The emergence and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance among human, animal and zoonotic pathogens pose an enormous threat to human health worldwide. The use of antibiotics in human and veterinary medicine, and especially the use of large quantities of antibiotics in livestock for the purpose of growth promotion of food animals is believed to be contributing to the modern trend of the emergence and spread of bacteria with antibiotic resistant traits. To better control the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance several countries from Western Europe implemented a ban for antibiotic use in livestock, specifically the use of antibiotics for growth promotion of food animals. This review article summarizes the recent knowledge of molecular acquisition of antimicrobial resistance and the effects of implementation of antibiotic growth promoter bans on the spread of antimicrobial resistant bacteria in animals and humans. In this article, we also discuss the main zoonotic transmission routes of antimicrobial resistance and novel approaches designed to prevent or slow down the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance worldwide. Finally, we provide future perspectives associated with the control and management of the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistant bacteria.

The survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in replicate soil microcosms was quantified in 2 types of silty clay loam soil (high carbon and low carbon) under either sterile or nonsterile conditions. Microcosms were held at -21, 4, and 22 degrees C under constant soil moisture content. Differences existed (P < 0.05) in survival of E. coli O157:H7 in low- and high-carbon soil at all temperatures, indicating an important role of soil composition on the survival of this pathogen. The highest death rate of E. coli O157:H7 in sterile soil occurred in the low-carbon soil at 4 degrees C, whereas in nonsterile soil the highest death rate was observed in the low-carbon soil at 22 degrees C. These results suggest that the most lethal effects on E. coli O157:H7 in the sterile system occurred via the synergy of nutrient limitation and cold stress, whereas in the nonsterile system lethality was owing to inhibition by indigenous soil microorganisms and starvation. Results obtained from an in situ field survival experiment demonstrated the apparent sensitivity of E. coli O157:H7 cells to dehydration, information that may be used to reduce environmental spread of this pathogen as well as formulate appropriate waste management strategies.

This study examined the adaptive response and survival of planktonic and biofilm phenotypes of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis adapted to benzalkonium chloride (BC). Planktonic cells and biofilms were continuously exposed to 1 g ml ؊1 of BC for 144 h. The proportion of BC-adapted biofilm cells able to survive a lethal BC treatment (30 g ml ؊1 ) was significantly higher (4.6-fold) than that of BC-adapted planktonic cells. Similarly, there were 18.3-fold more survivors among the BC-adapted biofilm cells than among their nonadapted (i.e., without prior BC exposure) cell counterparts at the lethal BC concentration, and this value was significantly higher than the value for BC-adapted planktonic cells versus nonadapted cells (3.2-fold). A significantly higher (P < 0.05) proportion of surviving cells was noticed among BC-adapted biofilm cells relative to BC-adapted planktonic cells following a 10-min heat shock at 55°C. Fatty acid composition was significantly influenced by phenotype (planktonic cells or biofilm) and BC adaptation. Cell surface roughness of biofilm cells was also significantly greater (P < 0.05) than that of planktonic cells. Key proteins upregulated in BC-adapted planktonic and biofilm cells included CspA, TrxA, Tsf, YjgF, and a probable peroxidase, STY0440. Nine and 17 unique proteins were upregulated in BC-adapted planktonic and biofilm cells, respectively. These results suggest that enhanced biofilm-specific upregulation of 17 unique proteins, along with the increased expression of CspA, TrxA, Tsf, YjgF, and a probable peroxidase, phenotype-specific alterations in cell surface roughness, and a shift in fatty acid composition conferred enhanced survival to the BC-adapted biofilm cell population relative to their BC-adapted planktonic cell counterparts.

The majority of Staphylococcus aureus infections from Isfahan, Iran, were caused by epidemic methicillinsusceptible S. aureus (MSSA) lineages, sequence type 8 (ST8), ST22, ST30, and ST6. The predominant methicillin-resistant S. aureus strain was ST239. We observed a high prevalence of Panton-Valentine leukocidin-positive MSSA strains (19.7%), which is a matter of considerable concern, since these strains have the ability to cause severe infections.

The prevalence of Escherichia coli O157 associated with feedlot cattle in Saskatchewan was determined in a 10-month longitudinal study (3 feedlots) and a point prevalence study (20 feedlots). The prevalence of E. coli O157 at the three different sites in the horizontal study varied from 2.5 to 45%. The point prevalence of E. coli O157 among Saskatchewan cattle from 20 different feedlots ranged from 0% to a high of 57%. A statistically significant (P ‫؍‬ 0.003) positive correlation was determined to exist between the density of cattle and the E. coli O157 prevalence rate. A significant correlation (P ‫؍‬ 0.006) was also found between the E. coli O157 percent prevalence and the number of cattle housed/capacity ratio. All 194 E. coli O157 isolates obtained were highly virulent, and random amplified polymorphic DNA PCR analysis revealed that the isolates grouped into 39 different E. coli O157 subtypes, most of which were indigenous to specific feedlots. Two of the most predominant subtypes were detected in 11 different feedlots and formed distinct clusters in two geographic regions in the province. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of the E. coli O157 isolates revealed that 10 were multidrug resistant and that 73 and 5 were resistant to sulfisoxazole and tetracycline, respectively.