The study was carried out to understand the prevalence of CTX-M type extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-harboring Enterobacteriaceae and to analyze risk factors related with fecal carriage in healthy rural residents in Taian, China. A total of 620 stool samples were collected from rural residents. The ESBL-positive Enterobacteriaceae was screened using ChromID ESBL agar, and then further confirmed by double-disk diffusion. The CTX-M genes were determined using polymerase chain reaction. The risk factors associated with fecal carriage of CTX-M-positive isolates were analyzed using the standard statistic methods. 458 isolates carrying CTX-M gene (458/620, 73.9%) were obtained from different individuals, and the most dominant genotype was CTX-M-9 group (303/458, 66.2%). The dominant species were Escherichia coli (E. coli; 403/458, 88.0%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae; 26/458, 5.7%) among the isolates carrying CTX-M genes. All the CTX-M producers were resistant to ampicillin, cefazolin, cefuroxime, and ceftriaxone, but were all susceptible to biapenem, imipenem, and meropenem. The results of multivariate logistic regression model identified the enrollment in formal education (OR 2.321; 95% CI 1.302–3.768; P= 0.039), the hospitalization history within the last 6 months (OR 1.753; 95% CI 1.127–2.584; P= 0.031) and the antibiotics use within the last 6 months (OR 1.892; 95% CI 1.242–2.903; P= 0.034). The three variables were significantly associated with carriage of CTX-M ESBL producers (x2 = 21.21; df = 3; P< 0.001). The prevalence of fecal carriage of CTX-M ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae among healthy rural humans in Taian was high, and the recent antibiotic use and hospitalization history may be the important contributors.

BackgroundThe novel swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) virus (S-O 2009 IV) can cause respiratory infectious diseases in humans and pigs, but there are few studies investigating the airborne spread of the virus. In January 2011, a swine-origin H1N1 epidemic emerged in eastern China that rapidly spread to neighboring farms, likely by aerosols carried by the wind.MethodsIn this study, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect viruses in air samples from pig farms. Based on two aerosol infection models (Pig and guinea pig), we evaluated aerosol transmission and infection of the novel S-O 2009 IV isolate.ResultsThree novel S-O 2009 IV were isolated from the diseased pig. The positive rate and viral loads of air samples were 26.1% and 3.14-5.72 log10copies/m3 air, respectively. In both pig and guinea pig infection models, the isolate (A/swine/Shandong/07/2011) was capable of forming aerosols and infected experimental animals at a range of 2.0-4.2 m by aerosols, but aerosol route was less efficient than direct contact.ConclusionsThe results indicated that S-O 2009 IV is able to be aerosolized by infected animals and to be transmitted to susceptible animals by airborne routes.

Background Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a significant pathogen of viral hepatitis and can be transmitted through fecal-oral route. Epidemiological data concerning HEV in goats, however, are relatively sparse to date. Here, the prevalence and characteristics of HEV isolated from goats at slaughterhouse were investigated in Tai'an region, China. Methods Anti-HEV immunoglobulin G (IgG) in blood samples and HEV RNA in the liver samples were determined by using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a nested reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), respectively. In addition, partial nucleotide sequences of open reading frame 2 (ORF-2) of HEV isolates were analyzed. Results Fifty goat blood samples (46.7%, 50/120) were masculine for anti-HEV IgG. HEV RNA was detected in 2 liver samples (4.0%, 2/50) and belonged to genotype 4 subtype 4 h, with high identity (91.2–93%) with cow HEV strains detected in the same province, China. Conclusions These findings demonstrated that goats may be an important reservoir for HEV and can become a major source of HEV infection in humans via food chain.

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