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Santos MI, Grácio M, Silva MC, Pedroso L, Lima A. One Health Perspectives on Food Safety in Minimally Processed Vegetables and Fruits: From Farm to Fork. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2990. [PMID: 38138132 PMCID: PMC10745503 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11122990] [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: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
While food markets and food production chains are experiencing exponential growth, global attention to food safety is steadily increasing. This is particularly crucial for ready-to-eat products such as fresh-cut salads and fruits, as these items are consumed raw without prior heat treatment, making the presence of pathogenic microorganisms quite frequent. Moreover, many studies on foodborne illnesses associated with these foods often overlook the transmission links from the initial contamination source. The prevention and control of the dissemination of foodborne pathogens should be approached holistically, involving agricultural production, processing, transport, food production, and extending to final consumption, all while adopting a One Health perspective. In this context, our objective is to compile available information on the challenges related to microbiological contamination in minimally handled fruits and vegetables. This includes major reported outbreaks, specific bacterial strains, and associated statistics throughout the production chain. We address the sources of contamination at each stage, along with issues related to food manipulation and disinfection. Additionally, we provide potential solutions to promote a healthier approach to fresh-cut fruits and vegetables. This information will be valuable for both researchers and food producers, particularly those focused on ensuring food safety and quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Isabel Santos
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal; (M.C.S.); (L.P.)
- CECAV—Centre of Animal and Veterinary Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Madalena Grácio
- Instituto Superior de Agronomia, University of Lisbon, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal;
| | - Mariana Camoesas Silva
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal; (M.C.S.); (L.P.)
| | - Laurentina Pedroso
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal; (M.C.S.); (L.P.)
- CECAV—Centre of Animal and Veterinary Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ana Lima
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal; (M.C.S.); (L.P.)
- CECAV—Centre of Animal and Veterinary Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal
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Borji S, Kadivarian S, Dashtbin S, Kooti S, Abiri R, Motamedi H, Moradi J, Rostamian M, Alvandi A. Global prevalence of Clostridioides difficile in 17,148 food samples from 2009 to 2019: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JOURNAL OF HEALTH, POPULATION, AND NUTRITION 2023; 42:36. [PMID: 37072805 PMCID: PMC10114346 DOI: 10.1186/s41043-023-00369-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile is an important infectious pathogen, which causes mild-to-severe gastrointestinal infections by creating resistant spores and producing toxins. Spores contaminated foods might be one of the most significant transmission ways of C. difficile-associated infections. This systematic review and meta-analysis study were conducted to investigate the prevalence of C. difficile in food. METHODS Articles that published the prevalence of C. difficile in food in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases were retrieved using selected keywords between January 2009 and December 2019. Finally, 17,148 food samples from 60 studies from 20 countries were evaluated. RESULTS The overall prevalence of C. difficile in various foods was 6.3%. The highest and lowest levels of C. difficile contamination were detected to seafood (10.3%) and side dishes (0.8%), respectively. The prevalence of C. difficile was 4% in cooked food, 6.2% in cooked chicken and 10% in cooked seafood. CONCLUSIONS There is still little known concerning the food-borne impact of C. difficile, but the reported contamination might pose a public health risk. Therefore, to improve the food safety and prevent contamination with C. difficile spores, it is necessary to observe hygienic issues during foods preparation, cooking and transfer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soroush Borji
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Sepide Kadivarian
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Shirin Dashtbin
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sara Kooti
- Behbahan Faculty of Medical Sciences, Behbahan, Iran
| | - Ramin Abiri
- Fertility and Infertility Research Center, Research Institute for Health Technology, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Hamid Motamedi
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Jale Moradi
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Mosayeb Rostamian
- Infectious Diseases Research Center, Health Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Postal Code: 6714415333, Iran.
| | - Amirhooshang Alvandi
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Medical Technology Research Center, Research Institute for Health Technology, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Postal Code: 6714415333, Iran.
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Marcos P, Whyte P, Burgess C, Ekhlas D, Bolton D. Detection and Genomic Characterisation of Clostridioides difficile from Spinach Fields. Pathogens 2022; 11:1310. [PMID: 36365061 PMCID: PMC9695345 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11111310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite an increased incidence of Clostridioides difficile infections, data on the reservoirs and dissemination routes of this bacterium are limited. This study examined the prevalence and characteristics of C. difficile isolates in spinach fields. C. difficile was detected in 2/60 (3.3%) of spinach and 6/60 (10%) of soil samples using culture-based techniques. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) analysis identified the spinach isolates as belonging to the hypervirulent clade 5, sequence type (ST) 11, ribotypes (RT) 078 and 126 and carried the genes encoding toxins A, B and CDT. The soil isolates belonged to clade 1 with different toxigenic ST/RT (ST19/RT614, ST12/RT003, ST46/RT087, ST16/RT050, ST49/RT014/0) strains and one non-toxigenic ST79/RT511 strain. Antimicrobial resistance to erythromycin (one spinach isolate), rifampicin (two soil isolates), clindamycin (one soil isolate), both moxifloxacin and rifampicin (one soil isolate), and multi-drug resistance to erythromycin, vancomycin and rifampicin (two soil isolates) were observed using the E test, although a broader range of resistance genes were detected using WGS. Although the sample size was limited, our results demonstrate the presence of C. difficile in horticulture and provide further evidence that there are multiple sources and dissemination routes for these bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pilar Marcos
- Teagasc Food Research Centre, Ashtown, 15 Dublin, D15 DY05 Dublin, Ireland
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, 4 Dublin, D04 V1W8 Dublin, Ireland
| | - Paul Whyte
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, 4 Dublin, D04 V1W8 Dublin, Ireland
| | - Catherine Burgess
- Teagasc Food Research Centre, Ashtown, 15 Dublin, D15 DY05 Dublin, Ireland
| | - Daniel Ekhlas
- Teagasc Food Research Centre, Ashtown, 15 Dublin, D15 DY05 Dublin, Ireland
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, 4 Dublin, D04 V1W8 Dublin, Ireland
| | - Declan Bolton
- Teagasc Food Research Centre, Ashtown, 15 Dublin, D15 DY05 Dublin, Ireland
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Brajerova M, Zikova J, Krutova M. Clostridioides difficile epidemiology in the Middle and the Far East. Anaerobe 2022; 74:102542. [PMID: 35240336 DOI: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2022.102542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Clostridioides difficile is an important pathogen of healthcare-associated gastrointestinal infections. Recently, an increased number of C. difficile infection (CDI) surveillance data has been reported from Asia. The aim of this review is to summarize the data on the prevalence, distribution and molecular epidemiology of CDI in the Middle and the Far East. METHODS Literature was drawn from a search of PubMed up to September 30, 2021. RESULTS The meta-analysis of data from 111 studies revealed the pooled CDI prevalence rate in the Middle and the Far East of 12.4% (95% CI 11.4-13.3); 48 studies used PCR for CDI laboratory diagnoses. The predominant types (RT)/sequence type (ST) differ between individual countries (24 studies, 14 countries). Frequently found RTs were 001, 002, 012, 017, 018 and 126; RT017 was predominant in the Far East. The epidemic RT027 was detected in 8 countries (22 studies), but its predominance was reported only in three studies (Israel and Iran). The contamination of vegetable and meat or meat products and/or intestinal carriage of C. difficile in food and companion animals have been reported; the C. difficile RTs/STs identified overlapped with those identified in humans. CONCLUSIONS A large number of studies on CDI prevalence in humans from the Middle and the Far East have been published; countries with no available data were identified. The number of studies on C. difficile from non-human sources is limited. Comparative genomic studies of isolates from different sources are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Brajerova
- Department of Medical Microbiology, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and Motol University Hospital, Czech Republic
| | - Jaroslava Zikova
- Department of Medical Microbiology, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and Motol University Hospital, Czech Republic; Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Czech Republic
| | - Marcela Krutova
- Department of Medical Microbiology, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and Motol University Hospital, Czech Republic.
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Clostridioides difficile in Non-hospital Sources (Animals, Food, and Environment) in Asian Countries: A Literature Review. Jundishapur J Microbiol 2021. [DOI: 10.5812/jjm.115347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Context: Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) is an agent responsible for severe infection with a high mortality rate in healthcare facilities. With the discovery of C. difficile in the community, it was assumed that this bacterium might be transmitted to humans through non-hospital sources. Evidence Acquisition: This study examined different aspects of the epidemiology of C. difficile in Asian countries with a review of the literature using search engines such as Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed. Results: Based on the literature pertaining to Asia, the highest rate of C. difficile is found in samples collected from farm animals, red meat, and meat-based products. Two ribotypes 027 and 078, as hypervirulent factors, were found in different non-hospital sources. Resistance to the most frequently used antibiotics in healthcare setting was observed in C. difficile. Conclusions: Due to the heterogeneity of the examination of C. difficile, understanding the actual condition of C. difficile is difficult. However, the presence of two hypervirulent ribotypes of C. difficile in non-hospital sources is alarming. It seems that it is necessary to perform further studies on C. difficile in non-hospital sources. Defining a focal point for such research could be helpful to explore the situation of C. difficile in clinical settings and communities of Asian countries.
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Prevalence of Clostridium difficile contamination in Iranian foods and animals: A systematic review and meta-analysis. GENE REPORTS 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.genrep.2020.100898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Rodriguez-Palacios A, Mo KQ, Shah BU, Msuya J, Bijedic N, Deshpande A, Ilic S. Global and Historical Distribution of Clostridioides difficile in the Human Diet (1981-2019): Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of 21886 Samples Reveal Sources of Heterogeneity, High-Risk Foods, and Unexpected Higher Prevalence Toward the Tropic. Front Med (Lausanne) 2020; 7:9. [PMID: 32175321 PMCID: PMC7056907 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2020.00009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Clostridioides difficile (CD) is a spore-forming bacterium that causes life-threatening intestinal infections in humans. Although formerly regarded as exclusively nosocomial, there is increasing genomic evidence that person-to-person transmission accounts for only <25% of cases, supporting the culture-based hypothesis that foods may be routine sources of CD-spore ingestion in humans. To synthesize the evidence on the risk of CD exposure via foods, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies reporting the culture prevalence of CD in foods between January 1981 and November 2019. Meta-analyses, risk-ratio estimates, and meta-regression were used to estimate weighed-prevalence across studies and food types to identify laboratory and geographical sources of heterogeneity. In total, 21886 food samples were tested for CD between 1981 and 2019 (96.4%, n = 21084, 2007–2019; 232 food-sample-sets; 79 studies; 25 countries). Culture methodology, sample size and type, region, and latitude were sources of heterogeneity (p < 0.05). Although non-strictly-anaerobic methods were reported in some studies, and we confirmed experimentally that improper anaerobiosis of media/sample-handling affects CD recovery in agar (Fisher, p < 0.01), most studies (>72%) employed the same (one-of-six) culture strategy. Because the prevalence was also meta-analytically similar across six culture strategies reported, all studies were integrated using three meta-analytical methods. At the study level (n = 79), the four-decade global cumulative-prevalence of CD in the human diet was 4.1% (95%CI = −3.71, 11.91). At the food-set level (n = 232, mean 12.9 g/sample, similar across regions p > 0.2; 95%CI = 9.7–16.2), the weighted prevalence ranged between 4.5% (95%CI = 3–6%; all studies) and 8% (95%CI = 7–8%; only CD-positive-studies). Risk-ratio ranking and meta-regression showed that milk was the least likely source of CD, while seafood, leafy green vegetables, pork, and poultry carried higher risks (p < 0.05). Across regions, the risk of CD in foods for foodborne exposure reproducibly decreased with Earth latitude (p < 0.001). In conclusion, CD in the human diet is a global non-random-source of foodborne exposure that occurs independently of laboratory culture methods, across regions, and at a variable level depending on food type and latitude. The latitudinal trend (high CD-food-prevalence toward tropic) is unexpectedly inverse to the epidemiological observations of CD-infections in humans (frequent in temperate regions). Findings suggest the plausible hypothesis that ecologically-richer microbiomes in the tropic might protect against intestinal CD colonization/infections despite CD ingestion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Rodriguez-Palacios
- Division of Gastroenterology and Liver Disease, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, United States.,Digestive Health Research Institute, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Kevin Q Mo
- Human Nutrition, Department of Human Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States.,College of Medicine, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, OH, United States
| | - Bhavan U Shah
- Informatics and Assessment Division, Lorain County General Health District, Elyria, OH, United States.,Department of Neurology, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Joan Msuya
- Department of Health and Nutrition, World Vision, Arusha, Tanzania
| | - Nina Bijedic
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Formal Methods, Information Technologies, University Dzemal Bijedic, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina.,Department of Mathematics, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, NC, United States
| | - Abhishek Deshpande
- Medicine Institute Center for Value-Based Care Research, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Sanja Ilic
- Human Nutrition, Department of Human Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
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Knight DR, Riley TV. Genomic Delineation of Zoonotic Origins of Clostridium difficile. Front Public Health 2019; 7:164. [PMID: 31281807 PMCID: PMC6595230 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2019.00164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Clostridium difficile is toxin-producing antimicrobial resistant (AMR) enteropathogen historically associated with diarrhea and pseudomembranous colitis in hospitalized patients. In recent years, there have been dramatic increases in the incidence and severity of C. difficile infection (CDI), and associated morbidity and mortality, in both healthcare and community settings. C. difficile is an ancient and diverse species that displays a sympatric lifestyle, establishing itself in a range of ecological niches external to the healthcare system. These sources/reservoirs include food, water, soil, and over a dozen animal species, in particular, livestock such as pigs and cattle. In a manner analogous to human infection, excessive antimicrobial exposure, particularly to cephalosporins, is driving the expansion of C. difficile in livestock populations worldwide. Subsequent spore contamination of meat, vegetables grown in soil containing animal feces, agricultural by-products such as compost and manure, and the environment in general (households, lawns, and public spaces) is contributing to a persistent community source/reservoir of C. difficile and the insidious rise of CDI in the community. The whole-genome sequencing era continues to redefine our view of this complex pathogen. The application of high-resolution microbial genomics in a One Health framework (encompassing clinical, veterinary, and environment derived datasets) is the optimal paradigm for advancing our understanding of CDI in humans and animals. This approach has begun to yield critical insights into the genetic diversity, evolution, AMR, and zoonotic potential of C. difficile. In Europe, North America, and Australia, microevolutionary analysis of the C. difficile core genome shows strains common to humans and animals (livestock or companion animals) do not form distinct populations but share a recent evolutionary history. Moreover, for C. difficile sequence type 11 and PCR ribotypes 078 and 014, major lineages of One Health importance, this approach has substantiated inter-species clonal transmission between animals and humans. These findings indicate either a zoonosis or anthroponosis. Moreover, they challenge the existing paradigm and the long-held misconception that CDI is primarily a healthcare-associated infection. In this article, evolutionary, and zoonotic aspects of CDI are discussed, including the anthropomorphic factors that contribute to the spread of C. difficile from the farm to the community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel R Knight
- Medical, Molecular, and Forensic Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Thomas V Riley
- Medical, Molecular, and Forensic Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, WA, Australia.,School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, Australia.,School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia.,PathWest Laboratory Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Nedlands, WA, Australia
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Azimirad M, Krutova M, Nyc O, Hasani Z, Afrisham L, Alebouyeh M, Zali MR. Molecular typing of Clostridium difficile isolates cultured from patient stool samples and gastroenterological medical devices in a single Iranian hospital. Anaerobe 2017; 47:125-128. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2017.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2016] [Revised: 05/01/2017] [Accepted: 05/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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Warriner K, Xu C, Habash M, Sultan S, Weese S. Dissemination ofClostridium difficilein food and the environment: Significant sources ofC. difficilecommunity-acquired infection? J Appl Microbiol 2016; 122:542-553. [DOI: 10.1111/jam.13338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2016] [Revised: 10/25/2016] [Accepted: 10/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- K. Warriner
- Department of Food Science; University of Guelph; Guelph ON Canada
| | - C. Xu
- Shanghai Ocean University; Shanghai China
| | - M. Habash
- School of Environmental Biology; University of Guelph; Guelph ON Canada
| | - S. Sultan
- School of Environmental Biology; University of Guelph; Guelph ON Canada
| | - S.J. Weese
- Pathobiology; University of Guelph; Guelph ON Canada
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