Significant challenges to worldwide sustainable food production continue to arise from environmental change and consistent population growth. In order to meet increasing demand, fish production industries are encouraged to maintain high growth densities and to rely on antibiotic intervention throughout all stages of development. The inappropriate administering of antibiotics over time introduces selective pressure, allowing the survival of resistant bacterial strains through adaptive pathways involving transferable nucleotide sequences (i.e., plasmids). This is one of the essential mechanisms of antibiotic resistance development in food production systems. This review article focuses on the main international regulations and governing the administering of antibiotics in finfish husbandry and summarizes recent data regarding the distribution of bacterial resistance in the finfish aquaculture food production chain. The second part of this review examines promising alternative approaches to finfish production, sustainable farming techniques, and vaccination that circumvents excessive antibiotic use, including new animal welfare measures. Then, we reflect on recent adaptations to increasingly interdisciplinary perspectives in the field and their greater alignment with the One Health initiative.

An efficient microbiological decontamination protocol is required to guarantee safe food products for the final consumer to avoid foodborne illnesses. Ultrasound and non-thermal technology combinations represent innovative methods adopted by the food industry for food preservation and safety. Ultrasound power is commonly used with a frequency between 20 and 100 kHz to obtain an “exploit cavitation effect”. Microbial inactivation via ultrasound derives from cell wall damage, the oxidation of intracellular amino acids and DNA changing material. As an inactivation method, it is evaluated alone and combined with other non-thermal technologies. The evidence shows that ultrasound is an important green technology that has a good decontamination effect and can improve the shelf-life of products. This review aims to describe the applicability of ultrasound in the food industry focusing on microbiological decontamination, reducing bacterial alterations caused by food spoilage strains and relative foodborne intoxication/infection.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health concern that has been linked to humans, animals, and the environment. The One Health approach highlights the connection between humans, animals, and the environment and suggests that a multidisciplinary approached be used in studies investigating AMR. The present study was carried out to identify and characterize the antimicrobial resistance profiles of bacteria isolated from wildlife and livestock feces as well as from surface water samples in Maiella National Park, Italy. Ecological and georeferenced data were used to select two sampling locations, one where wildlife was caught within livestock grazing areas (sympatric group) and one where wildlife was caught outside of livestock grazing areas (non-sympatric group). Ninety-nine bacterial isolates from 132 feces samples and seven isolates from five water samples were collected between October and December 2019. The specimens were examined for species identification, antibiotic susceptibility and molecular detection of antibiotic resistance. Forty isolates were identified as Escherichia coli, forty-eight as Enterococcus spp., eight as Streptococcus spp. and ten as other gram-negative bacteria. Phenotypic antibiotic resistance to at least one antimicrobial agent, including some antibiotics that play a critical role in human medicine, was detected in 36/106 (33.9%, 95% CI: 25–43) isolates and multidrug resistance was detected in 9/106 isolates (8.49%, 95% CI: 3.9–15.5). In addition, genes associated with antibiotic resistance were identified in 61/106 (57.55%, 95% CI: 47.5–67) isolates. The samples from sympatric areas were 2.11 (95% CI: 1.2–3.5) times more likely to contain resistant bacterial isolates than the samples from non-sympatric areas. These data suggest that drug resistant bacteria may be transmitted in areas where wildlife and livestock cohabitate. This emphasizes the need for further investigations focusing on the interactions between humans, wildlife, and the environment, the results of which can aid in the early detection of emerging AMR profiles and possible transmission routes.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the resistance patterns against selected critically and highly important antibiotics (quinupristin/dalfopristin, vancomycin, and linezolid) in 48 Enterococcus isolates obtained from wild (red deer and Apennine chamois) and domestic (cattle, sheep, and goats) ruminants living with varying degrees of sympatry in the protected area of Maiella National Park (central Italy). According to CLSI breakpoints, 9 out of 48 isolates (18.8%) showed resistance to at least one antibiotic. One Apennine chamois isolate was resistant to all tested antibiotics. The PCR screening of related resistance genes highlighted the occurrence of msrC or cfrD in seven Enterococcus resistant isolates. In addition, msrC and vanC genes were amplified in susceptible isolates. Specific sequences of virulence genes (gelE, ace, efa, asa1, and esp) related to pathogenic enterococci in humans were amplified in 21/48 isolates (43.75%), belonging mostly to wild animals (15/21; 71.42%). This is the first report of linezolid-resistant enterococci harboring virulence genes in Italian wildlife with special regard to the red deer and Apennine chamois species. The results allow us to evaluate the potential role of wild animals as indicators of antibiotic resistance in environments with different levels of anthropic pressure.

In different European countries, including Italy, hepatitis E virus (HEV) has been recognized as an emerging public health concern. Humans are infected through the orofecal route by the ingestion of contaminated uncooked or undercooked animal-origin foodstuffs. Wild boars (Sus scrofa) have gained a crucial role as viral reservoirs. HEV-3 is the most frequently identified genotype from hunted wild boar liver and muscle tissues. The Marche region, more specifically Ascoli Piceno province, is characterized by a rooted hunting tradition and related product consumption. In this research study, 312 liver and 296 muscle specimens were screened using biomolecular assays, and HEV RNA was detected from 5.45% and 1.35% of liver and muscle samples, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that positive animals were infected by genotype 3 subtype c. Based on the environmental pathogen characteristics, HEV has also evolved to guarantee its survival in a wild environment. Therefore, wild boars and ruminants have a key role in its persistence. Epidemiological data regarding HEV circulation have resulted as necessary, and biomolecular analysis represents an important means of monitoring and establishing preventive measures. A multidisciplinary approach could provide a wide perspective regarding HEV and infectious implications on human, animal, and environmental health.

Seven hundred sixty-five (765) adult wild boars were examined during the 2016/2017 hunting season for the research of parasites. Post mortem inspection was carried out at the slaughterhouse by the Official Veterinarian on the plucks (heart, tongue, lungs, diaphragm, and liver) of the killed animals presented by hunters. Of these, 0.8% (6/765) were positive for Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato (s.l.), and 2.6% (20/765) were positive for the metacestode stage of Taenia hydatigena (Cysticercus tenuicollis), while 0.5% (4/765) animals showed a mixed infection (Echinococcus granulosus s.l. and Taenia hydatigena). Sixty-three (63) cystic lesions were found. Of these 25,4% (16/63) were caused by Echinococcus granulosus s.l. and 74,6% (47/63) were caused by Cysticercus tenuicollis. The more involved organs were liver and lungs, in a less extension omentum and diaphragm. Parasitological analyses showed an overall prevalence of 3.9% for metacestodes in the hunted animals examined (Paoletti et al., 2018). Hydatids were molecularly characterized as E. granulosus sensu stricto. Trichinella spp. examination results showed no evidences of parasitic cysts. The products of hunting used for own consumption and direct sale to the final consumer or retailer, according to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004, lack of overall control by the Competent Authority. This is a critical point in the food chain of the game meat. The data obtained show the importance of the post mortem inspection and the central role of the Competent Authority to ensure not only the food safety of game meat but also to collect data for extensive epidemiological investigations on live-stocks wildlife settings having a direct impact on public health.