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Samadpour M, Benoit L, Myoda S, Hans B, Nadala C, Kim SH, Themeli E, Cantera R, Nguyen T, Richter H. Microbiological survey and genomic analysis of Cronobacter sakazakii strains isolated from US households and retail foods. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024:e0070024. [PMID: 38953659 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00700-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Cronobacter species are opportunistic pathogens that are capable of causing morbidity and mortality, particularly in infants. Although the transmission dynamics involved in Cronobacter infections remain largely unknown, contaminated powdered infant formula (PIF) has been linked to 30% of Cronobacter sakazakii cases involving invasive illness in infants. As several lines of evidence have implicated the domestic environment in PIF contamination, we undertook a microbiological survey of homes (N = 263) across the US. Cronobacter spp. and C. sakazakii were isolated from 36.1% and 24.7% of US homes, respectively, with higher recovery rates observed for floor and kitchen surfaces. Multi-locus sequence typing indicated that the dominant strain was C. sakazakii ST4, the sequence type most commonly associated with neonatal meningitis. For comparison purposes, retail foods (N = 4,009) were also surveyed, with the highest contamination frequencies (10.1%-26.3%) seen for nut products, seeds, and grains/baked goods/flours. The sequence type profile of isolates recovered from homes mirrored that of isolates recovered from retail foods, with increased representation of ST1, ST4, ST13, ST17, and ST40. Analysis of 386 whole genomic sequences revealed significant diversity. Redundancies were only observed for isolates recovered from within the same domicile, and there were no identical matches with sequences archived at the NCBI pathogen database. Genes coding for putative virulence and antibiotic resistance factors did not segregate with clinically significant sequence types. Collectively, these findings support the possibility that contamination events occurring within the home should not be overlooked as a contributor to community-onset Cronobacter infections. IMPORTANCE Cronobacter sakazakii is an opportunistic pathogen that can cause significant morbidity and mortality in neonates. Its transmission dynamics are poorly understood, though powered infant formula (PIF) is thought to be the major transmission vehicle. How the PIF becomes contaminated remains unknown. Our survey shows that roughly 1/4 of US homes are contaminated with Cronobacter sakazakii, particularly in the kitchen setting. Our analyses suggest that the domestic environment may contribute to contamination of PIF and provides insights into mitigating the risk of transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mansour Samadpour
- IEH Laboratories and Consulting Group Inc., Lake Forest Park, Washington, USA
| | - Lora Benoit
- IEH Laboratories and Consulting Group Inc., Lake Forest Park, Washington, USA
| | - Sam Myoda
- IEH Laboratories and Consulting Group Inc., Lake Forest Park, Washington, USA
| | - Bada Hans
- IEH Laboratories and Consulting Group Inc., Lake Forest Park, Washington, USA
| | - Cesar Nadala
- IEH Laboratories and Consulting Group Inc., Lake Forest Park, Washington, USA
| | - Seong Hong Kim
- IEH Laboratories and Consulting Group Inc., Lake Forest Park, Washington, USA
| | - Eni Themeli
- IEH Laboratories and Consulting Group Inc., Lake Forest Park, Washington, USA
| | - Ruth Cantera
- IEH Laboratories and Consulting Group Inc., Lake Forest Park, Washington, USA
| | - Truyen Nguyen
- IEH Laboratories and Consulting Group Inc., Lake Forest Park, Washington, USA
| | - Hans Richter
- IEH Laboratories and Consulting Group Inc., Lake Forest Park, Washington, USA
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Wang XY, Li P, Du XJ, Wang S. Effect of glutathione-transport-related gene gsiD on desiccation tolerance of Cronobacter sakazakii and its related regulatory mechanism. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024; 90:e0156223. [PMID: 38289135 PMCID: PMC10880603 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01562-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The outstanding desiccation tolerance of Cronobacter sakazakii (C. sakazakii) enables long-term persistence in food products with low-water activity to increase the infection risk, especially in low-birth-weight, immuno-compromised neonates, and infants less than 4 weeks of age. In our previous study, the disruption of glutathione transport-related gene gsiD by transposon was found to significantly increase its inactivation rate under drying stress challenges. However, the mechanism underlying the association between glutathione transport and desiccation tolerance of C. sakazakii remains to be clarified. In this study, the mechanism underlying their association was investigated in detail by constructing the gsiD gene deletion mutant. gsiD gene deletion was found to cause the dysfunction of the glutathione transport system GsiABCD and the limitation of glutathione import. The resulting decrease in intracellular glutathione caused the decreased potassium ions uptake and increased potassium ions efflux, inhibited the proline synthesis process, limited extracellular glutathione utilization, increased oxidant stress, reduced biofilm formation, and increased outer membrane permeability, which may be the main reasons for the significant reduction of the desiccation tolerance of C. sakazakii.IMPORTANCEContributing to its superior environmental adaptability, Cronobacter sakazakii can survive under many abiotic stress conditions. The outstanding desiccation tolerance makes this species persist in low-water activity foods, which increases harm to humans. For decades, many studies have focused on the desiccation tolerance of C. sakazakii, but the existing research is still insufficient. Our study found that gsiD gene deletion inhibited glutathione uptake and further decreased intracellular glutathione content, causing a decrease in desiccation tolerance and biofilm formation and an increase in outer membrane permeability. Moreover, the expression level of relative genes verified that gsiD gene deletion made the mutant not conducive to surviving in dry conditions due to restricting potassium ions uptake and efflux, inhibiting the conversion of glutamate to compatible solute proline, and increasing the oxidative stress of C. sakazakii. The above results enrich our knowledge of the desiccation tolerance mechanism of C. sakazakii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-yi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, College of Food Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, China
| | - Ping Li
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, College of Food Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, China
| | - Xin-jun Du
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, College of Food Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, China
| | - Shuo Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, College of Food Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Food Science and Health, College of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
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Cechin CDF, Carvalho GG, Bastos CP, Kabuki DY. Cronobacter spp. in foods of plant origin: occurrence, contamination routes, and pathogenic potential. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2023; 63:12398-12412. [PMID: 35866516 DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2022.2101426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Cronobacter is an emerging bacterial pathogen associated with infections such as necrotizing enterocolitis, sepsis, and meningitis in neonates and infants, related to the consumption of powdered infant formula. In addition, this bacterium can also cause infections in adults by the ingestion of other foods. Thus, this review article aims to report the occurrence and prevalence of Cronobacter spp. in foods of plant origin, as well as the possible sources and routes of contamination in these products, and the presence of pathogenic strains in these foods. Cronobacter was present in a wide variety of cereal-based foods, vegetables, herbs, spices, ready-to-eat foods, and foods from other categories. This pathogen was also found in cultivation environments, such as soils, compost, animal feces, rice and vegetable crops, as well as food processing industries, and domestic environments, thus demonstrating possible contamination routes. Furthermore, sequence types (ST) involved in clinical cases and isolates resistant to antibiotics were found in Cronobacter strains isolated from food of plant origin. The identification of Cronobacter spp. in plant-based foods is of great importance to better elucidate the vehicles and routes of contamination in the primary production chain and processing facility, until the final consumption of the food, to prevent infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carine da Fonseca Cechin
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, School of Food Engineering, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Guimarães Carvalho
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, School of Food Engineering, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Caroline Peixoto Bastos
- Center of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Food Sciences, Federal University of Pelotas (UFPel), Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Dirce Yorika Kabuki
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, School of Food Engineering, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
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Garbowska M, Berthold-Pluta A, Stasiak-Różańska L, Pluta A, Forsythe S, Stefańska I. The Genotyping Diversity and Hemolytic Activity of Cronobacter spp. Isolated from Plant-Based Food Products in Poland. Foods 2023; 12:3873. [PMID: 37893766 PMCID: PMC10606190 DOI: 10.3390/foods12203873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The present study aimed to determine the genotyping diversity and hemolytic properties of 24 strains of Cronobacter spp. (15 Cronobacter sakazakii, 6 Cronobacter malonaticus, 2 Cronobacter turicensis, and 1 Cronobacter condimenti) isolated from commercial ready-to-eat leaf vegetables, sprouts, nuts, and dried fruits. The multilocus sequence typing (MLST) method was used to determine the sequence types (ST) and clonal complexes (CC) of these strains. The study demonstrated the high genotypic diversity of the Cronobacter genus bacteria isolated from plant-based foods. Five novel sequence types (804, 805, 806, 807, and 808) and the presence of novel alleles in the ppsA, gltB, gyrB, and infB loci were detected. In total, 16 of the 24 strains were assigned to the sequence types ST99, ST258, ST17, ST648, ST21, ST494, and ST98. One C. sakazakii strain (s12) isolated from alfalfa sprouts was assigned to the clonal complex CC4, which encompasses strains often associated with severe infections leading to meningitis in infants. In addition, 87.5% and 16.7% of the Cronobacter spp. strains showed β-hemolysis of equine and sheep red blood cells, respectively. The presence of the pathogenic species C. sakazakii, C. malonaticus, and C. turicensis in ready-to-eat plant-derived food products shows they are potential sources of infection, especially to those with compromised immunity, which substantiates their further multi-faceted characterization. The significance of this study may prove useful not only in epidemiological investigations, but also in assessing the risk of infections caused by the presence of Cronobacter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Garbowska
- Department of Technology and Food Assessment, Division of Milk Technology, Institute of Food Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland; (A.B.-P.); (L.S.-R.); (A.P.)
| | - Anna Berthold-Pluta
- Department of Technology and Food Assessment, Division of Milk Technology, Institute of Food Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland; (A.B.-P.); (L.S.-R.); (A.P.)
| | - Lidia Stasiak-Różańska
- Department of Technology and Food Assessment, Division of Milk Technology, Institute of Food Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland; (A.B.-P.); (L.S.-R.); (A.P.)
| | - Antoni Pluta
- Department of Technology and Food Assessment, Division of Milk Technology, Institute of Food Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland; (A.B.-P.); (L.S.-R.); (A.P.)
| | | | - Ilona Stefańska
- Department of Preclinical Sciences, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland;
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Guan N, Shi Y, Tong H, Yang Y, Li J, Guo D, Wang X, Shan Z, Lü X, Shi C. Inhibition of Cronobacter sakazakii Biofilm Formation and Expression of Virulence Factors by Coenzyme Q 0. Foodborne Pathog Dis 2023; 20:442-452. [PMID: 37669036 DOI: 10.1089/fpd.2023.0040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effects of coenzyme Q0 (CoQ0) on biofilm formation and the expression of virulence genes by Cronobacter sakazakii. We found that the minimum inhibitory concentration of CoQ0 against C. sakazakii strains ATCC29544 and ATCC29004 was 100 μg/mL, while growth curve assays showed that subinhibitory concentrations (SICs) of CoQ0 for both strains were 6.4, 3.2, 1.6 and 0.8 μg/mL. Assays exploring the inhibition of specific biofilm formation showed that SICs of CoQ0 inhibited biofilm formation by C. sakazakii in a dose-dependent manner, which was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy analyses. CoQ0 inhibited the swimming and swarming motility of C. sakazakii and reduced its ability to adhere to and invade HT-29 cells. In addition, CoQ0 impeded the ability of C. sakazakii to survive and replicate within RAW 264.7 cells. Finally, real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis confirmed that nine C. sakazakii genes associated with biofilm formation and virulence were downregulated in response to CoQ0 treatment. Overall, our findings suggest that CoQ0 is a promising antibiofilm agent and provide new insights for the prevention and control of infections caused by C. sakazakii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Guan
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Yiqi Shi
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Haoyu Tong
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Yanpeng Yang
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Jiahui Li
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Du Guo
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Xin Wang
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Zhongguo Shan
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Xin Lü
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Chao Shi
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
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Li Q, Li C, Chen L, Cai Z, Wu S, Gu Q, Zhang Y, Wei X, Zhang J, Yang X, Zhang S, Ye Q, Wu Q. Cronobacter spp. Isolated from Quick-Frozen Foods in China: Incidence, Genetic Characteristics, and Antibiotic Resistance. Foods 2023; 12:3019. [PMID: 37628018 PMCID: PMC10453260 DOI: 10.3390/foods12163019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Cronobacter spp. are emerging foodborne pathogens that cause severe diseases. However, information on Cronobacter contamination in quick-frozen foods in China is limited. Therefore, we studied the prevalence, molecular characterization, and antimicrobial susceptibility of Cronobacter in 576 quick-frozen food samples collected from 39 cities in China. Cronobacter spp. were found in 18.75% (108/576) of the samples, and the contamination degree of the total positive samples was 5.82 MPN/g. The contamination level of frozen flour product samples was high (44.34%). Among 154 isolates, 109 were C. sakazakii, and the main serotype was C. sakazakii O1 (44/154). Additionally, 11 serotypes existed among four species. Eighty-five sequence types (STs), including 22 novel ones, were assigned, indicating a relatively high genetic diversity of the Cronobacter in this food type. Pathogenic ST148, ST7, and ST1 were the main STs in this study. ST4, epidemiologically related to neonatal meningitis, was also identified. All strains were sensitive to cefepime, tobramycin, ciprofloxacin, and imipenem, in which the resistance to cephalothin was the highest (64.94%).Two isolates exhibited multidrug resistance to five and seven antimicrobial agents, respectively. In conclusion, these findings suggest that the comparatively high contamination level of Cronobacter spp. in quick-frozen foods is a potential risk warranting public attention.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Qingping Wu
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiomics and Precision Application (MARA), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China; (Q.L.); (C.L.); (L.C.); (Z.C.); (S.W.); (Q.G.); (Y.Z.); (X.W.); (J.Z.); (X.Y.); (S.Z.); (Q.Y.)
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Li Q, Li C, Ye Q, Gu Q, Wu S, Zhang Y, Wei X, Xue L, Chen M, Zeng H, Zhang J, Wu Q. Occurrence, molecular characterization and antibiotic resistance of Cronobacter spp. isolated from wet rice and flour products in Guangdong, China. Curr Res Food Sci 2023; 7:100554. [PMID: 37559946 PMCID: PMC10407891 DOI: 10.1016/j.crfs.2023.100554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
This study explored the prevalence of Cronobacter spp. in wet rice and flour products from Guangdong province, China, the molecular characteristics and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of the isolates were identified. Among 249 samples, 100 (40.16%) were positive for Cronobacter spp., including 77 wet rice and 23 wet flour products. Eleven serotypes were characterized among 136 isolates with C. sakazakii O2 (n = 32) predominating. Forty-nine MLST patterns were assigned, 15 of which were new. C. sakazakii ST4 (n = 17) was the dominant ST, which is previously reported to have caused three deaths; followed by C. malonaticus ST7 (n = 15), which is connected to adult infections. All strains presented susceptibility to ampicillin/sulbactam, imipenem, aztreonam and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. The isolates showed maximum resistance to cephalothin, and the resistance and intermediate rates were 91.91% and 3.68%, each. Two strains, croM234A1 and croM283-1, displayed resistance to three antibiotics. High contamination level and predominant number of pathogenic STs of Cronobacter in wet rice and flour products implied a potential risk to public healthiness. This survey could provide comprehensive information for establishing more targeted control methods for Cronobacter spp.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Qinghua Ye
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiomics and Precision Application (MARA), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, 510070, PR China
| | - Qihui Gu
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiomics and Precision Application (MARA), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, 510070, PR China
| | - Shi Wu
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiomics and Precision Application (MARA), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, 510070, PR China
| | - Youxiong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiomics and Precision Application (MARA), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, 510070, PR China
| | - Xianhu Wei
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiomics and Precision Application (MARA), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, 510070, PR China
| | - Liang Xue
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiomics and Precision Application (MARA), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, 510070, PR China
| | - Moutong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiomics and Precision Application (MARA), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, 510070, PR China
| | - Haiyan Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiomics and Precision Application (MARA), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, 510070, PR China
| | - Jumei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiomics and Precision Application (MARA), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, 510070, PR China
| | - Qingping Wu
- Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiomics and Precision Application (MARA), Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, 510070, PR China
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Mousavi ZE, Hunt K, Koolman L, Butler F, Fanning S. Cronobacter Species in the Built Food Production Environment: A Review on Persistence, Pathogenicity, Regulation and Detection Methods. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1379. [PMID: 37374881 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11061379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The powdered formula market is large and growing, with sales and manufacturing increasing by 120% between 2012 and 2021. With this growing market, there must come an increasing emphasis on maintaining a high standard of hygiene to ensure a safe product. In particular, Cronobacter species pose a risk to public health through their potential to cause severe illness in susceptible infants who consume contaminated powdered infant formula (PIF). Assessment of this risk is dependent on determining prevalence in PIF-producing factories, which can be challenging to measure with the heterogeneity observed in the design of built process facilities. There is also a potential risk of bacterial growth occurring during rehydration, given the observed persistence of Cronobacter in desiccated conditions. In addition, novel detection methods are emerging to effectively track and monitor Cronobacter species across the food chain. This review will explore the different vehicles that lead to Cronobacter species' environmental persistence in the food production environment, as well as their pathogenicity, detection methods and the regulatory framework surrounding PIF manufacturing that ensures a safe product for the global consumer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeinab Ebrahimzadeh Mousavi
- UCD-Centre for Food Safety, School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science, University College Dublin, D04 V1W8 Dublin, Ireland
- School of Biosystems and Food Engineering, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, D04 V1W8 Dublin, Ireland
- Department of Food Science and Engineering, Faculties of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj 6719418314, Iran
| | - Kevin Hunt
- School of Biosystems and Food Engineering, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, D04 V1W8 Dublin, Ireland
| | - Leonard Koolman
- UCD-Centre for Food Safety, School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science, University College Dublin, D04 V1W8 Dublin, Ireland
| | - Francis Butler
- School of Biosystems and Food Engineering, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, D04 V1W8 Dublin, Ireland
| | - Séamus Fanning
- UCD-Centre for Food Safety, School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science, University College Dublin, D04 V1W8 Dublin, Ireland
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Chang Y, Xia S, Fei P, Feng H, Fan F, Liu Y, Qin L, Ma L, Song Q, Liu Y. Houttuynia cordata Thunb. crude extract inactivates Cronobacter sakazakii: Antibacterial components, antibacterial mechanism, and application as a natural disinfectant. Food Control 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2022.109467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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Jaradat ZW, Al-Mousa WA, Elbetieha AM, Ababneh QO, Al-Nabulsi AA, Jang H, Gangiredla J, Patel IR, Gopinath GR, Tall BD. Virulence, antimicrobial susceptibility, and phylogenetic analysis of Cronobacter sakazakii isolates of food origins from Jordan. J Appl Microbiol 2022; 133:2528-2546. [PMID: 35858752 DOI: 10.1111/jam.15723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
AIMS to characterize a collection of Cronobacter sakazakii isolates collected from various origins in Jordan. METHODS AND RESULTS the isolates were characterized using 16S rRNA sequencing, DNA microarray, multi-locus sequence typing (MLST), O-serotyping, virulence gene identification, and antibiotic susceptibility testing. The identities and phylogenetic relatedness revealed that C. sakazakii sequence type 4 (ST4) and Csak O:1 serotype was the most prevalent STs and serovars among these C. sakazakii strains. PCR screening of putative virulence genes showed that the siderophore-interacting protein gene (sip) and iron acquisition gene clusters (eitCBAD and iucABCD/iutA) were the most detected genes with noticeable variability in the type 6 secretion system (T6SS) and filamentous hemagglutinin/adhesion (FHA) gene loci. The antibiotic resistance profiles revealed that the majority of the isolates were susceptible to all antibiotics used despite harboring a class C β-lactamase resistance gene. CONCLUSIONS the results described in this report provide additional insights about the considerable genotypic and phenotypic heterogeneity within C. sakazakii. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY the information reported in this study might be of great value in understanding the origins of C. sakazakii isolates, in addition to their diversity and variability, which might be helpful in preventing future outbreaks of this pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziad W Jaradat
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, P. O Box 3030, 22110, Jordan
| | - Waseem A Al-Mousa
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, P. O Box 3030, 22110, Jordan
| | - Ahmed M Elbetieha
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, P. O Box 3030, 22110, Jordan
| | - Qutaiba O Ababneh
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, P. O Box 3030, 22110, Jordan
| | - Anas A Al-Nabulsi
- Department of Nutrition and Food Technology, Jordan University of Science and Technology, P. O Box 3030, 22110, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Hyein Jang
- US Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, 20708, Laurel, MD
| | - Jayanthi Gangiredla
- US Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, 20708, Laurel, MD
| | - Isha R Patel
- US Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, 20708, Laurel, MD
| | - Gopal R Gopinath
- US Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, 20708, Laurel, MD
| | - Ben D Tall
- US Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, 20708, Laurel, MD
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Fei P, Jing H, Ma Y, Dong G, Chang Y, Meng Z, Jiang S, Xie Q, Li S, Chen X, Yang W. Cronobacter spp. in Commercial Powdered Infant Formula Collected From Nine Provinces in China: Prevalence, Genotype, Biofilm Formation, and Antibiotic Susceptibility. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:900690. [PMID: 35711752 PMCID: PMC9197194 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.900690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of Cronobacter spp. in commercial powdered infant formula (PIF) from nine provinces in China from March 2018 to September 2020, and to reveal the genotype, biofilm-forming ability, and antibiotic susceptibility of these isolates. A total of 27 Cronobacter strains, consisting of 22 Cronobacter sakazakii strains, 3 Cronobacter malonaticus strains, 1 Cronobacter turicensis strain, and 1 Cronobacter dublinensis strain, were isolated from 3,600 commercial PIF samples with a prevalence rate of 0.75%. Compared with the other 8 provinces, PIF from Shaanxi province had a higher prevalence rate (1.25%) of Cronobacter spp. These isolates were divided into 14 sequence types (STs), and 6 Cronobacter serotypes. The main Cronobacter STs were ST4, ST1, and ST64, and the dominant Cronobacter serotype was C. sakazakii serotype O2. Approximately 88.89% of Cronobacter isolates had a strong ability (OD595 > 1) to form biofilms on tinplate, among which the strains with ST4 were more dominant. All isolates were susceptible to ampicillin-sulbactam, ceftriaxone, cefotaxime, sulfadiazine, sulfadoxine, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, gentamicin, tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, and colistin, while 55.56 and 96.30% isolates were resistant to cephalothin and vancomycin, respectively. Taken together, our findings highlighted the contamination status and characterization of Cronobacter spp. in commercial PIF from nine provinces of China, and provided guidance for the effective prevention and control of this pathogen in the production of PIF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Fei
- School of Zhang Zhongjing Health Care and Food, Nanyang Institute of Technology, Nanyang, China
| | - He Jing
- School of Zhang Zhongjing Health Care and Food, Nanyang Institute of Technology, Nanyang, China
| | - Yan Ma
- School of Zhang Zhongjing Health Care and Food, Nanyang Institute of Technology, Nanyang, China
| | - Gege Dong
- School of Zhang Zhongjing Health Care and Food, Nanyang Institute of Technology, Nanyang, China
| | - Yunhe Chang
- Food and Pharmaceutical Engineering Institute, Guiyang University, Guiyang, China
| | - Zhaoxu Meng
- Inner Mongolia Meng Niu Dairy Industry (Group) Co. Ltd. R&D Center, Hohhot, China
| | | | - Qinggang Xie
- Heilongjiang Feihe Dairy Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Shuzhen Li
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Shenyang Medical College, Shenyang, China
| | - Xi Chen
- Institute of Integrated Agricultural Development Research, Guizhou Academy of Agriculrural Sciences, Guiyang, China
| | - Weiwei Yang
- The Department of Food Science, Shenyang Medical College, Shenyang Medical College, Shenyang, China
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12
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Fei P, Xing M, Feng Y, Liu S, Chang Y, Wang Y, Yu Y, Shi E, Zhang Y, Bian X, Chen J. Occurrence, Molecular Characterization, and Antibiotic Resistance of Cronobacter sakazakii in Goat Milk-Based Infant Formula from Shaanxi Province, China. Foodborne Pathog Dis 2022; 19:304-310. [PMID: 35447050 DOI: 10.1089/fpd.2021.0095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of Cronobacter sakazakii in goat milk-based infant formula (GIF) collected from Shaanxi Province, China, and reveal the molecular characterization and antibiotic resistance profile of these isolates. A total of 750 GIF samples were collected from the retail markets in 5 cities in Shaanxi Province from February 2019 to February 2021. Molecular characterization was investigated using multilocus sequence typing and O-antigen serotyping. Antibiotic resistance of C. sakazakii isolates was assessed using antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Thirty-two strains of C. sakazakii were isolated from GIF samples with a prevalence rate of 4.27% and were divided into 16 sequence types (STs); among them, ST4 (6/32, 18.75%) and ST21 (5/32, 15.63%) were dominant. Five C. sakazakii serotypes (O2, O1, O7, O4, and O3) were detected, and C. sakazakii serotype O2 (15/32, 46.88%) was the main. Of the 21 antimicrobials, isolates showed higher resistance against cephalothin (87.5%), amoxicillin (25%), azithromycin (18.75%), oxytetracycline (18.75%), ampicillin (12.5%), and streptomycin (12.5%). In addition, three isolates were found to be resistant to three antimicrobials. These findings revealed the potential epidemiological risk and characterization of C. sakazakii in GIF from Shaanxi Province, China, and provided reference data for the effective prevention and control of C. sakazakii in powdered infant formula.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Fei
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education, College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China.,School of Zhang Zhongjing Health Care and Food, Nanyang Institute of Technology, Nanyang, China.,College of Food and Bioengineering, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Min Xing
- College of Food and Bioengineering, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Yage Feng
- School of Zhang Zhongjing Health Care and Food, Nanyang Institute of Technology, Nanyang, China
| | - Shun Liu
- School of Zhang Zhongjing Health Care and Food, Nanyang Institute of Technology, Nanyang, China
| | - Yajing Chang
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education, College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Yao Wang
- College of Food and Bioengineering, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Yaping Yu
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education, College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Encong Shi
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education, College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Yaqing Zhang
- College of Food and Bioengineering, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Xin Bian
- Key Laboratory of Food Science and Engineering of Heilongjiang Province, College of Food Engineering, Harbin University of Commerce, Harbin, China
| | - Junliang Chen
- College of Food and Bioengineering, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
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13
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Posautz A, Szostak MP, Cabal Rosel A, Allerberger F, Stöger A, Rab G, Feßler AT, Spergser J, Kübber-Heiss A, Schwarz S, Forsythe SJ, Ruppitsch W, Loncaric I. Outbreak of Cronobacter turicensis in European brown hares (Lepus europaeus). Lett Appl Microbiol 2022; 74:1008-1015. [PMID: 35263446 DOI: 10.1111/lam.13685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
This is the first report of acute deaths in five European brown hares (Lepus europaeus) attributed to mucoid and necrotizing typhlocolitis caused by genetically different Cronobacter (C.) turicensis strains in northeastern Austria. As this opportunistic pathogen is mainly known for causing disease in immunocompromised humans and neonates, this previously unrecognized potential for a spillover from a wildlife reservoir to humans warrants further attention.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Anna Stöger
- Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gerhard Rab
- Institute of Hydraulic Engineering and Water Resources Management, University of Technology Vienna, Austria.,Institute for Land and Water Management Research, Federal Agency for Water Management, Petzenkirchen, Austria
| | - Andrea T Feßler
- Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Veterinary Centre for Resistance Research (TZR), Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163, Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | - Stefan Schwarz
- Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Veterinary Centre for Resistance Research (TZR), Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163, Berlin, Germany
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14
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Csorba C, Pajić M, Blagojević B, Forsythe S, Radinović M, Velebit B. Prevalence, characterization, and antibiotic susceptibility of Cronobacter spp. in a milk powder processing environment: The first reported case in Serbia. Food Sci Nutr 2022; 10:554-563. [PMID: 35154691 PMCID: PMC8825717 DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.2681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Cronobacter spp. are opportunistic foodborne pathogens that most often infect neonates and infants through contaminated powdered infant formula. No reports have been published in Serbia on the prevalence of Cronobacter spp. in powdered milk production environments. Consequently, this study aimed to determine the prevalence, molecular characterization, antimicrobial susceptibility, and biofilm-forming ability of Cronobacter spp. isolated from a milk powder plant. Hundred samples were collected from the production facility. Fifteen Cronobacter sakazakii strains were isolated and identified, giving a contamination rate of 15%. Using multi-locus sequence typing, the isolates were divided into five sequence types (STs). Cronobacter sakazakii ST4 (50%), ST1 (16.67%), and ST83 (16.67%) were the dominant STs isolated. A novel sequence type (ST759) was identified and registered in the Cronobacter MLST database. The results of the antibiotic susceptibility testing indicated that C. sakazakii strains were susceptible to piperacillin/tazobactam, ampicillin/sulbactam, and amoxicillin/clavulanate, especially to meropenem and cefotaxime. Most of the ST4 showed moderate-to-strong biofilm-forming ability. The presence of clinically relevant isolates (ST4, ST1, ST83, and ST8) revealed that the production plant is likely a potential concern for public health. Finally, finding new sequence types like the one detected in this study (ST759) underlines evolving genetic changes in C. sakazakii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Csaba Csorba
- Department of Veterinary MedicineFaculty of AgricultureUniversity of Novi SadNovi SadSerbia
| | - Marija Pajić
- Department of Veterinary MedicineFaculty of AgricultureUniversity of Novi SadNovi SadSerbia
| | - Bojan Blagojević
- Department of Veterinary MedicineFaculty of AgricultureUniversity of Novi SadNovi SadSerbia
| | | | - Miodrag Radinović
- Department of Veterinary MedicineFaculty of AgricultureUniversity of Novi SadNovi SadSerbia
| | - Branko Velebit
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular BiologyInstitute of Meat Hygiene and TechnologyBelgradeSerbia
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15
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Gao J, Han Z, Li P, Zhang H, Du X, Wang S. Outer Membrane Protein F Is Involved in Biofilm Formation, Virulence and Antibiotic Resistance in Cronobacter sakazakii. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9112338. [PMID: 34835462 PMCID: PMC8619257 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9112338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
In some Gram-negative bacteria, ompF encodes outer membrane protein F (OmpF), which is a cation-selective porin and is responsible for the passive transport of small molecules across the outer membrane. However, there are few reports about the functions of this gene in Cronobacter sakazakii. To investigate the role of ompF in detail, an ompF disruption strain (ΔompF) and a complementation strain (cpompF) were successfully obtained. We find that OmpF can affect the ability of biofilm formation in C. sakazakii. In addition, the variations in biofilm composition of C. sakazakii were examined using Raman spectroscopy analyses caused by knocking out ompF, and the result indicated that the levels of certain biofilm components, including lipopolysaccharide (LPS), were significantly decreased in the mutant (ΔompF). Then, SDS-PAGE was used to further analyze the LPS content, and the result showed that the LPS levels were significantly reduced in the absence of ompF. Therefore, we conclude that OmpF affects biofilm formation in C. sakazakii by reducing the amount of LPS. Furthermore, the ΔompF mutant showed decreased (2.7-fold) adhesion to and invasion of HCT-8 cells. In an antibiotic susceptibility analysis, the ΔompF mutant showed significantly smaller inhibition zones than the WT, indicating that OmpF had a positive effect on the influx of antibiotics into the cells. In summary, ompF plays a positive regulatory role in the biofilm formation and adhesion/invasion, which is achieved by regulating the amount of LPS, but is a negative regulator of antibiotic resistance in C. sakazakii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianxin Gao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology of Shandong Province, Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, School of Life Science, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014, China; (J.G.); (H.Z.)
| | - Zhonghui Han
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Qilu University of Technology, Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan 250353, China;
| | - Ping Li
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China;
| | - Hongyan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology of Shandong Province, Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, School of Life Science, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014, China; (J.G.); (H.Z.)
| | - Xinjun Du
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China;
- Correspondence: (X.D.); (S.W.)
| | - Shuo Wang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Food Science and Health, School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
- Correspondence: (X.D.); (S.W.)
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16
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Qu Y, Wei C, Dai X, Bai Y, Zhao X, Lan Q, Wang W, Wu Y, Gao M, Tang W, Zhou C, Suo Y. The Possible Transmission and Potential Enterotoxicity of Bacillus cereus on Lettuce Farms in Five Chinese Provinces. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:746632. [PMID: 34659182 PMCID: PMC8517410 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.746632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacillus cereus is a well-characterized human pathogen that produces toxins associated with diarrheal and emetic foodborne diseases. To investigate the possible transmission of B. cereus on lettuce farms in China and determine its enterotoxicity, (I) a total of 524 samples (lettuce: 332, soil: 69, water: 57, manure: 57, pesticide: 9) were collected from 46 lettuce farms in five Chinese provinces, (II) multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was used to classify B. cereus isolates and for trace analysis, and (III) the presence of toxin genes and enterotoxins (Hbl and Nhe) was detected in 68 strains. The results showed that one hundred and sixty-one lettuce samples (48.5%) tested positive for B. cereus at levels ranging from 10 to 5.3 × 104 CFU/g. Among the environmental sample categories surveyed, the highest positive rate was that of the pesticide samples at 55.6%, followed by soil samples at 52.2% and manure samples at 12.3%. Moreover, one hundred isolates of B. cereus yielded 68 different sequence types (STs) and were classified into five phylogenetic clades. Furthermore, Nhe toxin genes (nheA, nheB, nheC) were broadly distributed and identified in all 68 strains (100%), while Hbl toxin genes (hblA, hblC, hblD) were present in 61 strains (89.7%), entFM was detected in 62 strains (91.2%), and cytK was found in 29 strains (42.6%). All strains were negative for ces. As for the enterotoxin, Nhe was observed in all 68 isolates carrying nheB, while Hbl was present in 76.5% (52/68) of the strains harboring hblC. This study is the first report of possible B. cereus transmission and of its potential enterotoxicity on lettuce farms in China. The results showed that soil and pesticides are the main sources of B. cereus on lettuce farms in China, and the possible transmission routes are as follows: soil-lettuce, manure-lettuce, pesticide-lettuce, manure-soil-lettuce, and water-manure-soil-lettuce. Furthermore, the B. cereus isolates, whether from lettuce or the environment, pose a potential risk to health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Qu
- Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Agro-Products of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute for Agro-Food Standards and Testing Technology, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Co-Elite Agro-Food Testing Service Co., Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Chao Wei
- Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Agro-Products of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology for Agro-Products of Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaohang Dai
- Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Agro-Products of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology for Agro-Products of Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | - Yalong Bai
- Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Agro-Products of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute for Agro-Food Standards and Testing Technology, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin Zhao
- Institute of Germplasm Resources and Biotechnology, Tianjin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Tianjin, China
| | - Qingkuo Lan
- Institute of Germplasm Resources and Biotechnology, Tianjin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Tianjin, China
| | - Wenbo Wang
- Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Agro-Products of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Agricultural Standards and Testing Technology for Agri-Products, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Yuanjuan Wu
- Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Agro-Products of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Agricultural Standards and Testing Technology for Agri-Products, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, China
| | - Min Gao
- Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Agro-Products Processing of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, China
| | - Weihao Tang
- Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Agro-Products Processing of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, China
| | - Changyan Zhou
- Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Agro-Products of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute for Agro-Food Standards and Testing Technology, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Co-Elite Agro-Food Testing Service Co., Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Yujuan Suo
- Laboratory of Quality and Safety Risk Assessment for Agro-Products of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute for Agro-Food Standards and Testing Technology, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Co-Elite Agro-Food Testing Service Co., Ltd., Shanghai, China
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17
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Lachowska M, Izdebski R, Urbanowicz P, Żabicka D, Królak-Olejnik B. Infection of Cronobacter sakazakii ST1 Producing SHV-12 in a Premature Infant Born from Triplet Pregnancy. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9091878. [PMID: 34576773 PMCID: PMC8469300 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9091878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Cronobacter sakazakii can cause severe life-threatening invasive infections in neonates, with a high mortality rate mostly associated with powdered infant formula consumption. The study describes a fatal C. sakazakii infection in premature infant fed only with expressed human milk. Despite the identification of etiological factor from patient's blood, the epidemiological investigation, including mother's skin, hospital surfaces, milk expressing devices, and milk samples, did not show bacterial contamination. The infection was caused by C. sakazakii ST1, being one of the leading genotypes reported in invasive infections. The phylogenetic analysis of the international collection of the ST1 organisms allowed us to identify the isolate as a member of the main cluster. The pathogenic potential of the isolate was augmented by the presence of IncFIB-like molecule representing virulence plasmids of pESA-3 family. Isolate presented ESBL phenotype associated with blaSHV-12 gene harboured by IncX3 plasmid. The described case gave valuable information to genetics of Cronobacter, and also urges the need of wider whole-genome sequencing implementation as a part of diagnostic procedure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Lachowska
- Department of Neonatology, Wrocław Medical University, 50-556 Wrocław, Poland; (M.L.); (B.K.-O.)
| | - Radosław Izdebski
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, National Medicines Institute, 00-725 Warsaw, Poland;
- Correspondence:
| | - Paweł Urbanowicz
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, National Medicines Institute, 00-725 Warsaw, Poland;
| | - Dorota Żabicka
- Department of Epidemiology and Clinical Microbiology, National Medicines Institute, 00-725 Warsaw, Poland;
| | - Barbara Królak-Olejnik
- Department of Neonatology, Wrocław Medical University, 50-556 Wrocław, Poland; (M.L.); (B.K.-O.)
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18
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Gan X, Li M, Yan S, Wang X, Wang W, Li F. Genomic Landscape and Phenotypic Assessment of Cronobacter sakazakii Isolated From Raw Material, Environment, and Production Facilities in Powdered Infant Formula Factories in China. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:686189. [PMID: 34354686 PMCID: PMC8329244 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.686189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Cronobacter is a foodborne pathogen associated with severe infections and high mortality in neonates. The bacterium may also cause gastroenteritis, septicemia, and urinary tract and wound infectious in adults. A total of 15 Cronobacter isolates collected from 617 raw materials and environment samples from Powdered Infant Formula manufacturing factories during 2016 in Shaanxi, China, were analyzed for antimicrobial susceptibilities, species identification, biofilm formation, and whole-genome sequencing. The results showed that all 15 isolates were Cronobacter sakazakii, while the antimicrobial susceptibility test showed that all 15 C. sakazakii were pan susceptible. Most isolates were able to produce a weak biofilm, and two isolates from soil samples produced a strong biofilm formation. All isolates were classified into seven STs including ST4, ST40, ST64, ST93, ST148, ST256, and ST494, with ST64 (4/15, 26.7%) being dominant, and most were clinically related. The isolates harbored at least 11 virulence genes and two plasmids, with one isolate being positive for all virulence genes. Phylogenetic and ANI analysis showed strong clustering by sequence types and isolates from different sources or regions with a similar genomic background. The fact that isolates were obtained from raw materials and environment samples of PIF facilities shared a close phylogeny with one another suggests that cross-contamination events may have occurred between the processing room and external environments, which may give rise to a recurring risk of a continuous contamination during production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Gan
- Key Laboratory of Food Safety Risk Assessment, National Health Commission, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, China
| | - Menghan Li
- Key Laboratory of Food Safety Risk Assessment, National Health Commission, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, China
| | - Shaofei Yan
- Key Laboratory of Food Safety Risk Assessment, National Health Commission, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaofei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Food Safety Risk Assessment, National Health Commission, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Food Safety Risk Assessment, National Health Commission, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, China
| | - Fengqin Li
- Key Laboratory of Food Safety Risk Assessment, National Health Commission, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, China
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19
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Sulaiman IM, Tang K, Segars K, Miranda N, Sulaiman N, Simpson S. Application of MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, and DNA sequencing-based SLST and MLST analysis for the identification of Cronobacter spp. isolated from environmental surveillance samples. Arch Microbiol 2021; 203:4813-4820. [PMID: 34196749 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-021-02465-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Cronobacter spp. are emerging infectious foodborne bacteria that can cause acute meningitis and necrotizing enterocolitis in neonates and immunocompromised individuals. Although, little is known about its reservoirs or transmission routes, it has been linked to powdered infant formula worldwide. Three Cronobacter spp. (C. sakazakii, C. malonaticus, and C. turicensis) have been described as more virulent, and isolated frequently from infant meningitis cases. The estimated mortality rates are as high as 80% in infants. Thus, surveillance and typing of Cronobacter spp. isolated from food and environmental samples is essential to prevent contamination and spread of this pathogen. In this study, we have characterized 83 Cronobacter isolates recovered from various environmental samples by conventional microbiologic protocols. Species identification was accomplished by VITEK 2 system and real-time PCR analysis. Subsequently, these isolates were analyzed using VITEK MS system. Single locus sequence typing (SLST) was achieved by characterizing the regions of 16S rRNA and rpoB genes. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was performed by sequence characterization of seven housekeeping genes (atpD, fusA, glnS, gltB, gyrB, infB, and pps) using ABI 3500XL Genetic Analyzer. VITEK MS system identified, the majority of isolates as Cronobacter sakazakii with a high confidence value (99.9%). MLST analysis ascertained 12 distinct clonal complexes (CC1, CC4, CC8, CC13, CC17, CC21, CC31, CC40, CC52, CC64, CC73, and CC83) for the recovered C. sakazakii isolates. The results suggest that the MALDI-TOF MS is a reliable diagnostic tool for rapid species identification whereas 7-loci MLST is a powerful technique to discriminate and differentiate Cronobacter spp. isolates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irshad M Sulaiman
- Microbiological Sciences Branch, Southeast Food and Feed Laboratory, Office of Regulatory Science, Office of Regulatory Affairs, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 60, Eighth Street NE, Atlanta, GA, 30309, USA.
| | - Kevin Tang
- Biotechnology Core Facility Branch, Division of Scientific Resources, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, NE, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - Katharine Segars
- Microbiological Sciences Branch, Southeast Food and Feed Laboratory, Office of Regulatory Science, Office of Regulatory Affairs, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 60, Eighth Street NE, Atlanta, GA, 30309, USA
| | - Nancy Miranda
- Microbiological Sciences Branch, Southeast Food and Feed Laboratory, Office of Regulatory Science, Office of Regulatory Affairs, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 60, Eighth Street NE, Atlanta, GA, 30309, USA
| | - Nikhat Sulaiman
- Biotechnology Core Facility Branch, Division of Scientific Resources, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, NE, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - Steven Simpson
- Microbiological Sciences Branch, Southeast Food and Feed Laboratory, Office of Regulatory Science, Office of Regulatory Affairs, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 60, Eighth Street NE, Atlanta, GA, 30309, USA
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20
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Parra-Flores J, Holý O, Riffo F, Lepuschitz S, Maury-Sintjago E, Rodríguez-Fernández A, Cruz-Córdova A, Xicohtencatl-Cortes J, Mancilla-Rojano J, Troncoso M, Figueroa G, Ruppitsch W, Forsythe S. Profiling the Virulence and Antibiotic Resistance Genes of Cronobacter sakazakii Strains Isolated From Powdered and Dairy Formulas by Whole-Genome Sequencing. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:694922. [PMID: 34276629 PMCID: PMC8278472 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.694922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cronobacter sakazakii is an enteropathogen that causes neonatal meningitis, septicemia, and necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm infants and newborns with a mortality rate of 15 to 80%. Powdered and dairy formulas (P-DF) have been implicated as major transmission vehicles and subsequently the presence of this pathogen in P-DF led to product recalls in Chile in 2017. The objective of this study was to use whole genome sequencing (WGS) and laboratory studies to characterize Cronobacter strains from the contaminated products. Seven strains were identified as C. sakazakii, and the remaining strain was Franconibacter helveticus. All C. sakazakii strains adhered to a neuroblastoma cell line, and 31 virulence genes were predicted by WGS. The antibiograms varied between strains. and included mcr-9.1 and bla CSA genes, conferring resistance to colistin and cephalothin, respectively. The C. sakazakii strains encoded I-E and I-F CRISPR-Cas systems, and carried IncFII(pECLA), Col440I, and Col(pHHAD28) plasmids. In summary, WGS enabled the identification of C. sakazakii strains and revealed multiple antibiotic resistance and virulence genes. These findings support the decision to recall the contaminated powdered and dairy formulas from the Chilean market in 2017.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio Parra-Flores
- Department of Nutrition and Public Health, Universidad del Bío-Bío, Chillán, Chile
| | - Ondrej Holý
- Department of Public Health, Palacký University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czechia
| | | | - Sarah Lepuschitz
- Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Vienna, Austria
| | | | | | - Ariadnna Cruz-Córdova
- Intestinal Bacteriology Research Laboratory, Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Juan Xicohtencatl-Cortes
- Intestinal Bacteriology Research Laboratory, Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Jetsi Mancilla-Rojano
- Intestinal Bacteriology Research Laboratory, Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez, Mexico City, Mexico
- Faculty of Medicine, Biological Sciences Graduate Program, Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Miriam Troncoso
- Microbiology and Probiotics Laboratory, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Guillermo Figueroa
- Microbiology and Probiotics Laboratory, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Werner Ruppitsch
- Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Vienna, Austria
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21
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Hayashi S, Takinami Y, Watari T. Urinary Tract Infection Caused by Cronobacter sakazakii. Cureus 2021; 13:e15780. [PMID: 34295590 PMCID: PMC8291509 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.15780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
A 69-year-old man presented to the ED of our hospital with fever, loss of appetite, malaise, and pyuria and was admitted. He was diagnosed as having Cronobacter sakazakii urinary infection. We instituted treatment with cefmetazole, and he was discharged on hospital day 7. C. sakazakii is a rare infection in adults in Japan. C. sakazakii urinary infection usually occurs as an opportunistic infection in immunocompromised adults or older adults. This patient was not immunocompromised, so Cronobacter spp. should be recognized as potential pathogens in non-diabetic, non-immunocompromised adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinichiro Hayashi
- Postgraduate Clinical Training Center, Shimane University Hospital, Shimane, JPN
| | - Yoshikazu Takinami
- Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Shimane University Hospital, Shimane, JPN
| | - Takashi Watari
- Healthcare Quality and Safety, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA.,General Medicine Center, Shimane University Hospital, Izumo, JPN
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22
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Qin X, Wang H, Miao C, Yang X, Zhang Y, Feng J, Forsythe SJ, Man C, Jiang Y. Comparative genomics reveals environmental adaptation differences between Cronobacter species. Food Res Int 2021; 147:110541. [PMID: 34399518 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2021.110541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 06/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The genus Cronobacter is an opportunistic food-borne pathogen which is able to adapt to diverse environments and shows considerable genetic diversity. Genomic analysis can be used to reveal the variation across the genus with respect to virulence, drug resistance and factors involved in horizontal gene transfer mechanisms, such as integrons, conjugative plasmids, and recombinases. In this study, whole-genome comparative analysis of 27 Cronobacter genomes (12 existing and 15 newly assembled genomes) was performed. A total of 110,010 protein-coding genes were grouped into 11,262 clusters, including 2637 core genes, 4814 strain-specific genes and 3811 dispensable genes. Clusters of Orthologous Groups (COG) analysis indicated that 97.35% of the core genes were for substrate transport and metabolism, and the antibiotic resistance genetic determinants were classified into 136 antibiotic resistance ontologies (AROs). A total of 80 genomic islands (GIs) were identified which contained several type VI secretion system gene clusters, and these were likely to have been acquired by horizontal gene transfer. This study has generated a comprehensive characterization of the genus Cronobacter, leading to a better understanding of the mechanisms and ecological functions among the genome features, speciation, and environmental adaptation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Qin
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education, College of Food Science and Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Hao Wang
- College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Chao Miao
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education, College of Food Science and Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Xinyan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education, College of Food Science and Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | - Yanming Zhang
- SinoGenoMax Co., Ltd./Chinese National Human Genome Center, Beijing 100176, China
| | - Jing Feng
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education, College of Food Science and Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China
| | | | - Chaoxin Man
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education, College of Food Science and Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China.
| | - Yujun Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education, College of Food Science and Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin 150030, China.
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23
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Wang X, Wang Y, Ling N, Shen Y, Zhang D, Liu D, Ou D, Wu Q, Ye Y. Effects of tolC on tolerance to bile salts and biofilm formation in Cronobacter malonaticus. J Dairy Sci 2021; 104:9521-9531. [PMID: 34099300 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2021-20128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Bile salts is one of essential components of bile secreted into the intestine to confer antibacterial protection. Cronobacter species are associated with necrotizing enterocolitis in newborns and show a strong tolerance to bile salts. However, little attempt has been made to focus on the molecular basis of the tolerance to bile salts. In this study, we investigated the roles of tolC on growth, cell morphology, motility, and biofilm formation ability in Cronobacter malonaticus under bile salt stress. The results indicated that the absence of tolC significantly affected the colony morphology and outer membrane structure in a normal situation, compared with those of the wild type strain. The deletion of tolC caused the decline in resistance to bile salt stress, inhibition of growth, and observable reduction in relative growth rate and motility. Moreover, the bacterial stress response promoted the biofilm formation ability of the mutant strain. The expression of the AcrAB-TolC system (acrA, acrB, and tolC) was effectively upregulated compared with the control sample when exposed to different bile salt concentrations. The findings provide valuable information for deeply understanding molecular mechanisms about the roles of tolC under bile salt stress and the prevention and control of C. malonaticus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Wang
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Yaping Wang
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Na Ling
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Yizhong Shen
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Danfeng Zhang
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Dengyu Liu
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Dexin Ou
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China
| | - Qingping Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510070, China.
| | - Yingwang Ye
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China.
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24
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Potential Mobilization of mcr-10 by an Integrative Mobile Element via Site-Specific Recombination in Cronobacter sakazakii. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2021; 65:AAC.01717-20. [PMID: 33199393 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01717-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
mcr-10 is a newly identified plasmid-borne colistin resistance gene, but its mobilization mechanism remains unclear. In this study, mcr-10 was found on an IncFIB plasmid carrying virulence genes mrkABCDFJ, iucABCD/iutA, and eitCBAD in a Cronobacter sakazakii isolate. By comparison with closely related plasmids, two recombination sites were identified flanking the genetic element containing mcr-10 and an integrase-encoding gene, suggesting that site-specific recombination mediated by an integrase of an integrative mobile element is a potential mechanism for mobilizing mcr-10.
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25
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Ling N, Jiang Y, Zeng H, Ding Y, Forsythe S. Advances in our understanding and distribution of the Cronobacter genus in China. J Food Sci 2021; 86:276-283. [PMID: 33438222 DOI: 10.1111/1750-3841.15577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
This review considers how research in China has progressed our understanding and subsequent improved control of Cronobacter. This emergent bacterial pathogen is associated with neonatal infections through the ingestion of contaminated prepared feed. The review includes large-scale surveys of various sources of the organism, including infant formula production facilities. The analysis of over 20,000 samples is presented. Over 10,000 being from powdered infant formula and other infant foods as well as environmental sampling of production facilities, the remaining being from food, food ingredients, and human carriage. A major advance in China was adopting DNA-sequence-based methods (that is, multilocus sequence typing, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-cas array profiling, and single-nucleotide polymorphism analysis) for the identification and genotyping of the organism. These methods have considerably advanced our understanding of the taxonomy, ecology, and virulence of this organism. In turn, this has improved source tracking of the organism both in infant formula production facilities and epidemiological investigations. Furthermore, whole-genome sequencing has revealed a range of virulence and persistence mechanisms as well as plasmid-borne multidrug resistance traits. China now has reliable and robust methods for accurate microbial source tracking of Cronobacter for use both in the food production environment and epidemiological analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Ling
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China.,Guangdong Institute of Microbiology & Guangdong Academy of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application & Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangzhou, 510070, China
| | - Yujun Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education, College of Food Science and Engineering, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, China
| | - Haiyan Zeng
- Guangdong Institute of Microbiology & Guangdong Academy of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application & Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangzhou, 510070, China
| | - Yu Ding
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition, College of Science & Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 510632, China
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26
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Molecular Characterization of Cronobacter sakazakii Strains Isolated from Powdered Milk. Foods 2020; 10:foods10010020. [PMID: 33374633 PMCID: PMC7822459 DOI: 10.3390/foods10010020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cronobacter spp. are opportunistic pathogens of the Enterobacteriaceae family. The organism causes infections in all age groups, but the most serious cases occur in outbreaks related to neonates with meningitis and necrotizing enterocolitis. The objective was to determine the in silico and in vitro putative virulence factors of six Cronobacter sakazakii strains isolated from powdered milk (PM) in the Czech Republic. Strains were identified by MALDI-TOF MS and whole-genome sequencing (WGS). Virulence and resistance genes were detected with the Ridom SeqSphere+ software task template and the Comprehensive Antibiotic Resistance Database (CARD) platform. Adherence and invasion ability were performed using the mouse neuroblastoma (N1E-115 ATCCCRL-2263) cell line. The CRISPR-Cas system was searched with CRISPRCasFinder. Core genome MLST identified four different sequence types (ST1, ST145, ST245, and ST297) in six isolates. Strains 13755-1B and 1847 were able to adhere in 2.2 and 3.2 × 106 CFU/mL, while 0.00073% invasion frequency was detected only in strain 1847. Both strains 13755-1B and 1847 were positive for three (50.0%) and four virulence genes, respectively. The cpa gene was not detected. Twenty-eight genes were detected by WGS and grouped as flagellar or outer membrane proteins, chemotaxis, hemolysins, and invasion, plasminogen activator, colonization, transcriptional regulator, and survival in macrophages. The colistin-resistance-encoding mcr-9.1 and cephalothin-resis-encoding blaCSA genes and IncFII(pECLA) and IncFIB(pCTU3) plasmids were detected. All strains exhibited CRISPR matrices and four of them two type I-E and I-F matrices. Combined molecular methodologies improve Cronobacter spp. decision-making for health authorities to protect the population.
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27
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Li C, Zeng H, Zhang J, Luo D, Chen M, Lei T, Yang X, Wu H, Cai S, Ye Y, Ding Y, Wang J, Wu Q. Cronobacter spp. isolated from aquatic products in China: Incidence, antibiotic resistance, molecular characteristic and CRISPR diversity. Int J Food Microbiol 2020; 335:108857. [PMID: 32947144 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2020.108857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2020] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Cronobacter species (Cronobacter spp.) are important foodborne pathogens that can infect and cause serious life-threatening diseases in infants and immunocompromised elderly. This study aimed to acquire data on Cronobacter spp. contamination of aquatic products in China from 2011 to 2016. In total, 800 aquatic products were tested, and the overall contamination rate for Cronobacter spp. was 3.9% (31/800). The average contamination level of the positive samples was 2.05 MPN/g. Four species and nine serotypes were identified among 33 isolates, of which the C. sakazakii serogroup O1 (n = 9) was the primary serotype. The majority of Cronobacter spp. strains harbored highest resistance against cephalothin (84.8%), followed by tetracycline (6.1%), trimethoprim/sulfameth-oxazole (3.0%) and chloramphenicol (3.0%). Two isolates were resistant to three antibiotics. In total, 26 sequence types and 33 CRISPR types (including 6 new STs and 26 new CTs) were identified, which indicates the extremely high diversity of Cronobacter spp. in aquatic products. Pathogenic C. sakazakii ST4, ST1, and C. malonaticus ST7 were also observed. Overall, this large-scale study revealed the relatively low prevalence and high genetic diversity of Cronobacter spp. in aquatic products in China, and the findings provide valuable information that can guide the establishment of effective measures for the control and precaution of Cronobacter spp. in aquatic products during production processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengsi Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong, Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China
| | - Haiyan Zeng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong, Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China
| | - Jumei Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong, Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China
| | - Dandan Luo
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong, Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China
| | - Moutong Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong, Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China
| | - Tao Lei
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong, Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China
| | - Xiaojuan Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong, Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China
| | - Haoming Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong, Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China
| | - Shuzhen Cai
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong, Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China
| | - Yingwang Ye
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong, Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China
| | - Yu Ding
- Department of Food Science &Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Juan Wang
- College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qingping Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Safety and Health, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong, Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510070, China.
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28
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Carvalho GG, Calarga AP, Teodoro JR, Queiroz MM, Astudillo-Trujillo CA, Levy CE, Brocchi M, Kabuki DY. Isolation, comparison of identification methods and antibiotic resistance of Cronobacter spp. in infant foods. Food Res Int 2020; 137:109643. [PMID: 33233222 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2020.109643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Cronobacter spp. are opportunistic pathogens that cause serious infections, especially in infants, elderly, and immunocompromised people. Dehydrated infant foods are the main vehicle associated with infections caused by these bacteria. Thus, this study aims to investigate the occurrence of Cronobacter spp. in 152 commercial samples of dehydrated infant formulas (77 samples) and dehydrated infant cereals (75 samples), as well as characterize the isolates. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/MS) methods for isolate identification were used, and their results compared. Furthermore, the susceptibility to 11 antibiotics was tested, and DNA sequencing of one isolate with multi-drug resistance was analyzed. No contamination in the infant formula samples was found, whereas 17.33% (13/75) of the infant cereal samples presented contamination with Cronobacter sakazakii. The identification results by PCR and MALDI-TOF/MS were divergent for some isolates. The antimicrobial resistance results showed a high incidence of resistance to cefazolin (94.4%) besides resistance to amoxicillin (9.45%), cefpodoxime (5.55%), streptomycin (1.35%), and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (1.35%). Whole genome sequencing of one multi-drug resistant isolate showed six genes associated with antimicrobial resistance and an 82% possibility of being a human pathogen based on the presence of virulence factors. The presence of Cronobacter spp. in infant foods represents a risk for the infant's health. Moreover, the presence of a pathogenic multi-drug resistant isolate in infant's food reinforces the necessity of improving food safety policies to protect young children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Guimarães Carvalho
- Department of Food Science, School of Food Engineering, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil.
| | - Aline Parolin Calarga
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Josie Roberta Teodoro
- Department of Food Science, School of Food Engineering, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Murilo Mariz Queiroz
- Department of Food Science, School of Food Engineering, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Carlos Emilio Levy
- Department of Clinical Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Brocchi
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Dirce Yorika Kabuki
- Department of Food Science, School of Food Engineering, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil.
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29
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Hua J, Jia X, Zhang L, Li Y. The Characterization of Two-Component System PmrA/PmrB in Cronobacter sakazakii. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:903. [PMID: 32655500 PMCID: PMC7326031 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Cronobacter sakazakii is an opportunistic Gram-negative pathogen that could cause meningitis and necrotizing enterocolitis. Several Gram-negative bacteria use the PmrA/PmrB system to sense and adapt to environmental change by resistance to cationic antimicrobial peptides of host immune systems. The PmrA/PmrB two-component system regulates several genes to modify LPS structure in the bacterial outer membrane. The role of PmrA/PmrB of C. sakazakii has been studied within the current study. The results suggest that PmrA/PmrB plays a crucial role in modifying LPS structure, cationic antimicrobial peptide susceptibility, cell membrane permeability and hydrophobicity, and invading macrophage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Hua
- National Engineering Laboratory for Cereal Fermentation Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Xiangyin Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Liang Zhang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Cereal Fermentation Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Yanyan Li
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
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30
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Oluwaseun Alegbeleye O, Sant’Ana AS. Understanding the public health burden of unconventional produce-associated enteropathogens. Curr Opin Food Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cofs.2020.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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31
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Jang H, Gopinath GR, Eshwar A, Srikumar S, Nguyen S, Gangiredla J, Patel IR, Finkelstein SB, Negrete F, Woo J, Lee Y, Fanning S, Stephan R, Tall BD, Lehner A. The Secretion of Toxins and Other Exoproteins of Cronobacter: Role in Virulence, Adaption, and Persistence. Microorganisms 2020; 8:E229. [PMID: 32046365 PMCID: PMC7074816 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8020229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Revised: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
: Cronobacter species are considered an opportunistic group of foodborne pathogenic bacteria capable of causing both intestinal and systemic human disease. This review describes common virulence themes shared among the seven Cronobacter species and describes multiple exoproteins secreted by Cronobacter, many of which are bacterial toxins that may play a role in human disease. The review will particularly concentrate on the virulence factors secreted by C. sakazakii, C. malonaticus, and C. turicensis, which are the primary human pathogens of interest. It has been discovered that various species-specific virulence factors adversely affect a wide range of eukaryotic cell processes including protein synthesis, cell division, and ion secretion. Many of these factors are toxins which have been shown to also modulate the host immune response. These factors are encoded on a variety of mobile genetic elements such as plasmids and transposons; this genomic plasticity implies ongoing re-assortment of virulence factor genes which has complicated our efforts to categorize Cronobacter into sharply defined genomic pathotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyein Jang
- Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Laurel, MD 20708, USA; (H.J.); (J.G.); (F.N.); (J.W.); (Y.L.)
| | - Gopal R. Gopinath
- Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Laurel, MD 20708, USA; (H.J.); (J.G.); (F.N.); (J.W.); (Y.L.)
| | - Athmanya Eshwar
- Institute for Food Safety and Hygiene, University of Zurich, Zurich CH-8006 Zürich, Switzerland; (A.E.); (R.S.); (A.L.)
| | - Shabarinath Srikumar
- UCD-Centre for Food Safety, Science Centre South, University College Dublin, Dublin Belfield, Dublin 4, D04 V1W8, Ireland; (S.S.); (S.N.); (S.F.)
| | - Scott Nguyen
- UCD-Centre for Food Safety, Science Centre South, University College Dublin, Dublin Belfield, Dublin 4, D04 V1W8, Ireland; (S.S.); (S.N.); (S.F.)
| | - Jayanthi Gangiredla
- Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Laurel, MD 20708, USA; (H.J.); (J.G.); (F.N.); (J.W.); (Y.L.)
| | - Isha R. Patel
- Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Laurel, MD 20708, USA; (H.J.); (J.G.); (F.N.); (J.W.); (Y.L.)
| | - Samantha B. Finkelstein
- Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Laurel, MD 20708, USA; (H.J.); (J.G.); (F.N.); (J.W.); (Y.L.)
| | - Flavia Negrete
- Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Laurel, MD 20708, USA; (H.J.); (J.G.); (F.N.); (J.W.); (Y.L.)
| | - JungHa Woo
- Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Laurel, MD 20708, USA; (H.J.); (J.G.); (F.N.); (J.W.); (Y.L.)
| | - YouYoung Lee
- Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Laurel, MD 20708, USA; (H.J.); (J.G.); (F.N.); (J.W.); (Y.L.)
| | - Séamus Fanning
- UCD-Centre for Food Safety, Science Centre South, University College Dublin, Dublin Belfield, Dublin 4, D04 V1W8, Ireland; (S.S.); (S.N.); (S.F.)
| | - Roger Stephan
- Institute for Food Safety and Hygiene, University of Zurich, Zurich CH-8006 Zürich, Switzerland; (A.E.); (R.S.); (A.L.)
| | - Ben D. Tall
- Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Laurel, MD 20708, USA; (H.J.); (J.G.); (F.N.); (J.W.); (Y.L.)
| | - Angelika Lehner
- Institute for Food Safety and Hygiene, University of Zurich, Zurich CH-8006 Zürich, Switzerland; (A.E.); (R.S.); (A.L.)
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32
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Prevalence, genetic analysis and CRISPR typing of Cronobacter spp. isolated from meat and meat products in China. Int J Food Microbiol 2020; 321:108549. [PMID: 32062304 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2020.108549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Cronobacter spp. are important foodborne pathogens that infections occur in all age groups, especially cause serious life-threatening diseases in infants. This study aimed to acquire data on Cronobacter spp. contamination of meat and meat products (n = 588) in China during 2011 to 2016, and investigated the use of CRISPR typing technology as an approach for characterizing the genetics of Cronobacter spp. The overall contamination rate for Cronobacter spp. was determined to be 9.18% (54/588). Of the positive samples, 90.74% (49/54) had <10 MPN/g, with duck samples had a relatively high contamination rate (15.69%, 8/51) and highest contamination level (28.90 MPN/g). Four species and nine serotypes were identified among 69 isolates, of which C. sakazakii was the major species (n = 50) and C. sakazakii serogroup O1 and O2 (n = 17) were the primary serotypes. The majority of Cronobacter spp. strains were found to be susceptible to most antibiotics except exhibited high resistance to cephalothin (76.81%, 53/69), and total two multi-drug resistant C. sakazakii strains were isolated from duck. The genetic diversity of Cronobacter spp. was remarkably high, as evidenced by the identification of 40 sequence types (STs) and 60 CRISPR types (CTs). C. sakazakii ST64 (n = 7) was the predominant genotype and was further divided into two sub-lineages based on CRISPR diversity, showing different antibiotic resistance profile. These results demonstrate that CRISPR typing results have a good correspondence with bacterial phenotypes, and it will be a tremendously useful approach for elucidating inter-subtyping during molecular epidemiological investigations while interpreting the divergent evolution of Cronobacter. The presence of Cronobacter spp. in meat and meat product is a potential threat to human public health.
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Li Y, Zhang Y, Zhang L, Hu Y, Hong C, Xie A, Wu Y, Shangguan Z, Zhou B, Fang L, Mei L. Prevalence and genetic characteristics of Cronobacter spp. from food and human clinical stool samples in Wenzhou, China 2008-2018. Food Microbiol 2020; 89:103432. [PMID: 32138990 DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2020.103432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2019] [Revised: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Pathogenic Cronobacter species are responsible for life-threatening illness in neonates. A ten-year comprehensive survey was conducted to examine the population structure and antimicrobial resistant patterns of Cronobacter isolates from food (n = 78) and clinical (n = 12) sources in Wenzhou, China. A total of 90 (4.4%) isolates were recovered from 2051 collected samples. The occurrence of Cronobacter spp. was highest in spices with a rate of 22% (26/119), whereas the lowest contamination rate of 1% was found in powered infant and toddler formula (7/494), special medical infant formula (1/95) and human stool samples (12/1024). Cronobacter strains revealed a high degree of genetic diversity among the isolates tested. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) distinguished 75 clonal groups, and the biggest cluster consisted of four strains. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) method displayed 43 sequence types (STs), of which ST1, ST4, ST8, ST64, ST148 and ST201 were most frequently identified. Meanwhile, two new sequence types were discovered and added to the PubMLST international database. Resistance to ceftriaxone, cefotaxiv, amoxicillin, ampicillin, cefoxitin, tetracycline, streptomycin, azithromycin, chloramphenicol, as well as multidrug resistance, was noted. Taken together, this large-scale surveillance study highlights the wide dissemination and diverse molecular features of Cronobacter spp. in Wenzhou China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Li
- Wenzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yanjun Zhang
- Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, China
| | - Leyi Zhang
- Wenzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yuqin Hu
- Wenzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wenzhou, China
| | - Chengji Hong
- Wenzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wenzhou, China
| | - Airong Xie
- Wenzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yuejin Wu
- Wenzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wenzhou, China
| | - Zhihui Shangguan
- Wenzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wenzhou, China
| | - Biao Zhou
- Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lei Fang
- Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Lingling Mei
- Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, China.
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34
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Lee IPA, Andam CP. Pan-genome diversification and recombination in Cronobacter sakazakii, an opportunistic pathogen in neonates, and insights to its xerotolerant lifestyle. BMC Microbiol 2019; 19:306. [PMID: 31881843 PMCID: PMC6935241 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-019-1664-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Cronobacter sakazakii is an emerging opportunistic bacterial pathogen known to cause neonatal and pediatric infections, including meningitis, necrotizing enterocolitis, and bacteremia. Multiple disease outbreaks of C. sakazakii have been documented in the past few decades, yet little is known of its genomic diversity, adaptation, and evolution. Here, we analyzed the pan-genome characteristics and phylogenetic relationships of 237 genomes of C. sakazakii and 48 genomes of related Cronobacter species isolated from diverse sources. Results The C. sakazakii pan-genome contains 17,158 orthologous gene clusters, and approximately 19.5% of these constitute the core genome. Phylogenetic analyses reveal the presence of at least ten deep branching monophyletic lineages indicative of ancestral diversification. We detected enrichment of functions involved in proton transport and rotational mechanism in accessory genes exclusively found in human-derived strains. In environment-exclusive accessory genes, we detected enrichment for those involved in tryptophan biosynthesis and indole metabolism. However, we did not find significantly enriched gene functions for those genes exclusively found in food strains. The most frequently detected virulence genes are those that encode proteins associated with chemotaxis, enterobactin synthesis, ferrienterobactin transporter, type VI secretion system, galactose metabolism, and mannose metabolism. The genes fos which encodes resistance against fosfomycin, a broad-spectrum cell wall synthesis inhibitor, and mdf(A) which encodes a multidrug efflux transporter were found in nearly all genomes. We found that a total of 2991 genes in the pan-genome have had a history of recombination. Many of the most frequently recombined genes are associated with nutrient acquisition, metabolism and toxin production. Conclusions Overall, our results indicate that the presence of a large accessory gene pool, ability to switch between ecological niches, a diverse suite of antibiotic resistance, virulence and niche-specific genes, and frequent recombination partly explain the remarkable adaptability of C. sakazakii within and outside the human host. These findings provide critical insights that can help define the development of effective disease surveillance and control strategies for Cronobacter-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaiah Paolo A Lee
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, 03824, USA
| | - Cheryl P Andam
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, 03824, USA.
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Zeng H, Li C, He W, Zhang J, Chen M, Lei T, Wu H, Ling N, Cai S, Wang J, Ding Y, Wu Q. Cronobacter sakazakii, Cronobacter malonaticus, and Cronobacter dublinensis Genotyping Based on CRISPR Locus Diversity. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:1989. [PMID: 31555228 PMCID: PMC6722223 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2019] [Accepted: 08/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Cronobacter strains harboring CRISPR-Cas systems are important foodborne pathogens that cause serious neonatal infections. CRISPR typing is a new molecular subtyping method to track the sources of pathogenic bacterial outbreaks and shows a promise in typing Cronobacter, however, this molecular typing procedure using routine PCR method has not been established. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to establish such methodology, 257 isolates of Cronobacter sakazakii, C. malonaticus, and C. dublinensis were used to verify the feasibility of the method. Results showed that 161 C. sakazakii strains could be divided into 129 CRISPR types (CTs), among which CT15 (n = 7) was the most prevalent CT followed by CT6 (n = 4). Further, 65 C. malonaticus strains were divided into 42 CTs and CT23 (n = 8) was the most prevalent followed by CT2, CT3, and CT13 (n = 4). Finally, 31 C. dublinensis strains belonged to 31 CTs. There was also a relationship among CT, sequence type (ST), food types, and serotype. Compared to multi-locus sequence typing (MLST), this new molecular method has greater power to distinguish similar strains and had better accordance with whole genome sequence typing (WGST). More importantly, some lineages were found to harbor conserved ancestral spacers ahead of their divergent specific spacer sequences; this can be exploited to infer the divergent evolution of Cronobacter and provide phylogenetic information reflecting common origins. Compared to WGST, CRISPR typing method is simpler and more affordable, it could be used to identify sources of Cronobacter food-borne outbreaks, from clinical cases to food sources and the production sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiyan Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chengsi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenjing He
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jumei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Moutong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tao Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Haoming Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Na Ling
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shuzhen Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Juan Wang
- College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu Ding
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qingping Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
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36
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Lu Y, Liu P, Li C, Sha M, Fang J, Gao J, Xu X, Matthews KR. Prevalence and Genetic Diversity of Cronobacter Species Isolated From Four Infant Formula Production Factories in China. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:1938. [PMID: 31497005 PMCID: PMC6712172 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and genotypic characteristics of Cronobacter isolated from powdered infant formula (PIF) manufacturing facilities and to identify a potential source of contamination. A total of 42 Cronobacter isolates (5%) were detected in 835 environmental samples collected during the surveillance study. These isolates included C. sakazakii (n = 37), C. malonaticus (n = 3), and C. turicensis (n = 2). The isolates were divided into 14 sequence types (STs) by multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) and 21 pulsotypes (PTs) using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The dominant C. sakazakii sequence types were ST3 (n = 12) and ST21 (n = 10), followed by ST136 (n = 6). The major PTs were PT22 (n = 12) and PT17 (n = 4) based on 100% similarity. Strains isolated from samples collected at the same production facility showed closer phylogenetic relation than those collected from distinct facilities. The result of extensive traceback sampling showed that PIF residues (PIF dust in production areas), fluid beds, drying areas, floors, and soil samples collected adjacent to the production facilities were the primary positive areas for Cronobacter. The present study outlines an effective approach to determine prevalence and genetic diversity of Cronobacter isolates associated with contamination of PIF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Lu
- College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China.,Green Food Research Institute of Heilongjiang (National Research Center of Dairy Engineering and Technology), Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Peng Liu
- Green Food Research Institute of Heilongjiang (National Research Center of Dairy Engineering and Technology), Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Changguo Li
- Food Department, Heilongjiang Administration for Market Regulation, Harbin, China
| | - Miao Sha
- Green Food Research Institute of Heilongjiang (National Research Center of Dairy Engineering and Technology), Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Jingquan Fang
- Green Food Research Institute of Heilongjiang (National Research Center of Dairy Engineering and Technology), Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Jingwen Gao
- Department of Food Science, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
| | - Xiaoxi Xu
- College of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
| | - Karl R Matthews
- Department of Food Science, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
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37
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Lepuschitz S, Ruppitsch W, Pekard-Amenitsch S, Forsythe SJ, Cormican M, Mach RL, Piérard D, Allerberger F. Multicenter Study of Cronobacter sakazakii Infections in Humans, Europe, 2017. Emerg Infect Dis 2019; 25:515-522. [PMID: 30789137 PMCID: PMC6390735 DOI: 10.3201/eid2503.181652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Cronobacter sakazakii has been documented as a cause of life-threating infections, predominantly in neonates. We conducted a multicenter study to assess the occurrence of C. sakazakii across Europe and the extent of clonality for outbreak detection. National coordinators representing 24 countries in Europe were requested to submit all human C. sakazakii isolates collected during 2017 to a study center in Austria. Testing at the center included species identification by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, subtyping by whole-genome sequencing (WGS), and determination of antimicrobial resistance. Eleven countries sent 77 isolates, including 36 isolates from 2017 and 41 historical isolates. Fifty-nine isolates were confirmed as C. sakazakii by WGS, highlighting the challenge of correctly identifying Cronobacter spp. WGS-based typing revealed high strain diversity, indicating absence of multinational outbreaks in 2017, but identified 4 previously unpublished historical outbreaks. WGS is the recommended method for accurate identification, typing, and detection of this pathogen.
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38
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Aly MA, Domig KJ, Kneifel W, Reimhult E. Whole Genome Sequencing-Based Comparison of Food Isolates of Cronobacter sakazakii. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:1464. [PMID: 31333604 PMCID: PMC6615433 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cronobacter sakazakii is an emerging foodborne pathogen, which is linked to life-threatening infections causing septicemia, meningitis, and necrotizing enterocolitis. These infections have been epidemiologically connected to ingestion of contaminated reconstituted powder infant formula. Even at low water activity C. sakazakii can survive for a long time; it is capable of protective biofilm formation and occasionally shows high virulence and pathogenicity even following stressful environmental conditions. Hence it is a challenging task for the food industry to control contamination of food ingredients and products through the entire production chain, since an increasing number of severe food-related outbreaks of C. sakazakii infections has been observed. The seemingly great capability of C. sakazakii to survive even strict countermeasures combined with its prevalence in many food ingredients requires a greater in depth understanding of its virulence factors to master the food safety issues related to this organism. In this context, we present the whole genome sequence (WGS) of two different C. sakazakii isolated from skimmed milk powder (C7) and ready-to-eat salad mix (C8), respectively. These are compared to other, already sequenced, C. sakazakii genomes. Sequencing of the fusA allele revealed that both isolates were C. sakazakii. We investigated the molecular characteristics of both isolates relevant for genes associated with pathogenesis and virulence factors, resistance to stressful environmental conditions (e.g., osmotic and heat), survival in desiccation as well as conducted a comparative genomic analysis. By using multi-locus sequence typing (MLST), the genetic type of both isolates is assessed and the number of unique genes is determined. DNA of C. sakazakii C8 is shown to hold a novel and unique sequence type; the number of unique genes identified in the genomic sequence of C. sakazakii C7 and C8 were 109 and 188, respectively. Some of the determined unique genes such as the rhs and VgrG genes are linked to the Type VI Secretion System cluster, which is associated with pathogenicity and virulence factors. Moreover, seven genes encoding for multi-drug resistance were found in both isolates. The finding of a number of genes linked to producing capsules and biofilm are likely related to the observed resistance to desiccation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed A Aly
- Department of Nanobiotechnology, Institute for Biologically Inspired Materials, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria.,Department of Food Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Konrad J Domig
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Institute of Food Science, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
| | - Wolfgang Kneifel
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Institute of Food Science, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
| | - Erik Reimhult
- Department of Nanobiotechnology, Institute for Biologically Inspired Materials, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
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39
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Zhuang K, Li H, Zhang Z, Wu S, Zhang Y, Fox EM, Man C, Jiang Y. Typing and evaluating heat resistance of Bacillus cereus sensu stricto isolated from the processing environment of powdered infant formula. J Dairy Sci 2019; 102:7781-7793. [PMID: 31255274 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2019-16392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Bacillus cereus sensu lato is one of the most harmful bacterial groups affecting the quality and safety of powdered infant formula (PIF). In this study, samples were collected from the raw materials and processing environments of PIF. A total of 84 isolates were identified as Bacillus cereus sensu stricto (B. cereus s. s.) by 16S rRNA analysis, molecular typing technology, and physiological and biochemical tests. The 84 B. cereus s. s. strains were assigned to panC group II, group III, and group IV. Then, the 7 housekeeping genes glpF, gmk, ilvD, pta, pur, pycA, and tpi were selected for multilocus sequence typing. Results showed that the 84 isolates were clustered into 24 sequence types (ST), and 14 novel ST were detected. Among the 24 ST, ST999 (19/84, 22.62%) and ST1343 (13/84, 15.48%) predominated. The correlation between processing areas and ST showed that the processing environments of the production and packing areas were the most susceptible to contamination by B. cereus s. s. Spores of these ST showed different heat resistance phenotypes evaluated by the analysis of DT (time in minutes of spore decimal reduction at each temperature) and Z values (temperature increase required to reduce the DT value to one-tenth of the original). Spores from group III according to panC gene analysis were the most heat resistant. These findings will help us to better understand B. cereus s. s. contamination and control in PIF processing environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kejin Zhuang
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education, Department of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, China
| | - Hongfu Li
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education, Department of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, China
| | - Ziwei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education, Department of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, China
| | - Shuang Wu
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education, Department of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, China
| | - Yashuo Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education, Department of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, China
| | - Edward M Fox
- Department of Applied Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom NE 98; CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Werribee, VIC 3030, Australia
| | - Chaoxin Man
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education, Department of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, China.
| | - Yujun Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Dairy Science, Ministry of Education, Department of Food Science, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, China.
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40
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Chaves CEV, Brandão MLL, Lacerda MLGG, Rocha CABC, Leone de Oliveira SMDV, Parpinelli TC, Vasconcellos L, Forsythe SJ, Paniago AMM. Fatal Cronobacter sakazakii Sequence Type 494 Meningitis in a Newborn, Brazil. Emerg Infect Dis 2019; 24:1948-1950. [PMID: 30226186 PMCID: PMC6154150 DOI: 10.3201/eid2410.180373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
We describe a case of infection with Cronobacter sakazakii sequence type 494 causing bacteremia and meningitis in a hospitalized late premature infant in Brazil. We conducted microbiological analyses on samples of powdered infant formula from the same batch as formula ingested by the infant but could not identify the source of contamination.
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41
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Zhang M, Zhang X, Tong L, Ou D, Wang Y, Zhang J, Wu Q, Ye Y. Random Mutagenesis Applied to Reveal Factors Involved in Oxidative Tolerance and Biofilm Formation in Foodborne Cronobacter malonaticus. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:877. [PMID: 31118922 PMCID: PMC6504702 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cronobacter species are linked with life-treating diseases in neonates and show strong tolerances to environmental stress. However, the information about factors involved in oxidative tolerance in Cronobacter remains elusive. Here, factors involved in oxidative tolerance in C. malonaticus were identified using a transposon mutagenesis. Eight mutants were successfully screened based on a comparison of the growth of strains from mutant library (n = 215) and wild type (WT) strain under 1.0 mM H2O2. Mutating sites including thioredoxin 2, glutaredoxin 3, pantothenate kinase, serine/threonine protein kinase, pyruvate kinase, phospholipase A, ferrous iron transport protein A, and alanine racemase 2 were successfully identified by arbitrary PCR and sequencing alignment. Furthermore, the comparison about quantity and structure of biofilms formation among eight mutants and WT was determined using crystal violet staining (CVS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Results showed that the biofilms of eight mutants significantly decreased within 48 h compared to that of WT, suggesting that mutating genes play important roles in biofilm formation under oxidative stress. The findings provide valuable information for deeply understanding molecular mechanism about oxidative tolerance of C. malonaticus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maofeng Zhang
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, China.,State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiyan Zhang
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, China
| | - Liaowang Tong
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, China
| | - Dexin Ou
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, China
| | - Yaping Wang
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, China
| | - Jumei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qingping Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yingwang Ye
- School of Food Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, China.,State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
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42
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Li C, Zeng H, Zhang J, He W, Ling N, Chen M, Wu S, Lei T, Wu H, Ye Y, Ding Y, Wang J, Wei X, Zhang Y, Wu Q. Prevalence, Antibiotic Susceptibility, and Molecular Characterization of Cronobacter spp. Isolated From Edible Mushrooms in China. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:283. [PMID: 30863374 PMCID: PMC6399401 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cronobacter spp. are foodborne pathogens that can infect and cause life-threatening diseases in all age groups, particularly in infants and immunocompromised elderly. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, antibiotic susceptibility, and molecular characteristics of Cronobacter spp. isolates in edible mushrooms collected from 44 cities in China. In total, 668 edible mushrooms were collected from traditional retail markets and supermarkets and were analyzed by quantitative methods, PCR-based serotyping, multilocus sequence typing (MLST), and antibiotic susceptibility testing. Among the 668 samples tested, 89 (13.32%) were positive for Cronobacter spp., and the contamination levels exceeded the 110 most probable number (MPN)/g in 13.48% (12/89) of the samples. Flammulina velutipes samples had the highest contamination rate of 17.54% (37/211), whereas Hypsizygus marmoreus samples had the lowest contamination rate of 3.28% (2/61). Ten serotypes were identified among 115 isolates, of which the C. sakazakii serogroup O1 (n = 32) was the primary serotype. MLST indicated that there was quite high genetic diversity in Cronobacter spp. and 72 sequence types were identified, 17 of which were new. Notably, C. sakazakii ST148 (n = 10) was the most prevalent, followed by C. malonaticus ST7 (n = 5). Antibiotic susceptibility testing revealed that the majority of Cronobacter spp. strains were susceptible to the 16 antibiotics tested. However, a portion of isolates exhibited relatively high resistance to cephalothin, with resistance and intermediate rates of 93.91 and 6.09%, respectively. One isolate (cro300A) was multidrug-resistant, with resistance to five antibiotics. Overall, this large-scale study revealed the relatively high prevalence and high genetic diversity of Cronobacter spp. on edible mushrooms in China, indicating a potential public health concern. To our knowledge, this is the first large-scale and systematic study on the prevalence of Cronobacter spp. on edible mushrooms in China, and the findings can provide valuable information that can guide the establishment of effective measures for the control and precaution of Cronobacter spp on edible mushrooms during production processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengsi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology South China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Haiyan Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology South China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jumei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology South China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenjing He
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology South China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Na Ling
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology South China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Moutong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology South China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shi Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology South China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tao Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology South China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Haoming Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology South China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yingwang Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology South China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu Ding
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Juan Wang
- College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xianhu Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology South China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Youxiong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology South China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qingping Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology South China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
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Wang Q, Forsythe SJ, Zhao XJ, Wang ZW, Li D, Ma D, Cao JY, Zeng J. Species identification and molecular characterization of Cronobacter spp. isolated from food imported over nine years into Beijing, China. Food Microbiol 2019; 82:11-19. [PMID: 31027763 DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2019.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2018] [Revised: 01/18/2019] [Accepted: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Cronobacter spp. are associated with serious infections in neonates with the clinical presentations of necrotizing enterocolitis, bacteraemia and meningitis. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) was used to identify 203 Cronobacter isolates from imported food during 2006-2015 with an optimized in-house database. The isolates were predominantly C. sakazakii (88.18%), followed by C. malonaticus (8.37%), C. muytjensii (1.48%), C. turicensis (0.99%) and C. dublinensis (0.99%). The result was totally consistent with that of fusA allele sequencing. 12.32% (25/203) of isolates gave inconsistent spectra following separate protein extractions. Sixty C. sakazakii isolates and 24 isolates from the other four species were chosen for multi-locus sequence type analyses (MLST) and PCR-serotyping. Thirty-one sequence types were identified. The common sequence types were ST1 (19/60) and ST4 (13/60) for C. sakazakii and ST7 (12/17) for C. malonaticus. The primary serotypes were Csak O:1 (30/60), Csak O:2 (25/60) and Cmal O:2 (16/17) for C. sakazakii and C. malonaticus isolates, respectively. In conclusion, appropriate in-house database could make MALDI-TOF MS method identifying Cronobacter spp. isolates to the species level. But the spectra data were not sufficiently consistent for subtyping, unlike MLST. The Cronobacter spp. isolates have a high diversity including recognized pathovars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Wang
- Beijing Customs, Tianshuiyuan Street 6, Beijing, 100026, China.
| | | | - Xiao-Juan Zhao
- Beijing Customs, Tianshuiyuan Street 6, Beijing, 100026, China.
| | - Zi-Wei Wang
- Beijing Customs, Tianshuiyuan Street 6, Beijing, 100026, China.
| | - Dan Li
- Beijing Customs, Tianshuiyuan Street 6, Beijing, 100026, China.
| | - Dan Ma
- Beijing Customs, Tianshuiyuan Street 6, Beijing, 100026, China.
| | - Jia-Yue Cao
- Beijing Customs, Tianshuiyuan Street 6, Beijing, 100026, China.
| | - Jing Zeng
- Beijing Customs, Tianshuiyuan Street 6, Beijing, 100026, China.
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de Benito A, Gnanou Besse N, Desforges I, Gerten B, Ruiz B, Tomás D. Validation of standard method EN ISO 22964:2017 — Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for the detection of Cronobacter spp. Int J Food Microbiol 2019; 288:47-52. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2018.03.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Revised: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 03/23/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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Moravkova M, Verbikova V, Huvarova V, Babak V, Cahlikova H, Karpiskova R, Kralik P. Occurrence of Cronobacter Spp. in Ready-to-Eat Vegetable Products, Frozen Vegetables, and Sprouts Examined Using Cultivation and Real-Time PCR Methods. J Food Sci 2018; 83:3054-3058. [PMID: 30468252 DOI: 10.1111/1750-3841.14399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2018] [Revised: 10/23/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Environmental matrices and food products are hypothesized to be sources of Cronobacter spp. The severity of neonatal infections, increasing number of cases in elderly and immunocompromised individuals, as well as isolation of Cronobacter spp. from clinical materials demands that more attention should be paid to Cronobacter spp. detection and occurrence of the bacteria in food products. Here, a total of 175 samples of ready-to-eat vegetables, frozen vegetables, and sprouted seeds were collected during a period of 1 year and examined for the presence of Cronobacter spp. using a cultivation method with two different sample preparations and real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). In total, Cronobacter spp. were detected in 22.3% of tested samples using cultivation. In comparison, direct qPCR detected Cronobacter spp. in 37.7% of these samples (p < 0.01; Fisher's exact test) and the numbers of genome equivalents per gram reached 108 in some samples of sprouts. Cronobacter spp. were isolated from 51.4%, 37.2%, and 5.2% samples of sprouts, frozen vegetables, and cut green leaves/salads, respectively. Using qPCR, the most frequently contaminated sample types were sprouts (91.4%) and frozen vegetables (60.5%), whereas the rate of positivity for cut green leaves/salads was, in comparison, only 8.2% (p < 0.01; χ2 -test for independence). PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This study provided valuable information on the occurrence of Cronobacter spp. in ready-to-eat vegetables using cultivation and qPCR. Cronobacter spp. are emerging opportunistic pathogens that can be present in food of plant origin. Cronobacter spp. were isolated from sprouts, frozen vegetables, and cut green leaves/salads, and the numbers of genome equivalents per gram reached 108 in some samples of sprouts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Moravkova
- Dept. of Food and Feed Safety, Veterinary Research Inst., Hudcova 70, 621 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Verbikova
- Dept. of Food and Feed Safety, Veterinary Research Inst., Hudcova 70, 621 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Huvarova
- Dept. of Food and Feed Safety, Veterinary Research Inst., Hudcova 70, 621 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Vladimir Babak
- Dept. of Food and Feed Safety, Veterinary Research Inst., Hudcova 70, 621 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Hana Cahlikova
- Dept. of Bacteriology, Veterinary Research Inst., Hudcova 70, 621 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Renata Karpiskova
- Dept. of Bacteriology, Veterinary Research Inst., Hudcova 70, 621 00, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Kralik
- Dept. of Food and Feed Safety, Veterinary Research Inst., Hudcova 70, 621 00, Brno, Czech Republic
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Tong L, Jiao R, Zhang X, Ou D, Wang Y, Zhang J, Wu Q, Ye Y. Inhibitory effects of chitosan on Cronobacter malonaticus cells and biofilm formation. Lebensm Wiss Technol 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lwt.2018.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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47
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Parra-Flores J, Aguirre J, Juneja V, Jackson EE, Cruz-Córdova A, Silva-Sanchez J, Forsythe S. Virulence and Antibiotic Resistance Profiles of Cronobacter sakazakii and Enterobacter spp. Involved in the Diarrheic Hemorrhagic Outbreak in Mexico. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:2206. [PMID: 30319560 PMCID: PMC6171480 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.02206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2018] [Accepted: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Cronobacter spp. are bacterial pathogens that cause neonatal meningitis, septicemia, and necrotizing enterocolitis in infants with a lethality rate of 40–80%. Powdered infant formulas (PIF) have been implicated as the main vehicles of transmission. This pathogen can also cause infection through contaminated expressed breast milk, and it has been recovered from neonatal feeding tubes of neonates not fed reconstituted PIF and milk kitchen areas. This study analyzed antibiotic resistance profiles and the tissue virulence tests of Cronobacter sakazakii and Enterobacter spp. recovered from PIF, infant fecal matter‘s, and milk kitchen environment involved in a diarrheic hemorrhagic outbreak in 2011 in Mexico. The strains isolated from the outbreak had similar antibiotic resistance profiles and pathogenicity irrespective of isolation site, however, C. sakazakii strains isolated from PIF showed significantly higher invasive profiles than Enterobacter spp. (p = 0.001) and 83% were resistant to more than one antibiotic. The findings of this study can be used to complement existing information to better control Cronobacter and Enterobacter spp. contamination in PIF production, prevent its transmission, and improve infant food safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio Parra-Flores
- Departamento de Nutrición y Salud Pública, Facultad Ciencias de la Salud y de los Alimentos, Universidad del Bío-Bío, Chillán, Chile
| | - Juan Aguirre
- Departamento Agroindustria y Enología, Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Vijay Juneja
- Residue Chemistry and Predictive Microbiology Research Unit, Eastern Regional Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Wyndmoor, PA, United States
| | - Emily E Jackson
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, United States
| | - Ariadnna Cruz-Córdova
- Laboratorio de Bacteriología Intestinal, Hospital Infantil de México, Federico Gómez, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Jesus Silva-Sanchez
- Grupo de Resistencia Bacteriana, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
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Parra-Flores J, Cerda-Leal F, Contreras A, Valenzuela-Riffo N, Rodríguez A, Aguirre J. Cronobacter sakazakii and Microbiological Parameters in Dairy Formulas Associated With a Food Alert in Chile. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:1708. [PMID: 30108565 PMCID: PMC6079297 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Accepted: 07/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate the presence of Cronobacter sakazakii and microbiological parameters in dairy products associated with a food alert. Ninety dairy product samples were analyzed, including seven commercial brands and two product types (liquid and powdered) from four countries. Aerobic plate count (APC) and Enterobacteriaceae count were performed according to Chilean standards. Cronobacter spp. and C. sakazakii were identified by polymerase chain reaction real time amplification of rpoB and cgcA genes and the genotype by multilocus sequence typing. Eighty-eight percent of dairy products showed APC higher than the detection limit. Fifty percent of liquid commercial brand samples contained APC: 2.6, 2.3, 1.1, and 2.9 CFU/mL in brands A, C, E, and G, respectively. Results for powdered commercial brands were 3.0, 3.6, and 5.7 CFU/g in brands B, D, and F, respectively. Maximum count (5.7 CFU/g) occurred in brand F dairy product manufactured in Chile. Enterobacteriaceae were found in 55% of the samples, 64% in liquid and 51% in powdered commercial brands. In 50% of brands B, D, and E, samples contained 2.9, 2.8, and 2.7 log CFU/g, respectively. Only liquid commercial brands from the United States had Enterobacteriaceae values between 0.1 and 4.5 CFU/mL. Seventeen suspicious strains were isolated and nine were identified as Enterobacter spp. Only eight suspicious strains from four powdered commercial brands (Chile and Singapore) were confirmed as C. sakazakii by rpoB and cgcA gene amplification and fusA sequencing. C. sakazakii prevalence in the analyzed samples was 8.8%. There were 11% of powdered milk brands that contained APC between 4.0 and 4.7 log CFU/g and 55% of the samples contained Enterobacteriaceae. C. sakazakii was found in dairy products manufactured in Chile and Singapore. On the basis of this information, the Chilean Ministry of Health (RSA) decreed a national and international food alert and recalled all the product batches that resulted positive in the present study from supermarkets and pharmacies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio Parra-Flores
- Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, Faculty of Health and Food Sciences, Universidad del Bío-Bío, Chillán, Chile
| | - Fabiola Cerda-Leal
- Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, Faculty of Health and Food Sciences, Universidad del Bío-Bío, Chillán, Chile
| | - Alejandra Contreras
- Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, Faculty of Health and Food Sciences, Universidad del Bío-Bío, Chillán, Chile
| | - Nicole Valenzuela-Riffo
- Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, Faculty of Health and Food Sciences, Universidad del Bío-Bío, Chillán, Chile
| | - Alejandra Rodríguez
- Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, Faculty of Health and Food Sciences, Universidad del Bío-Bío, Chillán, Chile
| | - Juan Aguirre
- Department of Agricultural Industry and Enology, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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Guo Q, Yang J, Forsythe SJ, Jiang Y, Han W, He Y, Niu B. DNA sequence-based re-assessment of archived Cronobacter sakazakii strains isolated from dairy products imported into China between 2005 and 2006. BMC Genomics 2018; 19:506. [PMID: 29954347 PMCID: PMC6025729 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-018-4881-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2018] [Accepted: 06/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cronobacter species are associated with severe foodborne infections in neonates and infants, with particular pathovars associated with specific clinical presentations. However, before 2008 the genus was regarded as a single species named Enterobacter sakazakii which was subdivided into 8 phenotypes. This study re-analyzed, using multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) and whole genome sequence with single nucleotide polymorphism analysis (WGS-SNP), 52 strains which had been identified as Enterobacter sakazakii as according to the convention at the time of isolation. These strains had been isolated from dairy product imports into China from 9 countries between 2005 and 6. Bioinformatic analysis was then used to analyze the relatedness and global dissemination of these strains. RESULT FusA allele sequencing revealed that 49/52 strains were Cronobacter sakazakii, while the remaining 3 strains were Escherichia coli, Enterobacter cloacae, and Franconibacter helveticus. The C. sakazakii strains comprised of 8 sequence types (STs) which included the neonatal pathovars ST1, ST4 and ST12. The predominant sequence type was ST13 (65.3%, 32/49) which had been isolated from dairy products imported from 6 countries. WGS-SNP analysis of the 32 C. sakazakii ST13 strains revealed 5 clusters and 5 unique strains which did not correlate with the country of product origin. CONCLUSION The mis-identification of E. coli, E. cloacae and F. helveticus as Cronobacter spp. reinforces the need to apply reliable methods to reduce the incidence of false positive and false negative results which may be of clinical significance. The WGS-SNP analysis demonstrated that indistinguishable Cronobacter strains within a sequence type can be unrelated, and may originate from multiple sources. The use of WGS-SNP analysis to distinguishing of strains within a sequence type has important relevance for tracing the source of outbreaks due to Cronobacter spp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingyan Guo
- Technical Center for Animal, Plant and Food Inspection and Quarantine, Shanghai Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, 1208 Minsheng Road, Shanghai, 200135 People’s Republic of China
- foodmicrobe.com, Adams Hill, Keyworth, Nottinghamshire, NG12 5GY UK
| | - Jielin Yang
- Shanghai Customs (former Shanghai Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau), 1208 Minsheng Road, Shanghai, 200135 People’s Republic of China
- Technical Center for Animal, Plant and Food Inspection and Quarantine, Shanghai Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, 1208 Minsheng Road, Shanghai, 200135 People’s Republic of China
| | - S. J. Forsythe
- foodmicrobe.com, Adams Hill, Keyworth, Nottinghamshire, NG12 5GY UK
| | - Yuan Jiang
- Shanghai Customs (former Shanghai Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau), 1208 Minsheng Road, Shanghai, 200135 People’s Republic of China
- Technical Center for Animal, Plant and Food Inspection and Quarantine, Shanghai Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, 1208 Minsheng Road, Shanghai, 200135 People’s Republic of China
| | - Wei Han
- Technical Center for Animal, Plant and Food Inspection and Quarantine, Shanghai Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, 1208 Minsheng Road, Shanghai, 200135 People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuping He
- Technical Center for Animal, Plant and Food Inspection and Quarantine, Shanghai Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, 1208 Minsheng Road, Shanghai, 200135 People’s Republic of China
| | - Bing Niu
- Shanghai University, 99 Shangda Road, Shanghai, 200135 People’s Republic of China
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50
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Ling N, Li C, Zhang J, Wu Q, Zeng H, He W, Ye Y, Wang J, Ding Y, Chen M, Xue L, Ye Q, Guo W. Prevalence and Molecular and Antimicrobial Characteristics of Cronobacter spp. Isolated From Raw Vegetables in China. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:1149. [PMID: 29922254 PMCID: PMC5996200 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2017] [Accepted: 05/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Cronobacter spp. is a foodborne pathogen that causes life-threatening and invasive diseases, such as necrotizing enterocolitis, meningitis, and sepsis. In this study, we aimed to investigate the prevalence, molecular characteristics and antimicrobial resistance of Cronobacter spp. in raw vegetables marketed in China. Based on dietary habits in China, 403 raw vegetables that could be eaten without additional cooking were collected. Of the 403 samples tested, 122 (30.27%) were positive for Cronobacter spp., and the contamination levels exceeded 110 most probable number (MPN)/g for 16.39% (20/122) of the samples. Coriander samples had the highest contamination rate of 52.81%, and the MPN values of 19.15% of positive coriander samples exceeded 100 MPN/g. Eleven serotypes were identified among 171 isolates, with Cronobacter sakazakii serogroup O1 (41 isolates) being the dominant serotype. Molecular characterization indicated that there was quite high genetic diversity in Cronobacter spp., and multilocus sequence typing analyses yielded 106 sequence types (STs), 55 of which were newly identified. Notably, the most prevalent ST (eight isolates) was C. malonaticus ST60, which appeared in a recent clinical infectious disease study in China. Five C. sakazakii ST4, seven C. malonaticus ST7, and three C. sakazakii ST8 confirmed as pathogenic STs in other countries were also detected in this study. Furthermore, all isolates were susceptible to amikacin, amoxicillin-clavulanic, cefepime, ciprofloxacin, and imipenem, but some isolates exhibited a high ratio of resistance to cephalothin (59.65%). In this study, the high contamination rate and the detection of pathogenic and new STs in raw vegetables indicated potential hazards to customers. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to provide valuable information on the contamination status of Cronobacter spp. in vegetables that can be eaten raw in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Ling
- School of Bioscience and Bioengineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, South China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chengsi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, South China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jumei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, South China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qingping Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, South China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Haiyan Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, South China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenjing He
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, South China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yingwang Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, South China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Juan Wang
- College of Food Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu Ding
- Department of Food Science & Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Moutong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, South China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Liang Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, South China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qinghua Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, South China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weipeng Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, South China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbiology Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, Guangzhou, China
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