The use and misuse of antibiotics in both humans and animals contributes to the global emergence of antimicrobial resistant (AMR) bacteria, a threat to public health and infection control. Currently, India is the world’s leading milk producer but antibiotic usage within the dairy sector is poorly regulated. Little data exists reflecting how antibiotics are used on dairy farms, especially on small-scale dairy farms in India. To address this lack of data, a study was carried out on 491 small-scale dairy farms in two Indian states, Assam and Haryana, using a mixed method approach where farmers were interviewed, farms inspected for the presence of antibiotics and milk samples taken to determine antibiotic usage. Usage of antibiotics on farms appeared low only 10% (95% CI 8–13%) of farmers surveyed confirmed using antibiotics in their dairy herds during the last 12 months. Of the farms surveyed, only 8% (6–11%) had milk samples positive for antibiotic residues, namely from the novobiocin, macrolides, and sulphonamide classes of antibiotics. Of the farmers surveyed, only 2% (0.8–3%) had heard of the term “withdrawal period” and 53% (40–65%) failed to describe the term “antibiotic”. While this study clearly highlights a lack of understanding of antibiotics among small-scale dairy farmers, a potential factor in the emergence of AMR bacteria, it also shows that antibiotic usage on these farms is low and that the possible role these farmers play in AMR emergence may be overestimated.

Although mental health promotion is a priority mental health action area for all European countries, high level training resources and high quality skills acquisition in mental health promotion are still relatively rare. The aim of the current paper is to present the results of the DG SANCO-funded PROMISE project concerning the development of European guidelines for training social and health care professionals in mental health promotion.

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease of major public health concern in India. Bovines play an important role in maintaining and transmitting this disease and proximity between dairy cows and humans makes the dairy cow-human nexus a transmission route of public health interest, yet one currently under-examined in North Eastern India. We report a cross-sectional survey carried out on small-scale dairy farms in the states of Assam and Bihar in North Eastern India investigating seroprevalence for Leptospira interrogans serovar Hardjo, the most common pathogenic serovar reported in cattle worldwide. Higher seroprevalence was reported on dairy farms in Bihar 4.5% (95% CI 2.6–7.5%) than in Assam 1.2% (95% CI 0.42–3.6%), but overall seroprevalence levels were low. The study is the first indication of leptospirosis circulating in small-scale dairy farms in these states. To correlate farming practices with zoonotic risk, we combined results from a dairy farmer questionnaire with cow seroprevalence. However, low seroprevalence levels found in this study made the identification of risk factors difficult. Nevertheless, poor farming practices around hygiene and biosecurity on dairy farms have been highlighted. Implementing simple measures could mitigate environmental contamination, and therefore, reduce the risk of Leptospira interrogans, and other zoonoses transmission, at the animal-environment-human interface.

Small ruminants are the main reservoirs for brucellosis and coxiellosis, two zoonotic diseases affecting livestock production, and posing a public health threat in India. Understanding disease prevalence and risk factors associated with small ruminant infection can help mitigate disease transmission. We report a cross-sectional survey in the states of Assam and Odisha in Eastern India. We interviewed 244 farmers to assess knowledge, attitude and practices relevant to brucellosis and coxiellosis infection. Serum samples from 411 goats and 21 sheep were analysed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Rose-Bengal Brucella agglutination plate test. Higher Brucella and Coxiella burnetii seroprevalence were found in Odisha (22% and 11.5%, respectively) than Assam (9.8% and 1.6%, respectively), and certain districts in Odisha were at higher risk. No association was found between seropositive animals and clinical signs, a challenge when attempting to identify seropositive animals in the herd. None of the farmers interviewed were aware of brucellosis, its aetiology, clinical form, or zoonotic risk. This study acts as a first indication of the extent of these diseases among small ruminants in these Indian states, highlighting how farming practices are associated with increased risk of infection. More research is urgently needed to mitigate zoonoses transmission in this region.

Provide an insight into the on-going work in the Barcelona Demonstration Site of the European 6th framework EMILIA project (Empowerment of mental illness service users: Lifelong learning, integration and empowerment). Determine how this work bridges the gap between mental health users and the mental health institution. To demonstrate how the methodology of life long learning is used to train a group of mental health service users to become Experts by Experience (EbE). The EbE is a new professionally recognised working profile within the psychiatric hospital which aims to offer a better understanding of the mental health institution to mental health service users; informing them about hospital layout and procedures; strengthening the relationship between service users and professionals; stimulating the relationships between the service user and their social network friends and family. This act of sharing experience and knowledge, and passing it on from one user to another is vital to give continuity to the lifelong learning process. The EbE completes a dynamic, interactive training programme where personal strengths, recovery, people skills, learning more about the workings of the mental health institutions and how to encourage others to work towards empowerment. All users complete an average of 36 h of preparative training before embarking on the 20 h EbE training course. The traditional line of sanitary care in mental health institutions has sometimes ignored the importance of recording the knowledge that users can give. By creating the profile of EbE within the mental hospital, this knowledge is guaranteed to transcend from one user to another and hence, not only benefiting the recovery process for the users involved, but also improving the care given by the institutions.