Prevalence of Arcobacter species among humans, Belgium, 2008-2013.

We examined fecal samples from 6,774 patients with enteritis in Belgium, 2008-2013. Members of the genus Arcobacter were the fourth most common pathogen group isolated, and the isolation rate was higher than previously reported. Culturing Arcobacter in a microbiology laboratory is feasible and should thus be tested for in cases of diarrheal disease.

Possible contamination with clenbuterol from treated veal calves to untreated pen mates.

To investigate whether clenbuterol-treated calves could contaminate untreated pen mates, three animal experiments were performed. (1) One calf of a pen of five was treated with clenbuterol by injection (Ventipulmin injection, REG NL 2532, 2.5 mL/100 kg) twice a day for 10 days.

Veterinary treatment of cows with isoxsuprine for a caesarian section may temporarily lead to residues in hair of both cow and calf.

Isoxsuprine is a beta-agonist that can be used for growth promotion in cattle, but it is also used as registered veterinary medicine. To investigate if veterinary treatment of cows could lead to residues of isoxsuprine in the hair of their newborn calves, an animal experiment was performed. Four cows, treated on veterinary indication with isoxsuprine lactate (Duphaspasmin) before a caesarian section, were included in the experiment.

Feasibility of a liver transcriptomics approach to assess bovine treatment with the prohormone dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA).

Background: Within the European Union the use of growth promoting agents in animal production is prohibited. Illegal use of natural prohormones like dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is hard to prove since prohormones are strongly metabolized in vivo. In the present study, we investigated the feasibility of a novel effect-based approach for monitoring abuse of DHEA.

Sampling strategy, occurrence and diversity of free-living protozoa in domestic refrigerators.

Aims: Evaluation of a sampling method to recover free-living protozoa (FLP) from plastic surfaces. Application of the method on different areas inside domestic refrigerators.

Methods And Results: Plastic coupons seeded with representatives of FLP were swabbed with cotton wools.