Research Publications (Food Safety)

Pathogenic microorganisms use various mechanisms to conserve energy in host tissues and environmental reservoirs. One widespread but often overlooked means of energy conservation is through the consumption or production of molecular hydrogen (H2). Here, we comprehensively review the distribution, biochemistry, and physiology of H2 metabolism in pathogens. Over 200 pathogens and pathobionts carry genes for hydrogenases, the enzymes responsible for H2 oxidation and/or production.

Author(s): Panagiota Ligda, Edwin Claerebout, Stijn Casaert, Lucy J. Robertson, Smaragda Sotiraki

Author(s): Francesca Coppola, Michela Maestrini, Federica Berrilli, Isabel Guadano Procesi, Antonio Felicioli, Stefania Perrucci

Trichomonas vaginalis is the parasitic protozoan residing in human urogenital tract causing trichomoniasis, which is the leading non-viral sexually transmitted disease. It has cosmopolitan distribution throughout the globe and affects both men and women. Lifecycle of the parasite has been traditionally described as consisting of motile and symptom-causing trophozoites.

Author(s): Kathryn T. Duncan, Nicole R. Koons, Marisa A. Litherland, Susan E. Little, Yoko Nagamori

Author(s): Yoko Nagamori, Mark E. Payton, Emily Looper, Hadley Apple, Eileen M. Johnson

Giardia lamblia is usually cultured axenically in TYI-S-33, a complex medium which does not permit survival and growth of mammalian cells. Likewise, medium commonly used to maintain and grow mammalian cells does not support healthy trophozoite survival for more than a few hours. The inability to coculture trophozoites and epithelial cells under optimal conditions limits studies of their interactions as well as interpretation of results.

This work assessed the risk of protozoa in 10 school restaurants in Armenia (Quindío, Colombia) by analyzing the presence of Cryptosporidium spp, Giardia duodenalis, Blastocystis, and Cyclospora cayetanensis DNA in the food, water, and living and inert surfaces of school restaurants and in stools of children who ate at these restaurants. Of the 213 food, water, and surface samples, 6.6% were positive using PCR to test DNA for Blastocystis; 3.8% for Cryptosporidium spp; 0.9% for G.

Author(s): Katharina Lichtmannsperger, Barbara Hinney, Anja Joachim, Thomas Wittek

Aims The objective of this study was to assess the probiotic potential of genuine strains of Bifidobacterium longum 51A and Weissella paramesenteroides WpK4, in experimental giardiasis. Methods and Results The bacteria were administered orally to gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) 10 days before oral infection with trophozoites of Giardia lamblia.

Author(s): Lucy J. Robertson, C. Graham Clark, John J. Debenham, J.P. Dubey, Martin Kváč, Junqiang Li, Francisco Ponce-Gordo, Una Ryan, Gereon Schares, Chunlei Su, Anastasios D. Tsaousis

Author(s): Matthew M. Hitchcock, Catherine A. Hogan, Indre Budvytiene, Niaz Banaei

Author(s): Karen Shapiro, Minji Kim, Veronica B. Rajal, Michael J. Arrowood, Andrea Packham, Beatriz Aguilar, Stefan Wuertz

Author(s): Junqiang Li, Ke Shi, Fangfang Sun, Tingwen Li, Rongjun Wang, Sumei Zhang, Fuchun Jian, Changshen Ning, Longxian Zhang

Publication date: Available online 23 July 2019

Source: Microbial Risk Analysis

Author(s): Ursula Gonzales-Barron, Anne Thébault, Pauline Kooh, Laurence Watier, Moez Sanaa, Vasco Cadavez

Giardia lamblia, a single-celled eukaryote, colonizes and thrives in the small intestine of humans. Because of its compact and reduced genome, Giardia has adapted a “minimalistic” life style, as it becomes dependent on available resources of the small intestine. Because Giardia expresses fewer sphingolipid (SL) genes—and glycosphingolipids are critical for encystation—we investigated the SL metabolic cycle in this parasite.

Giardia lamblia, one of the most common protozoal infections of the human intestine, is an important worldwide cause of diarrheal disease, malabsorption, malnutrition, delayed cognitive development in children, and protracted postinfectious syndromes. Despite its medical importance, no human vaccine is available against giardiasis.

Available online 16 March 2019

Author(s): Panagiota Ligda, Edwin Claerebout, Lucy J. Robertson, Smaragda Sotiraki

Zi-Qi Lin, Soo-Wah Gan, Szu-Yu Tung, Chun-Che Ho, Li-Hsin Su, Chin-Hung Sun

Publication date: November 2018

, Volume 93

Author(s): Radka Dziedzinska, Monika Moravkova, Jakub Hrdy, Iva Slana, Hana Vlkova, Hana Kunstovna, Petra Vasickova

Publication date: Available online 2 May 2018


Author(s): Adriana Calderaro, Monica Martinelli, Mirko Buttrini, Sara Montecchini, Silvia Covan, Sabina Rossi, Francesca Ferraglia, Paolo Montagna, Federica Pinardi, Sandra Larini, Maria Cristina Arcangeletti, Maria Cristina Medici, Carlo Chezzi, Flora De Conto

Publication date: December 2017
, Volume 100, Issue 12

Author(s): Kathryn J. Boor, Martin Wiedmann, Sarah Murphy, Sam Alcaine

Publication date: 18 December 2017
, Volume 263

Author(s): Kjersti Selstad Utaaker, Anil Kumar, Himanshu Joshi, Suman Chaudhary, Lucy J. Robertson

Abstract

Aims

To assess diarrheal risks from enteropathogenic E. coli, Giardia, and Cryptosporidium from consuming raw spinach, cabbage, carrots, and tomatoes in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal.

Luther A. Bartelt, David T. Bolick, Jordi Mayneris-Perxachs, Glynis L. Kolling, Gregory L. Medlock, Edna I. Zaenker, Jeffery Donowitz, Rose Viguna Thomas-Beckett, Allison Rogala, Ian M. Carroll, Steven M. Singer, Jason Papin, Jonathan R. Swann, Richard L. Guerrant