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cThe impact of proximity to a beef cattle feedlot on Escherichia coli O157:H7 contamination of leafy greens was examined. In each of 2 years, leafy greens were planted in nine plots located 60, 120, and 180 m from a cattle feedlot (3 plots at each distance). Leafy greens (270) and feedlot manure samples (100) were collected six different times from June to September in each year. Both E. coli O157:H7 and total E. coli bacteria were recovered from leafy greens at all plot distances. E. coli O157:H7 was recovered from 3.5% of leafy green samples per plot at 60 m, which was higher (P < 0.05) than the 1.8% of positive samples per plot at 180 m, indicating a decrease in contamination as distance from the feedlot was increased. Although E. coli O157:H7 was not recovered from air samples at any distance, total E. coli was recovered from air samples at the feedlot edge and all plot distances, indicating that airborne transport of the pathogen can occur. Results suggest that risk for airborne transport of E. coli O157:H7 from cattle production is increased when cattle pen surfaces are very dry and when this situation is combined with cattle management or cattle behaviors that generate airborne dust. Current leafy green field distance guidelines of 120 m (400 feet) may not be adequate to limit the transmission of E. coli O157:H7 to produce crops planted near concentrated animal feeding operations. Additional research is needed to determine safe set-back distances between cattle feedlots and crop production that will reduce fresh produce contamination.T he consumption of fresh produce increasingly has been linked to human food-borne disease (1-4). In particular, leafy vegetables, such as spinach and lettuce, have become significant vehicles for the transmission of food-borne pathogens. Produce-associated outbreak surveillance data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the period from 2000 to 2009 showed that among produce commodities, leafy greens were the most frequently linked to outbreaks (5). An analysis of published reports of U.S. fresh produce-associated outbreaks with an attribution risk ranking tool categorized the combination of leafy greens and Escherichia coli O157:H7 with the highest risk ranking score, followed by Salmonella enterica in tomatoes ranking second and S. enterica in leafy greens ranking third (6). For all U.S. foodborne disease outbreaks caused by Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) in the period of 1998 to 2008, leafy vegetables were the second most common implicated commodity, following beef (2). In addition, spinach, lettuce, and cilantro were commodities most associated with the recovery of STEC in produce market basket surveys conducted within the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service Microbiological Data Program from 2002 to 2012 (7). Leafy greens typically are consumed raw, so protecting these products from microbial contamination in the preharvest environment is critical to reducing the risk for food-borne illness. Potential sources of pathogens for preharvest produ...

The incidence and severity of disease associated with toxigenic Clostridium difficile have increased in hospitals in North America from the emergence of newer, more virulent strains. Toxigenic C. difficile has been isolated from food animals and retail meat with potential implications of transfer to human beings. The objective of the present study was to determine the prevalence of toxigenic C. difficile in chickens and retail poultry meat in Texas. Seven C. difficile isolates were detected in fecal samples of 300 (2.3%) broiler chickens. Three cultivation procedures were evaluated for isolation of C. difficile from poultry meat and detected 1/32 (3.1%), 2/32 (6.2%), and 4/32 (12.5%) for the three procedures, respectively. Chicken and poultry meat isolates were characterized as toxinotype V and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis gel type-NAP7 or NAP7-variant. Susceptibilities to 11 antimicrobial agents in the current study suggested somewhat reduced resistance than reported for other meat or animal toxinotype V isolates.

Abstract. The incidence and severity of disease associated with toxigenic Clostridium difficile have increased in hospitals in North America from the emergence of newer, more virulent strains. Toxigenic C. difficile has been isolated from food animals and retail meat with potential implications of transfer to human beings. The objective of the present study was to determine the prevalence of C. difficile in pork from sausage manufacturing plants and retail meat in Texas. Twenty-three C. difficile isolates were detected from 243 meat samples (9.5%) from 3 sausage-manufacturing plants and 5 retail meat outlets from 2004 to 2009. Twenty-two isolates were positive for toxins A, B, and binary toxin, and were characterized as toxinotype V, PFGE type-NAP7, or "NAP7-variant." Susceptibilities to 11 antimicrobial agents in the current study were similar to those reported previously for toxinotype V isolates, although the results suggested somewhat reduced resistance than reported for other meat, animal, or human clinical toxinotype V isolates.

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A randomized controlled longitudinal field trial was undertaken to assess the effects of injectable ceftiofur crystalline-free acid (CCFA) versus in-feed chlortetracycline on the temporal dynamics of Salmonella enterica spp. enterica in feedlot cattle. Two replicates of 8 pens (total 176 steers) received one of 4 different regimens. All, or one, out of 11 steers were treated with CCFA on day 0 in 8 pens, with half of the pens later receiving three 5-day regimens of chlortetracycline from day 4 to day 20. Salmonella was isolated from faecal samples and antimicrobial susceptibility was analysed via microbroth dilution. Serotype was determined by whole-genome sequencing. On day 0, mean Salmonella prevalence was 75.0% and the vast majority of isolates were pansusceptible. Both antimicrobials reduced overall prevalence of Salmonella; however, these treatments increased the proportion of multi-drug resistant (MDR) Salmonella from day 4 through day 26, which was the last day of faecal collection. Only six Salmonella serotypes were detected. Salmonella serotype Reading isolates were extensively MDR, suggesting a strong association between serotype and resistance. Our study demonstrates that the selection pressures of a 3rd generation cephalosporin and chlortetracycline during the feeding period contribute to dynamic population shifts between antimicrobial susceptible and resistant Salmonella.

ABSTRACTShiga toxin-producingEscherichia coli(STEC) strains are important food-borne pathogens capable of causing hemolytic-uremic syndrome. STEC O157:H7 strains cause the majority of severe disease in the United States; however, there is a growing concern for the amount and severity of illness attributable to non-O157 STEC. Recently, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) published the intent to regulate the presence of STEC belonging to serogroups O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145 in nonintact beef products. To ensure the effective control of these bacteria, sensitive and specific tests for their detection will be needed. In this study, we identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the O-antigen gene cluster that could be used to detect STEC strains of the above-described serogroups. Using comparative DNA sequence analysis, we identified 22 potentially informative SNPs among 164 STEC and non-STEC strains of the above-described serogroups and designed matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) assays to test the STEC allele frequencies in an independent panel of bacterial strains. We found at least one SNP that was specific to each serogroup and also differentiated between STEC and non-STEC strains. Differences in the DNA sequence of the O-antigen gene cluster corresponded well with differences in the virulence gene profiles and provided evidence of different lineages for STEC and non-STEC strains. The SNPs discovered in this study can be used to develop tests that will not only accurately identify O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145 strains but also predict whether strains detected in the above-described serogroups contain Shiga toxin-encoding genes.

Background: Combatting antimicrobial resistance requires a One Health approach to antimicrobial stewardship including antimicrobial drug (AMD) use evaluation. Current veterinary AMD prescribing data are limited.Objectives: To quantify companion animal AMD prescribing in primary care and specialty practice across 3 academic veterinary hospitals with particular focus on thirdgeneration cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones, and carbapenems.