Foodborne pathogens and disease最新文献

Purpose: We performed a literature review focusing on case reports and case series studies, aiming to better define the clinical presentation of isolated lateral intraventricular neurocysticercosis (LVNCC) and to discuss the current knowledge of its characteristics, patient demographics, clinical manifestations, treatment, and prognosis, based on the collected data. Methods: Data for this study were gathered by conducting searches on the Medline database and Google Scholar using various combinations of the following terms "intraventricular neurocysticercosis (IVNCC)," "brain ventricle cyst," "cysticercosis of lateral brain ventricles," "cysticercus cyst in brain ventricles," and "intraventricular cystic brain lesion." Articles published in English between January 1980 and March 2023 that reported cases of LVNCC were selected for analysis. Results: This study included 48 patients (mean age 33.1 ± 14.1, range 6-70 years) diagnosed with LVNCC. Most patients were from India. The predominant clinical manifestation was headache (87.8%), followed by nausea/vomiting (51.2%), altered sensorium (51.2%), and focal neurological deficits (29.3%). In most cases, symptoms lasted from 10 d to 20 years (67.6%). The mean age at symptom onset was higher than in those with cysts in the third and fourth ventricles (p = 0.010058), and a greater proportion of vesicular cysts was observed (58.3%). Hydrocephalus was common (81.3%), with a significant percentage showing unilateral ventricular enlargement (38.5%). Surgical excision of the parasite (predominantly endoscopic) was the prevailing type of treatment (72.9%). Postoperatively, anti-helminthics were administered in 37.5% of cases. Most patients (80.5%) had favorable clinical outcomes or improved clinical status; six patients died, while the clinical outcomes of seven individuals were not specified in reports. Conclusion: LVNCC is a rare form of NCC, typically characterized by symptoms lasting >7 d. Invasion of the ventricle by cysticerci occurs mainly in middle-aged individuals. Endoscopy is the preferred treatment option, although the prognosis is influenced by various factors. Mortality is high in untreated patients.

Laboratory-based surveillance for enteric pathogens causing diarrhea is foundational for monitoring foodborne diseases in the United States. However, diarrheal illnesses are not always confirmed by laboratory testing, so estimates of the true number of illnesses must adjust for underdiagnosis, including underdiagnosis due to ill persons not seeking medical care or submitting a stool sample for laboratory testing. We assessed these factors among persons with an acute diarrheal illness who responded to the most recent Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) Population Survey (2018-2019). Multiple modes of administration (telephone, web-based) and multiple sampling frames were used to ask survey respondents in English or Spanish about diarrhea and other symptoms experienced in the 30 days before the interview and to ask if they had sought medical care or submitted a stool sample. Of 1018 respondents with an acute diarrheal illness, 22.0% had sought medical care and 4.7% submitted a stool sample. On multivariable analysis, older adults (aged 65 years and over), male respondents, and persons with a household income of ≥$40,000 per annum were significantly more likely to seek medical care, as were respondents reporting cough, fever, vomiting, recent international travel, or duration of diarrhea for ≥3 days. Older adults and persons with five or more loose stools in 24 h who sought medical care were significantly more likely to submit a stool sample. Ill respondents with a concurrent cough were less likely to submit a stool sample. Sociodemographic characteristics, symptoms, and international travel influence whether a patient with an acute diarrheal illness will seek care or submit a stool specimen. Accounting for these factors when analyzing surveillance data will likely produce more precise estimates of the true number of foodborne illnesses.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a common foodborne pathogen with drug-resistant strains now widespread. The use of phages to control resistant bacteria is a promising means of reducing public health pressure. In this study, V. parahaemolyticus phage 460s1 was isolated, which was active over a wide range of temperature (30-50°C) and pH (3-10). It exhibited a specific host range, lysing 16 of the 23 strains of V. parahaemolyticus. The phage 460s1 can effectively inhibit the growth of V. parahaemolyticus in shrimp at 15°C and 25°C, and bacterial count decreased by 3.46 log colony-forming unit/g at multiplicity of infection of 1000 at 24 h under 15°C. The phage 460s1 genome was sequenced, and it contains 105 open reading frames (ORFs), of which ORF 53 encodes putative endolysin. The ORF 53 protein was successfully expressed in Escherichia coli and reduced the optical density at 600 nm of host bacteria from 0.82 to 0.58 within 60 min at a concentration of 10 μmol/L. The endolysin also showed lytic activity against 20 strains of antimicrobial-resistant V. parahaemolyticus. Therefore, bacteriophage 460s1 and its endolysin are of great significance for the prevention and control of V. parahaemolyticus.

Foodborne botulism is a rare but highly lethal disease. The botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) that causes botulism is produced by Clostridium botulinum (C. botulinum) and other clostridia. In this study, we characterized C. botulinum strains isolated during food poisoning events in Sichuan Province from 1990 to 2024 by analyzing whole-genome sequencing data. Statistical analyses of the geographical distribution food sources of strains suggested that the primary sources of contamination were associated with specific regions and food types. The isolates were further compared with reference strains using average nucleotide identity analysis to reveal their genetic diversity and evolutionary relationships. Among the eight strains, five strains belonged to Group I, and the other three strains belonged to Group II. All strains belonging to Group I (SC001, SC002, SC003, SC006, and SC009) were assigned to five totally different recognized ST types (ST-2 to ST-51). In addition, analysis of BoNTs subtypes demonstrated that the types of BoNTs causing botulism in Sichuan were mainly types A, B, and E. Among them, some rare subtypes of BoNT reported for the first time in China, such as BoNT/B4, BoNT/E12, and BoNT/A5(B3), and no specific subtypes were predominant in the botulism incidents. This study is critical for disease surveillance and early warning systems, while also providing a basis for food safety regulation, clinical diagnosis, and treatment in the future.

Oral phage therapy is a promising strategy for reducing harmful bacteria in broilers. However, it may lead to the spread of therapeutic phages in the farm environment, potentially increasing bacterial host tolerance. To determine the stability of novel Salmonella bacteriophages in chlorinated drinking water and their response to farm disinfectants, we evaluated virucidal activity using a quantitative suspension test in the presence of organic matter. A >4-log-reduction was achieved using oxidizing agents, organic acid- and surfactant-based (1:350, 2 min), as well as glutaraldehyde and benzalkonium chloride-based (1:1000, 15 min) disinfectants. A hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid-based disinfectant required a higher concentration (1:100, 10 min) to achieve an equivalent reduction. Results support the selection of disinfectants to mitigate residual therapeutic phages on farm premises. Chlorine (3-ppm, 24 h) did not reduce phage titer compared with the control, demonstrating the flexibility to administer bacteriophages in chlorinated drinking water for broilers.

Milk, a nutritious global important food commodity, serves as an excellent medium for microbial growth as well. The foodborne pathogen Staphylococcus aureus is a commensal member of human microflora that enters the food chain through poor hygienic practices and cross contamination and causes various clinical manifestations in humans. During this study, raw milk and swab samples (milker's hand, udder, towel, milking bucket, and farm floor) were collected from four middle-scale buffalo dairy farms. The results revealed S. aureus presence in 11.6% (n = 56/448) bucket raw milk samples and 2.6% (n = 12/448) udder raw milk samples. Contrarily, S. aureus prevalence was significantly higher in farm floors (100%, n = 84/84), towel (35.7%, n = 10/28), milking bucket (11.6%, n = 56/448), milker's hand (10.7%, n = 3/28), and udder swab samples (4.0%, n = 18/448). The chi-square test yielded p values of 0.000, 0.005, and 0.0011 for udder raw milk, udder swab, and milker's hand swab, respectively. The p values of the milking bucket (p = 0.048) and farm floors (p = 0.0183) confirmed their possible role in S. aureus cross contamination. Gene amplifications of nuclease and enterotoxin A indicate potential virulence of S. aureus isolates in collected samples. Antibiotic susceptibility testing revealed multidrug resistance in 44% (n = 239) of S. aureus isolates with the highest resistance of 61% against penicillin. Resistance against ampicillin, streptomycin, and lincomycin was observed. Fewer S. aureus isolates were resistant to kanamycin and erythromycin, whereas the lowest number of resistant isolates was observed against chloramphenicol. A high prevalence of S. aureus in the farm environment and milking equipment suggested the cross contamination of potentially enterotoxin-producing and multidrug-resistant S. aureus to raw milk. Therefore, good hygiene practices should be enforced to avoid foodborne and zoonotic infections.

This study aimed to investigate the influence of garlic metabolites on the quorum sensing (QS) of Bacillus cereus, a foodborne pathogen that controls its main virulence factor through QS. The QS signal receptor PlcR of B. cereus was targeted by molecular docking with 82 garlic metabolites to identify the most potent QS inhibitors. Five metabolites, quercetin, kaempferol, luteolin, flavone, and rutin, were selected for further evaluation of their impacts on the growth, toxin production, and virulence of B. cereus in vitro. The expression levels of key QS genes were also measured to verify their anti-QS ability. The results revealed that quercetin reduced enterotoxin production by B. cereus but did not affect the QS process at the transcriptional level; flavone and rutin in garlic interfered with the QS of B. cereus by competing with the autoinducing peptide (AIP) PapR₇ for the PlcR binding site, resulting in decreased enterotoxin secretion and hemolysis without altering the bacterial growth. Interestingly, luteolin and kaempferol in garlic acted as AIP analogs and bound to PlcR to stimulate the QS process and virulence. Furthermore, kaempferol, luteolin, flavone, and rutin had distinct or opposite interactions with PapR₇ at the Gln237 or Tyr275 residues of PlcR, which determined the suppression or enhancement of the QS process. The findings suggested that flavone and rutin were effective compounds to inhibit the QS process in garlic and could be used as alternative methods to control B. cereus.

In this study, we examined the impact of Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium, Efm) and its extracellular vesicles (EVs) on intestinal morphological structure, antioxidant function, inflammatory response, and permeability in rats. In a 5-day feeding experiment, a total of 72 female Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly allotted into nine groups with eight rats per group. The study was conducted in three parts. First, we examined the impact of Efm on ethanol-induced intestinal injury. Second, we investigated the protective effects of various active components of bacterial culture on intestinal function in vivo. Third, we explored the impact of Efm with elevated EV secretion on intestinal function. The rats were treated by gavage administration (5 mL/kg body weight [BW]) every other day for a total of three times. After the last treatment at 2 h, the phosphate buffered saline (PBS) group received 5 mL/kg BW of PBS orally, whereas the other groups were orally administered 5 mL/kg BW of absolute ethanol to induce intestinal injury. After the feeding trial, eight rats per treatment were collected for intestinal samples. Our findings demonstrate that pretreatment with Efm can reverse morphological alterations in intestinal tissues, enhance superoxide dismutase/malondialdehyde levels, increase intestinal permeability, and reduce the inflammation levels, thereby regulating intestinal damage. Pretreatment with EfmEVs reversed the detrimental effects of ethanol-induced intestinal damage, displaying a discernible decline in inflammation, augmented permeability, and bolstered antioxidant capacity. Moreover, the release of EVs contributes to the intestinal safeguarding mechanism of Efm. EVs act as mediators in Efm's protective response against ethanol-induced intestinal injury by mitigating inflammation and enhancing antioxidant activity. The Clinical Trial Registration Number: FOSU210403.

Foodborne transmission of the Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is becoming an important public health problem in China, but the food associated with the HEV transmission route remains unclear. Pig liver is among the suspected food products involved in HEV transmission. Our research aimed to survey the contamination rate and genotype identification of HEV in pig livers from different types of markets in selected provinces of China. reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to screen for HEV in pig livers, nest RT-PCR was used for partial amplification of opren reading frame (ORF) 2, followed by sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis to determine the genotype of positive samples. A total of 787 pig liver samples from 7 provinces were collected. The average positive rate of HEV was 8.13% (64/787), Inner Mongolia (14.29%, 1/7) and Hebei province (14.29%, 23/161) showed the highest positive rate. There was a significant difference among the provinces (p < 0.01). Three major market types (wholesale market, supermarket, and butcher's shop) were included in this study, and the positive rates were 5.28% (21/398), 15.86% (23/145), and 8.20% (20/244), respectively. There was no significant difference among the three market types. Eleven of the positive samples were partially sequenced and identified genotypes 4a, 4d, and 3a.