BACKGROUND: Ensuring health quality of an agricultural or food product is of significance for consumers and could be a decisive factor in terms of attracting and maintaining the market for manufacturers.OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to determine the residues of florfenicol antimicrobial agent in the edible tissue (muscle) of rainbow trout reared in Sepidan County (Fars Province, Iran).METHODS: 50 fresh fish were purchased from 7 farms in Sepidan County. The samples from lateral muscle were taken and kept at -18 °C until the residues drug tests were performed. The florfenicol concentration was measured through the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).RESULTS: The mean of florfenicol residues in fish muscle reared in Sepidan County was significantly less than the drug products evaluation standard value (P<0.05). However, the concentration of this antibiotic sampled from one of the studied farms went beyond from standard value (1.12 µg.g-1). Of course, this difference was not significant (P>0.05).CONCLUSIONS: It seemed as though the residue levels of florfenicol in the purchased fish reached alarming levels. Meanwhile, it is possible that their average in an area would be within the range of food standards. Thus, it could be suggested that periodic monitoring be carried out continuously by the relevant institutions to ensure that consumer rights are more adequately met.

Sporotrichosis is a dermatozoonosis, caused by dimorphic pathogenic fungi of the genus Sporothrix. Although Sporothrix brasiliensis is the most frequent and pathogenic species identified from the Brazilian sporotrichosis hyperendemic, to the best of our knowledge this is the first report of its molecular diagnosis from a cat with ocular lesions. A 3-month old female, domestic feline presented an ocular manifestation with granuloma in the lower-left palpebral conjunctiva, in addition to mucocutaneous lesions in varied locations throughout the body. Samples were collected for subsequent cytopathology, fungal culture, serology, and molecular genotyping. Itraconazole was prescribed for the treatment of sporotrichosis and the animal was considered clinically cured at the end of 5 months of treatment and discharged. S. brasiliensis cat interactions can manifest with a multitude of clinical forms that resemble either infectious or noninfectious diseases. Both the need for meticulous cat physical evaluation by a veterinarian followed by accurate laboratory diagnosis are key Public Health measures in the Brazilian sporotrichosis hyperendemic area.

Since April 2020, when the first SARS-CoV-2 infection was reported in mink and subsequently in mink farm workers in the Netherlands, it has been confirmed that human-to-mink and mink-to-human transmission can occur. Later, SARS-CoV-2 infections in mink were reported in many European and North American countries. Samples from 590 mink from a total of 28 farms were tested by real-time RT-PCR. Whole genome sequences from one positive farm were generated and genetic relatedness was established. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected on a breeder farm with stock of 5,850 mink. Active viraemia was confirmed in individually tested samples with Ct values respectively between 19.4 and 29.6 for E and N gene fragments. Further testing of samples from culled animals revealed 70% positivity in throat swabs and 30% seropositivity in blood samples. Phylogenetic analysis of full-length nucleotide sequences of two SARS-CoV-2 isolates revealed that they belong to the 20B Nextstrain clade. Several nucleotide mutations were found in analysed samples compared to the reference Wuhan HU-1 strain and some of them were nonsynonymous. We report the infection of mink with SARS-CoV-2 on one farm in Poland and the results of subsequent analysis of virus sequences from two isolates. These data can be useful for assessment of the epidemiological situation of SARS-CoV-2 in Poland and how it endangers public health.

Toxoplasma gondii is one of the most prevalent zoonotic protozoan parasites worldwide and affects the vast majority of warm-blooded animal species, including humans. Postnatal infection in humans occurs through the ingestion of sporulated T. gondii oocysts or via the oral intake of parasite tissue cysts during the consumption of raw or undercooked meat. In this regard, given their high exposure to oocysts, chickens (Gallus domesticus) raised on the ground constitute a potential source of T. gondii. For the first time in Spain, a survey was undertaken in commercial retail free-range poultry. A total of 50 thighs from different animals were analysed. The samples were homogenised and an acid pepsin digestion procedure was applied prior to molecular analysis. Toxoplasma gondii DNA was isolated from meat by qPCR. Two sets of primers were used for DNA amplification targeting the specific sequence of a 529 bp repeat element and another set of primers was utilised for the surface antigen protein-1 gene. DNA extracted from 5 out of 50 tissue samples was positive for both genes by qPCR amplification. The 10% prevalence of Toxoplasma infection found in commercial free-range chickens raises public health issues.

Eggs are important to the diet of Canadians. This product is one of the supply-managed commodities in Canada, but unlike other commodities, where food safety risks are extensively explored and reported, information on the prevalence of enteric organisms (e.g., Salmonella, Campylobacter) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in layers in Canada are limited. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of select bacteria and the associated AMR patterns in layer flocks using 2 sample matrices. Farms were located within FoodNet Canada and the Canadian Integrated Program for Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance sentinel sites (SS). Fecal samples (Ontario: ONSS1a, ONSS1b) and environmental sponge swabs (British Columbia: BC(SS2a)) were collected. Salmonella prevalence was 29% and 8% in ONSS1a and ONSS1b, respectively, and 7% in BC(SS2a). S. Kentucky and S. Livingstone were the most frequently isolated serovars and no S. Enteritidis was detected. Campylobacter was not detected in the BC sponge swabs but was isolated from 89% and 53% of Ontario fecal samples (ON(SS1a) and ON(SS1b), respectively). Seven C. jejuni from Ontario were ciprofloxacin-resistant. Escherichia coli prevalence was high in both sample types (98%). Overall, tetracycline resistance among E. coli ranged from 26% to 69%. Resistance to ceftiofur (n = 2 isolates) and gentamicin (n = 2) was relatively low. There were diverse resistance patterns (excludes susceptible isolates) observed among E. coli in Ontario (10 patterns) and British Columbia (14 patterns). This study revealed that fecal samples are more informative for farm-level monitoring of pathogen and AMR prevalence. Without further validation, sponge swabs are limited in their utility for Campylobacter detection and thus, for public health surveillance.

An exposure assessment was conducted to quantitate tetracyclines (TCs) in chickens and the risk estimates were calculated using deterministic and probabilistic approaches. The results revealed that through deterministic approach, estimated daily exposure to TCs resulted in children aged 1<y<3 and 4<y<6 (0.05919 and 0.03946 μg/kg bw/day), followed by adults (0.02847 μg/kg bw/day) and children aged 7<y<10 at 0.02631 μg/kg bw/day. Based on the probabilistic approach, dietary exposure of Malaysian adults to TCs was estimated to range from 0.00174–0.35209 μg/kg bw/day. In comparison, for the children group, the estimated exposure was higher in age 1<y<3 at 0.0137 – 1.9845 μg/kg bw/day followed by children aged 4<y<6 and 7<y<10 at 0.00718 – 1.3967 μg/kg bw/day and 0.00834 – 0.91841 μg/kg bw/day respectively. However, the estimated risk calculated for all groups was <10 % ADI. These indicate that toxicological risk with regard to the consumption of chicken meat could not be considered as a public health problem, but the result can be supportive for the safety authorities to engage policies in managing any potential risk. The occurrence of high concentration of TCs residues in small samples still warrants closer monitoring and management of the use of TCs in chicken farms in Peninsular Malaysia.