Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) have been detected in wild animals representing a public health concern. The red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa) is a common game bird and its meat is consumed in several countries, including Portugal. Three hundred five fecal samples of red-legged partridge from the north of Portugal were screened for VRE. Samples were cultured on Slanetz-Bartley agar supplemented with vancomycin (4 mg/L) and six vanA-Enterococcus faecium were recovered. Isolates were tested for antibiotic resistance and virulence genes. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was performed to study the genotypic diversity of vanA-containing E. faecium. The six isolates showed erythromycin resistance and harbored the erm(B) gene and the four that were tetracycline resistant showed the tet(M) gene. The C-terminal region of the pbp5 gene of the ampicillin-resistant isolates (minimal inhibitory concentration range of 256 μg/ml) was sequenced. Two different pbp5 alleles were detected when considering the changes of amino acid in 461-629 region. All isolates harbored the esp gene, whereas hyl, together with the esp gene, was detected in five isolates. MLST analysis grouped the isolates as ST448 (n = 1), ST139 (n = 1), and ST18 (n = 4). Our findings show that the red-legged partridges could be a reservoir of antimicrobial resistance genes and may contribute to the dissemination and transference of the resistance genes to other animals and humans.

Among the numerous coadjuvant therapies that could influence the incidence and progression of diabetic complications, antioxidants and flavonoids are currently being tested in clinical trials. We investigated the effect of quercetin on biochemical parameters in streptozotocin-induced (60 mg/kg body mass, by intraperitoneal injection) diabetic rats. A total of 32 female Wistar rats were distributed among 4 groups as follows: control (G1); control treated with quercetin (G2); diabetic (G3); and diabetic treated with quercetin (G4). Quercetin administered to pregnant diabetic rats controlled dyslipidemia and improved lipid profiles in diabetes mellitus, regulated oxidative stress by reducing the generation of lipid hydroperoxides, and increased the activity of the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase.

No abstract

Objective: Investigate the effects of diabetes and treatment with quercetin on the maternal reproductive performance and impact on foetal growth. Study design:A total of 32 female Wistar rats were distributed into four groups: non-diabetic (G1); non-diabetic treated with quercetin (G2); diabetic (G3) and diabetic treated with quercetin (G4). At day 21 of pregnancy, each rat was anesthetized and humanely killed for laparotomy; was observed reproductive performance, foetal and placental weights and the placental index. Maternal and foetal data were analysed by ANOVA followed by the Tukey test. Foetal weight classification was assessed by Goodman's test. Results:Diabetes and diabetes treated with quercetin caused placentomegaly an increased placental index and small foetus rates for pregnancy age. Conclusion:Quercetin, administered to pregnant diabetic rats, controlled glucose levels and promoted weight gain compared to untreated diabetic rats, but it did not improve reproductive performance or foetal or placental development.

Antibiotics are successful drugs used in human and animal therapy; however, they must be considered as environmental pollutants. This study aims to isolate and characterize the extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producing Escherichia coli soil from Azores Archipelago subjected to livestock agricultural practices. Twenty-four soil samples were collected from three different pasture systems with different number of cattle heads, and from a control site. Antibiotic susceptibility method was performed by Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method against 16 antibiotics, and the presence of genes encoding lactamases, antimicrobial resistance genes, virulence factors, and phylogenetic groups was determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Nine ESBLs were recovered from the three grazing sites, and all isolates presented the beta-lactamase genes bla CTX-M-3 and bla SHV . E. coli isolates were resistance to tetracycline and streptomycin and harbored the tetB, strA, and strB genes. One isolate also showed resistance to sulfonamides, and the genes sul1 and sul2 were detected. The isolates were grouped into the following phylogenic groups: B1 (n = 6), D (n = 2), and A (n = 1). The presence of antibiotics and resistance genes in soils may be the source to the development of antimicrobial resistance, which may have negative consequences in human and animal health.