Impact of virginiamycin on the ruminal microbiota of feedlot cattle.

Growth-promoting antibiotics have been used in cattle, but concern about antimicrobial overuse has prompted a re-evaluation of this practice. To evaluate changes in the ruminal microbiota of feedlot cattle by virginiamycin, a total of 76 crossbreed beef cattle from 2 batches of cattle at different sampling periods (B1 and B2) were divided into 2 groups: one receiving virginiamycin in their diet (ATB) and the other receiving the same diet without any growth promoter (CON). The use of virginiamycin was associated with significant changes in the diversity and composition of the ruminal microbiota of cattle in B1, but not in cattle in B2. Several bacterial taxa were significantly more abundant in samples from CON, e.g., an unclassified genus of the TM7 phylum, whereas others were associated with the use of virginiamycin, e.g., Holdemania and Selenomonas spp. In conclusion, virginiamycin can affect bacterial diversity and composition in the rumen of feedlot cattle, but its effect is inconsistent in different seasons of the year.

Des antibiotiques promoteurs de croissance ont été utilisés chez les bovins, mais les préoccupations concernant la surutilisation des antimicrobiens ont incité à réévaluer cette pratique. Pour évaluer les changements dans le microbiote ruminal des bovins en parc d'engraissement causés par la virginiamycine, 76 bovins de boucherie croisés issus de deux lots de bovins de boucherie (B1 et B2) ont été divisés en deux groupes : l'un recevant de la virginiamycine (ATB) et l'autre recevant le même régime sans aucun promoteur de croissance (CON). L'utilisation de la virginiamycine a été associée à des changements significatifs dans la diversité et la composition du microbiote ruminal des animaux B1, mais pas chez B2. Plusieurs taxons bactériens étaient significativement plus abondants dans les échantillons de CON (par exemple, un genre non classé du phylum TM7), tandis que d'autres étaient associés à l'utilisation de la virginiamycine (par exemple Holdemania et Selenomonas spp.). En conclusion, la virginiamycine peut affecter la diversité et la composition bactériennes du rumen des bovins en parc d'engraissement, mais son effet est incohérent selon les différentes saisons de l'année.(Traduit par les auteurs).

Passive sampling of microbes in various water sources: A systematic review.

Traditional methods for monitoring pathogens in environmental waters have numerous drawbacks. Sampling approaches that are low-cost and time efficient that can capture temporal variation in microbial contamination are needed. Passive sampling of aquatic environments has shown promise as an alternative water monitoring technique for waterborne pathogens and microbial contaminants. The present systematic review aimed to compile and synthesize existing literature on the use of passive samplers for the monitoring of microbes in different water sources and identify research gaps. The review summarizes current knowledge on materials used for detection, deployment durations, analytical methods, quantification as well as benefits and limitations of passive sampling. This review found that electronegative nitrocellulose membrane filters are effective for both detection and quantification of viruses in wastewater, while gauze passive samplers have been effective for detecting bacterial targets in wastewater. There is a large knowledge gap in the use of passive samplers in a quantitative manner, especially for the back-calculation of water-column microbial concentrations or for correlation to outcomes of interest (e.g. prevalence rates). Further, there is very limited attention paid to the use of membrane filters for the monitoring of bacteria in any water source as well as a lack of studies utilizing passive sampling approaches for protozoa.

Redefining cross-resistance, co-resistance and co-selection: beyond confusion?

The similarity of current definitions of 'cross-resistance' and 'co-resistance' continues to cause confusion both in the scientific community as well as in understanding policies and in particular when looking at resistance from a risk assessment perspective. Further, lack of harmonized definitions of these terms in the regulatory space is challenging for interpretation. The purpose of this article is to: (i) provide an overview of the ambiguity in existing terminology related to cross-resistance, co-resistance and co-selection; (ii) emphasize the challenges created by the use of poor terminology in research and scientific literature; and (iii) propose a clear set of harmonized definitions that could be put into use through international regulatory agencies and institutions, such as the World Health Organization, Food and Drug Administration, European Medicines Agency, Center for Disease Control, Committee for Veterinary Medicinal Products, World Organization for Animal Health/Office International des Epizooties and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Feline respiratory disease complex: insights into the role of viral and bacterial co-infections.

Feline respiratory disease complex (FRDC) is a highly prevalent syndrome in cats that often result in fatal outcomes. FRDC etiology is complex, and often, multiple viral and bacterial pathogens are simultaneously associated with disease causation. There is limited information about the role of co-infections in pathogenesis and the current prevalence of pathogens in North America. We aimed to conduct a study using technical advances in molecular diagnosis and statistical modeling analysis to elucidate the occurrence of pathogens and how co-infections affect disease severity. We attained information from three diagnostic laboratories in North America regarding the occurrence of Bordetella bronchiseptica, Chlamydia felis, Mycoplasma, Felid alphaherpesvirus 1 (FeHV-1), feline calicivirus (FCV), and influenza A, along with age, seasonality, sex, and clinical signs. We also evaluated the role of co-infections in disease severity. These pathogens were also investigated in clinically normal cats (control). The most detected pathogens were Mycoplasma, FCV, and FeHV-1. Most pathogens were detected in the control group, highlighting the challenge of interpreting positive testing results. Co-infections of Mycoplasma and FCV, as well as Mycoplasma and FeHV-1, were important predictors of disease severity. Age, sex, and season had a minor impact on pathogen occurrence. This study provides new insights into FRDC and underlines the relevance of diagnostic panels to screen for a range of pathogens, providing knowledge for timely diagnosis and therapeutic interventions.

Prevalence and distribution of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales in companion animals: A nationwide study in the United States using commercial laboratory data.

BACKGROUND: Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) are a concern in both human and animal medicine globally. Despite extensive research in humans, limited data exist on CRE in companion animals, with a lack of nationwide prevalence estimates. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: To assess the occurrence and trends of CRE in cats and dogs across the United States by analyzing 4 years of commercial antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) data. ANIMALS: Between 2019 and 2022, 477 426 ASTs were conducted on Enterobacterales isolates against imipenem. Isolates were derived from 379 598 dogs and 97 828 cats. Animal origin was not disclosed. METHODS: In this retrospective study, antimicrobial susceptibility test data from IDEXX Laboratories were analyzed. Analysis included resistance estimations to imipenem stratified by sampling site, an assessment of resistance patterns over time and location, and the application of space-time cluster analysis to identify potential outbreaks. Antibiograms were produced for carbapenem-resistant isolates. RESULTS: Susceptibility to imipenem was high, at 98.86%. Temporal analysis indicated stability in susceptibility, with an unexplained reduction in susceptible isolates in June 2019. Spatial analysis identified 2 high-risk clusters along the Western Coast (relative risk [RR]: 23.26; P < .001) and in Texas (RR: 10.72; P < .001) in that month. Three other clusters were found, in Missouri (RR: 39.55; P = .038), Florida (RR: 4.53; P < .001), and New York (RR: 9.20; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: CRE are present at a low prevalence in dogs and cats across the United States. Variations in prevalence across patient-level and environmental factors highlight the need for tailored stewardship programs.

Social and environmental risk factors for canine leptospirosis: A scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Canine leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease of global importance. The identification of social and environmental risk factors remains limited and is needed for planning interventions. Our objectives were to summarise the global trends in social and environmental risk factors for canine leptospirosis and to identify knowledge gaps. METHODS: We searched peer-reviewed and grey literature for observational studies on canine leptospirosis written in English. Variables assessed via formal statistical tests were recorded and categorised into thematic risk factor groups. The risk factors were summarised by the number of unique studies and their direction of association. RESULTS: Of the 3184 articles identified, 66 met the inclusion criteria. Eight environmental and three social risk factor groups were identified. Exposure to animals and water was commonly studied, but social risk factors were infrequently examined. Most studies were conducted on populations in higher-income countries and countries in the Americas. LIMITATIONS: Several limitations were encountered, including inconsistent study designs and measurement and control of variables as well as disproportionate representation of studies from the Americas and higher-income countries. CONCLUSION: The weight and quality of evidence for social and environmental risk factors were highly variable. Additional research following standard reporting guidelines to improve transparency and increase generalisability to different contexts is needed.

Antimicrobial use practices in canine and feline patients with co-morbidities undergoing dental procedures in primary care practices in the US.

This study aimed to investigate how the presence of co-morbid conditions influenced antimicrobial usage as presumptive prophylaxis for suspected bacteremia in dogs and cats undergoing dental treatments at primary care veterinary clinics in the United States. In 2020, data was collected from 1076 veterinary clinics across 44 US states. A total of 681,541 general anesthesia dental procedures were conducted on 592,472 dogs and 89,069 cats. This revealed that systemic antimicrobials were administered in 8.8% of dog procedures and 7.8% of cat procedures in the absence of concurrent periodontal disease or extractions. Cefpodoxime, clindamycin, and amoxicillin-clavulanate were the most frequently used antimicrobials in dogs, while cefovecin, amoxicillin-clavulanate, and clindamycin topped the list for cats. Dogs with cardiovascular, hepato-renal, and endocrine co-morbidities, as well as those undergoing concurrent removal of cutaneous or subcutaneous neoplasia, displayed higher antimicrobial use. Similarly, cats with endocrine or hepato-renal disease, retroviral infection (i.e., feline leukemia virus (FeLV), feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)), and concurrent removal of cutaneous or subcutaneous neoplasia exhibited increased antimicrobial use. Dogs with hepato-renal abnormalities had longer treatment durations compared to those without (10.1 vs. 9.6 days). Conversely, cats with concurrent removal of cutaneous or subcutaneous neoplasia had shorter durations of treatment as compared to those that did not have this procedure performed (8.4 vs 9.2 days). The findings of this study underscore the necessity for further research and collaboration within the veterinary community to develop evidence-based guidelines, promoting responsible antimicrobial use, and advancing the field of veterinary dentistry for enhanced patient outcomes.

Ecological determinants of leishmaniasis vector, Lutzomyia spp.: A scoping review.

Leishmania spp. are zoonotic parasites transmitted by phlebotomine sand flies, including those of the Lutzomyia genus, which can cause leishmaniases in both humans and dogs. Lutzomyia spp. are established in many countries in South and Central America and some areas of the southern United States, with suspected potential of these vectors to undergo further range expansion due to climate change. A scoping review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extensions for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines to describe the current state of knowledge on the key ecological factors associated with Lutzomyia spp. survival, reproduction and establishment. The following electronic databases were searched for eligible studies published from 1 January 1990, to the date of search, 26 April 2023: CAB Direct (CABI), MEDLINE (via Ovid), Biological Sciences Database and Environmental Sciences Database. Primary research articles that were available in English and focused on ecological factors associated with Lutzomyia spp., such as climatic and habitat factors, geographic range, seasonality and temporality, and host abundance, were eligible for inclusion in the study. Following de-duplication, a total of 167 studies were included in Level 1 screening, 64 studies were included in Level 2 screening and 31 studies met the criteria for data extraction. Study locations included Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, the United States, Mexico and Canada, with some studies including multiple regions. A total of 31 different Lutzomyia spp. were assessed across these studies, with most (51.6%) of the studies focused on Lutzomyia longipalpis. Eligible studies investigated factors such as seasonality (n = 5), temperature (n = 19), precipitation (n = 13), humidity (n = 2), vegetation presence or requirements (n = 13), ecotypes (n = 7), and/or community type (i.e., urban, suburban, rural) (n = 5). Lutzomyia spp. activity was found to be higher during the rainy season, and peak when temperatures were between 20 and 25°C. Lutzomyia spp. were also found to preferentially reside in tropical or subtropical forests, which are characterised by their lack of a distinct dry season and high precipitation. This scoping review summarised the current state of the literature on the ecological factors associated with the survival, activity and reproduction of Lutzomyia spp. While there appears to be some consensus in the literature regarding some ecological requirements (such as seasonality, temperature and habitat features), overall, there is a lack of published research in this topic. This poses a significant challenge for future studies, which aim to predict the future distribution of Lutzomyia spp. in the context of climate and land use changes. Additional ecological research is urgently needed on Lutzomyia spp. given their relevance to both human and animal health.

Insights into canine rabies vaccination Disparities in Sierra Leone: A cross-sectional household study.

Annually, Sierra Leone records an estimated 301 human fatalities due to rabies. Canine vaccination is crucial for rabies prevention and control efforts. However, considerable variability exists in vaccination rates. Reasons for this variation remain unclear. We conducted a cross-sectional study across 2,558 dog-owning households (HHs) to provide insights into factors influencing canine vaccination for targeted prevention and control towards elimination by 2030. First, we described dog ownership practices, then built a probabilistic model to understand factors associated with dog vaccination, and finally used a spatial scan statistic to identify spatial clusters where vaccination rates were low. Our results indicated that only 14% (358/2,558) of participating HHs had fully vaccinated their dogs against rabies. The probability of dog vaccination increased when comparing civil servants to private workers/artisans, with an Odds Ratio(OR) of 1.14 (95% credible interval (Crl) of 0.82-1.56), residing in locations with a veterinary establishment vs. none (OR = 6.43, 95% Crl (4.97-8.35), providing care to dogs vs. allowing dogs to roam freely (OR = 2.38, 95% Crl(1.80-3.17) and owning a single dog vs multiple dogs (OR = 1.20, 95 Crl (0.92-1.56). Conversely, there was a decrease in the estimated probability of vaccination when comparing dog owners located in rural vs. urban areas (OR = 0.58, CrI 95% (0.43-0.78). Latent understanding, a measure of overall understanding of rabies virus, which we estimated using participant education levels and responses to questions about rabies epidemiology, was also an important predictor of vaccination probability (OR = 1.44, 95% Crl (1.04-2.07). The spatial analysis identified high-risk clusters for low vaccination in the cities of Moyamba, with a radius of 40 km, a relative risk (RR) of 1.10, and Bo, with a radius of 19.9 km with RR of 1.11. These data do not support Sierra Leone reaching the 2030 goal of human rabies elimination caused by dogs. Our study highlights a critical need for public outreach and education, improved vaccination rates, increased accessibility to veterinary services, and targeted interventions in Bo and Moyamba to support rabies prevention and control efforts.

European Network for Optimization of Veterinary Antimicrobial Therapy (ENOVAT) guidelines for antimicrobial use in canine acute diarrhoea.

Acute diarrhoea is a common presentation in dogs, and a common reason for antimicrobial prescription and nutraceutical use. This evidence-based guideline provides recommendations for antimicrobial and probiotic treatment of canine acute diarrhoea (CAD). A multidisciplinary panel developed the recommendations by adhering to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) framework. The opinions of stakeholders (general veterinary practitioners and dog owners) were collected and incorporated to ensure the applicability of this guideline. Four strong recommendations informed by high certainty evidence, and three conditional recommendations informed by very low or low certainty evidence, were drafted by the panel, along with an ungraded section on diagnostic work-up of dogs with acute diarrhoea. The ENOVAT guidelines initiative encourages national or regional guideline makers to use the evidence presented in this document, and the supporting systematic review, to draft national or local guidance documents.

Factors influencing canine rabies vaccination among dog-owning households in Nigeria.

Rabies perpetuates in Nigeria despite initiatives like the Regional Disease Surveillance System Enhancement Project, with evidence indicating suboptimal canine vaccination rates as a contributing factor. To inform effective planning of mass dog vaccination campaigns, it is crucial to understand the factors associated with variation in canine vaccination rates. We conducted a cross-sectional study in 2022 to understand factors associated with canine vaccination. We used stratified random sampling of the streets and dog-owning households to survey 4162 households from three states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). We then built a joint probabilistic model to understand factors associated with dog vaccination and non-vaccination. First, we modelled rabies knowledge as a latent variable indirectly measured with several targeted survey questions. This method allowed a respondent's unobserved understanding of rabies to be estimated using their responses to a collection of survey questions that targeted different aspects of rabies epidemiology and took various possible response distributions (i.e., ordinal, categorical, binary). Second, we modelled factors influencing pet owners' decisions to vaccinate their dogs against rabies and barriers to dog vaccination among dog owners whose dogs were not vaccinated against rabies. Posterior distributions revealed that the probability of dog vaccination was positively associated with the owner's latent knowledge of rabies, civil servant service employment, residence in the FCT, ownership of a single dog, providing care to dogs, and a preference for contemporary treatment following a dog bite. Conversely, non-vaccination was positively associated with private employment, residing in Anambra and Enugu states, owning multiple dogs, allowing dogs to search for leftovers, and a preference for traditional treatment after a dog bite. Cost was the primary barrier against vaccination for dog owners in Anambra and Enugu, while mistrust posed a major challenge for those in the FCT. Owners in areas with veterinary establishments cited cost as a barrier, while those without a veterinary establishment cited access as the primary barrier. Our study underscores the need to enhance rabies knowledge, tailor vaccination campaigns to specific demographics, address financial and access barriers, and combat hesitancy to improve rabies vaccination rates in Nigeria.

Attitudes towards surgical safety checklists among American College of Veterinary Surgeons diplomates.

OBJECTIVE: To examine attitudes towards surgical safety checklists (SSCs) among American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) diplomates and to identify barriers to implementation. STUDY DESIGN: Qualitative online research survey. SAMPLE POPULATION: A total of 1282 current ACVS diplomates. METHODS: An anonymous online survey was distributed to current ACVS diplomates via email. ACVS diplomates were identified using publicly available data through the ACVS website. A total of 1282 surveys were electronically distributed, and respondents were given 4 weeks to respond. The survey consisted of 34 questions examining (1) demographic information, (2) current use of SSCs, (3) knowledge and attitudes towards SSCs, (4) perceived advantages and disadvantages to use of SSCs, (5) implementation strategies, and (6) potential reasons for noncompletion of SSCs. RESULTS: Survey response rate was 20% (257/1282). A total of 169 of 249 (67.9%) respondents indicated using SSCs. Respondents generally agreed that SSCs were proven to reduce surgical complications (196/249 [78.7%]) and did not perceive any disadvantages to use (100/138 [75.2%]). Respondents not using SSCs were more likely to perceive them as a waste of time (p < .001). The most common reasons for noncompletion of SSCs were forgetfulness (21/52 [39.6%]) and time constraints (19/52 [36.5%]). Improved training (72/138 [52.2%]) and modifying the SSC based on staff feedback (69/138 [50%]) were suggested as methods to improve SSC uptake. CONCLUSION: Respondents currently using SSCs were generally satisfied. Time constraints and memory related issues were common causes for noncompletion of SSCs. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Efforts to expand the implementation of SSCs in veterinary surgery should focus on improved engagement of relevant stakeholders and modification of the SSC to suit local conditions.

Disease and Mortality in Free-Ranging Leporids in Canada, 1990-2019: A Retrospective Study.

Passive surveillance of wildlife disease is a valuable tool for the identification of emerging and changing disease patterns. Free-ranging leporids play an important role in their ecosystem and in the culture and diet of Canadians; however, little is known about their health status and the zoonotic pathogens they may carry. We summarized major causes of mortality and morbidity, as well as incidental infections and lesions, of free-ranging leporids submitted to the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative (CWHC) between 1990 and 2019. We identified Canadian leporids as competent hosts for several zoonotic pathogens, most notably Francisella tularensis (20/569; 3.5%). Trauma was the most frequent cause of mortality or morbidity among leporids, accounting for 46.0% of cases submitted to the CWHC, followed by bacterial infections (13.7%) and emaciation (5.1%). Human-mediated mortalities, such as those involving machines (23.7%), were the most common trauma case type, with apparently healthy individuals overrepresented within this mortality group. Harvesters proved to be a valuable resource for the monitoring of diseased and infected animals, as more than half (69.6%) of the animals submitted by this group had an incidental infection or lesion. The results from this study provide a scientific understanding the cause of mortality in free-ranging leporids in Canada with relevance to public health, wildlife biologists, veterinarians, and potential future surveillance programs.

Evaluation of antimicrobial purchasing by companion animal veterinary facilities in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America (2019-2021).

BACKGROUND: Measuring antimicrobial use is a core component of antimicrobial stewardship. Purchasing data may be easier to obtain than prescription data in some situations, but differences in clinic size, caseload and collection timeframes must be considered. OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to evaluate purchases of systemic antibacterial agents by small animal veterinary facilities in 5 networks across 3 countries, using a mg/veterinarian full time equivalent (FTE)/week as the metric. METHODS: Data were obtained from purchasing records of 2194 veterinary facilities from networks from the United States (US, n = 3: US-A, 1036 facilities; US-B, 101 facilities; US-C, 886 facilities), Canada (n = 1: 117 facilities) and the United Kingdom (UK, n = 1: 54 facilities) during 2019-2021. RESULTS: In total, 20 020 269 767 mg (20.02 t) of antimicrobials were purchased. Overall differences between the UK and North America were driven by significantly higher purchases of amoxicillin-clavulanic acid in the UK (P < .001), with substantially less purchasing of third generation cephalosporins in the UK (P < .0001). A significant association was found between FTE and purchasing, with decreased purchasing (mg/FTE/week) as facility FTE increased. Significant differences also were found among US regions. Facilities in the top 10% of total purchasing accounted for 23%-30% of purchases, compared to only 1.6%-3.8% for the bottom 10%. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: These data provide useful information about general purchasing trends, inter- and intraregional differences and differences among facility types and identify high purchasing outliers for further investigation.

Antimicrobial prophylaxis in companion animal surgery: A scoping review for European Network for Optimization of Antimicrobial Therapy (ENOVAT) guidelines.

Surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis (SAP) is widely used to reduce the risk of surgical site infections (SSI), but there is uncertainty as to what the proportion of SSI reduction is. Therefore, it is difficult for surgeons to properly weigh the costs, risks and benefits for individual patients when deciding on the use of SAP, making it challenging to promote antimicrobial stewardship in primary practice settings. The objective of this study was to map the veterinary evidence focused on assessing the effect of SAP on SSI development and in order to identify surgical procedures with some research evidence and possible knowledge gaps. In October 2021 and December 2022, Scopus, CAB Abstracts, Web of Science Core Collection, Embase and MEDLINE were systematically searched. Double blinded screening of records was performed to identify studies in companion animals that reported on the use of SAP and SSI rates. Comparative data were available from 34 out of 39123 records screened including: eight randomised controlled trials (RCT), 23 cohort studies (seven prospective and 16 retrospective) and three retrospective case series representing 12476 dogs and cats in total. Extracted data described peri- or post-operative SAP in nine, and 25 studies, respectively. In the eight RCTs evaluating SAP in companion animals, surgical procedure coverage was skewed towards orthopaedic stifle surgeries in referral settings and there was large variation in SAP protocols, SSI definitions and follow-up periods. More standardized data collection and agreement of SSI definitions is needed to build stronger evidence for optimized patient care.

Environmental and sociodemographic factors associated with zoonotic pathogen occurrence in Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) from Windsor, Ontario.

AIMS: Rat-associated zoonotic pathogen transmission at the human-wildlife interface is a public health concern in urban environments where Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) thrive on abundant anthropogenic resources and live in close contact with humans and other animal species. To identify potential factors influencing zoonotic pathogen occurrence in rats, we investigated associations between environmental and sociodemographic factors and Leptospira interrogans and Bartonella spp. infections in rats from Windsor, Ontario, Canada, while controlling for the potential confounding effects of animal characteristics (i.e., sexual maturity and body condition). METHODS AND RESULTS: Between November 2018 and June 2021, 252 rats were submitted by collaborating pest control professionals. Kidney and spleen samples were collected for L. interrogans and Bartonella spp. PCR and sequencing, respectively. Of the rats tested by PCR, 12.7% (32/252) were positive for L. interrogans and 16.3% (37/227) were positive for Bartonella species. Associations between infection status and environmental and sociodemographic variables of interest were assessed via mixed multivariable logistic regression models with a random intercept for social group and fixed effects to control for sexual maturity and body condition in each model. The odds of L. interrogans infection were significantly higher in rats from areas with high building density (odds ratio [OR]: 3.76; 95% CI: 1.31-10.79; p = 0.014), high human population density (OR: 3.31; 95% CI: 1.20-9.11; p = 0.021), high proportion of buildings built in 1960 or before (OR: 11.21; 95% CI: 2.06-60.89; p = 0.005), and a moderate number of reports of uncollected garbage compared to a low number of reports (OR: 4.88; 95% CI: 1.01-23.63; p = 0.049). A negative association was observed between median household income and Bartonella spp. infection in rats (OR: 0.26; 95% CI: 0.08-0.89; p = 0.031). CONCLUSIONS: Due to the complexity of the ecology of rat-associated zoonoses, consideration of environmental and sociodemographic factors is of critical importance to better understand the nuances of host-pathogen systems and inform how urban rat surveillance and intervention efforts should be distributed within cities.

Efficacy of antimicrobial and nutraceutical treatment for canine acute diarrhoea: A systematic review and meta-analysis for European Network for Optimization of Antimicrobial Therapy (ENOVAT) guidelines.

Systemic antimicrobial treatments are commonly prescribed to dogs with acute diarrhoea, while nutraceuticals (prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics) are frequently administered as an alternative treatment. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the effectiveness of antimicrobials and nutraceutical preparations for treatment of canine acute diarrhoea (CAD). The results of this study will be used to create evidence-based treatment guidelines. PICOs (population, intervention, comparator, and outcome) were generated by a multidisciplinary expert panel taking into account opinions from stakeholders (general practitioners and dog owners). The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology was used to evaluate the certainty of the evidence. The systematic search yielded six randomised controlled trials (RCT) for antimicrobial treatment and six RCTs for nutraceutical treatment meeting the eligibility criteria. Categories of disease severity (mild, moderate, and severe) were created based on the presence of systemic signs and response to fluid therapy. Outcomes included duration of diarrhoea, duration of hospitalization, progression of disease, mortality, and adverse effects. High certainty evidence showed that antimicrobial treatment did not have a clinically relevant effect on any outcome in dogs with mild or moderate disease. Certainty of evidence was low for dogs with severe disease. Nutraceutical products did not show a clinically significant effect in shortening the duration of diarrhoea (based on very low to moderate certainty evidence). No adverse effects were reported in any of the studies.

Antimicrobial use practices in canine and feline dental procedures performed in primary care veterinary practices in the United States.

This study examined the utilization of antimicrobials in canines and felines receiving dental treatments in veterinary clinics in the United States, retrospectively. A total of 818,150 animals (713,901 procedures in dogs and 104,249 procedures in cats) underwent dental procedures under general anesthesia in 2020. These included dental prophylaxis and extractions. Patient demographic data, antimicrobial treatment, treatment duration, dose, periodontal disease score, whether tooth extractions were performed and how many extractions were performed was recorded. Our results showed that local or systemic antimicrobials were used in 116,723/713,901 (16.4%) procedures in dogs and 14,264/104,249 (14%) procedures in cats. Age, weight, extraction of one or more teeth and diagnosis of periodontal disease (any stage) were associated with increased likelihood of antimicrobial administration using univariable analysis (all P<0.001) and in the multivariable model. Clindamycin, amoxicillin-clavulanate and amoxicillin were the most common oral antimicrobials used in dogs and cats. Drugs classified as highest priority clinically important antibiotics (HPCIA) were administered to 30,960/116,723 (26.5%) of dogs and 7,469/14,264 (52%) of treated cats. The results obtained can inform interventions to optimize patient care and promote prudent use of antimicrobials during dental procedures in canine and feline patients.

Evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 identification methods through surveillance of companion animals in SARS-CoV-2-positive homes in North Carolina, March to December 2020.

We collected oral and/or rectal swabs and serum from dogs and cats living in homes with SARS-CoV-2-PCR-positive persons for SARS-CoV-2 PCR and serology testing. Pre-COVID-19 serum samples from dogs and cats were used as negative controls, and samples were tested in duplicate at different timepoints. Raw ELISA results scrutinized relative to known negative samples suggested that cut-offs for IgG seropositivity may require adjustment relative to previously proposed values, while proposed cut-offs for IgM require more extensive validation. A small number of pet dogs (2/43, 4.7%) and one cat (1/21, 4.8%) were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA, and 28.6 and 37.5% of cats and dogs were positive for anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG, respectively.