title: Prevalence and potential risk factors for the occurrence of cefotaxime resistant Escherichia coli in German fattening pig farms--a cross-sectional study.
abstract: A cross-sectional study concerning farm prevalence and risk factors for the count of cefotaxime resistant Escherichia coli (E. coli) (CREC) positive samples per sampling group on German fattening pig farms was performed in 2011 and 2012. Altogether 48 farms in four agricultural regions in the whole of Germany were investigated. Faecal samples, boot swabs and dust samples from two sampling groups per farm were taken and supplemental data were collected using a questionnaire. On 85% of the farms, at least one sample contained cefotaxime resistant E. coli colonies. Positive samples were more frequent in faeces (61%) and boot swabs (54%) than in dust samples (11%). Relevant variables from the questionnaire were analysed in a univariable mixed effect Poisson regression model. Variables that were related to the number (risk) of positive samples per sampling group with a p-value <0.2 were entered in a multivariable model. This model was reduced to statistically significant variables via backward selection. Factors that increased the risk for positive samples involved farm management and hygienic aspects. Farms that had a separate pen for diseased pigs had a 2.8 higher mean count of positive samples (95%-CI [1.71; 4.58], p=0.001) than farms without an extra pen. The mean count was increased on farms with under-floor exhaust ventilation compared to farms with over floor ventilation (2.22 [1.43; 3.46], p=0.001) and more positive samples were observed on farms that controlled flies with toxin compared to farms that did not (1.86 [1.24; 2.78], p=0.003). It can be concluded, that CREC are wide spread on German fattening pig farms. In addition the explorative approach of the present study suggests an influence of management strategies on the occurrence of cefotaxime resistant E. coli.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biometry, Epidemiology and Information Processing, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover, Foundation, Buenteweg 2, D-30559 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Johanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hering
authors.affiliation: Department of Biometry, Epidemiology and Information Processing, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover, Foundation, Buenteweg 2, D-30559 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hille
authors.affiliation: Department of Biometry, Epidemiology and Information Processing, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover, Foundation, Buenteweg 2, D-30559 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Cornelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Frömke
authors.affiliation: Department of Biometry, Epidemiology and Information Processing, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover, Foundation, Buenteweg 2, D-30559 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Christiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: von Münchhausen
authors.affiliation: Department of Biometry, Epidemiology and Information Processing, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover, Foundation, Buenteweg 2, D-30559 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hartmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Biometry, Epidemiology and Information Processing, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover, Foundation, Buenteweg 2, D-30559 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Bettina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.affiliation: Institute for Animal Hygiene and Environmental Health, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Free University Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, D-14163 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Anika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Friese
authors.affiliation: Institute for Animal Hygiene and Environmental Health, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Free University Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, D-14163 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Roesler
authors.affiliation: Department of Biometry, Epidemiology and Information Processing, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover, Foundation, Buenteweg 2, D-30559 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Roswitha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Merle
authors.affiliation: Department of Biometry, Epidemiology and Information Processing, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover, Foundation, Buenteweg 2, D-30559 Hannover, Germany. Electronic address: lothar.kreienbrock@tiho-hannover.de.
authors.forename: Lothar
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kreienbrock
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002439:Cefotaxime / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial / Q000662:veterinary; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D018440:beta-Lactam Resistance
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002439:Cefotaxime
keywords: Antibiotic resistance; ESBL; Epidemiologic study; Farm management; Pork production