Progress 01/15/24 to 01/14/25
Outputs
Target Audience:In 2024 the project successfully carried out several efforts involving the target audience outlined in the intitial project proposal. To complete field sample collection, several small ruminant producer farms were visited for sample collection from animals. Producers were also engaged through virtual Animal Diseases and AMR (antimicrobial resistance) Webinar and inperson outreach activities like VSU Agriculture field days and Small Ruminant Field day. Several undergraduate and graduate students students were engaged in laboratory research activities and experiential learning opportunities detecting AMR in commensal and pathogenic bacterial isolates from small ruminants. The students presented their research findings to producers, scientists and other students during field days, local and national scientific conferences respectively. Other scientists, public health practice professionals, One health professionals were engaged during scientific conferences presentations. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The project activities carried out during the year provided several training and mentorship opportunities to undergraduate and graduate students from Virginia state University and Virginia tech. These opportunities involved the project team working alongside students at their respective Universities but also student visit between the two universities. Students were trained broadly in microbiology skills, animal diseases, One health, zoonotic pathogens. In the laboratory, students were trained on microbial isolation of bacteria from fecal samples including identification, use of selective media, preparation of media, testing for antimicrobial resistance, DNA extraction, typing the pathogenic potential of bacterial isolates.They were also mentored on research methods including designing research questions and obectives, data entry in excel, data presentation, data analysis and presentation in scientific conferences and how to present scientific information to general public during Agriculture field days. The project team also trained laboratory techinicians who worked in the project on the specific skills applied in the project protocols including unique bacteria specific isolation protocols, confirmation and advanced molecular techniques applied for each bacterial species.The project provided opportunities for the project team to attend and present project findings in scientific conferences and attend NIFA project Directors meetings. During the conferences, the team members were able to learn from other scientists the current status and progress in addressing AMR. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Preliminary project findings have been presented to the scientific community, small ruminant producers and to the broader community in different forums. Students who participated in the prodect were able to present the findings during Agriculture Research Directors 2024 meeting.The meeting attracts students and faculty from all historically black colleges in the US. Some of the findings were also presented to scientists and One health experts during the National Institute of Antimicrobial Resistance Research and Education (NIAMRRE) annual conference and Conference of Research Workers on Animal Diseases (CRWAD). These meetings are attended by animal diseases scientists, AMR scientists, public health practitioners, veterinarians, medical doctors, pharmacists, undergraduate and graduate students and innovators working in the field of antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance among others. VSU held two Agriculture field day days and the project team members interacted with the broader Virginia community to highlight and educate the relevance of AMR to human, animal and environmental health (One health). We also demonstrated some of the isolates from the project portraying multidrug resistance (MDR) to further explain to the public what this implies to combating human and animal diseases.The field days are attended by the community members, local leaders, K1-12 students from neighboring schools and students and faculty from VSU.VSU cooperative extension held a a workshop for small ruminant producers and part of the program involved updates on antimicrobial resitance and findings by the project team. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Activities projected for the next period include further characterization of antibiotic resistant isolates to determine the genetic mechanism of the resistance and completing the serogrouping of the resistant isolates. The identity of other enteric non E.coli antibiotic resitant isolates detected in this study will also be confirmed during this period. Isolated Campylobacter species will be evaluated for antibiotic resitant status and typing of the strains detected. Data will be analyzed and organized for publication and final deposition in the Ag data commons. The developed questionnaire will be deployed to producers and veterinarians in the state, data collected and analyzed. The findings from laboratory analysis and questionnaire data will be organized and presented to relevant stakeholders in scientific conferences, Ag field days, workshops and also published in relevant journals. The project will continure to involve and train students on laboratory microbiology skills and research data entry and analysis.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
During the reporting period, enteric bacteria isolated from sheep and goats fecal samples from Virginia farms were evaluated for presence antimicrobial resistance elements (ARE) and also probed on whether these were disease causing or normal inhabitants of the gut. Although the number of samples carrying antibiotic resistant bacteria and the type of antibiotic resistance detected varied from farm to farm, at least one sample from each farm was found to carry an antibiotic resistant element. E.coli isolates with ARE were typed for their ability to cause diseases in human or animasl by evaluating whether they have the virulence genes (Shiga toxins genes, intimin, hemolysin) and serogrouping. Potentially pathogenic E.coli and other enteric bacteria with or without ARE were detected either in the same sample or other samples from the same farm in some of the farms. Samples were also evaluated for the presence of other foodborne pathogens including Salmonella and Campylobacter. In over 50% of the farms, Campylobacter species were detected in the samples but Samonella was rare. DNA was also extracted for the Campylobacter to determine which strain they are. This will answer the question of whtether they can cause disease in human or animals. A questionnare to determine knowledge, attitudes and behavior around antibiotic use was also developed and tested with a group of small ruminant farmers and veterinarians. To address issues on small ruminant health, and educate producers on antibiotic resistance and its One health (human,animal environmental health) implications, a virtual webinar and a face to face educational workshop was organized by Virginia State Cooperative Extension Faculty and other project team members targeting producers with Q&A addressed by food animal veterinarians (In-state and out of state) and other small ruminant experts. During the Webinar and workshop, producers had the opportunity to ask question on pressing issues on animal health, antibiotics use and other animal husbandry questions to practicing Veterinarians, other small ruminant and food safety experts invited to speak. Some of the preliminary findings on project findings on ARE detected in a cohort of the farms were also presented during the face to face workshop. As part of the the overall goal of the project, key findings so far were also presented to animal health scientists, AMR experts and One health practice professionals during scientific meetings and proceedings. Undergraduate and graduate students (Virginia State) and graduate student (Virginia Tech) were also engaged fully in experiential learning opportunities of microbial isolation, antimicrobial screening, foodborne pathogens, animal and One health knowledge, development of survey tools and scientific conference presentations.
Publications
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Progress 01/15/22 to 01/14/23
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience reached during this period are small ruminant producers in different counties in Virginia and minority undergraduate students at Virginia State University, and a graduate student at Virginia Tech Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The project has offered experiential training and research mentoring opportunities to undergraduate students at VSU through engagement in laboratory research activities How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?In the next reporting period, 1. Continue collecting field samples from farms, slaughterhouses, and auction sites. 2. Continue microbial isolation and AMR screening in the laboratory 3. Review, test, finalize and disseminate the survey questionnaire 4. Engage students in research and laboratory activities 5. Present on AMR and foodborne pathogensawareness during a workshop/field day in collaboration with a Small ruminant extension specialist
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Accomplishments: To quantify the prevalence of AMR in E.coli and other foodborne pathogens, several farms in different counties in Virginia were visited, and fecal samples were collected from small ruminants. Fecal samples have been saved in glycerol, and isolation of E.coli, Campylobacter, and Salmonella is ongoing. The co-PI at Virginia Tech has indicated he and a graduate student have drafted a questionnaire that is in the final process and will be shared with the project team soon.
Publications
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