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PubMed2001

[Collective outbreaks of foodborne infections and intoxications in Poland in 1985-1999].

In outbreaks of foodborne infections and intoxications in 1985-1999 in Poland among salmonellas S. Enteritidis amounted for 84.9% in 1986 and 97.8% in 1991-1992. In 1985-1999, among the total number of diseases in outbreaks most of the cases occurred after eating of the dishes made from eggs (over 50%). In 1987-1999, food prepared in private homes had the largest influence on the occurrence of the outbreaks (up to 65.4% of outbreaks). The private homes were also the most frequent places of the consumption of that food. Contamination of the ready-made dishes was found to be due to the raw materials, mainly eggs coming from private farms. In Poland and in neighboring countries Salmonella of animal's source determines the epidemiological situation of foodborne infections and intoxications.

Communicable Diseases↗
PubMed1995

Differentiation of strains from a food-borne outbreak of Salmonella enterica by phenotypic and genetic typing methods.

A combination of typing methods was used to identify the strains and the infection source in a food-borne outbreak of Salmonella enterica occurring in a summer camp and affecting 25 children. All isolates tested were found to be serovar Enteritidis, with an identical biotype API 20E and ribotype. However, they differed in their plasmid profiles and/or antibiograms, and were grouped into three strains. One strain was found in human stools, another in a hen's egg, and the third in both stools and another egg pointing to large Spanish omelettes to be the contaminated food source.

Bacterial Typing Techniques↗
PubMed1985

Direct immunoassay for detection of salmonellae in foods and feeds.

A direct enzyme immunoassay (EIA) with polyclonal antibodies was developed for detecting salmonellae in foods and feeds. Salmonella cells were attached firmly to the wells of polystyrene microtitration plates with a capture-antibody technique. Spicer-Edwards anti-H immunoglobulin G was bound to protein A-beta-D-galactosidase to serve as the signal; 4-methylumbelliferyl-beta-D-galactoside was used as the substrate. The sensitivity threshold was 10(7) cells per ml. Direct EIA, indirect EIA, and pure-culture techniques were compared by using 48 samples of naturally contaminated foods and feeds. The direct EIA was more sensitive than the indirect EIA or pure-culture technique. Food samples were analyzed within 3 working days, and 32 samples were tested simultaneously in a single 96-well microtitration plate. False-positive or false-negative results did not pose a problem. This direct EIA is sensitive, rapid, and amenable to automation.

Animal Feed↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Toxins and carcinogens in the environment: an observation in the tropics.

The incidence of primary liver cancer in the countries of tropical Africa is the highest in the world. There is a growing belief that the relatively high prevalence of hepatocellular carcinoma in Nigeria may have a multiple chemical factor etiology in such forms as food contaminants, herbal teas, and environmental chemicals. Major chemical toxins and carcinogens that have been identified so far in the tropical environment include sapotoxin, cycasin, mushroom toxin, capsaicin, oxalic acid, prussic acid, fluorooleic acid, N-nitroso compounds, aflatoxin, palmotoxin, pyrrolizidine alkaloids, quinine, DDT, and cyclamate.

Carcinogens, Environmental↗
PubMed1997

The effect of 2,3 dimercaptosuccinic acid in the treatment of lead poisoning in adults.

Four patients, aged 22-60, belonging to a single family that had been exposed to lead-contaminated food for an unknown period, and nine workers, aged 20-65, who had been exposed to air-borne lead for 6-8 years, were evaluated for lead poisoning in our centres. Blood lead levels were 3.57 +/- 0.39 micromol/L (mean +/- SD) in the family members and 3.46 +/- 0.43 micromol/L (mean +/- SD) in the group of workers. 2,3 dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) therapy was instituted in the four family members while the nine workers were closely monitored after being removed from the contaminated environment without receiving any chelation therapy. DMSA therapy given for the duration of 19 days reduced the blood lead levels to 0.63 +/- 0.44 micromol/L (mean +/- SD), P<0.01, in the four family members. No significant change was observed in the untreated group. The exposure time in the untreated group was probably longer than that in the treated group. Following long-term exposure most of the lead in the body is found in the bones and therefore not easily removed by chelation therapy. No side-effects were reported in the treated group and no rebound elevation of blood lead levels was observed during the therapy period or during the 12-week follow-up period following cessation of therapy. We conclude that 19 days of chelation therapy with DMSA in adults with moderate to severe lead poisoning is effective and safe.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1992

Hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) in public catering services: a modified method, combined to bacteriologic assay.

During 1990 and 1991 the Veterinary and Public Health Services of USL 35 of Ravenna carried out a research programme aimed at the control of food-borne diseases in the sector of public catering services, in collaboration with the Public Health Laboratory (Presidio Multizonale di Prevenzione). The objectives were: obtaining sure information about health hazards in public catering services; checking structural characteristics and equipment of workrooms in restaurants, hotels and refectories; verifying food preparation and preservation methods; promoting health education to increase employees' awareness of hygiene-related problems. The first objective, evaluation of the level of the control of the workrooms exerted on the food contamination hazard by pathogenic or potentially pathogenic organisms, was carried out by allotting specific scores to several characteristics of laboratories or workers' habits, as suggested by the "Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point" (HACCP) method for butcher's shops and fish markets. Five hundred ninety-eight public catering service units have been inspected in restaurants, hotels, school-refectories, factories, hospitals and social houses; 2,097 bacteriological examinations by agar-contact plates and swabs were carried out; 118 preserved-food temperatures were measured, especially in deep-frozen and cooked food; 70 food specimens were tested to search for Salmonella spp. and Staphylococcus aureus and measure Total Aerobic Mesophilic Weight. The presence of Enterobacteriaceae and Escherichia coli was also tested.

Bacteriological Techniques↗
PubMed1985

[Modified rapid method for the quantitative determination of S. aureus in food products and washings].

Suggested is the use of a modified rapid method for the quantitative determination of Staphylococcus aureus in food products and washings, worked out on the basis of the method described by Lachica [8]. In the modified method a yolk-salt agar is substituted for Baird-Parker's medium. Provided is inactivation of the thermolable nucleases at 65 degrees C for one hour and additional incubation at 37 degrees C for 2 hours following the overlaying of the agar with toluidineblue DN-ase agar. Comparative investigations on the quantitative determination of Staphylococcus aureus in experimentally and naturally contaminated food samples and washings showed that there were no essential differences between the microbial counts as established by the two methods. The modified method made it possible to shorten the investigation by 2 hours. It proved specific and readily applicable for rapid laboratory diagnostics.

Bacteriological Techniques↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Some major obstacles to the practice of sound nutrition in Nigeria.

The author recently undertook a study in Ibadan to determine some of the factors which negate the successful practice of nutrition and the impact of health education on children's nutritional status. This paper deals with the first aspect; the second will be covered in a following issue. The survey was carried out through questionnaires and interviews with mothers in two child welfare clinics and with the nursing and medical staff working in these health institutions. Findings pinpoint specific problems which call for an educational intervention, namely the gap between the knowledge of mothers regarding the nutritional value of local foods and the supplements they actually use; the traditional ways of cooking which entail the loss of much nutritional value; the fact that the child's food is not prepared separately from that of the adults; the lack of adequate storage facilities and the danger of food contamination; the fact that the head of the family is served first, etc. Health personnel pinpointed improvements in feeding practices, and a decreasing influence of mothers-in-law and fewer superstitions. A major problem, however, remains the promotion undertaken by commercial companies. As a solution, it is proposed that representatives of these companies be trained in health education and that they act as extension to the health staff, their particular role being to help educate mothers on the hygienic preparation of food, and bottle sterilization. The need for policy-makers to support nutrition education through appropriate measures is also highlighted.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Assessment of factors contributing to changes in the incidence of antimicrobial drug resistance in Salmonella enterica serotypes Enteritidis and Typhimurium from humans in England and Wales in 2000, 2002 and 2004.

An investigation into changes in the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance in Salmonella enterica serotypes Enteritidis and Typhimurium from human infection in England and Wales in 2000, 2002 and 2004 has shown that the incidence of strains of S. Enteritidis with resistance to nalidixic acid coupled with decreased susceptibility to ciprofloxacin has more than doubled between 2000 and 2004, whereas the overall levels of resistance in S. Typhimurium have fallen by ca. 25%. In relation to published data on veterinary sales of antimicrobials in the UK, the findings demonstrate that changes in the incidence of resistance do not correlate with changes in veterinary usage. For S. Enteritidis, important factors in the increased incidence of resistance were foreign travel and the consumption of imported foods contaminated with drug-resistant strains. For S. Typhimurium, the most important factor has been an overall decline in the occurrence of multiple drug-resistant S. Typhimurium definitive phage type 104. These studies have demonstrated that changes in the incidence of resistance in predominant salmonellas in humans in England and Wales from 2000 to 2004 are multifactorial. The findings also demonstrate that, in order to combat drug resistance in zoonotic salmonellas causing infections in humans, controls on the use of antibiotics in food animals analogous to those in operation in the UK should be implemented in countries that regularly import food into the UK.

Ampicillin↗
PubMed1992

A combined PCR and selective enrichment method for rapid detection of Listeria monocytogenes.

Development of a routine detection assay for Listeria monocytogenes in foods that uses the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and enrichment cultures was investigated. Oligonucleotide primers were chosen to amplify a 3' region of L. monocytogenes hlyA gene spanning a conserved HindIII site. PCR detection sensitivity for L. monocytogenes in dilutions of pure enrichment cultures was between 50 and 500 colony forming units. A short enrichment period before PCR amplification allowed detection of the organisms in a range of complex foods contaminated with 10(4) cfu/g. Detection sensitivity for the assay in the presence of chicken skin and soft cheese was determined at 10-100 cfu/g. Utilization of enrichment cultures and PCR allowed identification of the organism within 24 h or 2 days.

Bacteriological Techniques↗
PubMed1991

[Detection of Salmonella-containing food using the 1-2 test].

133 samples of food were investigated for comparison of a recent commercially available 1-2 test (Biocontrol) with a cultural standard method (non-selective pre-enrichment in buffered peptone water, selective enrichment in Rappaport-Vassiliadis-medium and selenite brilliant-green mannitol enrichment broth, inoculation on two selective agars) for presence of Salmonella. The 1-2 test showed in positive results an accuracy ("sensitivity") of 94.7% and in negative results an assurance ("specificity") of 97.9% and is therefore considered suitable for detection of Salmonella contaminated food.

Culture Media↗
PubMed2002

Designing of polymerase chain reaction primers for the detection of Salmonella enteritidis in foods and faecal samples.

AIMS: In this study, novel insertion element (IE) DNA targeted polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers were designed and further used for the specific detection of Salmonella enteritidis in foods and faecal samples. METHODS AND RESULTS: Polymerase chain reaction primers, based upon their IE gene sequence (accession number Z83734), were developed for the detection of Salm. enteritidis. These primers were termed IE1L-IE1R and IE2L-IE3R. The cell lysate, rather than the extracted DNA, was used as template and preculturing of bacterial material was carried out prior to the PCR assay. The specificities of these developed primers were to be confirmed further. The PCR procedure developed was used to examine 170 endogenously contaminated samples, including poultry, seafood, meats, faecal specimens and some feed samples. Salmonella enteritidis was detected in 5.29% (nine of 170) of the samples. CONCLUSIONS, SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Two sets of novel PCR primers, based upon their IE gene sequence, have been developed. These primers demonstrated the ability to be used for the specific detection of Salm. enteritidis. When PCR primers IE1L-IE1R were used for the detection of artificially Salm. enteritidis-contaminated food samples, as few as 1 cell ml(-1) sample could be detected using this PCR process.

DNA Primers↗
PubMed2005

Health and survival of red abalone, Haliotis rufescens, under varying temperature, food supply, and exposure to the agent of withering syndrome.

Withering syndrome (WS) is a disease of wild and cultured abalone caused by a Rickettsiales-like prokaryote (WS-RLP). This study compared the pathologic changes that occur during the progression of WS in red abalone to those caused by environmental stresses consisting of elevated temperature and food limitation and determined the impact of these stressors on WS prevalence and intensity. Farmed red abalone were administered a feed-based oxytetracycline therapeutic treatment to assure WS-RLP-free status prior to initiation of the experiment. Groups were then held in each of eight combinations of exposed vs. unexposed to WS-RLP, elevated vs. ambient temperature, and high vs. low food supply, for 447 days. Mortality was associated with starvation and disease but not elevated temperature alone. Elevated temperature significantly affected WS-RLP transmission: only 1.7% of WS-RLP- exposed abalone held at ambient temperature (12.3 degrees C) became infected compared to at least 72% of those held at elevated temperature (18.7 degrees C). Among exposed abalone at elevated temperature, fed animals exhibited greater infection prevalence but not greater infection intensity or digestive gland changes than starved animals, suggesting that abalone acquire infections by ingesting contaminated food. Food, temperature, WS-RLP exposure, and most of their interactions had significant effects on body condition and foot atrophy. Immunohistochemical detection of cell proliferation and apoptosis revealed no differences between normal digestive gland and that infected with WS-RLP. Body mass shrinkage, foot atrophy, elevated mortality, and decreased foot and digestive gland glycogen were observed in both WS-affected and starved, unexposed abalone, with the WS-RLP-exposed, starved group held at elevated temperature faring worst. Among exposed and unexposed animals, food supply but not temperature affected body mass and growth. These data demonstrate that the high morbidity and mortality exhibited by WS-RLP-infected abalone is a consequence of disease and not direct thermal stress. Drug residue analysis indicated oxytetracycline concentrations of up to 600 ppm in the digestive gland at 38 days post-treatment, an unusual degree of tissue retention of this therapeutant.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1999

[Salmonella serovars determined in the National Salmonella Center between 1995 and 1997].

A total of 897 human and non-human (from animal, food, feed and other sources) isolates of Salmonella were serotyped in the National Salmonella Centre during the period 1995-1997. They had been referred to the Centre by several field laboratories all over the country. Serological and biochemical identification was performed according to the standard methods. Forty seven Salmonella serovars were isolated from human sources. The most common Salmonella serovars were S. Thompson, S. Mbandaka and S. Enteritidis. The other were S. Hadar, S. Infantis, S. Albany, S. Typhimurium and S. Virchow. The serovars isolated from the food products were almost the same as from human sources. A total of 37 Salmonella serovars were found in isolates from animal sources. The dominating serovars were S. Enteritidis, S. Mbandaka, S. Bredeney, S. Infantis, S. Anatum, S. Typhimurium, S. Hadar, S. Saintpaul, S. Agona, S. Virchow, S. Heidelberg and S. Thompson. The fact that a number of the same serovars were found on lists of the most commonly isolated serovars from human and animal sources underlines the importance of the relationship. The lack of information of Salmonella contaminated food products and animal infections was noticed More detail examination of isolates from animal sources is advised to help the fight against human salmonellosis.

Foodborne Diseases↗
PubMed1986

A hospital cafeteria-related food-borne outbreak due to Bacillus cereus: unique features.

Although Bacillus cereus is a well-known cause of food-borne illness, hospital-related outbreaks of food-borne disease due to B. cereus have rarely been documented. We report a hospital employee cafeteria outbreak due to foods contaminated with B. cereus in which an outside caterer was employed to prepare the suspect meals. Data were collected from 249 of 291 employees who had eaten either of the two meals. With a mean incubation period of 12.5 hours, 64% (160 of 249) of employees manifested illness. Symptoms, which averaged 24.3 hours in duration, included diarrhea (96.3%), abdominal cramps (90%), nausea (50.6%), weakness (24.7%), and vomiting (13.8%). Eighty-seven employees sought medical attention, 84 of whom were seen in an emergency room. Although a significant difference was not demonstrated in food-specific attack rates, B. cereus was cultured from both rice and chicken items that were served at both meals. Sixty-three employees submitted stools for culture that grew no enteric pathogens, but none were examined for B. cereus. This food-borne outbreak demonstrates: the need for hospital kitchen supervisors to ensure proper handling of food when outside caterers are employed; that significant differences in food-specific attack rates may not be demonstrated in outbreaks, which may be related to several factors; and the importance of notifying microbiology laboratory personnel when B. cereus is a suspect enteric pathogen, since many laboratories do not routinely attempt to identify this organism in stool specimens.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Dioxins in food: a modern agricultural perspective.

This review attempts to cover and summarize the literature available on polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans in the environment with regard to problems of interest to agriculture. The coverage of the literature is extensive (120 references) but, by all means, not complete. Issues that are addressed in this review include a background summary of dioxins in the environment and their potential human health risks; current knowledge on the levels of dioxins in the U.S. food supply and comparisons to European data; descriptions of recent food contamination episodes; an evaluation of methods that may reduce incurred levels of dioxins in livestock and meats; and the status and limitations of dioxin analysis and rapid screening methods with regard to widespread monitoring programs. Research areas in agriculture where data and experimental results are scarce or nonexistent are also pointed out.

Agriculture↗