Angeliki R. Burriel

Occurrence, virulence genes and antibiotic resistance of Escherichia coli O157 isolated from raw bovine, caprine and ovine milk in Greece

The examination of 2005 raw bovine (n = 950), caprine (n = 460) and ovine (n = 595) bulk milk samples collected throughout several regions in Greece for the presence of Escherichia coli serogroup O157 resulted in the isolation of 29 strains (1.4%) of which 21 were isolated from bovine (2.2%), 3 from caprine (0.7%) and 5 from ovine (0.8%) milk. Out of the 29 E. coli O157 isolates, only 12 (41.4%) could be classified as Shiga-toxigenic based on immunoassay and PCR results. All 12 Shiga-toxigenic E. coli serogroup O157 isolates belonged to the E. coli O157:H7 serotype. All except one of the 12 Shiga-toxin positive isolates were stx(2)-positive, five of which were also stx(1)-positive. The remaining isolate was positive only for the stx(1) gene. All stx-positive isolates (whether positive for stx(1), stx(2) or stx(1) and stx(2)) were also PCR-positive for the eae and ehxA genes. The remaining 17 E. coli O157 isolates (58.6%) were negative for the presence of the H7 flagellar gene by PCR, tested negative for Shiga-toxin production both by immunoassay and PCR, and among these, only four and three strains were PCR-positive for the eae and ehxA genes, respectively. All 29 E. coli O157 isolates displayed resistance to a wide range of antimicrobials, with the stx-positive isolates being, on average, resistant to a higher number of antibiotics than those which were stx-negative.

Reproductive performance of sows was improved by administration of a sporing bacillary probiotic (Bacillus subtilis C-3102).

This field study assessed the efficacy of a probiotic based on viable spores of Bacillus subtilis C-3102 (Calsporin; Calpis Co. Ltd., Japan) on the health status and productivity of sows and their litters through 2 full, sequential reproductive cycles from service of the first cycle to weaning of the second cycle. Fifty-six sows were allocated to 2 experimental groups, an untreated control (T1) group and a probiotic-treated (T2) group that received the same basal feed as the T1 group plus the probiotic at an approximate allowance of 30 g/t of feed (3 × 10(5) cfu/g). The offspring of T1 and T2 sows were offered basal and T2 creep feed (3 × 10(5) cfu/g), respectively. Health and zootechnical parameters of sows and piglets were recorded. Feeding the probiotic to sows and piglets resulted in significant benefits, observed in both cycles: 1) improved sow body condition during pregnancy (P < 0.05), 2) increased sow feed consumption, 3) reduced sow weight loss during lactation (P < 0.05), 4) reduced sow weaning-estrus interval (P < 0.05), and 5) higher BW of piglets at weaning (P < 0.05). Additionally, a significant (P < 0.05) improvement in piglet birth weight and in the number of piglets weaned was observed in the second cycle of T2 sows, while a significant improvement of mean daily gain of piglets from birth to weaning was observed in the first cycle of T2 sows. Microbiological examination of fecal samples showed that probiotic treatment significantly reduced both Escherichia coli and Clostridium spp. in piglet feces, particularly during the second cycle. The data suggested that continuous feed supplementation with the probiotic is beneficial for both sows and piglets, since zootechnical benefits were observed in both cycles.

Some microbiological aspects of rats captured alive at the port city of Piraeus, Greece

The aim was to investigate the presence of leptospira infection and the antibiotic resistance of Enterobacteriaceae among wild rats living in a densely populated area. For this purpose 3–4 large traps were placed daily across the commercial port-front of Piraeus for the duration of two months. The rats captured were transferred in the laboratory alive, where samples were freshly collected. None of the 25 rats captured was found to be infected with leptospira. Only one rat was infected with Salmonella. Other predominant members of the family of Enterobacteriaceae were Escherichia coli, Proteus spp. and Klebsiella spp. Resistance to antimicrobial agents commonly used in veterinary treatment was very high for spectinomycin, erythromycin, neomycin and tetracycline in all tested species of Enterobacteriaceae. It appears that port rats living in the densely populated area of the city of Piraeus could become a source of infection for man and animals with microorganisms highly resistant to antimicrobial agents.

Prevention of scours in neonatal kids after modification of management and experimental vaccination against Escherichia coli

Abstract The purpose of this study was to evaluate under field conditions, the role that right management and vaccination against Escherichia coli plays in the prevention of neonatal kid diarrhoea. To meet this objective, a goat farm of low management standards suffering from a neonatal diarrhoea problem caused by enteropathogenic strains of E. coli was selected. Three experimental groups of new-born kids with their mothers were formed: (a) the kids in Group I were raised under the management conditions already existing in the farm, and served as negative controls, (b) the kids in Group II were raised under improved conditions, including specially prepared warm and draft-free areas for kidding and nursing, and (c) the kids in Group III were raised under the improved conditions of Group II, but were born from does previously vaccinated for E. coli. The three groups were compared with regard to the incidence and duration of diarrhoea, and the mortality of kids. It was shown that, compared to the control group, neonatal morbidity and mortality were both reduced by a factor of 3 in Group II, and by factors of 9.5 and 12.5, respectively, in Group III (P