Associations between acquired antimicrobial resistance genes in the upper respiratory tract and livestock farm exposures: a case-control study in COPD and non-COPD individuals.

Background: Livestock-related emissions have been associated with aggravations of respiratory symptoms in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), potentially by altering the respiratory resistome.

Objectives: This study investigates the structure of the acquired oropharyngeal (OP) resistome of patients with COPD and controls, its interplay with the respiratory microbiome and associations with residential livestock exposure.

Methods: In a matched case-control study in the rural Netherlands, we analysed OP swabs from 35 patients with COPD and 34 controls, none of whom had used antibiotics in the preceding 4 weeks.

Host and environmental factors shape upper airway microbiota and respiratory health across the human lifespan.

Our understanding of the normal variation in the upper respiratory tract (URT) microbiota across the human lifespan and how these relate to host, environment, and health is limited. We studied the microbiota of 3,104 saliva (<10 year-olds)/oropharynx (≥10 year-olds) and 2,485 nasopharynx samples of 3,160 Dutch individuals 0-87 years of age, participating in a cross-sectional population-wide study (PIENTER-3) using 16S-rRNA sequencing. The microbiota composition was strongly related to age, especially in the nasopharynx, with maturation occurring throughout childhood and adolescence.

Outdoor air pollution as a risk factor for testing positive for SARS-CoV-2: A nationwide test-negative case-control study in the Netherlands.

Air pollution is a known risk factor for several diseases, but the extent to which it influences COVID-19 compared to other respiratory diseases remains unclear. We performed a test-negative case-control study among people with COVID-19-compatible symptoms who were tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection, to assess whether their long- and short-term exposure to ambient air pollution (AAP) was associated with testing positive (vs. negative) for SARS-CoV-2.

Effects of long-term exposure to outdoor air pollution on COVID-19 incidence: A population-based cohort study accounting for SARS-CoV-2 exposure levels in the Netherlands.

Several studies have linked air pollution to COVID-19 morbidity and severity. However, these studies do not account for exposure levels to SARS-CoV-2, nor for different sources of air pollution. We analyzed individual-level data for 8.

The European livestock resistome.

Metagenomic sequencing has proven to be a powerful tool in the monitoring of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Here, we provide a comparative analysis of the resistome from pigs, poultry, veal calves, turkey, and rainbow trout, for a total of 538 herds across nine European countries. We calculated the effects of per-farm management practices and antimicrobial usage (AMU) on the resistome in pigs, broilers, and veal calves.

Residential exposure to microbial emissions from livestock farms: Implementation and evaluation of land use regression and random forest spatial models.

Adverse health effects have been linked with exposure to livestock farms, likely due to airborne microbial agents. Accurate exposure assessment is crucial in epidemiological studies, however limited studies have modelled bioaerosols. This study used measured concentrations in air of livestock commensals (Escherichia coli (E.

Impact of COVID-19 containment measures on perceived health and health-protective behavior: a longitudinal study.

This longitudinal study aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 containment measures on perceived health, health protective behavior and risk perception, and investigate whether chronic disease status and urbanicity of the residential area modify these effects. Participants (n = 5420) were followed for up to 14 months (September 2020-October 2021) by monthly questionnaires. Chronic disease status was obtained at baseline.

Short-term residential exposure to endotoxin emitted from livestock farms in relation to lung function in non-farming residents.

Background: Evidence on the public health relevance of exposure to livestock farm emissions is increasing. Research mostly focused on chemical air pollution, less on microbial exposure, while endotoxins are suggested relevant bacterial components in farm emissions. Acute respiratory health effects of short-term exposure to livestock-related air pollution has been shown for NH and PM, but has not yet been studied for endotoxin.

Associations of Anti-COVID-19 Measures and Lifestyle Changes During the COVID-19 Pandemic With Sleep Patterns in the Netherlands: A Longitudinal Study.

Although there is scientific evidence for an increased prevalence of sleep disorders during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, there is still limited information on how lifestyle factors might have affected sleep patterns. Therefore, we followed a large cohort of participants in the Netherlands (n = 5,420) for up to 1 year (September 2020-2021) via monthly Web-based questionnaires to identify lifestyle changes (physical activity, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, electronic device use, and social media use) driven by anti-COVID-19 measures and their potential associations with self-reported sleep (latency, duration, and quality). We used the Containment and Health Index (CHI) to assess the stringency of anti-COVID-19 measures and analyzed associations through multilevel ordinal response models.

Risk of pneumonia in the vicinity of goat farms: a comparative assessment of temporal variation based on longitudinal health data.

Background: Although the association between living in the vicinity of a goat farm and the occurrence of pneumonia is well-documented, it is unclear whether the higher risk of pneumonia in livestock dense areas is season-specific or not. This study explored the temporal variation of the association between exposure to goat farms and the occurrence of pneumonia.

Methods: A large population-based study was conducted in the Netherlands, based on electronic health records from 49 general practices, collected for a period of six consecutive years (2014-2019).

Increased risk of pneumonia amongst residents living near goat farms in different livestock-dense regions in the Netherlands.

Background: Previous studies, performed between 2009-2019, in the Netherlands observed an until now still unexplained increased risk for pneumonia among residents living close to goat farms. Since data were collected in the provinces Noord-Brabant and Limburg (NB-L), an area with relatively high air pollution levels and proximity to large industrial areas in Europe, the question remains whether the results are generalizable to other regions. In this study, a different region, covering the provinces Utrecht, Gelderland, and Overijssel (UGO) with a similar density of goat farms, was included to assess whether the association between goat farm proximity and pneumonia is consistently observed across the Netherlands.

A comparison of passive and active dust sampling methods for measuring airborne methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in pig farms.

Methicillin-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are resistant to most β-lactam antibiotics. Pigs are an important reservoir of livestock-associated MRSA (LA-MRSA), which is genetically distinct from both hospital and community-acquired MRSA. Occupational exposure to pigs on farms can lead to LA-MRSA carriage by workers.

Childhood lower respiratory tract infections linked to residential airborne bacterial and fungal microbiota.

Residential microbial composition likely contributes to the development of lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) among children, but the association is poorly understood. We aimed to study the relationship between the indoor airborne dust bacterial and fungal microbiota and childhood LRTI in Ibadan, Nigeria. Ninety-eight children under the age of five years hospitalized with LRTI were recruited and matched by age (±3 months), sex, and geographical location to 99 community-based controls without LRTI.

Exposure to soluble platinum salts in precious metal refinery workers over a 17-year period.

Background: Occupational exposure to soluble chlorinated platinum (Pt) salts, commonly called chloroplatinates, is a known cause of Pt salt sensitisation (PSS) and occupational asthma. We aimed to model inhalable soluble Pt salts exposure levels based on measurements in precious metal refineries for use in a retrospective cohort study on PSS.

Methods: Five platinum refineries located in the United Kingdom (3 sites), United States, and South Africa provided time weighted average inhalable soluble Pt salts exposure data, measured in 2,982 personal air samples over a 17-year period (2000-2016).

Exposure-response relationship of residential dampness and mold damage with severe lower respiratory tract infections among under-five children in Nigeria.

Unlabelled: Previous epidemiological studies demonstrated an increased risk of respiratory health effects in children and adults exposed to dampness or mold. This study investigated associations of quantitative indicators of indoor dampness and mold exposure with severe lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) among children aged 1-59 months in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Methods: In-home visits were conducted among 178 children hospitalized with LRTI matched by age (±3 months), sex, and geographical location with 180 community-based children without LRTI.

A Comprehensive Sampling Study on SARS-CoV-2 Contamination of Air and Surfaces in a Large Meat Processing Plant Experiencing COVID-19 Clusters in June 2020.

We aimed to assess SARS-CoV-2 contamination of air and surfaces to gain insight into potential occupational exposure in a large meat processing plant experiencing COVID-19 clusters. Methods: Oro-nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 screening was performed in 76 workers. Environmental samples ( n = 275) including air, ventilation systems, sewage, and swabs of high-touch surfaces and workers' hands were tested for SARS-CoV-2 RNA by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction.

Residential exposure to livestock farms and lung function in adolescence - The PIAMA birth cohort study.

Background: There is a growing interest in the impact of air pollution from livestock farming on respiratory health. Studies in adults suggest adverse effects of livestock farm emissions on lung function, but so far, studies involving children and adolescents are lacking.

Objectives: To study the association of residential proximity to livestock farms and modelled particulate matter ≤10 μm (PM) from livestock farms with lung function in adolescence.

Indoor bacterial and fungal aerosols as predictors of lower respiratory tract infections among under-five children in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the association between exposure to diverse indoor microbial aerosols and lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) among children aged 1 to 59 months in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Methods: One hundred and seventy-eight (178) hospital-based LRTI cases among under-five children were matched for age (± 3 months), sex and geographical location with 180 community-based controls (under-five children without LRTI). Following consent from caregivers of eligible participants, a child's health questionnaire, clinical proforma and standardized home-walkthrough checklist were used to collect data.

Establishing farm dust as a useful viral metagenomic surveillance matrix.

Farm animals may harbor viral pathogens, some with zoonotic potential which can possibly cause severe clinical outcomes in animals and humans. Documenting the viral content of dust may provide information on the potential sources and movement of viruses. Here, we describe a dust sequencing strategy that provides detailed viral sequence characterization from farm dust samples and use this method to document the virus communities from chicken farm dust samples and paired feces collected from the same broiler farms in the Netherlands.

SARS-CoV-2 infection in dogs and cats is associated with contact to COVID-19-positive household members.

Several domestic and wild animal species are susceptible to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Reported (sero)prevalence in dogs and cats vary largely depending on the target population, test characteristics, geographical location and time period. This research assessed the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2-positive cats and dogs (PCR- and/or antibody positive) in two different populations.

Air pollution from livestock farms and the oropharyngeal microbiome of COPD patients and controls.

Air pollution from livestock farms is known to affect respiratory health of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The mechanisms behind this relationship, however, remain poorly understood. We hypothesise that air pollutants could influence respiratory health through modulation of the airway microbiome.

Manifestation of SARS-CoV-2 Infections in Mink Related to Host-, Virus- and Farm-Associated Factors, The Netherlands 2020.

SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks on 69 Dutch mink farms in 2020 were studied to identify risk factors for virus introduction and transmission and to improve surveillance and containment measures. Clinical signs, laboratory test results, and epidemiological aspects were investigated, such as the date and reason of suspicion, housing, farm size and distances, human contact structure, biosecurity measures, and presence of wildlife, pets, pests, and manure management. On seven farms, extensive random sampling was performed, and age, coat color, sex, and clinical signs were recorded.

A Review of the Effectiveness of Current US Policies on Antimicrobial Use in Meat and Poultry Production.

Purpose: Industrial food animal production accounts for most animal-source protein consumed in the USA. These operations rely on an array of external inputs, which can include antimicrobials of medical importance. The use of these drugs in this context has been the subject of public health debate for decades because their widespread use contributes to the selection for and proliferation of drug-resistant bacteria and their genetic determinants.

Antimicrobial resistance genes aph(3')-III, erm(B), sul2 and tet(W) abundance in animal faeces, meat, production environments and human faeces in Europe.

Background: Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) is an affordable method to quantify antimicrobial resistance gene (ARG) targets, allowing comparisons of ARG abundance along animal production chains.

Objectives: We present a comparison of ARG abundance across various animal species, production environments and humans in Europe. AMR variation sources were quantified.

Residential proximity to livestock animals and mortality from respiratory diseases in The Netherlands: A prospective census-based cohort study.

Background: There is increasing evidence of associations between residential proximity to livestock farms and respiratory morbidity, but less is known about potential effects on respiratory mortality among residents.

Objectives: We aimed to assess potential associations between respiratory mortality and residential proximity to (intensive) livestock farming.

Methods: In DUELS, a national census-based cohort, we selected all inhabitants from rural and semi-urban areas of the Netherlands, aged ≥30 years and living at the same address for five years up to baseline (2004).