Research Publications (Food Safety)

Lysophospholipids (LPLs) are crucial for regulating epithelial integrity and homeostasis in eukaryotes, however the effects of LPLs produced by bacteria on host cells is largely unknown. The membrane of the human bacterial pathogen Campylobacter jejuni is rich in LPLs. Although C. jejuni possesses several virulence factors, it lacks traditional virulence factors like type III secretion systems, present in most enteropathogens.

Campylobacter is one of the main causative agents of bacterial gastrointestinal infections. Recently, a rise in the incidence of campylobacteriosis has been reported worldwide. Despite the clinical importance of this zoonotic disease, its microbiological diagnosis is not systematically performed in clinical laboratories in developing countries such as the Middle East and North Africa region.

Campylobacter jejuni is the leading cause of bacterial gastroenteritis, or campylobacteriosis, in humans worldwide, and poultry serves as a major source of infection. To reduce the risk associated with C. jejuni transmission via poultry meat, effective interventions during poultry production are needed, and the use of probiotics is a promising approach. In this study, 15 Bacillus subtilis strains were initially screened for their anti-Campylobacter activities. B.

16S rRNA amplicon sequencing was used to investigate changes in the broiler gastrointestinal tract (GIT) microbiota throughout the rearing period and in combination with antibiotic treatment.

Thermophilic Campylobacter species are the most common cause of bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide, and handling and consumption of broiler meat is considered a major foodborne transmission route. Both the incidence of campylobacteriosis and the prevalence of Campylobacter in broilers show seasonality but the impact of this association and broiler prevalence on human incidence is not clear.

The food industry is constantly struggling with one of the most prevalent biofilm-forming and food-borne pathogenic bacteria, Campylobacter jejuni. Different approaches are used to control biofilms in the food production chain, but none is fully effective.

Microbiology Resource Announcements, Ahead of Print. Here, I report the complete genome sequence of Campylobacter jejuni strain X, containing two plasmids similar to pVir and pTet, which were originally identified in strain 81-176. Scrutiny of complete genome sequences in GenBank revealed several other strains with similar plasmid contents. Comparative genome analysis suggested a common origin of these plasmids.

Poultry is one of the fastest growing industries due to advantages in land use, rapid production and advances in feed technology. The rising trend in the consumption of poultry meat over the last 50 years has also increased concerns about food safety. Campylobacter jejuni is the leading bacterial cause of gastroenteritis, the foremost cause of foodborne deaths.

Antibiotic resistance in foodborne pathogens is an emergent global health concern. The objectives of this study were to assess antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Campylobacter isolates from chicken carcasses and to investigate the AMR molecular mechanisms as well as the presence of virulence determinants. The study was performed on 257 samples collected from abattoirs and retail shops in northeastern Tunisia. Forty-eight Campylobacter isolates were recovered and identified as C.

Foodborne campylobacteriosis has been traced to undercooked chicken liver dishes; it is important to use the best available culture methods when testing for the presence of Campylobacter .  We compared two Campylobacter enrichment broths (Bolton formulation and Neogen formulation) in combination with three selective plating media (Campy-Cefex, Campy-Line and RF Campylobacter agars) for detection of Campylobacter from fresh retail chicken livers.  In each of three experiments, nine r

The study determined the prevalence, risk factors, and characteristics of Campylobacter species contamination of chicken carcasses sold at informal poultry outlets in Gauteng, South Africa. Using six townships, 151 chicken carcasses were collected from 47 outlets. Carcass and cloacal swabs, as well as carcass drip, were collected from each chicken along with a matched questionnaire on risk factors regarding Campylobacter contamination.

Background

Biliary atresia (BA) is the most common cholestatic liver disease in neonates. Herein, we aimed at characterizing the gut microbiota and fecal bile acid profiles of BA patients, defining the correlations between them, and evaluating the relationship between the clinical pathogenesis and changes in the gut microbiota and bile acid profiles.

Methods

Journal of Food Processing and Preservation, Accepted Article. This research was performed to encapsulate the phenolic-rich fraction (PRF) obtained from Ferula gummosa (F. gummosa) leaves by utilizing the spray-drying technique. Further, the physicochemical properties and antioxidant and antibacterial activities of the PRF were evaluated against Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) infection in mice.

Abstract Oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common type of head and neck cancer worldwide. Smokeless tobacco (SLT) has been well proven for its role in oral carcinogenesis due to the abundance of several carcinogens. However, the role of inhabitant microorganisms in the oral cavity of smokeless tobacco users has not yet been well explored in the context of OSCC.

This study was aimed at the isolation and identification of Arcobacter spp. and Campylobacter spp. from fresh vegetables sold at district markets in the Kayseri province, and at the determination of the antibacterial susceptibility of the recovered isolates. For this purpose, a total of 175 vegetable samples, including 35 spinach, 35 lettuce, 35 parsley, 35 arugula, and 35 radish samples, were collected.

Low-temperature­–long-time (LT–LT) cooking, also known as sous vide cooking, in which meat is sealed in a bag and cooked in hot water at a relatively low-temperature of around 60°C, increased in popularity; indeed, home-use low-temperature cookers are now commercially available. However, after LT–LT cooking, if even a small number of foodborne bacteria remain, they could cause infection and foodborne illnesses.

Background The National Outbreak Reporting System (NORS) captures data on foodborne, waterborne, and enteric illness outbreaks in the United States. This study describes enteric illness outbreaks reported during 11 years of surveillance. Methods We extracted finalized reports from NORS for outbreaks occurring during 2009–2019.

The developed polymerase spiral reaction-based technique specifically amplified the ceuE gene of C. coli and involved a three-step centrifugation method for DNA extraction. PSR, real-time and end-point PCR were able to detect 62 fg, 620 fg and 6.2 pg C. coli DNA/tube, respectively.

Poultry is generally recognized as the main source of human campylobacteriosis and Campylobacter is highly prevalent at the farm level. To reduce the relative risk of human campylobacteriosis attributable to broiler meat, it is necessary to reduce Campylobacter loads in broiler ceca but to date, no effective, reliable and practical strategy is available.

Water quality is a growing concern throughout the developing world and the effects of water pollution can be both harmful and costly. Increasing levels of fecal pollution and associated waterborne pathogens pose a potential economic constraint and hardship for Caribbean islands as their economies primarily depend on a thriving coastal tourism industry.

Microbiology Resource Announcements, Ahead of Print. We report the whole-genome sequence of a Campylobacter strain that was isolated from breeding pheasants presenting “bulgy eyes” in Italy. Traditional molecular typing methods did not return any reliable result. Whole-genome sequencing and sequence comparison with known genomes did not meet the criteria for assignment to an existing species.

Microbiology Resource Announcements, Ahead of Print. Here, we report a draft genome sequence of Campylobacter jejuni strain Shizu21005, isolated from a food handler with no symptoms in Japan on March 2021. Its genome size was 1,656,785 bp, with 2 rRNAs, 35 tRNAs, and a coverage of 330×.

mBio, Ahead of Print. Diarrhea is responsible for the deaths of more than 500,000 children each year, many of whom reside in low-to-middle-income countries (LMICs). Additionally, children with multiple diarrheal infections early in life have increased growth stunting and malnutrition and decreased vaccine efficacy. Two bacteria that contribute to the burden of diarrhea are Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli, both are endemic in Bangladesh.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Volume 88, Issue 10, May 2022. To maintain food safety and flock health in broiler chicken production, biosecurity approaches to keep chicken barns free of pathogens are important. Canadian broiler chicken producers must deep clean their barns with chemical disinfectants at least once annually (full disinfection [FD]) and may wash with water (water wash [WW]) throughout the year.

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, Volume 66, Issue 5, May 2022. Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli are important bacterial causes of human foodborne illness. Despite several years of reduced antibiotics usage in livestock production in the United Kingdom (UK) and United States (US), a high prevalence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) persists in Campylobacter.