Antimicrobial use (AMU) in finfish aquaculture production raises concerns about the link between AMU and the development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacteria found in aquatic organisms and potential transmission to humans and the environment. The objective of this study was to describe the antimicrobial susceptibilities of a historical collection of bacterial isolates from diagnostic submissions from farmed finfish in British Columbia (BC), Canada. Antimicrobial susceptibility data were obtained from the BC Ministry of Agriculture via submissions to the Animal Health Centre for 2007 to 2018 for florfenicol (FLOR), oxytetracycline (OXY), trimethoprim-sulfadiazine (SXT), and triple-sulfa compound (TRI). There were 1237 unique isolates from all finfish species (68 unique bacterial species), of which 1042 were from Atlantic salmon. For all fish species, the most common bacterial species isolated were Aeromonas salmonicida (n = 174), Aliivibrio wodanis (n = 84), and Yersinia ruckeri (n = 79). Resistance was detected to most antimicrobials tested, but levels were generally low. Resistance to FLOR was only detected in A. salmonicida. Low annual isolate numbers precluded genera-specific annual comparisons for all pathogens. Multi-drug resistance was detected, but at low levels. These results provide an important baseline for antimicrobial susceptibility data from bacterial isolates that may cause disease in finfish aquaculture in BC, Canada that will support future Canadian AMR surveillance in farmed aquaculture.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global public health concern affecting animals, humans, and the environment. Given its ubiquity, Escherichia coli may play a key role in the dissemination of AMR across these domains. Peri-urban regions where urban and rural systems intersect present unique challenges for controlling AMR. Despite this, limited data are available on AMR dissemination across the One Health continuum in peri-urban settings such as the Fraser Valley region of Canada. This study adopted a One Health approach to assess associations in AMR traits between E. coli from dairy production systems, nearby natural environments, and peri-urban communities within the same geographic location and timeframe. Over 1,000 isolates were recovered, and 421 were whole-genome sequenced to determine the presence of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), plasmids, and virulence genes and to assess genomic relatedness. Findings revealed that AMR was not widespread: 17.8% of isolates carried at least one ARG, 10.2% were classified as multidrug-resistant, and 9.5% carried beta-lactamase genes. Phylogenomic analysis revealed high genomic diversity, with isolates belonging to 174 different sequence types (STs), including clinically important ST131 and ST10. Pairwise single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) comparisons identified 207 isolate pairs differing by ≤100 SNPs, indicating early-stage cross-domain movement of AMR. Overall, the findings from this study show that the prevalence of AMR E. coli is low, but there is evidence of transmission between animals and the environment, highlighting the importance of proactive, integrated surveillance and mitigation strategies to reduce the risk of future AMR dissemination across the One Health continuum. IMPORTANCE:Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global public health concern that spans all three One Health domains (humans, animals, and the environment). Escherichia coli is present in humans, animals, and environmental sources-its ubiquity makes it an ideal organism to study AMR hotspots and transmission pathways across the One Health continuum. While surveillance of AMR in agricultural settings is increasing globally, little is known about transmission pathways in peri-urban agriculture areas where there is a high density of livestock farming in close proximity to residential communities. To identify potential AMR hotspots and transmission routes, this study investigated the occurrence and genomic relatedness of generic E. coli in the Fraser Valley region of British Columbia, a highly diverse agricultural region in western Canada. Our findings expand current knowledge by suggesting that early-stage transmission of AMR is occurring between the human, animal, and environmental sectors of the One Health triad, highlighting areas for improved resistance mitigation to prevent widespread dissemination.
Background: The rising prevalence of Extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing (ESBL) Escherichia coli poses a significant threat to human and animal health. Methods: To address this, we conducted a longitudinal two-year One Health study to assess ESBL E. coli occurrence and distribution across dairy farms, surrounding environments, and urban wastewater in a peri-urban region of Western Canada. Results: A total of 546 presumptive ESBL E. coli were recovered, with the highest occurrence in wastewater influent (75.9%) and calf feces (73.6%), and lowest in soil (6.3%) and surface water (18.8%). Seasonal analysis showed a significantly higher occurrence in summer compared to spring. The blaCTX-M-15 gene predominated (79%), followed by blaTEM (28%) and blaSHV (9%), with most isolates harboring multiple ESBL genes. Whole-genome sequencing of 387 isolates identified 75 resistance determinants spanning nine antimicrobial classes, including 24 β-lactamase genes and 10 CTX-M variants. Ninety-four sequence types (STs), including nine novel STs, were detected. The most common STs were ST648, ST69, and ST10, with distinct distributions across sources. Plasmid analysis revealed extensive diversity, with approximately half of the plasmid types shared across multiple sample types, indicating potential horizontal gene transfer. Over 200 virulence factors were identified, including toxin genes and Shiga toxin-associated genes, primarily in calf and surface water isolates. Phylogroups A and B1 dominated samples from dairy farms, and phylogroup B2 was restricted to wastewater and surface water. Conclusions: These findings identify the environment as a reservoir for ESBL E. coli and reveal the unexpected predominance of the emerging MDR ST648 lineage, rather than ST131, and reinforce the need for comprehensive integrated One Health surveillance.
The objective of this study was to evaluate relationships between antimicrobial use (AMU) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in isolates from farmed Atlantic salmon that could represent finfish pathogens in the British Columbia (BC) aquaculture industry using historical surveillance data. Antimicrobial susceptibility data were obtained for 1040 bacterial isolates from farmed Atlantic salmon submissions to the BC Animal Health Centre for 2007-2018. Antimicrobial use data were provided by the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food from feed mill prescriptions for BC farmed Atlantic salmon for 2007-2018. Multivariable logistic regression models for all bacterial isolates with a random intercept for species were developed to determine associations with outcomes of resistance to trimethoprim-sulfadiazine (SXT), oxytetracycline (OXY), and florfenicol (FLOR). Resistance to SXT, FLOR, and/or OXY were all significantly associated with each resistance outcome in their respective models. Only the SXT resistance model was significantly associated with AMU, specifically potentiated sulfonamide use, but use was not significantly associated with AMR for any other resistance outcome. The results of this study contribute to the rapidly growing and increasingly pertinent body of literature on AMU and AMR in the unique marine aquaculture environment. Future research at the farm level linking pen-specific AMU to AMR outcomes will provide more understanding of selection pressure for AMR at the local level and provide more guidance for antimicrobial stewardship in finfish aquaculture.
OBJECTIVE:The objective of this study was to characterize the antimicrobial susceptibility of Clostridium perfringens isolates recovered from healthy broiler chicken, turkey, and layer flocks in Canada, and to assess potential associations between observed antimicrobial susceptibility test (AST) results and reported antimicrobial use (AMU). METHODS:AMU data from questionnaires, and fecal samples for AST, were collected by 17 poultry veterinarians across Canada. Data from 210 broiler chicken, 91 turkey, and 66 layer chicken flocks from 2017 to 2018 (broilers only), 2021, and 2023 were analyzed. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) results were categorized as high or low based on available clinical breakpoints. Based on levels of AMU and distributions of MIC data, mixed-effect logistic regression models were built to examine the relationship between bacitracin use and high MICs in broilers and turkeys. RESULTS:Bacitracin was the most commonly reported antimicrobial used across all three poultry commodities studied. Significant differences in MIC distributions for bacitracin were observed among the three commodities, with broilers demonstrating the highest percentage of isolates in the upper measurable MIC range. Logistic regression analysis revealed a significant relationship (P-value ≤0.05) between bacitracin use and MIC values. Specifically, each incremental increase of 1 mg/kg in bacitracin use raised the odds of detecting a high MIC value by 4.5 % in broilers (OR = 1.045) and 9.6 % in turkeys (OR = 1.096). CONCLUSIONS:These findings suggest that elevated AMU, particularly bacitracin, is associated with reduced susceptibility (higher MICs) in C. perfringens isolates from poultry, highlighting that prudent use of antimicrobials is needed to preserve antimicrobial efficacy.
Antimicrobial resistance is an environmental, agricultural, and public health problem that is impacting the health of humans and animals. The role of the environment as a source of and transmission pathway for antibiotic resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes is a topic of increasing interest that, to date, has received limited attention. This study aimed to describe the sources and possible pathways contributing to antimicrobial resistance dissemination through bioaerosols, water, and soil in Canada using a scoping review methodology and systems thinking approach. A systems map was created to describe the occurrence and relationships between sources and pathways for antimicrobial resistance dissemination through water, soil, and bioaerosols. The map guided the development of the scoping review protocol, specifically the keywords searched and what data were extracted from the included studies. In total, 103 studies of antimicrobial resistance in water, 67 in soil, and 12 in air were identified. Studies to detect the presence of antimicrobial resistance genes have mainly been conducted at wastewater treatment plants and commercial animal livestock facilities. We also identified elements in the systems map with little or no data available (e.g., retail) that need to be investigated further to have a better understanding of antimicrobial resistance dissemination through different Canadian environments.
Ciprofloxacin is important for treatment of severe or invasive Salmonella infections in humans. As laboratories transition from phenotypic to genomics-based methods for determining ciprofloxacin non-susceptibility, it is important to define the correlation between genetic determinants of resistance and phenotypic outcomes. Here, we examined ciprofloxacin resistance mechanisms in Salmonella and tested the hypothesis that isolates containing only one mechanism had intermediate resistance while isolates containing two or more mechanisms had full resistance according to breakpoints from the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute. Among 13,750 human and food/animal Salmonella enterica isolates, 2325 were predicted to be non-susceptible to ciprofloxacin using whole genome sequencing and Staramr. The most common mechanisms of resistance were mutations in gyrA (especially S83F and D87N/D87Y) and the qnrB19 allele. Only 28% of ciprofloxacin resistant isolates had two or more resistance mechanisms; the remainder contained only one mechanism. Of isolates with two or more mechanisms, only 63% were resistant. Thus, the number of genetic determinants of ciprofloxacin resistance in an isolate could not reliably differentiate the ciprofloxacin intermediate or resistant categories when using North American breakpoints. Predicting ciprofloxacin intermediate/resistant as a single non-susceptible category would facilitate global standardization of data to inform public health surveillance, treatment guidelines and stewardship.
Colistin is a last-resort treatment for highly drug-resistant bacterial infections. Of 47,184 Salmonella isolates collected from 2017 to 2022 in Canada from human and animal/food sources, mobile colistin resistance (mcr) variants conferring colistin resistance were detected exclusively in humans (n = 15). These variants were mcr-1.1 (n = 7), mcr-3.1 (n = 5), mcr-3.2 (n = 2), and mcr-1.2 (n = 1). The most common mcr-containing serotypes were I 4,[5],12:i:- (n = 8) and Typhimurium (n = 3). The proportion of Salmonella carrying mcr genes remains low in Canada (0.03%). IMPORTANCE:Colistin can be used in combination with other drugs as salvage therapy for extensively drug-resistant infections. If mobile colistin resistance (mcr) becomes widely disseminated in Enterobacterales, colistin will no longer be an option for salvage therapy in otherwise untreatable infections. While colistin is not commonly used to treat human Salmonella infections, Salmonella represents an important reservoir of mcr genes that may be transmitted to other gram-negative bacteria. Our aim was to determine the occurrence of mcr genes in Salmonella isolates collected from humans, food animals, and retail meats in Canada.
Community-associated Clostridioides difficile infections (CA-CDI) remain a concern in Canada, comprising a quarter of cases previously reported through the Canadian Nosocomial Infection Surveillance Program. Previous Canadian studies have reported toxigenic C. difficile isolated from Canadian retail meat, suggesting that it may be a source of exposure for CA-CDI in Canada. In this study, 3/219 (1.4%) of retail pork and 0/99 (0%) of retail beef samples tested positive for toxigenic C. difficile, which were molecularly characterized by PCR ribotyping and whole-genome sequencing. All three isolates were obtained from pork and belonged to sequence types (STs)/ribotypes (RTs) that have previously been isolated from human clinical CA-CDI cases in Canada: ST1/RT027, ST8/RT002, and ST10/RT015. Retail meat isolates were susceptible to the antimicrobials tested, save one isolate with intermediate resistance to clindamycin. Genomic comparison to Canadian human clinical CA-CDI isolates with the same corresponding ST/RT types showed two of the three pork isolates clustered with CA-CDI isolates via core-genome multilocus sequencing typing, with single nucleotide variant (SNV) analysis showing further genomic relatedness of 2-11 SNVs. Retail meat may therefore be a low source of CA-CDI exposure in Canada, with the potential for foodborne transmission of select clones.
The Canadian Genomics Research and Development Initiative for Antimicrobial Resistance (GRDI-AMR) uses a genomics-based approach to understand how health care, food production and the environment contribute to the development of antimicrobial resistance. Integrating genomics contextual data streams across the One Health continuum is challenging because of the diversity in data scope, content and structure. To better enable data harmonization for analyses, a contextual data standard was developed. However, development of standards does not guarantee their use. Implementation strategies are critical for putting standards into practice. This work focuses on the development of implementation strategies to better operationalize data standards across the Canadian federal genomics ecosystem. Results include improved understanding of complex data models that can create challenges for existing systems. Technical implementation strategies included spreadsheet-based solutions, new exchange formats, and direct standards integration into new databases. Data curation exercises highlighted common data collection and sharing issues, which informed improved practices and evaluation procedures. These new practices are contributing to improved data quality and sharing within the GRDI-AMR consortium as evidenced by publicly available datasets. The implementation strategies and lessons learned described in this work are generalizable for other standards and can be applied more broadly within other initiatives.
The Canadian Integrated Program for Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance (CIPARS) monitors Escherichia coli, Salmonella and Campylobacter and their resistance to antimicrobials in broiler chickens at the farm and slaughter plant levels. In response to many years of CIPARS' observations and farmers' data, the Chicken Farmers of Canada implemented a strategy to reduce antimicrobial use in 2014. As resistance genes can be transmitted vertically from parents to their offspring, a study was conducted in broiler breeder flocks to assess the frequency of target bacteria, their antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and to obtain a comprehensive picture of AMR in poultry production. Spent breeder flocks slaughtered between 2018 and 2021 were sampled and data from broiler flocks at the farm and slaughter plants were assessed. Salmonella was most frequently detected in farm broiler chickens (46%), while Campylobacter was most frequently detected in broiler breeders (73%). In Campylobacter, high levels (20-24%) of ciprofloxacin resistance were found across the three production stages, and was highest in farm broiler chickens (24%). In E. coli, an indicator organism, low-level ceftriaxone resistance and occasional isolates that were non-susceptible to ciprofloxacin were noted. Using the indicator, fully susceptible E. coli, broiler breeders had the highest frequency (54%) compared to farm (36%) and slaughtered (35%) broiler chickens. In Salmonella broiler breeders had the highest resistance to most antimicrobials tested.Fully susceptible Salmonella was lowest in broiler breeders (16%) compared to farm (42%) and slaughtered (42%) broiler chickens. Salmonella serovars differed between the production stages, but S. Kentucky was the most predominant. Resistance to critically important antimicrobials in human medicine and regional variations in resistance profiles were observed. This study suggests that broiler breeders carry foodborne bacteria resistant to antimicrobials used in human medicine, demonstrating their role in the maintenance of AMR in poultry and the need to adopt a harmonized sector-wide AMU strategy.
Escherichia coli is a Gram-negative bacterium that is ubiquitous in animals and humans, with some strains capable of causing disease. The aim of this study was to perform a comparative genomic analysis of 2732 generic E. coli isolates that were recovered from poultry samples collected from six regions in Canada as part of the National Microbiological Baseline study in Broiler Chicken. Isolates were subjected to whole genome sequencing and a subset (1122/2732) were tested for phenotypic resistance to 15 antimicrobials. These E. coli isolates were highly diverse, representing 376 serotypes, 236 sequence types and 21 pathotypes, of which 19 were hybrid pathotypes. A high concordance (>85%) between resistance phenotype and the presence of antimicrobial resistance genes and point mutations (resistance determinants) was observed for 13/15 antimicrobials. Over 95% of the β-lactam, fluoroquinolone, and phenicol resistance genes were predicted to be plasmid-borne. The number of resistance determinants per genome was highest in Quebec, while resistance genes associated with β-lactam resistance were more frequently detected in isolates from British Columbia. Generic E. coli in Canadian poultry are highly diverse, can carry pathotype-associated virulence factors and resistance determinants of clinical significance with a risk of emerging into pathogenic strains.
The One Health (OH) approach recognizes the interconnectedness of the health of people, animals, plants/crops and ecosystems, and is central to addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The 7th Environmental Dimension of Antimicrobial Resistance Conference (EDAR7), held in Montreal in May 2024, exemplified this approach by convening international experts and stakeholders to discuss AMR research and policy progress. EDAR7 workshop #8 focused on (1) barriers to establishing effective OH AMR research programs, (2) gaps in OH AMR research priorities, and (3) potential solutions/approaches or "tools" to ensure programs develop in accordance with OH principles and generate insightful data that maximizes limited resources. Key workshop outcomes included identifying critical principles for OH AMR research programs and highlighting the pivotal role of sustainable data management strategies. Additionally, the importance of considering AMR policy and risk assessment needs when planning and designing research was emphasized. Discussions explored specific tools and approaches that support the standardized and harmonized collection and analysis of data, and associated challenges of integrating genomics data into current risk assessments and models. Synthesis of the workshop's discussions outlined critical considerations that interdisciplinary OH AMR research programs and networks should prioritize to enhance the impact of their outputs.
Whole-genome sequence-based surveillance of bacteria for determinants of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) promises many advantages over traditional, wet-lab approaches. However, adjustments to parameters used to identify genetic determinants from sequencing data can affect results and interpretation of the important determinants in circulation. Using a dataset of whole-genome sequences from 1633 isolates of Salmonella Heidelberg and S. Kentucky collected from surveillance of Canadian poultry production, we queried the genomic data using an in silico AMR detection tool, StarAMR, applying a range of parameter values required for the detection pipeline to test for differences in detection accuracy. We compared the results from each iteration to phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility results, and generated estimates of sensitivity and specificity using regression models that controlled for the effects of multiple sampling events and variables, and interactions between covariates. Results from our analyses revealed small, yet significant effects of the input parameters on the sensitivity and specificity of the AMR detection tool, and these effects differed based on the serovar and drug class in question. Findings from this study may have implications for the incorporation of whole-genome sequence-based approaches to the surveillance of AMR determinants in bacteria sampled from food products and animals related to food production.
One Health genomics initiatives often involve data streams originating from different sources, institutions, sectors, and information management systems. These are often heterogeneous datasets structured in a variety of ways, posing challenges for data harmonization, integration and meaningful interpretation. The Genomics Research and Development Initiative Shared Priority Projects for AMR (GRDI-AMR) uses a genomics-based approach to understand the prevalence and diversity of antimicrobial resistance determinants associated with food production and different environments that can impact human health, as well as how AMR can evolve, spread, and be mitigated. This work is being carried out by six different federal government departments and agencies, academic institutions, as well as agricultural and environmental networks. To facilitate harmonization of data, a modular, interoperable contextual data (metadata) specification was developed, called the GRDI-AMR One Health specification package. The package consists of an ontology-based data standard, built using semantic best practices and existing standards, and is operationalized in a data curation tool called the DataHarmonizer. This tool automates the transformation of contextual data into NCBI’s One Health Enterics BioSample format to support public data sharing. The package also includes different kinds of support materials such as field and term reference guides and a detailed curation protocol highlighting ethical, practical and privacy considerations. Tooling and vocabulary were iteratively improved through multiple rounds of real-world testing. The data standard is continually maintained and version controlled, and has been used to resolve a variety of data harmonization issues experienced throughout numerous collaborative surveillance projects. The standard also encourages the inclusion of prevalence metrics in order to make whole genome sequencing data more useful for risk assessment, and enables communication about data needs between data generators and users. While developed for Canadian surveillance, the GRDI-AMR specification has also been implemented in international harmonization efforts, demonstrating its utility for many types of One Health genomics projects. The specification package is available at (https://github.com/cidgoh/GRDI_AMR_One_Health).
To prevent the spread of foodborne illnesses, the presence of pathogens in the food chain is monitored by government agencies and food producers. The culture-based methods currently employed are sensitive but time- and labor-intensive, leading to increasing interest in exploring culture-independent diagnostic tests (CIDTs) for pathogen detection. However, few studies quantify the relative sensitivity and reliability of these CIDTs compared to current approaches. To address this issue, we conducted a comparison of the limit of detection (LOD50) for Salmonella between a culture-based method and three CIDTs: qPCR (targeting invA and stn), metabarcode (16S) sequencing, and shotgun metagenomic sequencing. Samples of chicken feed and chicken caecal contents were spiked with S. serovar Enteritidis and subjected to culture- and DNA-based detection methods. To explore the impact of non-selective enrichment on LOD50, all samples underwent both immediate DNA extraction and overnight enrichment prior to gDNA extraction. In addition to this spike-in experiment, feed and caecal samples acquired from the field were tested with culturing, qPCR, and metabarcoding. In general, LOD50 was comparable between qPCR and shotgun sequencing methods. Overnight microbiological enrichment resulted in an improvement in LOD50 with up to a three-log decrease. However, Salmonella reads were detected in some unspiked feed samples, suggesting false-positive detection of Salmonella. In addition, the LOD50 in feeds was three logs lower than in caecal contents, underscoring the impact of background microbiota on Salmonella detection using all methods. IMPORTANCE:The appeal of culture-independent diagnostic tests (CIDTs) is increased speed with lowered cost, as well as the potential to detect multiple pathogen species in a single analysis and to monitor other areas of concern such as antimicrobial resistance genes or virulence factors. This study provides quantitative data on the sensitivity of CIDTs relative to current approaches, which is essential for determining the feasibility of implementing these methods in pathogen surveillance programs.
IntroductionAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health concern, occurring when bacteria evolve to render antimicrobials no longer effective. Antimicrobials have important roles in beef production; however, the potential to introduce AMR to people through beef products is a concern. This scoping review identifies factors associated with changes in the prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant Enterococcus spp. applicable to the Canadian farm-to-fork beef continuum.MethodsFive databases (MEDLINE, BIOSIS, Web of Science, Embase, and CAB Abstracts) were searched for articles published from January 1984 to March 2022, using a priori inclusion criteria. Peer-reviewed articles were included if they met all the following criteria: written in English, applicable to the Canadian beef production context, primary research, in vivo research, describing an intervention or exposure, and specific to Enterococcus spp.ResultsOut of 804 screened articles, 26 were selected for inclusion. The included articles discussed 37 factors potentially associated with AMR in enterococci, with multiple articles discussing at least two of the same factors. Factors discussed included antimicrobial administration (n = 16), raised without antimicrobials (n = 6), metal supplementation (n = 4), probiotics supplementation (n = 3), pen environment (n = 2), essential oil supplementation (n = 1), grass feeding (n = 1), therapeutic versus subtherapeutic antimicrobial use (n = 1), feeding wet distiller grains with solubles (n = 1), nutritional supplementation (n = 1) and processing plant type (n = 1). Results were included irrespective of their quality of evidence.DiscussionComparability issues arising throughout the review process were related to data aggregation, hierarchical structures, study design, and inconsistent data reporting. Findings from articles were often temporally specific in that resistance was associated with AMR outcomes at sampling times closer to exposure compared to studies that sampled at longer intervals after exposure. Resistance was often nuanced to unique gene and phenotypic resistance patterns that varied with species of enterococci. Intrinsic resistance and interpretation of minimum inhibitory concentration varied greatly among enterococcal species, highlighting the importance of caution when comparing articles and generalizing findings.Systematic Review Registration[http://hdl.handle.net/1880/113592]
The extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-EB) encompass several important human pathogens and are found on the World Health Organization (WHO) priority pathogens list of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. They are a group of organisms which demonstrate resistance to third-generation cephalosporins (3GC) and their presence has been documented worldwide, including in aquaculture and the aquatic environment. This risk profile was developed following the Codex Guidelines for Risk Analysis of Foodborne Antimicrobial Resistance with the objectives of describing the current state of knowledge of ESBL-EB in relation to retail shrimp and salmon available to consumers in Canada, the primary aquacultured species consumed in Canada. The risk profile found that Enterobacterales and ESBL-EB have been found in multiple aquatic environments, as well as multiple host species and production levels. Although the information available did not permit the conclusion as to whether there is a human health risk related to ESBLs in Enterobacterales in salmon and shrimp available for consumption by Canadians, ESBL-EB in imported seafood available at the retail level in Canada have been found. Surveillance activities to detect ESBL-EB in seafood are needed; salmon and shrimp could be used in initial surveillance activities, representing domestic and imported products.
Human infection with antimicrobial-resistant Campylobacter species is an important public health concern due to the potentially increased severity of illness and risk of death. Our objective was to synthesise the knowledge of factors associated with human infections with antimicrobial-resistant strains of Campylobacter. This scoping review followed systematic methods, including a protocol developed a priori. Comprehensive literature searches were developed in consultation with a research librarian and performed in five primary and three grey literature databases. Criteria for inclusion were analytical and English-language publications investigating human infections with an antimicrobial-resistant (macrolides, tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones, and/or quinolones) Campylobacter that reported factors potentially linked with the infection. The primary and secondary screening were completed by two independent reviewers using Distiller SR®. The search identified 8,527 unique articles and included 27 articles in the review. Factors were broadly categorised into animal contact, prior antimicrobial use, participant characteristics, food consumption and handling, travel, underlying health conditions, and water consumption/exposure. Important factors linked to an increased risk of infection with a fluoroquinolone-resistant strain included foreign travel and prior antimicrobial use. Identifying consistent risk factors was challenging due to the heterogeneity of results, inconsistent analysis, and the lack of data in low- and middle-income countries, highlighting the need for future research.