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Environmental surfaces can be a source of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacteria that pose a risk to human and animal health. Zoological institutions are unique environments where exotic animals, staff, and visitors intermingle and antimicrobials are used to maintain animal health.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the chondroprotective effects of autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP), ampicillin-sulbactam (AmpS), or PRP combined with AmpS (PRP+AmpS) in an in vitro chondrocyte explant model of bovine Staphylococcus aureus–induced septic arthritis. SAMPLE Autologous PRP and cartilage explants obtained from 6 healthy, adult, nonlactating Jersey-crossbred cows. ProcedureS Autologous PRP was prepared prior to euthanasia using an optimized double centrifugation protocol. Cartilage explants collected from grossly normal stifle joints were incubated in synovial fluid (SF) alone, S aureus–inoculated SF (SA), or SA supplemented with PRP (25% culture medium volume), AmpS (2 mg/mL), or both PRP (25% culture medium volume) and AmpS (2 mg/mL; PRP+AmpS) for 24 hours. The metabolic activity, percentage of dead cells, and glycosaminoglycan content of cartilage explants were measured with a resazurin-based assay, live-dead cell staining, and dimethylmethylene blue assay, respectively. Treatment effects were assessed relative to the findings for cartilage explants incubated in SF alone. RESULTS Application of PRP, AmpS, and PRP+AmpS treatments significantly reduced S aureus–induced chondrocyte death (ie, increased metabolic activity and cell viability staining) in cartilage explants, compared with untreated controls. There were no significant differences in chondrocyte death among explants treated with PRP, AmpS, or PRP+AmpS. CLINICAL RELEVANCE In this in vitro explant model of S aureus–induced septic arthritis, PRP, AmpS, and PRP+AmpS treatments mitigated chondrocyte death. Additional work to confirm the efficacy of PRP with bacteria commonly associated with clinical septic arthritis in cattle as well as in vivo evaluation is warranted.

Objective To assess anesthetic induction, recovery quality and cardiopulmonary variables after intramuscular (IM) injection of three drug combinations for immobilization of horses. Study design Randomized, blinded, three-way crossover prospective design. Animals A total of eight healthy adult horses weighing 470–575 kg. Methods Horses were administered three treatments IM separated by ≥1 week. Combinations were tiletamine–zolazepam (1.2 mg kg−1), ketamine (1 mg kg−1) and detomidine (0.04 mg kg−1) (treatment TKD); ketamine (3 mg kg−1) and detomidine (0.04 mg kg−1) (treatment KD); and tiletamine–zolazepam (2.4 mg kg−1) and detomidine (0.04 mg kg−1) (treatment TD). Parametric data were analyzed using mixed model linear regression. Nonparametric data were compared using Skillings–Mack test. A p value Results All horses in treatment TD became recumbent. In treatments KD and TKD, one horse remained standing. PaO2 15 minutes after recumbency was significantly lower in treatments TD (p Conclusions and clinical relevance In domestic horses, IM injections of tiletamine–zolazepam–detomidine resulted in more reliable recumbency with a longer duration when compared with ketamine–detomidine and tiletamine–zolazepam–ketamine–detomidine. Recoveries were comparable among protocols.

Wildlife play a role in the acquisition, maintenance, and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This is especially true at the human-domestic animal-wildlife interface, like urbanized areas, where interactions occur that can promote the cross-over of AMR bacteria and genes. We conducted a 2-year fecal surveillance (n = 783) of a white-tailed deer (WTD) herd from an urban park system in Ohio to identify and characterize cephalosporin-resistant and carbapenemase-producing bacteria using selective enrichment. Using generalized linear mixed models we found that older (OR = 2.3, P

Idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension is a rare disease reported in humans and dogs diagnosed as persistent elevation of pulmonary arterial blood pressure without predisposing or associated diseases. A four-month-old pot-bellied pig (Sus scrofa domesticus) was presented for decreased appetite, lethargy, respiratory distress, and occasional syncope. On physical examination, the pig was tachypneic with labored breathing, with a distended abdomen and a bilateral grade 4–5/6 parasternal systolic heart murmur. Systolic pulmonary arterial pressure was estimated at 95 mmHg by Doppler echocardiography, consistent with severe pulmonary hypertension. At autopsy, there was dilation of the main pulmonary artery and right ventricle. The lungs were diffusely rubbery, and there was tricavitary effusion. Microscopically, there was severe widespread pulmonary arterial concentric medial hypertrophy with rare plexiform lesions. The clinical history and gross and microscopic findings supported a diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension with subsequent right-sided congestive heart failure. Primary (idiopathic) pulmonary arterial hypertension should be considered as a differential diagnosis in young pigs with right-sided congestive heart failure.

The changing epidemiologic role of wildlife as reservoirs of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria (ARB) is poorly understood. In this study, we characterize the phenotypic resistance of commensal Escherichia coli from fecal samples of 879 individual white-tailed (Odocoileus virginianus; WTD) over a ten-year period and analyze resistance patterns. Our results show commensal E. coli from WTD had significant linear increases in reduced susceptibility to 5 of 12 antimicrobials, including broad-spectrum cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones, from 2006 to 2016. In addition, the relative frequency distribution of minimal inhibitory concentrations of two additional antimicrobials shifted towards higher values from across the study period. The prevalence of multidrug-resistant commensal E. coli increased over the study period with a prevalence of 0%, 2.2%, and 3.7% in 2006, 2012, and 2016, respectively. WTD may be persistently and increasingly exposed to antibiotics or their residues, ARB, and/or antimicrobial resistance genes via contaminated environments like surface water receiving treated wastewater effluent. El papel epidemiológico cambiante de la fauna silvestre como reservorio de bacterias resistentes a los antimicrobianos (ARB) es se conoce poco. En este estudio, caracterizamos la resistencia fenotípica de Escherichia coli comensal de fecales de 879 ejemplares de cola blanca (Odocoileus virginianus; WTD) durante un periodo de diez años y analizamos patrones de resistencia. Nuestros resultados muestran que la E. coli comensal de WTD tuvo aumentos lineales significativos en la reducción de la susceptibilidad a 5 de 12 antimicrobianos, incluyendo cefalosporinas de amplio espectro y fluoroquinolonas, desde 2006 a 2016. Además, la distribución de la frecuencia relativa de las concentraciones inhibitorias mínimas de dos antimicrobianos adicionales se desplazó hacia valores más altos a lo largo del periodo de estudio. La prevalencia de E. coli comensal multirresistente aumentó a lo largo del periodo de estudio con una prevalencia del 0%, 2,2% y 3,7% en 2006, 2012 y 2016, respectivamente. Los WTD pueden estar expuestos de forma persistente y creciente a los antibióticos o a sus residuos, ARB, y/o genes de resistencia antimicrobiana a través de entornos contaminados como las aguas superficiales que reciben efluentes de aguas residuales tratadas. Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria

BackgroundEnteritis is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in lorikeets that can be challenging to diagnose and treat. In this study, we examine gut microbiota in two lorikeet flocks with enteritis (Columbus Zoo and Aquarium – CZA; Denver Zoo - DZ). Since 2012, the CZA flock has experienced repeated outbreaks of enteritis despite extensive diet, husbandry, and clinical modifications. In 2018, both CZA and DZ observed a spike in enteritis. Recent research has revealed that the gut microbiota can influence susceptibility to enteropathogens. We hypothesized that a dysbiosis, or alteration in the gut microbial community, was making some lorikeets more susceptible to enteritis, and our goal was to characterize this dysbiosis and determine the features that predicted susceptibility.ResultsWe employed 16S rRNA sequencing to characterize the cloacal microbiota in lorikeets (CZA n = 67, DZ n = 24) over time. We compared the microbiota of healthy lorikeets, to lorikeets with enteritis, and lorikeets susceptible to enteritis, with “susceptible” being defined as healthy birds that subsequently developed enteritis. Based on sequencing data, culture, and toxin gene detection in intestinal contents, we identified Clostridium perfringens type A (CZA and DZ) and C. colinum (CZA only) at increased relative abundances in birds with enteritis. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry further identified the presence of gram-positive bacilli and C. perfringens, respectively, in the necrotizing intestinal lesions. Finally, using Random Forests and LASSO models, we identified several features (young age and the presence of Rhodococcus fascians and Pseudomonas umsongensis) associated with susceptibility to clostridial enteritis.ConclusionsWe identified C. perfringens type A and C. colinum associated with lorikeet necrohemorrhagic enteritis at CZA and DZ. Susceptibility testing of isolates lead to an updated clinical treatment plan which ultimately resolved the outbreaks at both institutions. This work provides a foundation for understanding gut microbiota features that are permissive to clostridial colonization and host factors (e.g. age, prior infection) that shape responses to infection.

Retail beef and pork, including processed products, can serve as vehicles for the zoonotic foodborne transmission of pathogens and antimicrobial resistant bacteria. However, processed and seasoned products like sausages, are not often included in research and surveillance programs. The objective of this study was to investigate retail ground beef and pork, including processed products, for the presence of common foodborne pathogens and antimicrobial resistant bacteria. We purchased 763 packages of fresh and fully cooked retail meat products during 29 visits to 17 grocery stores representing seven major grocery chains located in west and central Ohio. Each package of meat was evaluated for contamination with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Salmonella spp., Enterobacteriaceae expressing extended-spectrum cephalosporin resistance, and carbapenemase-producing organisms (CPO). Only 3 of the 144 (2.1%) packages of fully cooked meat products contained any of these organisms, 1 with an extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing (ESBL) Enterobacteriaceae and 2 with CPO. Among the 619 fresh meat products, we found that 85 (13.7%) packages were contaminated with MRSA, 19 (3.1%) with Salmonella, 136 (22.0%) with Enterobacteriaceae expressing an AmpC (blaCMY) resistance genotype, 25 (4.0%) with Enterobacteriaceae expressing an ESBL (blaCTX-M) resistance genotype, and 31 (5.0%) with CPO, primarily environmental organisms expressing intrinsic carbapenem resistance. However, one CPO, a Raoultella ornithinolytica, isolated from pork sausage co-harbored both blaKPC-2 and blaNDM-5 on IncN and IncX3 plasmids, respectively. Our findings suggest that fresh retail meat, including processed products can be important vehicles for the transmission of foodborne pathogens and antimicrobial resistant bacteria, including those with epidemic carbapenemase-producing genotypes.

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal, contagious, neurodegenerative prion disease affecting both free-ranging and captive cervid species. CWD is spread via direct or indirect contact or oral ingestion of prions. In the gastrointestinal tract, prions enter the body through microfold cells (M-cells), and the abundance of these cells can be influenced by the gut microbiota. To explore potential links between the gut microbiota and CWD, we collected fecal samples from farmed and free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) around the Midwest. Farmed deer orignated from farms that were depopulated due to CWD. Free-ranging deer were sampled during annual deer harvests. All farmed deer were tested for CWD via ELISA and IHC, and we used 16S rRNA gene sequencing to characterize the gut microbiota. We report significant differences in gut microbiota by provenance (Farm 1, Farm 2, Free-ranging), sex, and CWD status. CWD-positive deer from Farm 1 and 2 had increased abundances of Akkermansia, Lachnospireacea UCG-010, and RF39 taxa. Overall, differences by provenance and sex appear to be driven by diet, while differences by CWD status may be linked to CWD pathogenesis.

The changing epidemiologic role of wildlife as reservoirs of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria (ARB) is poorly understood. In this study, we characterize the phenotypic resistance of commensal Escherichia coli from fecal samples of 879 individual white-tailed (Odocoileus virginianus; WTD) over a ten-year period and analyze resistance patterns. Our results show commensal E. coli from WTD had significant linear increases in reduced susceptibility to 5 of 12 antimicrobials, including broad-spectrum cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones, from 2006 to 2016. In addition, the relative frequency distribution of minimal inhibitory concentrations of two additional antimicrobials shifted towards higher values from across the study period. The prevalence of multidrug-resistant commensal E. coli increased over the study period with a prevalence of 0%, 2.2%, and 3.7% in 2006, 2012, and 2016, respectively. WTD may be persistently and increasingly exposed to antibiotics or their residues, ARB, and/or antimicrobial resistance genes via contaminated environments like surface water receiving treated wastewater effluent.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether previous corrective upper airway surgery in brachycephalic dogs would decrease perianesthetic complications in subsequent anesthetic events. ANIMALS 45 client-owned dogs. PROCEDURES Brachycephalic dogs undergoing any combination of staphylectomy, nasal alaplasty, or laryngeal sacculectomy that were anesthetized at a later date for additional surgical procedures or imaging from August 2, 2007, to February 8, 2019, had their medical records reviewed during both anesthetic events for signalment, American Society of Anesthesiologists status, perianesthetic drug administration, anesthetic duration, presence and total time of positive-pressure ventilation, procedure invasiveness, and perianesthetic complications such as bradycardia, hypothermia, hypotension, cardiac arrhythmias, hypertension, vomiting or regurgitation, dysphoria, respiratory distress, hypoxemia, reintubation, and prolonged periods of recovery. RESULTS The odds of having complications during the postanesthetic period following subsequent anesthetic events were decreased by 79% in dogs having previous surgical intervention to correct clinical signs of brachycephalic airway syndrome. Intra-anesthetic bradycardia increased the odds of developing a postanesthetic complication by 4.56 times. Every 15-minute increase in anesthetic duration increased the odds of having a postanesthetic complication by 12% and having an intra-anesthetic complication by 11%. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Previous corrective upper airway surgery decreased odds of postanesthetic complications in brachycephalic dogs that underwent subsequent anesthetic events. Findings in this study indicated that corrective upper airway surgery for brachycephalic dogs may reduce postanesthetic complications following subsequent anesthetic events, which may reduce perianesthetic morbidity in patients undergoing multiple surgical or diagnostic imaging procedures.

Background No biomarkers for the early detection of gastrointestinal (GI) toxicosis secondary to antineoplastic treatment are recognized in veterinary medicine. Toceranib causes GI toxicosis in dogs. Hypothesis/Objective To assess if changes in plasma cytokeratin 18 (CK18) concentration, measured in dogs being treated with toceranib phosphate, can predict the onset of GI toxicosis. We hypothesize that an increase in CK18 concentrations will be detected before the development of GI toxicosis in dogs treated with toceranib phosphate. Animals Twenty healthy client‐owned dogs and 25 client‐owned dogs with surgically excised mast cell tumor (MCT). Methods Prospective cohort study. Dogs were treated with toceranib (2.75 mg/kg PO q48h). Plasma was collected weekly for 4 weeks. Plasma CK18 concentration was measured on days 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28. vascular endothelial growth factor was measured on days 0 and 28. Results Mean plasma CK18 concentration on day 0 in dogs with MCT was not significantly different than healthy controls (313.5 ± 592.8 pg/mL, 119.7 ± 76.9 pg/mL, mean ± SD P = 0.27). Mean plasma CK18 concentration decreased by 98.69 pg/mL from day 0 to day 28 (P

The presence of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in aquatic environments is of increasing concern due to the presence of residues in fish and aquatic organisms, and emerging antibiotic resistance. Wastewater release is an important contributor to the presence of these compounds in aquatic ecosystems, where they may accumulate in food webs. The traditional environmental surveillance approach relies on the targeted analysis of specific compounds, but more suspect screening methods have been developed recently to allow for the identification of a variety of contaminants. In this study, a method based on QuEChERS extraction - using acetonitrile/water mixture as solvent and PSA/C18 for sample clean-up - was applied to identify pharmaceuticals and their metabolites in fish livers. Both target and suspect screening workflows were used and fish were sampled upstream and downstream of wastewater treatment plants from the Scioto River, Ohio (USA). The method performed well in terms of extraction of some target PPCPs, with recoveries generally above 90%, good repeatability (

Wastewater flows from metropolitan areas, especially those with healthcare inputs, can serve as transport reservoirs for the dissemination of clinically-relevant antimicrobial resistant bacteria (ARB) such as carbapenem- (CR) and colistin-resistant (CoR) strains. Pulsed electric field (PEF) is an emerging wastewater management tool for reducing bacterial loads without generating environmentally harmful byproducts, but it's ability to reduce ARB and their genetic determinants is not well reported. We collected 86, 10-L raw wastewater influent samples from a large metropolitan wastewater treatment plant in Columbus, Ohio and subjected them to low (34 kV cm

The availability of safe, commercially prepared stock feed for production animals is an important step in ensuring animal health and welfare and the safety of food animal products for human consumption. Animal feed quality assurance programs include microbiological monitoring of raw materials, mill equipment and finished feed. Over a period of 16 years, 23,963 samples for Salmonella culture and serotyping were collected from 22 stock feed mills. A multivariable generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) was used to identify mill and sample type factors that increase the odds of detecting Salmonella. The odds of detecting a Salmonella positive sample was greatest in samples from raw materials and in mills that processed restricted animal material (RAM). The percentage of positive samples ranged from 7.2% in 2003 to 2.8% in 2017. Of the 1,069 positive samples, 976 were serotyped with 61 different Salmonella serotypes isolated. The serotype most frequently isolated from raw materials was S. Agona, (n = 108) whilst S. Anatum was the serotype most frequently isolated from equipment and finished feed (n = 156). The diversity of Salmonella serotypes differed between mills and different stages of the production line. Microbiological monitoring in the commercial preparation of animal feed in Australian stock feed mills guides the implementation of quality control measures and risk mitigation strategies thereby reducing the prevalence and diversity of potentially zoonotic bacteria such as Salmonella, enhancing food safety for both animal and consumer.

Wastewater flows from metropolitan areas, especially those with healthcare inputs, can serve as transport reservoirs for the dissemination of clinically-relevant antimicrobial resistant bacteria (ARB) such as carbapenem- (CR) and colistin-resistant (CoR) strains. Pulsed electric field (PEF) is an emerging wastewater management tool for reducing bacterial loads without generating environmentally harmful byproducts, but it's ability to reduce ARB and their genetic determinants is not well reported. We collected 86, 10-L raw wastewater influent samples from a large metropolitan wastewater treatment plant in Columbus, Ohio and subjected them to low (34 kV cm-1 for 67 μsec) and high (36 kV cm-1 for 89 μsec) PEF treatment. We quantified the PEF effectiveness by measuring concentrations of total coliform bacteria, CR and CoR bacteria, and the epidemic carbapenemase gene, blaKPC, before and after PEF treatment. Utilizing marginal linear regression models with generalized estimating equations, we observed that low and high PEF treatment resulted in a 1.94 (95% CI 2.06-1.81; P

The protozoan Neospora caninum is transmitted between domestic and wildlife species. Urbanized environments and deer density may facilitate this transmission and play a critical role in the spillover of N. caninum from domestic animals to wildlife. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus; WTD) are an important intermediate host for maintaining the sylvatic cycle of N. caninum in the USA. Here, we assayed serum samples from 444 WTD from a nature reservation across a suburban to urban gradient in Ohio, USA. Antibodies to N. caninum were found by using a recombinant NcGRA6 ELISA in 23.6% (105/444). Significant risk factors for seropositivity were age class and urbanization. Deer from urbanized environments were at greater odds of being seropositive (89/323, 27.6%) than those from suburban habitats (16/121, 13.2%), and this difference persisted when adjusting for age and sex. Age was also a significant risk factor with adults at greater odds to be seropositive than fawns and yearlings. We speculate the main route of exposure in WTD is ingestion of N. caninum oocysts from contaminated environments and urbanized habitats facilitate this exposure.

Carbapenemase-producing bacteria (CPB) are rare, multidrug resistant organisms most commonly associated with hospitalized patients. Metropolitan wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) treat wastewater from large geographic areas which include hospitals and may serve as epidemiologic reservoirs for the maintenance or expansion of CPB that originate from hospitals and are ultimately discharged in treated effluent. However, little is known about the potential impact of these WWTP CPB on the local surface water and their risk to the public health. In addition, CPB that are present in surface water may ultimately disseminate to intensively-managed animal agriculture facilities where there is potential for amplification by extended-spectrum cephalosporins. To better understand the role of WWTPs in the dissemination of CPB in surface waters, we obtained samples of treated effluent, and both upstream and downstream nearby surface water from 50 WWTPs throughout the US. A total of 30 CPB with clinically-relevant genotypes were recovered from 15 WWTPs (30%) of which 13 (50%) serviced large metropolitan areas and 2 (8.3%) represented small rural populations (P < 0.05). Recovery of CPB was lowest among WWTPs that utilized ultraviolet radiation for primary disinfection (12%), and higher (P = 0.11) for WWTPs that used chlorination (42%) or that did not utilize disinfection (50%). We did not detect a difference in CPB recovery by sampling site, although fewer CPB were detected in upstream (8%) compared to effluent (20%) and downstream (18%) samples. Our results indicate that WWTP effluent and nearby surface waters in the US are routinely contaminated with CPB with clinically important genotypes including those producing Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC) and New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase (NDM). This is a concern for both public health and animal agriculture because introduction of CPB into intensively managed livestock populations could lead to their amplification and foodborne dissemination.

Felids serve as the definitive host of Toxoplasma gondii contaminating environments with oocysts. White-tailed deer (WTD; Odocoileus virginianus) are used as sentinel species for contaminated environments as well as a potential source for human foodborne infection with T. gondii. Here we determine the seroprevalence of T. gondii in a WTD and felid population, and examine those risk factors that increase exposure to the parasite. Serum samples from 444 WTD and 200 free-roaming cats (Felis catus) from urban and suburban reservations were tested for T. gondii antibodies using the modified agglutination test (MAT, cut-off 1:25). Antibodies to T. gondii were found in 261 (58.8%) of 444 WTD, with 164 (66.1%) of 248 from urban and 97 (49.5%) of 196 from suburban regions. Significant risk factors for seroprevalence included increasing age (P