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PubMed2026

Investigating the zoonotic origins of ESBL-producing E. coli in community-acquired urinary tract infections in Ecuador.

Extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-producing E. coli) pose a growing global health threat. Although Latin America has been identified as a global hotspot of antimicrobial resistance, the zoonotic contribution to drug-resistant infections in the region remains poorly defined. We analyzed 137 clinical ESBL-producing E. coli isolates from urinary tract infections (UTIs) in Quito, Ecuador, applying a Bayesian latent class model informed by host-associated mobile genetic elements to estimate the fraction of infections attributable to food-animal sources. We estimated that 25.5% (35/137) of UTI isolates were putative zoonotic cases. This proportion rose to 42.5% after excluding ST131-H30, a human-associated pandemic lineage. Putative zoonotic isolates were enriched for animal-associated β-lactamase genes (e.g., blaTEM-1B, blaCTX-M-65), lacked human-associated markers such as blaOXA-1, and exhibited diverse antimicrobial resistance gene profiles resembling those observed among food-animal isolates. These isolates were also enriched for ColV-associated virulence genes typically linked to avian pathogenic E. coli. Putative zoonotic strains contributed substantially to third-generation cephalosporin-resistant UTIs in Quito, Ecuador, challenging assumptions derived from high-income settings that such infections are driven predominantly by human-to-human transmission. These findings highlight the importance of integrated One Health surveillance and mitigation, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where gaps in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) may interact with antimicrobial use in food production to amplify antimicrobial resistance transmission.IMPORTANCEESBL-producing E. coli have rapidly emerged as a major global antimicrobial resistance threat. In Latin America, cephalosporins are commonly used in food-animal production, fueling the emergence of ESBL-producing E. coli. In low- and middle-income countries, excessive antimicrobial use driven by poorly regulated over-the-counter sales, combined with inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure, can facilitate antimicrobial-resistant pathogen transmission from food animals to humans. Using a novel statistical-genomic approach, we found that over one in four cephalosporin-resistant UTIs in Quito, Ecuador, may be caused by E. coli strains originating from food animals. Our findings highlight the public health risks associated with antimicrobial use in food-animal production and the role of environmental and infrastructure-related vulnerabilities. As global demand for animal protein continues rising in middle-income countries, controlling zoonotic antimicrobial resistance transmission becomes increasingly urgent for protecting human health through integrated One Health strategies.

ESBL-producing E. coli↗

PubMed2026

Mapping High-Rate Clusters of Animal Contact-Related Human Salmonella enterica Single-State Outbreaks in the United States, 2009-2022: A Spatial Epidemiological Approach to Inform Public Health Surveillance.

INTRODUCTION: Nontyphoidal Salmonella enterica (NTS) is a major zoonotic enteric pathogen. Animal contact-related NTS outbreaks have increased in the United States over the last decade. Geospatial analysis can identify locations with elevated risk of NTS outbreaks where public health authorities can focus their NTS prevention and intervention efforts. METHODS: We analysed NTS outbreak data reported from individual states to the Centers for Disease Control via the National Outbreak Reporting System between 2009 and 2022 across the continental contiguous United States. A geospatial analytical framework that included disease mapping, spatial interpolation, and global and local clustering methods was applied to identify regions with high NTS outbreak rates. Given that the study period (2009-2022) included the COVID-19 pandemic, an interrupted time series negative binomial model was used to assess changes in NTS incidence before and after 2020. RESULTS: A total of 104 NTS single-state outbreaks were reported to the National Outbreak Reporting System (NORS) during the study period. The mean annual incidence rate was 0.02 NTS outbreaks per million person-years. The primary animal contact categories associated with outbreaks were mammals (cattle, pigs, sheep, and horses), birds (backyard chickens, ducklings, and turkeys), and reptiles (turtles and lizards). Exposure settings included farms, fairgrounds, agricultural feed stores, veterinary clinics, dairy/agricultural settings, and residential settings. The local cluster detection methods consistently identified areas with significantly high NTS animal contact-related outbreak rates in the Mountain West, Midwest, and Northeast of the US. The interrupted time series analysis indicated a reduction in incidence following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic (IRR = 0.03; p = 0.06). CONCLUSION: NTS animal contact-related single-state outbreaks revealed distinct spatial clustering across the United States, with higher risks in the Mountain West, Midwest, and Northeast. Diversity of animal-contact sources and exposure settings depicted complex transmission dynamics of NTS. A decline in reported NTS outbreaks was observed after the COVID-19 pandemic. Focused prevention and control programs are needed in high-risk areas to mitigate the burden of NTS outbreaks.

United States↗

PubMed2026

H5N1 Clade 2.3.4.4b Infections in Domestic Cats During an Avian Influenza Outbreak in Italy: Implications for One Health Surveillance.

BACKGROUND: H5Nx goose/Guangdong (Gs/GD) lineage highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses pose a significant public health threat due to their global spread, mutation accumulation, and expanding host range. The descendant clade 2.3.4.4b has been causing widespread infections in birds and increasing spillover events in mammals. METHODS: This report documents the first fatal case of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b infection in a domestic cat in Italy, detected in early January 2025. The cat (CAT 1) resided on a backyard poultry farm experiencing a high pathogenicity avian influenza outbreak and succumbed rapidly following the onset of respiratory signs. A second exposed cat (CAT 2) developed clinical disease without fatal outcome. Comprehensive outbreak investigations were conducted, including pathological, serological, molecular analyses, and genomic characterization. RESULTS: Pathological examination of CAT 1 revealed acute necrotizing bronchointerstitial pneumonia, non-suppurative meningoencephalitis, and disseminated foci of hepatic necrosis. Interestingly, the PB2-E627K mutation associated with mammalian virus adaptation was observed in the feline viral isolate compared to avian isolates. Such polymerase complex mutations are key determinants of host range and increase pathogenicity in mammals. CAT 2 from the same farm tested negative for AIV genome detection but subsequently seroconverted for antibodies against NPA, H5, and N1. CONCLUSION: Sharing these findings is crucial for surveillance aimed at enabling early identification of increased risks to human and animal health, preventing cross-species viral transmission and mitigating the risk of potential spillover events.

Animals↗

PubMed2025

First surveillance study of avian orthoavulavirus type 1 in wild birds in Morocco: Insights and implications for future monitoring.

BACKGROUND: Wild birds, particularly migratory species, can act as natural reservoirs and vectors of avian orthoavulavirus type 1 (AOAV-1) or Newcastle disease virus (NDV), contributing to its spread across regions and potentially threatening domestic poultry populations. AOAV-1, also known as NDV, is a major pathogen affecting avian species and poses a global threat to poultry production. It belongs to the Paramyxoviridae family and is an RNA virus encoding six key proteins, including the fusion (F) protein, which determines pathogenicity. AOAV-1 is classified into three pathotypes based on virulence: velogenic (highly pathogenic), mesogenic (moderately pathogenic), and lentogenic (mild or asymptomatic). In Morocco, AOAV-1 is endemic in poultry production systems, as evidenced by recent studies reporting a 52.1% seroprevalence and active viral RNA detection in backyard chickens in the Khemisset and Skhirat-Temara provinces; however, effective vaccination strategies have contributed to controlling the clinical signs and widespread dissemination of the virus. AIM: The main objective of this study was to investigate the presence of AOAV-1 in wild bird populations across Morocco, providing insights into possible transmission of infection affecting domestic poultry. METHODS: From November 2016 to April 2022, a total of 1984 samples were collected from 840 individual birds, encompassing 79 species, 25 families, and 12 orders. The majority of the samples belonged to Charadriiformes, Anseriformes, Pelecaniformes, and Passeriformes. Sampling was conducted at 17 wetlands and six additional locations throughout Morocco. Viral detection was performed using real-time reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-qPCR) targeting Matrix (M) and RNA polymerase (L) genes to confirm the presence of AOAV-1. RESULTS: Although the study spanned 6 years and included a large number of samples from bird orders considered primary AOAV-1 reservoirs, all samples tested negative for NDV RNA using both M and L gene targets. CONCLUSION: This study represents the first effort in Morocco to monitor wild birds for AOAV-1. The samples analyzed were initially collected for avian influenza surveillance, which shares epidemiological similarities with Newcastle's disease. However, to improve future surveillance efforts, sample collection should be optimized to target scenarios with the highest probability of virus detection.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

A standardized, genome-guided MLST scheme for Avibacterium paragallinarum: enhanced epidemiological typing and validation against existing methods.

Avibacterium paragallinarum, the causative agent of infectious coryza (IC), is an important respiratory pathogen of chickens with growing prevalence in commercial and backyard flocks. Current strain-typing methods, including classical serotyping and molecular approaches, such as ERIC-PCR or single-locus HPG2 typing, lack sufficient discriminatory power to investigate the epidemiology or population structure. To address this limitation, we developed a genome-guided multilocus sequence typing (MLST) scheme as a robust and portable tool for A. paragallinarum strain differentiation. Housekeeping genes were identified from 42 whole-genome sequences (WGS); 18 candidates were evaluated; and six were selected for the final MLST scheme. We used the scheme to differentiate 75 A. paragallinarum samples and compared its performance against classical HPG2-based typing, ad hoc core genome MLST (cgMLST), and the MLST scheme published by M. Guo, Y. Jin, H. Wang, X. Zhang, and Y. Wu (Vet Sci 11:208, 2024, https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci11050208). The new MLST showed higher discriminatory power than HPG2 and outperformed Guo's scheme with higher discriminatory power, particularly for characterizing the samples originating from North and South America. It also showed strong concordance with cgMLST clustering while being more practical for routine use. Overall, the six-locus MLST identified 31 sequence types across 75 samples, revealing epidemiologically meaningful clustering at regional and national scales and capturing temporal persistence of lineages. All allele definitions and sequence types have been deposited in PubMLST, ensuring standardized nomenclature and global accessibility. This scheme represents a reproducible, cost-effective, and globally applicable tool that enhances outbreak investigation, surveillance, and population studies of A. paragallinarum, bridging the gap between low-resolution traditional methods and resource-intensive whole-genome sequencing.IMPORTANCEInfectious coryza (IC) caused by Avibacterium paragallinarum is a major respiratory disease of poultry that causes acute infection, reducing egg production and growth and resulting in significant economic losses in poultry production worldwide. Controlling IC depends on understanding how different strains spread and persist, yet current methods to differentiate strains are either unreliable or too costly for routine use. In this study, we developed a standardized multilocus sequence typing system that provides a simple, accurate, and globally accessible way to identify and compare strains of A. paragallinarum. This scheme identified important links between outbreaks at local and regional levels and showed that certain strains persisted over time. By making the scheme available through PubMLST, laboratories worldwide can use a common tool to track and investigate the pathogen. This accessible tool improves disease surveillance, supports outbreak investigations, and helps poultry producers and veterinarians respond more effectively to IC.

Multilocus Sequence Typing↗