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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2026

Molecular surveillance of foodborne bacterial pathogens and resistome in food products from Hong Kong.

Foodborne infections pose an increasing public health challenge worldwide. The problem has been aggravated by the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance genes among zoonotic pathogens, which results in a sharp increase in antibiotic resistance rate recorded among the major foodborne pathogens. To obtain an overview of the extent to which food products purchased in the markets in Hong Kong were contaminated by foodborne pathogens, we collected 95 raw meat samples from wet markets and isolated 236 bacterial strains of various species, with Escherichia coli being the most dominant species (131 strains). Contamination of food products by multiple foodborne pathogens was commonly observed. These include both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria that exhibit various levels of resistance, with some possessing multiple clinically important antibiotic resistance genes. Seventeen bacterial strains of various species isolated from three food samples were comprehensively analysed by the Oxford Nanopore R10.4 technology. Novel conjugative plasmids carrying antimicrobial resistance gene-bearing mobile genetic elements were commonly detectable in the test strains. Some of the plasmids were shown to have originated from other environmental sources or other bacterial species, indicating that raw foods in the local market may serve as a reservoir of resistance-encoding genetic elements from which such elements are disseminated to various microbial pathogens. These findings suggest a need to perform periodic but comprehensive surveillance of multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens and the major antimicrobial resistance genes in common food products, so as to disrupt the transmission routes of such organisms and the resistance-encoding genetic elements that they harbour.

Hong Kong↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Laboratory diagnosis of foodborne diseases.

Many bacterial species are responsible for sporadic cases and outbreaks of foodborne intoxication and infection. The foodborne diseases are classified on the basis of the pathogenetic mechanisms involved into four categories: performed toxin, enterotoxin formed in the colonized small intestine, mucosal invasion (enterocolitis) and mucosal invasion with bacteremia. Invasive and toxigenic strains of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli are discussed. In vivo test systems for the identification of enterotoxigenic organisms and tissue culture assays for the heat-labile enterotoxin of E. coli are described. Current laboratory methods for the diagnosis of foodborne diseases of major public health interest are reviewed - botulism, staphylococcal intoxication, Clostridium perfringens enteritis, salmonellosis, enteropathogenic E. coli infection, Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection and Bacillus cereus enteritis. The role of the laboratory in the epidemiologic surveillance and investigation of foodborne diseases is emphasized.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

Foodborne disease outbreaks of chemical etiology in the United States, 1970-1974.

In the United States between 1970 and 1974 there was an increase each year both in the absolute number of foodborne diseases outbreaks of chemical etiology reported to the Center for Disease Control and in the proportion of these outbreaks in the total reported foodborne disease outbreaks. Nearly half (48.9%) of these foodborne disease outbreaks of chemical origin were caused by toxic fish or shellfish. Of the rest, 16.5% were caused by poisonous mushrooms, 10.9% by heavy metal poisoning, 7.2% by excessive use in food of monosodium glutamate (the etiologic agent of Chinese Restaurant Syndrome) and 16.5% by miscellaneous chemicals. Practices that contributed to the occurrence of these outbreaks included the inadvertent selection for consumption of toxic fish, shellfish, or mushrooms, storage of fish at improper temperatures, storage of acidic liquids in metal containers, and addition of excessive amounts of monosodium glutamate to foods. Commercially-processed foods were responsible for outbreaks of scombroid fish poisoning, shellfish poisoning, and heavy metal poisoning. Because outbreaks of chemical etiology due to contaminated commercial products do occur, prompt recognition and reporting of outbreaks to public health personnel are essential so that epidemiologic investigations can be conducted and effective control measures promptly initiated.

Animals↗
PubMed2026

Genomic and virulence characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus isolates from foodborne outbreak cases.

This study aimed to investigate the genomic characteristics, enterotoxin production, and antimicrobial resistance profiles of Staphylococcus aureus isolates associated with foodborne outbreaks. A total of 19 bacterial isolates were collected from foodborne outbreaks in Guizhou Province, China between 2014 and 2023. Following biochemical identification, all isolates were confirmed as S. aureus. Phylogenetic analysis divided the 19 strains into seven branches. Enterotoxin production was detected using standard microbiological techniques and immunoassays. Antimicrobial susceptibility was evaluated using the broth microdilution method. Whole-genome sequencing and subsequent bioinformatic analyses were conducted to characterize virulence genes, antimicrobial resistance genes, multilocus sequence typing (MLST) genotypes, and phylogenetic relationships among the isolates. This study found that all strains produced classical staphylococcal enterotoxins, with staphylococcal enterotoxin (SEA) showing the highest detection rate (63.16%). Virulence gene profiling revealed widespread presence of hlb, hlgA, nuc, clfB, spa, and set genes. All strains were resistant to penicillin, with high resistance rates for erythromycin and cefoxitin. Multidrug resistance occurred in 11 of the 19 strains, and 22 resistance genes were identified. MLST analysis showed that ST6 and ST59 were the dominant types, with ST59 methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains displaying stronger resistance and more virulence determinants. These findings provide insights into the virulence, resistance, and molecular epidemiology of S. aureus strains involved in foodborne outbreaks, and may provide useful information for future surveillance and risk assessment.

Staphylococcus aureus↗
PubMed1978

Foodborne hazards of microbial origin.

Foods can serve as vehicles of many pathogenic and toxigenic agents of disease. Bacterial agents comprise three groups: 1) those that grow in the food and produce an active toxin before consumption (e.g., clostridium botulinium); 2) those that merely exist as contaminants in the food but are able to initiate infection when swallowed (e.g., Salmonella spp.); and 3) those that multiply and produce large numbers of vegetative cells in the food, then release an active enterotoxin when they sporulate in the gut. A few parasitic (e.g., Trichinella spiralis) and viral agents (e.g., hepatitis A) also can be transmitted by food. Botulinum poisoning is the deadliest foodborne disease. The potential danger of botulism from cured meats is a major factor in the argument over use of nitrites as meat curing agents. A new disease called infant botulism has been recognized since 1976. Apparently it is not foodborne but results from intraintestinal growth of C. botulinum in very young infants. Salmonellosis is the most important of the foodborne diseases from the standpoint of overall human health. The primary vehicles are contaminated raw meat, poultry, and eggs. Faulty food handling practices are responsible for most food poisoning in the United States.

Bacillus cereus↗
PubMed2026

Transferable IncHI2-Associated blaLAP-2 and blaCTX-M-55 Resistance Platforms in Foodborne Salmonella.

Extended-spectrum β-lactamase genes in foodborne Salmonella enterica can disseminate through mobile multidrug-resistance platforms. IncHI2 plasmids are important resistance vehicles capable of carrying complex resistance regions and facilitating their horizontal transfer across diverse bacterial backgrounds, but the transfer and genomic organization of IncHI2 elements co-carrying blaLAP-2 and blaCTX-M-55 remain insufficiently characterized. This study investigated two multidrug-resistant foodborne isolates recovered in Shanghai in 2022: Salmonella Agona ST13 isolate Sal22C150 and Salmonella Havana ST1527 isolate Sal22P208. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing, whole-genome sequencing, conjugation, plasmid-retention analysis, comparative genomics, as well as strain- and plasmid-level phylogenetic analyses were performed. Both isolates exhibited broad antimicrobial resistance, including resistance to extended-spectrum cephalosporins. In both isolates, blaLAP-2 and blaCTX-M-55 co-transferred with the IncHI2 replicon to Escherichia coli J53 at frequencies of (4.95 ± 0.41) × 10-5 and (4.46 ± 0.42) × 10-6 transconjugants per donor cell, respectively. All tested plasmid markers remained detectable through 20 passages without antimicrobial selection. Complete assembly of Sal22P208 confirmed the location of the three β-lactamase genes on the 275,096 bp IncHI2 plasmid pSal22P208. The plasmid contained a conserved conjugative backbone and mosaic accessory regions carrying 15 antimicrobial-resistance determinants together with mercury- and tellurium-resistance loci. SNP-based analysis placed pSal22P208 within a closely related cluster containing six reference IncHI2 plasmids differing by fewer than 30 SNPs and recovered from Salmonella and E. coli of animal, food, and human origin, suggesting a broad distribution of this plasmid lineage across diverse bacterial and ecological backgrounds. Sal22P208 additionally contained a Tn3-associated chromosomal multidrug-resistance region between rpmJ and rpmE that shared extensive structural similarity with a region in Citrobacter braakii LBA3. These findings highlight the role of transferable IncHI2 resistance platforms in the horizontal dissemination and short-term post-transfer maintenance of linked resistance determinants, while chromosomally integrated resistance regions may provide an additional route for the accumulation and inheritance of multidrug resistance in foodborne Salmonella.

IncHI2 plasmid↗
PubMed2026

A single-case foodborne botulism outbreak caused by Clostridium botulinum type A1(B5) in diced garlic in Newfoundland and Labrador, 2024.

Foodborne botulism is a severe neuroparalytic disease caused by ingestion of foods containing botulinum neurotoxins, produced by Clostridium botulinum. In 2024, a 74-year-old woman from Newfoundland and Labrador with complete bilateral flaccid paralysis and respiratory distress was hospitalized and required intubation. From the broader differential diagnosis list, botulism was favoured prior to laboratory confirmation. Serum and feces samples initially tested negative for botulinum neurotoxins by mouse bioassay, yet viable C. botulinum type A was recovered from the feces. Food history investigation included some diced garlic in a repurposed coffee container that tested negative for botulinum neurotoxins by mouse bioassay, but viable C. botulinum type A was recovered from the sample. Both the fecal and garlic enrichment cultures were positive for bont/A and bont/B genes by real-time PCR. Whole genome sequencing revealed that both fecal and garlic isolates were highly similar with conserved gene synteny, including an intact bont/A1 gene and a disrupted (silent) bont/B5 gene encoded on the chromosome. This single-case foodborne botulism outbreak from Newfoundland and Labrador in 2024 was caused by C. botulinum type A1(B5) in diced garlic.

Aged↗
PubMed1978

Comparative accuracy of five biochemical systems for identifying Salmonella and related foodborne bacteria: collaborative study.

The comparative accuracy of 4 biochemical diagnostic kits (API, Enterotube, Minitek, and Pathotec) and the conventional (AOAC) tube system for identifying primarily Salmonella and other enteric isolates was collaboratively studied. Each of 11 participating analysts received 40 foodborne isolates (25 Salmonella and 15 non-Salmonella cultures), representing a total of 440 cultures examined by each identification system. In decreasing order of accuracy, the overall number of correctly identified cultures with each of the systems was as follows: AOAC, 423 (96.1%), Minitek, 403 (91.6%), Enterotube, 395 (89.8%), API, 394 (89.5%), and Pathotec, 373 (84.8%). A cost analysis showed that all 4 diagnostic kit systems were less expensive than the conventional AOAC tube system for a single culture identification. Three of the diagnostic kits have been adopted as official first action as alternatives to the AOAC biochemical tube system for presumptive generic identification of foodborne Salmonella and for screening and eliminating non-Salmonella isolates. Routine incorporation of any one of the 3 diagnostic kits, however, should be preceded by the demonstration in the analyst's own laboratory of adequate correlation between the kit and the AOAC system.

Bacteriological Techniques↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Foodborne outbreak of hepatitis A: clinical and laboratory features of acute and protracted illness.

During a 1974 foodborne outbreak of viral hepatitis type A among Navy recruits, we evaluated clinical and laboratory features prospectively in 130 affected persons. The ratio of anicteric to icteric persons identified during the outbreak was 1:3.5 but illness was relatively mild in this population of young adults. Infrequently reported in association with type A hepatitis, rash and arthralgias (but not arthritis) were reported by 14 and 10% of affected persons, respectively. Fourteen weeks after onset of acute illness, 8.5% of patients had persistently elevated aminotransferase activities and underwent percutaneous liver biopsy. Morphologic features included piecemeal necrosis, but clinical, biochemical, and histological evidence of disease resolved within five months to one year after the outbreak. Fecal shedding of hepatitis A virus began during the preicteric stage, did not persist beyond the second day of jaundice (even in patients with protracted illness), and was not detected in anicteric patients. Feces and serum obtained during the late incubation period, but not urine, were infectious in chimpanzees. Antibody to hepatitis A virus developed during convalescence, and serum anticomplementary activity was noted during acute illness. Failure of T-lymphocytes to bind sheep erythrocytes and form rosettes was observed, was found to be modulated in several cases by an intrinsic lymphocyte defect and in others by the presence in serum of an extrinsic immunoregulatory serum lipoprotein, "rosette inhibitory factor," which persisted in patients with slow resolution.

Adult↗
PubMed2026

Genomic Insights Into Multidrug-Resistant Foodborne Serratia liquefaciens Strains Carrying mcr-9 and Comparative Genomic Analysis of Novel Biosynthetic Gene Clusters.

Serratia liquefaciens is an opportunistic nosocomial pathogen with a wide range of antibiotic resistance patterns. This study reports the characterization of the first mcr-9-positive S. liquefaciens strains, 35E-19E1 and CST-066, isolated from meat products in Japan. The strains were screened for the presence of β-lactamases, plasmid-mediated mobile colistin resistance (mcr) genes, and carbapenemase-encoding genes using PCR. Antimicrobial susceptibility was tested using the broth microdilution method. The strains exhibited multidrug resistance (MDR) phenotypes to third-generation cephalosporins, cephamycin, fosfomycin, and other clinically important antimicrobials. Genomic DNA sequencing showed that the genome sizes of CST-066 and 35E-19E1 are 5,529,704 and 5,261,506 bps, respectively. mcr-9 was identified on a chromosome within a genetic environment that included the two-component system qseBC, which plays a key role in the signaling network that triggers colistin resistance in Enterobacterales. Downstream genome analysis revealed a 1695-bp eptB-like kdo2-lipid phosphoethanolamine transferase, which is involved in intrinsic polymyxin resistance mechanisms in Serratia spp. The strain 35E-19E1 carries five CRISPR-Cas enzymes that are essential for adaptive immunity in bacteria, allowing defense against invading elements. Functional analysis using subsystem technology revealed that both strains possess subsystem features responsible for invasion and adhesion within the host biomes. Genome mining using antiSMASH and BAGL4 revealed various biosynthetic gene clusters, responsible for secondary metabolite synthesis. Notably, we identified novel gene clusters, mainly nonribosomal peptide synthetases, in both the strains, indicating their potential to produce bioactive compounds. Although the presence of mcr-9 in Serratia may not be of clinical significance because of natural resistance of the strain to polymyxins, we shed light on the genomic characteristics of this MDR pathogen and the potential spread of mcr-9 among other bacterial species. The emergence of mcr-9 in drug-resistant S. liquefaciens provides significant insights, underscoring the need for increased surveillance of this pathogen.

biosynthetic gene cluster↗
PubMed1977

A progressive approach to the problem of foodborne infections.

Qualitative and quantitative bacteriological examinations of 100 samples of perishable foods from 39 retail stores were performed to determine the presence of bacterial contaminants and to explore the feasibility of establishing and utilizing microbiological standards in enforcement. Forty-six per cent of the samples had standard plate counts in excess of 100,000 per gram, 17 per cent showed coliform organisms in excess of 100 per gram, 20 per cent revealed the presence of Staphylococcus aureus and 2 per cent Clostridium perfringens. None of the shell fish samples grew Vibrio parahaemolyticus. The bacteriological findings are discussed in relation to pertinent variables and the use of microbiological standards for potentially hazardous foods is explored. All 450 retail food establishments in a selected area of Western Suffolk County (New York) were subjected to comprehensive study, using a scoring system developed by the Food and Drug Administration. Initial inspections revealed 32 per cent as having one or more major violations. Follow-up inspections were performed to insure compliance and most violations were corrected within four weeks. Six months later all establishments were reinspected. The scoring system was found to have limited value. Half the establishments with major violations on initial inspection had major violations six months later as compared to less than a quarter of those with no initial major violation.

Clostridium perfringens↗
PubMed2026

Insights into the fate and dynamics of antibiotic resistance in multidrug-resistant Bacillus cereus during in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion.

Bacillus cereus, an important pathogen responsible for causing foodborne diseases worldwide, releases pore-forming enterotoxins, which target host epithelial cells, leading to osmotic lysis and ultimately manifesting as diarrheal syndrome. Moreover, some B. cereus strains carry antimicrobial resistance genes that confer multidrug resistance against a spectrum of antibiotics. Characterizing the survival traits of multidrug-resistant (MDR) B. cereus strains in the intestinal microenvironment is essential for developing targeted strategies to effectively manage diarrheal foodborne diseases caused by this pathogen. This study used whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to evaluate the pre- and post-digestion toxigenic potential, antimicrobial resistance profiles, and genetic diversity of MDR B. cereus strains isolated from food samples in Guangdong Province, China. The four B. cereus isolates investigated in this study exhibited a genetic diversity, as determined by multilocus sequence typing analysis of WGS data. All four isolates produced the diarrheal toxins Hbl, Nhe, and CytK to varying levels, indicative of their potential to cause outbreaks of foodborne diseases. Each of the four isolates exhibited resistance to more than three classes of antibiotics, fulfilling the criterion for multidrug resistance. At an initial concentration of 9 log colony-forming units (CFU)/mL, the intestinal concentration of these four isolates crossed the threshold required to induce widespread diarrhea in the general population. Under rice slurry protection, all tested isolates maintained intestinal concentration beyond the threshold when the initial concentration was increased to ≥8 log CFU/mL. Moreover, the upregulations of genes associated with acid tolerance, bile tolerance and stress response were observed in the surviving MDR B. cereus isolates. Digestion markedly altered the antibiotic resistance profiles of the MDR B. cereus isolates. In the absence of a food matrix, the MDR isolates lost their resistance to imipenem, meropenem, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole post-digestion and was influenced by the initial concentration of the strains. In the presence of food matrix rice slurry, the effects of digestion on the antibiotic resistance of MDR B. cereus isolates can be mitigated, enabling them to maintain their antibiotic resistance to the greatest extent. Most remarkably, after digestion, the isolates Bce055 and Bce166 exhibited newly emergent resistance to cefotetan and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, respectively. Our findings clarify the fate of MDR B. cereus isolates in the gastrointestinal tract and inform the development of prevention and control strategies for foodborne diseases caused by this pathogen.

Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial↗
PubMed2026

Population-level genomic surveillance of human norovirus using wastewater-based whole-genome sequencing.

Wastewater-based surveillance has garnered increasing attention as a valuable approach for capturing community-level infection dynamics that are often difficult to detect through clinical reporting systems alone. In this study, we analyzed human norovirus genotype distributions and whole-genome-level variations in wastewater samples collected in Gwangju, Korea. These results were interpreted in conjunction with a documented foodborne outbreak to evaluate the epidemiological relevance of wastewater-based monitoring. Human norovirus concentrations were quantified using TaqMan Array Card-based RT-qPCR, and whole-genome next-generation sequencing (NGS) was performed to obtain viral read counts and reads per kilobase per million filtered reads values. Overall, strong correlations were observed between RT-qPCR-based concentrations and NGS-derived metrics. Genotype dynamics varied among wastewater treatment plants, reflecting differences in catchment size and local population characteristics. In particular, the relative abundance of GII.17[P17] increased during epidemiological week 50, temporally coinciding with a documented local foodborne outbreak. Variant analysis revealed that wastewater samples exhibited mixed nucleotide patterns, with multiple alleles coexisting at varying relative frequencies rather than fixed substitutions. Notably, some nonsynonymous variants detected in clinical samples were also observed in wastewater samples collected surrounding the outbreak period. Together, these findings demonstrate that wastewater-based whole-genome surveillance can capture both genotype-level shifts and nucleotide-level dynamics at the population scale, highlighting its potential as a complementary tool for monitoring community-level norovirus circulation and outbreak-associated genotype dynamics.IMPORTANCEWastewater-based surveillance is increasingly recognized as a promising approach for capturing community-level infection dynamics that are often missed by clinical surveillance. In this study, we applied whole-genome sequencing to wastewater samples collected in Gwangju, South Korea, to comprehensively characterize human norovirus genotype distributions and genetic variation. Distinct genotype patterns were observed across wastewater treatment plants, reflecting differences in catchment population size and local characteristics. Notably, an increase in the GII.17[P17] genotype detected in wastewater coincided with a foodborne outbreak investigated in Gwangju, demonstrating the potential of wastewater surveillance to reflect ongoing community transmission and emerging outbreak-associated genotypes. In addition, wastewater samples contained diverse and coexisting genetic variants, capturing population-level viral diversity and evolutionary dynamics that are not readily detected through clinical surveillance alone. These findings highlight the value of wastewater-based whole-genome surveillance for monitoring community-level viral circulation and support its integration as a complementary strategy to existing clinical surveillance systems.

genotype dynamics↗