Lyme disease in companion animals: an updated state-of-art and current situation in Portugal.

Lyme disease (LD) is a globally distributed zoonotic multisystemic condition caused by gram-negative spirochete bacteria of the Borrelia burgdorferi complex, transmitted through tick bites. Research on LD in domestic animals in Portugal is limited, potentially leading to underestimating its prevalence. This disease affects many species, including humans, making it a critical public health issue.

Effectiveness of two scrub methods with different chlorhexidine combinations for surgical field antisepsis in cats.

Objective: Assessing effectiveness of circular (CM) and linear (LM) scrub methods using 3 different combinations of chlorhexidine in surgical field antisepsis in cats.

Animals And Procedure: Surgical field antisepsis was applied with 2 scrub methods (CM and LM) and 3 different chlorhexidine combinations (A1, A2, and A3) in 51 female cats undergoing ovariectomy. Sterile swabs collected from the surgical field pre- and post-antisepsis were inoculated in the laboratory and colony-forming units (CFU/mL) were quantified.

Influence of Particle Size and Extraction Methods on Phenolic Content and Biological Activities of Pear Pomace.

The main goal of this research was to investigate how particle size influences the characteristics of pear ( L.) pomace flour and to examine the impact of different pre-treatment methods on the phenolic content and associated bioactivities. Pear pomace flour was fractionated into different particle sizes, namely 1 mm, 710 µm, 180 µm, 75 µm and 53 µm.

Longitudinal study of ESBL/AmpC-producing Enterobacterales strains sharing between cohabiting healthy companion animals and humans in Portugal and in the United Kingdom.

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)- and plasmid-mediated cephalosporinase (AmpC)-producing Enterobacterales (ESBL/AmpC-E) are an increasing healthcare problem in both human and veterinary medicine. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible sharing of ESBL/AmpC-E strains between healthy companion animals and humans of the same household in Portugal (PT) and the United Kingdom (UK). In a prospective longitudinal study, between 2018 and 2020, faecal samples were collected from healthy dogs (n=90), cats (n=20) and their cohabiting humans (n=119) belonging to 41 PT and 44 UK households.

ESBL/AmpC-Producing Causing Urinary Tract Infections in Non-Related Companion Animals and Humans.

Urinary tract infections (UTI) caused by are frequently diagnosed in humans and companion animals. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)- and cephalosporinase (AmpC)-producing are worldwide-disseminated and frequently multidrug-resistant, hence leading to treatment failure and public health concerns. This study aimed to characterize and compare ESBL/AmpC-producing strains causing community-acquired UTI in companion animals and non-related humans.

Epidemiological Study of Pesticide Poisoning in Domestic Animals and Wildlife in Portugal: 2014-2020.

Nowadays the intentional poisoning of domestic and wild animals is a crime in the European Union (EU), but as in the past the poison is still used in rural areas of a number of European countries to kill animals that were considered harmful for human activities. From January 2014 up until October 2020, the Laboratory of Pharmacology and Toxicology of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (LFT-FMV) has done the analytical detection of poisoning substances in 503 samples of wildlife and domestic animals and pesticides residues were found in 239 of the samples analyzed. In this retrospective study, toxicology results from domestic species (dog, cat, sheep, cows, and horses), wildlife species (red foxes, birds of prey, lynx, and wild boar), and food baits, are presented.

Sharing of Clinically Important Antimicrobial Resistance Genes by Companion Animals and Their Human Household Members.

The aims of this study were to implement a rapid easy methodology, to characterize the antimicrobial resistance gene (AMR) gut content associated with and staphylococci; and to evaluate statistical association between AMRs present in fecal samples from healthy companion animals and their human household members. Fecal samples were collected from 27 humans and 29 companion animals living in close contact in 20 households. Nineteen healthy humans without daily contact with companion animals were the control group.

OXA-181-Producing Extraintestinal Pathogenic Escherichia coli Sequence Type 410 Isolated from a Dog in Portugal.

Two multidrug-resistant and carbapenemase-producing clones of sequence type 410 were isolated from fecal samples of a dog with skin infection on admission to an animal hospital in Portugal and 1 month after discharge. Whole-genome sequencing revealed a 126,409-bp Col156/IncFIA/IncFII multidrug resistance plasmid and a 51,479-bp IncX3 -containing plasmid. The chromosome and plasmids carried virulence genes characteristic for uropathogenic , indicating that dogs may carry multidrug-resistant isolates related to those causing urinary tract infections in humans.

In vitro antimicrobial efficacy of two medical grade honey formulations against common high-risk meticillin-resistant staphylococci and Pseudomonas spp. pathogens.

Background: Antimicrobial resistance is a problem in human and animal healthcare. Honey may be used for its wound healing properties and antimicrobial effects.

Objective: To investigate the antimicrobial activity of two commercially available medical grade honeys (MGHs) against Staphylococcus spp.

Detection of multidrug resistance and extended-spectrum/plasmid-mediated AmpC beta-lactamase genes in Enterobacteriaceae isolates from diseased cats in Italy.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility of Enterobacteriaceae isolated from cats affected by diseases commonly encountered in practice, and to characterise the third-generation cephalosporin (3GC)-resistance molecular mechanisms involved.

Methods: Clinical samples (n = 100) included 58 rectal swabs from cats with diarrhoea, 31 nasal swabs from cats with clinical signs of upper respiratory tract disease, four ear swabs from cats with otitis, three conjunctival swabs from cats with conjunctivitis, two oral swabs from cats with stomatitis, one swab from a skin abscess and one urine sample from a cat with cystitis. A total of 125 Enterobacteriaceae were isolated from 90 cats.

Evidence of Sharing of Klebsiella pneumoniae Strains between Healthy Companion Animals and Cohabiting Humans.

This study aimed to characterize the fecal colonization and sharing of strains between companion animals and humans living in close contact. Fecal samples were collected from 50 healthy participants (24 humans, 18 dogs, and 8 cats) belonging to 18 households. Samples were plated onto MacConkey agar (MCK) plates with and without cefotaxime or meropenem supplementation.

Clonal relatedness of Proteus mirabilis strains causing urinary tract infections in companion animals and humans.

Proteus mirabilis is a major cause of urinary tract infection (UTI) in humans and companion animals. This study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial resistance, virulence and clonal relatedness of P. mirabilis isolated from dogs, cats and humans with UTI.

Klebsiella pneumoniae causing urinary tract infections in companion animals and humans: population structure, antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes.

Objectives: To characterize the population structure, antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes of Klebsiella spp. isolated from dogs, cats and humans with urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Methods: Klebsiella spp.

First report on antimicrobial resistance and molecular characterisation of Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi isolated from human specimens in Luanda, Angola.

Objectives: Typhoid fever is a common infection in Africa and, despite scarce surveillance reports, its incidence is commonly considered high by the Angolan health system. Drug-resistant Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi has emerged, making antimicrobial susceptibility testing essential to provide clinical guidance. This is the first report analysing the antimicrobial resistance patterns and population structure of the few S.

Increase in antimicrobial resistance and emergence of major international high-risk clonal lineages in dogs and cats with urinary tract infection: 16 year retrospective study.

Objectives: To evaluate temporal trends in antimicrobial resistance, over 16 years, in bacteria isolated from dogs and cats with urinary tract infection (UTI) and the clonal lineages of bacteria harbouring critical antimicrobial resistance mechanisms.

Methods: Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was conducted for 948 bacteria isolated from dogs and cats with UTI (1999-2014). Resistance mechanisms were detected by PCR, namely ESBL/AmpC in third-generation cephalosporin (3GC)-resistant Escherichia coli and Proteus mirabilis, mecA in methicillin-resistant staphylococci, and aac(6')-Ieaph(2″)-Ia and aph(2″)-1d in high-level gentamicin-resistant (HLGR) enterococci.

Risk Factors for Nasal Colonization by Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococci in Healthy Humans in Professional Daily Contact with Companion Animals in Portugal.

Methicillin-resistant staphylococci (MRS), namely Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP), are opportunistic agents of great importance in human and veterinary medicine. The aims of this study were to investigate the frequency, persistence, and risk factors associated with nasal colonization by MRS in people in daily contact with animals in Portugal. Seventy-nine out of 129 (61.

Clonal spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus-t6065-CC5-SCCmecV-agrII in a Libyan hospital.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to characterize 32 MRSA isolates recovered from wound specimens of patients in a Hospital in Tripoli, Libya, during 2013.

Methods: MRSA isolates were characterized by determining their antibiotic susceptibilities, genes encoding antibiotic resistance and virulence factors, the SCCmec class, agr type, spa typing, PFGE and MLST.

Results: PFGE and MLST revealed that all isolates were clonal and belonged to the Clonal Complex 5 (CC5).

European multicenter study on antimicrobial resistance in bacteria isolated from companion animal urinary tract infections.

Background: There is a growing concern regarding the increase of antimicrobial resistant bacteria in companion animals. Yet, there are no studies comparing the resistance levels of these organisms in European countries. The aim of this study was to investigate geographical and temporal trends of antimicrobial resistant bacteria causing urinary tract infection (UTI) in companion animals in Europe.

Trends and molecular mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance in clinical staphylococci isolated from companion animals over a 16 year period.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the evolution of resistance to antimicrobials, corresponding mechanisms and molecular characteristics of Staphylococcus spp., between 1999 and 2014.

Methods: Susceptibility to 38 antimicrobials was determined for 632 clinical staphylococcal isolates obtained from companion animals (dogs, cats, horses and other animals).

Efficacy of medical grade honey in the management of canine otitis externa - a pilot study.

Background: The high prevalence of antimicrobial resistance within otic pathogens has created a need for alternative therapies of otitis externa (OE). Evidence suggests that medical grade honey (MGH) may be effective against drug-resistant pathogens.

Hypothesis/objectives: The efficacy of a commercial MGH compound was assessed in an open clinical trial.

Comparative RNA-seq-Based Transcriptome Analysis of the Virulence Characteristics of Methicillin-Resistant and -Susceptible Staphylococcus pseudintermedius Strains Isolated from Small Animals.

Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is often associated with pyoderma, which can turn into a life-threatening disease. The dissemination of highly resistant isolates has occurred in the last 10 years and has challenged antimicrobial treatment of these infections considerably. We have compared the carriage of virulence genes and biofilm formation between methicillin-resistant and methicillin-susceptible S.

Clonal diversity, virulence patterns and antimicrobial and biocide susceptibility among human, animal and environmental MRSA in Portugal.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to identify the Staphylococcus aureus clonal types currently circulating in animals, humans in contact with animals and the environment in Portugal based on genetic relatedness, virulence potential and antimicrobial/biocide susceptibility.

Methods: Seventy-four S. aureus isolates from pets, livestock, the environment and humans in contact with animals were characterized by SCCmec typing, spa typing, PFGE and CC398-specific PCR, by antimicrobial and biocide susceptibility testing and by detection of resistance genes and genes for efflux pumps.