Advances in methods to detect, isolate and quantify foodborne pathogens

Foodborne diseases impact human health and economies worldwide in terms of health care and productivity loss. Prevention is necessary and methods to detect, isolate and quantify foodborne pathogens play a fundamental role, changing continuously to face microorganisms and food production evolution. Official methods are mainly based on microorganisms growth in different media and their isolation on selective agars followed by confirmation of presumptive colonies through biochemical and serological test. A complete identification requires form 7 to 10 days. Over the last decades, new molecular techniques based on antibodies and nucleic acids allow a more accurate typing and a faster detection and quantification. The present thesis aims to apply molecular techniques to improve official methods performances regarding two pathogens: Shiga-like Toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and Listeria monocytogenes. In 2011, a new strain of STEC belonging to the serogroup O104 provoked a large outbreak. Therefore, the development of a method to detect and isolate STEC O104 is demanded. The first objective of this work is the detection, isolation and identification of STEC O104 in sprouts artificially contaminated. Multiplex PCR assays and antibodies anti-O104 incorporated in reagents for immunomagnetic separation and latex agglutination were employed. Contamination levels of less than 1 CFU/g were detected. Multiplex PCR assays permitted a rapid screening of enriched food samples and identification of isolated colonies. Immunomagnetic separation and latex agglutination allowed a high sensitivity and rapid identification of O104 antigen, respectively. The development of a rapid method to detect and quantify Listeria monocytogenes, a high-risk pathogen, is the second objective. Detection of 1 CFU/ml and quantification of 10–1,000 CFU/ml in raw milk were achieved by a sample pretreatment step and quantitative PCR in about 3h. L. monocytogenes growth in raw milk was also evaluated.

Biological wastes as plant growth substrate amendments

Globally, agriculture is being intensified with mechanization and increased use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. There has been a scaling up of production to satisfy the demands of supermarket distribution. Problems associated with intensification of production, trade globalisation and a larger market demand for greater volumes of fresh produce, include consumers' concern about pesticide residues and leaching of nutrients and pesticides into the environment, as well as increases in the transmission of human food-poisoning pathogens on raw vegetables and in fruit juices. The first part of this research was concerned with the evaluation of a biological control strategy for soil-borne pathogens, these are difficult to eliminate and the chemicals of which the most effective fumigants e.g. methyl bromide, are being withdrawn form use. Chitin-containing crustaceans shellfish waste was investigated as a selective growth substrate amendment in the field, in glasshouse and in storage trials against Sclerotinia disease of Helianthus tuberosus, Phytophthora fragariae disease of Fragaria vesca and Fusarium disease of Dianthus. Results showed that addition to shellfish waste stimulated substrate microbial populations and lytic activity and induced plant defense proteins, namely chitinases and cellulases. Protective effects were seen in all crop models but the results indicate that further trials are required to confirm long-term efficacy. The second part of the research investigated the persistence of enteric bacteria in raw salad vegetables using model food poisoning isolates. In clinical investigations plants are sampled for bacterial contamination but no attempt is made to differentiate between epiphytes and endophytes. Results here indicate that the mode isolates persist endophytically thereby escaping conventional chlorine washes and they may also induce host defenses, which results in their suppression and in negative results in conventional plate count screening. Finally a discussion of criteria that should be considered for a HACCP plan for safe raw salad vegetable production is presented.

The impact of climate change on existing and emerging microbial threats across the food chain: an island of Ireland perspective

The Agri-Food and aquaculture industries are vital to the economy of the island of Ireland with a gross annual output that is expected to double in the future. Identifying and understanding the potential influences of the anticipated climate variables on microorganisms that cause foodborne diseases, and their impact on these local industries, are essential. Investigating and monitoring foodborne pathogens and factors that influence their growth, transmission, pathogenesis and survival will facilitate assessment of the stability, security and vulnerability of the continuously evolving and increasing complex local food supply chain.

Ocorrência de Staphylococcus sp. em água utilizada em propriedades leiteiras do Estado de São Paulo

Com o objetivo de verificar o papel da água utilizada durante a produção do leite como via de transmissão de Staphylococcus sp., fez-se a contagem de Staphylococcus coagulase negativa e Staphylococcus aureus nas amostras de água das fontes, dos reservatórios e dos estábulos de 30 propriedades leiteiras situadas na região Nordeste do Estado de São Paulo. As maiores ocorrências de isolamentos (10,0 e 16,6%) e os maiores valores médios (4,3×10(4) e 2,5×10(4)) de contagens desses microrganismos foram encontrados nas amostras de água dos estábulos utilizada na obtenção de leite. Estes resultados são importantes pois evidenciam a possibilidade de contaminação do leite ou dos animais por cepas patogênicas.

Molecular characterization and clonal diversity of methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus in milk of cows with mastitis in Brazil

Mastitis is an important disease for the dairy industry worldwide, causing economic losses and reducing milk quality and production. Staphylococcus aureus is a worldwide agent of this intramammary infection, which also causes foodborne diseases. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) isolates in milk of mastitis cows in Brazil and to analyze the genetic lineages and the content of antimicrobial resistance genes and virulence factors among these isolates. Fifty-six MSSA isolates were recovered from 1,484 milk samples (positive for the California mastitis test) of 518 cows from 11 different farms in Brazil (representing 51% of total Staph. aureus obtained), and they were further characterized. Methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus were isolated from 3.7% of California mastitis test-positive tested milk samples and from 6.2% of tested mastitic cows. Methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus isolates were characterized by spa typing, agr typing, and multilocus sequence typing, and resistance and virulence traits were investigated by PCR. Seven spa types were identified among MSSA (% of isolates): t127 (44.6), t605 (37.5), t002, t1784, t2066 (1.8), and 2 new ones: t10856 (10.7) and t10852 (1.8). Five distinct sequence types (ST) were detected (% of isolates): ST1 (46.4), ST126 (37.5), ST133 (10.7), ST5 (3.6), and a novel ST registered as ST2493 (1.8). Resistances were detected for streptomycin, chloramphenicol, and tetracycline. One strain contained the chloramphenicol resistance gene (fexA; included within transposon Tn558) and 3 strains contained the tetracycline resistance gene [tet(K)]. Methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus strains were susceptible to most of the antibiotics studied and lacked the virulence genes of Panton-Valentine leukocidin (lukF/S-PV), toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (tst), exfoliative toxin A (eta), and exfoliative toxin B (etb), as well as the genes of the immune evasion cluster. Methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus isolates were detected in a relatively low proportion of cows with mastitis (6.2%) and recovered isolates presented high diversity of genetic lineages, with CC1 and CC126 the predominant clonal complexes, and CC133 also being detected. Larger epidemiological studies with molecular characterization of isolates are required to deepen the knowledge on the circulating genetic lineages among the cow population with mastitis. © 2013 American Dairy Science Association.

Análise do perfil socioeconômico e profissional de manipuladores de alimentos participantes de um programa de capacitação em boas práticas de fabricação, no município de Araraquara, SP

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Ocorrência de Escherichia coli O157:H7 em bovinos abatidos em estabelecimento habilitado à exportação na cidade de Barretos – SP, Brasil

Pós-graduação em Microbiologia Agropecuária - FCAV

Susceptibilidade a antimicrobianos e resistência plasmidial de cepas de Salmonella spp isoladas de dois estuários do Estado do Ceará, Brasil

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Caracterização higiênico-sanitária de restaurantes comerciais do município de Botucatu-São Paulo

Pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária - FMVZ

Transferência de Salmonella Enteritidis por contaminação cruzada e formação de biofilme em diferentes superfícies de corte

Pós-graduação em Biologia Geral e Aplicada - IBB

Ability of Salmonella spp. to Produce Biofilm Is Dependent on Temperature and Surface Material

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Metodologia microbiológica convencional e reação em cadeia pela polimerase (PCR) na detecção de Salmonellasp. a partir de caldos de enriquecimento – Tetrathionato e Rappaport-Vassiliadis

The progressive increase in consumption and production of poultry meat in later years comes forth with an increase of the occurrence of foodborne diseases, including salmonellosis. Salmonellosis is caused by the ingestion of contaminated products, mainly by the consumption of poultry meat which processing and preparation for consumption were not effective to eliminate pathogens. Thus, there is a need for the development of faster more sensitive methods of detection of pathogens as a way to ensure the quality of the food offered to consumers. The goal of this essay was to evaluate the effect of enrichment broths on naturally contaminated poultry meat samples. A total of 65 samples was collected, these samples were rinsed with 370 mL of buffered peptone water (BPS) 1% according with the traditional methodology. All of the samples were enriched with both Tetrathionate (TT) and Rappaport-Vassiliadis (RV) and all were analyzed by the convencional identification method and polimerasis chain reaction (PCR). Of the 65 analized samples, 34 (52%) were positive when analized by the conventional method, while 45 (69%) were positive when analized by the PCR. Amongst the 45 positive PCR samples, 44 samples were positive when enriched with TT, while just 32 samples were positive when enriched by RV. Of the 34 positive conventional samples, 29 samples were positive when enriched by TT and 31 were positive when enriched by RV

Qualidade microbiológica de peixes e frutos do mar em Botucatu, SP

whole world. The world production of fish is around 100 million tons/year and 70% of them is destined exclusively to the human feeding. The fish and derived have a great importance in the human diet, contributing with ¼ of offer of protein of animal origin. Sseafood and fish are health, because they are rich in proteins, vitamins, micronutrients and insatured fats. However, one of the most important themes, in public health, refers to the safe food. Only in the USA, 76 million case of foodborne diseases occurs every year, with 325 thousand hospitalized and 5 thousand deaths. According to the microbiological parameters, the Brazilian Food Sanitation Standard (Decree No. 12, 2001) defined that fish, roes of fish, crustaceans and mollusks in natura cooled or frozen, no consumed raw should present up to 103 MPN of coagulase positive Staphylococcus in the absence of Salmonella in 25g. Based on this, this work verified the microbiological quality of fish and seafood retailed in supermarkets and fish store in Botucatu city. A hundred samples were analyzed, being 65 frozen (65%) and 35 cooled (35%). The samples included various kinds of fish and seafood. Among the frozen samples, 31 were fish and 34 seafood. About the cooled ones, 28 were fish and 7 seafood. The methods used for analysis are in agreement with APHA (2001). The samples were acquired in 4 establishments (3 supermarkets and a fish store). Ina total of 100 samples, all were negative to coagulase positive Staphylococcus and 2 were positive for Salmonella (2%). According to the results, we conclude that the presence of Salmonella is a risk factor for the consumers' health and these foods should not be consumed raw. In spite of the freezing to be a good conservation way, this process doesn't totally eliminate the pathogens of the food

Campylobacter sp como perigo biológico na produção de peito de frango maturado

Pós-graduação em Microbiologia Agropecuária - FCAV

Infecção de aves (Gallus gallus domesticus) com Salmonella enterica subesp. enterica sorovar Enteritidis contendo deleções nos genes cobS, cbiA, pduC, pduD e pduE: avaliação da colonização intestinal, invasão sistêmica e resposta imune

Pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária - FCAV