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Objectives To characterize and compare resistance trends in clinical Escherichia coli isolates from humans, food-producing animals (poultry, cattle and swine) and pets (dogs and cats). Methods Antibiogram results collected between January 2014 and December 2017 by MedQual [the French surveillance network for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacteria isolated from the community] and RESAPATH (the French surveillance network for AMR in bacteria from diseased animals) were analysed, focusing on resistance to antibiotics of common interest to human and veterinary medicine. Resistance dynamics were investigated using generalized additive models. Results In total, 743 637 antibiograms from humans, 48 170 from food-producing animals and 7750 from pets were analysed. For each antibiotic investigated, the resistance proportions of isolates collected from humans were of the same order of magnitude as those from food-producing animals or pets. However, resistance trends in humans differed from those observed in pets and food-producing animals over the period studied. For example, resistance to third-generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones was almost always below 10% for both humans and animals. However, in contrast to the notable decreases in resistance observed in both food-producing animals and pets, resistance in humans decreased only slightly. Conclusions Despite several potential biases in the data, the resistance trends remain meaningful. The strength of the parallel is based on similar data collection in humans and animals and on a similar statistical methodology. Resistance dynamics seemed specific to each species, reflecting different antibiotic-use practices. These results advocate applying the efforts already being made to reduce antibiotic use to all sectors and all species, both in human and veterinary medicine.

International audience; Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Up to a third of the global human population is estimated to carry a T. gondii infection, which can result in severe complications in immunocompromised individuals and pregnant women. Humans and animals can become infected by ingesting either tissue cysts containing T. gondii bradyzoites, from raw or undercooked meat, or sporulated oocysts from environmental sources. T. gondii oocysts are released in the faeces of cats and other felids, which are the parasite's definitive hosts, leading to environmental contamination. Therefore, vaccination of the feline host against T. gondii is an interesting strategy to interrupt the parasitic life cycle and subsequently limit contamination of intermediate hosts. With this goal in mind, we tested in cats, an attenuated live strain of T. gondii deleted for the Mic1 and Mic3 genes (Mic1-3KO) that was previously shown to be an efficient vaccine candidate in mouse and sheep models. Subcutaneous or oral vaccination routes induced a high specific antibody titer in the cat sera, indicating that the Mic1-3KO strain is immunogenic for cats. To assess protection induced by the vaccine candidate strain, we followed oocysts shedding by vaccinated cats, after oral challenge with a T. gondii wild-type strain. Surprisingly, a high antibody titer did not prevent cats from shedding oocysts from the challenge strain, regardless of the vaccination route. Our results show that the Mic1-3KO vaccine candidate is immunogenic in the feline host, is well tolerated and safe, but does not confer protection against oocysts shedding after natural infection with wild type T. gondii. This result highlights the particular relationship between T. gondii and its unique definitive host, which indicates the need for further investigations to improve vaccination strategies to limit environmental and livestock contaminations.

International audience; Recently, Tritrichomonas foetus, the known etiologic agent of bovine trichomonosis was identified in domestic cats in many countries around the world. In felids, this parasite would be a significant cause of large-bowel diarrhoea. Therefore the aim of the present study was to determine for the first time the prevalence of T. foetus infection in French catteries. In this epidemiological survey, rectal swabs from 140 cats participating in three international shows were tested for the presence of motile parasites by microscopy after culturing. The prevalence of T. foetus infection was 14.3% among cats (20/140) and 15.9% among catteries (18/117). These values were similar to those previously obtained in other European countries. Except for the age, no significant associations were found between the presence of T. foetus and various risk factors of infection such as the size of the cattery, the type of food, or the vicinity of a dog. Internal transcribed region of the ribosomal DNA unit was sequenced from the 20 T. foetus isolates identified in this study. They exhibited 100% identity and are homologous with other sequences of strains isolated from domestic cats in other countries.

SUMMARYTestosterone is involved in the development and expression of physiological, morphological and behavioural traits. High levels are often associated with high infection risk and/or intensity, suggesting a trade-off between sexual traits and immunity. Classically invoked mechanisms are immunological or behavioural, i.e., testosterone increases susceptibility or resistance to parasites via an impact on immunity or modulates behaviours involved in parasite transmission. However, studies report contrasted patterns. Given its modes of action and the diversity of host-parasite interactions, testosterone should not act similarly on all interactions. To reduce host and context diversity, we studied 3 viruses in the same cat population: the aggressively transmitted Feline Immunodeficiency virus (FIV), and the Feline Calicivirus (FCV) and Herpesvirus (FHV) both transmitted during friendly contacts. Testosterone had a strong effect on the probability of being positive to FIV whereas its effect was significantly weaker on FCV and FHV. These findings demonstrate that testosterone can be differentially associated with parasites of the same type (viruses). The difference we observed was consistent with a behavioural-mediated effect (increased aggressiveness), supporting the idea that the testosterone effect on infection risk is at least partially driven by behavioural mechanisms in our system. Further investigations (e.g., individual immunity measures) are required to confirm this hypothesis.

International audience; In urban areas, there may be a high local risk of zoonosis due to high densities of stray cat populations. In this study, soil contamination by oocysts of Toxoplasma gondii was searched for, and its spatial distribution was analysed in relation to defecation behaviour of cats living in a high-density population present in one area of Lyon (France). Sixteen defecation sites were first identified. Cats were then repeatedly fed with marked food and the marked faeces were searched for in the defecation sites. Of 260 markers, 72 were recovered from 24 different cats. Defecation sites were frequented by up to 15 individuals. Soil samples were also examined in order to detect the presence of T. gondii using real-time PCR. The entire study area was then sampled according to cat density and vegetation cover type. Only three of 55 samples were positive and all came from defecation sites. In a second series of observations, 16 defecation sites were sampled. Eight of 62 samples tested positive, originating in five defecation sites. Laboratory experiments using experimental seeding of soil showed that the inoculated dose that can be detected in 50% of assays equals 100-1000oocysts/g, depending on the strain. This study shows that high concentrations of oocysts can be detected in soil samples using molecular methods and suggests that spatial distribution of contamination areas is highly heterogeneous. Positive samples were only found in some of the defecation sites, signifying that at-risk points for human and animal infection may be very localised.

International audience; Cats are essential in the life cycle of Toxoplasma gondii because they are the only hosts that can excrete the environmentally resistant oocysts. Samples of serum, feces, and tissues from cats from Mona, a remote island off the coast of Puerto Rico, were examined for T. gondii infection. Antibodies to T. gondii were assayed by the modified agglutination test and found in 16 of 19 (84.2%) of cats, with titers of 1:10 in 2, 1:80 in 1, 1:160 in 4, 1:320 in 3, and 1:1,280 or higher in 6. Tissues of 19 of the 20 cats were bioassayed in mice for T. gondii infection. Toxoplasma gondii was isolated from tissues of 12 cats: from the hearts of 9, skeletal muscle of 10, and brain of 1 cat. All infected mice from 10 of 12 isolates died of acute toxoplasmosis during primary infection. Genotyping of these 12 T. gondii isolates (designated (TgCatPr 1-12) by 10 multilocus PCR-RFLP markers, i.e., SAG1, SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1, and an apicoplast marker Apico, and the 6 multilocus microsatellite markers TUB2, W35, TgM-A, B18, B17, and M33, revealed 7 genotypes; 5 isolates had Type I alleles at all loci except at 1 microsatellite locus, and the remainder were atypical. The latter isolates of T. gondii were different biologically and phenotypically from the feline isolates from the rest of the Americas. One isolate (TgCatPr 12) was a mixed infection with 2 genotypes.

SUMMARYToxoplasma gondiiis largely transmitted to definitive felid hosts through predation. Not all prey species represent identical risks of infection for cats because of differences in prey susceptibility, exposure and/or lifespan. Previously published studies have shown that prevalence in rodent and lagomorph species is positively correlated with body mass. We tested the hypothesis that different prey species have different infection risks by comparing infection dynamics of feral cats at 4 sites in the sub-Antarctic Kerguelen archipelago which differed in prey availability. Cats were trapped from 1994 to 2004 and anti-T. gondiiIgG antibodies were detected using the modified agglutination test (⩾1:40). Overall seroprevalence was 51·09%. Antibody prevalence differed between sites, depending on diet and also on sex, after taking into account the effect of age. Males were more often infected than females and the difference between the sexes tended to be more pronounced in the site where more prey species were available. A difference in predation efficiency between male and female cats may explain this result. Overall, our results suggest that the composition of prey items in cat diet influences the risk ofT. gondiiinfection. Prey compositon should therefore be considered important in any understanding of infection dynamics ofT. gondii.

Toxoplasma gondii is one of the most prevalent protozoan parasites in Iran. This study was aimed to isolate T. gondii from a variety of hosts and to genetically analyze the parasite isolates. The prevalence of T. gondii in different animal hosts was assessed in two provinces of Iran, Tehran and Mazandaran in the central and northern parts, respectively. The latex agglutination (LA) test was carried out, and antibodies were found in 24 out of 105 sheep, 5 out of 35 goats, 23 out of 45 free-ranging chickens (Gallus domesticus), 2 out of 13 ducks (Anas spp.), and two of four stray cats (Felis domesticus). T. gondii was isolated by bioassay in mice from four sheep, six chickens, one duck, two cats, and three human samples. Genotyping of these 16 isolates was performed using Multiplex PCR for five microsatellite markers and GRA6 gene sequence analysis. The results indicated that the studied isolates consisted of only two genotypes, II and III, with no evidence of type 1 or mixed genotypes.

International audience; Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that infects humans and animal species worldwide. The relative importance of each potential transmission route in the complex life cycle of this coccidia is largely unknown, due to the lack of studies taking into account all routes simultaneously. In this study, we analyzed the transmission of T. gondii in an urban population of stray cats captured between 1993 and 2004. Analyzing prevalence, our aim was to determine which factors influence transmission in this population. Specific anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies were detected using the modified agglutination test. Firstly, we analyzed the kinetics of antibody titers in cats captured several times, using mixed linear models and correspondence analysis. We showed that antibody titers did not vary significantly with time and that titer 40 was the best threshold to separate individuals into two serological groups. Overall, prevalence was only 18.6%, thus transmission of T. gondii is infrequent in this population. As expected, a highly significant association was detected between age and presence of IgG antibodies. Prevalence was lowest in kittens aged 3-4 months, suggesting that newborn kittens may carry maternal antibodies and that vertical transmission is rare. After taking into account the effect of age, logistic regression showed that antibody carriage was related to factors that possibly related to the survival of oocysts: localization in the study site, origin of the cats, maximal temperatures and rain. Our results suggest that in this population, vertical transmission is rare, low predation limits prevalence, and oocyst survival is a determining factor in the risk of infection. We discuss the more general importance of conditions determining oocyst survival in the life cycle of T. gondii.

This study, Vetoquinol S.A. epidemiosurveillance, was conducted from 1994 to 2001 in order to determine the susceptibility (by MIC determination) to marbofloxacin (a third generation fluoroquinolone used only in individual administration for animals). Strains from infected pets originated from six European countries. Isolates were collected from urinary infections (Escherichia coli), respiratory infections (Pasteurella multocida), dermatological infections (Staphylococcus intermedius, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and otitis (S. intermedius, P. aeruginosa). The MIC distribution for each species was the same both before and after the launch of marbofloxacin in 1995. In E. coli, a resistant population was present before the use of marbofloxacin; this resistance was induced by co- or cross-resistance to other antibiotics used previously. Over this period, there was no significant evolution of MIC(90) for any bacterial species studied and no development of resistance was observed. Marbofloxacin was the most active antibiotic against P. multocida isolates and had the lowest MIC. No difference in MIC distribution was seen between the S. intermedius (unimodal distribution) isolated from dermatological infections and those from otitis. This was also true for P. aeruginosa. The use of marbofloxacin was not found to have induced a significant increase or spread of resistant bacteria.