Research Publications (Food Safety)

Mycotoxins contamination is a global public health concern. Therefore, highly sensitive and selective techniques are needed for their on-site monitoring. Several approaches are conceivable for mycotoxins analysis, among which colorimetric methods are the most attractive for commercialization purposes thanks to their visual read-out, easy operation, cost-effectiveness, and rapid response.

Pathogenic microorganisms produce various virulence factors, e.g., enzymes, cytotoxins, effectors, which trigger development of pathologies in infectious diseases. Cholera toxin (CT) produced by O1 and O139 serotypes of Vibrio cholerae (V. cholerae) is a major cytotoxin causing severe diarrhea. Cholix cytotoxin (Cholix) was identified as a novel eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2) adenosine-diphosphate (ADP)-ribosyltransferase produced mainly in non-O1/non-O139 V. cholerae.

Ochratoxin A (OTA) contamination widely occurs in various feed ingredients and food crops, potentially posing a serious health threat to animals.

Prion diseases are fatal neurodegenerative disorders characterized by vacuolation and gliosis in the brain. Prion diseases have been reported in several mammals, and genetic polymorphisms of the prion protein gene (PRNP) play an essential role in the vulnerability of prion diseases. However, to date, investigations of PRNP polymorphisms are rare in cats, which are the major host of feline spongiform encephalopathy (FSE).

More than 3 decades have passed since infection control was implemented nationwide in China in 1986. A comprehensive set of regulations and guidelines has been developed, and almost all hospitals have established infection control teams. However, compliance is variable and is usually suboptimal.

Background Considering the increasing incidence of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae in China, this study aimed to establish the in vitro effectiveness of imipenem/relebactam (IMI/REL) on clinical Enterobacteriaceae isolates derived from intra-abdominal infections (IAIs), respiratory tract infections (RTIs), and urinary tract infections (UTIs) in China between 2015 and 2018.

ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT

The function of cvpA, a bacterial gene predicted to encode an inner membrane protein, is largely unknown. Early studies in E. coli linked cvpA to Colicin V secretion and recent work revealed that it is required for robust intestinal colonization by diverse enteric pathogens. In enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), cvpA is required for resistance to the bile salt deoxycholate (DOC).

by Jianhui Zhen, Gang Liang, Ruichun Chen, Wenshen Jia

by Rafika Indah Paramita, Erni Juwita Nelwan, Fadilah Fadilah, Editha Renesteen, Nelly Puspandari, Linda Erlina

Scientists used human white blood cell membranes to carry two drugs, an antibiotic and an anti-inflammatory, directly to infected lungs in mice. The nano-sized drug delivery method shows a potential new strategy for treating infectious diseases, including COVID-19. The researchers developed a method to essentially peel the membrane from neutrophils, the most common type of white blood cells that lead the body's immune system response.

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most common mastitis-causing bacteria in dairy cows. It is associated with reduced production performance in animals and with huge financial losses for the dairy industry worldwide. An accurate and sensitive method for the early diagnosis and identification of Staph. aureus in milk samples is essential.

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most frequent pathogens causing intramammary infections in dairy herds. Consequently, virulence factors, pathobiology, and epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus strains have been widely assessed through the years. Nevertheless, not much has been described about the epidemiology of Staph.

Staphylococcus aureus can elicit mild to more severe degrees of mastitis in cattle, depending on the response of the host's immune system and the virulence factors of the specific isolate. Several virulence factors are controlled by a global regulatory system, designated accessory gene regulator (agr). Thus, the objective was to examine associations between different capsular and agr types and the severity of bovine mastitis caused by S. aureus.

Staphylococcus aureus is a widespread foodborne pathogen that threatens human health. In particular, multidrug-resistant bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are emerging problems in modern health care, food safety, and animal health, which require the development of new antimicrobials to replace overused conventional antibiotics. Dairy products can potentially act as vehicles for the transmission of S.

Bacteria alternate between being free-swimming and existing as members of sessile multicellular communities called biofilms. The biofilm lifecycle occurs in three stages: cell attachment, biofilm maturation, and biofilm dispersal. Vibrio cholerae biofilms are hyperinfectious, and biofilm formation and dispersal are considered central to disease transmission. While biofilm formation is well...

The type 6 secretion system (T6SS) is a dynamic organelle encoded by many gram-negative bacteria that can be used to kill competing bacterial prey species in densely occupied niches. Some predatory species, such as Vibrio cholerae, use their T6SS in an untargeted fashion while in contrast, Pseudomonas aeruginosa assembles and...

Reston virus (RESTV), an ebolavirus, causes clinical disease in macaques but has yet only been associated with rare asymptomatic infections in humans. Its 2008 emergence in pigs in the Philippines raised concerns about food safety, pathogenicity, and zoonotic potential, questions that are still unanswered. Until today, the virulence of RESTV...

Author(s): Cristóbal Espinosa-Ruiz, Simona Manuguerra, Maria Morghese, José María García-Beltrán, María Ángeles Esteban, Marta Giuga, Concetta M. Messina, Andrea Santulli

Author(s): Hongbiao Cui, Detian Li, Xiaosheng Liu, Yuchao Fan, Xue Zhang, Shiwen Zhang, Jing Zhou, Guodong Fang, Jun Zhou

Author(s): S. Almeria, Angela Assurian, Alicia Shipley

Author(s): He Huang, Min Wang, Lulu Hou, Xu Lin, Shifeng Pan, Peng Zheng, Qian Zhao

Author(s): Meora Rajeev, T J Sushmitha, Chairmandurai Aravindraja, Subba Rao Toleti, Shunmugiah Karutha Pandian

α-Linolenic acid (ALA) and its non-enzymatic oxidized products, namely, phytoprostanes and phytofurans, are found in some nuts. The uptake and deposition of these compounds are not well-defined. Walnut has high ALA and a considerable amount of phytoprostanes and phytofurans compared to other common nuts. When fed to rodents, ALA and eicosapentaenoic acid levels increased in the liver and heart tissues compared to the control diet.