnatal day about their sources of antenatal information on pain relief in labour, their awareness of potential complications of epidural analgesia and the level of risk at which they would wish to be informed before consenting to a procedure. Sources of antenatal information were similar in the two countries although more women in Australia received information from an anaesthetist or obstetrician than in the UK, whilst more women in the UK received information from the media than in Australia. Knowledge of risks was also similar although the Australian subjects were more aware of infective complications while those in the UK were more aware of intravascular injection of local anaesthetic; these differences may reflect recent high-profile cases in the two countries. The preferred level of risk at which women wanted to be informed about a complication varied from 1:1 to 1:1,000,000,000 in all three centres. The majority of women considered that the benefits of epidural analgesia outweighed each of the potential complications. Women differ in their requirements for antenatal information about regional analgesia and its complications, with some wanting to know every complication, however rare. Anaesthetists should be flexible in their disclosure of information when obtaining consent for regional analgesia and consider the particular wishes of each patient rather than follow rigid centralised guidelines.

In vitro activity of MDL 62,879 (GE2270 A) against aerobic gram-positive and anaerobic bacteria.

The in vitro activity of MDL 62,879, a new peptide antibiotic that inhibits protein synthesis through an interaction with elongation factor Tu, against a wide range of recent clinical isolates of common aerobic gram-positive and anaerobic organisms was determined. MDL 62,879 was highly active against staphylococci (MIC for 90% of isolates [MIC90], 0.125 microgram/ml), streptococci (MIC90, 1 microgram/ml), and enterococci (MIC90, 0.03 microgram/ml). All isolates of peptostreptococci and Mobiluncus spp. were susceptible, as were most isolates of clostridia. MDL 62,879 was not active against isolates of fusobacteria or Bacteroides spp., but some isolates of Prevotella spp. and Porphyromonas asaccharolytica were susceptible.

The in-vitro activity of tosufloxacin, a new fluorinated quinolone, compared with that of ciprofloxacin and temafloxacin.

Tosufloxacin was highly active in vitro against most isolates of Enterobacteriaceae. It was slightly less active than ciprofloxacin for most species but more active than temafloxacin. It was the most active agent against Acinetobacter spp., Xanthomonas maltophilia and some Pseudomonas spp. but was slightly less active than ciprofloxacin against the fluorescent pseudomonads. Tosufloxacin was highly active against strains of Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Campylobacter coli/jejuni. It was the most active of the fluoroquinolones tested against staphylococci (MICs 0.016-0.25 mg/L), streptococci (MICs 0.06-1 mg/L) and enterococci (MICs 0.12-4 mg/L). Tosufloxacin was also the most active quinolone tested against anaerobic bacteria and, with the exception of a few isolates of Bacteroides spp. and some clostridia, all anaerobes had tosufloxacin MICs less than 1 mg/L.

The in-vitro activity of temafloxacin compared with other antimicrobial agents.

Temafloxacin, like other 4-quinolones, was highly active against most isolates of Enterobacteriaceae. It was slightly less active than ciprofloxacin but approximately as active as ofloxacin and enoxacin. It was the most active of the quinolones against Acinetobacter spp. and Xanthomonas maltophilia but was slightly less active than ciprofloxacin against Pseudomonas spp. Temafloxacin was highly active against Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae and was the most active of the quinolones against Gardnerella vaginalis and Campylobacter coli/jejuni. It was more active than ciprofloxacin against most staphylococci and equally active against streptococci and enterococci. Temafloxacin was the most active quinolone against anaerobic bacteria and, with the exception of a few isolates of Bacteroides spp. and some clostridia, all anaerobes were within the sensitive range (MIC less than or equal to 2 mg/l).