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Antimicrobial resistance and molecular epidemiological analysis of Escherichia fergusonii harboring the mcr gene in pigs and broiler chickens in Okinawa, Japan
Get PDFjournal articleThe dissemination of mcr-harboring Enterobacteriaceae, e.g., Escherichia fergusonii, with resistance to colistin via animal products is a public health concern. In our previous study, E. fergusonii harboring the mcr gene were isolated from 11 pigs and 43 chickens. To understand the spread of mcr-harboring E. fergusonii in Okinawa, Japan, and to gain further insights into how they can be controlled, an antimicrobial susceptibility testing, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), a conjugation test for the transferability of mcr-harboring plasmids, and PCR-based replicon typing (PBRT) were performed using the 54 strains. According to the disk-diffusion and broth microdilution methods, 9 of the 11 strains from pigs and 9 of the 43 strains from chickens had multidrug resistance (MDR). The broth microdilution method showed that all strains were resistant to colistin, and the minimum inhibitory concentration of colistin was 4–16 μg/mL. PFGE suggested identical PFGE types were being transmitted within one pig farm, within one chicken farm, and among several chicken farms. These findings showed that some mcr-harboring E. fergusonii in Okinawa exhibited MDR, and these had spread within farms and between farms. In the mcr gene conjugation test and PBRT, a type IncI2 plasmid replicon was detected in all mcr-1-harboring transconjugants. Therefore, evidence suggests that the IncI2 plasmid is probably involved in the transmission of the mcr-1 gene. It is important to monitor the antimicrobial resistance profile and dissemination of the IncI2 plasmid in mcr-harboring E. fergusonii.journal articl
A Comparative Study on Fungal Diversity in Organic and Conventionally Cultivated Lemons During Accelerated Storage
Get PDFjournal articleThere has been a growing interest in organic farming as a countermeasure to the environmental burden caused by chemical pesticides. We analyzed and compared the fungal diversity of lemon fruits from organic and conventional cultivation by automated rRNA intergenic spacer analysis (ARISA), accompanied by isolation of cultured colonies and metagenomic analysis. Lemon peels were cut out and subjected to the analyses at purchase and after accelerated storage at 28 °C. The organic lemons did not decay even after 14 weeks, while most of the conventional lemons did decay. The fungal colony counts were not significantly different, although the number of fungal species together with the Shannon index, considering the abundance of each species, clearly showed more diversity in organic lemons than in conventional lemons (p = 0.011). Fusarium sp. (putative F. solani) accounted for as much as 90% of the relative abundance in the decayed conventional lemons. Metagenomic analysis also supported the lack of fungal diversity in conventional lemons. These results may suggest that organic cultivation maintains the diversity of native fungal flora in lemon fruit and could contribute to preventing decay during ambient storage.journal articl
Changes in CCN activity of ship exhaust particles induced by fuel sulfur content reduction and wet scrubbing
Get PDFjournal articleMaritime transport remains a large source of airborne pollutants, including exhaust particles that can act as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). While primary diesel engine exhaust particles are generally considered hydrophobic, international regulations targeting a reduction of particulate emissions from ships may have secondary effects, and therefore influence how exhaust interacts within the atmosphere. The effect of international fuel sulfur content (FSC) regulations on the cloud forming abilities of exhaust particles was investigated using a marine test engine operating on compliant low FSC fuels, non-compliant high FSC distillate fuels and in conjunction with a marine wet scrubber (fresh- and seawater). Particle sizing and liquid droplet activation measurements reveal that compliance measures can have opposing effects on the CCN activity of exhaust particles. For a non-compliant, high FSC fuel, wet scrubbing leads to an increase in CCN activity but not to significant increases in CCN emission factors. However, switching to low FSC fuels resulted in emissions of highly hydrophobic particles, causing a significant reduction in CCN activity resulting in smaller CCN emission factors by at least one order of magnitude. Our observations are supported by chemical analysis of exhaust particles using scanning transmission X-ray microscopy and near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (STXM/NEXAFS) spectra. Potential implications of effects on ship exhaust particles for cloud and climate interactions due to different compliance measures are discussed.journal articl
Economic losses associated with mastitis due to bovine leukemia virus infection
Get PDFjournal articleBovine leukemia virus (BLV), which causes enzootic bovine leukosis and immunosuppression, is widely prevalent on Japanese dairy farms. However, in the absence of a national eradication scheme with compensation programs, it is important to estimate BLV-associated economic losses to raise farmers' awareness. Mastitis (includes both clinical and subclinical) is a common disease in the dairy industry and the most common reason for culling. We hypothesized that immunosuppression due to BLV predisposes subclinical mastitis. A retrospective cohort study was conducted to trace Holstein cows at 9 commercial dairy farms in the Nemuro and Kushiro regions of Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan, where monitoring of BLV proviral load is routine. Information regarding Dairy Herd Improvement data, parity number, and delivery day was collected at each farm. Cows with no confirmed infection with BLV during lactation were defined as non-infected. Low-proviral-load and high-proviral-load (H-PVL) cows were defined as those in which proviral load was below and over 2,465 copies/50 ng of DNA, respectively, or 56,765 copies/105 cells, respectively, throughout the lactation period. Survival analysis was performed using the frailty model to estimate the hazard ratio of subclinical mastitis for BLV infection status using data from 1,034 dairy cows after adjusting for parity number and delivery season as confounding factors. Kaplan–Meier survivor curves demonstrated that half of the H-PVL cows developed subclinical mastitis within 52 d after calving. The hazard ratio of subclinical mastitis for H-PVL cows was 2.61 times higher than that of non-infected cows. In 2017, there were 264,443 clinical mastitis cases in Hokkaido. Using field and published data, annual economic losses were estimated using Monte Carlo simulation. The economic loss due to mastitis associated with BLV infection per H-PVL cow was 6,097,225 (¥640,208,633). In summary, H-PVL cows were more susceptible to subclinical mastitis than non-infected and low-proviral-load cows, and mastitis due to BLV infection was projected to cause significant economic losses.journal articl
Genetic diversity of avian infectious bronchitis virus in commercial poultry flocks in select regions of the philippines
Get PDFjournal articleAvian infectious bronchitis (IB) is a highly contagious disease of domestic chickens caused by the avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV). Albeit its known presence in the country, detailed information and field data are limited. To identify the predominant strains of IBV and characterize its clinical profile, a total of 37 field IBVs from selected regions in the Philippines were analyzed. Confirmed cases of IB were isolated from vaccinated flocks which presented mild to moderate respiratory, enteric, and nephropathogenic signs. Nucleotide sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the partial S1 gene highlighted that all field IBVs belong to Genotype I. Sixteen (16) strains (43.24%) belong to GI-1 (Mass) lineage (H120-like = 11 strains (68.75%); Mass-like = five strains (31.25%)); one strain (2.70%) from GI-22 (CK/CH/LSC/99I-like) lineage; three strains (8.10%) from GI-25 (GA07) lineage; 11 strains (29.73%) were re-isolation of vaccine strains; and six (16.21%) strains were from an unknown lineage that might be distinct to the Philippines. Field IBVs were closely related (80-100%) to Chinese, US, Malaysian, and Thai IBV strains. This study demonstrated the co-circulation of multiple IBV lineages in the Philippines which may serve as an index for more targeted prevention and control strategies of IBV infection in the field.journal articl
Genetic characterization and phylogenetic analysis of infectious bursal disease virus from commercial broiler flocks in the philippines
Get PDFjournal articleInfectious bursal disease (IBD) is a highly contagious immunosuppres-sive disease of poultry. To better understand the epidemiology of IBD virus (IBDV) in the country, a total of 39 field IBDVs from commercial broiler flocks in seven regions of the Philippines were analyzed. Clinical signs observed were uniformity problems, inappetence, lethargy, stunted growth, poor average daily gain, irregular size of bursa of Fabricius, and mortality rates ranging from four to 19%. Phylogenetic analysis highlighted the following: three (7.69%) field strains were from G1 classic genotype; 16 (41.03%) were G1 vaccine IBDVs; 17 (43.59%) were G2 variants; two (5.12%) were G3 vvIBDVs; and one (2.56%) was a G7 vaccine IBDV. Regional distribution showed that G1 IBDVs were detected in regions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 11, G2 IBDVs were observed in Regions 3 and 4, G3 IBDVs in Regions 6 and 7, and G7 IBDV in Region 3. It was demonstrated that G2 IBDVs were closely related (95-96%) to variant strains from the USA, whereas the G1 and G3 IBDVs were closely related (96.00-100%) to IBDVs from several countries in Southeast and Far East Asia. This study is so far the first to comprehensively document the molecular as well as the epidemiological characteristics of IBDVs in the Philippines.journal articl
本学管理栄養士コース女子学生の食塩への意識
Get PDFBulletinSalt is a mineral essential for human life. We investigated the image of salt and salt intake among 146 female students aiming to become registered dieticians at our university. They were asked to record their daily salt intake. For second graders and above, it was around 8 g per day. The average was 7.2 g for first-year students who had just started studying at university, but the standard deviation was the largest at ±5.5 g. The amount of “a pinch of salt” that students usually used was measured with an electronic balance. 17 people (47.2%) took salt with their thumb, index finger and middle finger. 19 people (52.8%) took it with their thumb and index finger. Even second-year students and above who have learned about salt intake and health, and who have had increased opportunities to eat at home because of the coronavirus pandemic, showed the possibility of exceeding the recommended daily intake of salt. The increase in salt intake is thought to be due to the increased use of processed foods and seasonings. In the future, it will be necessary to season food only on the surface of the ingredients. In addition, it is necessary to devise ways to season the food, such as adding starch from potato starch and using the taste of vinegar.departmental bulletin pape