This ten-year retrospective study (2012-2021) aimed to investigate the major causes of organ and carcass condemnations identified during post-mortem meat inspection of cattle, sheep, and goats slaughtered at the municipal abattoir of Béjaïa, Algeria, and to estimate the associated economic losses. A total of 140,024 animals were inspected, including 31,723 cattle, 48,700 sheep, and 59,601 goats. Overall, 33,362 organs (24.1%) were condemned, and 399 carcasses (0.3%) were partially or wholly condemned. The highest rate of organ and carcass condemnation was recorded in cattle (32.4%), followed by sheep (24.7%) and goats (19.2%) (P < 0.001). Across all three species, the lungs were the most frequently condemned organs (n = 25,272; 75.7%), followed by the liver (n = 2,899; 8.7%) and heart (n = 2,432; 7.3%) (P < 0.001). In cattle, bovine tuberculosis was the leading cause of organ and carcass condemnation. Liver abscesses represented the main cause of liver condemnation in cattle, sheep, and goats, accounting for 462 of 1,537, 400 of 730, and 389 of 632 condemned livers, respectively. In contrast, pericarditis was the most common cause of heart condemnation in sheep and goats. Over the study period, the estimated direct economic losses attributable to organ and carcass condemnations amounted to USD 518,396.6 in cattle, USD 56,297.5 in sheep, and USD 46,395.8 in goats. These findings highlight the importance of strengthening preventive animal health measures, improving livestock management practices, and reinforcing meat inspection systems to safeguard public health while minimising economic losses across the livestock production chain.
Colibacillosis is a highly prevalent bacterial disease in poultry, resulting in the widespread use of antibiotics for both curative and preventive purposes. Consequently, avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) continues to act as a reservoir for antibiotic resistance genes, including the mcr-1 gene, which codes for resistance to colistin, a crucial antibiotic in human medicine. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibiotic resistance pattern of APEC and to investigate the genotyping, phylogrouping, and virulence of mcr-1-positive isolates. A total of 113 APEC were isolated, of which 92% were multidrug resistant (MDR). The mcr-1 gene was detected in 41 isolates originating from turkeys and broilers. Two isolates carried blaTEM, one of which also harboured blaCTX-M encoding beta-lactamases. The Clermont phylogrouping revealed that 76% of the isolates belonged to phylogroup B1. Concerning the detection of the virulence-associated genes, 88% of isolates carried at least 3 genes. The ERIC-PCR classified our isolates into 6 different clusters. Our study highlights the emergence of colistin resistance and MDR, which pose a real threat to poultry production and public health. Control of antibiotic use in the poultry sector is urgent and mandatory.
Bats host a diverse assemblage of ectoparasites that occupy specific anatomical microhabitats, yet the histological effects of these associations remain poorly documented. Here, we report a case of mite infestation of the external ear in the Neotropical bats species Carollia perspicillata and Carollia brevicauda, with a detailed histological characterisation of the auricle and inner ear of C. perspicillata. Bats were captured during biodiversity monitoring programmes in Antioquia, Colombia, and mites were collected and identified morphologically. Histological and histochemical analyses of ear tissues were conducted using haematoxylin and eosin, periodic acid-Schiff, and Masson's trichrome staining. Mites were identified as Spelaeorhynchus praecursor (Spelaeorhynchidae), occurring exclusively on the external ear with infestation frequencies of 6.6% for C. perspicillata and 5.8% for C. brevicauda. Histological examination of the auricle revealed a thin keratinised stratified squamous epithelium, abundant sebaceous glands, well-developed striated skeletal muscle, elastic cartilage, and prominent white adipose tissue at the auricular base. Only minimal focal leukocytic infiltrates were observed, with no evidence of severe pathological alterations associated with mite attachment. The inner ear displayed preserved cochlear architecture, with eosinophilic fibrillar and granular material in the scala vestibuli and scala tympani, interpreted as perilymphatic content or processing artefacts. This study provides baseline histological data on ear tissues in C. perspicillata and documents a localised mite-host association with limited tissue response, contributing to the understanding of bat ectoparasitism and ear morphology in Neotropical chiropterans.
