Publications by authors named "Manal Abu-Oun"

BackgroundAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global threat. Monitoring using an integrated One Health approach is essential to detect changes in AMR occurrence.AimWe aimed to detect AMR genes in pathogenic and commensal collected 2013-2020 within monitoring programmes and research from food animals, food (fresh retail raw meat) and humans in six European countries, to compare vertical and horizontal transmission.

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Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health hazard. Although clinical and agricultural environments are well-established contributors to the evolution and dissemination of AMR, research on wastewater treatment works (WwTWs) has highlighted their potential role as disseminators of AMR in freshwater environments. Using metagenomic sequencing and analysis, we investigated the changes in resistomes and associated mobile genetic elements within untreated wastewater influents and treated effluents of five WwTWs, and sediments collected from corresponding river environments in Oxfordshire, UK, across three seasonal periods within a year.

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Metagenomic sequencing is a promising method that has the potential to revolutionize the world of pathogen detection and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance in food-producing environments. However, the analysis of the huge amount of data obtained requires performant bioinformatics tools and databases, with intuitive and straightforward interpretation. In this study, based on long-read metagenomics data of chicken fecal samples with a spike-in mock community, we proposed confidence levels for taxonomic identification and AMR gene detection, with interpretation guidelines, to help with the analysis of the output data generated by KMA, a popular mer read alignment tool.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to investigate the spread of amikacin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae on a UK pig farm, particularly focusing on Salmonella carrying the rmtB gene.
  • Isolates were collected from environmental samples, with real-time PCR and whole-genome sequencing used to analyze the presence of rmtB in both Salmonella and E. coli.
  • The findings showed that rmtB was present in multiple strains of Salmonella and E. coli, raising concerns about antibiotic resistance and the importance of ongoing surveillance in agricultural settings.
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Article Synopsis
  • Surveillance is crucial for tracking the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacteria, especially as it can spread from livestock to humans through the food chain.
  • This study used whole genome sequencing to analyze E. coli samples from poultry in the UK, revealing shifts in the dominant AMR genes over time, particularly with increases in diversity by 2020.
  • The findings emphasize the importance of ongoing genomic monitoring to understand AMR dynamics and facilitate cross-country comparisons, ultimately aiding in identifying and addressing emerging threats.
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Brachyspira species are Gram negative, anaerobic bacteria that colonise the gut of many animals, including poultry. In poultry, Brachyspira species can be commensal (B. innocens, B.

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Several bioinformatics genotyping algorithms are now commonly used to characterize antimicrobial resistance (AMR) gene profiles in whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data, with a view to understanding AMR epidemiology and developing resistance prediction workflows using WGS in clinical settings. Accurately evaluating AMR in Enterobacterales, particularly , is of major importance, because this is a common pathogen. However, robust comparisons of different genotyping approaches on relevant simulated and large real-life WGS datasets are lacking.

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This study compared the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) of Escherichia coli detected from single samples vs. pooled samples at herd level. The national monitoring dataset included isolates from one sample per pig holding, whereas the research study included isolates from pooled samples of 10 pigs per holding.

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is a food-borne pathogen often linked to poultry sources, causing gastrointestinal infections in humans, with the numbers of multidrug resistant (MDR) isolates increasing globally. To gain insight into the genomic diversity of common serovars and their potential contribution to disease, we characterized antimicrobial resistance genes, and virulence factors encoded in 88 UK and 55 Thai isolates from poultry; the presence of virulence genes was detected through an extensive virulence determinants database compiled in this study. Long-read sequencing of three MDR isolates, each from a different serovar, was used to explore the links between virulence and resistance.

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We examined the activity of phages to control the growth of chicken and swine strains in avian (CHIC-8E11), porcine (IPEC-1), and human (HT-29) cell cultures. We optimized a six-phage cocktail by selecting the five most effective myoviruses and a siphovirus that have optimal lysis on prevalent serovars. We observed ∼20% of 7 log PFU/well phage and 3-6 log CFU bacterial adhesions, and 3-5 log CFU bacterial invasion per 2 cm of the cultured cells at 2 h post-treatment.

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Article Synopsis
  • There's a worry that using too many drugs to fight infections is making bacteria stronger and harder to treat in both people and animals.!
  • The study looked at 14 farms with cows, sheep, and pigs in England to see how the use of these drugs and farming practices affected bacteria that resist treatment over time.!
  • Results showed pig farms had more resistant bacteria than sheep farms, even when they used fewer drugs, suggesting that there are other reasons making pigs more susceptible to these strong bacteria.!
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Plasmids enable the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in common Enterobacterales pathogens, representing a major public health challenge. However, the extent of plasmid sharing and evolution between Enterobacterales causing human infections and other niches remains unclear, including the emergence of resistance plasmids. Dense, unselected sampling is essential to developing our understanding of plasmid epidemiology and designing appropriate interventions to limit the emergence and dissemination of plasmid-associated AMR.

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Acute non-typhoidal salmonellosis (NTS) caused by a Gram-negative bacterium serovar Typhimurium ( Tm) is one of the most common bacterial foodborne diseases worldwide. Bacteriophages (phages) can specifically target and lyse their host bacteria, including the multidrug-resistant strains, without collateral damage to other bacteria in the community. However, the therapeutic use of phages is still poorly investigated.

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The rise in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacteria is reducing therapeutic options for livestock and human health, with a paucity of information globally. To fill this gap, a One-Health approach was taken by sampling livestock on farms ( = 52), abattoir ( = 8), and animal markets ( = 10), and in-contact humans in Southeast Nigeria. Extended spectrum cephalosporin (ESC)-resistant (ESC-R) was selectively cultured from 975 healthy livestock faecal swabs, and hand swabs from in-contact humans.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study assessed a screening protocol designed to find and isolate mcr-positive Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. in animal and meat samples across 12 laboratories in nine European countries.
  • Researchers used a standardized method that included multiplex PCR and selective culture on three types of agar plates to analyze samples, achieving 100% specificity and 83% sensitivity in detecting the target bacteria.
  • The method showed varying effectiveness for different agar media, with CHROMID Colistin R being the most successful, and it is suggested as a reliable protocol for mcr gene monitoring in food production in Europe.
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Food animals may be reservoirs of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) passing through the food chain, but little is known about AMR prevalence in bacteria when selective pressure from antimicrobials is low or absent. We monitored antimicrobial-resistant over 1 year in a UK outdoor pig farm with low antimicrobial usage (AMU) compared to conventional pig farms in the United Kingdom. Short and selected long-read whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was performed to identify AMR genes, phylogeny and mobile elements in 385 isolates purified mainly from pig and some seagull faeces.

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Enterobacterales from livestock are potentially important reservoirs for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to pass through the food chain to humans, thereby increasing the AMR burden and affecting our ability to tackle infections. In this study 168 isolates from four genera of the order , primarily , were purified from livestock (cattle, pigs and sheep) faeces from 14 farms in the United Kingdom. Their genomes were resolved using long- and short-read sequencing to analyse AMR genes and their genetic context, as well as to explore the relationship between AMR burden and on-farm antimicrobial usage (AMU), in the three months prior to sampling.

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Brachyspira hyodysenteriae is the principal cause of swine dysentery, a disease that threatens economic productivity of pigs in many countries as it can spread readily within and between farms, and only a small number of antimicrobials are authorized for treatment of pigs. In this study, we performed whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of 81 archived at the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) from diagnostic submissions and herd monitoring in England and Wales between 2004 and 2015. The resulting genome sequences were analyzed alongside 34 genomes we previously published.

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and other Enterobacteriaceae are diverse species with "open" pangenomes, where genes move intra- and interspecies via horizontal gene transfer. However, most analyses focus on clinical isolates. The pangenome dynamics of natural populations remain understudied, despite their suggested role as reservoirs for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes.

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Article Synopsis
  • - F-type plasmids are important for understanding antimicrobial resistance (AMR), especially in bacteria like Enterobacterales, and organizing their diversity is difficult since much of the data comes from clinical studies.
  • - This study analyzes a wide range of F-type plasmids from both environmental sources (like wastewater treatment) and livestock, examining how different environments affect plasmid diversity using a network community approach.
  • - The findings indicate that stable core structures of F-type plasmids can be maintained in various environments, while they can also exhibit significant changes in accessory gene content that aid in adapting to specific niches, suggesting a connection between these plasmids and their role in AMR.
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spp. is a leading cause of gastrointestinal enteritis in humans where it is largely contracted via contaminated poultry and pork. Phages can be used to control infection in the animals, which could break the cycle of infection before the products are accessible for consumption.

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The ST307 multidrug-resistant CTX-M-15-producing is an emerging pathogen, which has become disseminated worldwide in humans but is rarely reported from other reservoirs. We report the first isolation of from an animal in Europe and also from a reptile, a captive tortoise, whose death it probably caused. Detection of this clone from an animal adds to evidence of niche expansion in non-human environments, where it may amplify, recycle and become of greater public health concern.

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