The world population’s significant increase has promoted a higher consumption of poultry products, which must meet the specified demand while maintaining their quality and safety. It is well known that conventional antimicrobials (antibiotics) have been used in livestock production, including poultry, as a preventive measure against or for the treatment of infectious bacterial diseases. Unfortunately, the use and misuse of these compounds has led to the development and dissemination of antimicrobial drug resistance, which is currently a serious public health concern. Multidrug-resistant bacteria are on the rise, being responsible for serious infections in humans and animals; hence, the goal of this review is to discuss the consequences of antimicrobial drug resistance in poultry production, focusing on the current status of this agroeconomic sector. Novel bacterial control strategies under investigation for application in this industry are also described. These innovative approaches include antimicrobial peptides, bacteriophages, probiotics and nanoparticles. Challenges related to the application of these methods are also discussed.

Background: In dogs, the most frequently reported mycosis associated withAspergillusspp. are respiratory infections.Systemic aspergillosis is uncommon, with reported cases been associated with severalAspergillusspecies.Aspergillus terreusspecies complex are ubiquitous organisms, unfrequently associated with local or systemic disease in animals and humans, and treatment of osteomyelitis caused by this species is usually unfavorable.Case presentation: This case report describes the case of a 5-year-old dog, referred to the Veterinary Hospital of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Lisbon, Portugal, with a history of lameness of the right thoracic limb. Radiographs and CT scan revealed two different lesions on right humerus and radio, which were biopsied. The samples collected were submitted to cytological and histopathological evaluation and bacterial and mycological culture. Environmental samples, including of the surgery room and of the biopsy needle were also evaluated for the presence of fungi. Regarding biopsy samples, bacterial culture was negative, but mycological analysis originated a pure culture of a fungal species later identified asAspergillus terreusby Sanger sequencing. Results were compatible with histopathologic examination, which revealed periosteal reaction and invasion of hyphae elements. Also, mycological analysis of both environmental samples evaluated were negative. The virulence profile of the fungal isolate was phenotypically characterized using specific media, allowing to reveal its ability to produce several enzymes involved in its pathogenicity, namely lipase, hemolysin and DNAse, corresponding to a Virulence Index (V. Index.) of 0.43. The patient was submitted to itraconazole therapy for 8 weeks. After 3 weeks, the patient showed significant clinical improvement, and after 6 weeks no radiographic signs were observed.Conclusions: Antifungal therapy with itraconazole can contribute to the remission of canine infections promoted byAspergillus terreuscomplex with a relevant V. Index.

Faecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) is a promising strategy for modulating the gut microbiome. We aimed to assess the effect of the oral administration of capsules containing lyophilised faeces on dogs with diarrhoea for 2 months as well as evaluate their long-term influence on animals’ faecal consistency and intestinal microbiome. This pilot study included five dogs: two used as controls and three with diarrhoea. Animals were evaluated for four months by performing a monthly faecal samples collection and physical examination, which included faecal consistency determination using the Bristol scale. The total number of viable bacteria present in the capsules was quantified and their bacterial composition was determined by 16S rRNA gene sequencing, which was also applied to the faecal samples. During the assay, no side effects were reported. Animals’ faecal consistency improved and, after ending capsules administration, Bristol scale values remained stable in two of the three animals. The animals’ microbiome gradually changed toward a composition associated with a balanced microbiota. After FMT, a slight shift was observed in its composition, but the capsules’ influence remained evident during the 4-month period. Capsules administration seems to have a positive effect on the microbiota modulation; however, studies with more animals should be performed to confirm our observations.

Antimicrobial resistance is a growing global threat, with surveillance providing essential information to control its spread and support rational treatment strategies. Klebsiella pneumoniae, a member of the Gram-negative Enterobacteriaceae family, frequently develops resistance mechanisms. This study analyzed 195 rectal swabs from companion and stray dogs in Santiago and São Nicolau (Cape Verde) and São Tomé and Príncipe, sampled during a neutering and deworming campaign conducted by Veterinary Without Borders Portugal, to detect extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing bacteria. Samples were enriched and then cultured on ChromID^® ESBL agar, and resulting isolates were identified via MALDI-TOF MS. A total of 35 K. pneumoniae isolates were identified, of which 32 were confirmed as ESBL producers. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed 100% resistance to aztreonam, cefotaxime, cefpodoxime, and ceftaroline, and high resistance to cefepime (93.8%), ciprofloxacin (93.8%), and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (90.6%). All isolates were considered multidrug-resistant but remained susceptible to cefoxitin, imipenem, and meropenem. The genes bla_CTX-M, bla_SHV, and bla_TEM were present in 96.9%, 65.6%, and 56.3% of the isolates, respectively. DNA fingerprinting revealed seven clusters, suggesting genetic diversity and strain dissemination across locations. These findings highlight the role of dogs as vectors for antimicrobial resistance dissemination, underscoring the need for continuous surveillance in both veterinary and human medicine.

Staphylococci are prevalent in dogs’ microbiota, with commensal strains being able to exhibit resistance and virulence traits, complicating secondary infection management. As antimicrobial resistance is a global threat, particularly in middle-income countries like Angola, surveillance of resistant bacteria is crucial. We analyzed the prevalence, antimicrobial resistance, and virulence profiles of staphylococci from dogs in Angola. Isolates were identified using VITEK^® 2 Compact (bioMérieux© SA, Marcy l’Etoile, France), and their genetic diversity was assessed via PCR fingerprinting. Isolates’ susceptibility to relevant antimicrobials was determined by disk diffusion, and their virulence profiles were evaluated using plaque assays. The relationship between antibiotic resistance and animal-related factors was also assessed by statistical analysis. Isolates were identified as Mammaliicoccus sciuri (former Staphylococcus sciuri, 38%), Staphylococcus xylosus (30%), Staphylococcus equorum (13%), Mammaliicoccus vitulinus (former Staphylococcus vitulinus, 7%), Mammaliicoccus lentus (former Staphylococcus lentus, 5%), Staphylococcus aureus (2%), and Staphylococcus spp. (5%). Of these, 86% were resistant to at least one of the antimicrobials tested, and 30% were classified as multidrug-resistant, being more common in females, dogs with clinical signs of disease, and vaccinated animals. Moreover, 93% of the isolates were able to produce biofilm, 46% could produce lecithinase and gelatinase, and 23% could produce hemolysins. Companion dogs from Angola can carry resistant staphylococci able to express several virulence factors, potentially representing a One Health risk.

The Pseudomonas genus includes ubiquitous bacteria frequently described as animal and human opportunistic pathogens. A 9-year-old cat was referred for rhinoscopy at the Veterinary Hospital of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, Portugal, for an investigation of the chronic respiratory signs. Upon rhinoscopy, nasal and nasopharyngeal discharge were observed, and the nasal turbinates showed signs of inflammation. The nasal biopsies were evaluated by histopathology and mycological and bacterial cultures. The histopathology revealed chronic lymphoplasmacytic inflammation. The mycological culture was negative, but the bacterial culture revealed the growth of a bacterial isolate in the pure culture, identified as P. aestus by the sequencing of a 1750 bp PCR amplicon obtained with BCR1 and BCR2 primers, followed by homologous sequences analysis using the NCBI database. The isolate’s susceptibility profile towards 14 antimicrobials was evaluated through the disk diffusion method, being observed that it presented a multidrug resistance profile. The studies available on this environmental Pseudomonas strain focused on its potential use for biocide production and application in agricultural settings, and, to the authors’ best knowledge, there are no reports describing its association with infectious diseases in humans or animals, highlighting the importance of establishing protocols aiming at the identification and characterization of non-traditional, multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas in the clinical setting.