Search Results (26)

The risk of exposure to mycotoxins in livestock farming is still poorly characterized, particularly in Italy where human biomonitoring data are scarce. Livestock farms represent a high-risk setting due to frequent handling of contaminated feed and dust-generating activities. This pilot study applied a human biomonitoring approach to assess internal exposure to multiple mycotoxins among pig farmers in Southern Italy. Urinary biomarkers of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), aflatoxin M1 (AFM1), ochratoxin A (OTA), and fumonisin B1 (FB1), together with oxidative stress biomarkers (8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxoGua), 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodGuo), 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanosine (8-oxoGuo), 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NO₂Tyr), and 5-methylcytidine (5-MeCyt)), were measured in urine samples from 35 workers and 30 non-exposed controls. A sensitive and validated HPLC–MS/MS multi-mycotoxin method was developed and applied. Biomonitoring results were also discussed in relation to previous environmental monitoring. AFM1 emerged as the most frequently detected biomarker in the exposed group, with concentrations above the limit of detection (LOD) in 22.8% of samples; 11.4% exceeded the limit of quantification (LOQ). In contrast, only 10% of the control samples had values above the LOD and none exceeded the LOQ, suggesting a possible contribution linked to occupational tasks. This study provides original biomonitoring evidence of low-dose, mixed mycotoxin exposure among Italian swine farmers and highlights the value of integrating environmental and biological monitoring to improve occupational exposure assessment in livestock production systems. Full article

The conventional window for ultrasonic pregnancy diagnosis in sows is 22–25 days post-insemination, which often results in missed opportunities for the optimal re-insemination of non-pregnant sows and elevated production costs. This present study aimed to establish an early pregnancy detection method for sows at 12–18 days post-insemination, thereby providing a reference for efficient reproductive management. Saliva, urine and vaginal secretions were collected from sows during this period, and seven metabolites were quantified. Seven machine learning models were employed for data analysis, after which the optimal combination was determined, and the detection protocol was refined using recursive feature elimination. The results revealed that the majority of metabolites in saliva and urine differed significantly between pregnant and non-pregnant groups (p < 0.05). Among the models evaluated, the random forest algorithm exhibited the best predictive performance, with accuracy ranging from 0.59 to 1.00. Saliva sampled at 17 days post-insemination was identified as the optimal diagnostic medium, and 100% prediction accuracy was achieved by measuring only three metabolites: Glc, Ste, and Xan. The diagnostic approach established in this study allows pregnancy detection 5–8 days earlier than conventional methods, with the additional benefits of non-invasive sampling and minimal stress to sows. Accordingly, it provides a novel reference for enhancing the efficiency of swine production. Full article

β-agonists are prohibited antibiotics that have raised concerns due to their illegal use in the livestock industry, posing potential toxicity risks to human health. For ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) analysis of β-agonists, effective sample pretreatment is a crucial and challenging process that dictates the overall reliability and sensitivity of the method. Thus, this study developed a reliable method utilizing dispersive solid-phase extraction (d-SPE) with NH₂-UiO-66 as a superior adsorbent, coupled with UPLC-MS/MS, to extract and quantify β-agonists in environmental water, swine urine, and milk. The synthesized NH₂-UiO-66 exhibited outstanding adsorption capacities (146.06–358.00 mg/g) towards the target analytes. The optimized method demonstrated excellent performance: low matrix effects (−13.10–15.30%), wide linearity (0.1–50 μg/L), low limits of detection (0.04–0.09 μg/L), and satisfactory recoveries (81.48–106.67%) with good precision (intra-day RSDs 1.51–6.24%; inter-day RSDs 2.06–10.96%). Adsorption mechanism studies revealed that the extraction process, which followed the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic models, was driven primarily by electrostatic interactions, π-π stacking, and hydrogen bonding. Moreover, the material could be reused up to 10 times, with satisfactory recoveries of 81.30% to 116.10%. The proposed NH₂-UiO-66-d-SPE-UPLC-MS/MS protocol is generic and provides a robust and practical solution for monitoring trace β-agonists in animal-derived foods and environmental samples, ensuring food safety and environmental health. Full article

Ammonia (NH₃) emissions from swine manure pits contribute significantly to odor nuisance, health risks, and secondary PM_2.5 formation. This study assessed the pilot-scale performance of three source-control technologies: surface sealing with surfactant-based foam system (FOAM SYSTEM), swine manure wiping and removing system (WIPING SYSTEM), and belt-conveyor-based solid–liquid separator system (BELT SYSTEM). Each technology targets a different pathway in the ammonia generation process. The FOAM SYSTEM suppresses volatilization by forming a foam barrier at the air–liquid interface. The WIPING SYSTEM reduces precursor contact time by periodically removing feces. The BELT SYSTEM separates feces and urine upon excretion, inhibiting enzymatic ammonia formation. Among the individual systems, the BELT SYSTEM achieved the highest ammonia reduction efficiency of 91.7%, followed by the FOAM SYSTEM (73.6%) and WIPING SYSTEM (64.4%). The combined FOAM SYSTEM + BELT SYSTEM yielded the best performance with an ammonia reduction efficiency of 94.4%, showing modest synergy without operational interference. In contrast, the FOAM SYSTEM + WIPING SYSTEM configuration achieved 71.1%, slightly lower than the FOAM SYSTEM alone, likely due to foam disruption. Environmental sensitivity tests revealed that higher temperatures and alkaline pH elevated NH₃ emissions, whereas systems that maintained near-neutral pH, like the FOAM SYSTEM, demonstrated greater stability. These findings highlight the importance of integrating physical and source-control mechanisms while considering environmental variability for effective on-farm ammonia mitigation. Full article

This study investigated the effects of a low-protein diet without soybean meal on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, plasma-free amino acids, and meat quality of finishing pigs. A total of 81 barrows and 81 gilts ([Yorkshire × Landrace] × Duroc) of 150 days old with similar body weights (103.64 ± 3.65 kg) were selected and randomly allocated into three groups with three replicates in each group and 18 finishing pigs in each pen (4.5 m × 8.5 m). Three dietary formulations were established in this experiment: (1) 14% crude protein, and 14% soybean meal for the control group diet (CON); (2) 13% crude protein, and 7% soybean meal for half soybean meal group diet (HSB); (3) 12% crude protein, and 0% soybean meal for soybean meal free group diet (SBF). Three groups of diets were equal to standard ileal digestible amino acids and swine net energy. Results showed that (1) there was no significant difference in final body weight, average daily feed intake, and average daily gain in CON, HSB, and SBF groups (p > 0.05). However, the feed conversion rate was higher in the SBF but the differences were not significant (p = 0.08). (2) Compared with the CON group, the apparent digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, and calcium in the SBF group was significantly increased by 6.42%, 4.78%, and 9.82%, respectively (p < 0.05). However, ether extract and phosphorus did not differ significantly between the three groups (p > 0.05). All groups had no significant differences in serum biochemical indexes (p > 0.05). (3) Compared with the CON group, the plasma-free contents of glycine and glutamate in the HSB and SBF groups were significantly decreased by 42.90% and 37.06%, respectively (p < 0.05). Compared with the CON group, the contents of plasma-free histidine and valine in the SBF group were significantly decreased by 16.72% and 16.21%, respectively (p < 0.05), but there was no significant difference compared with the HSB group (p > 0.05). Compared with the CON group, plasma-free isoleucine content in the HSB group was significantly decreased by 50.39% (p < 0.05), but there was no significant difference compared with the SBF group (p > 0.05). (4) Backfat thickness in the SBF group was significantly increased by 3.53% compared with that in the CON group (p < 0.05), but there was no significant difference compared with the HSB group (p > 0.05). Compared with the CON group, lean meat percentage in the HSB and SBF groups showed a tendency to increase and decrease, respectively (p = 0.09). (5) The urine ammonia-nitrogen content of finishing pigs in the SBF group was significantly lower than that of the CON (p < 0.05), at a rate of 28.80%. H₂S content in the urine of the SBF group tended to decrease (p = 0.06). This study demonstrates that a low-protein diet without soybean meal can be applied as a dietary strategy for finishing pigs with no adverse influence on growth performance. Full article

(1) Pigs are physiologically very relevant as animal models of human physiology. Radiotracer methods for porcine GFR (glomerular filtration rate) determination exist but require full-curve blood sampling or the application of correction formulas, which vary among studies. (2) We used porcine GFR data (40 datapoints from 20 juvenile pigs) for which the GFR was measured as the plasma clearance of [^99mTc]Tc-DTPA. The reference clearance (Cl, GFR; range 41–85 mL/min) was measured from the full curve under the data. For simpler determination, an approximate clearance, Cl₁, was based on the last five blood samples (acquired 120–240 min post injection). (3) The following formula for the GFR was developed: Cl = 1.27 · (Cl₁)^0.92. The spread (SD) was within 4% of the reference GFR. A comparison with the literature data showed that our correction formula was robust in pigs of various breeds, sizes up to approximately 200 kg, and GFRs up to approximately 400 mL/min, with a spread of up to 8%. The formula was also applicable for iohexol as the tracer. (4) A formula was developed that allows porcine GFR to be measured using only 4–5 late blood samples. This new formula can be applied across a wide range of swine breeds, animal sizes, and GFR ranges, allowing for robust determination of the GFR in pigs without full-curve blood sampling and without urine collection. Full article

Leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonotic disease. Pathogenic leptospires colonize the renal tubules and genital tract of animals and are excreted via urine. Transmission occurs via direct contact or through contaminated water or soil. The microscopic agglutination test (MAT) is the gold standard for the serodiagnosis of leptospirosis. The present study aims to evaluate animal exposure to Leptospira in the U.S. and Puerto Rico during the period 2018–2020. The presence of antibodies against pathogenic Leptospira spp. was assessed with the MAT according to the standards of the World Organisation for Animal Health. A total of 568 sera were submitted for diagnostic, surveillance, or import/export testing from the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Seropositivity (≥1:100) was 51.8% (294/568) with agglutinating antibodies found in 115 (39.1%) cattle, 84 (28.6%) exotic animals, 38 (12.9%) horses, 22 (7.5%) goats, 15 (5.1%) dogs, 11 (3.7%) swine, and 9 (3.1%) sheep. The most detected serogroups were Australis, Grippotyphosa, and Ballum. The results showed that animals were exposed to serogroups/serovars not included in commercial bacterins such as Ballum, Bratislava (only in swine vaccine), and Tarassovi. Our findings suggest that more studies should include culture and concomitant genotyping to reduce animal disease and zoonotic risk through efficacious vaccine and diagnostic strategies. Full article

Pig health is impaired and growth performance is reduced when exposed to deoxynivalenol (DON). The measurement of DON in individual feedstuffs and complete swine diets is variable because of the inconsistent distribution of mycotoxins in feed and the difficulties in obtaining representative samples. We investigated whether measuring DON and its metabolites in biological samples could be used as a predictor of DON ingestion by pigs. Blood samples were collected between 3 and 4 h after the morning meal and urine samples were quantitatively collected over a 24 h period on d 40 and 82 of the study to evaluate serum and urinary content of DON and DON metabolites (iso-deoxynivalenol, DON-3-glucuronide, DON-15-glcurunide, deepoxy-deoxynivalenol, iso-deepoxy-deoxynivalenol, deepoxy-deoxynivalenol-3-glucuronide, and deepoxy-deoxynivalenol-15-glucuronide). The intake of DON was positively correlated with urinary DON output. Similarly, there was an increase in serum DON level with increasing DON intake. Overall, it was found that DON intake correlated with DON concentration in urine and blood serum when samples were collected under controlled conditions. Analyzing DON levels in urine and blood serum could be used to predict a pig’s DON intake. Full article

The modification of biochar is essential for the development of multifunctional biochar materials with enhanced remediation effects on contaminated water. In this work, a biochar-based microcatalyst with sunlight sensitivity was synthesized by a creative modification method that involved the rapid fabrication of MnO₂ microspheres by high-energy electron beam (HEEB) irradiation, and loading them into corn straw-derived honeycomb-like KOH-modified biochar (MBC) to obtain a sunlight-sensitive microcatalyst (SSM). The honeycomb-like structure of MBC facilitated the improvement in MnO₂ dispersion and photocatalytic property through confinement effect. The effects of photocatalyst dosage, initial chlortetracycline (CTC) concentration, solution pH, temperature and coexisting ions on the photocatalytic performance of SSM were systemically investigated. The results indicated that SSM could efficiently degrade CTC in water and swine urine under sunlight, and exhibited high stability against coexistence of urea, Cl⁻ and SO₄²⁻. Moreover, SSM showed good reusability in regeneration studies. This work provides a novel method for degrading CTC with potential application prospect. Full article

Urinary tract infections (UTI) of sows (characterized by ascending infections of the urinary bladder (cyst), ureters, and renal pelvis), are major health issues with a significant economic impact to the swine industry. The current detection of UTI incidents lacks sensitivity; thus, UTIs remain largely under-diagnosed. The value of metabolomics in unraveling the mechanisms of sow UTI has not yet been established. This study aims to investigate the urine metabolome of sows for UTI biomarkers. Urine samples were collected from 58 culled sows from a farrow-to-finish herd in Greece. Urine metabolomic profiles in 31 healthy controls and in 27 inflammatory ones were evaluated. UHPLC-qTOF MS/MS was applied for the analysis with a combination of multivariate and univariate statistical analysis. Eighteen potential markers were found. The changes in several urine metabolites classes (nucleosides, indoles, isoflavones, and dipeptides), as well as amino-acids allowed for an adequate discrimination between the study groups. Identified metabolites were involved in purine metabolism; phenylalanine; tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis; and phenylalanine metabolism. Through ROC analysis it was shown that the 18 identified metabolite biomarkers exhibited good predictive accuracy. In summary, our study provided new information on the potential targets for predicting early and accurate diagnosis of UTI. Further, this information also sheds light on how it could be applied in live animals. Full article

This study is focused on resistance to carbapenems and third-generation cephalosporins in Gram-negative microorganisms isolated from swine, whose transmission to humans via pork consumption cannot be excluded. In addition, the common carriage of carbapenem-resistant (CR) bacteria between humans and pigs was evaluated. Sampling involved 300 faecal samples collected from slaughtered pigs and 300 urine samples collected from 187 hospitalised patients in Parma Province (Italy). In swine, MIC testing confirmed resistance to meropenem for isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas oryzihabitans and resistance to cefotaxime and ceftazidime for Escherichia coli, Ewingella americana, Enterobacter agglomerans, and Citrobacter freundii. For Acinetobacter lwoffii, Aeromonas hydrofila, Burkolderia cepacia, Corynebacterium indologenes, Flavobacterium odoratum, and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, no EUCAST MIC breakpoints were available. However, ESBL genes (bla_CTXM-1, bla_CTX-M-2, bla_TEM-1, and bla_SHV) and AmpC genes (bla_CIT, bla_ACC, and bla_EBC) were found in 38 and 16 isolates, respectively. P. aeruginosa was the only CR species shared by pigs (4/300 pigs; 1.3%) and patients (2/187; 1.1%). P. aeruginosa ST938 carrying bla_PAO and bla_OXA396 was detected in one pig as well as an 83-year-old patient. Although no direct epidemiological link was demonstrable, SNP calling and cgMLST showed a genetic relationship of the isolates (86 SNPs and 661 allele difference), thus suggesting possible circulation of CR bacteria between swine and humans. Full article

The effect of washing procedure and contamination level on the concentrations of cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in swine hair was explored over two studies. Hair shaved from finisher pigs (n = 8) and sows (n = 8, cortisol study 1 only) was split into two treatments (two hair samples/pig) to receive either three isopropanol or methanol washes, and two paired subsamples of hair were contaminated with feces and urine, mildly or severely. Samples were further subdivided and received one, three, or five methanol washes. Hormone concentrations were quantified from the hair and wash solvent, and the ratio of hormones in the solvent to that in the hair calculated. When grouping sow and grower hair together for analysis, hair cortisol concentrations were 13% greater after three isopropanol washes compared to methanol (22.84 ± 3.12 vs. 19.77 ± 2.64 pg/mg, respectively). When analyzing sow and grower hair separately, sow hair cortisol concentrations were 20% higher following three isopropanol washes compared to methanol washes (22.06 ± 5.21 vs. 27.72 ± 5.65 pg/mg), with no differences in grower pig hair concentrations. The solvent cortisol concentrations did not differ with wash solvent. No differences were seen for DHEA. Contamination level did not influence hormone concentrations. Hair cortisol concentrations were 24% higher after one wash compared to five washes (11.98 ± 1.47 vs. 9.05 ± 0.92 pg/mg), whereas the solvent cortisol concentrations were 80% and 84% higher after one wash compared to three and five washes, respectively (21.09 ± 4.04 vs. 4.21 ± 1.62 vs. 3.36 ± 1.32 pg/mg). The solvent–hair cortisol ratio was 65% and 73% higher following one wash compared to three and five washes (1.36 ± 0.80 vs. 0.47 ± 0.12 vs. 0.37 ± 0.14). Hair DHEA concentrations were 39% higher after one wash compared to five washes (42.39 ± 6.87 vs. 26.02 ± 5.69 pg/mg). The solvent DHEA concentrations, and the solvent–hair ratio for DHEA were 94% and 98% and 92% and 98% higher going from one wash to three and five washes, respectively (solvent: 5.07 ± 0.26 vs. 0.28 ± 0.12 vs. 0.12 ± 0.09 pg/mg and solvent–hair ratio: 0.13 ± 0.006 vs. 0.010 ± 0.004 vs. 0.003 ± 0.002). Following three methanol washes, the non-contaminated hair had 46% and 48% higher hair (17.47 ± 1.12 vs. 9.35 ± 0.80 vs. 9.05 ± 1.06 pg/mg) and a 76% and 72% higher solvent (16.31 ± 8.07 vs. 3.92 ± 0.50 vs. 4.50 ± 2.31 pg/mg) cortisol concentration compared to mild and severely contaminated hair, respectively. Wash solvent influences cortisol concentrations in swine hair, but not DHEA. Contaminated swine hair should be avoided in analyses when possible. Full article

Leptospira spp. cause the zoonotic disease leptospirosis, which occurs in numerous mammalians worldwide. Isolation is still important for serotyping and genotyping of Leptospira, which in turn is essential for epidemiological surveillance of leptospirosis and the development of diagnostic tests and vaccines. However, isolation of Leptospira from clinical specimens is inherently insensitive. This study was conducted to examine the influence of selective agents, sample filtration, sample pH and the use of phosphate buffered saline (PBS) buffer for sample storage to improve the success of cultivation and isolation of Leptospira interrogans serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae from swine urine. EMJH (Ellinghausen McCullough, Johnson and Harris) medium including the selective agents sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, amphotericin, fosfomycin and 5-fluorouracil (STAFF) increased the success of Leptospira isolation from spiked swine urine samples. Sample filtration yielded only negative results. Isolation in EMJH-STAFF was successful from swine urine with a density as low as 10⁴ Leptospira/mL, and urine with pH ≤ 7 impaired the cultivation rate. Cultivation and isolation were not improved by the addition of PBS to spiked urine samples prior to storage for 24 h at 4 °C. The results of the study demonstrate that cultivation and isolation of leptospires from swine urine can be improved by enhanced methods. Full article

Colistin is considered as the last-resort treatment for multiantibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections in humans. However, the oral administration of colistin to livestock and poultry results in the introduction of large amounts of colistin to the surrounding environment via urine and feces, potentially inducing the prevalence of colistin-resistant bacteria and the impact on the ecological environment. We established a quantitative mass spectrometry (MS) based method to measure colistin in contents recovered from the gastrointestinal segments of piglets and broilers, as well as colistin in feces from the animals. The mean recoveries of colistin from different matrices were between 73.2% and 103.9%. The quantitation limit values for different matrices ranged from 0.37 to 1.85 ng/g. In colistin-treated swine samples, the highest concentration of colistin was detected in feces samples at a level of 1248.3 ng/g. However, the highest concentration of colistin in broiler samples was around 4882.9 ng/g, which was found in the contents derived from broilers’ ceca. The employment of the proposed method to assess colistin in animals’ gastrointestinal tracts might help to understand the colistin absorption in animals’ guts and the potential impact of colistin on the emergence of resistant bacteria in animals’ gut flora and the ecological environment. Full article

Leptospirosis is a widespread zoonosis and has been recognized as a re-emerging infectious disease in humans and a variety of wild and domestic animal species. In order to understand the prevalence and diversity of Leptospira spp. in feral pig populations of Alabama, we trapped 315 feral pigs in Bullock County east-central Alabama, and collected 97 environmental samples from riparian areas in Bullock County and Macon County east-central Alabama. Two previously published PCRs followed by DNA sequencing and BLASTn were performed to identify pathogenic Leptospira species in the kidney of feral pigs (3.2%, 10/315) as well as environmental samples collected from the habitats of feral pigs (2.1%, 2/97), but not in the whole blood samples (n = 276) or spleen (n = 51). An ELISA determined that 44.2% of serum samples (122/276) were antibody-positive for Leptospira. The identification of two pathogenic Leptospira species from environmental samples and the high sero-positivity in feral pigs suggests potential pathogen shedding from feral pigs to environments, and to humans and domestic animals. In order to better understand the risk to human health associated with feral swine presence, further studies are warranted to explore the interrelationship between Leptospira spp. shedding in the urine of feral pigs and bacterial culture to explore pathogenicity. Multi-locus sequencing typing (MLST) and microscopic agglutination tests (MAT) should be performed in future studies to make a definite determination of pathogenic Leptospira in feral pigs in Alabama. Full article