In this time, I reviewed epidemiology of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria isolated from companion animals. In Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Enterobacter spp. relatively frequently exhibited resistance to extended-spectrum cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones. Most of the ESC-resistant isolates harbored extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs). Some of the ESBL-producing isolates were genetically related and detected in specific veterinary hospitals. On the other hand, more than half of Proteus mirabilis isolates were susceptible to the tested antimicrobials. Most of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates were highly susceptible against most of antipseudomonal drugs, except for fluoroquinolones. In Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, methicillin-resistant isolates, exhibiting resistance against multiple drugs, become prevalent, especially in secondary medical hospital. In Enterococci, isolates from animals with antimicrobial exposure were more resistant to several antimicrobials, compared with those without antimicrobial exposure. Overall, in companion animals, ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae and methicillin-resistant S. pseudintermedius have been prevalent and, thus continuous monitoring would be needed to understand the trend of these antimicrobial-resistant bacteria.

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Antimicrobials take critical roles in the treatment of infectious diseases in both animal and human medicine. However, they can always select for antimicrobial resistance. The threat of antimicrobial resistance in animal health is the decrease of efficacy of antimicrobials. It have been raised the possibility of transmission of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria which has been selected by the use of veterinary antimicrobials in food animal production from animals to humans through food commodities or directly. Antimicrobial-resistant bacteria emerged by the acquisition of resistant determinants or mutations will firstly selected by the use of the antimicrobials and prevalent through the course of transmission and colonization. The “selection pressure” of the use of antimicrobials involves in selection, transmission and colonization of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. If the selection pressure is removed, the antimicrobial resistance is decreased or maintained. It may depend on the fitness of resistant-bacteria or co-selection by the use of different class of antimicrobials. The selective pressure is critical factor in the epidemiology of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. Therefore, the reduction of selective pressure by prudent use of antimicrobials is serious issue. That may lead to decrease of possibility of selection of resistance and prevention of transmission and colonization of resistant bacteria. Though the impact of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria isolated from animals on human medicine is unclear, the risk assessment and risk management based on the integrated analysis of human, animal and food sector is needed.

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Within the framework of the Tripartite Alliance, FAO, OIE and WHO recognise their respective responsibilities in fighting diseases, including zoonoses, that can have a serious health and economic impact. They have been working together for numerous years to prevent, detect, control and eliminate disease risks to humans originating directly or indirectly from animals. In 2010, the FAO/OIE/WHO Tripartite Concept Note (April 2010) officially recognised this close collaboration, with joint strategies at the human-animal-environment interface, to support their Member Countries. Three priority areas of work were defined : zoonotic influenzas, rabies and the fight against antimicrobial resistance.
　　The OIE recently made a strong contribution to the WHO’s Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance, adopted in 2015, which seeks to ensure, for as long as possible, the treatment of infectious diseases with effective, quality antimicrobial agents. By proposing key actions to be implemented in the next five to ten years, the Plan emphasises the importance of the OIE’s intergovernmental standards and supports the implementation by the OIE of a global database on the use of antimicrobial agents in animals.

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Recently, the size of pig farms is rapidly growing in Japan. It raised the economic risk from occurrence of infectious diseases, and the improvement of biosecurity has become increasingly important. The objective of this study was to understand the current situation of compliance with the Standard of Rearing Hygiene Management (SRHM) in Hokkaido Prefecture, and to find out factors associated with the practice and attitude towards farm hygiene of pig farm managers.
A questionnaire was designed based on the potential factors associated with the practice and attitude towards farm hygiene and SRHM, and these were distributed to pig farm managers who belong to a Hokkaido Pork Producers Association by mail. In statistical analysis, univariate analysis was performed selecting question items as explanatory variables, and the proportion of compliance with SRHM as a response variable. In multivariable analysis, Generalized Linear Models with quasi-binomial errors were conducted with factors with the p-values lower than 0.2.
Mean proportion of SRHM compliance among 67 respondents was 75.4%. Well-kept standards were associated with maintenance of animal life, and the standards with low compliance were those needed for high level biosecurity. Multivariable analysis showed that those farms with larger number of labor force (slope of logit＝0.08, p＝0.006), frequent attendance to seminars related with farm hygiene (slope＝0.22, p＝0.004), and larger number of source of knowledge (slope＝0.25, p＝0.005) had higher compliance with SRHM, and these farm managers were satisfied with their hygiene practice (slope＝0.43, p＝0.002). On the contrary, those farms without successor (slope＝－1.05, p<0.001), and prioritizing securing leisure time had lower compliance (slope＝－0.87, p< 0.001), and these farms experienced greater variety of infectious diseases (slope＝－0.19, p＝0.001).
The present study found that active acquisition of hygiene-related knowledge was associated with higher hygiene attitude, it was suggested that efficient provision of hygiene knowledge would effectively strengthen biosecurity.

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Raccoons (Procyon lotor), intermediate hosts of Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii), utilize a variety of environments, so they are thought to be good indicators of the presence of T. gondii oocysts in their habitat. In this study, a serological survey of T. gondii was conducted in raccoons captured between 2010 and 2014 in rural areas of the Tokachi district, Hokkaido, Japan to estimate environmental factors associated with T. gondii prevalence. Antibodies were detected from 9.4% (10/107) with latex agglutination tests. Logistic mixed regression models showed that total river length (km) in raccoon habitats was associated positively with T. gondii seropositivity (OR＝14.67, 95% CI＝2.64—81.58). Cats (Felis silvestris catus) are natural hosts of T. gondii, and together with raccoons they share riverside environments. In such areas where humans do not remove trash and animal feces, raccoons might easily be exposed to matured oocysts. Environmental factors associated with T. gondii prevalence in raccoons could be important information to identify high risk areas for human T. gondii infection. Our present result was also useful from the public health perspectives when considering the infection risk of T. gondii to humans.

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Bovine leukosis can be generally classified into two types : Enzootic Bovine Leukosis, which is an infectious disease caused by retrovirus called bovine leukemia virus (BLV), and Sporadic Bovine Leucosis which is an uncommon form and not related to infection with BLV.
In Japan, bovine leucosis was designated as the notifiable infectious disease under the law in 1998. Since then, the number of outbreaks has been increasing yearly, accordingly, there are growing concerns about further spread. Under the circumstances, from 2010 to 2012, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) conducted experimental work on effect of decreasing risk of infection spread by changing biosecurity measures in the “Regulatory research projects for food safety, animal health and plant protection”. In April 2015, MAFF introduced “Guidelines for biosecurity measures of Enzootic Bovine Leukosis” which prescribes a basic policy and control measures including prevention of BLV invasion and of further spread within the infected farms. In this report, I would like to present an outline of this guidelines according to its components.

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