Research Publications (Food Safety)

In the originally published version of this manuscript [Cannon LJ, Lopman BA, Payne DC, et al. Birth Cohort Studies Assessing Norovirus Infection and Immunity in Young Children: A Review.

Background Norovirus is the etiology for about 60% of foodborne outbreaks identified in Minnesota. Contamination of food during preparation by food handlers is by far the most common cause of these outbreaks. Norovirus outbreaks due to commercially distributed foods are rarely reported in the United States, and only 2 have been previously identified in Minnesota, both due to oysters.

Many recent pandemics have been recognized as zoonotic viral diseases. While their origins remain frequently unknown, environmental contamination may play an important role in emergence. Thus, being able to describe the viral diversity in environmental samples contributes to understand the key issues in zoonotic transmission.

Journal of Applied Microbiology, Accepted Article. Aims
To compare the heat stability of two globally prevalent human norovirus (HuNoV) strains (GII.2[P16] and GII.4[P16]) and a commonly used HuNoV surrogate, Tulane virus (TV).

Author(s): Yucheng Xu, Yuanzhao Zhu, Zhao Lei, Jia Rui, Zeyu Zhao, Shengnan Lin, Yao Wang, Jingwen Xu, Xingchun Liu, Meng Yang, Hongsheng Chen, Xuemei Pan, Wentao Lu, Yuzhong Du, Hui Li, Ling Fang, Meng Zhang, Lina Zhou, Fen Yang, Tianmu Chen

Author(s): Yanzhen Han, Jianchang Wang, Shuhong Zhang, Shuopeng Yang, Xiangji Wang, Yanqing Han, Zhixin Shen, Xiangdong Xu

Author(s): AnaCaroline Rodrigues Portela, Juliana Merces Hernandez, Renato Silva Bandeira, Edivaldo Costa Sousa Junior, Taynah Cohen de Melo, Maria Silvia Sousa Lucena, Dielle Monteiro Teixeira, Jones Anderson Monteiro Siqueira, Yvone Benchimol Gabbay, Luciana Damascena Silva

Background Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) burden, etiology, and severity in adults is not well characterized. We implemented a multisite AGE surveillance platform in 4 Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (Atlanta, Georgia; Bronx, New York; Houston, Texas; and Los Angeles, California), collectively serving >320 000 patients annually.

by Nicolas Roydon Smoll, Arifuzzman Khan, Jacina Walker, Jamie McMahon, Michael Kirk, Gulam Khandaker

Human noroviruses (HuNoVs) are increasingly becoming the main cause of transmissible gastroenteritis worldwide, with hundreds of thousands of deaths recorded annually. Yet, decades after their discovery, there is still no effective treatment or vaccine. Efforts aimed at developing vaccines or treatment will benefit from a greater understanding of norovirus-host interactions, including the host response to infection.

To observe the prevalence of contamination by hepatitis A virus (HAV) and norovirus (NoV) in different food types, 9242 samples were analyzed over a 6-year period (January 2014–December 2019). Samples were from routine official activities by Competent Authorities (CAs) and Food Business Operators, according to Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points plans. Analyses were performed in accordance with European and Italian regulations.

Background As children with isolated vomiting are rarely able to provide a specimen suitable for routine pathogen testing, we have limited knowledge about their infecting pathogens. Methods Between December 2014 and August 2018, children <18 years old with presumed acute gastroenteritis who presented to 2 emergency departments (EDs) in Alberta, Canada, were recruited.

Author(s): Ziwei Zhao, Md Iqbal Hossain, Soontag Jung, Zhaoqi Wang, Daseul Yeo, Mengxiao Song, Ae Min, Sunho Park, Changsun Choi

Author(s): Omar Hernández Hernández, Ana L. Gutiérrez-Escolano, Cleo Cancio-Lonches, Montserrat H. Iturriaga, Juan Ramiro Pacheco-Aguilar, Rocío Morales-Rayas, Sofía M. Arvizu-Medrano A multiplex PCR method was developed for the simultaneous detection of murine norovirus (MNV-1) as a surrogate for human norovirus (HuNoV) GI and GII, Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., and Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in fresh produce.

Background Norovirus is a leading cause of epidemic acute gastroenteritis (AGE), with most outbreaks occurring during winter. The majority of outbreaks are caused by GII.4 noroviruses; however, data to support whether this is true for sporadic medically attended AGE are limited. Therefore, we sought to compare the clinical characteristics and seasonality of GII.4 vs non-GII.4 viruses.

Author(s): Xiaojing Hong, Liang Xue, Yingyin Liao, Aiwu Wu, Yueting Jiang, Xiaoxia Kou

Background
Norovirus is a leading cause of viral gastroenteritis outbreaks worldwide. Histo-blood group antigens (HBGAs) are important host attachment factors in susceptibility to norovirus. In this study, the association of FUT2 gene, which participates in the biosynthesis of HBGAs, with norovirus infection has been investigated.

The study tested the hypothesis that harboring high levels of histo-blood group antigen-expressing Enerobactero cloacae is a risk factor for norovirus diarrhea. The fecal E. cloacae abundance in diarrheic norovirus positive (DNP), non-diarrheic norovirus negative (NDNN), diarrhea norovirus negative (DNN), and non-diarrhea norovirus positive (NDNP) infants was determined by qPCR, and the risk of norovirus diarrhea was assessed by logistical regression.

Introduction. The identification of enteropathogens is critical for the clinical management of patients with suspected gastrointestinal infection. The FLOW multiplex PCR system (FMPS) is a semi-automated platform (FLOW System, Roche) for multiplex real-time PCR analysis.

Murine norovirus (MNV) is widely used as a model for studying norovirus biology. While MNV isolates vary in their pathogenesis, infection of immunocompetent mice mostly results in persistent infection. The ability of a virus to establish a persistent infection is dependent on its ability to subvert or avoid the host immune response. Previously, we described the identification and characterization of virulence factor 1 (VF1) in MNV, and demonstrated its role as an innate immune antagonist.

Norovirus (NoV) is the main non-bacterial pathogen causing outbreaks of gastroenteritis and is considered to be the leading cause of foodborne illness. This study aims to determine whether lettuce-encapsulated bacteria can express histo-blood group antigen (HBGA)–like substances to bind to NoV and, if so, to explore its role in protecting NoV from disinfection practices.

Fresh vegetables and shellfish are prone to microbial contamination through irrigation or breeding with sewage-polluted waters, as well as by infected food handlers. In this work, we studied the presence of human and bovine polyomaviruses and human norovirus in fresh lettuces, strawberries and oysters produced in Buenos Aires province, Argentina. In oysters, we also investigated F-specific RNA bacteriophages, indicator Escherichia coli (E.

by Nikola Ondrikova, Helen E. Clough, Amy Douglas, Miren Iturriza-Gomara, Lesley Larkin, Roberto Vivancos, John P. Harris, Nigel A. Cunliffe

Background

by Watchaporn Chuchaona, Jira Chansaenroj, Jiratchaya Puenpa, Sarawut Khongwichit, Sumeth Korkong, Sompong Vongpunsawad, Yong Poovorawan

Author(s): Julia S. Sobolik, Kira L. Newman, Lee-Ann Jaykus, Elizabeth A. Bihn, Juan S. Leon