Nicoletella semolina in the airways of healthy horses and horses with severe asthma.

Background: Nicoletella semolina was identified in the airways of horses and its low prevalence could be because of its difficult differentiation from other Pasteurellaceae.

Objectives: To develop a molecular method for the identification of N. semolina and to evaluate its prevalence in the mouth and the airways of healthy and severe asthmatic horses.

A chicken intestinal ligated loop model to study the virulence of Clostridium perfringens isolates recovered from antibiotic-free chicken flocks.

Necrotic enteritis (NE) is a major problem in antibiotic-free (ABF) chicken flocks and specific strains of Clostridium perfringens are known to induce NE. The objective of this study was to develop a chicken intestinal ligated loop model in order to compare the virulence of various C. perfringens strains recovered from consecutive ABF flocks with and without NE.

Tolerance of Clostridium perfringens biofilms to disinfectants commonly used in the food industry.

Clostridium perfringens is an opportunistic pathogen that can cause food poisoning in humans and various enterotoxemia in animal species. Recently, it was shown to form mono-species biofilms, a structured community of bacterial cells enclosed in a self-produced extracellular matrix. Biofilms have been associated with tolerance to antibiotics, disinfectants, and physical and environmental stresses.

Comparative transcriptomic analysis of Clostridium perfringens biofilms and planktonic cells.

Clostridium perfringens is an opportunistic pathogen that can cause food poisoning in humans and various enterotoxaemias in animal species. Recently, C. perfringens was shown to form biofilms, a structured community of bacterial cells enclosed in a self-produced extracellular matrix.

Biofilm formation of Clostridium perfringens and its exposure to low-dose antimicrobials.

Clostridium perfringens is an opportunistic pathogen that can cause food poisoning in humans and various enterotoxemia in animal species. Very little is known on the biofilm of C. perfringens and its exposure to subminimal inhibitory concentrations of antimicrobials.

Genetic diversity of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae isolates of abattoir pigs.

Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, the causative agent of porcine enzootic pneumonia, is present in swine herds worldwide. However, there is little information on strains infecting herds in Canada. A total of 160 swine lungs with lesions suggestive of enzootic pneumonia originating from 48 different farms were recovered from two slaughterhouses and submitted for gross pathology.

Characterization of hospital-associated lineages of ampicillin-resistant Enterococcus faecium from clinical cases in dogs and humans.

Ampicillin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (ARE) has rapidly emerged worldwide and is one of the most important nosocomial pathogens. However, very few reports are available on ARE isolates from canine clinical cases. The objective of this study was to characterize ARE strains of canine clinical origin from a veterinary teaching hospital in Canada and to compare them with human strains.

Characterization of genes encoding for acquired bacitracin resistance in Clostridium perfringens.

Phenotypic bacitracin resistance has been reported in Clostridium perfringens. However, the genes responsible for the resistance have not yet been characterized. Ninety-nine C.