The Microbial Community of Poultry Farm Waste and Its Role in Hydrogen Sulfide Production

Microbiology - The microbiota of chicken litter remains largely unexplored, despite its leading role in the formation of volatile odorants and unpleasant odors. One of the main components of the...     

Occurrence of ESBL-Producing Escherichia coli in Livestock and Farm Workers in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania,Germany

In recent years, extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL) producing bacteria have been found in livestock, mainly as asymptomatic colonizers. The zoonotic risk for people working in close contact to animal husbandry has still not been completely assessed. Therefore, we investigated the prevalence of ESBL-producing Escherichia spp. in livestock animals and workers to determine the potential risk for an animal-human cross-transmission.In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, northeast Germany, inguinal swabs of 73 individuals with livestock contact from 23 different farms were tested for ESBL-producing Escherichia spp. Two pooled fecal samples per farm of animal origin from 34 different farms (17 pig farms, 11 cattle farms, 6 poultry farms) as well as cloacal swabs of 10 randomly selected broilers or turkeys were taken at each poultry farm. For identification, selective chromogenic agar was used after an enrichment step. Phenotypically ESBL-producing isolates (n = 99) were tested for CTX-M, OXA, SHV and TEM using PCR, and isolates were further characterized using multilocus sequence typing (MLST). In total, 61 diverse isolates from different sources and/or different MLST/PCR results were acquired. Five farm workers (three from cattle farms and two from pig farms) harbored ESBL-producing E. coli. All human isolates harbored the CTX-M β-lactamase; TEM and OXA β-lactamases were additionally detected in two, resp. one, isolates. ESBL-producing Escherichia spp. were found in fecal samples at pig (15/17), cattle (6/11) and poultry farms (3/6). In total, 70.6% (24/36) of the tested farms were ESBL positive. Furthermore, 9 out of 60 cloacal swabs turned out to be ESBL positive. All isolated ESBL-producing bacteria from animal sources were E. coli, except for one E. hermanii isolate. CTX-M was the most prevalent β-lactamase at cattle and pig farms, while SHV predominated in poultry. One human isolate shared an identical MLST sequence type (ST) 3891 and CTX-M allele to the isolate found in the cattle fecal sample from the same farm, indicating a zoonotic transfer. Two other pairs of human-pig and human-cattle E. coli isolates encoded the same ESBL genes but did not share the same MLST ST, which may indicate horizontal resistance gene transfer. In summary, the study shows the high prevalence of ESBL-producing E.coli in livestock in Mecklenburg- Western Pomerania and provides the risk of transfer between livestock and farm workers.     

Increased Levels of Markers of Microbial Exposure in Homes with Indoor Storage of Organic Household Waste

As part of environmental management policies in Europe, separate collection of organic household waste and nonorganic household waste has become increasingly common. As waste is often stored indoors, this policy might increase microbial exposure in the home environment. In this study we evaluated the association between indoor storage of organic waste and levels of microbial agents in house dust. The levels of bacterial endotoxins, mold β(1→3)-glucans, and fungal extracullar polysaccharides (EPS) of Aspergillus and Penicillium species were determined in house dust extracts as markers of microbial exposure. House dust samples were collected in 99 homes in The Netherlands selected on the basis of whether separated organic waste was present in the house. In homes in which separated organic waste was stored indoors for 1 week or more the levels of endotoxin, EPS, and glucan were 3.2-, 7.6-, and 4.6-fold higher, respectively (all P < 0.05), on both living room and kitchen floors than the levels in homes in which only nonorganic residual waste was stored indoors. Increased levels of endotoxin and EPS were observed, 2.6- and 2.1-fold (P < 0.1), respectively, when separated organic waste was stored indoors for 1 week or less, whereas storage of nonseparated waste indoors had no effect on microbial agent levels (P > 0.2). The presence of textile floor covering was another major determinant of microbial levels (P < 0.05). Our results indicate that increased microbial contaminant levels in homes are associated with indoor storage of separated organic waste. These increased levels might increase the risk of bioaerosol-related respiratory symptoms in susceptible people.     

深圳市光明华侨畜牧场生态农业探讨

介绍深圳光明华侨畜牧场生态农业的基本模式,总结该场的生态农业建设方面所取得的经验和巨大成绩     

农业有机废弃物中挥发性成分的过程控制

随着养殖业的发展禽畜废弃物已经成为有机废弃物的主要来源之一,并产生了很多恶臭气体,对环境造成了严重污染。论述了恶臭气体的发生、危害及国内外物理、化学、生化和生物法过程控制的研究进展,并在此基础上提出了微生物在禽畜废弃物恶臭气体控制中的问题和研究展望。     

Animal Welfare and Livestock Production in a Postindustrial Milieu

Structural transformation, food safety, and environmental risks pose challenges to livestock producers. Adjustments to livestock production systems to improve animal welfare will be made in an economic and political milieu characterized by these challenges. However, competing assumptions about contemporary society provide different frameworks for formulating the problems faced by industry and government decision makers. The assumption that industrialization is the key problem in livestock production leads to an application of science that does not adequately address the role of public participation and trust.     

Genomic Analyses of the Microsporidian Nosema ceranae,an Emergent Pathogen of Honey Bees

Recent steep declines in honey bee health have severely impacted the beekeeping industry, presenting new risks for agricultural commodities that depend on insect pollination. Honey bee declines could reflect increased pressures from parasites and pathogens. The incidence of the microsporidian pathogen Nosema ceranae has increased significantly in the past decade. Here we present a draft assembly (7.86 MB) of the N. ceranae genome derived from pyrosequence data, including initial gene models and genomic comparisons with other members of this highly derived fungal lineage. N. ceranae has a strongly AT-biased genome (74% A+T) and a diversity of repetitive elements, complicating the assembly. Of 2,614 predicted protein-coding sequences, we conservatively estimate that 1,366 have homologs in the microsporidian Encephalitozoon cuniculi, the most closely related published genome sequence. We identify genes conserved among microsporidia that lack clear homology outside this group, which are of special interest as potential virulence factors in this group of obligate parasites. A substantial fraction of the diminutive N. ceranae proteome consists of novel and transposable-element proteins. For a majority of well-supported gene models, a conserved sense-strand motif can be found within 15 bases upstream of the start codon; a previously uncharacterized version of this motif is also present in E. cuniculi. These comparisons provide insight into the architecture, regulation, and evolution of microsporidian genomes, and will drive investigations into honey bee–Nosema interactions.     

Storage of Resting Spores of the Gypsy Moth Fungal Pathogen, Entomophaga maimaiga

The fungal pathogen, Entomophaga maimaiga causes epizootics in populations of the important North American forest defoliator gypsy moth ( Lymantria dispar ). Increasing use of this fungus for biological control is dependent on our ability to produce and manipulate the long-lived overwintering resting spores (azygospores). E. maimaiga resting spores undergo obligate dormancy before germination so we investigated conditions required for survival during dormancy as well as the dynamics of subsequent germination. After formation in the field during summer, resting spores were stored under various moisture levels, temperatures, and with and without soil in the laboratory and field. The following spring, for samples maintained in the field, germination was greatest among resting spores stored in plastic bags containing either moistened paper towels or sterile soil. Resting spores did not require light during storage to subsequently germinate. In the laboratory, only resting spores maintained with either sterile or unsterilized soil at 4°C (but not at 20 or -20°C) germinated the following spring, but at a much lower percentage than most field treatments. To further investigate the effects of relative humidity (RH) during storage, field-collected resting spores were placed at a range of humidities at 4°C. After 9.5 months, resting spore germination was highest at 58% RH and no resting spores stored at 88 or 100% RH germinated. To evaluate the dynamics of infections initiated by resting spores after storage, gypsy moth larvae were exposed to soil containing resting spores that had been collected in the field and stored at 4°C for varying lengths of time. No differences in infection occurred among larvae exposed to fall-collected soil samples stored at 4oC over the winter, versus soil samples collected from the same location the following spring. Springcollected resting spores stored at 4°C did not go into secondary dormancy. At the time that cold storage of soil containing resting spores began in spring, infection among exposed larvae was initiated within a few days after bringing the soil to 15°C. This same pattern was also found for spring-collected resting spore-bearing soil that was assayed after cold storage for 2-7 months. However, after 31-32 months in cold storage, infections started 14-18 days after soil was brought to 15°C, indicating a delay in resting spore activity after prolonged cold storage.     

Impacts of Pathogen Introduction Risk on Importer Behavior and Gains from Trade in the Livestock Industry

Trade eliminates geographic barriers, allowing for novel exchange of goods and services, but also creates pathways for the unintentional spread of infectious pathogens such as foot and mouth disease. In the absence of trade regulation, a producer’s choice of import origin depends on relative prices and costs associated with trading partners. This paper develops a framework for exploring importer behavior in a non-regulated economy, allowing for price and risk heterogeneity among potential import sources. In the model, importers determine the risk of introducing foot and mouth disease to home soil and choose import volumes using risk and market data. When importers consider the possibility of unreported or undetected outbreaks, they choose to import from multiple sources to minimize risk and simultaneously create gains from trade over the regulated outcome. Our results have implications for the development of import and inspection policies that could be specifically designed to target highest risk imports of livestock.     

The Production, Storage, and Translocation of Carbohydrates in Developing Potato Plants

¹⁴C-tracer experiments showed that the export of assimilateslabelled with a short pulse of ¹⁴CO₂ continued for 5 weeks.There appeared to be an approximately exponential loss of ethanol-insoluble¹⁴C from the haulm with a half-time of about 3.5 weeks. Initiallythere was a poor correlation between the fresh weight of thetubers and their ¹⁴C content but the correlation became goodafter 5 weeks. Field data showed that, in many instances, the rate of tubergrowth was greater than the rate of growth of the whole plant.This suggests the transfer of large amounts of dry matter fromthe haulm to the tubers. Dry-matter loss from the haulm couldaccount for the discrepancy and the amount transferred in thisway was about 10 per cent of the final dry weight of the tuber. There was an increase in net assimilation rate when the leafarea of the plants started to decline. It is suggested thatthis increase was due to an increase in the rate of photosynthesisbrought about by the influence of the rapidly growing tubers.     

昆虫营养价值及其在畜禽养殖中的应用

昆虫是一种重要的生物资源,因其种类和个体数量多,生长繁殖速度快、蛋白质含量高等特点,已成为目前最具开发潜力的动物性蛋白资源。本文对昆虫资源进行了简单介绍,概述了昆虫的营养价值及其在畜禽养殖中的应用,分析了目前饲用昆虫发展面临的问题,并对其应用前景进行了展望。     

浅述乳酸菌在畜禽生产中的应用

在病原菌、病毒、应激等因素的影响下,畜禽肠道功能容易紊乱失调。抗生素可以预防或治疗由病原菌引起的感染,但抗生素的滥用会给畜牧产品、生态环境带来一系列危害,对人类的健康造成巨大威胁,因此无抗养殖的趋势已成必然。益生菌在畜禽养殖中具有很重要的作用,乳酸菌作为益生菌的重要组成部分,它具有促进机体生长、改善胃肠道功能、提高机体免疫力、维持动物肠道菌群平衡等作用,故乳酸菌可以作为抗生素替代品引入畜禽养殖。本文主要概述乳酸菌在畜禽养殖中发挥益生功效的作用机制和应用范围,着重讲述乳酸菌相较于其他主要畜禽养殖益生菌的优势与劣势,阐述乳酸菌在种养结合的运用,对乳酸菌的未来发展和应用前景提出展望。     

Comparative Genomic Characterization of Three Streptococcus parauberis Strains in Fish Pathogen,as Assessed by Wide-Genome Analyses

Streptococcus parauberis, which is the main causative agent of streptococcosis among olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) in northeast Asia, can be distinctly divided into two groups (type I and type II) by an agglutination test. Here, the whole genome sequences of two Japanese strains (KRS-02083 and KRS-02109) were determined and compared with the previously determined genome of a Korean strain (KCTC 11537). The genomes of S. parauberis are intermediate in size and have lower GC contents than those of other streptococci. We annotated 2,236 and 2,048 genes in KRS-02083 and KRS-02109, respectively. Our results revealed that the three S. parauberis strains contain different genomic insertions and deletions. In particular, the genomes of Korean and Japanese strains encode different factors for sugar utilization; the former encodes the phosphotransferase system (PTS) for sorbose, whereas the latter encodes proteins for lactose hydrolysis, respectively. And the KRS-02109 strain, specifically, was the type II strain found to be able to resist phage infection through the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas system and which might contribute valuably to serologically distribution. Thus, our genome-wide association study shows that polymorphisms can affect pathogen responses, providing insight into biological/biochemical pathways and phylogenetic diversity.     

Improved Quantification,Propagation, Purification and Storage of the Obligate Intracellular Human Pathogen Orientia tsutsugamushi

Background

Scrub typhus is a leading cause of serious febrile illness in rural Southeast Asia. The causative agent, Orientia tsutsugamushi, is an obligate intracellular bacterium that is transmitted to humans by the bite of a Leptotrombidium mite. Research into the basic mechanisms of cell biology and pathogenicity of O. tsutsugamushi has lagged behind that of other important human pathogens. One reason for this is that O. tsutsugamushi is an obligate intracellular bacterium that can only be cultured in mammalian cells and that requires specific methodologies for propagation and analysis. Here, we have performed a body of work designed to improve methods for quantification, propagation, purification and long-term storage of this important but neglected human pathogen. These results will be useful to other researchers working on O. tsutsugamushi and also other obligate intracellular pathogens such as those in the Rickettsiales and Chlamydiales families.

Methodology

A clinical isolate of O. tsutsugamushi was grown in cultured mouse embryonic fibroblast (L929) cells. Bacterial growth was measured using an O. tsutsugamushi-specific qPCR assay. Conditions leading to improvements in viability and growth were monitored in terms of the effect on bacterial cell number after growth in cultured mammalian cells.

Key results

• Development of a standardised growth assay to quantify bacterial replication and viability in vitro.
• Quantitative comparison of different DNA extraction methods.
• Quantification of the effect on growth of FBS concentration, daunorubicin supplementation, media composition, host cell confluence at infection and frequency of media replacement.
• Optimisation of bacterial purification including a comparison of host cell lysis methods, purification temperature, bacterial yield calculations and bacterial pelleting at different centrifugation speeds.
• Quantification of bacterial viability loss after long term storage and freezing under a range of conditions including different freezing buffers and different rates of freezing.

Conclusions

Here we present a standardised method for comparing the viability of O. tsutsugamushi after purification, treatment and propagation under various conditions. Taken together, we present a body of data to support improved techniques for propagation, purification and storage of this organism. This data will be useful both for improving clinical isolation rates as well as performing in vitro cell biology experiments.     

Comparative Genomic and Morphological Analyses of Listeria Phages Isolated from Farm Environments

The genus Listeria is ubiquitous in the environment and includes the globally important food-borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes. While the genomic diversity of Listeria has been well studied, considerably less is known about the genomic and morphological diversity of Listeria bacteriophages. In this study, we sequenced and analyzed the genomes of 14 Listeria phages isolated mostly from New York dairy farm environments as well as one related Enterococcus faecalis phage to obtain information on genome characteristics and diversity. We also examined 12 of the phages by electron microscopy to characterize their morphology. These Listeria phages, based on gene orthology and morphology, together with previously sequenced Listeria phages could be classified into five orthoclusters, including one novel orthocluster. One orthocluster (orthocluster I) consists of large-genome (∼135-kb) myoviruses belonging to the genus “Twort-like viruses,” three orthoclusters (orthoclusters II to IV) contain small-genome (36- to 43-kb) siphoviruses with icosahedral heads, and the novel orthocluster V contains medium-sized-genome (∼66-kb) siphoviruses with elongated heads. A novel orthocluster (orthocluster VI) of E. faecalis phages, with medium-sized genomes (∼56 kb), was identified, which grouped together and shares morphological features with the novel Listeria phage orthocluster V. This new group of phages (i.e., orthoclusters V and VI) is composed of putative lytic phages that may prove to be useful in phage-based applications for biocontrol, detection, and therapeutic purposes.     

Changes in Resident Bacteria, pH, Sucrose, and Invert Sugar Levels in Sugarbeet Roots During Storage

Stored sugarbeet roots began fermenting within 24 h after oxygen was depleted at 26 C when the resident bacterial populations increased dramatically. Most of the bacteria present after anaerobic storage for 7 days at 26 C could hydrolyze sucrose in vitro. Although pH and sucrose levels decreased and invert sugar levels increased with time in aerobic storage at 26 C, these processes were significantly accelerated in beets stored anaerobically at 26 C. Under oxygen-depleted storage conditions at 26 C, the sucrose content was almost completely lost after 21 days.