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Research Publications (Food Safety)

This page tracks research articles published in national and international peer-reviewed journals. Recent articles are available ahead of print and searchable by Journal, Article Title, and Category. Research publications are tracked across six categories: Bacterial Pathogens, Chemical Contaminants, Natural Toxins, Parasites, Produce Safety, and Viruses. Articles produced by USDA Grant Funding Agencies (requires login) and FDA Grant Funding Agencies (requires login) are also tracked in Scopus.

Displaying 1 - 25 of 135

  1. Population structure and pathogen interaction of Escherichia coli in freshwater: Implications of land‐use for water quality and public health in Aotearoa New Zealand

    • Environmental Microbiology Reports
    • Eight E. coli phylotypes were identified in freshwater samples; A and B1 were prevalent in dairy and urban areas, while B2 was common in low‐impact sites. Pathogens were found in 89.9% of samples, posing a potential recreational health risk even with low E. coli concentrations and absence of common faecal sources.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Campylobacter
      • Salmonella
      • Parasites
      • Cryptosporidium parvum
      • Giardia lamblia
  2. Potential Zoonotic Transmission of Giardia duodenalis between Children and Calves in Bangladesh

    • Transboundary and Emerging Diseases
    • Giardia duodenalis is a zoonotic protozoan parasite that causes gastrointestinal illness in humans and livestock. We studied the genetic diversity of G. duodenalis in children and calves from Bangladesh to determine its zoonotic potential. Fecal samples collected from children (299) and calves (699) were screened with nested PCR with primers targeting the ssu rRNA gene for G. duodenalis.

      • Parasites
      • Giardia lamblia
  3. Molecular Detection and Genetic Characterization of Bovine Kobuvirus (BKV) in Diarrhoeic Calves in a Central Italy Herd

    • Transboundary and Emerging Diseases
    • Bovine kobuvirus (BKV) is an infectious agent associated with neonatal calf diarrhoea (NCD), causing important economic losses to dairy and beef cattle herds worldwide. Here, we present the detection rate and characterize the genome of BKV isolated from diarrhoeic calves from a Central Italy herd. From January to December 2021, we collected blood samples and nasal and rectal swabs from 66 calves with severe NCD between 3 and 20 days of age.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Salmonella
      • Parasites
      • Cryptosporidium parvum
      • Giardia lamblia
  4. Molecular Detection and Distribution of Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. Infections in Wild and Domestic Animals in Portugal

    • Transboundary and Emerging Diseases
    • Enteric protozoan parasites Giardia duodenalis, Cryptosporidium spp., and, to a lesser extent, the ciliate Balantioides coli are responsible for severe human and animal intestinal disorders globally. However, limited information is available on the occurrence and epidemiology of these parasites in domestic, but especially wild species in Portugal. To fill this gap of knowledge, we have investigated G. duodenalis, Cryptosporidium spp., and B.

      • Parasites
      • Cryptosporidium parvum
      • Giardia lamblia
  5. Diversity of gastrointestinal parasites and molecular characterization of Giardia duodenalis in free-living and captive howler monkeys (Alouatta guariba clamitans) in southern Brazil

    • Veterinary Parasitology: Regional Studies and Reports
    • Non-human primates (NHPs) are the group that most share infectious agents with humans due to their close taxonomic relationship. The southern brown howler monkeys (Alouatta guariba clamitans) are endemic primates from Brazil and Argentina's Atlantic Forest.

      • Parasites
      • Giardia lamblia
  6. Rapid visual detection of Giardia duodenalis in faecal samples using an RPA-CRISPR/Cas12a system

    • Parasitology Research
    • Giardiasis is a common intestinal infection caused by Giardia duodenalis, which is a major economic and health burden for humans and livestock. Currently, a convenient and effective detection method is urgently needed. CRISPR/Cas12a-based diagnostic methods have been widely used for nucleic acid-based detection of pathogens due to their high efficiency and sensitivity. In this study, a technique combining CRISPR/Cas12a and RPA was established that allows the detection of G.

      • Parasites
      • Giardia lamblia
  7. Molecular detection and genetic characteristics of Giardia duodenalis in dairy cattle from large-scale breeding farms in Xinjiang, China

    • Parasitology Research
    • Giardia duodenalis is an intestinal protozoan that can infect both humans and animals, leading to public health issues and economic losses in the livestock industry. G. duodenalis has been reported to infect dairy cattle, but there is limited information available on large-scale dairy farms in Xinjiang, China. The study collected 749 fresh faecal samples from five large-scale cattle farms in Xinjiang, China.

      • Parasites
      • Giardia lamblia
  8. Detection of zoonotic enteropathogens in captive large felids in Italy

    • Zoonoses and Public Health
    • Abstract Aims Within the One Health paradigm, infectious disease surveillance have been developed for domestic and wild animals, leaving the role of captive non‐domestic populations, especially felids in zoos and circuses, less explored. This study addresses the proximity of these captive animals to urban areas, necessitating focused monitoring for potential zoonotic enteropathogens.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Salmonella
      • Parasites
      • Giardia lamblia
      • Toxoplasma gondii
  9. First identification and coinfection detection of Enterocytozoon bieneusi, Encephalitozoon spp., Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis in diarrheic pigs in Southwest China

    • BMC Microbiology
    • Background Enterocytozoon bieneusi, Encephalitozoon spp., Cryptosporidium spp., and Giardia duodenalis (G. intestinalis) are enteric pathogens that cause diarrhea in pigs. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of these enteric parasites and their coinfection with E.

      • Parasites
      • Cryptosporidium parvum
      • Giardia lamblia
  10. Endoparasites in dogs diagnosed at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH)-University of Bologna, combined with clinicopathological results. A long-term retrospective secondary data study

    • PLOS ONE
    • by Benedetto Morandi, Maria Chiara Sabetti, Maira Napoleoni, Ilaria Pascucci, Gionata Orlandi, Marco Pietra, John A. VanLeeuwen, Spencer J. Greenwood, Giovanni Poglayen, Roberta Galuppi Humans and dogs commonly share the same domestic environment. Europe, and Italy specifically, have a substantial and growing dog population. Potentially zoonotic parasites may be harbored even by dogs receiving regular veterinary care.

      • Parasites
      • Giardia lamblia
  11. Prevalence of Blastocystis and Dientamoeba fragilis in diarrheal patients in Corum, Türkiye

    • Parasitology Research
    • To investigate the prevalence of Blastocystis and Dientamoeba fragilis in diarrhea patients and healthy individuals in Corum, Türkiye, fecal samples from 92 diarrhea patients and 50 healthy individuals were collected and evaluated using direct microscopy and molecular methods to screen for bacteria, protozoa, and viruses. The prevalence of Blastocystis was 24.6% in total and more frequent in the healthy group (30.0%).

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Salmonella
      • Shigella
      • Parasites
      • Cryptosporidium parvum
      • Giardia lamblia
  12. Exploring genetic variability of Giardia duodenalis and Enterocytozoon bieneusi in raw vegetables and fruits: implications for food safety and public health in Mozambique

    • Frontiers in Microbiology
    • Giardia duodenalis and Enterocytozoon bieneusi are etiological agents of enteric diseases characterized by diarrhea that can progress to chronicity in humans, especially in children and in immunocompromised patients. This study aims to assess the genetic pattern of G. duodenalis and E. bieneusi detected in vegetables and fruits commercialized in Maputo markets, Mozambique and determine their public health importance.

      • Parasites
      • Giardia lamblia
      • Produce Safety
      • Leafy Greens
  13. Prioritization of vegetable-borne biological hazards in Argentina using a multicriteria decision analysis tool

    • Food Science and Technology International
    • Vegetables, especially those eaten raw, have been implicated in several foodborne disease outbreaks. Since multiple vegetable matrices and hazards are involved, risk managers have to prioritize those with the greatest impact on public health to design control strategies. In this study, a scientific-based risk ranking of foodborne pathogens transmitted by leafy green vegetables in Argentina was performed.

      • Bacterial pathogens
      • Campylobacter
      • Escherichia coli O157:H7
      • Salmonella
      • Shigella
      • Yersinia
      • Parasites
      • Cryptosporidium parvum
      • Giardia lamblia
      • Toxoplasma gondii
      • Viruses
      • Hepatitis
      • Norovirus
  14. Health risks of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in the application of surface water and septic tank effluent in Chinese agriculture: Impact on cancer patients identified by quantitative microbial risk assessment

    • Food Microbiology
    • The protozoa Cryptosporidium and Giardia are major causes of diarrhea and are commonly found on vegetables in China. They pose a health risk, particularly to immunocompromised individuals, including cancer patients.

      • Parasites
      • Cryptosporidium parvum
      • Giardia lamblia
  15. Protozoan co-infections and parasite influence on the efficacy of vaccines against bacterial and viral pathogens

    • Frontiers in Microbiology
    • A wide range of protozoan pathogens either transmitted by vectors (Plasmodium, Babesia, Leishmania and Trypanosoma), by contaminated food or water (Entamoeba and Giardia), or by sexual contact (Trichomonas) invade various organs in the body and cause prominent human diseases, such as malaria, babesiosis, leishmaniasis, trypanosomiasis, diarrhea, and trichomoniasis.

      • Parasites
      • Giardia lamblia
  16. Giardia duodenalis trophozoites triggered bovine neutrophil extracellular traps formation dependent on P2X1 receptor and PAD4 in vitro

    • Veterinary Parasitology
    • Giardia duodenalis is an important intestinal protozoan parasite, infections of which are frequently seen in cattle and cause intermittent diarrhoea and weight loss in young animals around the world. The release of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) is an effector mechanism of neutrophils to fight against invading pathogens including parasites.

      • Parasites
      • Giardia lamblia
  17. Genomic comparisons confirm Giardia duodenalis sub-assemblage AII as a unique species

    • Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
    • Giardia duodenalis is a parasitic flagellated protozoan which infects a wide range of mammalian hosts, including humans, and is subdivided into at least eight genetic assemblages commonly thought to represent cryptic species. Molecular studies have shown that G. duodenalis assemblage A, which parasitizes humans and animals, contains several phylogenetically distinct groupings known as sub-assemblages.

      • Parasites
      • Giardia lamblia
  18. Occurrence of Giardia and Cryptosporidium in effluents of urban wastewater treatment plants: A global systematic review and meta-analysis

    • Journal of Cleaner Production
    • Giardia and Cryptosporidium the important causative agents of intestinal parasitic diseases (IPD) are ubiquitously distributed in the environment, especially in wastewater and reclaimed water. Due to the water shortage crisis and extensive utilization of reclaimed water, the presence of these parasitic protozoa in wastewater is a concern from the public and environmental health point of view.

      • Parasites
      • Cryptosporidium parvum
      • Giardia lamblia
  19. Seasonal and Spatial Variations in the Presence of Giardia and Cryptosporidium in Rural Drinking Water Supply Systems in Different Municipalities of Antioquia, Colombia

    • Water, Air, & Soil Pollution
    • This study evaluated the seasonal and spatial variations in the presence of Giardia and Cryptosporidium in rural drinking water supply systems of different municipalities of Antioquia. The municipalities evaluated were Envigado, Caldas, Sabaneta, La Estrella, Itagüi, Bello, Barbosa, Copacabana, and Girardota, located in the department of Antioquia, Colombia.

      • Parasites
      • Cryptosporidium parvum
      • Giardia lamblia
  20. First report of Giardia duodenalis assemblage F in humans and dogs in southern Brazil

    • Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
    • The present study aimed to molecularly characterize Giardia duodenalis from stool samples of humans, dogs, and cats. Molecular analyses were performed on 59 samples that tested positive for G. duodenalis on coproparasitological examinations.

      • Parasites
      • Giardia lamblia
  21. Pathogenic parasites in vegetables in the Middle East and North Africa: Occurrence of Ascaris eggs and Giardia cysts, and epidemiological implications

    • Food Control
    • Parasitic diseases are a major health problem in many developing countries. The consumption of contaminated fresh vegetables can play a crucial epidemiological role in the transmission of parasitic foodborne diseases including ascariasis and giardiasis.

      • Parasites
      • Giardia lamblia
  22. Giardial lipid rafts share virulence factors with secreted vesicles and participate in parasitic infection in mice

    • Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
    • Giardia lamblia, a protozoan parasite, is a major cause of waterborne infection, worldwide. While the trophozoite form of this parasite induces pathological symptoms in the gut, the cyst form transmits the infection. Since Giardia is a noninvasive parasite, the actual mechanism by which it causes disease remains elusive. We have previously reported that Giardia assembles cholesterol and GM1 glycosphingolipid-enriched lipid rafts (LRs) that participate in encystation and cyst production.

      • Parasites
      • Giardia lamblia
  23. Giardia duodenalis carries out canonical homologous recombination and single-strand annealing

    • Research in Microbiology
    • In the past decades, the ability of Giardia duodenalis to perform homologous recombination has been suggested, supported by the observations of genomic integration of foreign plasmids and the disruption of genes using CRISPR technology. Unfortunately, the direct study of a HR mechanism has not been addressed, which would be pertinent in a minimalist organism lacking fundamental DNA-repair elements and even complete pathways.

      • Parasites
      • Giardia lamblia
  24. Survey of U.S. based veterinarians' knowledge, perceptions and practices about canine giardiasis

    • Veterinary Parasitology: Regional Studies and Reports
    • Giardia spp. is a protozoal parasite capable of causing diarrhea in mammals. Certain Giardia assemblages are potentially zoonotic. As part of a public health study, a questionnaire-based cross-sectional web survey was distributed among U.S. small and mixed animal veterinarians to assess perceived prevalence, preferred testing and treatment methods, recommended control measures, and information communicated about the zoonotic potential of canine giardiasis.

      • Parasites
      • Giardia lamblia
  25. Survey of the occurrence of Giardia duodenalis cysts and Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts in green leafy vegetables marketed in the city of Valencia (Spain)

    • International Journal of Food Microbiology
    • The role of vegetables usually consumed without prior culinary treatment is known to contribute to the prevalence of foodborne diseases. Cysts and oocysts can contaminate food, which can then be the source of infection in humans. The aim of the study was to assess the occurrence of Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp.

      • Parasites
      • Cryptosporidium parvum
      • Giardia lamblia