Research Publications (Food Safety)

Publication date: 2 September 2015
, Volume 208
Author(s): Michael S. Williams , Neal J. Golden , Eric D. Ebel , Emily T. Crarey , Heather P. Tate

Publication date: October 2015
, Volume 51
Author(s): P. de Boer , H. Rahaoui , R.J. Leer , R.C. Montijn , J.M.B.M. van der Vossen

The resistance patterns of Campylobacter spp. isolated from retail broiler chicken meat originating either from Estonia, Lithuania or Latvia collected in Estonia were determined. Additionally, in collaboration with the laboratories of several Estonian hospitals, antimicrobial susceptibility patterns were determined for Campylobacter isolates from patients with severe Campylobacter enteric infections. The isolates were identified at the species level by the PCR method.

Campylobacter jejuni, the leading bacterial cause of human gastroenteritis in the United States, displays significant strain diversity due to horizontal gene transfer. Conjugation is an important horizontal gene transfer mechanism contributing to the evolution of bacterial pathogenesis and antimicrobial resistance. It has been observed that heat shock could increase transformation efficiency in some bacteria. In this study, the effect of heat shock on C.

Publication date: Available online 4 June 2015

Author(s): S.U. Wetzels , E. Mann , B.U. Metzler-Zebeli , M. Wagner , F. Klevenhusen , Q. Zebeli , S. Schmitz-Esser

Campylobacter is a natural member of the gut microflora in many commercial broilers and as such can become a contaminant on edible surfaces during processing. Culturing gut contents or feces can be a means to determine flock status prior to live-haul. The wide variety of non-Campylobacter background bacteria in these complex samples contaminates growth media and can make it very difficult to isolate Campylobacter.

In-house litter composting has been reintroduced to the industry and shown to reduce bacteria by as much as 2 orders of magnitude. Other industries have demonstrated that pathogens can recolonize a waste-residual when microbial competition has been reduced or inhibited following composting. Poultry growers, in the process of shifting to in-house composting for pathogen control, should be aware of this potential problem.

An observational study examining prevalence of Campylobacter and Salmonella in environmental samples and biosecurity interventions to mitigate these 2 pathogens was performed for 3 consecutive flocks on a commercial broiler farm in northeast Georgia. Monitoring was performed first on a baseline flock for which no interventions or treatments were undertaken.

Campylobacter concisus is an oral bacterium that has been shown to be associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In this study we examined clusters of oral C. concisus strains isolated from patients with IBD and healthy controls by analysing the six housekeeping genes that we previously described. In addition, we investigated the population structure of C. concisus strains.

Publication date: 3 August 2015
, Volume 206
Author(s): Evy Lahou , Xiang Wang , Elien De Boeck , Elien Verguldt , Annemie Geeraerd , Frank Devlieghere , Mieke Uyttendaele

Publication date: 16 July 2015
, Volume 205
Author(s): Ewa Pacholewicz , Arno Swart , Maarten Schipper , Betty G.M. Gortemaker , Jaap A. Wagenaar , Arie H. Havelaar , Len J.A. Lipman

We report a case of Campylobacter volucris bacteremia in an immunocompromised patient with polycythemia vera and alcoholic liver cirrhosis. To our knowledge, this is the first case report in which this organism has been isolated from a human clinical specimen.

The foodborne bacterial pathogen Campylobacter jejuni is an obligate microaerophile, which is exposed to atmospheric oxygen during transmission through the food chain. Survival under aerobic conditions requires the concerted control of oxidative stress systems, which in C. jejuni are intimately connected with iron metabolism via the PerR and Fur regulatory proteins. Here we have characterised the roles of C.

Korsak, Dorota et al. The purpose of the present study was to determine the prevalence of thermophilic Campylobacter in poultry, pork, and beef meat at the retail level and to identify the main categories of meat representing the most significant reservoirs of Campylobacter. A monitoring study was conducted throughout Poland from 2009 to 2013. A total of 1,700 fresh meat samples were collected from supermarkets, large retail outlets, and smaller stores.

Campylobacter jejuni is a highly diverse species of bacteria commonly associated with infectious intestinal disease of humans and zoonotic carriage in poultry, cattle, pigs, and other animals. The species contains a large number of distinct clonal complexes that vary from host generalist lineages commonly found in poultry, livestock, and human disease cases to host-adapted specialized lineages primarily associated with livestock or poultry.

Publication date: Available online 4 May 2015

Author(s): Petra Griekspoor , Eva Olsson Engvall , Britt Åkerlind , Björn Olsen , Jonas Waldenström

Publication date: September 2015
, Volume 50
Author(s): Igor Gruntar , Majda Biasizzo , Darja Kušar , Mateja Pate , Matjaž Ocepek

Aims
In the present study, we conducted a quantitative microbial risk assessment forecasting the exposure to Campylobacter jejuni contaminated surfaces during preparation of chicken fillets and how using a disinfectant wipe intervention to clean a contaminated work area decreases the risk of infection following the preparation of raw chicken fillet in a domestic kitchen.

Publication date: Available online 1 May 2015

Author(s): Mathilde H. Josefsen , Sandra C. Andersen , Julia Christensen , Jeffrey Hoorfar

Understanding of the colonization process of epithelial bacteria attached to the rumen tissue during rumen development is very limited. Ruminal epithelial bacterial colonization is of great significance for the relationship between the microbiota and the host and can influence the early development and health of the host.

Aim
To examine the occurrence and quantity of potential pathogens and an indicator of microbial contamination in the sediments of municipal drinking water storage tanks (MDWSTs), given the absence of such data across the United States.

Diarrhea due to enteric bacterial pathogens causes significant morbidity and mortality in the United States and worldwide. However, bacterial pathogens may be infrequently identified. Currently, culture and enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) are the primary methods used by clinical laboratories to detect enteric bacterial pathogens.

Publication date: October 2015
, Volume 56
Author(s): Anthony Pavic , Julian M. Cox , Jeremy W. Chenu

Al-Qadiri, Hamzah et al. This study investigated the growth and survival of three foodborne pathogens (Clostridium perfringens, Campylobacter jejuni, and Listeria monocytogenes) in beef (7% fat) and nutrient broth under different oxygen levels. Samples were tested under anoxic (<0.5%), microoxic (6 to 8%), and oxic (20%) conditions during storage at 7°C for 14 days and at 22°C for 5 days. Two initial inoculum concentrations were used (1 and 2 log CFU per g of beef or per ml of broth).

The microaerophilic food-borne pathogen Campylobacter jejuni uses complex cytochrome-rich respiratory chains for growth and host colonization. Cytochrome c biogenesis requires haem ligation to reduced apocytochrome cysteines, catalysed by the cytochrome c synthase, CcsBA. While ccsBA could not be deleted, we showed that the thiol reductase DsbD and the CcsX homologue Cj1207 are involved in, but not essential for, cytochromes c biogenesis.