Analysis of a persistent outbreak with vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium revealed the need for an adapted diagnostic algorithm.

Objectives: The study institute was challenged with an outbreak of different vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREfm), including vanA- and/or vanB-containing isolates. Remarkably, screening overnight enriched specimens using a vanA and vanB real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) gave positive results for vanB with very low cycle threshold values, whereas VREfm-specific enrichment cultures remained negative. This paper describes the analysis of the diagnostic results leading to adaptation of the diagnostic algorithm.

A review of relevant parameters for assessing indoor air quality in educational facilities.

Indoor air quality (IAQ) in educational facilities is crucial due to the extended time students spend in those environments, affecting their health, academic performance, and attendance. This paper aimed to review relevant parameters (building characteristics and factors related with occupancy and activities) for assessing IAQ in educational facilities, and to identify the parameters to consider when performing an IAQ monitoring campaign in schools. It also intended to identify literature gaps and suggest future research directions.

Long-Term Cover Cropping Suppresses Foliar and Fruit Disease in Processing Tomatoes.

While links between soil and plant health are implied, there are few opportunities to empirically evaluate this due to inherent differences among sites. An exception is a long-term experiment established in 2007 (repeated in 2008) in Ridgetown, ON, where improved soil health scores and changes in soil microbial communities were observed in the medium-term with annual cover crops (CC). This led us to hypothesize that CC-induced changes in soil health might affect bacterial spot ( pv.

Economic and environmental nitrate leaching consequences of 4R nitrogen management practices including use of inhibitors for corn production in Ontario.

Nitrate (NO) leaching has negative human and environmental health consequences that can be attributed to and mitigated by agricultural decision making. The purpose of this study is to examine the economic and environmental nitrogen (N) leaching reduction from 4R (Right Rate, Right Source, Right Time, Right Placement) agricultural management practices, including application methods, timing and rates, and the use of nitrification and urease inhibitors, for Ontario corn production. This study employed an integrated biophysical and economic GIS-based simulation model considering corn yields, prices, and production costs, and environmental losses, under historical weather scenarios, with NO leaching constraints.

Estimating milk loss based on somatic cell count at the cow and herd level.

There is a direct relationship between elevated somatic cell count (SCC) in an individual cow milk production and milk loss. This relationship has been used at the herd level to estimate an overall herd milk loss due to subclinical mastitis and to use recovery of this lost milk as a financial benefit to cover the cost of intervention strategies to improve milk quality. The objective of this study was to estimate the recoverable milk revenue on a per cow basis for herds moving from one herd average SCC level to a newer, lower level.