Escherichia coli in Chicken Carcasses in Southern Brazil: Absence of Shigatoxigenic (STEC) and Isolation of Atypical Enteropathogenic (aEPEC)

The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (aEPEC) in frozen chicken carcasses sold at stores in southern Brazil. Typical E. coli colonies were enumerated in 246 chicken carcasses, and the presence of stx1, stx2, eae genes was investigated in their rinse liquid and in E. coli strains isolated from those carcasses. Strains of E. coli were also investigated for the presence of bfp gene. A median of 0.6 cfu.g-1(ranging from 0.1 to 242.7 cfu.g-1) of typical E. coli colonies was found in the carcasses. Shiga toxin-encoding genes (stx1 and stx2) were not detected, indicating that the chicken carcasses were negative for STEC. The intimin protein gene (eae) was detected in E.coli isolated from 4.88% of the carcasses; all tested strains were negative for the bfp gene and were classified as aEPEC. Twenty-two aEPEC strains were tested for resistance to ten antimicrobials and subjected to macrorestriction (PFGE). All the tested aEPEC strains were fully susceptible to cephalosporins, ciprofloxacin and colistin. Resistance to sulfonamide (65%), ampicillin (55%), tetracycline (50%) and gentamicin (45%) were the most frequent. The PFGE profile demonstrated a low level of similarity among the resistant strains, indicating that they were epidemiologically unrelated. The results indicate that aEPEC strains can contaminate chicken meat, and their association with strains implicated in human diarrhea needs to be further investigated.(AU)

Escherichia coli in Chicken Carcasses in Southern Brazil: Absence of Shigatoxigenic (STEC) and Isolation of Atypical Enteropathogenic (aEPEC)

The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (aEPEC) in frozen chicken carcasses sold at stores in southern Brazil. Typical E. coli colonies were enumerated in 246 chicken carcasses, and the presence of stx1, stx2, eae genes was investigated in their rinse liquid and in E. coli strains isolated from those carcasses. Strains of E. coli were also investigated for the presence of bfp gene. A median of 0.6 cfu.g-1(ranging from 0.1 to 242.7 cfu.g-1) of typical E. coli colonies was found in the carcasses. Shiga toxin-encoding genes (stx1 and stx2) were not detected, indicating that the chicken carcasses were negative for STEC. The intimin protein gene (eae) was detected in E.coli isolated from 4.88% of the carcasses; all tested strains were negative for the bfp gene and were classified as aEPEC. Twenty-two aEPEC strains were tested for resistance to ten antimicrobials and subjected to macrorestriction (PFGE). All the tested aEPEC strains were fully susceptible to cephalosporins, ciprofloxacin and colistin. Resistance to sulfonamide (65%), ampicillin (55%), tetracycline (50%) and gentamicin (45%) were the most frequent. The PFGE profile demonstrated a low level of similarity among the resistant strains, indicating that they were epidemiologically unrelated. The results indicate that aEPEC strains can contaminate chicken meat, and their association with strains implicated in human diarrhea needs to be further investigated.

Consorciação de estilosantes Campo Grande e capim-marandu em sistema silvipastoril e sol pleno durante a fase de estabelecimento / Mixed pastures of Stylosanthes Campo Grande and Marandu palisadegrass in a silvopastoral system and under full sunlight during the establishment phase

The objective was to evaluate the production, structure and botanical composition of intercropped Marandu palisadegrass and Stylosanthes Campo Grande grown under full sunlight and in a silvopastoral system at different distances from the trees during the establishment phase. A completely randomized design with six replicates was used, in which growth was evaluated in a silvopastoral system at distances of 2.5 and 5.0 m from the trees and under full sunlight. The dry mass of Marandu palisadegrass was higher under full sunlight (4,074.1 kg/ha) compared to the silvopastoral system (2,283.4 kg/ha) and for the distance of 5.0 m (2,708.1 kg/ha) compared to 2.5 m (1,858.7 kg/ha). The dry mass of Stylosanthes was not influenced by the cultivation system or distance from the trees and was 134.0 kg/ha. The participation of Stylosanthes in the botanical composition was lower under full sunlight (3.59%) compared to the silvopastoral system and lower for 5.0 m (4.76%) compared to 2.5 m (7.32%). Full sunlight also stimulated tillering, percentage of stems and height of Marandu palisadegrass and reduced its leaf:stem ratio. The silvopastoral system and the proximity of trees reduce forage production by Marandu palisadegrass and increase the participation of Stylosan-thes in the botanical composition of the pasture.

O objetivo foi avaliar a produção, estrutura e composição botânica dos pastos consorciados de capim-marandu e estilosantes Campo Grande em sol pleno e sistema silvipastoril a diferentes distâncias das árvores durante o estabelecimento. O delineamento foi inteiramente ao acaso com seis repetições, onde avaliaram-se o cultivo em sistema silvipastoril a 2,5 e 5,0 m de distância das árvores e em sol pleno. A massa seca de capim-marandu foi superior no sol pleno (4074,1 kg/ha) em relação ao silvipastoril (2283,4 kg/ha) e foi superior a 5,0 m (2708,1 kg/ha) em relação a 2,5 m (1858,7 kg/ha) de distância das árvores. A massa seca de estilosantes não foi influenciada pelos sistemas de cultivo e pela distância das árvores e assumiu valor de 134,0 kg/ha. A participação do estilosantes na composição botânica foi menor no sol pleno (3,59%) em relação ao silvipastoril, e menor a 5,0 m (4,76%) em relação a 2,5 m (7,32%). O sol pleno também estimulou o perfilhamento, porcentagem de colmos e altura do capim-marandu e reduziu a sua relação folha:colmo. O cultivo em sistema silvipastoril e a proximidade das árvores reduz a produção de forragem pelo capim-marandu e aumenta a participação do estilosantes na composição botânica do pasto.

Consorciação de estilosantes Campo Grande e capim-marandu em sistema silvipastoril e sol pleno durante a fase de estabelecimento / Mixed pastures of Stylosanthes Campo Grande and Marandu palisadegrass in a silvopastoral system and under full sunlight during the establishment phase

The objective was to evaluate the production, structure and botanical composition of intercropped Marandu palisadegrass and Stylosanthes Campo Grande grown under full sunlight and in a silvopastoral system at different distances from the trees during the establishment phase. A completely randomized design with six replicates was used, in which growth was evaluated in a silvopastoral system at distances of 2.5 and 5.0 m from the trees and under full sunlight. The dry mass of Marandu palisadegrass was higher under full sunlight (4,074.1 kg/ha) compared to the silvopastoral system (2,283.4 kg/ha) and for the distance of 5.0 m (2,708.1 kg/ha) compared to 2.5 m (1,858.7 kg/ha). The dry mass of Stylosanthes was not influenced by the cultivation system or distance from the trees and was 134.0 kg/ha. The participation of Stylosanthes in the botanical composition was lower under full sunlight (3.59%) compared to the silvopastoral system and lower for 5.0 m (4.76%) compared to 2.5 m (7.32%). Full sunlight also stimulated tillering, percentage of stems and height of Marandu palisadegrass and reduced its leaf:stem ratio. The silvopastoral system and the proximity of trees reduce forage production by Marandu palisadegrass and increase the participation of Stylosan-thes in the botanical composition of the pasture.(AU)

O objetivo foi avaliar a produção, estrutura e composição botânica dos pastos consorciados de capim-marandu e estilosantes Campo Grande em sol pleno e sistema silvipastoril a diferentes distâncias das árvores durante o estabelecimento. O delineamento foi inteiramente ao acaso com seis repetições, onde avaliaram-se o cultivo em sistema silvipastoril a 2,5 e 5,0 m de distância das árvores e em sol pleno. A massa seca de capim-marandu foi superior no sol pleno (4074,1 kg/ha) em relação ao silvipastoril (2283,4 kg/ha) e foi superior a 5,0 m (2708,1 kg/ha) em relação a 2,5 m (1858,7 kg/ha) de distância das árvores. A massa seca de estilosantes não foi influenciada pelos sistemas de cultivo e pela distância das árvores e assumiu valor de 134,0 kg/ha. A participação do estilosantes na composição botânica foi menor no sol pleno (3,59%) em relação ao silvipastoril, e menor a 5,0 m (4,76%) em relação a 2,5 m (7,32%). O sol pleno também estimulou o perfilhamento, porcentagem de colmos e altura do capim-marandu e reduziu a sua relação folha:colmo. O cultivo em sistema silvipastoril e a proximidade das árvores reduz a produção de forragem pelo capim-marandu e aumenta a participação do estilosantes na composição botânica do pasto.(AU)