Category Archives: Zoonosis

Research – Surveillance plan proposal for early detection of zoonotic pathogens in pigs and poultry

Posted on February 14, 2023 | Leave a comment

EFSA

Abstract

In the framework of the EU4Health Programme, the European Commission has allocated specific resources for Member States for setting up a coordinated surveillance system under the One Health approach for cross‐border pathogens that threaten the Union (CP‐g‐22‐04.01 Direct grants to Member States’ authorities). This initiative required the development of surveillance plan proposal for early detection of zoonotic pathogens in animals and the environment. This report summarized the preparatory work undertaken for the development of surveillance plan proposals for early detection of zoonotic pathogens in pigs and poultry. Two diseases were in the focus of this work, namely Hepatitis E and Influenza in Swine. Four so‐called surveillance activity cards were developed for Hepatitis E and one surveillance activity card for Influenza in Swine. These surveillance plan proposals serve the purpose of outlining scientifically sound surveillance options for zoonotic pathogens for review and further development by experts of the EFSA Working Group on One Health surveillance.

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Posted in Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Pathogen, pathogenic, Zoonosis

Research – Manual for reporting on zoonoses and zoonotic agents, within the framework of Directive 2003/99/EC, and on some other pathogenic microbiological agents for information derived from the year 2022

Posted on January 30, 2023 | Leave a comment

EFSA

Abstract

This reporting manual provides guidance to European Union (EU) Member States (MSs) for reporting on zoonoses and zoonotic agents in animals, food and feed under the framework of Directive 2003/99/EC, Regulation (EU) 2017/625, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/627 and of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/772 and also on the reporting of other pathogenic microbiological agents or contaminants in food. The objective of this manual is to harmonise and streamline reporting by MSs to ensure that the data collected are relevant and comparable for analysis at the EU level. This manual covers all the zoonoses and zoonotic agents included under the current data collection system run by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Detailed instructions are provided on the reporting of data in tables and information in text forms. The instructions given relate to the description of the sampling and monitoring schemes applied by the MSs, as well as the monitoring results. Special reference is made to data elements which allow trend watching over time and the analysis of sources of zoonotic agents at the EU level. This manual is specifically aimed at guiding the reporting of information deriving from the year 2022.

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Posted in antimicrobial resistance, Antimicrobials, Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Zoonosis

Research – Recommendations and technical specifications for sustainable surveillance of zoonotic pathogens where wildlife is implicated

Posted on January 15, 2023 | Leave a comment

EFSA

Abstract

A science‐based participatory process guided by EFSA identified 10 priority zoonotic pathogens for future One Health surveillance in Europe: highly pathogenic avian influenza, swine influenza, West Nile disease, tick‐borne‐encephalitis, echinococcosis, Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic Fever, hepatitis E, Lyme disease, Q‐fever, Rift Valley fever. The main aim of this report is to formulate recommendations and technical specifications for sustainable coordinated One health surveillance for early detection of these zoonotic pathogens where wildlife is implicated. For this purpose: (i) first, we reviewed the cornerstones of integrated wildlife monitoring that are applicable to zoonotic disease surveillance in wildlife under OH surveillance in the EU; (ii) we analysed the characteristics of the main wildlife groups and the selected pathogens relevant to surveillance aimed at early detection, and integrated with other health compartments; (iii) we proposed general recommendations for the first steps of sustainable wildlife zoonotic disease surveillance in the EU, and (iv) specific recommendations of surveillance aimed at risk based early detection of pathogens in the main wild species groups. We finally proposed (iv) a framework for integrating animal disease surveillance components (wildlife, domestic, environment) for early detection under OH approach.

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Posted in Food Pathogen, Pathogen, pathogenic, Zoonosis

Research – Foodborne Parasites and Their Complex Life Cycles Challenging Food Safety in Different Food Chains

Posted on January 8, 2023 | Leave a comment

MDPI

Abstract

Zoonotic foodborne parasites often represent complex, multi host life cycles with parasite stages in the hosts, but also in the environment. This manuscript aims to provide an overview of important zoonotic foodborne parasites, with a focus on the different food chains in which parasite stages may occur. We have chosen some examples of meat-borne parasites occurring in livestock (Taenia spp., Trichinella spp. and Toxoplasma gondii), as well as Fasciola spp., an example of a zoonotic parasite of livestock, but transmitted to humans via contaminated vegetables or water, covering the ‘farm to fork’ food chain; and meat-borne parasites occurring in wildlife (Trichinella spp., Toxoplasma gondii), covering the ‘forest to fork’ food chain. Moreover, fish-borne parasites (Clonorchis spp., Opisthorchis spp. and Anisakidae) covering the ‘pond/ocean/freshwater to fork’ food chain are reviewed. The increased popularity of consumption of raw and ready-to-eat meat, fish and vegetables may pose a risk for consumers, since most post-harvest processing measures do not always guarantee the complete removal of parasite stages or their effective inactivation. We also highlight the impact of increasing contact between wildlife, livestock and humans on food safety. Risk based approaches, and diagnostics and control/prevention tackled from an integrated, multipathogen and multidisciplinary point of view should be considered as well.

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Posted in Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Pathogen, pathogenic, Toxoplasma gondii, Toxoplasmosis, Zoonosis

Research – Occurrence and Characteristics of Escherichia albertii in Wild Birds and Poultry Flocks in Switzerland

Posted on November 19, 2022 | Leave a comment

MDPI

Abstract

Escherichia albertii, a zoonotic pathogen, has sporadically been associated with infectious diarrhea in humans. Poultry and wild birds are considered potential reservoirs. We assessed the occurrence of E. albertii in 280 fecal samples from wild birds (n = 130) and pooled fecal samples collected at slaughterhouse level from poultry flocks (n = 150) in Switzerland. Using an E. albertii-specific PCR targeting the Eacdt gene, 23.8% (31/130) of the samples from wild birds, but not from the pooled poultry fecal samples, tested positive for Eacdt. The positive samples originated from 11 bird species belonging to eight families. Strain isolation was attempted on the PCR-positive samples by subculturing the broth cultures onto xylose–MacConkey plates. Isolation was possible on 12 of the 31 Eacdt-PCR-positive samples. Whole-genome sequencing revealed that the strains belonged to nine distinct sequence types, with ST13420 and ST5967 being represented by two and three isolates, respectively. All strains harbored the eae gene, while two strains were also positive for stx2f. Our study thus shows that E. albertii is present in the Swiss wild bird population, which can potentially act as a source of this pathogen to humans, other animals, and the environment. View Full-Text

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Posted in E.albertii, eae, Escherichia albertii, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Pathogen, microbial contamination, Microbial growth, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Pathogen, pathogenic, STX 1, STX 2, Zoonosis

Research – Pet Reptiles in Poland as a Potential Source of Transmission of Salmonella

Posted on October 1, 2022 | Leave a comment

MDPI

Abstract

Reptiles are considered a potential source of Salmonella transmission to humans.
The aim of this research was to determine the incidence of Salmonella in pet reptiles in Poland and to examine Salmonella isolates with regard to their biochemical characteristics, serotype, antimicrobial susceptibility, and pathogenic and zoonotic potential.
The research material consisted of 67 reptile faeces samples. The taxonomic affiliation of the Salmonella isolates was determined by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, biochemical analyses, and serotyping; whole genome sequencing (WGS) analysis was performed on three isolates whose serotype could not be determined by agglutination. The antimicrobial susceptibility of the Salmonella isolates was determined by the broth dilution method, and in the case of some antimicrobials by the disk diffusion method.
The pathogenic and zoonotic potential of the identified serotypes was estimated based on available reports and case studies. The presence of Salmonella was confirmed in 71.6% of faecal samples, with the highest incidence (87.1%) recorded for snakes, followed by lizards (77.8%) and turtles (38.9%). All isolates (n = 51) belonged to the species S. enterica, predominantly to subspecies I (66.7%) and IIIb (25.5%). Among these, 25 serotypes were identified, including 10 that had previously been confirmed to cause reptile-associated salmonellosis (RAS). Salmonella isolates were susceptible to all antimicrobial substances used except streptomycin, to which 9.8% of the strains showed resistance.
None of the strains contained corresponding resistance genes. The study demonstrates that pet reptiles kept in Poland are a significant reservoir of Salmonella and contribute to knowledge of the characteristics of reptilian Salmonella strains. Due to the risk of salmonellosis, contact with these animals requires special hygiene rules.

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Posted in antimicrobial resistance, Decontamination Microbial, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, microbial contamination, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Pathogen, pathogenic, Salmonella, Zoonosis

Research – Sporadic Occurrence of Enteroaggregative Shiga Toxin–Producing Escherichia coli O104:H4 Similar to 2011 Outbreak Strain

Posted on September 3, 2022 | Leave a comment

CDC

Abstract
We describe the recent detection of 3 Shiga toxin–producing enteroaggregative Escherichia coli O104:H4 isolates from patients and 1 from pork in the Netherlands that were genetically highly similar to isolates from the 2011 large-scale outbreak in Europe. Our findings stress the importance of safeguarding food supply production chains to prevent future outbreaks.

Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is a zoonotic pathogen that causes illness ranging from mild diarrhea to haemolytic uremic syndrome and death. During 2011, an exceptionally large outbreak caused by serotype O104:H4 STEC occurred in Europe, mainly in Germany and France, that was associated with sprouts grown from imported fenugreek seeds (1). Besides the ability to produce Shiga toxin, specifically stx2a, the strain had the genetic characteristics and phylogenetic backbone of an enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) pathotype (2) but lacked other classical STEC virulence markers eae and hlyA (3). In addition, the outbreak strain carried plasmid-borne blaCTX-M-15 and blaTEM-1 genes. The epidemiologic investigation revealed that a contaminated batch of fenugreek seeds imported into the European Union from Egypt was the most probable source of the pathogen causing the outbreak (4).

After the 2011 outbreak in Germany and France, only a few sporadic cases of infection with Shiga toxin–producing EAEC O104:H4 were reported, most related to travel to Turkey or North Africa (5–8). We describe the sporadic occurrence of Shiga toxin–producing EAEC O104:H4 isolates in the Netherlands, originating from 2 clinical cases from 2019 and 2020 and 1 food isolate from 2017. In addition, we report a clinical case from Austria in 2021.

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Posted in Decontamination Microbial, E.coli O104, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Haemolytic Uremic Syndrome, HUS, microbial contamination, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Pathogen, pathogenic, Research, STEC, STEC E.coli, Zoonosis

Research – A multi-jurisdictional outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium infections linked to backyard poultry—Australia, 2020

Posted on August 15, 2022 | Leave a comment

Wiley Online

Zoonotic salmonellosis can occur either through direct contact with an infected animal or through indirect contact, such as exposure to an infected animal’s contaminated environment. Between May and August 2020, a multi-jurisdictional outbreak of Salmonella Typhimurium (STm) infection due to zoonotic transmission was investigated in Australia. In total, 38 outbreak cases of STm with a median age of 5 years were reported. Epidemiological investigation showed contact with live poultry to be a common risk factor with most cases recently purchasing one-week old chicks from produce/pet stores. Traceback investigation of cases identified 25 product/pet stores of which 18 were linked to a single poultry breeder farm. On farm environmental sampling identified the same STm genotype as identified in cases. Whole genome sequencing of both environmental and human outbreak isolates found them to be highly related by phylogenetic analysis. This investigation describes the first documented widespread zoonotic salmonellosis outbreak in Australia attributed to backyard poultry exposure and identified potential risk factors and prevention and control measures for future outbreaks. Prevention of future outbreaks will require an integrated One Health approach involving the poultry industry, produce/pet store owners, animal healthcare providers, public health and veterinary health agencies and the public.

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Posted in Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, microbial contamination, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Microbiology Risk, Research, Salmonella, Zoonosis

Research – Seafood safety and food‐borne zoonoses from fish

Posted on May 29, 2022 | Leave a comment

EFSA

Parasitic nematodes of the genus Anisakis are the causative agent of anisakiosis, an important fish‐borne zoonosis. Humans are infected through consumption of raw or undercooked fish, contaminated with the parasite. Infection can result in both gastrointestinal and allergic symptoms. There are few reports of anisakiosis in Portugal, but evidence of Anisakis allergy exists, indicating that exposure is occurring in the population. The European Food Risk Assessment Fellowship Programme (EU‐FORA) work programme, entitled: ‘Food safety of fish and zoonoses: fish consumption and microbiological risk assessment and perception, from fisherman to final consumers in Portugal’ was hosted by the Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR), in Porto, Portugal. It aimed to gather information on risk perception and attitudes in the Portuguese population to contamination of fish with Anisakis spp. and on their knowledge of methods to prevent infection. In addition, it aimed to examine the risk of anisakiosis in the Portuguese population.

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Posted in Decontamination Microbial, EFSA, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, microbial contamination, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Zoonosis

Research – Microbiology and Epidemiology of Escherichia albertii—An Emerging Elusive Foodborne Pathogen

Posted on April 22, 2022 | Leave a comment

MDPI

Escherichia albertii, a close relative of E. coli, is an emerging zoonotic foodborne pathogen associated with watery diarrhea mainly in children and immunocompromised individuals. E. albertii was initially classified as eae-positive Hafnia alvei, however, as more genetic and biochemical information became available it was reassigned to its current novel taxonomy. Its infections are common under conditions of poor hygiene with confirmed transmission via contaminated water and food, mainly poultry-based products. This pathogen has been isolated from various domestic and wild animals, with most isolates being derived from birds, implying that birds among other wild animals might act as its reservoir. Due to the absence of standardized isolation and identification protocols, E. albertii can be misidentified as other Enterobacteriaceae. Exploiting phenotypes such as its inability to ferment rhamnose and xylose and PCR assays targeting E. albertii-specific genes such as the cytolethal distending toxin and the DNA-binding transcriptional activator of cysteine biosynthesis encoding genes can be used to accurately identify this pathogen. Several gaps exist in our knowledge of E. albertii and need to be bridged. A deeper understanding of E. albertii epidemiology and physiology is required to allow the development of effective measures to control its transmission and infections. Overall, current data suggest that E. albertii might play a more significant role in global infectious diarrhea cases than previously assumed and is often overlooked or misidentified. Therefore, simple, and efficient diagnostic tools that cover E. albertii biodiversity are required for effective isolation and identification of this elusive agent of diarrhea. View Full-Text

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Posted in E.albertii, E.coli, Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia albertii, Food Micro Blog, Food Microbiology, Food Microbiology Blog, Food Microbiology Research, Food Microbiology Testing, Food Pathogen, Hafnia alvei, microbial contamination, Microbiological Risk Assessment, Microbiology, Microbiology Investigations, Pathogen, pathogenic, Research, Zoonosis