Research Publications (Food Safety)

Suidae is an important reservoir of hepatitis E virus (HEV) and a source of transmission to humans (direct contact or via consumption of meat products). Our goal was to characterize the epidemiology of HEV infecting domestic pigs in Corsica Island, a French region hyperendemic for HEV. In Corsica, traditional extensive (or semi‐extensive) outdoor pig farming system is common. Sixteen farms were selected according to location and breeding system.

Animal feed can be contaminated with fomites carrying swine viruses, and subsequently be a vehicle for viral transmission. This contamination may not be evenly distributed, and there is no validated sampling method for detection of viruses in animal feed or ingredients. The purpose of this experiment was to evaluate the sensitivity of ingredient sampling methods for detection of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV).

Vietnamese poultry are host to co‐circulating subtypes of avian influenza viruses, including H5N1 and H9N2, which pose a great risk to poultry productivity and to human health. AIVs circulate throughout the poultry trade network in Vietnam, with live bird markets being an integral component to this network. Traders at LBMs exhibit a variety of trading practices, which may influence the transmission of AIVs.

Influenza A viruses are one of the most significant viral groups globally with substantial impacts on human, domestic animal and wildlife health. Wild birds are the natural reservoirs for these viruses, and active surveillance within wild bird populations provides critical information about viral evolution forming the basis of risk assessments and countermeasure development.

Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that represents a major problem in animal and public health due to its high prevalence and widespread distribution. This zoonotic disease is most prevalent in tropical environments where conditions favour pathogen survival. The ecological preferences of Leptospira serovars are poorly understood, limiting our knowledge of where and when outbreaks can occur, which may result in misinformed prevention and control plans.

Leishmaniasis is one of the most neglected tropical diseases caused by protozoan parasites belonging to the genus Leishmania. There is much evidence regarding prevalence of Leishmania RNAvirus (LRV) causing Old World leishmaniasis (OWL) and New World leishmaniasis (NWL); however, a combined evidence‐based knowledge on this topic is not still available.

Wild and domestic aquatic birds are the natural reservoirs of avian influenza viruses (AIVs). All subtypes of AIVs, including 16 hemagglutinin (HA) and nine neuraminidase (NA), have been isolated from the waterfowls. The H5 viruses in wild birds display distinct biological differences from their highly pathogenic H5 counterparts. Here, we isolated seven H5N3 AIVs including three from wild birds and four from domestic ducks in China from 2015 to 2018.

As one of the important control strategies for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in China, vaccination has been implemented compulsively in poultry flocks since 2004. However, the emergence and dominance of the circulating antigenic variants require the update of vaccines periodically.

The genus Capripoxvirus in the subfamily Chordopoxvirinae, family Poxviridae, comprises sheeppox virus (SPPV), goatpox virus (GTPV) and lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), which cause the eponymous diseases across parts of Africa, the Middle East and Asia. These diseases cause significant economic losses and can have a devastating impact on the livelihoods and food security of small farm holders.

The native Eurasian wild boar (Sus scrofa) is a reservoir of Mycobacterium bovis, the causative agent of animal tuberculosis (TB), a chronic disease in livestock, companion animals and wild mammals. Cases of M. bovis infection in wild boar or feral pig have been reported worldwide, making early detection a priority in the eradication of the disease.

Recurrent health emergencies threaten global health security. International Health Regulations (IHR) aim to prevent, detect and respond to such threats, through increase in national public health core capacities, but whether IHR core capacity implementation is necessary and sufficient has been contested.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a zoonotic pathogen, in particular genotype 3 HEV is mainly transmitted to humans through the consumption of contaminated pork products.

Recent emergence of mcr‐1‐positive Escherichia coli (MCRPEC) is causing serious concern around the world. Due to poultry‐origin E. coli holding zoonotic potential, the improved understandings of MCRPEC population structure and antimicrobial resistance are critical to public health purposes. This study provided novel insights into the molecular epidemiology of avian‐origin MCRPEC.

A total of 15 dead or sick birds from 13 clinical outbreaks of avian influenza in ducks, geese, chickens and turkeys in 2017 in Bangladesh were examined. The presence of H5N1 influenza A virus in the affected birds was detected by RT‐PCR.

The number of natural infections with Mycobacterium caprae in wildlife and in cattle in the Bavarian and Austrian alpine regions has increased over the last decade. Red deer (Cervus elaphus) have been recognized as maintenance reservoir, however, the transmission routes of M. caprae among and from naturally infected red deer are unknown. The unexpected high prevalence in some hot spot regions might suggest an effective indirect transmission of infection.

Leptospirosis presents a complex and dynamic epidemiology. Bovine leptospirosis has been described as a major infectious disease impairing reproductive efficiency. Although infections by Leptospira interrogans, L. santarosai and L. borgpetersenii are frequently reported in cattle, the presence of L. noguchii in these animals should not be neglected.

During the past decade, livestock diseases have (re‐)emerged in areas where they had been previously eradicated or never been recorded before. Drivers (i.e. factors of (re‐)emergence) have been identified. Livestock diseases spread irrespective of borders, and therefore, reliable methods are required to help decisions makers to identify potential threats and try stopping their (re‐)emergence.

Despite of controls and preventive measures implemented along the food chain, infection with non‐typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) remains one of the major causes of foodborne disease worldwide. Poultry is considered one of the major sources of NTS.

Influenza A (H1N1) viruses are distributed worldwide and pose a threat to public health. Swine, as a natural host and mixing vessel of influenza A (H1N1) virus, play a critical role in the transmission of this virus to humans. Furthermore, swine influenza A (H1N1) viruses have provided all eight genes or some genes to the genomes of influenza strains that historically have caused human pandemics.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is currently considered as a global health concern due to the recognition of its zoonotic transmission to humans, mainly from swine, and its association with the development of severe cases of hepatitis in human risk populations. The lack of updated data on HEV state of infection in swineherds of Argentina, and the necessity of robust technologies for its detection in complex biological samples, positions HEV as an emerging issue in public health.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) causes 20 million infections worldwide yearly, of which only about 3.3 million are symptomatic. In developed Asian countries, HEV strains detected in human sera and in food sources were genetically similar, suggesting that indigenous HEV infections may be largely food‐borne. To assess the burden of hepatitis E in Singapore, we performed a seroepidemiologic study of the infection.

To enhance efforts related to controlling foodborne pathogens in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), information on epidemiology of non‐typhoidal Salmonella enterica (hereafter termed “Salmonella”) is limited. We quantified the overall regional and country‐specific Salmonella prevalence in different human populations and identified the most common serotypes.

In the United Kingdom, there has been an increase in the number of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infections in people annually since 2010. Most of these are thought to be indigenously acquired Orthohepevirus A genotype 3 (HEV G3), which has been linked to pork production and consumption. However, the dominant subgroup circulating in British pigs differs from that which is found in people; therefore, an alternative, potentially zoonotic, source is suspected as a possible cause of these infections.

Wild animals are involved in zoonotic disease transmission cycles. These are generally complex and poorly understood, especially among animals adapted to life in human ecosystems. Raccoons are reservoirs and effective carriers for infectious agents such as Salmonella throughout different environments and contribute to the transference of resistance genes. This study examined the presence of circulating Salmonella sp.

Coxiella burnetii is a zoonotic pathogen with a worldwide distribution that is responsible for Q fever in humans. It is a highly infectious bacterium that can be transmitted from cattle to humans through the consumption of unpasteurized milk. We report the molecular identification of C. burnetii in raw cow's milk being sold directly for human consumption in Brazil without official inspection or pasteurization.