Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

The meeting was held via Zoom and started with a brief welcome and introduction of all members. The meeting was moderated by Dr. Casey Cazer and Dr. Michelle Soupir. Dr. James Averill welcomed NC1206 members and provided a summary of Hatch funds administration to multi-state projects. He reminded the group that we are starting year 4 of the 5-year renewal and that renewal will be due December 2026.

Research Updates: Drs. Cazer, Ganda, Ivanek, Soupir, Ju and Kelli Maddock presented current research and future collaboration interests. Multistate, collaborative activities, accomplishments, impacts, funding, and publications are detailed below.

Guest speakers: Dr. Sarah Kidd, PhD FASM FECMM, Head of the National Mycology Reference Centre at SA Pathology and Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Adelaide, Australia. Dr. Kidd presented on emerging fungal pathogens and antifungal resistance, highlighting examples such as azole-resistant Aspergillus fumigatus, Candida auris, and Trichophyton endoineae. She explained the mechanisms of antifungal resistance and the global hotspots of azole resistance, particularly in Europe. The group also discussed the impact of antifungal resistance on human health, noting that fungal diseases cause more than 3.5 million deaths per year worldwide. Dr. Kidd also discussed the potential for resistance development due to similar fungicides used in agriculture, such as ipflufenequin, as well as concerts about over-the-counter antifungal use. Dr. Kidd concluded by advocating for a collaborative approach between healthcare, agriculture, and regulatory bodies to manage resistance and ensure the effectiveness of antifungal treatments.

New leadership: Dr. Michelle Soupir formally transitioned to the role as president of NC1206. Thank you to Dr. Casey Cazer for serving as president. Dr. Tingting Ju was unanimously elected as the group secretary.

Annual meeting schedule, 2025: Group members discussed combining the meeting with NIAMRRE in Ames, Iowa May 20-21, 2025.  Leadership will poll group members to confirm preferences.

Objective 1: Develop knowledge and tools to improve antimicrobial stewardship, including surveillance and monitoring of antimicrobial resistance, determining the ecology and mechanisms involved in resistance and transmission of resistance, and developing improved diagnostic tests

• A broad spectrum of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, including multidrug resistant pathogens such as Klebsiella pneumoniae and Serratia marcescens, other opportunistic pathogens and various antibiotic resistant lactic acid bacteria were isolated from retail kimchi products. [OH, CA]
• Antibiotic resistant bacteria, including vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) and various Staphylococcus were isolated from popular artisan cheeses. By re-assessing metagenomic sequence data in the public domain of a published study, it was discovered that 10-week dietary intervention by fermented foods actually led to an increase of gut antibiotic resistome by 16% in healthy subjects. [OH, CA]
• Developed an RShiny App, “AMR Visualizer”, to automate and streamline the analysis of antimicrobial susceptibility data and create antibiogram reports. [PA, MN, IN, CA]
• Assess the impact of FDA antimicrobial use (AMU) regulations on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and multidrug resistance (MDR) in Salmonella [NY]
• Explore the impact of and mitigate antimicrobial susceptibility data quality on AMR surveillance programs, including missing MIC values and changing susceptibility test panels. [NY]
• Correlated frozen broth microdilution minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) against disk diffusion zone diameters. Developed clinical breakpoints for bovine, porcine, and feline species for ampicillin, penicillin, and tetracycline. [ND]
• Evaluated newly designed COEQGN panels against frozen broth microdilution panels. Ensures appropriate performance of new CLSI VET01S breakpoints and the test device, meaning laboratories can reasonably expect good performance for patient care and surveillance use. [ND]
• Development of disk diffusion breakpoints makes the method more affordable and accessible to all laboratories, making the methods more useful globally. [ND]
• Completed whole-genome sequencing and comparative genomics of 2,150 Dublin strains from cattle, humans, and the environment. Identified reservoir-specific pangenomic and AMR gene content. Conducted phenotypic and genotypic AMR testing on bovine S. Dublin strains and evaluated concordance between genotypic predictions and in vitro phenotypic resistance. [PA]
• Performed comparative genomic analysis of Salmonella from household dogs and matched human cases. Highlighted the zoonotic potential of companion animal AMR reservoirs. [PA]
• Sequenced three ciprofloxacin-resistant Salmonella Reading strains from poultry meat in Pakistan, identifying resistance genes and plasmids IncX1 and IncX2. [PA]
• Developed statistical and bioinformatics pipelines for high-throughput ARG profiling and phenotype-genotype mapping. [PA]

Objective 2: Develop and Evaluate Antimicrobial Use Resistance Transmission Mitigation Strategies

• A new prototype fermentation technology Helenization has been developed for foods unsuitable for pasteurization. Targeted antibiotic resistant bacteria are essential no longer detectable in kimchi and sauerkraut by Helenization, and antibiotic resistome in these products are significantly reduced as well. [OH]
• Fresh produce is prevalent in antibiotic resistant bacteria, and applying poultry and swine feces fertilizer significantly increased the abundance of antibiotic resistant bacteria in fresh produce products. Post-harvest processing can significantly mitigate the abundance of these bacteria in treated products, thus interrupt the transmission of the risk factors from food animal production to consumers. [OH]
• Developed preliminary versions of apps for calculating antimicrobial use indicators from animal-level antimicrobial use on dairy farms and for simulating antimicrobial use on dairy farms using agent-based modeling. 
• Developed QMRAs for consumption of cattle milk [NY,VT]
• Integrated comparative genomics into AMR mitigation strategy design by identifying plasmid-mediated and chromosomal resistance mechanisms in Dublin. [PA]

Objective 3: Create and Deliver Programs on Antibiotic Stewardship

• In spring 2024, students of the popular course FST 5430 Food Fermentation (Instructor: Wang H) were given two opportunities in the lab session to assess the difference in outcomes by traditional vegetable fermentation and Helenization fermentation. Their results validated the efficacy of the new technology in mitigating the food safety risks in both kimchi and sauerkraut. It also illustrated that this new technology is applicable in small size production and even home pickling by people with minimum training. [OH]
• Rapid mitigation of AR and other food safety problems in traditional fermented foods via technology revolution needs the collaboration from the industry to deliver safe and healthy products. Wang has successfully engaged the largest fermented vegetable producers in the US to join the conversation, and also engaged officers from Foundation for Food and Agriculture and Research (FFAR). Since 2024, FFAR has established a microbiome advisory committee, involving related stakeholders from academic, industry, and professional society to jointly shaped the field development and organized workshop and monthly committee meetings. Now FFAR is preparing for a potential conference to further disseminate the knowledge and for broad engagement. Wang serves as a member of the microbiome AC committee. Wang’s OSU team is further actively working with the industry leaders to facilitate technology innovation at the production environment, so safe and healthy products may become available in retail stores in the foreseeable future. [OH]
• Develop training materials for veterinarians and veterinary students on how to interpret antimicrobial culture and susceptibility testing and antibiograms. [PA, MN, IN, CA]
• Developing an antibiogram report FAQ. [PA, MN, IN, CA]
• Conducted exploratory study on Pennsylvania dairy farms evaluating AMR gene presence and farm management practices. [PA]

Publications

• Anil G, Glass J, Mosaddegh A, Cazer CL. 2025. Antimicrobial minimum inhibitory concentrations can be imputed from phenotypic data using a random forest approach. Am J Vet Res. doi: 10.2460/ajvr.24.10.0314.
• Baker, J. T., Z. Deng, A. Sokale, B. Frederick, and S. W. Kim. 2024. Investigation of the nutritional and functional roles of β-mannanase on intestinal health and growth of newly weaned pigs fed two different types of feeds. Journal of Animal Science 102:skae206
• Baker, J. T., M. E. Duarte, and S. W. Kim. 2024. Effects of dietary xylanase supplementation on growth performance, intestinal health, and immune response of nursery pigs fed diets with reduced metabolizable energy. Journal of Animal Science 102:skae026. https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skae026.
• Choi, H., A. Sokale, B. Frederick, and S. W. Kim. 2024. Effects of increasing dose of a hybrid bacterial 6-phytase on apparent total tract nutrient digestibility, release of free myoinositol, and retention of calcium and phosphorus, and growth performance of pigs. Animal Feed Science and Technology 308:115876. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2024.115876. [NC, MN]
• Choi, H. J., and S. W. Kim. 2024. Dietary intervention of benzoic acid for intestinal health and growth of nursery pigs. Animals 14:2394. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14162394
• Choi H., Y. Garavito Duarte, G. A. M. Pasquali, and S. W. Kim. 2024. Investigation of the nutritional and functional roles of a combinational use of xylanase and β-glucanase on intestinal health and growth of nursery pigs. Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology 15:63. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40104-024-01021-8 [NC, Brazil, Germany]
• Cobo Angel C, Glowney A, Lin E, Mosaddegh A, Sobkowich K, Poljak Z, Weese JS, Cazer CL. 2025. Standardizing Multidrug Resistance Definitions and Visualizations to Support Surveillance. Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance. doi: 10.1016/j.jgar.2025.04.006
• Cobo Angel C, Craig M, Osman M, Cummings KJ, Cazer CL. 2025. Antimicrobial use regulations are associated with increased susceptibility among bovine Salmonella isolates from a U.S surveillance system. One Health. doi: 10.1016/j.onehlt.2025.100983
• Correia, A. M., J. L. L. Genova, S. W. Kim, F. F. Abranches, and G. C. Rocha. 2024. Autolyzed yeast and sodium butyrate supplemented alone to diets promoted improvements in performance, intestinal health and nutrient transporter in weaned piglets. Scientific Report 14:11885. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-62551-9 [NC, Brazil]
• Craig MJ, Cummings KJ, Cobo Angel C, Cazer CL, Aprea MS, Franklin-Guild RJ. 2025. The impact of antimicrobial use regulations on antimicrobial resistance among Salmonella isolates from bovine samples submitted to a veterinary diagnostic laboratory in central New York. One Health. doi: 0.1016/j.onehlt.2025.101087
• Deng, Z., and S. W. Kim. 2024. Opportunities and challenges of soy proteins with different processing applications. Antioxidants 13:569. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox13050569 [NC]
• Duarte, M. E., Z. Deng, and S. W. Kim. 2024. Effects of dietary Lactobacillus postbiotics and bacitracin on the modulation of mucosa-associated microbiota and pattern recognition receptors affecting immunocompetence of jejunal mucosa in pigs challenged with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli. Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology 15:139. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40104-024-01098-1
• Duarte, M. E., and S. W. Kim. 2024. Effects of Saccharomyces yeast postbiotics on cell turnover, immunocompetence, and oxidative stress in the intestinal mucosa of pigs. Scientific Reports 14:19235. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-70399-2
• Duarte, M. D., W. Parnsen, S. Zhang, M. L. T. Abreu, and S. W. Kim. 2024. Low crude protein formulation with supplemental amino acids for its impacts on intestinal health and growth performance of growing-finishing pigs. Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology 15:55. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40104-024-01015-6.
• Fan, M. Z., and S. W. Kim. 2024. Modulation of porcine gut microbiota and microbiome: hologenomic, dietary and endogenous factors. Pathogens 13:225. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens13030225
• Fox N. (Wang H, Advisor; Pascall M, co-advisor). 2024. Targeted mitigation of antibiotic resistance transmission from animal hosts to consumers via vegetable products. Undergraduate student research distinction thesis. OSU knowledge bank.
• Garavito-Duarte, Y., Z. Deng, and S. W. Kim. 2024. Opportunities with phytobiotics for health and growth of pigs. Annals of Animal Science (In press) https://doi.org/10.2478/aoas-2024-0119
• Gormley, A., Y. Garavito-Duarte, and S. W. Kim. 2024. Characteristics and functional role of milk oligosaccharides on mucosal microbiota and intestinal immunity of suckling and nursery pigs. Biology 13:663 https://doi.org/10.3390/biology13090663
• Guar K (Advisor: Wang H). Post-Harvest Safety Enhancement: Combatting Antibiotic-Resistant Pathogens on Retail Fresh Green Onions. Undergraduate student research distinction thesis. OSU (April, 2025).
• Jang, K. B., Y. I. Kim, M. E. Duarte, and S. W. Kim. 2024. Effects of β-mannanase supplementation on intestinal health and growth of nursery pigs. Journal of Animal Science 102:skae052. https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skae052
• Kenney SM, M'ikanatha NM, & Ganda E. (2025). Antimicrobial Resistance and Zoonotic Potential of Nontyphoidal Salmonella From Household Dogs. Zoonoses and Public Health, 72(1), 84-94. https://doi.org/10.1111/zph.13174
• Kim, S. W., Z. Deng, and H. Choi. 2024. Advances of nutritional technologies and science in pig production. Animal Industry and Technology 11:45-55. https://doi.org/10.5187/ait.2024.11.1.45
• Kim, S. W., and M. E. Duarte. 2024. Saccharomyces yeast postbiotics supplemented in feeds for sows and growing pigs for its impact on growth performance of offspring and growing pigs in commercial farm environments. Animal Bioscience 37:1463-1473. https://doi.org/10.5713/ab.23.0467
• Kim, H. Y., J. O. Moon, and S. W. Kim. 2024. Development and application of a multi-step porcine in vitro system to evaluate feedstuffs and feed additives for their efficacy in nutrient digestion, digesta characteristics, and intestinal immune responses. Animal Nutrition 17:265-282. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aninu.2024.01.006
• Lection J, Van Syoc E, Miles A, Hamilton J, Martinez M, Bas S, Silverman J, Barragan A, Ganda E. (2024). Use of intrauterine dextrose as an alternative to systemic antibiotics for treatment of clinical metritis in dairy cattle: a microbiome perspective. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. 2024;11:1478288. DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2024.1478288.
• LeCuyer TE, Franklin-Guild R, Guarino C, Fox A, Maddock K, Barber R, Baum DH, Bustamante F, Daniels J, de Avila DM, Diaz-Campos D, Glick LG, Haley J, Heinen S, Leger L, Loy JD, Pillai D, Poonsuk K, Russel MM, Shukla M, Schwarz ER, Stempien M, Tewari D, van Balen JC, Werre SR, Cecere J. Interlaboratory comparison of Brucella canis serologic assays in 12 veterinary diagnostic laboratories in the United States. Front Vet Sci. 2025 Apr. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1556965
• Li Y. (Advisor: Wang H). Impact of food and drugs on antibiotic resistance and host health. OSU Ph.D. dissertation (oral defense: Jan 21, 2025).
• Li Y, Fu S, Klein M, Wang H. 2024. High prevalence of antibiotic resistance in traditionally fermented foods as a critical risk factor for host gut antibiotic resistome. Microorganisms. 2024 Jul 15;12(7):1433.  doi: 10.3390/microorganisms12071433.
• Llanos-Soto, S., M. Wiedmann, A. Adalja, C. Henry, P. Moroni, E. Fry, FA. Leal Yepes, R. Ivanek. Integration of mathematical modeling and economics approaches to evaluate strategies for control of Salmonella Dublin in a heifer-raising operation. PLOS ONE (PONE-D-25-05247) Preprint at biorxiv: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.08.630693v1.full.pdf  
• Maddock K, Stenger BLS, Roberts JC, Wynn E, Clawson M, Loy JD. Development of a MALDI-TOF MS model for differentiating hemorrhagic septicemia-causing strains of Pasteurella multocida from other capsular groups. J Microbiol Methods. 2024 Dec;227:107067. doi: 10.1016/j.mimet.2024.107067. Epub 2024 Nov 2. PMID: 39491557.
• Maddock K. Diagnostic laboratory medicine – from sampling to test interpretation. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2025 May 12;263(S1):S4-S5. doi: 10.2460/javma.263.s1.s4
• Maddock K, Stenger BLS, Pecoraro HL, Roberts JC, Loy JD, Webb BT. Hemorrhagic septicemia in the United States: molecular characterization of isolates and comparison to a global collection. J Vet Diag Invest. 2025 May. https://doi.org/10.1177/1040638725134252
• Mosaddegh A, Cobo Angel C, Craig M, Cummings KG, Cazer CL. 2024. An exploration of descriptive machine learning approaches for antimicrobial resistance: multidrug resistance patterns in Salmonella enterica. Prev Vet Med. doi: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2024.106261.
• Ransom, E., Bierly, S., & Ganda, E. (2024). Identifying knowledge gaps surrounding antimicrobial resistance: An exploratory study of antimicrobial resistant genes on Pennsylvania dairy farms. Journal of Rural Studies, 111, 103405. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2024.103405.
• Rogers E (Wang H advisor). 2024. The prevalence, abundance, and characterization of antibiotic resistant bacteria in artisan cheeses. OSU M.S. thesis. (May 6, 2024).
• Siddique, A., Tauqeer, A., Ali, A., Ahsan, A., Iqbal, S., Patel, A., Moore, T., Ganda, E., & Rahman, A. (2024). Whole-genome sequencing of three ciprofloxacin-resistant Salmonella Reading (ST93) strains, an emerging Salmonella serovar in poultry sector of Pakistan. Microbiology Resource Announcements. 2024 Sep 10;13(9):e0000624. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/mra.00006-24.
• Sobkowich K, Poljak Z, Szlosek D, Cobo Angel C, Mosaddegh A, Weese SJ, Guarino C, Cazer CL. 2025. A tale of two labs: comparing antimicrobial resistance data in pets across commercial and academic diagnostic laboratories. Prev Vet Med. doi: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106588.
• Yoo, S. B., Y. S. Song, S. Seo, S. W. Kim, and B. G. Kim. 2024. Dose-dependent effects of benzoic acid in pig diets on environmental impacts. Animal Bioscience. 37:2137-2144. https://doi.org/10.5713/ab.24.0216