Toxoplasma gondii is a major foodborne pathogen capable of infecting all warm-blooded animals, including humans. Although oocyst-associated toxoplasmosis outbreaks have been documented, the relevance of the environmental transmission route remains poorly investigated. Thus, we carried out an extensive systematic review on T. gondii oocyst contamination of soil, water, fresh produce, and mollusk bivalves, following the PRISMA guidelines. Studies published up to the end of 2020 were searched for in public databases and screened. The reference sections of the selected articles were examined to identify additional studies. A total of 102 out of 3201 articles were selected: 34 articles focused on soil, 40 focused on water, 23 focused on fresh produce (vegetables/fruits), and 21 focused on bivalve mollusks. Toxoplasma gondii oocysts were found in all matrices worldwide, with detection rates ranging from 0.09% (1/1109) to 100% (8/8) using bioassay or PCR-based detection methods. There was a high heterogeneity (I² = 98.9%), which was influenced by both the sampling strategy (e.g., sampling site and sample type, sample composition, sample origin, season, number of samples, cat presence) and methodology (recovery and detection methods). Harmonized approaches are needed for the detection of T. gondii in different environmental matrices in order to obtain robust and comparable results.

Human, animal, and environmental health are increasingly threatened by the emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance. Inappropriate use of antibiotic treatments commonly contributes to this threat, but it is also becoming apparent that multiple, interconnected environmental factors can play a significant role. Thus, a One Health approach is required for a comprehensive understanding of the environmental dimensions of antibiotic resistance and inform science-based decisions and actions. The broad and multidisciplinary nature of the problem poses several open questions drawing upon a wide heterogeneous range of studies. This study seeks to collect and catalogue the evidence of the potential effects of environmental factors on the abundance or detection of antibiotic resistance determinants in the outdoor environment, i.e., antibiotic resistant bacteria and mobile genetic elements carrying antibiotic resistance genes, and the effect on those caused by local environmental conditions of either natural or anthropogenic origin. Here, we describe the protocol for a systematic evidence map to address this, which will be performed in adherence to best practice guidelines. We will search the literature from 1990 to present, using the following electronic databases: MEDLINE, Embase, and the Web of Science Core Collection as well as the grey literature. We shall include full-text, scientific articles published in English. Reviewers will work in pairs to screen title, abstract and keywords first and then full-text documents. Data extraction will adhere to a code book purposely designed. Risk of bias assessment will not be conducted as part of this SEM. We will combine tables, graphs, and other suitable visualisation techniques to compile a database i) of studies investigating the factors associated with the prevalence of antibiotic resistance in the environment and ii) map the distribution, network, cross-disciplinarity, impact and trends in the literature.

Developing evidence‐based approaches to combat infectious diseases is essential in resource‐limited settings to enable prioritisation of interventions where they are most effective in reducing the burden of disease. Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a major disease in cattle, but its impact remains poorly characterised in many contexts and production systems. To support the development of policies for accelerated bTB control, we conducted a systematic review to collate the available evidence on the impact of bTB on animal health, welfare and production. We identified 91 eligible studies providing information on the burden of bTB. Although the study suggested that bTB poses a considerable burden, the data were sparse and occasionally contradictory. A large proportion (87%) of bTB‐positive animals were asymptomatic, meaning infected animals could go undetected in the absence of routine surveillance and contribute to silent spread of infection. Almost half (46%) of bTB‐positive bovines exhibited visible lesions on post‐mortem inspection, and the carcase would be considered, in part or entirely, unfit for human consumption. However, due to the limited and sometimes conflicting evidence, the true burden in endemic herds and various settings remains poorly understood. The study highlights the paucity of the kind of detailed evidence that is essential for evaluating the benefit of any disease intervention and underscores the importance of considering the distribution of outcomes when supporting data are scarce.

Pasteurellosis, a disease caused by Pasteurella multocida, is responsible for economic losses in rabbit industrial farms due to rhinitis, conjunctivitis, pneumonia, metritis, mastitis, orchitis, subcutaneous abscesses, otitis, encephalitis, and septicaemic forms. Although the occurrence of the disease is conditioned by predisposing factors that affect the rabbit immune response, the strains of P. multocida involved in the infection may have a different pathogenic ability. Therefore, typing of strains spread among the rabbits is important to assess their pathogenic potential. The aim of this study is to investigate the P. multocida strains responsible for disease in rabbit industrial farms. A total of 114 strains identified from different lesions were serotyped. Additionally, the presence of virulence-associated genes was investigated using three PCR (polymerase chain reaction) protocols. Capsular type A was prevalently found in strains from respiratory lesions while types D and F in those from metritis, mastitis, and other lesions. Different associations between some virulence-associated genes and both capsular type and lesions found in rabbits were detected. The presence of 8 virulence-associated genes seems to increase the occurrence of metritis. In addition, strains belonging to capsular type A and responsible for respiratory disorders especially, were found equipped with 10 and 11 virulence-associated genes. Nevertheless, the presence of strains responsible only for rhinitis was also detected among the latter, suggesting that the pathogenic ability of the bacteria depends on the expression rather than the presence of a gene.

Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) are the main causative agents of mastitis in sheep. Their ability to form biofilms in vivo is considered an important virulence factor underlying mastitis outbreaks refractory to antibiotic treatments. Furthermore, pre- and postdipping immersion during milking in iodine substances could determine the presence of residues in milk and therefore represent a health risk factor for consumers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial and biofilm inhibitory activity of Thymus vulgaris L. essential oil (TEO) against staphylococci strains isolated from ovine clinical mastitis. In particular, 3 reference strains (S. aureus 25923 and 11623 and S. epidermidis 12228) and 12 clinical isolates (6 S. aureus and 6 CNS) were used. TEO solutions, from a concentration of 1% (v/v) to 1.25% (v/v), corresponding to 9.28–2.32 mg/mL, were obtained after solubilization in 10% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and used to evaluate the bacterial time-kill compared to that of an iodine-based solution. Antibacterial efficacy was then assessed by the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), while biofilm inhibition was assessed by minimum biofilm inhibitory concentration (MBIC) using a spectrophotometer at a wavelength of 570 nm. Additionally, biofilm-associated genes (icaA and icaD) were evaluated in all tested strains by PCR. The tested TEO concentrations were able to significantly and prominently reduce bacterial growth compared to controls, as demonstrated by bacterial time-kills. The MIC value was obtained at a concentration of 0.50% (v/v) for a single coagulation-positive isolate (S. aureus (f)) and at a concentration of 0.25% (v/v) for all other isolates. TEO showed effective bactericidal action with a 99.9% reduction in CFU/mL of all isolates in the MBC test at a concentration of 0.25% (v/v) for most of the tested strains. Furthermore, a marked inhibition in biofilm formation at all tested concentrations was observed, with MBIC value of 0.25%. All S. aureus tested were biofilm-producing strains and positive for icaA and icaD genes, while two CNS biofilm-producing strains were negative for both genes. These preliminary results suggest that TEO could be a promising alternative as an udder disinfectant during milking practices. Although in vivo studies are needed to confirm the efficacy and safety of TEO as an adjuvant in the prevention and treatment of udder infections, TEO could help counteract the emergence of antimicrobial resistance and reduce the potential risk of iodine residues in milk.

Background/Objectives: Colibacillosis, caused by enteropathogenic strains of Escherichia coli (EPEC), is one of the most common infectious diseases in rabbit farms. In the past, antimicrobials were widely used to control colibacillosis, but their use in prevention is currently prohibited. Therefore, the adoption of new prevention strategies as alternatives to the use of antibiotics is very important. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of cinnamon essential oil (Cinnamomum zeylanicum) against EPEC strains responsible for colibacillosis in rabbits. Methods: For the experiment, 124 strains of E. coli isolated from rabbits that had died of colibacillosis in 10 industrial farms were used. Suspensions of each strain prepared according to CLSI standards with a bacterial density of 1 × 10⁸ CFU/mL were tested using 100% pure commercial cinnamon essential oil (CEO) at concentrations ranging from 0.2 to 0.8 μL/mL. Minimum inhibitory concentrations MIC₅₀ and MIC₉₀ were determined according to a protocol described previously. Results: MIC₅₀ and MIC₉₀ were 0.5 μL/mL and 0.6 μL/mL, inhibiting 64.5% and 94.3% of strains, respectively. Furthermore, strains exposed to 0.4 μL/mL were 12.9 times more likely to be inhibited than those exposed to 0.3 μL/mL (p = 0.0001). Conclusions: CEO was found to be effective against E. coli strains tested at high bacterial densities that can usually be found per gram of faeces in rabbits affected by colibacillosis. Consequently, cinnamon should be useful in preventing colibacillosis by limiting the replication of E. coli, as it is usually found in lower densities in the intestines of healthy rabbits, preventing the onset of colibacillosis and reducing the use of antibiotics in rabbit farms.