A new multidrug-resistant enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli pulsed-field gel electrophoresis cluster associated with enrofloxacin non-susceptibility in diseased pigs.

AIMS: To describe the temporal trends in Escherichia coli pathotypes and antimicrobial resistance detected in isolates from diseased-pig cases submitted to the EcL from 2008 to 2016, in Quebec, Canada, and to investigate the presence of spatiotemporal and phylogenetic clusters. METHODS AND RESULTS: Detection of 12 genes coding for virulence factors in pathogenic E. coli in pigs by PCR and antimicrobial resistance standard disc diffusion assay were performed. Demographic and clinical data were entered in the Animal Pathogenic and Zoonotic E. coli (APZEC) database. ETEC:F4 was the most prevalent pathovirotype among the 3773 cases submitted. The LT:STb:F4 virotype was predominant until 2014, then was overtaken by the LT:STb:STa:F4 virotype. More than 90% of the ETEC:F4 isolates were multidrug resistant. A spatiotemporal cluster of LT:STb:STa:F4 isolates non-susceptible to enrofloxacin was detected between 4/2015 and 9/2016. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis of 137 ETEC:F4 isolates revealed the presence of a cluster composed mainly of LT:STb:STa:F4 isolates non-susceptible to enrofloxacin. CONCLUSIONS: The APZEC database was useful to highlight temporal trends in E. coli pathotypes. A high-risk ETEC:F4 clone might disseminate in the pig population in Quebec since 2015. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Surveillance is crucial to identify new clones and develop control strategies.

Serum Surfactant Protein D and Haptoglobin as Potential Biomarkers for Inflammatory Airway Disease in Horses.

BACKGROUND: The identification of serum biomarkers of lung inflammation would facilitate the diagnosis of inflammatory airway disease (IAD) in horses. HYPOTHESIS: Horses with IAD have higher serum concentrations of markers of inflammation compared to controls. ANIMALS: Twelve horses with IAD and 10 control horses. METHODS: This was a prospective case-control study. Blood and BALF were collected from horses with IAD and controls. Serum concentration of surfactant protein D (SP-D), haptoglobin, serum amyloid A (SAA) and of the soluble form of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1 (sTREM-1) was measured using commercial ELISA tests. RESULTS: Horses with IAD had higher serum concentration (log-transformed values) of SP-D (mean ± SD: 1.773 ± 0.51), haptoglobin (6.657 ± 0.202) and SAA (0.128 ± 0.396) compared to controls (0.942 ± 0.226, 6.38 ± 0.22, -0.398 ± 0.319, respectively; P < .01 for all). Furthermore, the concentrations of SP-D and haptoglobin combined allowed differentiating the 2 groups (IAD: 8.43 ± 0.564, controls: 7.322 ± 0.249, P < .0001) with a sensitivity and specificity of 100% when a cut-off of 7.70 (log value) was employed. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Surfactant protein D and haptoglobin serum concentrations could be a diagnostic aid in IAD. Further studies are necessary to establish the specificity of our findings before they can be applied in everyday practice.

N-butylscopolammonium bromide causes fewer side effects than atropine when assessing bronchoconstriction reversibility in horses with heaves.

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Bronchospasm results in airway obstruction in horses with heaves. Atropine is the most potent bronchodilator drug currently available for horses, but is associated with side effects that limit its use. Like atropine, N-butylscopolammonium bromide (NBB) is an anticholinergic agent with bronchodilatory properties. OBJECTIVES: To compare the bronchodilating effects and side effects of atropine and NBB in horses with heaves. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-over experiment using horses with heaves. METHODS: Eight horses with heaves were administered atropine and NBB, using a cross-over design. Heart rate, pupillary dilatation, transrectal palpation, lung mechanics (maximal changes in transpulmonary pressure, pulmonary resistance and elastance) and arterial blood gases were assessed before and 10 and 30 min after drug administration. RESULTS: One horse treated with atropine developed colic. Significant pupillary dilatation was observed only with atropine. Tachycardia developed in all horses, but was more marked with atropine. Lung function improved with both drugs, but elastance values had returned to baseline at 30 min with NBB. There was no improvement in arterial hypoxaemia with either drug. CONCLUSIONS: The study indicated that the bronchodilatory properties of NBB were not statistically different from those of atropine, but were of shorter duration. N-butylscopolammonium bromide was associated with fewer systemic side effects, and therefore NBB should be preferred over atropine when assessing the reversibility of airway obstruction in horses.