Food production processes are increasingly influenced by quality and safety concerns. For dairy production, one of the food quality outcomes is a low level of bacteria in unprocessed milk. A putative ...on-farm control point for low levels of bacteria is teat and udder cleaning before milking. Currently there are no appropriate on-farm schemes to monitor the effectiveness of different processes used to prepare cows for milking. The purpose of this project was to compare levels of teat skin bioluminescence with direct bacterial culture as a tool to evaluate teat cleanliness of dairy cows. Bioluminescence demonstrated average changes in cow cleanliness as animals proceeded through the premilking sanitation steps and, in that manner, could be used as a tool to demonstrate the effectiveness of the process.
One goal of total quality management is to prevent the occurrence of antibiotics in raw milk shipped from the farm. An effective approach to meet this goal is the implementation of HACCP (Hazard ...Analysis Critical Control Point) procedures, which are part of the Milk and Dairy Beef Quality Assurance Program for antibiotic avoidance. The program defines 10 critical control points, including screening tests for preventing antibiotic residues. Although milk from individual cows clearly should be tested to ensure that antibiotic-free milk is leaving the farm, it is not clear whether any existing tests can be reliably used on milk samples from individual cows, or even on samples from bulk tanks. The FDA acceptance procedures have not required that bulk milk tests undergo a population evaluation; these tests have not been objectively evaluated for individual cows. Of more concern, detection limits differ among tests, sometimes approaching zero. Despite the intent of the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance, milk acceptability definitions vary between states. In addition, the predictive value of test results has not been integrated into the regulatory process. Although largely ignored by the regulatory agencies, these issues cannot be ignored by the dairy industry. Ultimately, the milk testing program should become a component of the quality process that is centered on the farm and that measures the success of the industry in producing high quality milk rather than being a regulatory program that searches for a flawed product.
Objective—To determine whether 4 mg of estradiol cypionate (ECP) administered prophylactically to highrisk postparturient dairy cows decreases incidence of postpartum metritis. Design—Randomized, ...placebo-controlled, triplemasked clinical trial. Animals—250 postparturient dairy cows in a herd with postparturient hypocalcemia, retained fetal membranes, dystocia, stillbirth, or twins. Procedure—Cows were given 4 mg of ECP (treatment) or 2 mL of vegetable oil (control) by IM injection within 24 to 36 hours of calving. Monitoring rectal temperatures and evaluation for metritis was performed once daily for 10 days. Cows with fever ≥ 39.7°C (103.5°F) were treated with 1.5 g of ceftiofur hydrochloride. Results—When assessed by ordinal logistic regression, there were no differences between groups in incidence of mild or severe metritis. Cows that calved during the second or third quarter of the year were at increased risk of metritis, compared with those that calved during the fourth quarter. Following stratification by lactation (first and ≥ 2), it was observed that multiparous cows that did not receive antimicrobials during the first 3 days of the postparturient period were 5 times as likely to have metritis, compared with cows treated with antimicrobials on the basis of fever or other concurrent disease. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Prophylactic administration of ECP to dairy cows at high risk for metritis did not reduce risk for metritis. Treating multiparous cows with antimicrobials on the basis of fever during the early postpartum period was associated with decreased incidence of metritis.
The veterinary profession is currently facing many educational challenges, including an insufficient capacity to train and educate veterinarians for the multiple disciplines within the profession, a ...shortage of veterinarians in private and public practice, a shortage of faculty, a lack of human and professional diversity, and a rising cost of education resulting in extreme student debt loads. As a methodology for teaching, distance education (DE) has the potential to address many of these issues. By its very nature, DE can increase the capacity of current facilities and faculty. In addition, DE can allow students to acquire the necessary knowledge at less cost. This article describes a model for incorporating DE in the form of interactive Web-based courses, in conjunction with short, intensive residential programs, for the lecture portions of courses taught in the pre-veterinary, veterinary, and post-veterinary educational periods. In this model, the Web-based courses are used to convey the necessary core knowledge required at each step of the educational process. The residential portions are then used to apply the knowledge in such a way as to combine clinical applications with research in basic and applied sciences. Distance education can provide increased flexibility, high-quality educational experiences, and a less costly alternative for students while maximizing the reach of current faculty efforts and the capacity of existing physical structures.
In sub-Saharan Africa, non-typhoidal Salmonellae (NTS) cause invasive disease particularly in children and HIV infected adults, but the disease epidemiology is poorly understood. Between 2012 and ...2013, we investigated NTS sources and transmission in Kampala. We detected Salmonella in 60% of the influent and 60% of the effluent samples from a wastewater treatment plant and 53.3% of the influent and 10% of the effluent samples from waste stabilization ponds that serve the human population; 40.9% of flush-water samples from ruminant slaughterhouses, 6.6% of the poultry fecal samples from live bird markets and 4% of the fecal samples from swine at slaughter; and in 54.2% of the water samples from a channel that drains storm-water and effluents from the city. We obtained 775 Salmonella isolates, identified 32 serovars, and determined resistance to 15 antimicrobials. We genotyped common serovars using multiple-locus variable number tandem repeats analysis or pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. In addition, we analyzed 49 archived NTS isolates from asymptomatic livestock and human clinical cases. Salmonella from ruminant and swine sources were mostly pan-susceptible (95%) while poultry isolates were generally more resistant. Salmonella Kentucky isolated from poultry exhibited extensive drug resistance characterized by resistance to 10 antimicrobials. Interestingly, similar genotypes of S. Kentucky but with less antimicrobial resistance (AMR) were found in poultry, human and environmental sources. The observed AMR patterns could be attributed to host or management factors associated with production. Alternatively, S. Kentucky may be prone to acquiring AMR. The factors driving AMR remain poorly understood and should be elucidated. Overall, shared genotypes and AMR phenotypes were found in NTS from human, livestock and environmental sources, suggesting zoonotic and environmental transmissions most likely occur. Information from this study could be used to control NTS transmission.
To understand the epidemiology of animal bites and exposure, evaluate the animal exposure reporting system for surveillance of rabies postexposure prophylaxis (PEP), and identify opportunities to ...reduce PEP.
Period prevalence survey.
Pennsylvania residents in 1995.
Data from animal bite reports from Pennsylvania county health offices were summarized for 1995. Animal bite incidences for the state, counties, various age groups, and various population densities were calculated. Animal species, treatment, location of wounds, and PEP recommendations were evaluated for exposures.
More than 16,000 animal-related potential rabies exposures were reported from 65 of 67 counties in Pennsylvania. The highest incidence was in children less than 5 years old (324/100,000). Of the 75% of victims requiring wound treatment, 50% received antimicrobials, 29% received a tetanus toxoid, and 19% had wounds sutured, were admitted to hospitals, or were referred for plastic surgery. Although 75% of exposures were to dogs, victims exposed to cats were 6 times as likely to receive PEP (relative risk, 6.1; 95% confidence interval, 5.1 to 7.4). Thirty percent of 556 PEP were given for exposures to dogs, 44% for cats, 7% for raccoons, 4% for bats, 2.5% for squirrels, 2.1% for groundhogs, 2% for foxes, and 8% for exposures to other species. Fifty-nine percent of owned dogs were up-to-date on rabies vaccinations compared with 41% of owned cats.
Interventions, such as dog bite prevention education, vaccination of pets against rabies, appropriate use of PEP, and reduction of feral cat populations, should be instituted, enhanced, or better enforced in communities.
ABSTRACT
Third-generation cephalosporin resistance of
Salmonella
and commensal
Escherichia coli
isolates from cattle in the United States is predominantly conferred by the cephamycinase CMY-2, which ...inactivates β-lactam antimicrobial drugs used to treat a wide variety of infections, including pediatric salmonellosis. The emergence and dissemination of
bla
CMY-2
-
-bearing plasmids followed and may in part be the result of selection pressure imposed by the widespread utilization of ceftiofur, a third-generation veterinary cephalosporin. This study assessed the potential effects of ceftiofur on
bla
CMY-2
transfer and dissemination by (i) an in vivo experimental study in which calves were inoculated with competent
bla
CMY-2
-bearing plasmid donors and susceptible recipients and then subjected to ceftiofur selection and (ii) an observational study to determine whether ceftiofur use in dairy herds is associated with the occurrence and frequency of cephalosporin resistance in
Salmonella
and commensal
E. coli
. The first study revealed
bla
CMY-2
plasmid transfer in both ceftiofur-treated and untreated calves but detected no enhancement of plasmid transfer associated with ceftiofur treatment. The second study detected no association (
P
= 0.22) between ceftiofur use and either the occurrence of ceftiofur-resistant salmonellosis or the frequency of cephalosporin resistance in commensal
E. coli
. However, herds with a history of salmonellosis (including both ceftiofur-resistant and ceftiofur-susceptible
Salmonella
isolates) used more ceftiofur than herds with no history of salmonellosis (
P
= 0.03) These findings fail to support a major role for ceftiofur use in the maintenance and dissemination of
bla
CMY-2
-bearing plasmid mediated cephalosporin resistance in commensal
E. coli
and in pathogenic
Salmonella
in these dairy cattle populations.
Third-generation cephalosporin resistance of Salmonella and commensal Escherichia coli isolates from cattle in the United States is predominantly conferred by the cephamycinase CMY-2, which ...inactivates β-lactam antimicrobial drugs used to treat a wide variety of infections, including pediatric salmonellosis. The emergence and dissemination of bla...-bearing plasmids followed and may in part be the result of selection pressure imposed by the widespread utilization of ceftiofur, a third-generation veterinary cephalosporin. This study assessed the potential effects of ceftiofur on bla... transfer and dissemination by (i) an in vivo experimental study in which calves were inoculated with competent bla...-bearing plasmid donors and susceptible recipients and then subjected to ceftiofur selection and (ii) an observational study to determine whether ceftiofur use in dairy herds is associated with the occurrence and frequency of cephalosporin resistance in Salmonella and commensal E. coli. The first study revealed bla... plasmid transfer in both ceftiofur-treated and untreated calves but detected no enhancement of plasmid transfer associated with ceftiofur treatment. The second study detected no association (P = 0.22) between ceftiofur use and either the occurrence of ceftiofur-resistant salmonellosis or the frequency of cephalosporin resistance in commensal E. coli. However, herds with a history of salmonellosis (including both ceftiofur-resistant and ceftiofur-susceptible Salmonella isolates) used more ceftiofur than herds with no history of salmonellosis (P = 0.03) These findings fail to support a major role for ceftiofur use in the maintenance and dissemination of bla...-bearing plasmid mediated cephalosporin resistance in commensal E. coli and in pathogenic Salmonella in these dairy cattle populations. (ProQuest: ... denotes formulae/symbols omitted.)
To analyze data for 60 poultry flocks voluntarily enrolled in the Pennsylvania Salmonella enteritidis Pilot Project and determine management and environmental risk factors associated with production ...of S enteritidis-contaminated eggs.
60 flocks for which at least 1 environmental sample (manure or egg-handling equipment) was positive for S enteritidis.
Samples of manure, egg-handling equipment, and mice were submitted for bacterial culture of S enteritidis. When S enteritidis was isolated from environmental samples, 1,000 eggs were collected from the flock every 2 weeks for 8 weeks and submitted for bacterial culture.
18 flocks were found to have produced contaminated eggs. Estimated overall prevalence of contaminated eggs was 2.64/10,000 eggs produced, but flock-specific prevalence ranged from 0 to 62.5/10,000 eggs. Flocks with high levels of manure contamination were 10 times as likely to produce contaminated eggs as were flocks with low levels. However, 5 flocks with low levels of manure contamination produced contaminated eggs.
Evaluation of the level of manure contamination could be used to help identify flocks at risk of producing S enteritidis-contaminated eggs.
Flocks with high levels of S enteritidis-contaminated manure appeared to pose the greatest public health threat, and on-farm programs to reduce the prevalence of egg contamination should be developed for farms with high levels of manure contamination. Efforts to reduce the overall number of on-farm pathogens should decrease the incidence of foodborne disease in humans.
Experiential learning provides an opportunity for students to bridge classroom and research knowledge and experiences with the realities of creating solutions for difficult policy issues. ...Experiential learning becomes even more powerful for capacity building when it involves cultural and geographic diversity and multiple public and private institutions. Our next generation of leaders will need these bridging experiences to address and solve global challenges like climate change, food security and transboundary diseases. These challenges cannot effectively be solved by individual countries or institutions and require creating new frameworks and partnerships that are transdisciplinary and global. The objectives of this paper were 1) to describe an experiential learning experience through the National Animal Health and Food Security Policy course conducted in Washington DC and 2) discuss ways the curriculum of this multi-institutional course could be internationalized and adopted globally. The paper discusses possible ways of internationalizing this course including: formation of partnerships with institutions that are already involved in multi-institutional global courses; involvement of international agencies whose missions align with the national health and food security policy course; and signing memoranda of understanding among governments to use this course for capacity building for their public servants.
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