High Public Health Risk Research Articles

Patient-derived pathogenic microbe deposition enhances exposure risk in pediatric clinics

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) pose significant risks to pediatric patients in outpatient settings. To prevent HAIs, understanding the sources and transmission routes of pathogenic microorganisms is crucial. This study aimed to identify the sources of opportunistic bacterial pathogens (OBPs) in pediatric outpatient settings and determine their transmission routes. Furthermore, assessing the public health risks associated with the core OBPs is important. We collected 310 samples from various sites in pediatric outpatient areas and quantified the bacteria using qPCR and CFU counting. We also performed 16S rRNA gene and single-bacterial whole-genome sequencing to profile the transmission routes and antibiotic resistance characteristics of OBPs. We observed significant variations in microbial diversity and composition among sampling sites in pediatric outpatient settings, with active communication of the microbiota between linked areas. We found that the primary source of OBPs in multi-person contact areas was the hand surface, particularly in pediatric patients. Five core OBPs, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus mitis, and Streptococcus oralis, were mainly derived from pediatric patients and spread into the environment. These OBPs accumulated at multi-person contact sites, resulting in high microbial diversity in these areas. Transmission tests confirmed the challenging spread of these pathogens, with S. epidermidis transferring from the patient's hand to the environment, leading to an increased abundance and emergence of related strains. More importantly, S. epidermidis isolated from pediatric patients carried more antibiotic-resistance genes. In addition, two strains of multidrug-resistant A. baumannii were isolated from both a child and a parent, confirming the transmission of the five core OBPs centered around pediatric patients and multi-person contact areas. Our results demonstrate that pediatric patients serve as a significant source of OBPs in pediatric outpatient settings. OBPs carried by pediatric patients pose a high public health risk. To effectively control HAIs, increasing hand hygiene measures in pediatric patients and enhancing the frequency of disinfection in multi-person contact areas remains crucial. By targeting these preventive measures, the spread of OBPs can be reduced, thereby mitigating the risk of HAIs in pediatric outpatient settings.

Chemical characteristics and microbiological loads of harvested rainwater run-off from roof tops in South Eastern Nigeria

The study evaluated rainwater quality harvested from roof top catchments viz Asbestos, Aluminum, Corrugated and Harvey roof tops in southeastern, Nigeria. Chemical and microbiological species viz pH, Total Dissolved Solids(TDS), Electrical conductivity (EC), Nitrate(NO3−), Sulphate (SO42−), Chloride(Cl−), Total bacteria load(TBL), Total Coliform Count (TCC), Salmonella Shigella Agar (SSA), Thiocitrate Bile-salt Sucrose( TCBS), Eosin Methylene Blue (EMB) were investigated from samples of rainwater roof top run off during onset rain (April), peak rain (July) and cessation (October) rain events in 2022. Results of chemical parameters show significant variation p ≥ 0.05 among the catchments with increased mean concentration of pH(6.5), TDS(25.7 mg/l), EC(43.6μS/cm),NO3−(0.72 mg/l) SO42(4.73 mg/l), Cl(8.81) during onset rain more than the peak and cessation rain, with asbestos rainwater having the highest levels but below WHO/FMENV drinking water limit. Positive and negative correlations existed between the chemical parameters in temporal scale and originating from human activities with the temporal variability in decrease order: April ≥ October ≥ July. Microbial parameters in rainwater revealed mean TBL(6.6 × 104 cfu/ml), TCC(2.6 × 103 cfu/ml) and control (5.8 × 104 cfu/ml) with Aluminum top (8.2 × 104 cfu/ml) recording highest in onset rain more than the peak and cessation rain events. All of the microbial parameters were above the WHO standards which indicates a very high public health risk if consumed without treatment. Organisms found in rainwater from roof types are: Enterobacter sp., Staphylococcus aurous, Streptococcus sp., Bacillus Sp. and Escherichia coli. Based on the results, treatment of rainwater, operation, maintenance methods should be upheld for quality assurance of harvested rainwater.

Interrupted time series segmented regression analysis for detecting waterborne disease outbreaks by syndromic surveillance.

Pathogens can enter the drinking water supply and cause gastroenteritis outbreaks. Such events can affect many people in a short time, making them a high risk for public health. In Australia, the Victoria State Government Department of Health is deploying a syndromic surveillance system for drinking water contamination events. We assessed the utility of segmented regression models for detecting such events and determined the number of excess presentations needed for such methods to signal a detection. The study involved an interrupted time series study of a past lapse in water treatment. The baseline period comprised the four weeks before the minimum incubation period of suspected pathogens, set at two days post-event. The surveillance period comprised the week after. We used segmented linear regression to compare the count of gastroenteritis presentations to public hospital emergency departments (EDs) between the surveillance and baseline periods. We then simulated events resulting in varying excess presentations. These were superimposed onto the ED data over fifty different dates across 2020. Using the same regression, we calculated the detection probability at p < 0.05 for each outbreak size. In the retrospective analysis, there was strong evidence for an increase in presentations shortly after the event. In the simulations, with no excess presentations (i.e., with the ED data as is) the models signalled 8% probability of detection. The models returned 50% probability of detection with 28 excess presentations and 100% probability of detection with 78 excess presentations. The transient increase in presentations after the event may be attributed to microbiological hazards or increased health-seeking behaviour following the issuing of boil water advisories. The simulations demonstrated the ability for segmented regressions to signal a detection, even without a large excess in presentations. The approach also demonstrated high specificity and should be considered for informing Victoria's syndromic surveillance system.

Human pathogens in ticks removed from humans in Hebei, China

Ticks are the hosts or vectors of many human pathogens, including viruses, bacteria and protozoa, and can transmit these causative agents to humans when feeding on human bodies. In this study, 26 ticks removed from humans in Hebei, China were tested for the presence of human-pathogenic microorganisms by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) or Reversed Transcript PCR (RT-PCR). As a result, 11 ticks tested positive for at least one human pathogen. Specifically, four validated human pathogens, including Rickettsia raoultii, Candidatus Rickettsia tarasevichiae, Babesia venatorum, and Borrelia garinii, as well as Anaplasma ovis with zoonotic potential, were identified in Ixodes persulcatus, Dermacentor silvarum and Haemaphysalis concinna. Importantly, this is the first report of Anaplasma and Babesia species pathogenic to humans in Hebei province. Moreover, the co-infections, including double infection and quadruple infection were observed. In addition, Candidatus R. principis with unknown pathogenicity was identified in one tick, which may be the same species as Candidatus R. hongyuanensis based on the nucleotide identity and phylogenetic analysis. Concluding, four validated tick-borne pathogens and one with zoonotic potential were identified in ticks parasitizing humans, suggesting the potential high public health risk in the local human population.

Individual and Herd-Level Seroprevalence in Association with Potential Risk Factors of Japanese Encephalitis in Pigs Collected from Urban, Periurban, and Rural Areas of Bali, Indonesia.

A study to assess the seroprevalence antibodies against JEV in pigs in Denpasar, Badung, and Karangasem as the representatives of urban, periurban, and rural areas in the province of Bali was conducted. Sampled pigs' blood was collected and their sera were tested for antibody detection using commercial IgG ELISA. A standard questionnaire was used to interview the pig owners or farmers to identify the determinants associated with the seropositivity of the antibodies. Overall, 96.6% (95% CI: 94.5-98.1) of 443 pig sera in individual animal-level seroprevalence were seropositive to the ELISA. Karangasem had the highest test prevalence at 97.3% (95% CI: 93.1-99.2) while Badung had a slightly lower prevalence at 96.6% (95% CI: 92.2-98.9), and Denpasar had the lowest prevalence at 96% (95% CI: 91.5-98.5) (p=0.84). In herd-level seroprevalence, all sampled herds contained one or more seropositive pigs (overall herd-level seroprevalence 100% [95% CI: 97.7-100]). No animal-level factors were significantly associated with seropositivity (all p values >0.05). For the herd-level risk factors relating to pig management and husbandry practices adopted, no analysis model could be generated, as all the sampled herds were seropositive. More than 90% seroprevalence detected in this study indicates high natural JEV infection occurred in pigs, which highlights the high public health risk of the infection in the areas.

A single-shot ChAd3-MARV vaccine confers rapid and durable protection against Marburg virus in nonhuman primates.

Marburg virus (MARV) causes a severe hemorrhagic fever disease in primates with mortality rates in humans of up to 90%. MARV has been identified as a category A bioterrorism agent by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and priority pathogen A by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), needing urgent research and development of countermeasures because of the high public health risk it poses. The recent cases of MARV in West Africa underscore the substantial outbreak potential of this virus. The potential for cross-border spread, as had occurred during the 2014-2016 Ebola virus outbreak, illustrates the critical need for MARV vaccines. To support regulatory approval of the chimpanzee adenovirus 3 (ChAd3)-MARV vaccine that has completed phase 1 trials, we showed that the nonreplicating ChAd3 vector, which has a demonstrated safety profile in humans, protected against a uniformly lethal challenge with MARV/Ang. Protective immunity was achieved within 7 days of vaccination and was maintained through 1 year after vaccination. Antigen-specific antibodies were an immune correlate of protection in the acute challenge model, and their concentration was predictive of protection. These results demonstrate that a single-shot ChAd3-MARV vaccine generated a protective immune response that was both rapid and durable with an immune correlate of protection that will support advanced clinical development.

Human norovirus contamination challenge in fresh produce: a global prevalence and meta-analytic assessment.

Among fresh produce (FP)-associated foodborne infections, human noroviruses (HNoV) are the leading causative agent. The present study aimed to assess the prevalence of HNoV in FP. FP-associated HNoV records mined from 5 repositories until 25/05/2022 according to PRISMA standards were appraised, fitted to a generalized linear mixed-effects model and subgroup analysed by sample type, genogroup, and geographical location. Further, heterogeneity was assessed in the model coupled with a leave-one-out-cross-validation. The overall prevalence of HNoV in FP was 9.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.7-21.7. HNoV prevalence was higher in fruits (9.8%[3.7-23.5]) than vegetables (9.4%[3.1-25.3]). Regarding geographical distribution, FP-associated HNoV prevalence varied from Africa (25.8%, 5.7-66.7), Asia (23.2%[4.6-65.0]), Europe (5.6%[0.7-33.9]), North America (12.4%[1.8-52.7]) to South America (7.5%[0.0-100.0]). HNoV GI overall prevalence in FP was 5.3% (2.5-11.1) and varied by sample type (fruits: 4.9%[1.7-13.2]; vegetables: 5.8%[1.6-18.8]). While the occurrence of GII in FP was 1.7% (0.7-3.9) and varied by sample type (fruits: 2.5%[1.0-6.5]; vegetables: 0.9%[0.2-4.9]), GIGII (detection of both GI and GII) was 0.3% (0.1-1.0) with 0.4% (0.1-2.2) and 0.2% (0.0-1.5) in fruits and vegetables, respectively. In all cases, the test for sample/regional prevalence differences were not significantly different with the exception of GII regional prevalence differences (p = 0.03). This study suggests that FP represents a critical vehicle for HNoV dissemination, a global and a high risk for public health.

Government Communication Strategies in Time of Pandemic: Comparative Study between South Korea and Indonesia

The COVID-19 pandemic is a multi-faceted crisis with a very high public health risk. The more difficult the pandemic, the greater emphasis must be placed on effective government communications. It will play a major role in responding to the pandemic successfully. Meanwhile, ineffective government communication has resulted in widespread public uncertainty and major blunders in reacting to escalating health dangers have had potentially devastating health and social consequences for society, as well as protracted the outbreak. This paper conducts an empirical and comparative analysis of the determinants of government communication strategies in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in Korea and Indonesia. It aims to explain the success of Korean public communication compared to Indonesia. This study uses a literature review along with a case study using comparable variables. The determining factors used are initial conditions, institutional capacity, transparency, effective coordination, and collaboration between stakeholders. Evidence shows that Korea is better off across all determinants. The lessons from the experience of government communication strategies in responding to the pandemic in these two countries can be used to teach other countries what to do and not to do in government communication services in the midst of a pandemic situation.

Critical Implications of IVDR for Innovation in Diagnostics: Input From the BioMed Alliance Diagnostics Task Force.

Critical Implications of IVDR for Innovation in Diagnostics: Input From the BioMed Alliance Diagnostics Task Force.

Associations between antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance of Escherichia coli isolated from poultry litter under field conditions in Cameroon

Lack of hygiene and biosecurity measures in poultry farms has influence on the emergence of pathogens and antimicrobial use. Antimicrobial residues in poultry meat and their excretion by poultry can exert a selective pressure and the occurrence of multidrug resistant bacteria in litter. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance using Escherichia coli as indicator isolated from poultry litter.From January to August, 2019, antimicrobial use was measured in 47 broiler farms based on daily dose (TIUDD) and animal daily dose (TIADD) methods. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed on Escherichia coli isolated from poultry litter using the disk diffusion method.Overall, an average of 143.8 mg (ranging from 0.5 to 2061.79 mg/kg) of antimicrobials was used per kg of chicken produced, and treatment incidences of 69.7 daily doses per 1,000 broilers (44.44–106.35) and 87.3 daily doses per 1,000 broilers (1.74–376.43) were obtained for TIUDD and TIADD, respectively. After a susceptibility testing, 18 E. coli strains were resistant with a prevalence of 56.3% [95% CI: 39.1–73.5]. High levels of resistance were observed with doxycycline, ampicillin and norfloxacin which were observed to be mostly overdosed in farms. The high resistance of E. coli to ciprofloxacin (4/32: 13%), imipenem (6/32: 19%), levofloxacin (12/32: 38%) and ceftriaxone (22/32: 69%) which are second line treatment in hospital settings in Cameroon, and classified as Watch group by WHO, was associated to high AMR risk for public health in Cameroon. Intensification of health and educational sensitisation of farmers is essential to reduce widespread antimicrobial use in poultry farms and its impact public health.

Acrylamide in Corn-Based Thermally Processed Foods: A Review

Widely consumed thermally processed corn-based foods can have a great contribution to acrylamide dietary intake, thus bearing a high public health risk and requiring attention and application of strategies for its reduction. This paper reviews the literature on the acrylamide content of corn-based food products present in the market around the world. The potential of corn for acrylamide formation due to its content of free asparagine and reducing sugars is described. Human exposure to acrylamide from corn-based foods is also discussed. The content of acrylamide in corn/tortilla chips, popcorn, and corn flakes, as widely consumed products all over the world, is reported in the literature to be between 5 and 6360 μg/kg, between <LOD and 2220 μg/kg and between <LOD and 1186 μg/kg, respectively. Although these products are important acrylamide sources in the common diet of all age populations, higher intake values occurred among younger generations.

Magnitude and trend of HIV and Treponema pallidum infections among blood donors in Offinso-North District, Ghana: a nine-year retrospective, cross-sectional study.

Blood transfusion poses a high public health risk to recipients; hence no effort recommended to eradicate or minimize the danger of transmitting the infections.Reproductive Biology should be underestimated at minimizing the risk of TTIs. This study determined the prevalence and trend of HIV and syphilis infections in voluntary blood donors. A retrospective analysis of secondary data from consecutive prospective voluntary blood donors who accessed Nkenkaasu District Hospital's Blood Bank from January 2010 to December 2018 was conducted. Cumulatively, HIV and Treponema pallidum seropositivity identified in the present study was high (19.1%, [95% C.I (0.026-0.028)]). The prevalence of HIV and syphilis infections were 10.9% (95% C.I (0.098-0.120)) and 8.9% (95% C.I (0.073-0.92)) respectively. Prospective female blood donors were less likely to test positive for T. pallidum than males (OR 0.511, [0.340 - 0.769], p=0.001), but the infection was similar among different ages. The data showed downward trend for both HIV and T. pallidum seropositivity, (slope=-2.9467, p<0.0001) and (slope=-0.7117, p<0.0001) respectively. Seroprevalence of HIV and Treponema pallidum were high, and their individual or combined seropositivity pose a significant threat to the safety of blood. Extensive and continuous screening for high-risk behaviours and infectious markers before blood donation is therefore Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, College of Medicine, Pan African University of Life and Earth Sciences Institute (PAULESI), University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

Hydrogeochemical Processes and Potential Exposure Risk of Arsenic-Rich Groundwater from Huaihe River Plain, China

Arsenic poses a danger to environmental health, and arsenic-rich groundwater is a key exposure risk for humans. The distribution, migration, and enrichment of arsenic in groundwater is an important environmental and public health problem. Currently, the Huaihe River Basin is identified as a region of arsenic-rich groundwater in China. This study aims to assess arsenic-rich groundwater potential pollution risk, analyze the hydrogeochemical processes, and trace the ion source based on an analysis of groundwater hydrogeochemical data. The results show that arsenic is the main inorganic chemical substances affecting the water quality in the study area, which presents a high exposure risk for public health. The arsenic concentration of groundwater was f 5.75 ± 5.42 μg/L, and 23% of the considered samples exceeded the drinking water standards of the World Health Organization. The groundwater in the study area underwent evaporation, halite dissolution, and ion exchange processes. The total alkalinity (HCO3−) of the arsenic-rich groundwater mainly ranged between 400–700 mg/L, and the chemical type was mainly of HCO3-Na. In an alkaline environment, the oxidative dissolution and reductive dissolution of arsenic bearing minerals might be the formation mechanism of arsenic-rich groundwater.

Exposure risk of groundwater arsenic contamination from Huaihe River Plain, China

Arsenic poses a danger to public health and drinking arsenic-rich groundwater is the main route for human exposure to this element. The focus of this study is to assess the risk magnitude and likelihood for arsenic-rich groundwater in Huaihe River Plain, China using Risk Magnitude and Indicator Kriging methods. It has been found that 481 in 5515 investigated samples exceed the drinking water standards of the World Health Organization, which present a high exposure risk for public health. Arsenic concentrations range from 0.001 to 356.00 μg/L, with a median of 2.10 μg/L. The proportion of contaminated shallow groundwater samples is 9.77%, and the counterpart from deep layer is 2.85%, respectively. Arsenic concentrations are obviously higher in plain areas than those in hilly areas. High Risk Magnitude and Very High Risk Magnitude samples are sporadically positioned in inland and coastal plain. According to the prediction of Risk Probability maps over shallow and deep groundwater, high arsenic Risk Probability areas is scattered in the inland and coastal portion, and both Risk Probability peaks are similar. Some high arsenic hazard areas have been found to possess high cancer rates, and high Risk Probability peaks are correlated with cancer cluster. The potential high arsenic hazard areas over shallow groundwater encompass more than 4709 km2, while the counterpart over deep groundwater is 1446 km2. 2.88 million people are estimated to be potentially exposed to High Risk Probability of arsenic. This paper carried out research on exposure risk of arsenic contamination from Huaihe River Plain, China, which may provide guidance for regionalization of drinking groundwater safety.

Molecular survey of cattle ticks in Burundi: First report on the presence of the invasive Rhipicephalus microplus tick.

A recent research study on prevalence of tick-borne pathogens in Burundi reported high prevalence and endemicity of Theileria parva, Anaplasma marginale and Babesia bigemina infections in cattle. Detailed information about tick species infesting animals, their distribution and genetic diversity in Burundi is outdated and limited. This study therefore assessed the prevalence and genetic diversity of tick species infesting cattle across agroecological zones (AEZs) in Burundi. A cross-sectional study on the occurrence of tick species was conducted in 24 districts of Burundi between October and December 2017. Differential identification and characterization of ticks collected was conducted using tick morphological keys and molecular tools (cox1 and 12S rRNA gene). Chi-square test was used to test for association between agroecological zones and the prevalence of tick species. Phylogenetic relationships were inferred using bayesian and maximum likelihood algorithms. A total of 483 ticks were collected from the five AEZs sampled. Six tick species comprising of Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, R. sanguineus, R. evertsi evertsi, R. microplus, R. decoloratus and Amblyomma variegatum were observed. Rhipicephalus appendiculatus were the most prevalent ticks (~45%). A total of 138 specimens (28%) were found to be Rhipicephalus microplus, suggesting an emerging threat for cattle farmers. Twelve R. appendiculatus cox1 haplotypes were obtained from 106 specimens that were sequenced. Two cox1 haplotypes of R. microplus which clustered into previously reported Clade A were observed. Rhipicephalus sanguineus and R. evertsi evertsi ticks, the vectors of numerous zoonotic pathogens, were collected from cattle, which constitute a high risk for public health. These findings reveal an overlapping distribution of tick vectors in Burundi. The design of ticks and tick-borne diseases control strategies should consider the distribution of different vectors across the AEZs particularly the presence of the highly invasive R. microplus tick in Burundi and the potential risk of introducing the pathogenic Babesia bovis.

Cyanotoxins in drinking water supply reservoir (Legedadi, Central Ethiopia): implications for public health safety

Cyanobacterial blooms in drinking water supply affect its quality, which ultimately impacts ecosystem and public health. Thus, this cross-sectional study was conducted to perform a preliminary study on cyanotoxins via analysis of samples collected only once from two sites during the month of peak algal bloom and to subsequently prompt a comprehensive risk assessment in a major drinking water source, Legedadi Reservoir, of Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. Samples were collected during peak algal bloom month (January 2018) from two sampling sites, near the dam (S1) and at the center of the reservoir (S2). Identification and enumeration of phytoplankton taxa were done and the measurement of common hepatotoxin (MCs and NOD) concentrations was conducted using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. In the reservoir, cyanobacteria made up to 98% of total phytoplankton abundance, with Dolichospermum and Microcystis spp, dominating the phytoplankton community. In these first cyanotoxin analyses conducted for a drinking water supply source in Ethiopia, six major MC variants, namely MC-dmRR, MC-RR, MC-YR, MC-dmLR, MC-LR, and MC-LA, were detected in both algal seston and water samples. MC-LR was the most dominant MCs variant, while nodularin was not detected for both sampling sites. Extracellular total MC concentrations (μg L−1) of 453.89 and 61.63 and intracellular total MC concentrations (μg L−1) of 189.29 and 112.34 were recorded for samples from S1 and S2, respectively. The high concentrations of extracellular MCs, with MC-LR constituting the greatest proportion, indicate the extremely high potential public health risk for end-users.

Detection of the main multiresistant microorganisms in the environment of a teaching veterinary hospital in Brazil

ABSTRACT: Contamination of the veterinary hospital environment with multiresistant pathogens endangers not only hospitalized animals, but also the workplace safety of veterinarians and nurses, animal guardians and, when in case of a teaching hospital, veterinary students. The objective of this study was to map the main points of bacterial contamination of a veterinary teaching hospital in Brazil to identify multiresistant microorganisms and their antimicrobial resistance genes. Samples were collected from 39 different locations of a veterinary school hospital which comprised a pool according to each hospital environment. In certain environments, more than one pool has been collected. All samples were collected in quadruplicates for the selective isolation of the main multiresistant microorganisms: methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus (MRS), vancomycin resistant Enterococcus (VRE), cephalosporinases and/or extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Gram-negative bacteria (ESBL) and Carbapenemase-producing (CP). After isolation and identification of isolates, multiplex-PCR reactions were performed to detect the main genes for each microorganism and antimicrobial susceptibility tests with the main antibiotics used for each bacterial group according to CLSI. Of the 39 veterinary teaching hospital sites collected, all (100%) had at least one of the microorganisms surveyed, and 17.95% (n=7) of the sites were able to isolate the four pathogens. From the 94 pools collected, it was possible to isolate MRS in 81.91% (n=77), VRE in 12.77% (n=12), cephalosporinases and/or ESBL in 62.77% (n=59) and CP in 24.47%. (n=23). Regarding MRS, the mecA gene was detected in all isolates. All isolated VREs were identified as Enterococcus faecalis and presented the vanA gene. Regarding cephalosporinases and/or ESBL, 89.83% (n=53) of the isolates presented the blaTEM gene, 57.63% (n=34) the blaOXA-1 gene, 37.29% (n=22) blaCTX-M gene from some group (1, 2, 9 ou 8/25) and 20.34% (n=12) the blaSHV gene. It was possible to identify the main microorganisms responsible for causing nosocomial infections in humans (VRE, MRS, ESBL and CP) in the veterinary hospital environment, suggesting a source of infection for professionals and students of veterinary medicine, placing a high risk for public health.

Exploring the Prevalence and Distribution Patterns of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Bovine Gut Microbiota Using a Metagenomic Approach.

Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) have become recognized contaminants and pose a high public health risk. The animal gut microbiota is a reservoir of ARGs, but the knowledge of the origin and dissemination of ARGs remains unclear. In this study, we provide a comprehensive profile of ARGs and mobile genetic elements in the gut microbiota from 30 bovines to study the impact of modern antibiotics on resistance. A total of 42 ARG types were detected by annotating the metagenomic sequencing data from Comprehensive Antibiotic Resistance Database (CARD). We found that the diversity and abundance of ARGs in individual yaks were significantly lower than those in dairy and beef cattle (p < 0.0001). The results of heat map and single nucleotide polymorphism clustering suggest that ARGs from dairy and beef cattle are more similar, whereas those from yaks cluster separately. The long-term use of antibiotics may contribute to this difference, suggesting that antibiotic consumption is the main cause of ARG prevalence. Furthermore, abundant insertions were also found in this study, signifying a strong potential for horizontal transfer of ARGs among microbes, especially pathogens.

Microbiota of gills and antibiotic susceptibility patterns of bacteria isolates from &lt;i&gt;Clarias gariepinus&lt;/i&gt; in different holding facilities

Gill is a key respiratory and excretory organ in fish as it provides oxygen need for survival and excretes waste products. However, gills can be infected with pathogenic and opportunistic bacteria leading to increasing fish morbidity and mortality. This study was carried out to isolate, estimate and identify bacteria on the gills of Clarias gariepinus reared in different holding facilities. The susceptibility patterns of the bacteria were also studied using 10 antibiotics commonly used in pisciculture in Nigeria. A total of 84 bacteria belonging to 12 genera were isolated from the gills of 75 Clarias gariepinus. Gram-negative bacteria isolated included Salmonella species (3.6%), Pseudomonas species (7.1%), Aeromonas species (2.4%), Escherichia coli (13.1%), Proteus species (11.9%) Klebsiella species (3.6%), Citrobacter species (4.8%), and Shigella species (3.6%). Gram-positive Corynebacterium species (3.6 %), Staphylococcus species (20.3%), Bacillus species (19.0%) and Streptococcus species (7.1%) were also isolated. The result showed varying bacteria species when considering the different holding facilities. Greater than 50 % of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria isolated were resistant to 5 and 6 different antibiotics respectively while greater than 80 % of all the bacteria were resistant to ≥ 3 antibiotics. The presence of these bacteria in fish predict subsequent impediment in pisciculture and may lead to socioeconomic losses, environmental contaminations and high public health risk. This study calls for concern and an urgent intervention on antibiotic stewardship among fish farmers.&#x0D; Keywords: Antibiotics resistance, Clarias gariepinus, Fish farms, Gills microbiota, Kaduna state

Investigating Future Urbanization’s Impact on Local Climate under Different Climate Change Scenarios in MEGA-urban Regions: A Case Study of the Pearl River Delta, China

Urbanization is one of the most significant contributing factors to anthropogenic climate change. However, a lack of projected city land use data has posed significant challenges to factoring urbanization into climate change modeling. Thus, the results from current models may contain considerable errors in estimating future climate scenarios. The Pearl River Delta region was selected as a case study to provide insight into how large-scale urbanization and different climate change scenarios impact the local climate. This study adopts projected land use data from freely available satellite imagery and applies dynamic simulation land use results to the Weather Research and Forecasting Model (WRF). The simulation periods cover the summer periods in 2010 and 2029–2031, the latter of which is averaged to represent the year 2030. The WRF simulation used the observed local climate conditions in 2010 to represent the current scenario and the projected local climate changes for 2030 as the future scenario. Under all three future climate change scenarios, the warming trend is prominent (around 1–2 °C increase), with a widespread reduction in wind speed in inland areas (1–2 ms−1). The vulnerability of human health to thermal stress was evaluated by adopting the wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT). The results from the future scenarios suggest a high public health risk due to rising temperatures in the future. This study provides a methodology for a more comprehensive understanding of future urbanization and its impact on regional climate by using freely available satellite images and WRF simulation tools. The simulated temperature and WBGT results can serve local governments and stakeholders in city planning and the creation of action plans that will reduce the potential vulnerability of human health to excessive heat.