Search

Jennifer Chaitman,1 Albert E Jergens,2 Frederic Gaschen,3 Jose F Garcia-Mazcorro,4 Stanley L Marks,5 Alicia G Marroquin-Cardona,4 Keith Richter,6 Giacomo Rossi,7 Jan S Suchodolski,8 J Scott Weese9 1Veterinary Internal Medicine and Allergy Specialists, New York, NY, 2College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 3School of Veterinary Medicine, Lousiana State University, LA, USA; 4Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, General Escobedo, Nuevo León, Mexico; 5Department of Medicine & Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, 6Veterinary Specialty Hospital of San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA; 7Department of Veterinary Science, School of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy; 8Gastrointestinal Laboratory, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA; 9Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada Abstract: The gastrointestinal tract of dogs, cats, and other mammals including humans harbors millions of beneficial microorganisms that regulate and maintain health. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a procedure involving the administration of a fecal infusion from a healthy individual (donor) to a patient with disease to help improve health. Despite the effectiveness of FMT to treat intestinal disorders in humans, in particular recurrent Clostridium difficile infection, there is a paucity of scientific data regarding the application of FMT in veterinary patients. Here, we outline key aspects of FMT in small animal practice. Keywords: microbiota, health, fecal microbiota transplantation, dysbiosis, enteropathogens, immune system

Respiratory tract disease can be associated with primary or secondary bacterial infections in dogs and cats and is a common reason for use and potential misuse, improper use, and overuse of antimicrobials. There is a lack of comprehensive treatment guidelines such as those that are available for human medicine. Accordingly, the International Society for Companion Animal Infectious Diseases convened a Working Group of clinical microbiologists, pharmacologists, and internists to share experiences, examine scientific data, review clinical trials, and develop these guidelines to assist veterinarians in making antimicrobial treatment choices for use in the management of bacterial respiratory diseases in dogs and cats.

The epidemic of antimicrobial resistant infections continues to challenge, compromising animal care, complicating food animal production and posing zoonotic disease risks. While the overall role of therapeutic antimicrobial use in animals in the development AMR in animal and human pathogens is poorly defined, veterinarians must consider the impacts of antimicrobial use in animal and take steps to optimize antimicrobial use, so as to maximize the health benefits to animals while minimizing the likelihood of antimicrobial resistance and other adverse effects. This consensus statement aims to provide guidance on the therapeutic use of antimicrobials in animals, balancing the need for effective therapy with minimizing development of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria from animals and humans.

SUMMARYPetting zoos are popular attractions, but can also be associated with zoonotic disease outbreaks. Hand hygiene is critical to reducing disease risks; however, compliance can be poor. Video observation of petting zoo visitors was used to assess animal and environmental contact and hand hygiene compliance. Compliance was also compared over five hand hygiene intervention periods. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression were used for analysis. Overall hand hygiene compliance was 58% (340/583). Two interventions had a significant positive association with hand hygiene compliance [improved signage with offering hand sanitizer, odds ratio (OR) 3·38, P<0·001; verbal hand hygiene reminders, OR 1·73, P=0·037]. There is clearly a need to improve hand hygiene compliance at this and other animal exhibits. This preliminary study was the first to demonstrate a positive impact of a hand hygiene intervention at a petting zoo. The findings suggest that active, rather than passive, interventions are more effective for increasing compliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional methods for monitoring pathogens in environmental waters have numerous drawbacks. Sampling approaches that are low-cost and time efficient that can capture temporal variation in microbial contamination are needed. Passive sampling of aquatic environments has shown promise as an alternative water monitoring technique for waterborne pathogens and microbial contaminants. The present systematic review aimed to compile and synthesize existing literature on the use of passive samplers for the monitoring of microbes in different water sources and identify research gaps. The review summarizes current knowledge on materials used for detection, deployment durations, analytical methods, quantification as well as benefits and limitations of passive sampling. This review found that electronegative nitrocellulose membrane filters are effective for both detection and quantification of viruses in wastewater, while gauze passive samplers have been effective for detecting bacterial targets in wastewater. There is a large knowledge gap in the use of passive samplers in a quantitative manner, especially for the back-calculation of water-column microbial concentrations or for correlation to outcomes of interest (e.g. prevalence rates). Further, there is very limited attention paid to the use of membrane filters for the monitoring of bacteria in any water source as well as a lack of studies utilizing passive sampling approaches for protozoa., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Heather Murphy reports financial support was provided by Canada Research Chairs Program. Heather Murphy reports financial support was provided by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. Heather Murphy reports financial support was provided by GIER University of Guelph. Heather Murphy reports a relationship with International Joint Commission that includes: board membership. Heather Murphy reports a relationship with Philadelphia Department of Public Health that includes: funding grants. David McCarthy is an editor for Water Research. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Canine infectious respiratory disease complex (CIRDC) is a common respiratory condition typically associated with high-density populations., Objectives: The objectives of this study were to determine the most common pathogens involved in CIRDC and to identify risk factors (pathogens, environmental exposures) associated with the diagnosis., Animals and Procedure: A prospective, multi-clinic, case-control study was conducted in Canada from April 2017 to May 2018. A total of 110 dogs (74 cases, 36 controls) were enrolled by participating veterinary clinics. Pathogens were detected using a respiratory PCR panel., Results: Canine parainfluenza virus (CPIV), Bordetella bronchiseptica , and canine respiratory coronavirus (CRCoV) were detected in cases only. According to 2 logistic regression models, detection of CPIV (OR: 14.42; 95% CI: 2.24 to ∞) and CRCoV (OR: 8.64; 95% CI: 1.26 to ∞) were associated with CIRDC disease status. In another model, exposures to multiple-dog gatherings also increased the odds (OR: 3.39; 95% CI: 1.26 to 9.81) of CIRDC diagnosis., Conclusions: Consistent with other studies, this study determined that CPIV, CRCoV, and B. bronchiseptica were important contributors to CIRDC cases. Detection of CPIV and CRCoV and exposure to areas of dog gatherings were identified as having a role in disease status when evaluated statistically, under the conditions of this study., (Copyright and/or publishing rights held by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association.)

Numerous tick species are undergoing significant range expansion in Canada, including several Dermacentor spp Koch (Acari: Ixodidae). With the recent description of Dermacentor similis Lado in the western United States, additional research is required to determine the current range of this species. Five hundred ninety-eight Dermacentor spp. were collected from companion animals in the western Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. Ticks were morphologically identified to species, followed by PCR and gel electrophoresis of the ITS-2 partial gene target (n = 595). Ninety-seven percent (n = 579/595) generated valid banding patterns. The banding pattern for the majority (74%, n = 206/278) of Dermacentor spp. from southern British Columbia was consistent with D. variabilis (Say), while 26% (n = 72/278) was consistent with D. andersoni Stiles. For samples from Alberta, 38% (n = 3/8) had banding patterns consistent with D. variabilis and 63% (n = 5/8) with D. andersoni. All (n = 293) ticks from Saskatchewan had banding patterns consistent with D. variabilis. After the description of D. similis was published, DNA sequencing of mitochondrial (16S rDNA gene, COI gene) and nuclear (ITS-2) markers was used to confirm the identity of 40 samples. Twenty-seven samples that had banding patterns consistent with D. variabilis from British Columbia were confirmed to be D. similis. One sample from Alberta and five from Saskatchewan were confirmed to be D. variabilis and seven samples from British Columbia were D. andersoni. The ITS-2 amplicons were not useful for differentiating between D. variabilis and D. similis. These results provide evidence of D. similis in western Canada and highlight that sequences of the mitochondrial genes are effective for distinguishing D. andersoni, D. variabilis, and D. similis., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America.© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 2024.)

Inappropriate antibiotic use is a key driver of antibiotic resistance and one that can be mitigated through stewardship. A better understanding of current prescribing practices is needed to develop successful stewardship efforts. This study aims to identify factors that are associated with human cases of enteric illness receiving an antibiotic prescription. Cases of laboratory-confirmed enteric illness reported to the FoodNet Canada surveillance system between 2015 and 2019 were the subjects of this study. Laboratory data were combined with self-reported data collected from an enhanced case questionnaire that included demographic data, illness duration and symptoms, and antibiotic prescribing. The data were used to build univariable logistic regression models and a multivariable logistic regression model to explore what factors were associated with a case receiving an antibiotic prescription. The final multivariable model identified several factors as being significantly associated with cases being prescribed an antibiotic. Some of the identified associations indicate that current antibiotic prescribing practices include a substantial level of inappropriate use. This study provides evidence that antibiotic stewardship initiatives targeting infectious diarrhoea are needed to optimize antibiotic use and combat the rise of antibiotic resistance.

Objective: To report quantitative PCR (qPCR) detection of Echinococcus multilocularis DNA in fecal samples from 26 dogs in the US and Canada., Animals: 26 dogs with fecal samples submitted for parasite screening by qPCR., Clinical Presentation: Dog signalment, presenting concern, preventive care, and outcomes were obtained from the primary veterinarian via email or telephone, where available., Results: Echinococcus multilocularis was detected in 26 of 2,333,797 dog fecal samples by reference laboratory fecal qPCR surveillance between March 2022 and July 2024. Seventeen E multilocularis-detected samples were sequenced as European haplotypes (E3/E4). Taenia-type eggs were identified by zinc sulfate centrifugal flotation in 8 of 17 samples (47%). Dogs were from the US (n = 16) and Canada (10). Ten dogs had gastrointestinal signs (diarrhea) reported on initial presentation. Clinical history revealed that some dogs were receiving a monthly antiparasitic preventive in the 6-month period prior to sampling (n = 10) and had regular wildlife (rodent) exposure (13). Twenty-five dogs were subsequently confirmed to have received treatment with praziquantel for detected E multilocularis, and 25 of these dogs were qPCR negative 3 to 5 weeks after treatment., Clinical Relevance: Veterinary awareness of endemic risk regions for E multilocularis and its emergence in novel areas (Colorado, Nevada, Wyoming, Montana, Illinois, Washington, Idaho, Kansas, and Oregon) are key for One Health. Dogs can serve as sentinels for Echinococcus tapeworm risk, and detection of E multilocularis tapeworms in dogs through routine qPCR fecal screening can alert clinicians to zoonotic concern and common environmental exposure risk.

The 2022 monkeypox virus (MPXV) outbreaks spurred global public health concern. In response, we undertook a living systematic review of its zoonotic characteristics, including potential reservoirs and susceptible species, transmissibility, and clinical presentation in nonhuman species. Electronic database searches yielded 148 eligible records published between 2000 and 2022. Primary reservoirs remain unidentified, with natural isolation identified in 2 species, the sooty mangabey monkey and rope squirrel. Transmission primarily occurs from animals to humans, but evidence of reverse zoonosis has emerged. Data on clinical infection and manifestations are sparse, with evidence of potentially susceptible species drawn primarily from experimental studies. Only 10% of articles were appropriate for quality assessment and most of these were rated as critically low. Overall, while evidence regarding MPXV exists, the quality of data are extremely poor, resulting in significant uncertainty regarding MPXV's zoonotic traits. High-quality empirical research to understand the impact of MPXV on animal and human populations is warranted., Competing Interests: Potential conflicts of interest. The authors report no conflicts of interest., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Infectious Diseases Society of America.)

The European Society for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) developed consensus-based generic competencies in antimicrobial prescribing and stewardship. These may be useful in structuring and evaluating antimicrobial prescribing education to veterinary students, but their applicability has not been evaluated. We aimed to evaluate whether the ESCMID competencies are currently taught and how relevant they are to veterinary prescribing in veterinary schools globally. A multi-center, cross-sectional survey was performed by administering an online questionnaire to academics teaching antimicrobial prescribing to veterinary students. Targeted recruitment was undertaken to ensure the representation of diverse geographical locations. Responses (48) were received from veterinary schools in Europe (26), North America (7), Asia (6), Australia (3), Central and South America (3), and Africa (3). Of the 37 ESCMID prescribing competencies, only 6 were considered only "slightly" or "not at all" relevant by more than 10% of respondents. Of the 37 competencies, 25 of the competencies were taught in more than 90% of schools and another 6 were taught in 80%-89% of schools. Time spent teaching was "too little" or "far too little" for five competencies according to more than 50% of the respondents. Additional competencies to address extra-label drug use; the use of compounded antimicrobials; the use of antimicrobials for metaphylaxis, prophylaxis, and growth promotion; and the importance rating of antimicrobials were suggested. The ESCMID antimicrobial prescribing competencies had broad relevance and were widely covered in the veterinary curriculum globally.

Growth-promoting antibiotics have been used in cattle, but concern about antimicrobial overuse has prompted a re-evaluation of this practice. To evaluate changes in the ruminal microbiota of feedlot cattle by virginiamycin, a total of 76 crossbreed beef cattle from 2 batches of cattle at different sampling periods (B1 and B2) were divided into 2 groups: one receiving virginiamycin in their diet (ATB) and the other receiving the same diet without any growth promoter (CON). The use of virginiamycin was associated with significant changes in the diversity and composition of the ruminal microbiota of cattle in B1, but not in cattle in B2. Several bacterial taxa were significantly more abundant in samples from CON, e.g ., an unclassified genus of the TM7 phylum, whereas others were associated with the use of virginiamycin, e.g., Holdemania and Selenomonas spp. In conclusion, virginiamycin can affect bacterial diversity and composition in the rumen of feedlot cattle, but its effect is inconsistent in different seasons of the year., (Copyright and/or publishing rights held by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association.)

The similarity of current definitions of 'cross-resistance' and 'co-resistance' continues to cause confusion both in the scientific community as well as in understanding policies and in particular when looking at resistance from a risk assessment perspective. Further, lack of harmonized definitions of these terms in the regulatory space is challenging for interpretation. The purpose of this article is to: (i) provide an overview of the ambiguity in existing terminology related to cross-resistance, co-resistance and co-selection; (ii) emphasize the challenges created by the use of poor terminology in research and scientific literature; and (iii) propose a clear set of harmonized definitions that could be put into use through international regulatory agencies and institutions, such as the World Health Organization, Food and Drug Administration, European Medicines Agency, Center for Disease Control, Committee for Veterinary Medicinal Products, World Organization for Animal Health/Office International des Epizooties and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Acute diarrhoea is a common presentation in dogs, and a common reason for antimicrobial prescription and nutraceutical use. This evidence-based guideline provides recommendations for antimicrobial and probiotic treatment of canine acute diarrhoea (CAD). A multidisciplinary panel developed the recommendations by adhering to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) framework. The opinions of stakeholders (general veterinary practitioners and dog owners) were collected and incorporated to ensure the applicability of this guideline. Four strong recommendations informed by high certainty evidence, and three conditional recommendations informed by very low or low certainty evidence, were drafted by the panel, along with an ungraded section on diagnostic work-up of dogs with acute diarrhoea. The ENOVAT guidelines initiative encourages national or regional guideline makers to use the evidence presented in this document, and the supporting systematic review, to draft national or local guidance documents., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement This article is based upon work from the COST Action European Network for Optimization of Veterinary Antimicrobial Treatment (CA18217), supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology). The panel members did not have any substantial conflicts of interest at the time of drafting recommendations. However, it should be noted that most of the panel members are involved in antimicrobial stewardship activities. Two panel members (MW and SU) were authors of trials included in the systematic reviews and did not participate in the risk of bias assessment or any other individual quality assessments for these publications., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Feline respiratory disease complex (FRDC) is a highly prevalent syndrome in cats that often result in fatal outcomes. FRDC etiology is complex, and often, multiple viral and bacterial pathogens are simultaneously associated with disease causation. There is limited information about the role of co-infections in pathogenesis and the current prevalence of pathogens in North America. We aimed to conduct a study using technical advances in molecular diagnosis and statistical modeling analysis to elucidate the occurrence of pathogens and how co-infections affect disease severity. We attained information from three diagnostic laboratories in North America regarding the occurrence of Bordetella bronchiseptica , Chlamydia felis , Mycoplasma , Felid alphaherpesvirus 1 (FeHV-1), feline calicivirus (FCV), and influenza A, along with age, seasonality, sex, and clinical signs. We also evaluated the role of co-infections in disease severity. These pathogens were also investigated in clinically normal cats (control). The most detected pathogens were Mycoplasma , FCV, and FeHV-1. Most pathogens were detected in the control group, highlighting the challenge of interpreting positive testing results. Co-infections of Mycoplasma and FCV, as well as Mycoplasma and FeHV-1, were important predictors of disease severity. Age, sex, and season had a minor impact on pathogen occurrence. This study provides new insights into FRDC and underlines the relevance of diagnostic panels to screen for a range of pathogens, providing knowledge for timely diagnosis and therapeutic interventions., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Maboni, Che, Tallmadge, De Luca, Goodman, Weese and Sanchez.)

Background: Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) are a concern in both human and animal medicine globally. Despite extensive research in humans, limited data exist on CRE in companion animals, with a lack of nationwide prevalence estimates., Hypothesis/objectives: To assess the occurrence and trends of CRE in cats and dogs across the United States by analyzing 4 years of commercial antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) data., Animals: Between 2019 and 2022, 477 426 ASTs were conducted on Enterobacterales isolates against imipenem. Isolates were derived from 379 598 dogs and 97 828 cats. Animal origin was not disclosed., Methods: In this retrospective study, antimicrobial susceptibility test data from IDEXX Laboratories were analyzed. Analysis included resistance estimations to imipenem stratified by sampling site, an assessment of resistance patterns over time and location, and the application of space-time cluster analysis to identify potential outbreaks. Antibiograms were produced for carbapenem-resistant isolates., Results: Susceptibility to imipenem was high, at 98.86%. Temporal analysis indicated stability in susceptibility, with an unexplained reduction in susceptible isolates in June 2019. Spatial analysis identified 2 high-risk clusters along the Western Coast (relative risk [RR]: 23.26; P < .001) and in Texas (RR: 10.72; P < .001) in that month. Three other clusters were found, in Missouri (RR: 39.55; P = .038), Florida (RR: 4.53; P < .001), and New York (RR: 9.20; P < .001)., Conclusions and Clinical Importance: CRE are present at a low prevalence in dogs and cats across the United States. Variations in prevalence across patient-level and environmental factors highlight the need for tailored stewardship programs., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.)

Leishmania spp. are zoonotic parasites transmitted by phlebotomine sand flies, including those of the Lutzomyia genus, which can cause leishmaniases in both humans and dogs. Lutzomyia spp. are established in many countries in South and Central America and some areas of the southern United States, with suspected potential of these vectors to undergo further range expansion due to climate change. A scoping review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extensions for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines to describe the current state of knowledge on the key ecological factors associated with Lutzomyia spp. survival, reproduction and establishment. The following electronic databases were searched for eligible studies published from 1 January 1990, to the date of search, 26 April 2023: CAB Direct (CABI), MEDLINE (via Ovid), Biological Sciences Database and Environmental Sciences Database. Primary research articles that were available in English and focused on ecological factors associated with Lutzomyia spp., such as climatic and habitat factors, geographic range, seasonality and temporality, and host abundance, were eligible for inclusion in the study. Following de-duplication, a total of 167 studies were included in Level 1 screening, 64 studies were included in Level 2 screening and 31 studies met the criteria for data extraction. Study locations included Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, the United States, Mexico and Canada, with some studies including multiple regions. A total of 31 different Lutzomyia spp. were assessed across these studies, with most (51.6%) of the studies focused on Lutzomyia longipalpis. Eligible studies investigated factors such as seasonality (n = 5), temperature (n = 19), precipitation (n = 13), humidity (n = 2), vegetation presence or requirements (n = 13), ecotypes (n = 7), and/or community type (i.e., urban, suburban, rural) (n = 5). Lutzomyia spp. activity was found to be higher during the rainy season, and peak when temperatures were between 20 and 25°C. Lutzomyia spp. were also found to preferentially reside in tropical or subtropical forests, which are characterised by their lack of a distinct dry season and high precipitation. This scoping review summarised the current state of the literature on the ecological factors associated with the survival, activity and reproduction of Lutzomyia spp. While there appears to be some consensus in the literature regarding some ecological requirements (such as seasonality, temperature and habitat features), overall, there is a lack of published research in this topic. This poses a significant challenge for future studies, which aim to predict the future distribution of Lutzomyia spp. in the context of climate and land use changes. Additional ecological research is urgently needed on Lutzomyia spp. given their relevance to both human and animal health., (© 2024 The Author(s). Medical and Veterinary Entomology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Royal Entomological Society.)

Background: Canine leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease of global importance. The identification of social and environmental risk factors remains limited and is needed for planning interventions. Our objectives were to summarise the global trends in social and environmental risk factors for canine leptospirosis and to identify knowledge gaps., Methods: We searched peer-reviewed and grey literature for observational studies on canine leptospirosis written in English. Variables assessed via formal statistical tests were recorded and categorised into thematic risk factor groups. The risk factors were summarised by the number of unique studies and their direction of association., Results: Of the 3184 articles identified, 66 met the inclusion criteria. Eight environmental and three social risk factor groups were identified. Exposure to animals and water was commonly studied, but social risk factors were infrequently examined. Most studies were conducted on populations in higher-income countries and countries in the Americas., Limitations: Several limitations were encountered, including inconsistent study designs and measurement and control of variables as well as disproportionate representation of studies from the Americas and higher-income countries., Conclusion: The weight and quality of evidence for social and environmental risk factors were highly variable. Additional research following standard reporting guidelines to improve transparency and increase generalisability to different contexts is needed., (© 2024 The Author(s). Veterinary Record published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Veterinary Association.)

Annually, Sierra Leone records an estimated 301 human fatalities due to rabies. Canine vaccination is crucial for rabies prevention and control efforts. However, considerable variability exists in vaccination rates. Reasons for this variation remain unclear. We conducted a cross-sectional study across 2,558 dog-owning households (HHs) to provide insights into factors influencing canine vaccination for targeted prevention and control towards elimination by 2030. First, we described dog ownership practices, then built a probabilistic model to understand factors associated with dog vaccination, and finally used a spatial scan statistic to identify spatial clusters where vaccination rates were low. Our results indicated that only 14% (358/2,558) of participating HHs had fully vaccinated their dogs against rabies. The probability of dog vaccination increased when comparing civil servants to private workers/artisans, with an Odds Ratio(OR) of 1.14 (95% credible interval (Crl) of 0.82-1.56), residing in locations with a veterinary establishment vs. none (OR = 6.43, 95% Crl (4.97-8.35), providing care to dogs vs. allowing dogs to roam freely (OR = 2.38, 95% Crl(1.80-3.17) and owning a single dog vs multiple dogs (OR = 1.20, 95 Crl (0.92-1.56). Conversely, there was a decrease in the estimated probability of vaccination when comparing dog owners located in rural vs. urban areas (OR = 0.58, CrI 95% (0.43-0.78). Latent understanding, a measure of overall understanding of rabies virus, which we estimated using participant education levels and responses to questions about rabies epidemiology, was also an important predictor of vaccination probability (OR = 1.44, 95% Crl (1.04-2.07). The spatial analysis identified high-risk clusters for low vaccination in the cities of Moyamba, with a radius of 40 km, a relative risk (RR) of 1.10, and Bo, with a radius of 19.9 km with RR of 1.11. These data do not support Sierra Leone reaching the 2030 goal of human rabies elimination caused by dogs. Our study highlights a critical need for public outreach and education, improved vaccination rates, increased accessibility to veterinary services, and targeted interventions in Bo and Moyamba to support rabies prevention and control efforts., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Mshelbwala et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

This study aimed to investigate how the presence of co-morbid conditions influenced antimicrobial usage as presumptive prophylaxis for suspected bacteremia in dogs and cats undergoing dental treatments at primary care veterinary clinics in the United States. In 2020, data was collected from 1076 veterinary clinics across 44 US states. A total of 681,541 general anesthesia dental procedures were conducted on 592,472 dogs and 89,069 cats. This revealed that systemic antimicrobials were administered in 8.8% of dog procedures and 7.8% of cat procedures in the absence of concurrent periodontal disease or extractions. Cefpodoxime, clindamycin, and amoxicillin-clavulanate were the most frequently used antimicrobials in dogs, while cefovecin, amoxicillin-clavulanate, and clindamycin topped the list for cats. Dogs with cardiovascular, hepato-renal, and endocrine co-morbidities, as well as those undergoing concurrent removal of cutaneous or subcutaneous neoplasia, displayed higher antimicrobial use. Similarly, cats with endocrine or hepato-renal disease, retroviral infection (i.e., feline leukemia virus (FeLV), feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)), and concurrent removal of cutaneous or subcutaneous neoplasia exhibited increased antimicrobial use. Dogs with hepato-renal abnormalities had longer treatment durations compared to those without (10.1 vs. 9.6 days). Conversely, cats with concurrent removal of cutaneous or subcutaneous neoplasia had shorter durations of treatment as compared to those that did not have this procedure performed (8.4 vs 9.2 days). The findings of this study underscore the necessity for further research and collaboration within the veterinary community to develop evidence-based guidelines, promoting responsible antimicrobial use, and advancing the field of veterinary dentistry for enhanced patient outcomes., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Soltero-Rivera et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Objective: To examine attitudes towards surgical safety checklists (SSCs) among American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) diplomates and to identify barriers to implementation., Study Design: Qualitative online research survey., Sample Population: A total of 1282 current ACVS diplomates., Methods: An anonymous online survey was distributed to current ACVS diplomates via email. ACVS diplomates were identified using publicly available data through the ACVS website. A total of 1282 surveys were electronically distributed, and respondents were given 4 weeks to respond. The survey consisted of 34 questions examining (1) demographic information, (2) current use of SSCs, (3) knowledge and attitudes towards SSCs, (4) perceived advantages and disadvantages to use of SSCs, (5) implementation strategies, and (6) potential reasons for noncompletion of SSCs., Results: Survey response rate was 20% (257/1282). A total of 169 of 249 (67.9%) respondents indicated using SSCs. Respondents generally agreed that SSCs were proven to reduce surgical complications (196/249 [78.7%]) and did not perceive any disadvantages to use (100/138 [75.2%]). Respondents not using SSCs were more likely to perceive them as a waste of time (p < .001). The most common reasons for noncompletion of SSCs were forgetfulness (21/52 [39.6%]) and time constraints (19/52 [36.5%]). Improved training (72/138 [52.2%]) and modifying the SSC based on staff feedback (69/138 [50%]) were suggested as methods to improve SSC uptake., Conclusion: Respondents currently using SSCs were generally satisfied. Time constraints and memory related issues were common causes for noncompletion of SSCs., Clinical Significance: Efforts to expand the implementation of SSCs in veterinary surgery should focus on improved engagement of relevant stakeholders and modification of the SSC to suit local conditions., (© 2024 The Authors. Veterinary Surgery published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Veterinary Surgeons.)

Passive surveillance of wildlife disease is a valuable tool for the identification of emerging and changing disease patterns. Free-ranging leporids play an important role in their ecosystem and in the culture and diet of Canadians; however, little is known about their health status and the zoonotic pathogens they may carry. We summarized major causes of mortality and morbidity, as well as incidental infections and lesions, of free-ranging leporids submitted to the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative (CWHC) between 1990 and 2019. We identified Canadian leporids as competent hosts for several zoonotic pathogens, most notably Francisella tularensis (20/569; 3.5%). Trauma was the most frequent cause of mortality or morbidity among leporids, accounting for 46.0% of cases submitted to the CWHC, followed by bacterial infections (13.7%) and emaciation (5.1%). Human-mediated mortalities, such as those involving machines (23.7%), were the most common trauma case type, with apparently healthy individuals overrepresented within this mortality group. Harvesters proved to be a valuable resource for the monitoring of diseased and infected animals, as more than half (69.6%) of the animals submitted by this group had an incidental infection or lesion. The results from this study provide a scientific understanding the cause of mortality in free-ranging leporids in Canada with relevance to public health, wildlife biologists, veterinarians, and potential future surveillance programs., (© Wildlife Disease Association 2024.)

Rising antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health crisis for countries of all economic levels, alongside the broader challenge of access to antibiotics. As a result, development goals for child survival, healthy ageing, poverty reduction, and food security are at risk. Preserving antimicrobial effectiveness, a global public good, requires political will, targets, accountability frameworks, and funding. The upcoming second high-level meeting on AMR at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in September, 2024, is evidence of political interest in addressing the problem of AMR, but action on targets, accountability, and funding, absent from the 2016 UNGA resolution, is needed. We propose ambitious yet achievable global targets for 2030 (relative to a prepandemic 2019 baseline): a 10% reduction in mortality from AMR; a 20% reduction in inappropriate human antibiotic use; and a 30% reduction in inappropriate animal antibiotic use. Given national variation in current levels of antibiotic use, these goals (termed the 10-20-30 by 2030) should be met within a framework of universal access to effective antibiotics. The WHO Access, Watch, Reserve (AWARE) system can be used to define, monitor, and evaluate appropriate levels of antibiotic use and access. Some countries should increase access to narrow-spectrum, safe, and affordable (Access) antibiotics, whereas others should discourage the inappropriate use of broader-spectrum (Watch) and last-resort (Reserve) antibiotics; AWARE targets should use a risk-based, burden-adjusted approach. Improved infection prevention and control, access to clean water and sanitation, and vaccination coverage can offset the selection effects of increased antibiotic use in low-income settings. To ensure accountability and global scientific guidance and consensus, we call for the establishment of the Independent Panel on Antimicrobial Access and Resistance and the support of leaders from low-income and middle-income countries., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests A meeting held to coordinate this Series paper was supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (INV-055356 to RL) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (to all authors). Neither funder had any role in the design, writing, or decision to submit this paper for publication. RL has received grant funding from the National Science Foundation (CCF1918628). WA is an employee of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention but authored this Series paper in her individual capacity as an expert. JSW has received consulting fees from Mars Veterinary Health, VetMedux, and the Veterinary Information Network; has received payment for lectures from Merck Canada, Vetoquinol, Hills Pet Nutrition, Royal Canin, Zoetis, the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, and the Ontario Dental Association; and has received payment for expert testimony from the British Columbia Veterinary Medical Association. MS has received academic grant funding from the Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP) for the design and conduct of clinical studies in the GARDP programme and the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (the NeoSep1 study); had an unpaid leadership position on the WHO Essential Medicine List Antibiotics Working Group; and has been the chief investigator of clinical trials in children, where generic antibiotics have been donated by Sandoz, InfectoPharm, and Shionogi. KBP has received grant funding from the Wellcome Trust, Ineos Oxford Institute for Antimicrobial Resistance Research, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness and Innovations, UK Health Security Agency, National Institute for Health and Care Research, Medical Research Foundation, Waltham Foundation, and EU-H2020 IMI-2 (jointly funded by IMI-2 and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations). AC, KBP, and MS also report funding as part of the ADILA Project sponsored by the Wellcome Trust (222051/Z/20/Z). MMe receives funding support from the Wellcome Trust (226690/Z/22/Z). All other authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.)

Aims: Rat-associated zoonotic pathogen transmission at the human-wildlife interface is a public health concern in urban environments where Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) thrive on abundant anthropogenic resources and live in close contact with humans and other animal species. To identify potential factors influencing zoonotic pathogen occurrence in rats, we investigated associations between environmental and sociodemographic factors and Leptospira interrogans and Bartonella spp. infections in rats from Windsor, Ontario, Canada, while controlling for the potential confounding effects of animal characteristics (i.e., sexual maturity and body condition)., Methods and Results: Between November 2018 and June 2021, 252 rats were submitted by collaborating pest control professionals. Kidney and spleen samples were collected for L. interrogans and Bartonella spp. PCR and sequencing, respectively. Of the rats tested by PCR, 12.7% (32/252) were positive for L. interrogans and 16.3% (37/227) were positive for Bartonella species. Associations between infection status and environmental and sociodemographic variables of interest were assessed via mixed multivariable logistic regression models with a random intercept for social group and fixed effects to control for sexual maturity and body condition in each model. The odds of L. interrogans infection were significantly higher in rats from areas with high building density (odds ratio [OR]: 3.76; 95% CI: 1.31-10.79; p = 0.014), high human population density (OR: 3.31; 95% CI: 1.20-9.11; p = 0.021), high proportion of buildings built in 1960 or before (OR: 11.21; 95% CI: 2.06-60.89; p = 0.005), and a moderate number of reports of uncollected garbage compared to a low number of reports (OR: 4.88; 95% CI: 1.01-23.63; p = 0.049). A negative association was observed between median household income and Bartonella spp. infection in rats (OR: 0.26; 95% CI: 0.08-0.89; p = 0.031)., Conclusions: Due to the complexity of the ecology of rat-associated zoonoses, consideration of environmental and sociodemographic factors is of critical importance to better understand the nuances of host-pathogen systems and inform how urban rat surveillance and intervention efforts should be distributed within cities., (© 2024 The Authors. Zoonoses and Public Health published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Rabies perpetuates in Nigeria despite initiatives like the Regional Disease Surveillance System Enhancement Project, with evidence indicating suboptimal canine vaccination rates as a contributing factor. To inform effective planning of mass dog vaccination campaigns, it is crucial to understand the factors associated with variation in canine vaccination rates. We conducted a cross-sectional study in 2022 to understand factors associated with canine vaccination. We used stratified random sampling of the streets and dog-owning households to survey 4162 households from three states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). We then built a joint probabilistic model to understand factors associated with dog vaccination and non-vaccination. First, we modelled rabies knowledge as a latent variable indirectly measured with several targeted survey questions. This method allowed a respondent's unobserved understanding of rabies to be estimated using their responses to a collection of survey questions that targeted different aspects of rabies epidemiology and took various possible response distributions (i.e., ordinal, categorical, binary). Second, we modelled factors influencing pet owners' decisions to vaccinate their dogs against rabies and barriers to dog vaccination among dog owners whose dogs were not vaccinated against rabies. Posterior distributions revealed that the probability of dog vaccination was positively associated with the owner's latent knowledge of rabies, civil servant service employment, residence in the FCT, ownership of a single dog, providing care to dogs, and a preference for contemporary treatment following a dog bite. Conversely, non-vaccination was positively associated with private employment, residing in Anambra and Enugu states, owning multiple dogs, allowing dogs to search for leftovers, and a preference for traditional treatment after a dog bite. Cost was the primary barrier against vaccination for dog owners in Anambra and Enugu, while mistrust posed a major challenge for those in the FCT. Owners in areas with veterinary establishments cited cost as a barrier, while those without a veterinary establishment cited access as the primary barrier. Our study underscores the need to enhance rabies knowledge, tailor vaccination campaigns to specific demographics, address financial and access barriers, and combat hesitancy to improve rabies vaccination rates in Nigeria., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Background: Measuring antimicrobial use is a core component of antimicrobial stewardship. Purchasing data may be easier to obtain than prescription data in some situations, but differences in clinic size, caseload and collection timeframes must be considered., Objective: Our objective was to evaluate purchases of systemic antibacterial agents by small animal veterinary facilities in 5 networks across 3 countries, using a mg/veterinarian full time equivalent (FTE)/week as the metric., Methods: Data were obtained from purchasing records of 2194 veterinary facilities from networks from the United States (US, n = 3: US-A, 1036 facilities; US-B, 101 facilities; US-C, 886 facilities), Canada (n = 1: 117 facilities) and the United Kingdom (UK, n = 1: 54 facilities) during 2019-2021., Results: In total, 20 020 269 767 mg (20.02 t) of antimicrobials were purchased. Overall differences between the UK and North America were driven by significantly higher purchases of amoxicillin-clavulanic acid in the UK (P < .001), with substantially less purchasing of third generation cephalosporins in the UK (P < .0001). A significant association was found between FTE and purchasing, with decreased purchasing (mg/FTE/week) as facility FTE increased. Significant differences also were found among US regions. Facilities in the top 10% of total purchasing accounted for 23%-30% of purchases, compared to only 1.6%-3.8% for the bottom 10%., Conclusions and Clinical Importance: These data provide useful information about general purchasing trends, inter- and intraregional differences and differences among facility types and identify high purchasing outliers for further investigation., (© 2024 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.)

Surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis (SAP) is widely used to reduce the risk of surgical site infections (SSI), but there is uncertainty as to what the proportion of SSI reduction is. Therefore, it is difficult for surgeons to properly weigh the costs, risks and benefits for individual patients when deciding on the use of SAP, making it challenging to promote antimicrobial stewardship in primary practice settings. The objective of this study was to map the veterinary evidence focused on assessing the effect of SAP on SSI development and in order to identify surgical procedures with some research evidence and possible knowledge gaps. In October 2021 and December 2022, Scopus, CAB Abstracts, Web of Science Core Collection, Embase and MEDLINE were systematically searched. Double blinded screening of records was performed to identify studies in companion animals that reported on the use of SAP and SSI rates. Comparative data were available from 34 out of 39123 records screened including: eight randomised controlled trials (RCT), 23 cohort studies (seven prospective and 16 retrospective) and three retrospective case series representing 12476 dogs and cats in total. Extracted data described peri- or post-operative SAP in nine, and 25 studies, respectively. In the eight RCTs evaluating SAP in companion animals, surgical procedure coverage was skewed towards orthopaedic stifle surgeries in referral settings and there was large variation in SAP protocols, SSI definitions and follow-up periods. More standardized data collection and agreement of SSI definitions is needed to build stronger evidence for optimized patient care., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement This article was based upon work by investigators from the COST Action European Network for Optimization of Veterinary Antimicrobial Treatment (CA18217), supported by European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST); see: www.enovat.eu and www.cost.eu. None of the authors has any other financial or personal relationships that could inappropriately influence or bias the content of the paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Systemic antimicrobial treatments are commonly prescribed to dogs with acute diarrhoea, while nutraceuticals (prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics) are frequently administered as an alternative treatment. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the effectiveness of antimicrobials and nutraceutical preparations for treatment of canine acute diarrhoea (CAD). The results of this study will be used to create evidence-based treatment guidelines. PICOs (population, intervention, comparator, and outcome) were generated by a multidisciplinary expert panel taking into account opinions from stakeholders (general practitioners and dog owners). The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology was used to evaluate the certainty of the evidence. The systematic search yielded six randomised controlled trials (RCT) for antimicrobial treatment and six RCTs for nutraceutical treatment meeting the eligibility criteria. Categories of disease severity (mild, moderate, and severe) were created based on the presence of systemic signs and response to fluid therapy. Outcomes included duration of diarrhoea, duration of hospitalization, progression of disease, mortality, and adverse effects. High certainty evidence showed that antimicrobial treatment did not have a clinically relevant effect on any outcome in dogs with mild or moderate disease. Certainty of evidence was low for dogs with severe disease. Nutraceutical products did not show a clinically significant effect in shortening the duration of diarrhoea (based on very low to moderate certainty evidence). No adverse effects were reported in any of the studies., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest This article is based upon work from the COST Action European Network for Optimization of Veterinary Antimicrobial Treatment (CA18217), supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology). None of the authors of this paper has a financial or personal relationship with other people or organisations that could inappropriately influence or bias the content of the paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

This study examined the utilization of antimicrobials in canines and felines receiving dental treatments in veterinary clinics in the United States, retrospectively. A total of 818,150 animals (713,901 procedures in dogs and 104,249 procedures in cats) underwent dental procedures under general anesthesia in 2020. These included dental prophylaxis and extractions. Patient demographic data, antimicrobial treatment, treatment duration, dose, periodontal disease score, whether tooth extractions were performed and how many extractions were performed was recorded. Our results showed that local or systemic antimicrobials were used in 116,723/713,901 (16.4%) procedures in dogs and 14,264/104,249 (14%) procedures in cats. Age, weight, extraction of one or more teeth and diagnosis of periodontal disease (any stage) were associated with increased likelihood of antimicrobial administration using univariable analysis (all P<0.001) and in the multivariable model. Clindamycin, amoxicillin-clavulanate and amoxicillin were the most common oral antimicrobials used in dogs and cats. Drugs classified as highest priority clinically important antibiotics (HPCIA) were administered to 30,960/116,723 (26.5%) of dogs and 7,469/14,264 (52%) of treated cats. The results obtained can inform interventions to optimize patient care and promote prudent use of antimicrobials during dental procedures in canine and feline patients., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Weese et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: Meat and meat products are introduced as one of the frequent sources of Clostridioides difficile . We aimed to determine the prevalence and antibiotic resistance of C. difficile isolates in meat and meat products using a systematic review and meta-analysis., Methods: A literature search was performed in the primary international and bibliographic databases such as MEDLINE (PubMed), Cochrane Library, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science to achieve all articles related to the prevalence and antibiotic resistance rates from 2007 to 2022., Results: The 278 retrieved articles were reduced to 54 worldwide eligible studies after screening and matching inclusion/exclusion criteria. C. difficile was examined in different types of samples and its resistance to 10 antibiotics. The pooled prevalence of C. difficile was 3.4% in all samples. C. difficile pooled prevalence was detected in fish, poultry, and red meat groups with 6.9%, 5.2%, and 3.2%, respectively. Regarding antibiotic resistance, the highest pooled prevalence was for ciprofloxacin (86.6%), followed by clindamycin (42.6%) and erythromycin (34%). The lowest pooled prevalence was observed in metronidazole (7.6%), vancomycin (6.6%), and chloramphenicol (6%)., Conclusion: Low resistance was found to commonly used drugs for C. difficile infection (CDI) treatment. Since each antibiotic can be predisposing cause for CDI development, this finding possibly will be warning from a One Health viewpoint about the misuse of antibiotics in the chain of farm to fork including agriculture, animal husbandry and the food industry and also their injudicious use in medicine., (Copyright© 2023 Esfandiari et al. Published by Tehran University of Medical Sciences.)

Canada experienced a wave of HPAI H5N1 outbreaks in the spring of 2022 with millions of wild and farmed birds being infected. Seabird mortalities in Canada have been particularly severe on the Atlantic Coast over the summer of 2022. Over 7 million birds have been culled in Canada, and outbreaks continue to profoundly affect commercial bird farms across the world. This new H5N1 virus can and has infected multiple mammalian species, including skunks, foxes, bears, mink, seals, porpoises, sea lions, and dolphins. Viruses with mammalian adaptations such as the mutations PB2-E627K, E627V, and D701N were found in the brain of various carnivores in Europe and Canada. To date this specific clade of H5N1 virus has been identified in less than 10 humans. At the ground level, awareness should be raised among frontline practitioners most likely to encounter patients with HPAI., Competing Interests: S Forgie reports support from AMMI Canada to attend their board meeting in Toronto, Canada, April 2023, and a previous leadership role at AMMI Canada. TF Hatchette reports grants from GSK/Pfizer, Dalhousie Pharmacy Fund, Drug Evaluation Alliance of NS, CIHR/CIRN, NSERC, COVID-19 Immunity Task Force, NIH, Genome Atlantic, Nova Scotia COVID-19 Health Research Coalition Funding Competition, NSHA Research Fund, and an IWK Project Grant; consulting fees from RockDoc; speaker fees from Sanofi; and past leadership roles at AMMI Canada and Canadian Public Health Laboratory Network. D Yamamura reports a previous leadership role at AMMI Canada., (© Association of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Disease Canada (AMMI Canada), 2023.)

We collected oral and/or rectal swabs and serum from dogs and cats living in homes with SARS-CoV-2-PCR-positive persons for SARS-CoV-2 PCR and serology testing. Pre-COVID-19 serum samples from dogs and cats were used as negative controls, and samples were tested in duplicate at different timepoints. Raw ELISA results scrutinized relative to known negative samples suggested that cut-offs for IgG seropositivity may require adjustment relative to previously proposed values, while proposed cut-offs for IgM require more extensive validation. A small number of pet dogs (2/43, 4.7%) and one cat (1/21, 4.8%) were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA, and 28.6 and 37.5% of cats and dogs were positive for anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG, respectively., Competing Interests: Dorothee Bienzle is an Academic Editor for PeerJ., (©2023 Gin et al.)

We tested liver samples from 372 Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) from southern Ontario, Canada, during 2018-2021 to investigate presence of hepatitis E virus infection. Overall, 21 (5.6%) rats tested positive for the virus. Sequence analysis demonstrated all infections to be rat hepatitis E virus (Rocahepevirus ratti genotype C1).

Synbiotics are often provided to horses receiving antibiotics to protect against microbiome disturbances, despite a lack of evidence for efficacy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a synbiotic product in horses receiving antibiotics. Sixteen actively racing Standardbred horses were randomly allocated (four-way crossover) to one of four groups: antibiotics (10 days; AB), synbiotics (28 days; PROBIOPlus TM ; PBP), PBP + AB, or Control. The fecal microbiome was investigated using 16S rRNA sequencing, and fecal dry matter (DM; %), pH, and scores (FS; 0-9) were measured. Data were analyzed with two-way ANOVA. Results found microbiota differences in community membership between PBP + AB and all other treatments during and after antibiotic treatment. During antibiotic treatment, AB and PBP + AB were significantly different from Control. After antibiotic treatment, PBP + AB was significantly different from all other treatments. The few differences found in relative abundance of phyla or predominant genera were mostly in fiber degrading bacteria. The Fibrobacter population was significantly higher in AB and PBP + AB horses than Control. Unclassified Ruminococcaceae was significantly higher in Control than AB and PBP. After antibiotic treatment, PBP + AB horses were significantly higher than PBP horses. In conclusion, these data provide support for the ability of PROBIOPlus™ to maintain healthy gastrointestinal microbiome during antibiotic treatment.

Objective: To describe dogs with detected Ancylostoma caninum anthelmintic treatment resistance markers in Canada., Animals: 11 client-owned dogs with fecal quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay detected A caninum with benzimidazole (BZ) resistance genotypic markers., Methods: Signalment, presenting concern, duration of clinical signs, fecal testing, treatment, and outcomes were obtained. Where available, follow-up data were collected via telephone or email with the primary veterinarian., Results: Ancylostoma spp was detected from 184/32,205 dog fecal samples by reference laboratory qPCR surveillance, between May 15, 2022, and April 26, 2023. 11 of these 184 samples had A caninum with genetic BZ F167Y resistance marker detection. 4 dogs had not traveled outside Canada, 6 had been imported from the US, and the travel history was unclear in 1 dog. 7 of the dogs had gastro-intestinal signs (diarrhea or soft stool) on initial presentation. Clinical improvement was reported in 6 of these dogs (resolution of diarrhea and soft stool), with 1 dog lost to follow-up. All 11 dogs received anthelmintic treatment (varied drugs and duration)., Clinical Relevance: Identification of genetic markers of BZ resistance raises concerns about the potential animal and human impacts of resistant hookworms. 4 dogs lacked an origin from or travel history to the US, indicating true emergence and/or novel spread within Canada, not just importation from an area where resistance has been reported. Fecal surveillance was performed with a qPCR test incorporating treatment (BZ) resistance markers. There is a need to raise clinician awareness around treatment-resistant hookworm in dogs and the capability of fecal surveillance for genotypic and phenotypic resistance.

We retrospectively reviewed Elizabethkingia spp. culture and susceptibility results from 86 veterinary diagnostic laboratory results from US dogs and cats. We noted 26 E. menigoseptica, 1 E. miricola, and 59 unspeciated Elizabethkingia isolates from 9 US states (2-22 isolates per state). Elizabethkingia infections in animals might increase risks to humans.

Introduction: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health concern that affects all aspects of the One Health Triad, including human, animal, and environmental health. Companion animals, such as cats and dogs, may contribute to the spread of AMR through their close contact with humans and the frequent prescription of antimicrobials. However, research on AMR in companion animals is limited, and there are few surveillance measures in place to monitor the spread of resistant pathogens in the United States., Methods: This study aims to explore the practicality of using data from commercial laboratory antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) services for epidemiological analyses of AMR in companion animals in the United States., Results: The study analyzed 25,147,300 individual AST results from cats and dogs submitted to a large commercial diagnostic laboratory in the United States between 2019 and 2021, and found that resistance to certain antimicrobials was common in both E. coli and S. pseudintermedius strains., Conclusion: There has been a paucity of information regarding AMR in companion animals in comparison to human, environmental and other animal species. Commercial AST datasets may prove beneficial in providing more representation to companion animals within the One Health framework for AMR., Competing Interests: AP and DS were employed by IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. TB holds the IDEXX Chair in Emerging Technologies and Preventive Healthcare. KS was supported by the IDEXX Chair. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Sobkowich, Weese, Poljak, Plum, Szlosek and Bernardo.)

Companion animals have been shown to carry Clostridioides difficile strains that are similar or identical to strains found in people, and a small number of studies have shown that pets carry genetically identical C. difficile isolates as their owners, suggesting inter-species transmission. However, the directionality of transmission is ultimately unknown, and the frequency with which animals acquire C. difficile following their owners' infection is unclear. The goal of this study was to assess how often pets belonging to people with C. difficile infection carry genetically related C. difficile isolates. We enrolled pet owners from two medical institutions (University of Pennsylvania Health System (UPHS) and The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center (OSUWMC)) who had diarrhoea with or without positive C. difficile assays and tested their faeces and their pets' faeces for C. difficile using both anaerobic culture and PCR assays. When microorganisms were obtained from both the owner and pet and had the same toxin profile or ribotype, isolates underwent genomic sequencing. Faecal samples were obtained from a total of 59 humans, 72 dogs and 9 cats, representing 47 complete households (i.e. where a sample was available from the owner and at least one pet). Of these, C. difficile was detected in 30 humans, 10 dogs and 0 cats. There were only two households where C. difficile was detected in both the owner and pet. In one of these households, the C. difficile isolates were of different toxin profiles/ribotypes (A+/B+ / RT 499 from the owner, A-/B- / RT PR22386 from the dog). In the other household, the isolates were genetically identical (one SNP difference). Interestingly, the dog from this household had recently received a course of antibiotics (cefpodoxime and metronidazole). Our findings suggest that inter-species transmission of C. difficile occurs infrequently in households with human C. difficile infections., (© 2023 The Authors. Zoonoses and Public Health published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)