Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecium isolated from pigeon droppings (Columba livia) in the external environment close to hospitals

Background:

Domestic pigeons carry pathogens in their droppings, posing a potential public health problem.

Methods:

The phenotypic and genotypic antimicrobial resistances of Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecium in the feces of urban pigeons near hospitals with intensive care units were measured.

Results:

Twenty-nine samples showed Enterococcus growth, whereas one was positive for S. aureus. The S. aureus isolate was sensitive to the antibiotics tested via antibiogram, however resistance genes were identified. E. faecium isolates showed phenotypic resistance to gentamicin, erythromycin, and ciprofloxacin.

Conclusions:

Antimicrobial profiles harmful to health were demonstrated in bacterial pathogens isolated from the external environment of hospitals.

The use of an alternative feed additive, containing benzoic acid, thymol, eugenol, and piperine, improved growth performance, nutrient and energy digestibility, and gut health in weaned piglets

This research evaluated a feed additive (benzoic acid, eugenol, thymol, and piperine), associated or not with colistin, in weaned piglets feeding. The parameters evaluated were growth performance, apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nutrients, diarrhea incidence, intestinal morphology, relative weights of digestive organs, microbial diversity, and the percentages of operational taxonomic units of microorganisms in the cecum content of pigs. One-hundred and eight crossbred piglets (5.3 ± 0.5 kg) were used in a three-phase feeding program (21 to 35, 36 to 50, 51 to 65 d of age) and fed a control diet with no inclusion of growth promoter feed additive, a diet with 40 ppm of colistin, a diet with 0.3% of alternative additive, and a diet with 0.3% of alternative additive and 40 ppm of colistin. The diets were based on corn, soybean meal, dairy products, and spray-dried blood plasma and formulated to provide 3.40, 3.38, and 3.20 Mcal of ME/kg and 14.5, 13.3, and 10.9 g/kg of digestible lysine, in phases 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The piglets were housed three per pen, with nine replicates per diet, in a complete randomized block design based on initial BW. The data were submitted to ANOVA and means were separated by Tukey test (5%), using SAS. Pigs fed diets with the alternative feed additive had greater (P < 0.05) ADG (114.3 vs. 91.8 g) and ADFI (190.1 vs. 163.3 g) in phase 1 than pigs fed diets without the product. The alternative additive improved (P < 0.05) ATTD of crude protein (CP) in phase 1 (71.0% vs. 68.6%), gross energy in phases 1 (77.4% vs. 75.2%) and 3 (79.0% vs. 77.1%), and dry matter in phase 3 (79.1% vs. 77.1%). The antibiotic inclusion in the diets increased (P < 0.05) ATTD of CP in phase 1 (71.5% vs. 68.2%). The alternative feed additive tended (P = 0.06) to increase (46%) normal feces frequency, decreased (P < 0.05) goblet cells count (104.3 vs. 118.1) in the jejunum, and decreased (P < 0.05) small intestine (4.60% vs. 4.93%) and colon (1.41% vs. 1.65%) relative weights, compared with pigs not fed with the alternative additive. There was a tendency (P = 0.09) for a lower concentration of Escherichia-Shigella (1.46% vs. 3.5%) and lower (P < 0.05) percentage of Campylobacter (0.52% vs. 10.21%) in the cecum content of piglets fed diets containing essential oils and benzoic acid compared with pigs fed diets without the alternative feed additive. The alternative feed additive was effective in improving growth performance, diets digestibility, and gut health in piglets soon after weaning.

Mitofusin 1 is required for oocyte growth and communication with follicular somatic cells

Mitochondrial function, largely regulated by the dynamics of this organelle, is inextricably linked to the oocyte health. In comparison with most somatic cells, mitochondria in oocytes are smaller and rounder in appearance, suggesting limited fusion. The functional implications of this distinct morphology, and how changes in the mitochondrial shape translate to mitochondrial function in oogenesis is little understood. We, therefore, asked whether the pro-fusion proteins mitofusins 1 (MFN1) and 2 (MFN2) are required for the oocyte development. Here we show that oocyte-specific deletion of Mfn1, but not Mfn2, prevents the oocyte growth and ovulation due to a block in folliculogenesis. We pinpoint the loss of oocyte growth and ovulation to impaired PI3K-Akt signaling and disrupted oocyte-somatic cell communication. In support, the double loss of Mfn1 and Mfn2 partially rescues the impaired PI3K-Akt signaling and defects in oocyte development secondary to the single loss of Mfn1. Together, this work demonstrates that the mitochondrial function influences the cellular signaling during the oocyte development, and highlights the importance of distinct, nonredundant roles of MFN1 and MFN2 in oogenesis.

PSVI-10 Essential oils and benzoic acid, associated or not with antibiotic, in diets for weaned piglets on cecum microbiota composition

This study evaluated the effects of an alternative feed additive (benzoic acid and the essential oils of eugenol, thymus and piperine), associated or not with colistin, in weaned piglets feeding on α and β bacterial diversity, and on the percentages of operational taxonomic unit of Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Clostridium, Escherichia, and Campylobacter in the cecum content of pigs. One hundred and eight crossbred piglets (5.3 ± 0.5kg) were housed 3 per pen and fed the following diets: a control diet (CON) with no addition of growth promoter feed additive; CON + 40 ppm of colistin; CON + 0.3% of essential oils and benzoic acid; and CON + 0.3% of essential oils and benzoic acid, and 40 ppm of colistin. The diets were based on corn, soybean meal, dairy products, and spray-dried blood plasma, and were formulated to provide 3.40 Mcal of ME/kg; 220 g of CP/kg; and 14.5 g of digestible lysine/kg. The animals were sanitary challenged, by spraying 2 L of diluted pig manure (60 % of manure to 40 % of water) at each nursery pen two days before the beginning of the trial. At the 14th day of the trial, 9 animals per diet were euthanized, and the cecum content was collected for microbial DNA extraction and sequencing. The data was submitted to ANOVA using the PROC MIXED of SAS. The α and β bacterial diversity, and the percentages of Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium and Clostridium in the cecum of pigs were not affected (P > 0.05) by the experimental diets. There was a tendency (P = 0.09) for a lower concentration of Escherichia (3.5 vs. 1.46%) and lower percentage of Campylobacter (10.21 vs. 0.52%) in the cecum content of piglets fed diets containing essential oils and benzoic acid compared to pigs fed diets without the alternative feed additive. Inclusion of benzoic acid and essential oils in piglets feeding was effective in controlling intestinal pathogenic bacteria.