Differences in antimicrobial resistance of commensal Escherichia coli isolated from caecal contents of organically and conventionally raised broilers in Austria, 2010-2014 and 2016.

The prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in commensal Escherichia coli isolated from organically raised broiler flocks was compared to the prevalence in isolates from conventional flocks. From 2010 to 2014, and in 2016, resistance trends and multidrug resistance in isolates from the caecal contents of flocks from both broiler production forms were analyzed. Samples were taken in four abattoirs accounting for at least 90% of the national slaughtered broiler population.

[Implementation and results of the EU-wide baseline studies on the prevalence of Salmonella spp. in slaughter and breeding pigs in Austria].

The Member States of the European Union are following a common strategy on the control of Salmonella and other foodborne pathogens (Anonym, 2003). Within that framework baseline studies on the most relevant animal populations have been carried out. This paper describes the implementation and the results of the baseline studies on Salmonella spp.

[Implementation and results of the EU-wide baseline study on the prevalence of Salmonella spp. in flocks of turkeys in Austria].

The member states of the European Union (EU) are following a common strategy on the control of Salmonella and other foodborne zoonotic pathogens (Anonym, 2003). In order to establish the prevalence of Salmonella (S.) spp.

Role of the GapA and CrmA cytadhesins of Mycoplasma gallisepticum in promoting virulence and host colonization.

Mycoplasma gallisepticum is an important avian pathogen that commonly induces chronic respiratory disease in chicken. To better understand the mycoplasma factors involved in host colonization, chickens were infected via aerosol with two hemadsorption-negative (HA(-)) mutants, mHAD3 and RCL2, that were derived from a low passage of the pathogenic strain R (Rlow) and are both deficient in the two major cytadhesins GapA and CrmA. After 9 days of infection, chickens were monitored for air sac lesions and for the presence of mycoplasmas in various organs.

Prevalence of Salmonella spp. in Austrian broiler flocks in the context of the EU-wide baseline survey 2005-2006.

In Austria an EU-wide baseline survey on the prevalence of Salmonella spp. in broilers organized by the EU commission was conducted from October 2005 to September 2006. The aim of this study was to produce comparable data on the prevalence of Salmonella in broiler flocks and holdings for all member states and for the EU-Commission to set EU-wide targets for the control of Salmonella in the broiler populations.

An outbreak of febrile gastroenteritis associated with jellied pork contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

In September 2008, the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES) learned of an outbreak of diarrheal illness that included a 71-year-old patient hospitalized for gastroenteritis with a blood culture positive for Listeria monocytogenes. Three stool specimens provided by seven of 19 persons attending a day trip to a foreign city, including a final break at an Austrian tavern, yielded L. monocytogenes.

A foodborne outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis phage type 6 in Austria, 2008.

In April 2008, a general foodborne outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis phage type 6 affected nine persons (two households in Salzburg and one household in Tyrol; eight microbiologically confirmed cases and one possible case). Epidemiological investigation revealed that all cases had eaten lunch together at a farm. Homemade bread dumpling loaf, prepared with eggs from the farm, was the most likely vehicle for the pathogen.

Clostridium difficile: a new zoonotic agent?

Clostridium difficile is mainly considered a nosocomial pathogen associated with diarrhea and pseudomembranous colitis in hospitalized patients. Austrian hospitals reported 2761 cases of C. difficile infection (including 277 lethal outcomes) in 2007, compared with 777 cases (including 54 lethal outcomes) in 2003.

Foodborne outbreaks, Austria 2007.

In 2007 Austria reported a total of 438 foodborne outbreaks affecting 1715 people, including 286 hospitalized patients and one death. Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp.

[Food borne infectious outbreaks, Austria 2005].

In Austria, a total of 606 food borne outbreaks, affecting 1,910 people altogether (including 368 hospitalized patients and 1 fatal outcome) were documented in 2005. Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp.

An Austrian outbreak of Salmonella enteritidis phage type 36 in 2004.

In June 2004, an egg packing station was epidemiologically incriminated as possibly distributing the vehicle of the Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica ser. Typhimurium definitive type (DT) U291 outbreak which began in September 2003 and--as of June 2004 affected more than 100 persons all over Austria and 8 German tourists.

Identifying and subtyping species of dangerous pathogens by automated ribotyping.

An investigation of dangerous bacterial pathogens was conducted to determine the usefulness of automated rRNA operon ribotyping (RiboPrinter system) to identify species. A total of 26 isolates comprising Bacillus anthracis, Brucella spp., Burkholderia mallei, Francisella tularensis, and Yersinia pestis were tested using restriction endonucleases EcoRI, PstI, PvuII and AseI.

Phenotypic switching in Mycoplasma gallisepticum hemadsorption is governed by a high-frequency, reversible point mutation.

Mycoplasma gallisepticum is a flask-shaped organism that commonly induces chronic respiratory disease in chickens and infectious sinusitis in turkeys. Phenotypic switching in M. gallisepticum hemadsorption (HA) was found to correlate with phase variation of the GapA cytadhesin concurrently with that of the CrmA protein, which exhibits cytadhesin-related features and is encoded by a gene located downstream of the gapA gene as part of the same transcription unit.

Mycoplasma gallisepticum: Influence of cell invasiveness on the outcome of experimental infection in chickens.

Recently we have shown that a low (R(low)) and a high laboratory passage (R(high)) of the poultry pathogen Mycoplasma gallisepticum prototype strain R differ markedly in their capability to invade non-phagocytic eukaryotic cells. In the present study the infection traits of these two mycoplasma passages were compared in an in vivo setting. After aerosol inoculation of chickens, M.