Research Publications (Food Safety)

The current symbiotic view of the organisms also calls for new approaches in the way we perceive and manage our pest species. The olive fruit fly, the most important olive tree pest, is dependent on an obligate bacterial symbiont to its larvae development in the immature fruit. This symbiont, Candidatus (Ca.) Erwinia dacicola, is prevalent throughout the host life stages, and we have shown significant changes in its numbers due to olive fruit fly metamorphosis.

Cholera is a life-threatening diarrheal disease caused by the human pathogenic bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Regulatory elements are essential for bacterial transition between the natural aquatic environment and the human host. One of them is the alternative sigma factor RpoS and its anti-sigma factor RssB. Regulation principles seem to be conserved among RpoS/RssB interaction modes between V.

Vermicompost (VC) harbours diverse microbes, including plant growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPM) that are beneficial for sustainable crop production. Hence, this study aimed to analyse bacterial diversity of VC samples as a first high-throughput screening step towards subsequent targeted isolation of potential bacterial inoculum candidates.

Registered pharmacological treatments are insufficiently effective for erectile dysfunction (ED) in around 30% of affected men. Intracavernosal injection (ICI) of ona- and abobotulinumtoxinA can reduce ED in insufficient responders. We aimed to assess the safety and effectiveness of incobotulinumtoxinA ICI as an add-on therapy to phosphodiesterase-type 5 inhibitors (PDE5-Is) or prostaglandinE1 ICIs (PGE1 ICIs) to treat ED that did not respond sufficiently to this treatment alone.

In the last decade, foodborne outbreaks and individual cases caused by bacterial toxins showed an increasing trend. The major contributors are enterotoxins and cereulide produced by Bacillus cereus, which can cause a diarrheal and emetic form of the disease, respectively. These diseases usually induce relatively mild symptoms; however, fatal cases have been reported.

Epsilon toxin (Etx) from Clostridium perfringens is the third most potent toxin after the botulinum and tetanus toxins. Etx is the main agent of enterotoxemia in ruminants and is produced by Clostridium perfringens toxinotypes B and D, causing great economic losses. Etx selectively binds to target cells, oligomerizes and inserts into the plasma membrane, and forms pores.

Antibiotic resistance in Salmonella is a global public health problem. Salmonella enterica serovar 1,4,[5],12:i:- (S. 1,4,[5],12:i:-), a monophasic variant of Salmonella Typhmurium, is one of the leading Salmonella serovars in several countries. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of antibiotic resistance to this serovar in China through a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nineteen eligible studies during 2011–2021 were included.

Background Staphylococcus aureus is a leading cause of human infections. The spread of antibiotic-resistant staphylococci has driven the search for novel strategies to supersede antibiotics use. Thus, targeting bacterial virulence rather than viability could be a possible alternative. Results The influence of celastrol on staphyloxanthin (STX) biosynthesis, biofilm formation, antibiotic susceptibility and host pathogenesis in S.

The interest in the use of natural pigments by the food industry has grown. Some filamentous fungi can be producers of natural pigments more stable to temperature and pH. The production potential of natural pigments by endophytic fungi from grapevines was evaluated. Arcopilus aureus was selected as a potential source for the production of yellow pigment. The pigment was characterized and tested for its stability to variations in temperature and pH.

The “One Health” approach increasingly demonstrates the global spread of pathogenic microorganisms and their antimicrobial resistance in the environment, both in animals and humans. Salmonella enterica subsp. diarizonae is nowadays very often isolated from cold-blooded reptiles to a lesser extent from sheep, but unfortunately more and more often from humans.

Campylobacter is a leading cause of foodborne gastroenteritis. Recent studies have indicated a rise in fluoroquinolone-resistant (FQ-R) Campylobacter in cattle, where FQ is used to control bovine respiratory disease (BRD). To assess the effect of danofloxacin treatment on the development of FQ-resistance in C. jejuni, 30 commercial calves were divided into Group 1, Group 2, and Group 3 (n = 10), and were all inoculated orally with FQ-susceptible (FQ-S) C.

Zoonoses and Public Health, EarlyView. It has been suggested that pets play a critical role in the maintenance of methicillin-resistant (MR) and multidrug-resistant (MDR) Staphylococcus spp. in the household.

Osteomyelitis is a Staphylococcus aureus-caused bone infection. In this study, the effects of miR-146a on osteomyelitis were evaluated. Using the osteoblast cell model and S. aureus-induced osteomyelitis mice model, we monitored the miR-146 expression and explored the effects of miR-146a on cell proliferation of osteoblasts, bone remodeling, osteoclastogenesis, inflammatory cytokine production, and bacterial burden. Upregulated miR-146a was found in mice with S. aureus-induced osteomyelitis.

by Hiu-Lam Ngai, Xiao Yang, Adrian Jun Chu, Rachel Harper, Alice B. J. E. Jacobsen, David Tai-Wai Lau, Ho-Yin Yu, Hung-Kay Lee, Pang-Chui Shaw We set forth to assess the quality of an herbal medicine sold in Hong Kong called Qianliguang by employing a multi-methodological approach. The quality is set by its identity, chemical composition, and bioactivities, among others. Qianliguang (Senecionis scandentis Herba, Senecio scandens Buch.-Ham.

As a natural alternative to traditional antimicrobials, phages are being recognised as highly effective control agents for Salmonella and other foodborne bacteria. Due to the high diversity of Salmonella serotypes and the emergence of phage-resistant strains, attempting to isolate more widespread, strictly lytic Salmonella phages is highly warranted. In this study, a lytic phage, LP31, was isolated from poultry faecal samples.

An extensive multi-country outbreak of multidrug-resistant monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium infection in 10 countries with 150 reported cases, predominantly affecting young children, has been linked to chocolate products produced by a large multinational company. Extensive withdrawals and recalls of multiple product lines have been undertaken.

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), particularly seven serogroups O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, O145, and O157, are major food borne pathogens. Cattle are a major reservoir in which STEC colonize the hindgut and are shed in the feces. Most cattle shed the organisms at low concentrations and a small proportion, called super shedders, shed at high concentrations (≥ 104 per g).

To evaluate the effects of lactylate and Bacillus subtilis on growth performance, complete blood cell count, and microbial changes, 264 weaning pigs were assigned to 4 treatments (1) control (Con) basal diets that met the nutrient requirement for each phase, (2) 0.2% lactylate (LA), (3) 0.05% Bacillus subtilis strains mixtures (BM) providing 2 x 105 CFU/g of complete feed, or (4) the combination of LA and BM (LA+BM) added to the control basal diet at their respective inclusion rates in each o

Recently, phytogenic feed additives containing flavonoids, essential oils and phenols are getting more attention as they have antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and digestibility aiding abilities. Flavonoids have proved their abilities in reducing environmental stress along with activating immune responses.

Weaning stress and the negative health effects that occur with it cause serious concerns for pork producers. The abrupt environmental and dietary transitions that occur at weaning often take place before the gut microbiome is stabilized in the piglet. This leaves weanling piglets vulnerable to gut dysbiosis and increases susceptibility to enteric pathogens.

The objective was to evaluate the effects of dietary treatments designed to increase passage rate on the rumen microbiome. Factors such as particle size, feedstuff degradability, and rumen motility may drive ruminal passage rates and alter the composition of rumen microorganisms responsible for methane formation. Eight ruminal-cannulated steers were assigned to a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design.

Shigella flexneri serotype 2a2 (II:9;10) is the most prevalent strain in causing bacillary dysentery in developing countries. Chemical modifications such as glucosylation, O-acetylation, and phosphoethanolamine modifications of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) O antigen (Oag) contribute to the emergence of various serotypes. Sf6 is a Shigella-specific bacteriophage that infects only a limited range of S. flexneri serotypes [X, Y].

The electrochemical immunosensor is one of the most promising detection approaches for pathogenic microorganism. In this study, a label-free electrochemical immunosensor based on chitosan/gelatin was fabricated for the detection of Bacillus cereus. Anti-Bacillus cereus polyclonal antibodies were immobilized through a cross-linking method on a chitosan/gelatin-modified electrode.

The receptor-binding domain of botulinum neurotoxin (HC fragment), is a promising botulism vaccine candidate. In the current study, fermentation strategies were evaluated to upscale HC fragment expression. A simple translation of the growth conditions from shake flasks to a batch fermentation process resulted in limited culture growth and protein expression (OD of 11 and volumetric protein yields of 123 mg/L).

Salmonella spp. are among the most prevalent foodborne pathogens. Rapid identification of etiologic agents during foodborne outbreaks is of great importance. In this study, we report a traceback investigation of a Salmonella outbreak in China. Metagenomic sequencing of suspected food samples was performed on MinION and MiSeq platforms. Real-time nanopore sequencing analysis identified reads belonging to the Enterobacteriaceae family.