Foodborne illnesses

Vibrio alginolyticus: A Rare Cause of Otitis Externa off the Coast of Florida

Vibrio alginolyticus, a gram-negative marine bacterium, poses significant health risks through various infections transmitted via contaminated seawater or seafood consumption. This case report details a 42-year-old male presenting with chronic seropurulent discharge from his ear, ultimately diagnosed with otitis externa caused by V. alginolyticus. Examination findings and antibiotic sensitivity testing informed the treatment strategy, leading to a successful resolution. The increasing incidence of V. alginolyticus infections, particularly in warm coastal water, necessitated heightened clinical awareness and appropriate management. As global temperatures rise, proactive measures including patient education and accurate diagnosis become crucial in preventing disease progression and complications associated with V. alginolyticus infections.

Managing the Risk of Foodborne Infections in Pediatric Patients with Cancer: Is the Neutropenic Diet Still an Option?

Infections pose a significant threat to morbidity and mortality during treatments for pediatric cancer patients. Efforts to minimize the risk of infection necessitate preventive measures encompassing both environmental and host-focused strategies. While a substantial number of infections in oncologic patients originate from microorganisms within their native microbiological environment, such as the oral cavity, intestines, and skin, the concrete risk of bloodstream infections linked to the consumption of contaminated food and beverages in the community cannot be overlooked. Ensuring food quality and hygiene is essential to mitigating the impact of foodborne illnesses on vulnerable patients. The neutropenic diet (ND) has been proposed to minimize the risk of sepsis during neutropenic periods. The ND aims to minimize bacterial entry into the gut and bacterial translocation. However, a standardized definition for ND and consensus guidelines for specific food exclusions are lacking. Most centers adopt ND during neutropenic phases, but challenges in achieving caloric intake are common. The ND has not demonstrated any associated benefits and does not ensure improved overall survival. Consequently, providing unified and standardized food safety instructions is imperative for pediatric patients undergoing hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Despite the lack of evidence, ND is still widely administered to both pediatric and adult patients as a precautionary measure. This narrative review focuses on the impact of foodborne infections in pediatric cancer patients and the role of the ND in comparison to food safety practices in patients undergoing chemotherapy or HCT. Prioritizing education regarding proper food storage, preparation, and cooking techniques proves more advantageous than merely focusing on dietary limitations. The absence of standardized guidelines underscores the necessity for further research in this field.

Hygienic practice during complementary feeding and its associated factors among mothers/caregivers of children aged 6-24 months in Wolaita Sodo town, southern Ethiopia

Introduction

Complementary feeding is an important stage in a child's development as it provides the necessary nutrients for optimal growth and development. However, improper handling, storage, and preparation of complementary foods can result in contamination by microorganisms, leading to foodborne illnesses and malnutrition. Therefore, this study aimed to determine hygienic practices during complementary feeding and associated factors among mothers of children aged 6-24 months in Wolaita Sodo town, southern Ethiopia.

Methods

A community-based, cross-sectional study was undertaken among mothers/caregivers of children aged 6-24 months from December 1-30, 2022. A total of 602 participants were recruited using a simple random sampling procedure. The hygienic practice of complementary feeding was assessed based on a related seven items questionnaire (Cronbach's alpha 0.72). Data were entered into Epi-data version 4.6 and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science version 26. Multivariable binary logistic regression was used to identify the statistically significant factors associated with proper hygienic practice of complementary feeding. Variables with a p-value of <0.05 in the multivariable logistic regression analysis model were considered statistically significant.

Results

The study indicated that 42.0%, (95% confidence interval (CI): 38, 45.8) of the mothers/caregivers of children aged 6-24 months had proper hygienic practices during complementary feeding. Mothers who could read and write (adjusted odd ratio (AOR): 3.36, 95% CI (1.53, 7.41)) and those who had completed primary school (AOR: 1.7, 95% CI (1.02, 2.85)), media exposure (AOR: 3.38, 95% CI (2.1, 5.4)), and attitude toward hygienic practice (AOR: 3.29, 95% CI (2.2, 4.91)) were independent predictors of hygiene practices during complementary feeding.

Conclusion

This study found that the prevalence of hygiene practices during complementary feeding was relatively low. Being educated, access to media, and positive attitudes toward hygienic practices were predicting factors. As a result, strengthening training and counseling services for mothers regarding complementary feeding and processing is recommended.

A Review of the Antibacterial, Fungicidal and Antiviral Properties of Selenium Nanoparticles

The resistance of microorganisms to antimicrobial drugs is an important problem worldwide. To solve this problem, active searches for antimicrobial components, approaches and therapies are being carried out. Selenium nanoparticles have high potential for antimicrobial activity. The relevance of their application is indisputable, which can be noted due to the significant increase in publications on the topic over the past decade. This review of research publications aims to provide the reader with up-to-date information on the antimicrobial properties of selenium nanoparticles, including susceptible microorganisms, the mechanisms of action of nanoparticles on bacteria and the effect of nanoparticle properties on their antimicrobial activity. This review describes the most complete information on the antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal effects of selenium nanoparticles.

Toward waterborne protozoa detection using sensing technologies

Drought and limited sufficient water resources will be the main challenges for humankind during the coming years. The lack of water resources for washing, bathing, and drinking increases the use of contaminated water and the risk of waterborne diseases. A considerable number of waterborne outbreaks are due to protozoan parasites that may remain active/alive in harsh environmental conditions. Therefore, a regular monitoring program of water resources using sensitive techniques is needed to decrease the risk of waterborne outbreaks. Wellorganized point-of-care (POC) systems with enough sensitivity and specificity is the holy grail of research for monitoring platforms. In this review, we comprehensively gathered and discussed rapid, selective, and easy-to-use biosensor and nanobiosensor technologies, developed for the early detection of common waterborne protozoa.

Fluoroplast Doped by Ag2O Nanoparticles as New Repairing Non-Cytotoxic Antibacterial Coating for Meat Industry

Foodborne infections are an important global health problem due to their high prevalence and potential for severe complications. Bacterial contamination of meat during processing at the enterprise can be a source of foodborne infections. Polymeric coatings with antibacterial properties can be applied to prevent bacterial contamination. A composite coating based on fluoroplast and Ag₂O NPs can serve as such a coating. In present study, we, for the first time, created a composite coating based on fluoroplast and Ag₂O NPs. Using laser ablation in water, we obtained spherical Ag₂O NPs with an average size of 45 nm and a ζ-potential of -32 mV. The resulting Ag₂O NPs at concentrations of 0.001-0.1% were transferred into acetone and mixed with a fluoroplast-based varnish. The developed coating made it possible to completely eliminate damage to a Teflon cutting board. The fluoroplast/Ag₂O NP coating was free of defects and inhomogeneities at the nano level. The fluoroplast/Ag₂O NP composite increased the production of ROS (H₂O₂, OH radical), 8-oxogualnine in DNA in vitro, and long-lived active forms of proteins. The effect depended on the mass fraction of the added Ag₂O NPs. The 0.01-0.1% fluoroplast/NP Ag₂O coating exhibited excellent bacteriostatic and bactericidal properties against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria but did not affect the viability of eukaryotic cells. The developed PTFE/NP Ag₂O 0.01-0.1% coating can be used to protect cutting boards from bacterial contamination in the meat processing industry.

Active Food Packaging Made of Biopolymer-Based Composites

Food packaging plays a vital role in protecting food products from environmental damage and preventing contamination from microorganisms. Conventional food packaging made of plastics produced from unrenewable fossil resources is hard to degrade and poses a negative impact on environmental sustainability. Natural biopolymers are attracting interest for reducing environmental problems to achieve a sustainable society, because of their abundance, biocompatibility, biodegradability, chemical stability, and non-toxicity. Active packaging systems composed of these biopolymers and biopolymer-based composites go beyond simply acting as a barrier to maintain food quality. This review provides a comprehensive overview of natural biopolymer materials used as matrices for food packaging. The antioxidant, water barrier, and oxygen barrier properties of these composites are compared and discussed. Furthermore, biopolymer-based composites integrated with antimicrobial agents-such as inorganic nanostructures and natural products-are reviewed, and the related mechanisms are discussed in terms of antimicrobial function. In summary, composites used for active food packaging systems can inhibit microbial growth and maintain food quality.

Antimicrobial activity of jambu mawar [Syzygium jambos (L.) Alston] leaf extract against foodborne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms

The present work evaluated the antimicrobial potential of the ethanolic extract of jambu mawar [Syzygium jambos (L.) Alston] leaves against various foodborne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms via the disc diffusion assay (DDS) and the time-kill curve assay. These microorganisms included bacteria (Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC13773, Listeria monocytogenes ATCC19112, Proteus mirabilis ATCC21100, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC9027, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC29737, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus ATCC17802), yeasts (Candida albicans ATCC10231, C. krusei ATCC32196, C. glabrata ATCC2001, and C. parapsilosis ATCC22019), and moulds (Aspergillus fumigatus ATCC26430, A. niger ATCC9029, Rhizopus oligosporus ATCC22959, and R. oryzae ATCC22580). The inhibition zone of DDA ranged from 7.00 ± 0.23 to 10.25 ± 0.29 mm. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal/fungicidal (MBC/MFC) of the ethanolic leaf extract were obtained at the concentrations of 0.01 to 2.50 and 0.01 to 5.00 mg/mL, respectively. The time-kill curve assay showed that except for P. mirabilis, other microorganisms were completely killed at MIC concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 4× MIC. In comparison, P. mirabilis showed a growth reduction of > 3 log10 CFU/mL for 4 h. Meanwhile, the conidial germination of A. fumigatus was fully inhibited at 0.5× MIC. Though not fully inhibited, the ethanolic leaf extract significantly reduced the conidial germination of A. niger, R. oryzae, and R. oligosporus to 7.0, 7.0, and 11.0%, respectively. Overall, the ethanolic leaf extract of S. jambos exhibited antimicrobial activity against foodborne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms.

Influence of food safety concerns on safe food purchasing at rural and urban consumers in Bangladesh

Food contamination and food adulteration are widely known public health issues in Bangladesh. This research explores consumers' perceptions of food hazards and safe food purchasing strategies. The study uses data from a survey of 450 primary household food purchasers in an urban supermarket and two traditional bazaars in urban and regional areas. This study explored the differences between consumers in urban and regional areas. The urban supermarket consumers showed more significant concerns about food hazards and safe food purchasing strategies than consumers at the urban and regional bazaars. Urban consumers indicated a higher food safety perception, whereas regional consumers were concerned about food safety deterioration. This study finds that urban supermarket consumers considered biological food hazards more during food purchasing than the regional bazaar. Most of the consumers in this study were concerned about chemical food hazards such as formalin and pesticide residues, and these consumers considered food purchasing factors such as tastes and expiry dates more while purchasing food. On the other hand, consumers concerned about biological hazards emphasised food purchasing place and product origin. Urban and regional bazaar consumers considered prices more than urban supermarket consumers. The study also explores sociodemographic variations, such as women having more concern about chemical food hazards than men and people with less formal education levels showing less concern about food hazards. Therefore, dissemination of safe food knowledge, adequate infrastructure, monitoring, and policymaking are some immediate necessary steps to improve food safety situations and safe food accessibility in Bangladesh.

Metagenomic analysis of the bacterial microbiota associated with cultured oysters (Crassostrea sp.) in estuarine environments

In this work, we identified the bacterial microbiota associated with farmed oystersin estuarine regions of four states in the north eastern region of Brazil. During the drought and rainy seasons, for eight months, twenty oysters were sampled seasonally from seven different marine farms. In the laboratory, DNA extraction, amplification, and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene were performed to establish the taxonomic units. We identified 106 genera of bacteria belonging to 103 families, 70 orders, 39 classes, and 21 phyla. Out of the total, 40 of the genera represented bacteria potentially pathogenic to humans; of these, nine are known to cause foodborne diseases and six are potentially pathogenic to oysters. The most prevalent genera were Mycoplasma, Propionigenium, Psychrilyobacter, and Arcobacter. The results indicate the need for more systematic monitoring of bacteria of the genus Mycoplasma in oyster farming operations in the Brazilian north eastern region. Currently, Mycoplasma is not one of the microorganisms analysed and monitored by order of Brazilian legislation during the oyster production and/or commercialization process, even though this genus was the most prevalent at all sampling points and presents pathogenic potential both for oysters and for consumers.

A multiplex PCR assay with a common primer for the detection of eleven foodborne pathogens

Salmonella enterica, Listeria monocytogenes, Shigella flexneri, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Staphylococcus aureus, Vibrio cholerae, Clostridium botulinum type A, Bacillus cereus, Clostridium perfringens Alpha toxin, and Yersinia enterocolitica are 11 common foodborne pathogens. Traditional bacterial culture methods for detecting pathogens are time-consuming and labor-intensive. Multiplex PCR technology, which can detect multiple targets in a single tube, has been increasingly applied to microbial detection due to its high specificity, sensitivity, and fast response. This paper is to establish a multiplex PCR technology mediated by a common primer for the detection of these 11 common foodborne pathogens in order to achieve the goal of nondirectional screening for these 11 common foodborne pathogens. The specificity of the established CP-MPCR detection system was first verified by 100 clinical isolates. The sensitivity of the CP-MPCR detection system was then detected by using cultured bacteria preparations and has been confirmed with a high sensitivity of 10³ to 10⁴ CFU/mL, among them, the sensitivity of the CP-MPCR for Vibrio cholerae and S. flexneri can even achieve 10² CFU/mL. Sixty anal swab samples collected from Suzhou CDC and 16 enrichment cultured solutions of food samples collected from the Suzhou Food Inspection and Testing Center were tested using the CP-MPCR system. A total of 32 positive results were detected. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Food poisoning incidents occur frequently around the world, mainly because of the contamination of food by pathogenic bacteria and serious harm to human health. The method provided in this study can detect 11 foodborne pathogens in food, which can effectively prevent the spread of pathogenic microorganisms. At the same time, for the food poisoning incident that has already occurred, this method can be used for diagnosis to find out the cause.

Modelling of Risk Factors Associated with Foodborne Disease among School-Aged Children in Medan, Indonesia

BACKGROUND:

Foodborne disease (FBD) contributes several outbreaks worsening health quality of world population. Many risk factors associated with FBD are related to its processing, preparation, and storage as well as handling practice.

AIM:

The study aimed to evaluate several proposed risk factors of foodborne disease existed among school-aged children and food-handlers in the school environment.

MATERIAL AND METHODS:

The descriptive cross-sectional study enrolled 124 students consisting of 64 females and 60 males in two different public schools, 064024 and 066656, Medan, Indonesia, between April and August 2018. The bacterial and parasitological examination was carried out in Microbiology and Parasitology Department. Food-handlers were assessed their appropriateness using standardised questionnaire merit to the guidelines enacted by the Ministry of Health, Indonesia (Kepmenkes RI No.942 / Menkes / SK / VII / 2003 adapted from WHO guidelines) entitled food-handlers sanitation-hygiene requirement guidelines. Data analysis was conducted using logistic regression.

RESULTS:

The study obtained that there were no food-handlers performed basic principles rules producing high-risk environment and posing a threat to children. Suspected-FBD also found in 55 or 44.4% students, and it was significantly related to several risk factors such as nail hygiene, knowledge level, nail-trimming behaviour, and hand-washing behaviour among students. Data analysis revealed modeling risk factor, Y = 23.440 + 2.003 (Nail hygiene) + 1.294 (Knowledge level) + 5.025 (Nail trimming behavior) + 7.007 (Hand-washing behavior) from logistic regression equation.

CONCLUSION:

Poor hygiene and sanitation of food-handlers and children per se provide a supportive environment in producing FBDs.

Cognitive Biases of Consumers' Risk Perception of Foodborne Diseases in China: Examining Anchoring Effect

Consumer cognitive biases arise from judgment and decision-making due to their limitations in information processing. As one of the important cognitive biases, the anchoring effect plays a significant role in interfering with consumers’ risk perception. With a stratified random approach, we collected survey data from 375 consumers in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China. Based on these data, this study attempted to analyze the anchoring effect in consumers’ risk perception of foodborne diseases (FBDs) and the differences in their perception before and after intervention in a contrast experiment using the anchoring index and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The results confirm the existence of the proposed anchoring effect. Moreover, the experimenter-provided anchor value, a history of FBD, and familiarity with FBD were found to be important factors influencing this anchoring effect. Therefore, improving consumers’ risk perception of FBD is critical to the long-term prevention of FBD risks by the government and consumers. The government should strengthen active monitoring, publicity, and education about FBD.

Pathogenic and Non-Pathogenic Microorganisms in the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed

The most frequently notified pathogenic microorganisms in the RASFF in 1980⁻2017 were Salmonella sp., Listeria, Escherichia and Vibrio, whereas, among the notified non-pathogenic microorganisms were unspecified microorganisms, Enterobacteriaceae, Salmonella sp. and Coliforms. Microorganisms were reported mainly in poultry meat, meat, fish, molluscs, crustaceans, fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, nuts, milk, cereals (in food) and in feed materials and pet food (in feed). The number of notifications decreased at the turn of 2005 and 2006, but has steadily increased since then. The notification basis were official controls, border controls and company's checks. Products were notified mainly by Italy, France, United Kingdom, Germany and Netherlands. The reported products originated from Brazil, European Union countries and India, Thailand and Vietnam. The notification types were alerts, information and border rejections. The distribution status was often not specified or distribution on the market was possible. The risk decision was usually not made. Products were re-dispatched, import was not authorised or products were withdrawn from the market, destroyed and recalled from the market. Proper cooperation within the framework of the RASFF can contribute to shaping public health law and reducing outbreaks associated with microorganisms.

A Printed Multicomponent Paper Sensor for Bacterial Detection

We present a simple all-in-one paper-based sensor for E. coli detection using a composite ink made of a fluorogenic DNAzyme probe for bacterial recognition and signal generation, lysozyme that lyses whole bacterial cells, and pullulan/trehalose sugars that stabilize printed bioactive molecules. The paper sensor is capable of producing a fluorescence signal as a readout within 5 minutes upon contacting E. coli, can achieve a limit of detection of 100 cells/mL, in a variety of sample matrixes, without sample enrichment, and remains stable for at least 6 months when stored at ambient temperature. Therefore, this simple paper sensor provides rapid bacterial testing on site, and can be shipped and stored under ambient conditions to benefit users living in resource-limited regions.

Routes of Transmission in the Food Chain

More than 250 different foodborne diseases have been described to date, annually affecting about one-third of the world's population. The incidence of foodborne diseases has been underreported and underestimated, and the asymptomatic presentation of some of the illnesses, worldwide heterogeneities in reporting, and the alternative transmission routes of certain pathogens are among the factors that contribute to this. Globalization, centralization of the food supply, transportation of food products progressively farther from their places of origin, and the multitude of steps where contamination may occur have made it increasingly challenging to investigate foodborne and waterborne outbreaks. Certain foodborne pathogens may be transmitted directly from animals to humans, while others are transmitted through vectors, such as insects, or through food handlers, contaminated food products or food-processing surfaces, or transfer from sponges, cloths, or utensils. Additionally, the airborne route may contribute to the transmission of certain foodborne pathogens. Complicating epidemiological investigations, multiple transmission routes have been described for some foodborne pathogens. Two types of transmission barriers, primary and secondary, have been described for foodborne pathogens, each of them providing opportunities for preventing and controlling outbreaks. Primary barriers, the most effective sites of prophylactic intervention, prevent pathogen entry into the environment, while secondary barriers prevent the multiplication and dissemination of pathogens that have already entered the environment. Understanding pathogen dynamics, monitoring transmission, and implementing preventive measures are complicated by the phenomenon of superspreading, which refers to the concept that, at the level of populations, a minority of hosts is responsible for the majority of transmission events.