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BACKGROUND: One-fifth of the global population is infected with soil-transmitted helminths (STH). Mass drug administration (MDA) with deworming medication is widely implemented to control morbidity associated with STH infections. However, surveillance of human infection prevalence by collecting individual stool samples is time-consuming, costly, often stigmatized, and logistically challenging. Current methods of STH detection are poorly sensitive, particularly in low-intensity and low-prevalence populations. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We aimed to develop a sensitive and specific molecular method for detecting STH DNA in large volumes of soil (20 g) by conducting laboratory and proof of concept studies across field sites in Kenya, Benin, and India. We collected human stool (n = 669) and soil (n = 478) from 322 households across the three study sites. We developed protocols for DNA extraction from 20 g of soil and qPCR to detect Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, Necator americanus, and Ancylostoma duodenale. Agreement between detection of STH via qPCR, digital droplet PCR (ddPCR), and microscopy-based methods was assessed using the Cohens Kappa statistic. Finally, we estimated associations between soil characteristics and detection of STH in soil by qPCR, as well as between STH detected in soil and STH detected in stool from matched households, adjusting for soil characteristics. The overall prevalence of STH in soil by qPCR was 31% for A. lumbricoides, 3% for T. trichiura, and 13% for any hookworm species. ddPCR and qPCR performed similarly. However, there was poor agreement between STH detected in soil by qPCR versus light microscopy. Microscopy underestimated the prevalence of A. lumbricoides and N. americanus and overestimated T. trichiura. Detection of an STH species in household soil was strongly associated with increased odds of a household member being infected with that same species. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Soil surveillance for STH has several benefits over stool-based surveillance, including lower cost and higher success rates for sample collection. Considering that delivery of MDA occurs at the community level, environmental surveillance using molecular methods could be a cost-effective alternate strategy for monitoring STH in these populations.

A substantial proportion of global travel occurs between low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) for the purposes of migration, medical tourism, trade and employment, and this is likely to accelerate due to climate-change-related migration. Traveller studies based in LMICs are needed to better monitor the global spread of antibiotic resistance.

Children living in low-resource settings are frequently gut-colonized with multidrug-resistant bacteria. We explored whether breastfeeding may protect against childrens incident gut colonization with extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-Ec) and Klebsiella, Enterobacter, or Citrobacter spp. (ESBL-KEC). We screened 937 monthly stool samples collected from 112 children aged 1-16 months during a 2016-19 prospective cohort study of enteric infections in peri-urban Lima. We used 52,816 daily surveys to examine how exposures to breastfeeding in the 30 days prior to a stool sample were associated with childrens risks of incident gut-colonization, controlling for antibiotic use and other covariates. We sequenced 78 ESBL-Ec from 47 children to explore their diversity. Gut-colonization with ESBL-Ec was increasingly prevalent as children aged, approaching 75% by 16 months, while ESBL-KEC prevalence fluctuated between 18% and 36%. Through 6 months of age, exclusively providing human milk in the 30 days prior to a stool sample did not reduce childrens risk of incident gut-colonization with ESBL-Ec or ESBL-KEC. From 6 to 16 months of age, every 3 additional days of breastfeeding in the prior 30 days was associated with 6% lower risk of incident ESBL-Ec gut-colonization (95% CI: 0.90, 0.98, p = .003). No effects were observed on incident ESBL-KEC colonization. We detected highly diverse ESBL-Ec among children and few differences between children who were predominantly breastfed (mean age: 4.1 months) versus older children (10.8 months). Continued breastfeeding after 6 months conferred protection against childrens incident gut colonization with ESBL-Ec in this setting. Policies supporting continued breastfeeding should be considered in efforts to combat antibiotic resistance.

Antibiotic resistance is one of the greatest public health challenges of our time. International efforts to curb resistance have largely focused on drug development and limiting unnecessary antibiotic use. However, in areas where water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure is lacking, we propose that bacterial flow between humans and animals can exacerbate the emergence and spread of resistant pathogens. Here, we describe the consequences of poor environmental controls by comparing mobile resistance elements among Escherichia coli recovered from humans and meat in Cambodia, a middle-income country with substantial human-animal connectivity and unregulated antibiotic use. We identified identical mobile resistance elements and a conserved transposon region that were widely dispersed in both humans and animals, a phenomenon rarely observed in high-income settings. Our findings indicate that plugging leaks at human-animal interfaces should be a critical part of addressing antibiotic resistance in low- and especially middle-income countries.

Healthy development of the gut microbiome provides long-term health benefits. Children raised in countries with high infectious disease burdens are frequently exposed to diarrhoeal pathogens and antibiotics, which perturb gut microbiome assembly. A recent cluster-randomized trial leveraging >4,000 child observations in Dhaka, Bangladesh, found that automated water chlorination of shared taps effectively reduced child diarrhoea and antibiotic use. In this substudy, we leveraged stool samples collected from 130 children 1 year after chlorine doser installation to examine differences between treatment and control children's gut microbiota. Water chlorination was associated with increased abundance of several bacterial genera previously linked to improved gut health; however, we observed no effects on the overall richness or diversity of taxa. Several clinically relevant antibiotic resistance genes were relatively more abundant in the gut microbiome of treatment children, possibly due to increases in Enterobacteriaceae. While further studies on the long-term health impacts of drinking chlorinated water would be valuable, we conclude that access to chlorinated water did not substantially impact child gut microbiome development in this setting, supporting the use of chlorination to increase global access to safe drinking water.

Environmental surveillance of surface contamination is an unexplored tool for understanding transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in community settings. We conducted longitudinal swab sampling of high-touch non-porous surfaces in a Massachusetts town during a COVID-19 outbreak from April to June 2020. Twenty-nine of 348 (8.3%) surface samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA, including crosswalk buttons, trash can handles, and door handles of essential business entrances (grocery store, liquor store, bank, and gas station). The estimated risk of infection from touching a contaminated surface was low (less than 5 in 10,000) by quantitative microbial risk assessment, suggesting fomites play a minimal role in SARS-CoV-2 community transmission. The weekly percentage of positive samples (out of n = 33 unique surfaces per week) best predicted variation in city-level COVID-19 cases with a 7-day lead time. Environmental surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 RNA on high-touch surfaces may be a useful tool to provide early warning of COVID-19 case trends.

BackgroundThe proportion of infections among young children that are antimicrobial-resistant is increasing across the globe. Newborns may be colonized with enteric antimicrobial-resistant pathogens early in life, which is a risk factor for infection-related morbidity and mortality. Breastfeeding is actively promoted worldwide for its beneficial impacts on newborn health and gut health. However, the role of breastfeeding and human milk components in mitigating young children's carriage of antimicrobial-resistant pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes has not been comprehensively explored.Main bodyHere, we review how the act of breastfeeding, early breastfeeding, and/or human milk components, such as the milk microbiota, secretory IgA, human milk oligosaccharides, antimicrobial peptides, and microRNA -bearing extracellular vesicles, could play a role in preventing the establishment of antimicrobial-resistant pathogens in young children's developing gut microbiomes. We describe findings from recent human studies that support this concept.ConclusionGiven the projected rise in global morbidity and mortality that will stem from antimicrobial-resistant infections, identifying behavioral or nutritional interventions that could decrease children's susceptibility to colonization with antimicrobial-resistant pathogens may be one strategy for protecting their health. We suggest that breastfeeding and human milk supplements deserve greater attention as potential preventive measures in the global effort to combat antimicrobial resistance, particularly in low- and middle-income settings.

The integration of behavioral theories in designing antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) interventions aimed at optimizing the antimicrobial prescription in veterinary practice is highly recommended. However, little is known about the factors that influence veterinarians' antimicrobial behavior for food-producing animals in lower- and middle-income settings like Bangladesh. There is a large body of research on the factors that influence veterinarian behavior of prescribing antimicrobials, however, there is a need for more studies that use comprehensive behavior change models to develop and evaluate interventions. Applying the Capability, Opportunity, and Motivation for Behavior (COM-B) model, this qualitative study attempted to address this gap by conducting 32 one-on-one semi-structured interviews with registered veterinarians in Bangladesh. In alignment with COM-B constructs and the theoretical domain framework (TDF), thematic analysis (both inductive and deductive inferences) was performed to analyze the data and identify underlying factors that influence veterinarians' antimicrobial prescription behavior. We found that under "Capability," factors such as knowledge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR); ability to handle complex disease conditions; ability to identify the appropriate antimicrobial type, routes of administration, and potential side effects influence prescription behavior by veterinarians. Under "Opportunity," veterinarians' prescription behavior was influenced by lack of laboratory testing facilities, poor farm biosecurity, farm management and location, farming conditions, impacts of climate change, the clinical history of animals and social influence from different actors including senior figures, peers, farmers, and other informal stakeholders. Under "Motivation," national laws and guidelines serve as catalysts in reducing antimicrobial prescriptions. However, perceived consequences such as fear of treatment failure, losing clients, farmers' reliance on informal service providers, and economic losses demotivate veterinarians from reducing the prescription of antimicrobials. Additionally, veterinarians feel that reducing the burden of AMR is a shared responsibility since many informal stakeholders are involved in the administration and purchase of these medicines. Based on our results, this study recommends incorporating the factors we identified into existing or novel AMS interventions. The behavior change wheel can be used as the guiding principle while designing AMS interventions to increase capability, opportunity and motivation to reduce antimicrobial over-prescription. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Livestock-associated Staphylococcus aureus (LA-SA) has emerged among pigs raised in industrial hog operations (IHOs) and persons who work on or live near IHOs globally, including in the United States (1-4). [...]

Introduction Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services are described in global action plans as necessary to curb antimicrobial resistance (AMR), despite a lack of supporting data. (1,2) WASH services are [...]

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a looming pandemic whose poor health outcomes are unlikely to be equitably distributed. This article focuses on intersections between AMR and inequities in health care workplaces in the United States and identifies the following as key problems: lack of published data on task-specific occupational health risks related to colonization and infection with antimicrobial-resistant pathogens, limited scientific literature reporting on race and ethnicity, and poor access to infection control educational opportunities for minoritized health care workers. This article argues that an equitable approach to remediating these problems requires improving surveillance and expanding research on how AMR is likely to influence health outcomes among members of the US-based health care workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Europe, evidence for the spread of extended-spectrum [beta]-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli from animals to humans via food is unclear (1). Few studies have been conducted in low- and middle-income [...]

Background: In Southeast-Asia, where many conditions associated with dissemination of ESBL-producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-E) in the community are met, data from the community are scarce but show high ESBL-E carriage prevalence. Maternal ESBL-E colonization is considered a risk factor for neonatal colonization, which is the first step towards developing neonatal sepsis. Despite this, ESBL-E carriage prevalence and its risk factors during pregnancy or postpartum remain undefined in Southeast-Asia.Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of ESBL-E faecal colonization among peripartum women in the community of an urban and a rural area in Cambodia, to investigate ESBL-E genomic characteristics and to identify associated risk factors.Methods: Epidemiological data and faecal samples from 423 peripartum women were collected in an urban and rural areas in Cambodia (2015-16). Bacterial cultures, antibiotic susceptibility tests and ESBL gene sequencing were performed. Risk factor analysis was conducted using logistic regression.Results: The prevalence of ESBL-E faecal carriage was 79.2% (95% CI 75.0%-82.8%) among which Escherichia coli (n = 315/335, 94.0%) were most frequent. All isolates were multidrug resistant. Among 318 ESBL-E, the genes most frequently detected were blaCTX-M-15 (41.5%), blaCTX-M-55 (24.8%), and blaCTX-M-27 (15.1%). Low income, undernutrition, multiparity, regular consumption of pork, dried meat, and raw vegetables, were associated with ESBL-E faecal carriage.Conclusions: The high prevalence of ESBL-E carriage observed among peripartum women in Southeast-Asia and the identified associated factors underline the urgent need for public health measures to address antimicrobial resistance, including a 'One Health' approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Industrial hog operation (IHO) workers may persistently carry antibiotic-resistant, livestock-associated Staphylococcus aureus in their nasal cavities. It is unclear whether IHO work activities can alter IHO workers' and their household members' exposure to these bacteria. Objective: Our objective was to investigate the relationship of IHO work activities with persistence of antibiotic-resistant, livestock-associated S. aureus nasal carriage among IHO workers and their household members. Methods: At biweekly intervals over 4 months, IHO workers and their household members completed questionnaires and provided nasal swabs that were assessed for S. aureus, multidrug-resistant S. aureus (MDRSA), and livestock-associated markers (tetracycline resistance, scn absence, spa type). We examined the association between transient and habitual IHO work activities and S. aureus nasal carriage outcomes. Results: One hundred one IHO workers and 79 household members completed 1,456 study visits. Face mask use (each 25% increase) was associated with reduced odds of nasal carriage of MDRSA (odds ratio [OR]: 0.65 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.46, 0.92], tetracycline-resistant S. aureus [OR = 0.74 (95% CI: 0.56, 0.97)], and S. aureus clonal complex (CC) 398/CC9 [OR = 0.77 (95% CI: 0.60, 0.99)]. IHO workers who ever (vs. never) gave pigs injections had higher odds of these outcomes. Among household members, living with an IHO worker who consistently ([greater than or equal to] 80% of the time) versus sometimes or never used a face mask was associated with reduced odds of carrying scn-negative S. aureus, tetracycline-resistant S. aureus, and S. aureus CC398/CC9 (OR range: 0.12-0.20, all p Conclusions: Consistent face mask use was associated with reduced exposure to antibiotic-resistant, livestock-associated S. aureus among IHO workers and their household members. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP3453, Introduction Hogs in the United States are primarily grown on industrial hog operations (IHOs), which are characterized by high densities of hogs grown in confined spaces (Macdonald and McBride 2009). [...]