An 8000 years old genome reveals the Neolithic origin of the zoonosis Brucella melitensis.

Brucella melitensis is a major livestock bacterial pathogen and zoonosis, causing disease and infection-related abortions in small ruminants and humans. A considerable burden to animal-based economies today, the presence of Brucella in Neolithic pastoral communities has been hypothesised but we lack direct genomic evidence thus far. We report a 3.45X B. melitensis genome preserved in an ~8000 year old sheep specimen from Mentese Höyük, Northwest Türkiye, demonstrating that the pathogen had evolved and was circulating in Neolithic livestock. The genome is basal with respect to all known B. melitensis and allows the calibration of the B. melitensis speciation time from the primarily cattle-infecting B. abortus to approximately 9800 years Before Present (BP), coinciding with a period of consolidation and dispersal of livestock economies. We use the basal genome to timestamp evolutionary events in B. melitensis, including pseudogenization events linked to erythritol response, the supposed determinant of the pathogen's placental tropism in goats and sheep. Our data suggest that the development of herd management and multi-species livestock economies in the 11th-9th millennium BP drove speciation and host adaptation of this zoonotic pathogen.

Small mammals as carriers of zoonotic bacteria on pig and cattle farms - Prevalence and risk of exposure in an integrative approach.

To prevent foodborne infections from pigs and cattle, the whole food chain must act to minimize the contamination of products, including biosecurity measures which prevent infections via feed and the environment in production farms. Rodents and other small mammals can be reservoirs of and key vectors for transmitting zoonotic bacteria and viruses to farm animals, through direct contact but more often through environmental contamination. In line with One Health concept, we integrated results from a sampling study of small mammals in farm environments and data from a capture-recapture experiment into a probabilistic model which quantifies the degree of environmental exposure of zoonotic bacteria by small mammals to farm premises. We investigated more than 1200 small mammals trapped in and around 38 swine and cattle farm premises in Finland in 2017/2018. Regardless of the farm type, the most common species caught were the yellow-necked mouse (Apodemus flavicollis), bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus), and house mouse (Mus musculus). Of 554 intestine samples (each pooled from 1 to 10 individuals), 33% were positive for Campylobacter jejuni. Yersinia enterocolitica was detected in 8% of the pooled samples, on 21/38 farm premises. Findings of Salmonella and the Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) were rare: the pathogens were detected in only single samples from four and six farm premises, respectively. The prevalence of Campylobacter, Salmonella, Yersinia and STEC in small mammal populations was estimated as 26%/13%, 1%/0%, 2%/3%, 1%/1%, respectively, in 2017/2018. The exposure probability within the experimental period of four weeks on farms was 17-60% for Campylobacter and 0-3% for Salmonella. The quantitative model is readily applicable to similar integrative studies. Our results indicate that small mammals increase the risk of exposure to zoonotic bacteria in animal production farms, thus increasing risks also for livestock and human health.

Whole genome sequencing of Streptococcus suis revealed potential drug resistance and zoonotic transmission in companion cat.

Streptococcus suis is a bacterium of clinical importance in diverse animal hosts including companion animals and humans. Companion animals are closely associated in the living environment of humans and are potential reservoirs for zoonotic pathogens. Given the zoonotic potential of S. suis, it is crucial to determine whether this bacterium is present among the companion animal population. This study aimed to detect Streptococcus suis in companion animals namely cats and dogs of the central west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and further characterize the positive isolates via molecular and genomic approach. The detection of S. suis was done via bacterial isolation and polymerase chain reaction assay of gdh and recN gene from oral swabs. Characterization was done by multiplex PCR serotyping, as well as muti-locus sequence typing, AMR gene prediction, MGE identification and phylogenomic analysis on whole genome sequence acquired from Illumina and Oxford Nanopore sequencing. Among the 115 samples, PCR assay detected 2/59 of the cats were positive for S. suis serotype 8 while all screened dog samples were negative. This study further described the first complete whole genome of S. suis strain SS/UPM/MY/F001 isolated from the oral cavity of a companion cat. Genomic analysis revealed a novel strain of S. suis having a unique MLST profile and antimicrobial resistance genes of mefA, msrD, patA, patB and vanY. Mobile genetic elements were described, and pathogenic determinants matched to human and swine strains were identified. Phylogenetic tree analysis on the core genome alignment revealed strain SS/UPM/MY/F001 was distinct from other S. suis strains. This study provided insight into the detection and genomic features of the S. suis isolate of a companion cat and highlighted its potential for antimicrobial resistance and pathogenicity.

Not just in man's best friend: A review of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius host range and human zoonosis.

Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is one species in the commensal staphylococcal population in dogs. While it is commonly carried on healthy companion dogs it is also an opportunistic pathogen associated with a range of skin, ear, wound and other infections. While adapted to dogs, it is not restricted to them, and we have reviewed its host range, including increasing reports of human colonisation and infections. Despite its association with pet dogs, S. pseudintermedius is found widely in animals, covering companion, livestock and free-living species of birds and mammals. Human infections, typically in immunocompromised individuals, are increasingly being recognised, in part due to improved diagnosis. Colonisation, infection, and antimicrobial resistance, including frequent multidrug resistance, among S. pseudintermedius isolates represent important One Health challenges.

Molecular and serological diagnosis of multiple bacterial zoonoses in febrile outpatients in Garissa County, north-eastern Kenya.

Bacterial zoonoses are diseases caused by bacterial pathogens that can be naturally transmitted between humans and vertebrate animals. They are important causes of non-malarial fevers in Kenya, yet their epidemiology remains unclear. We investigated brucellosis, Q-fever and leptospirosis in the venous blood of 216 malaria-negative febrile patients recruited in two health centres (98 from Ijara and 118 from Sangailu health centres) in Garissa County in north-eastern Kenya. We determined exposure to the three zoonoses using serological (Rose Bengal test for Brucella spp., ELISA for C. burnetti and microscopic agglutination test for Leptospira spp.) and real-time PCR testing and identified risk factors for exposure. We also used non-targeted metagenomic sequencing on nine selected patients to assess the presence of other possible bacterial causes of non-malarial fevers. Considerable PCR positivity was found for Brucella (19.4%, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 14.2-25.5) and Leptospira spp. (1.7%, 95% CI 0.4-4.9), and high endpoint titres were observed against leptospiral serovar Grippotyphosa from the serological testing. Patients aged 5-17 years old had 4.02 (95% CI 1.18-13.70, p-value = 0.03) and 2.42 (95% CI 1.09-5.34, p-value = 0.03) times higher odds of infection with Brucella spp. and Coxiella burnetii than those of ages 35-80. Additionally, patients who sourced water from dams/springs, and other sources (protected wells, boreholes, bottled water, and water pans) had 2.39 (95% CI 1.22-4.68, p-value = 0.01) and 2.24 (1.15-4.35, p-value = 0.02) times higher odds of exposure to C. burnetii than those who used unprotected wells. Streptococcus and Moraxella spp. were determined using metagenomic sequencing. Brucellosis, leptospirosis, Streptococcus and Moraxella infections are potentially important causes of non-malarial fevers in Garissa. This knowledge can guide routine diagnosis, thus helping lower the disease burden and ensure better health outcomes, especially in younger populations.

Two episodes of bacteremia of zoonotic origin caused by different Streptococcus canis isolates in the same patient within a time span of 1 year.

Two episodes of bacteremia of cutaneous origin in a female patient were caused by two unrelated Streptococcus canis isolates within 1-year interval between the two infection episodes. The most likelihood transmission route in both episodes was a dog pet that habitually licked patient´s legs. Isolates were characterised by antimicrobial susceptibility test and whole genome sequencing. They belonged to sequence type (ST) 40 and 43, respectively. The ST40 isolate harboured antimicrobial resistance genes aadE, ermB and tetO, displaying resistance to erythromycin, clindamycin and tetracyclines, while ST43 isolate did not presented any known antimicrobial resistance determinant and was susceptible to all antibiotics tested. S. canis infections are rare in human; however, attention is needed for patients at risk with companion animals.

Genetic diversity of Leptospira strains circulating in humans and dogs in France in 2019-2021.

Leptospirosis is a bacterial zoonotic disease. Humans and dogs are susceptible hosts, with similar clinical manifestations ranging from a febrile phase to multiple organ dysfunction. The incidence of leptospirosis in mainland France is relatively high, at about 1 case per 100,000 inhabitants, but our knowledge of the strains circulating in humans and dogs remains limited. We studied the polymorphism of the lfb1 gene sequences in an exhaustive database, to facilitate the identification of Leptospira strains. We identified 46 species-groups (SG) encompassing the eight pathogenic species of Leptospira. We sequenced the lfb1 gene amplification products from 170 biological samples collected from 2019 to 2021: 110 from humans and 60 from dogs. Epidemiological data, including vaccination status in dogs, were also collected. Three Leptospira species displaying considerable diversity were identified: L. interrogans, with eight lfb1 species-groups (including five new lfb1 species-groups) in humans and dogs; L. kirschneri, with two lfb1 species-groups in humans and dogs; and L. borgpetersenii, with one lfb1 species-group in humans only. The lfb1 species-group L. interrogans SG1, corresponding to serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae or Copenhageni, was frequently retrieved from both humans and dogs (n=67/110; 60.9% and n=59/60; 98.3% respectively). A high proportion of the affected dogs developed the disease despite vaccination (n=30/60; 50%). Genotyping with the polymorphic lfb1 gene is both robust and simple. This approach provided the first global picture of the Leptospira strains responsible for acute infections in mainland France, based on biological samples but without the need for culture. Identification of the Leptospira strains circulating and their changes over time will facilitate more precise epidemiological monitoring of susceptible and reservoir species. It should also facilitate the monitoring of environmental contamination, making it possible to implement preventive measures and to reduce the burden of this disease.

[Bacterial zoonoses of public health importance in Germany-incidence, distribution, and modes of transmission]. / Bakterielle Zoonosen mit Bedeutung für den öffentlichen Gesundheitsschutz in Deutschland ­ Vorkommen, Verbreitung und Übertragungswege.

Bacterial zoonotic pathogens are often the cause of diseases, sometimes with severe outcomes. They are mutually transferable between animals (both wild and domestic) and humans. The transmission paths are very variable and include oral intake via food, respiratory infection via droplets and aerosols, or infections via vectors such as tick bites or rodent contact. Furthermore, the emergence and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens is of paramount public health concern.The likelihood of further spread is influenced by various factors. These include the increase in international trade, the endangerment of animal habitats, and the increasingly closer contact between humans and wild animals. Additionally, changes in livestock and climate change may also contribute. Therefore, research into zoonoses serves to protect human and animal health and is of particular social, political, and economic importance.The aim of this review article is to present the range of infectious diseases caused by bacterial zoonotic pathogens in order to provide a better understanding of the important work in public health services, animal health services, and food safety control. The different transmission routes, epidemic potentials, and epidemiological measures of the exemplary selected diseases show the challenges for the public health system to monitor and control the spread of these bacterial pathogens in order to protect the population from disease.

Statistical modeling based on structured surveys of Australian native possum excreta harboring Mycobacterium ulcerans predicts Buruli ulcer occurrence in humans.

Background: Buruli ulcer (BU) is a neglected tropical disease caused by infection of subcutaneous tissue with Mycobacterium ulcerans. BU is commonly reported across rural regions of Central and West Africa but has been increasing dramatically in temperate southeast Australia around the major metropolitan city of Melbourne, with most disease transmission occurring in the summer months. Previous research has shown that Australian native possums are reservoirs of M. ulcerans and that they shed the bacteria in their fecal material (excreta). Field surveys show that locales where possums harbor M. ulcerans overlap with human cases of BU, raising the possibility of using possum excreta surveys to predict the risk of disease occurrence in humans. Methods: We thus established a highly structured 12 month possum excreta surveillance program across an area of 350 km2 in the Mornington Peninsula area 70 km south of Melbourne, Australia. The primary objective of our study was to assess using statistical modeling if M. ulcerans surveillance of possum excreta provided useful information for predicting future human BU case locations. Results: Over two sampling campaigns in summer and winter, we collected 2,282 possum excreta specimens of which 11% were PCR positive for M. ulcerans-specific DNA. Using the spatial scanning statistical tool SaTScan, we observed non-random, co-correlated clustering of both M. ulcerans positive possum excreta and human BU cases. We next trained a statistical model with the Mornington Peninsula excreta survey data to predict the future likelihood of human BU cases occurring in the region. By observing where human BU cases subsequently occurred, we show that the excreta model performance was superior to a null model trained using the previous year's human BU case incidence data (AUC 0.66 vs 0.55). We then used data unseen by the excreta-informed model from a new survey of 661 possum excreta specimens in Geelong, a geographically separate BU endemic area to the southwest of Melbourne, to prospectively predict the location of human BU cases in that region. As for the Mornington Peninsula, the excreta-based BU prediction model outperformed the null model (AUC 0.75 vs 0.50) and pinpointed specific locations in Geelong where interventions could be deployed to interrupt disease spread. Conclusions: This study highlights the One Health nature of BU by confirming a quantitative relationship between possum excreta shedding of M. ulcerans and humans developing BU. The excreta survey-informed modeling we have described will be a powerful tool for the efficient targeting of public health responses to stop BU. Funding: This research was supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia and the Victorian Government Department of Health (GNT1152807 and GNT1196396).

A systematic literature review of milk consumption and associated bacterial zoonoses in East Africa.

Consumption of unsafe animal-source foods is the major cause of foodborne disease outbreaks in low-income countries. Despite current knowledge of the threat posed by raw milk consumption to human health, people in many countries in East Africa still consume unboiled milk. This literature review explored the association between milk consumption and the occurrence of five milk-borne bacterial zoonoses: brucellosis, salmonellosis, campylobacteriosis, Escherichia coli infections, and tuberculosis. A search for literature published up to 1 October 2021 was conducted through the Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus databases, using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. The selection process yielded 65 articles describing studies conducted in East Africa 2010-2021, which were carefully scrutinized. The most investigated pathogen was Brucella spp. (54.5%), followed by E. coli (18.2%), Salmonella spp. (12.1%), Mycobacterium spp. (6.1%), and E. coli O157: H7 (6.1%). The most common predisposing factors for potential milk-borne disease outbreaks were consumption of contaminated raw milk, inadequate cold storage along the milk value chain, poor milk handling practices, and lack of awareness of the health risks of consuming unpasteurized milk. Thus, a tailor-made training program is needed for all milk value chain actors to enhance the safety of milk sold in informal markets, and a One Health approach should be applied. Future studies should employ more advanced diagnostic techniques and countries in East Africa should invest in modern diagnostic tools and equipment, both in hospitals and in local rural settings where most cases occur.

First report of multiple Rickettsia sp., Anaplasma sp., and Ehrlichia sp. in the San Miguel Department of El Salvador from zoonotic tick vectors.

Neglected bacterial zoonoses are a group of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) that are commonly underdiagnosed and underreported due to their undifferentiated febrile illness symptomology. Spotted fever group rickettsioses (SFGR), a subset of tick-borne bacterial zoonoses, belong in this group. There is a dichotomy in the reporting and recognition of these pathogens in Central America: countries with reduced human development scores-like El Salvador-have little to no research or surveillance dedicated to these pathogens and the diseases they cause. This was the third-ever tick survey in El Salvador, highlighting the knowledge gap in this country. A total of 253 ticks were collected from 11 animals at two farm sites and one veterinary office. Standard and quantitative PCR were used to detect presence of SFGR, Ehrlichia, and Anaplasma sp. pathogens in ticks. Ehrlichia sp. were detected in 2.4% of all collected ticks and Anaplasma sp. were detected in 5.5% of all ticks. Rickettsia rickettsii was amplified in 18.2% of ticks, and amplicons similar to R. parkeri, and R. felis were found in 0.8% and 0.4%, of collected ticks, respectively. This is the first report of these pathogenic bacterial species in El Salvador. This study emphasizes the need for further surveillance and research including incorporating additional human seroprevalence and testing to understand the public health burden in this country.

Trends in human leptospirosis in Denmark, 2012-2021.

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic bacterial infection that can cause influenza-like symptoms and severe disease. In Denmark, leptospirosis is rare, non-endemic, and most commonly transferred to humans from mice and rats. Cases of human leptospirosis in Denmark are by law notifiable to Statens Serum Institut. This study aimed to describe trends in incidence of leptospirosis in Denmark from 2012 to 2021. Descriptive analyses were used to calculate the incidence, geographical distribution and possible routes of infection, as well as testing capacity and serological trends. The overall incidence rate was 0.23 per 100,000 inhabitants, with the highest annual incidence of 24 cases in 2017. Men between 40-49 years old were the demographic group most commonly diagnosed with leptospirosis. August and September were the months with highest incidence over the entire study period. The most common serovar observed was Icterohaemorrhagiae, although over a third of cases were diagnosed via polymerase chain reaction alone. The most common sources of exposure reported were travel abroad, farming, and recreational contact with fresh water, the latter being a new exposure compared to previous studies. Overall, a One Health approach would ensure better detection of outbreaks and milder disease. Additionally, preventative measures should be expanded to include recreational water sports.

'One Health´ approach to end zoonotic TB.

Mycobacterium bovis has a wide host range causing TB in animals, both in wildlife and cattle (bovine TB bTB), and in humans (zoonotic TB zTB). The real burden of bovine and zoonotic TB (b/zTB) remains unknown due to diagnostic challenges. Although progress has been made to reduce the burden of TB, b/zTB has been neglected in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) with little improvement in prevention, diagnosis or treatment. Using Tanzania as a case study, because of its high TB burden, large wildlife diversity and wide reliance on livestock, we developed an approach to comprehensively estimate the burden and implement multidisciplinary actions against b/zTB. We performed a review of the literature on b/zTB, but there is a lack of available data on the b/zTB burden in Tanzania and, notably, on epidemiological indicators other than incidence. We propose a five-action programme to address b/zTB in Tanzania, and we believe our proposed approach could benefit other LMICs as it operates by implementing and strengthening surveillance and health delivery. The resulting knowledge and system organisation could further prevent and mitigate the effects of such conditions on human and animal health, livestock production, population livelihood and the economy.

Detección molecular de la infección natural por parásitos tripanosomátidos en Didelphis marsupialis de una zona rural del norte de Colombia / Molecular detection of the natural infection by trypanosomatid parasites in Didelphis marsupialis from a rural area in northern Colombia

Se evaluó la prevalencia de infección por parásitos tripanosomátidos en Didelphis marsupialis y su relación con los aspectos morfológicos/etarios en una zona rural de El Carmen de Bolívar, Colombia. En cinco visitas (2018-2019) se instalaron trampas Tomahawk® en los ecótopos peridoméstico y silvestre en la Vereda El Alférez, durante tres noches consecutivas/visita. A los animales recolectados, se les determinaron medidas corporales, sexo y edad; y se les extrajo sangre por cardiopuntura, previa sedación, para extracción del ácido desoxirribonucleico (ADN) total y amplificación de la región conservada del ADN de minicírculos de kinetoplasto (ADNk) de parásitos tripanosomátidos. La asociación entre parámetros morfológicos de los didélfidos y su frecuencia de infección por parásitos tripanosomátidos fue determinada mediante una regresión binomial. Se recolectaron 30 individuos de D. marsupialis (60,0% hembras y 40,0% machos/66,7% adultos y 33,3% juveniles). El diagnóstico molecular reveló una frecuencia de infección por parásitos tripanosomátidos del 46,7%. El estadio (p=0,024) fue determinante para la infección. Se discute el papel de D. marsupialis como potencial reservorio de parásitos tripanosomátidos en la zona evaluada.

We studied the prevalence of infection by trypanosomatid parasites in Didelphis marsupialis and its relationship with morphological/age aspects in a rural area of El Carmen de Bolivar, Colombia. Five visits were made to the Vereda El Alférez; each of which lasted three consecutive nights. During these visits, Tomahawk® traps were installed in the peridomestic and wild ecotopes of the Vereda El Alférez. Body measurements, sex and age were determined from the collected animals. Blood was extracted by cardiopuncture, after sedation, in order to obtain total deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and amplify the conserved region of the kinetoplast minicircle DNA (kDNA) of parasitic trypanosomatids. The association between morphological parameters of didelphids and their frequency of infection by parasitic trypanosomatids was determined by binomial regression. Thirty D. marsupialis specimens (60.0% females and 40.0% males/66.7% adults and 33.3% juveniles) were collected. Molecular diagnosis revealed a frequency of trypanosomatid parasite infection of 46.7%. Stage (p=0.024) was a determinant for infection. We discuss the role of D. marsupialis as a potential reservoir of parasitic trypanosomatids in the Vereda El Alférez.

Febre maculosa brasileira na cidade de Jacareí, Vale do Paraíba, SP: descrição dos componentes da paisagem / Brazilian Spotted Fever in the city of Jacareí, Vale do Paraíba region, São Paulo State: description of landscape components

A Febre Maculosa Brasileira (FMB) é uma zoonose infecciosa, febril, aguda e exantemática, de notificação compulsória no Brasil, que tem como agente patogênico bactérias da espécie Rickettsia rickettsii, que são transmitidas por alguns carrapatos do gênero Amblyomma. No Brasil, a maior incidência de casos ocorre no Estado de São Paulo, onde há casos em locais de grande urbanização, e apresenta alta taxa de letalidade que pode variar de 30% à 60% dependendo da região do Estado. A cidade de Jacareí está na região do Vale do Paraíba, onde alguns municípios identificaram em seus territórios casos humanos da doença. No período de 2014 a 2020 ocorreram quatro casos confirmados de FMB com Local Provável de Infecção (LPI) no município de Jacareí, SP, com taxa de letalidade de 100 %. O estudo tem como objetivo descrever a ocorrência de Febre Maculosa Brasileira no Município de Jacareí nesse período. Para essa finalidade, foram selecionadas cinco áreas para esse estudo epidemiológico com propósito descritivo, retrospectivo, e com abordagem ecológica. O estudo foi baseado na revisão dos relatórios de investigações epidemiológicas do banco de dados da Diretoria de Vigilância em Saúde do Município de Jacareí. Os casos humanos descritos tem predomínio de indivíduos do sexo masculino na faixa etária de 50 a 69 anos associados a atividades recreativas e ocupacionais praticadas em áreas urbanas ou periurbanas de mata ciliar ou próximo a estas. As caracteristicas do perfil paisagístico comuns para as áreas estudadas foram determinados por: cobertura vegetal nativa e espelho d'água com alta fragmentação, locais de ocupação e deslocamento humano presentes em 30,4% da área considerada em média, presença de hospedeiros primários, presença de animais sentinela sororreagentes e relato de parasitismo humano. As notificações de parasitismo humano devem ser implementadas no município para uma posterior pesquisa em campo e mapeamento de novos locais possivelmente infestados, e a sinalização com placas informativas das áreas infestadas deve ser mantida e constantemente atualizada. A realização de atividades educativas deve estar voltada para perfil epidemiológico dos indivíduos considerados vulneráveis, e aos profissionais de saúde informando sobre ambientes predispostos para ocorrência da FMB.

Brazilian Spotted Fever (BSF) is an infectious, febrile, acute and exanthematic zoonosis, of compulsory notification in Brazil, which has Rickettsia rickettsii bacterium as its pathogenic agent, which are transmitted by some ticks species of the genus Amblyomma. In Brazil the highest incidence of cases occurs in the State of São Paulo where there are cases in places of great urbanization, and it has a high lethality rate that can vary from 30 % to 60 % depending on the region of the State. The city of Jacareí is located in the Vale do Paraiba region, São Paulo, Brazil. In this region some municipalities have identified human cases of the disease within their territories. In the period between 2014 and 2020 there were four human cases of the disease that had its Probably Local of Infection in the municipality of Jacareí, with a lethality rate of 100%. We aim to describe the occurrence of BSF in the Jacareí municipality in that timeframe. For this goal, five areas were selected for this epidemiological study, with a descriptive, retrospective purpose, and with an ecological approach. The study was based on a review of epidemiological investigation reports from the Jacareí Health Surveillance Directorate database. The described human cases predominantly affect males in the age range of 50 to 69 years, associated with recreational and occupational activities carried out in urban or peri-urban areas near riparian forests. The common landscape characteristics found in the studied areas were determined as follows: native vegetation cover and water mirrors with high fragmentation, human occupation and mobility present in 30.4% of the considered area on average, presence of primary hosts, presence of seropositive sentinel animals, and reports of human parasitism. Notifications of human parasitism should be implemented in the municipality for subsequent field research and mapping of potentially infested areas. Signage with informative plaques in infested areas should be maintained and regularly updated. Educational activities should focus on the epidemiological profile of vulnerable individuals and inform healthcare professionals about environments predisposed to Brazilian Spotted Fever occurence.

Limited Transmission of Klebsiella pneumoniae among Humans, Animals, and the Environment in a Caribbean Island, Guadeloupe (French West Indies).

Guadeloupe (French West Indies), a Caribbean island, is an ideal place to study the reservoirs of the Klebsiella pneumoniae species complex (KpSC) and identify the routes of transmission between human and nonhuman sources due to its insularity, small population size, and small area. Here, we report an analysis of 590 biological samples, 546 KpSC isolates, and 331 genome sequences collected between January 2018 and May 2019. The KpSC appears to be common whatever the source. Extended-spectrum-ß-lactamase (ESBL)-producing isolates (21.4%) belonged to K. pneumoniae sensu stricto (phylogroup Kp1), and all but one were recovered from the hospital setting. The distribution of species and phylogroups across the different niches was clearly nonrandom, with a distinct separation of Kp1 and Klebsiella variicola (Kp3). The most frequent sequence types (STs) (≥5 isolates) were previously recognized as high-risk multidrug-resistant (MDR) clones, namely, ST17, ST307, ST11, ST147, ST152, and ST45. Only 8 out of the 63 STs (12.7%) associated with human isolates were also found in nonhuman sources. A total of 22 KpSC isolates were defined as hypervirulent: 15 associated with human infections (9.8% of all human isolates), 4 (8.9%) associated with dogs, and 3 (15%) associated with pigs. Most of the human isolates (33.3%) belonged to the globally successful sublineage CG23-I. ST86 was the only clone shared by a human and a nonhuman (dog) source. Our work shows the limited transmission of KpSC isolates between human and nonhuman sources and points to the hospital setting as a cornerstone of the spread of MDR clones and antibiotic resistance genes. IMPORTANCE In this study, we characterized the presence and genomic features of isolates of the Klebsiella pneumoniae species complex (KpSC) from human and nonhuman sources in Guadeloupe (French West Indies) in order to identify the reservoirs and routes of transmission. This is the first study in an island environment, an ideal setting that limits the contribution of external imports. Our data showed the limited transmission of KpSC isolates between the different compartments. In contrast, we identified the hospital setting as the epicenter of antibiotic resistance due to the nosocomial spread of successful multidrug-resistant (MDR) K. pneumoniae clones and antibiotic resistance genes. Ecological barriers and/or limited exposure may restrict spread from the hospital setting to other reservoirs and vice versa. These results highlight the need for control strategies focused on health care centers, using genomic surveillance to limit the spread, particularly of high-risk clones, of this important group of MDR pathogens.

Molecular detection of zoonotic pathogens causing gastroenteritis in humans: Salmonella spp., Shigella spp. and Escherichia coli isolated from Rattus species inhabiting chicken farms in North West Province, South Africa.

Rodents are key carriers and reservoirs of various pathogens of public health importance to both human and animal diseases. This research was carried out in order to identify the selected pathogens, namely, Shigella spp., Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli from rats that inhabit the poultry houses. A total of 154 samples from captured rats were examined for the zoonotic bacterial pathogens, of which 3.3%, 29.9% and 20.7% were harbouring Shigella spp., Salmonella spp., and E. coli, respectively. A total of 14 Shigella isolates expressed presence of ipaH gene, of which eight and five were positive for S. sonnei and S. boydii, respectively. For Salmonella, 68 isolates were positive for invA and other genes including spy with 26 (38%), sdfI 2 (18%), spvC 14 (20%), hilA 28 (41%), misL 43 (63%), orfL 31 (46%) and spiC 38 (56%). For E. coli, the aggR gene was the most prevalent (62 [42%]), followed by the eae gene, which was only detected in 21 (14%) isolates, while stx gene was not detected in any of the samples. This study shows that zoonotic pathogens with virulence genes are circulating in rodents from selected chicken farms in the North West Province of South Africa. Rodents must therefore be regarded as important carriers of zoonotic pathogens that can potentially infect both humans and animals.

Levantamento sorológico de brucelose em bovinos monitorados no estado da Bahia / Serological survey of brucellosis in cattle monitored in the estate of Bahia

A brucelose é uma doença bacteriana de grande importância para a economia pecuária e para a saúde pública por se tratar de uma zoonose. É uma doença infecto-contagiosa que tem com agente etiológico bactérias do gênero Brucella. Em bovinos, as espécies do gênero é a Brucella abortus, que são cocobacilos gram negativo, intracelulares facultativos, imóveis e não esporulado. A infecção apresenta evolução crônica e acomete animais de todas as idades, sendo mais frequente em indivíduos sexualmente maduros. O objetivo desse trabalho é investigar, por meio da sorologia para brucelose bovina, utilizando a técnica do ELISA indireto, amostras de animais reagentes abatidos em frigoríficos inspecionados no estado da Bahia. Foram utilizados 666 animais, selecionados aleatoriamente no momento do abate. O sangue foi coletado com finalidade de obtenção de soro, todas as amostras foram submetidas à prova de triagem do Antígeno Acidificado Tamponado (AAT), prova do 2mercaptoetanol (2-ME) e ELISA Indireto. Das amostras reagentes no teste do AAT, obteve-se uma prevalência estimada em 1,2%. A prevalência no teste do ELISA foi de 13,21% (n=86). Esse resultado sugere a ocorrência de falsos negativos quando se utiliza a prova do antígeno acidificado tamponado.

Brucellosis is a bacterial disease of great importance to the livestock economy and to public health because it is a zoonosis. It is an infectious disease that has etiologic agent with bacteria of the genus Brucella. In cattle, the species of the genus Brucella is Brucella abortus that are gram negative, facultative intracellular, real estate and not sporulated. The infection presents chronic and affects animals of all ages, being more frequent in sexually mature individuals. This study aimed to investigate through serology for brucellosis, using the technique of indirect ELISA, samples from positive animals slaughtered in slaughterhouses inspected in the state of Bahia. A total of 666 animals were used, randomly selected at the time of slaughter. Blood was collected in order to obtain serum, all samples were subjected to a screening test Antigen Buffered Acidified (AAT), proof of 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) and Indirect ELISA. Of reagents in the test samples of AAT obtained an estimated prevalence of 1.2%. The prevalence in the ELISA test was 13.21% (n = 86). This result suggests the occurrence of false negatives when using the buffered acidified antigen test.