The presence of Bartonella species in Xenopsylla cheopis fleas collected from Rattus spp. (R. exulans, R. norvegicus, and R. rattus) in Khon Kaen Province, Thailand was investigated. One hundred ninety-three fleas obtained from 62 rats, were screened by polymerase chain reaction using primers specific for the 16S-23S intergenic spacer region, and the presence of Bartonella DNA was confirmed by using the citrate synthase gene. Bartonella DNA was detected in 59.1% (114 of 193) of fleas examined. Sequencing demonstrated the presence of Bartonella spp. similar to B. elizabethae, B. rattimassiliensis, B. rochalimae, and B. tribocorum in the samples tested with a cutoff for sequence similarity ≥ 96% and 4 clustered together with the closest match with B. grahamii (95.5% identity). If X. cheopis proves to be a competent vector of these species, our results suggest that humans and animals residing in this area may be at risk for infection by several zoonotic Bartonella species.
Proteus mirabilis is a conditionally pathogenic bacterium that is inherently resistant to polymyxin and tigecycline, largely due to antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). These ARGs can be horizontally transferred to other bacteria, raising concerns about the Inc plasmid-mediated ARG transmission from Proteus mirabilis, which poses a serious public health threat. This study aims to investigate the presence of Inc plasmid types in pig-derived Proteus mirabilis in Kunming, Yunnan, China. Fecal samples were collected from pig farms across six districts of Kunming (Luquan, Jinning, Yiliang, Anning, Songming, and Xundian) from 2022 to 2023. Proteus mirabilis isolates were identified using IDS and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Then, positive strains underwent antimicrobial susceptibility testing and incompatibility plasmid typing. Multi-drug-resistant isolates with positive incompatibility plasmid genes were selected for whole-genome sequencing. Resistance and Inc group data were then isolated and compared with 126 complete genome sequences from public databases. Whole-genome multi-locus sequence typing, resistance group analysis, genomic island prediction, and plasmid structural gene analysis were performed. A total of 30 isolates were obtained from 230 samples, yielding a prevalence of 13.04%. All isolates exhibited multi-drug resistance, with 100% resistance to cotrimoxazole, erythromycin, penicillin G, chloramphenicol, ampicillin, and streptomycin. Among these, 15 isolates tested positive for the IncQ1α plasmid repC gene. The two most multi-drug-resistant and repC-positive strains, NO. 15 and 21, were sequenced to compare genomic features on Inc groups and ARGs with public data. Genome analysis revealed that the repC gene was primarily associated with IncQ1α, with structural genes from other F-type plasmids (TraV, TraU, TraN, TraL, TraK, TraI, TraH, TraG, TraF, TraE/GumN, and TraA) also present. Strain NO. 15 carried 33 ARGs, and strain NO. 21 carried 38 ARGs, conferring resistance to tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones, aminoglycosides, sulfonamides, peptides, chloramphenicol, cephalosporins, lincomycins, macrolides, and 2-aminopyrimidines. The repC gene is primarily associated with IncQ1α, with structural genes from other F-type plasmids. A comparison with 126 public genome datasets confirmed this association.
During the period December 2009-November 2010, 600 fecal samples were collected from 250 diarrheal and 250 non-diarrheal dogs, 50 diarrheal and 50 non-diarrhea cats. It was found that 11.6 and 13.2% of diarrheal and non-diarrheal dogs and 8.0 and 10.0% of diarrheal and non-diarrheal cats were infected with Salmonella, respectively. The five most common serovars in dogs were S. stanley, S. rissen, S. enterica ser 4, 5, 12 :i:-, S. weltevreden and S. tryphimurium (14.5, 12.9, 11.3, 11.3 and 9.7%, respectively). The five most common serovars in cats were S. weltevreden, S. eastbourne, S. typhimurium, S. virchow and S. hvittingfoss (44.4, 22.2, 11.1, 11.1 and 11.1%, respectively). Isolates from dogs were resistant to amoxicillin (43.5%), gentamicin (8.1%), nalidixic acid (9.7%), sulphamethoxazole/trimethoprim (12.9%) and tetracycline (43.5%). The isolates from cats were resistant to amoxicillin (25%) and tetracycline (25%). Detection of Salmonella sp. in dogs and cats without clinical signs indicated that the animals were in carrier stage and potentially able to pass the disease to their owners.
Rickettsia species cause rickettsioses, which are zoonotic diseases found worldwide, and are transmitted by arthropods such as lice, fleas, ticks, and mites. In Thailand, flea infestations are common among cats and dogs. This study aimed at determining the exposure to spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFGR) of cats in surrounding areas of Rajabhat Maha Sarakham University, Muang district, Maha Sarakham province and rickettsial infection among cat fleas, Ctenocephalides felis, collected from dogs of the surrounding area of Waeng Noi district, Khon Kaen province. Forty-two cat sera were assessed for IgG antibody titers against SFGR by a group-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The prevalence of seroreactive cats was 4.76% (2/42). DNA preparations from 23 individual cat fleas from three dogs were assessed by Rickettsia genus-specific, group-specific, and species-specific quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assays. Positive results were confirmed by ompB gene fragment sequencing. Twenty-one of 23 cat fleas were positive for Rickettsia asembonensis, and the other two DNA preparations were negative for rickettsial DNA. This study's finding indicates that companion cats and dogs in Northeast Thailand are exposed to SFGR and that exposure may be due to infection with R. asembonensis, an organism known to infect humans, monkeys, and dogs. Clinicians for humans and animals in Northeast Thailand should be aware of rickettsial infections among their patients.
To evaluate the containment of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) Salmonella contaminations of a HACCP slaughterhouse (HACCP SH) and a non-HACCP slaughterhouse (non-HACCPSH), 360 paired pig rectal (representing the farm pig status) and carcass samples (representing the contamination) were collected equally from the two slaughterhouses that serviced 6 and 12 farms, respectively, in Northeast Thailand (n = 720). The purified Salmonella isolates were serotype identified, antimicrobial susceptibility tested, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) assessed. Four evaluations of two slaughterhouses were examined: (1) the means of slaughtering contamination rates (SCR) (to evaluate the contamination level by averaged farm SCRs): the HACCP SH decreased contamination (SCR: −48.89% ± 8.80%, n = 6), whereas the non-HACCP SH increased (SCR: 14.31% ± 9.35%, n = 12). (2) The serotype diversity: the HACCP SH decreased the diversity from the rectal group (110 isolates, 9 serotypes) to carcass group (23 isolates, 3 serotypes), whereas there was no decrease in the non-HACCP SH (rectal group (66 isolates, 14 serotypes) and carcass group (31 isolates, 10 serotypes)). (3) The AMR patterns: the HACCP SH decreased from rectal group (96 isolates, 7 patterns) to carcass group (22 isolates, 1 pattern), whereas there was no decrease from the non-HACCP SH rectal group (22 isolates, 7 patterns) to carcass group (48 isolates, 8 patterns). (4) The estimated indirect contamination rate (by serotype screening and PFGE confirmation): the HACCP SH was 60.87% (14/23), whereas the non-HACCP SH was 98.48% (65/66). This study indicates that both the slaughterhouses keep a high level of indirect contamination; the HACCP SH decreases Salmonella contaminations and reduces the AMR patterns, the non-HACCP SH increases contaminations.
Oxidative stress can result from either the excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) or an impaired antioxidant system, or both. It causes damage to lipids, proteins and DNA. Therefore, oxidative stress may be involved in carcinogenesis, and is associated with many types of cancer in dogs. The objective of this study was to compare the levels of malondialdehyde, protein hydroperoxides, glutathione, retinol and alpha-tocopherol between dogs with mast cell tumors and clinically healthy controls. Blood samples were obtained from eighteen clinically healthy dogs and fourteen dogs with spontaneous mast cell tumors. Malondialdehyde and protein hydroperoxides levels were measured by the thiobarbituric acid reactive substance assay, and the ferric-xylenol orange assay, respectively. Glutathione level was determined using spectrophotometric assay. Retinol and alpha-tocopherol levels were measured using the high performance liquid chromatographic method. Dogs with mast cell tumors had significantly higher levels of malondialdehyde (P<0.01) and protein hydroperoxides (P<0.05) compared with the clinically healthy controls. When considering antioxidants, dogs with mast cell tumors had significantly lower levels of glutathione (P<0.01), retinol (P<0.05) and alpha-tocopherol (P<0.01) compared with the clinically healthy controls. Mast cell tumors in dogs are associated with oxidative stress and antioxidant status. Further studies on oxidative stress and antioxidant activity in dogs should be conducted to guide and plan the complementary treatment of canine cancer.
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