Enterohepatic Helicobacter (EHH) species have been increasingly associated with acute gastroenteritis, inflammatory bowel disease and hepatobiliary diseases in humans. However, their host range and transmission routes are poorly understood.Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the presence of EHH in healthy dogs using both cultivation-dependent and -independent methods. Three hundred and ninety faecal samples from domestic dogs without gastrointestinal symptoms were analysed between June 2018 and July 2019 in Valdivia (South of Chile). Samples were inoculated on selective medium and in parallel were filtrated over an antibioticfree blood agar. Both media were incubated in a microaerobic atmosphere at 37°C for 7 days. Colonies were identified by PCR and phylogenetic analysis. A subset of 50 samples (half of them positive for EHH by cultivation and the remaining half negative) was analysed by PCR-Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) for direct detection. Cultivation method detected EHH in 15.4% (60/390) of the samples, being the most prevalent species H. canis (5.8%, 23/390) and H. canicola (5.1%, 20/390), followed by H. bilis (3.6%, 14/390) and 'H. winghamensis' (1.3%, 5/390).In contrast, PCR-DGGE method detected Helicobacter DNA in almost all (96%, 48/50) tested samples. On the other hand, the method used also allowed to isolate other Campylobacterales, in fact 44.3% (173/390) of the samples were positive for Campylobacter upsaliensis (43.3%, 169/390) followed by C. jejuni (2.0%, 8/390). Moreover, two strains that presented Campylobacter-like morphology were finally identified as Anaerobiospirillum succiniciproducens. Our results indicate that healthy domestic dogs commonly carry EHH and other Campylobacter species. However, further studies are needed to determine whether and how these Helicobacter and Campylobacter species can be transmitted to humans.
This research aims to investigate the presence and pathogenic potential of Arcobacter in poultry meat samples purchased in the retail market of Valdivia (South of Chile) as well as in faecal samples from backyard chickens from rural areas around this city. The isolates obtained were identified by molecular methods. Furthermore, putative virulence genes were assessed by PCR and the antimicrobial resistance was tested by phenotypic methods. Arcobacter was present in 41·6% of the samples, with the highest value in retail poultry meat (55·7%) followed by backyard production (28·0%). Arcobacter butzleri was the most prevalent species (75·6%) followed by Arcobacter skirrowii (14·8%) and Arcobacter cryaerophilus (9·6%). An 8·5% of A. butzleri strains from meat were resistant to both ciprofloxacin and tetracycline and 6·1% were resistant to erythromycin, while none was resistant to gentamycin, unlike strains from domestic chickens, which showed no resistance. Furthermore, A. butzleri strains from chicken meat presented a higher prevalence of virulence genes than strains from domestic chickens. In fact, in this last group, some genes (hecA, hecB and irgA) were completely absent. Therefore, this study provides insight on the epidemiology of Arcobacter in Chilean poultry and suggests that under traditional breeding conditions strains are, apparently, less pathogenic and drug resistant.
The mammalian gut microbiota comprises a variety of commensals including potential probiotics and pathobionts, influencing the host itself. Members of the microbiota can intervene with host physiology by several mechanisms, including the secretion of a relatively well-reported set of metabolic products. Another microbiota influence mechanism is the use of secreted proteins (i.e., the secretome), impacting both the host and other community members. While widely reported and studied in pathogens, this mechanism remains understood to a lesser extent in commensals, and this knowledge is increasing in recent years. In the following minireview, we assess the current literature covering different studies, concerning the functions of secretable proteins from members of the gut microbiota (including commensals, pathobionts, and probiotics). Their effect on host physiology and health, and how these effects can be harnessed by postbiotic products, are also discussed.
Bovine by‐products, such as liver, could be an underestimated source of Campylobacter jejuni. Therefore, our aims were to evaluate the occurrence of C. jejuni and other Campylobacteraceae in retail beef liver and characterize their antibiotic resistance (ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, erythromycin and gentamicin) and potential genetic relationship by flagellin gene restriction fragment length polymorphism (flaA‐RFLP) and multilocus sequence typing with clinical strains. Seventy‐six out of 206 samples (36·9%) were positive for Campylobacter and related organisms. Arcobacter butzleri was the most frequently isolated species (21·8%), followed by C. jejuni (9·7%), C. fetus (7·8%) and C. coli (1%). The C. jejuni strains showed resistance to tetracycline (17·2%) or ciprofloxacin (6·9%), with only one strain resistant to both antibiotics. Meanwhile, 8·3% of ciprofloxacin resistance was observed in C. fetus. The other species showed no resistance. Most of the clonal complexes (CC) in which the C. jejuni genotypes were grouped (CC‐21, 42, 48 and 52), coincided with genotypes of clinical strains previously reported in Chile. As such, this study provides evidence that beef liver could be an underestimated route for resistant C. jejuni to humans. Further studies should assess whether this food could play a role in the transmission of other emerging Campylobacteraceae such as those reported here.
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