Prevalence and characterization of antimicrobial-resistant Escherichia coli in chicken meat from wet markets in Hong Kong.

Given the close contact between animals, animal products, and consumers in wet markets, fresh meat products are considered a potential source and disseminator of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacteria near the end of the food chain. This cross-sectional study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of select AMR-E. coli in fresh chicken meat collected from wet markets in Hong Kong and to determine target genes associated with the observed resistance phenotypes. Following a stratified random sampling design, 180 fresh half-chickens were purchased from 29 wet markets across Hong Kong in 2022 and immediately processed. After incubation, selective isolation was performed for extended-spectrum ß-lactamase producing (ESBL), carbapenem-resistant (CRE), and colistin-resistant (CSR) E. coli. The bacterial isolates were identified using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Disc Diffusion was used to determine the susceptibility of ESBL- and CRE-E. coli isolates. The broth microdilution method was used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration of CSR-E. coli. Targeted resistance genes were then detected by PCR. The prevalence of ESBL-E. coli and CSR-E. coli were estimated at 88.8% (95% CI: 83.4-93.1%) and 6.7% (95% CI: 3.5-11.4%), respectively. No CRE-E. coli isolate was detected. The blaCTX-M-1 gene was the most common ß-lactamase group in isolated E. coli (80%), followed by blaTEM (63.7%); no blaSHV gene was detected. Forty-five percent of the isolates had blaTEM and blaCTX-M-1 simultaneously. The mcr-1 gene was detected in all 12 CSR isolates. Of 180 meat samples, 59 were from Mainland China, and 121 were locally sourced. There was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of ESBL- and CSR-E. coli between the two sources. Our findings can be used to inform food safety risk assessments and set the stage for adopting targeted control and mitigation measures tailored to the local wet markets.

Knowledge and practice of antimicrobial usage and resistance among poultry farmers: A systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression.

A systematic review was conducted to summarize and synthesize the existing research on poultry farmers' knowledge, practices, and awareness regarding antimicrobial use (AMU) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). It was undertaken by systematically searching databases, screening and characterizing relevant studies, extracting data, and evaluating the risk of bias. The outcomes were stratified into several subgroups, and pooled prevalence of each subgroup was calculated using a random-effect meta-analysis. Meta-regression was used for selected outcomes to further investigate the potential sources of heterogeneity across studies. Poultry farmers had knowledge and practice gaps on antimicrobial use. While most (65%; 95% CI: 50%-80%) used antimicrobials on poultry for therapeutic purposes, a portion used them to prevent disease (45%; 95% CI: 34%-55%) or boost growth (29%; 95% CI: 13%-46%) and productivity (20%; 95% CI: 6%-34%). 60% (95% CI: 50%-69%) of farmers approached veterinarians for antimicrobial advice, although many consulted drug sellers and fellow farmers. Insufficient antimicrobial residue knowledge (45%; 95% CI: 29%-62%), as well as inadequate awareness and faulty practice on withdrawal periods, were identified. Only 43% (95% CI: 34%-53%) were knowledgeable about AMR. Around half of farmers understood AMR's impacts on poultry, human health, and the environment. Meta-regression demonstrated that the source of heterogeneity for therapeutic antimicrobial use was the type of poultry farmers sampled and their educational qualifications; geographical region was significantly associated with antimicrobial usage based on farmers' experience; and the country's economic state was correlated with farmers' understanding of antimicrobial residue. This study recommends implementing legislation for judicious antimicrobial use, and farmer awareness campaigns to reinforce knowledge about prudent AMU and AMR.

Colistin Resistance in Multidrug-Resistant Escherichia coli Isolated from Retail Broiler Meat in Bangladesh.

The emergence of colistin resistance in Escherichia coli is a global public health concern. Contaminated food can accelerate the spread of colistin-resistant E. coli to humans. This study aimed to detect and characterize colistin-resistant E. coli from broiler meat in Bangladesh. We analyzed 136 pooled broiler meat samples from 240 carcasses collected from 40 live bird markets in urban and rural areas and 8 metropolitan supermarkets. The mean count of E. coli in broiler meat samples collected from rural retail shops, metropolitan supermarkets, and urban retail shops was 5.3 ± 1.1, 4.1 ± 1.4, and 3.9 ± 0.8 log10 colony-forming unit per gram, respectively. Colistin-resistant E. coli (minimum inhibitory concentration >2 mg/L) was found in 78% (95% confidence interval 70.2-84.1%) of the samples. All colistin-resistant isolates harbored the mcr-1 gene, while the rest of the mcr genes (mcr-2 to mcr-9) were not detected. Most colistin-resistant E. coli isolates (98%) showed coresistance to tetracycline, sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim followed by ciprofloxacin (95%). Alarmingly, all of the colistin-resistant isolates were found to be multidrug resistant. Phylogenetic analysis showed close similarities of the mcr-1 gene sequences of this study with many strains of Enterobacterales isolated from humans, animals, and the environment. This study detected colistin-resistant E. coli contamination in broiler meat, which can pose a serious public health threat.

First molecular confirmation of multiple zoonotic vector-borne diseases in pet dogs and cats of Hong Kong SAR.

In recent years, the incidence of vector-borne diseases (VBDs) has increased throughout the globe. In particular, tick-borne diseases (e.g., caused by Ehrlichia canis, E. ewingii, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, A. platys, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.) and Babesia gibsoni) and mosquito-borne diseases (e.g., caused by Dirofilaria immitis) diseases pose a burden on animal health. Nevertheless, there have been no studies undertaken on the occurrence of VBDs in pet dogs and cats in Hong Kong SAR. This study fills this gap, and is the first to determine the seroprevalence of major VBDs, such as those caused by D. immitis, E. canis, E. ewingii, A. phagocytophilum, A. platys and B. burgdorferi s.s, in dogs and cats through commercially available SNAP 4Dx plus testing. Infection by all these pathogens and Babesia sp. was further assessed through PCR and DNA sequencing. A total of 224 blood samples were collected from domestic dogs (n = 159) and cats (n = 65) in Hong Kong SAR during summer 2022. Hematocrit and platelet counts were determined in each blood sample and other hematological parameters were assessed using an automatic hematology analyzer and vortex the specimen for one to two minutes at or near the highest setting to minimize the clumping. All cat sera samples were negative for tested pathogens, but antibodies against some of the pathogens were detected in dog sera samples. Here, the highest figures were recorded for seroprevalence of E. canis/E. ewingii (10.7%), followed by D. immitis (5.7%), and A. phagocytophilum/A. platys (2.5%). No B. burgdorferi s.s. antibodies were detected in any of the dogs tested. Through molecular diagnostics, we detected the presence of B. gibsoni (3.7%), E. canis (3.1%), D. immitis (5.7%), and A. phagocytophilum (1.3%). Neighbor-Joining phylogenetic trees for vector-borne pathogens (i.e., genus Anaplasma sp.) showed 100% clustering to Japan, the USA and Germany, whereas genus Ehrlichia sp. showed 100% clustering to China, Turkey, Cuba, and Greece. Similarly, genus Babesia sp. clustered 100% to India, Sri Lanka and Austria, while D. immitis clustered in Iraq, South Korea, Portugal, France, the USA and Italy. This study provides the first evidence on the occurrence of tick-borne pathogens in pet dogs in Hong Kong SAR. Based on these findings, it is recommended that appropriate screening should be undertaken in domestic dogs to evaluate the prevalence of these pathogens and promote the timely control of VBDs.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: Integrated bioinformatics analysis for differential gene expression with identification of hub genes and lncRNA.

Background: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a typical Gastro-Intestinal (GI) tract neoplasm. This study was conducted to know the Differential Expressed Genes (DEGs) profile of ESCC along with hub gene screening, lncRNA identification, and drug-genes interactions. Methods: GSE161533, GSE20347, GSE45670 microarray datasets were retrieved from the NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. GEO2R was used for the DEGs identification, whereas GO (Gene Ontology) and KEGG enrichment analysis were performed in DAVID. PPI network constructed using STRING and visualized with Cytoscape app with the help of MCODE. The top ten connectivity genes were selected as hub genes-further survival analysis was performed in the Kaplan-Meier plotter. Moreover, Boxplot, pathological stage plots were constructed using GEPIA (Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis). The methylation heatmap assembled in the DiseaseMeth version 2.0. lncRNA (Long non-coding RNA) was identified comparing the list of genes in HUGO, and Gene-drug interactions were accumulated from the DgiDB platform. Results: This experiment showed 16 upregulated, and 59 downregulated DEGs shared among the three datasets. Biological process analysis showed significant terms such as extracellular matrix disassembly and collagen catabolism. The extracellular region was detected as the most crucial cellular compartment. Notably, metalloen dopeptidease and serine-type endopeptidase activity showed significant molecular functions term. In contrast, transcriptional misregulation was a highly substantial KEGG pathway. Kaplan-Meier plotter showed higher expression of CXCL8, SPP1, MMP13, CXCL1, and TOP2A have a significant impact on the overall survival of the patients. Nine out of ten hub genes have significantly different expression levels than normal and cancer tissues. HYMAI was the only lncRNA commonly expressed upregulated among the three datasets. Drug-gene interaction showed multiple genes have no drug options exist till now.

First serological evidence of Q fever in large ruminants and its associated risk factors in Punjab, Pakistan.

Coxiellosis, also known as Q fever, is a zoonotic disease caused by Coxiella burnetii, a gram-negative bacterium that exerts a significant deleterious impact on the productive and reproductive capabilities of livestock, severely effecting the economics of this sector. In this study, 448 sera samples from cattle (n = 224) and buffalo (n = 224) were collected from 112 farms in Pakistan and examined for antibodies against C. burnetii using an indirect ELISA. Ticks were also collected from these animals. Serological analysis revealed a 23.66% and 27.23% seroprevalence of Q fever in cattle and buffalo, respectively. Odds ratio (OR) analysis of the factors associated with C. burnetii seropositivity was performed, and a multivariable logistic model identified five main variables associated with the seropositivity for coxiellosis. These were: (i) the absence of acaricide use (OR 5.61; 95% CI 2.97-10.94); (ii) the presence of ticks (OR 3.23; 95% CI 1.87-5.69); (iii) the abortion history during the preceding year on the farm (OR 14.96; 95% CI 8.09-29.34); (iv) the presence of sheep and goats (OR 2.47; 95% CI 1.20-5.35); and (v) the absence of a separate parturition area (OR 3.17; 95% CI 1.76-5.86). This study provides new insights into the seroprevalence of Q fever in large ruminants across seven studied districts of Punjab, Pakistan, also providing baseline data to inform improved herd management and on-farm practices for the prevention and control of Q fever in large ruminants in the region. Results of this work suggest that further molecular investigation of coxiellosis is warranted to provide a more thorough evaluation of C. burnetii epidemiology in Pakistan.

Seroprevalence of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in Chattogram Metropolitan Area, Bangladesh.

Seroprevalence studies of COVID-19 are used to assess the degree of undetected transmission in the community and different groups such as health care workers (HCWs) are deemed vulnerable due to their workplace hazards. The present study estimated the seroprevalence and quantified the titer of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody (IgG) and its association with different factors. This cross-sectional study observed HCWs, in indoor and outdoor patients (non-COVID-19) and garment workers in the Chattogram metropolitan area (CMA, N = 748) from six hospitals and two garment factories. Qualitative and quantitative ELISA were used to identify and quantify antibodies (IgG) in the serum samples. Descriptive, univariable, and multivariable statistical analysis were performed. Overall seroprevalence and among HCWs, in indoor and outdoor patients, and garment workers were 66.99% (95% CI: 63.40-70.40%), 68.99% (95% CI: 63.8-73.7%), 81.37% (95% CI: 74.7-86.7%), and 50.56% (95% CI: 43.5-57.5%), respectively. Seroprevalence and mean titer was 44.47% (95% CI: 38.6-50.4%) and 53.71 DU/mL in the non-vaccinated population, respectively, while it was higher in the population who received a first dose (61.66%, 95% CI: 54.8-68.0%, 159.08 DU/mL) and both doses (100%, 95% CI: 98.4-100%, 255.46 DU/mL). This study emphasizes the role of vaccine in antibody production; the second dose of vaccine significantly increased the seroprevalence and titer and both were low in natural infection.

First report of canine parvovirus molecular detection in Bangladesh.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Canine parvovirus (CPV) is the most important cause of mortality in dogs in many parts of the world. Clinical cases exhibit characteristic signs, including foul-smelling bloody diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and dehydration. This study assessed field and vaccine variants of parvovirus in the Chattogram metropolitan area, Bangladesh. The investigation also aimed to identify risk factors for this disease. This research is the first to identify the presence of CPV in Bangladesh through molecular examination. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From October to December 2019, a total of 100 dogs were included in the study. Rectal swabs were taken from all dogs. Twenty dogs showed clinical signs of parvovirus. All clinically affected animals along with 20 randomly selected healthy dogs were tested using amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS)-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to identify variants from the samples. Logistic regression model analysis was performed to determine the possible risk factors for CPV. RESULTS: ARMS-PCR showed the presence of all three variants, CPV2a, CPV2b, and CPV2c, in clinically ill dogs, and vaccines available in the study area showed either CPV2a or CPV2b strain. The CPV2c variants showed a higher incidence than the other variants. All apparently healthy animals tested were molecularly negative. Multivariable logistic regression model (generalized linear mixed model) indicated that exotic breeds were 3.83 times more likely to be infected by CPV than local breeds. Furthermore, dogs reared in semi-intensive and extensive management systems were 3.64 and 3.79 times more likely to be infected, respectively, than those reared in an intensive management system. CONCLUSION: These findings provide practitioners and pet owners information on the occurrence of different variants and help design effective prevention strategies for CPV infection.

Frequency and prevalence of clinical conditions and therapeutic drugs used in dog and cat at Teaching Veterinary Hospital, Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University.

OBJECTIVE: This study was carried out to determine the frequency and prevalence of clinical conditions and their treatment, especially antibiotics in dogs and cats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A period of 12-month retrospective study was conducted at the Teaching Veterinary Hospital, Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chittagong, Bangladesh from July 2018 to June 2019. A total of 849 cases, including 488(57.5%) and 361 (42.5%) dogs and cats respectively, were in account to espy the clinical conditions. Season, age, sex, and breed were the parameters to analyze the prevalence of those clinical conditions. RESULTS: From the study, it was found that the endoparasitic infestation was highly frequent in both dog and cat (55% in dogs and 59% in cats). The endoparasitic infestation was highly prevalent in cats (91.53%) significantly (p = 0.003), which were ≤1 year of age. On the other hand, the ectoparasitic infestation was found prevalent significantly (p = 0.06) in the winter than any season and dewormed dogs (p = 0.03). Prevalence of canine parvovirus infection in dogs and wound in cats were substantially higher (p < 0.001 and p=0.05 respectively) in the winter whereas the prevalence of myiasis in dogs was prominent in the rainy season significantly (p = 0.01). The mostly used antibiotic was ceftriaxone (9.5% in dogs and 4% in cats). CONCLUSION: Different endoparasitic, ectoparasitic, and infectious diseases found prone to infect pet animals, mainly dogs, and cats. By maintaining proper anthelmintics and vaccine shots may act as a prevention procedure to those infections.