Microbiological Survey Research Articles

A Microbiological Survey of Ear Infections in Inhabitants of Erbil City

this study was carried out to indicate the number of infected individuals with ear infection from different genders and ages determine the antibiotic sociability for the ear swab bacterial isolates. A total of 82 ear swabs were obtained in Erbil City from various hospitals and labs. Males made up 48 (59%) of the 81 samples, while females made up 33 (41%). 0-10 years had the most bacteria isolated from ear swabs, followed by 11-20 years and then 21-40 years. Pseudomonas spp. were the most prevalent bacteria found in all of the swabs (43 percent). Pathogenic bacteria were found in 70% of the samples, while no growth was seen in 30% of the swabs. Many bacterial isolates were found to be sensitive to the antibiotic Amikacin, which was determined to have the best effect on 35 of them. Clotrimazole was shown to be the least effective antibiotic on numerous bacterial strains, with 19 being resistant.

On the Infectious Causes of Neonatal Piglet Diarrhoea-A Review.

Simple SummaryThis review is a summary of the current knowledge of the aetiology of neonatal porcine diarrhoea, including the early reports and the growing knowledge on the disease, some clinical features, a brief description of the suspected or known causes, pathogenesis and pathology, surveys made on the disease, and aspects of the methodology to be used in such microbiological surveys. Considerations of treatment and prophylaxis are beyond the scope of this paper.The aim of this paper is to review current knowledge on the relationship between presumptive infectious agents and neonatal porcine diarrhoea (NPD). The literature provides information on the rationale for this causation, including the first mention, main understandings gained with respect to, e.g., pathogenesis, and the knowledge to date on the specific relationships. Further, surveys on the presence and relative importance of these pathogens in NPD are included and the methodology used to identify the causation are discussed.

Microbiological Survey of 47 Permanent Makeup Inks Available in the United States.

In two previous surveys, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) identified microbial contamination in 53 of 112 (47%) unopened tattoo inks and tattoo-ink-related products (e.g., diluents) from 15 manufacturers in the U.S. In this study, we primarily focused our microbiological survey on permanent makeup (PMU) inks. We conducted a survey of 47 unopened PMU inks from nine manufacturers and a comparative species-centric co-occurrence network (SCN) analysis using the survey results. Aerobic plate count and enrichment culture methods using the FDA’s Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM) Chapter 23 revealed that 9 (19%) inks out of 47, from five manufacturers, were contaminated with microorganisms. The level of microbial contamination was less than 250 CFU/g in eight inks and 980 CFU/g in one ink. We identified 26 bacteria that belong to nine genera and 21 species, including some clinically relevant species, such as Alloiococcus otitis, Dermacoccus nishinomiyaensis, Kocuria rosea, and Pasteurella canis. Among the identified microorganisms, the SCN analysis revealed dominance and a strong co-occurrence relation of spore-forming extreme environment survivors, Bacillus spp., with close phylogenetic/phenotypic relationships. These results provide practical insights into the possible microbial contamination factors and positive selection pressure of PMU inks.

High Risk Human Papillomavirus genital infections in asymptomatic population: effectiveness of Micro-Immunotherapy

Background: persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) is the primary cause for the development of various anogenital cancers in females and males. Most infections are either latent or subclinical and the majority occur as asymptomatic. HPV infections are not currently treatable by antiviral compounds. Micro-immunotherapy (MI) medications using high dilutions of cytokines and specific nucleotide sequences have been developed to treat targeted viral infections and are currently prescribed in medical practice as immune regulators: 2L®PAPI (Labo’Life) is indicated for HPV infection and may represent a new therapeutic approach.
 
 
 
 Aims: this exploratory study was to assess the effectiveness of 2L®PAPI on HPV infection eradication in HR-HPV infected asymptomatic patients attending an STD Centre in a long-term microbiological follow-up population survey.
 
 
 
 Methodology: adult patients of both genders, diagnosed with HR-HPV infection, with no evidence of symptomatic HPV or anogenital cancer, were followed during a 2 year-period (2009-2010). Selected patients had not previously been vaccinated for HPV or treated with medications having an impact on the immune system. HPV testing was performed on biological samples using PCR detection (Innogenetics, Italy). In addition, detection of E6/E7 mRNA of five carcinogenic HPV types was performed by EasyQ HPV (BioMerieux, Italy). HPV-positives were requested by their urology specialist to take 2L®PAPI (composition in table 1) during 4 months (1 caps/day by sublingual route). Globally 46 patients were followed: 23 treated with MI medication, and 23 not treated.
 
 
 
 Results: one third of selected patients were lost at the control visit (15/46). At the end of the study period, HR-HPV negativity was observed in 50% (8/16) of patients under MI medication in comparison with only 7% (1/15) of the non treated patients who were HPV-DNA negative at the follow-up visit (p=0.01071, Mid-P exact test). This result is in accordance with our previous results which showed long lasting persistence of HR-HPV infection in a male cohort.
 
 
 
 Conclusions: the relevant percentage of lost patients at follow-up reflects the scarce information and awareness of this infection within asymptomatic people in Italy. 2L®PAPI was efficient in eradicating 50% of HR-HPV infections in treated patients, including 60% of HPV-16. These promising data emphasize the importance of redirecting immune responses in viral infections.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Table 1: 2L®PAPI composition
 
 
 
 Compounds Dilutions
 
 Interleukin-1 (IL-1): 17-10 CH*
 
 Interleukin-2 (IL-2): 17-10 CH
 
 Interferon-α (IFN-α): 17-10 CH
 
 SNA-HLA II: 16-10 CH
 
 Ciclosporin A (CsA): 7-10-17 CH
 
 Ribonucleic acid (RNA): 18-10 CH
 
 SNA-PAPI: 16-10 CH
 
 * CH: Centesimal Hahnemannian (1/100)

Adapting Macroecology to Microbiology: Using Occupancy Modeling To Assess Functional Profiles across Metagenomes.

ABSTRACTMetagenomic sequencing provides information on the metabolic capacities and taxonomic affiliations for members of a microbial community. When assessing metabolic functions in a community, missing genes in pathways can occur in two ways; the genes may legitimately be missing from the community whose DNA was sequenced, or the genes were missed during shotgun sequencing or failed to assemble, and thus the metabolic capacity of interest is wrongly absent from the sequence data. Here, we borrow and adapt occupancy modeling from macroecology to provide mathematical context to metabolic predictions from metagenomes. We review the five assumptions underlying occupancy modeling through the lens of microbial community sequence data. Using the methane cycle, we apply occupancy modeling to examine the presence and absence of methanogenesis and methanotrophy genes from nearly 10,000 metagenomes spanning global environments. We determine that methanogenesis and methanotrophy are positively correlated across environments, providing a predictive framework for assessing gene absences for these functions. We present this adaptation of macroecology’s occupancy modeling to metagenomics as a tool to quantify the uncertainty in predictions of the presence/absence of traits in environmental microbiological surveys. We further initiate a call for stronger metadata standards to accompany metagenome deposition, to enable robust statistical approaches in the future.IMPORTANCE Metagenomics is maturing rapidly as a field but is hampered by a lack of available statistical tools. A primary area of uncertainty is around missing genes or functions from a metagenomic data set. Here, we borrow an established modeling approach from macroecology and adapt it to metagenomic data sets. Rather than multiple sampling trips to a specific area to detect a species of interest (e.g., identifying a cardinal in a forest), we leverage the enormous amount of information within a metagenome and use multiple gene markers for a function of interest (e.g., subunits of an enzyme complex). We applied our adapted occupancy modeling to a case study examining methane cycling capacity. Our models show methanogens and methanotrophs are both more likely to cooccur than be present in the absence of the other guild. The lack of consistent and complete metadata is a significant hurdle for increasing the statistical rigor of metagenomic analyses.

230. Nontyphoidal Salmonella from Clinical and Retail Meat Sources Reveal Antimicrobial Resistance Genes for Ceftriaxone and Ciprofloxacin

BackgroundPennsylvania participates in the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS), which includes monitoring of Nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS), a leading cause of bacterial foodborne illnesses in the United States.MethodsClinical NTS isolates submitted to the Pennsylvania Department of Health (2015-18) were tested for susceptibility to 15 antimicrobial agents and analyzed by whole-genome sequencing (WGS). Concurrently, we conducted a prospective microbiological survey of NTS in retail meat products (chicken breasts, ground turkey, and pork chops) with susceptibility testing and WGS. ResultsOf a sample of 426 clinical Salmonella isolates from humans analyzed for antimicrobial susceptibility, 65 (15.3%) had decreased susceptibility to ciprofloxacin (DSC). Ampicillin resistance was observed in 39 (9.2%) and 15 (3.5%) were ceftriaxone-resistant. Ten ceftriaxone-resistant isolates had genetic elements that confer resistance to third generation extended-spectrum cephalosporins (ESC) [blaCMY−2, n=8 and blaCTX-M-65, n=2]. The blaCTX-M-65- positive isolates had a mutation in gyrA that confers fluoroquinolone resistance. Thirteen clinical isolates carried plasmid-mediated fluoroquinolone resistance genes (PMQR) [qnrB19, qnrS1, qnrA1]. We detected NTS in 131 (3.8%) of 3480 meat samples tested. 7 (5.3%) had DSC, while 38 (29%) and 21 (16%) were resistant to ampicillin and ceftriaxone, respectively. Four S. Infantis isolates had DSC and a blaCTX-M-65 gene plus a mutation in gyrA. Thirteen meat isolates had the blaCMY-2 gene. One additional blaCTX-M-65-positive S. Infantis without gyrA from ground turkey (SRR6351119) differed from four clinical isolates by ≤10 single-nucleotide polymorphisms. Percent of isolates from patients and meat sources that demonstrated resistance to amoxicillin-clavulanate (AMC), ceftriaxone, and decreased susceptibility to ciprofloxacin (DSC) to nine antimicrobial classes tested. Among isolates from patients, resistance to ceftriaxone, a third-generation cephalosporin preferred for severe infections in children, increased from zero in 2015 to 5.8% in 2017. Overall, DSC increased in isolates from human sources while in strains from meat sources, DSC increased from zero in 2015 to over five percent in 2018.ConclusionNTS isolated from human and meat sources were multi-drug resistant. Demonstration of similar resistance genes in meat and in ill humans may be consistent with spread of antibiotic-resistant pathogens from food sources. Dissemination of genes that confer resistance to third generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones, including some on mobile plasmids, may undermine recommended treatment for severe NTS infections. These results underscore the need for antimicrobial stewardship efforts in both agriculture and human medicine.Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Microbiological survey of Korean mouse facilities from 2014 to 2019.

We surveyed mouse microbiological contamination rates by testing rates for common contaminants using serological, culture, and parasitological methods. A total of 21,292 experimentally housed mice from 206 animal facilities, including hospitals, universities, companies, and research institutes, were tested over a 6-year period from 2014 to 2019. The most commonly found contaminants were various species of nonpathogenic protozoa (47.2%). The most common pathogenic bacteria were Staphylococcus aureus (21.2%), Pasteurella pneumotropica (12.5%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (5.8%). Mouse hepatitis virus (6.1%) was detected, but no other viral or bacterial pathogens were found. These results establish that the main pathogens that currently contaminate mouse facilities in Korea are opportunistic pathogens and that contamination with important pathogens, such as those in Categories B or C, has decreased.

Increasing morbidity and mortality of candidemia over one decade in a Swiss university hospital.

BackgroundThe epidemiology of candidemia is evolving with raising concern about the emergence of intrinsically resistant non‐albicans Candida species and acquisition of antifungal resistance. In addition to microbiological surveys, epidemiological studies including clinical data are needed to assess the impact of candidemia on morbidity and mortality.ObjectivesTo assess the clinical and microbiological trends of candidemia in a Swiss university hospital.Patients/Methods.This single‐centre retrospective study compared the incidence of candidemia, Candida species distribution, antifungal resistance profiles, clinical characteristics and outcomes between two periods separated by one decade.ResultsA total of 170 candidemic episodes were included (68 from period 1, 2004‐2006, and 102 from period 2, 2014‐2017). Incidence of candidemia (0.85 to 0.97 episode/10,000 patient‐days), species distribution (55%–57% C albicans) and antifungal susceptibilities remained unchanged. During period 2, candidemia was more frequently observed in intensive care units (ICU, 38% vs 19% in period 1, P = .01) and amongst older patients (median age 68 vs 59 years old, P < .01) with more immunosuppressive conditions (24% vs 9%, P = .01). Candidemia in period 2 was more frequently followed by septic shock (23% vs 7% in period 1, P = .01) and ICU admission (42% vs 12%, P < .01) and was associated with higher mortality (34% vs 18%, P = .03). Overall, factors associated with mortality in multivariate analyses included cirrhosis, solid malignancies and ICU stay at the time of candidemia.ConclusionsDespite stable incidence, species distribution and antifungal resistance of candidemia, an epidemiological shift of the disease towards older and more critically ill patients was observed, with higher mortality rates.

Microbiological survey and occurrence of bacterial foodborne pathogens in raw and ready-to-eat green leafy vegetables marketed in Tehran, Iran.

Fresh leafy (FL) and ready-to-eat (RTE) vegetables are recognized as an important source of foodborne disease outbreaks worldwide. Currently, there are no data available for the prevalnce of bacterial foodborne pathogens (FBPs) in raw vegetables consumed in Iran. Here, we evalated the presence of common bacterial FBPs among 366 samples of raw vegetables including 274 FL and 92 RTE collected from 21 districts of Tehran. The presence of FBPs were screened using conventional microbiological culture methods and real-time PCR assays. Overall, a higher rate of bacterial contamination was detected in FL compared to RTE samples using both detection methods. The results obtained by microbiological methods showed that Staphylococcus aureus (134/366, 36.6%), followed by Escherichia coli (85/366, 23.2%) and Clostridium perfringens (66/366, 18%) were detetcted as the most prevalent pathogens in this study. Vibrio cholerae was not detected in any of the samples either by microbiological methods or by the real-time PCR assays. There was a noticeable reduction in the proportion of Campylobacter positive samples using conventional microbiological methods (3.5%) compared to the real-time PCR assay (20.7%). The proportion of FL and RTE positive samples obtained by conventional microbiological methods was significantly different (P<0.05) for C. perfringens, Campylobacter spp. and S. aureus. The proportion of positive samples in FL and RTE vegetables obtained by the real-time PCR assays was significantly different (P<0.05) for C. perfringens, S. aureus, Helicobacter pylori and STEC/EHEC, the last one was found more frequently in RTE than in FL samples. Our findings indicated a contamination of FL and RTE vegetables in Iran with a range of well-known and emerging FBPs. Positivity and the distribution of bacterial species from the current data indicated different contamination sources, and overall a lack of effective decontamination steps during the production chain. Moreover, further information about the quality of the water, the hygiene measures implemented during the processing, storage and marketing are required to better identify the critical points and define the proper measures.

Microbiological Survey of Wheat Flour Sold at Retail in Canada, 2018 to 2019

Following two O121 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) outbreaks linked to wheat flour, this study was conducted to gain baseline information on the occurrence of bacterial pathogens and levels of indicator organisms in wheat flour in Canada. A total of 347 prepackaged wheat flour samples were analyzed for Salmonella species, STEC, Listeria monocytogenes, aerobic colony count (ACC), total coliforms, and Escherichia coli. Salmonella spp. and O157 STEC were not detected in any of the samples. L. monocytogenes was identified in two samples (0.6%) at levels below the limit of detection (<0.7 log CFU/g). Non-O157 STEC were isolated from six samples (1.7%) and were characterized for the presence of STEC virulence genes: stx1, stx2, and their subtypes, eae, hlyA, and aggR. One O103:H25 STEC isolate carried virulence genes (stx1a+eae) that are known to be capable of causing diarrhea and/or bloody diarrhea in humans. Of the five remaining non-O157 STEC isolates, four carried single stx2a or stx2c genes and were considered to have the potential of causing diarrhea. The remaining non-O157 STEC isolate (stx2), while not a priority non-O157 STEC, was not available for sequencing; thus, its potential to cause illness is unknown. ACC, total coliforms, and E. coli were detected (≥0.48 log CFU/g) in 98.8, 72.6, and 0.6% of the flour samples. The mean counts of ACC were greater in whole wheat flour compared with the other flour types tested (P < 0.001). The results of this study suggest that the occurrence of O157 STEC and Salmonella is low but that the occurrence of non-O157 STEC in wheat flour with the potential to cause human illness of diarrhea is relatively common. Therefore, the consumption of raw flour could increase the likelihood of STEC infections. Further research is merited for potential risk mitigation strategies within the food production system and with consumers.

Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of antibiotic resistance in military hospital-associated bacteria from war injuries in the Eastern Ukraine conflict between 2014 and 2020

Infections from the recent conflict in Ukraine have been poorly investigated. To describe the phenotypic and genotypic mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in pathogens associated with war injuries in the Ukraine conflict. This report describes a retrospective multi-centre microbiological survey conducted in four Ukrainian military hospitals between 2014 and 2020. The phenotypes of 813 organisms obtained from 1061 tests of 162 patients were analysed. Fifty-two isolates underwent whole-genome sequencing. Resistance was highest in Acinetobacter baumannii, with 92.5% ((48/52) 95% confidence interval (CI) 81.8-97.9) resistant to fluoroquinolones, 83.0% ((43/52) 95% CI 70.2-91.9) resistant to aminoglycosides, and 67.9% ((37/52) 95% CI 53.7-80.1) resistant to carbapenems. In contrast, resistance to carbapenems was 55.6% ((30/52) 95% CI 41.4-69.1) in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 42.9% in Escherichia coli ((12/28) 95% CI 24.5-62.8), and 32.8% in Klebsiella pneumoniae ((20/34) 95% CI 21.3-46.0). Multi-drug-resistant strains harboured an abundance of antibiotic resistance genes. K.pneumoniae co-produced class A and D β-lactamases, in one case with blaNDM-1 and rmtC 16S rRNA methyltransferase. A.baumannii carried class A and D β-lactamases but not metallo-β-lactamases; in four isolates, carbapenemases were present with the RmtASE gene armA. P.aeruginosa harboured a wide range of class A and D β-lactamases along with metallo-β-lactamases, as well as the RmtB4 RmtASE gene. Gram-positive cocci were generally sensitive to the tested antibiotics. The incidence of resistance among the studied pathogens was higher than that in Ukrainian civilian hospitals and European countries. The discovery of P.aeruginosa, A. baumannii, and K.pneumoniae co-producing carbapenemases and RmtASEs is of particular importance, and hospitals should be vigilant for their emergence.

Inhibitory Effects of Essential Oils of Cinnamon zeylanicum and Myristica fragrans against Brucella abortus 544 Inoculated in Fresh Baladi Cheese

Background: Essential Oils (EOs) are natural metabolic products of plants that contain a condensed chemical hydrophobic liquid compounds. The aim of this study was to evaluate inhibitory effects of EOs of Cinnamon zeylanicum and Myristica fragrans against Brucella abortus 544 inoculated in fresh Baladi cheese. Methods: Fresh Baladi cheese was manufactured from experimentally contaminated milk with B. abortus 544 in combination of EOs of C. zeylanicum or M. fragrans. Cheese samples were periodically subjected to further microbiological surveys at different storage times (0, 1, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h). The inhibition zone diameter and Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) against tested strain were also determined. Statistical analyses were conducted by GraphPad Prism Statistical Software. Results: The inhibition zone diameter of the paper disk were 9.5±0.5 and 16±0.57 mm at 1% concentration of M. fragrans and C. zeylanicum EOs, respectively; and 15±0.28 and 21±0.76 mm at 5% concentration of M. fragrans and C. zeylanicum EOs, respectively. The values of inhibition zone diameters were significantly (p&lt;0.0001) different between the two selected concentrations of 1% and 5% for the studied EOs. Also, anti-Brucella activity of C. zeylanicum was significantly (p&lt;0.0001) more than that of M. fragrans EO. Conclusion: Due to the appropriate anti-Brucella activity, C. zeylanicum EO could be applied as an effective natural preservative in the production of fresh Baladi cheese. Conversely, using M. fragrans EO could not protect the fresh Baladi cheese against Brucella.

Assessment of Domestic Water Sources Safety: Application of the Micro Biological Survey Method and Microbiological Profile of the Contaminating Bacteria

Water is essential for human life and it’s expected to be clean and safe. In Cameroon, government efforts to improve access to drinking water are mitigated. Many households are suffering from chronic water shortages leading to the majority of people using doubtful water sources. This study was carried out in accordance with guidelines produced by the STARBIOS2-EU funded project on Responsible Research and Innovation and aimed to assess the microbiological quality of water samples collected from domestic water sources in 3 divisions of the West region of Cameroon. 22 water samples from well water, stream, water pump and river were aseptically collected. At each sampling point, 50 mL of sample was taken aseptically and immediately transported to the laboratory for analysis. The detection of Coliforms bacteria was done using Micro Biological Survey (MBS) method. 1 mL of each sample was inoculated in the Coliforms MBS (Coli MBS) vial initially rehydrated with 10 mL of sterile distilled water. The Coli MBS vials were closed, shaken for homogenization, and then incubated at 37°C. From the initial red color of the Coli MBS vials, changes in color to yellow of the reaction vials were monitored at three different time intervals (12 h, 19 h and 24 h), corresponding to three levels of bacterial concentration. All positives samples on MBS method were selected to determine the presence of E. coli Loop full broths of Coli MBS vials were taken; streaked into the eosin methylene blue (EMB) agar plate and incubated at 37°C for 24 hours. E. coli was confirmed by observing green metallic sheen on EMB agar plate. The biochemical indole, methyl red, Voges-Proskauer and citrate (IMViC) test was performed to determine the complete microbiological profile of the water samples. Almost all the water samples were contaminated with Total Coliforms (TC). A high concentration of TC (>103 CFU/mL) was found in 8 samples (36.4%), a medium concentration (10 3 CFU/mL) was observed in 10 samples (45.5%) and 2 samples (9.1%) were low concentrated (1 E. coli by observing the green metallic sheen on EMB agar plates. The IMViC test confirmed the presences of 5 bacteria species: Enterobacter spp., Klebsiella spp., E. coli spp., Salmonella spp. and Shigella spp. We recommend integrating sanitary assessment in the design and implementation of water supply projects. Regular water purification using proper methods and maintenances of the water point. Regular microbiological quality assessment of water intended for human consumption should be planned and carried out.

Microbiological survey of ready-to-eat foods and associated preparation surfaces in cafeterias of public sector universities

ABSTRACT A microbiological and sanitation survey of ready-to-eat (RTE) food samples, cutlery, utensils, and hands of food handlers, food preparation surfaces, serving counters, washing areas, and refrigerator handles were conducted. The samples were collected using environmental swabs, and these samples were analyzed using standard plating techniques. Samples were characterized after aerobic plate counts (APC) and isolated for mesophilic aerobic bacteria (MAB), total coliforms, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli., Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., Pseudomonas spp., Enterobacter spp., Klebsiella spp., and yeast. This study suggested that good-hygiene practices can minimize bacterial counts, thereby decreasing the reservoirs for bacterial contamination. It also improves the hygienic condition of RTE-foods in the cafeteria of Universities.

Evidence of on-going transmission of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 following a foodborne outbreak.

In August 2019, public health surveillance systems in Scotland and England identified seven, geographically dispersed cases infected with the same strain (defined as isolates that fell within the same five single nucleotide polymorphism single linage cluster) of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7. Epidemiological analysis of enhanced surveillance questionnaire data identified handling raw beef and shopping from the same national retailer (retailer A) as the common exposure. Concurrently, a microbiological survey of minced beef at retail identified the same strain in a sample of minced beef sold by retailer A, providing microbiological evidence of the link. Between September and November 2019, a further four primary and two secondary cases infected with the same strain were identified; two cases developed haemolytic uraemic syndrome. None of the four primary cases reported consumption of beef from retailer A and the transmission route of these subsequent cases was not identified, although all four primary cases visited the same petting farm. Generally, outbreaks of STEC O157:H7 in the UK appear to be distinct, short-lived events; however, on-going transmission linked to contaminated food, animals or environmental exposures and person-to-person contact do occur. Although outbreaks of STEC caused by contaminated fresh produce are increasingly common, undercooked meat products remain a risk of infection.

Microbiological survey of equipment and wheat‐milled fractions of a milling operation

AbstractBackground and objectivesAs wheat is milled into flour, there is a substantial risk of cross‐contamination by microorganisms potentially inhabiting the milling equipment. The objectives of this study were designed (a) to assess the levels of microbial contamination associated with the milling equipment and the wheat as it is processed from grain to packaged flour, and (b) to identify equipment that could serve as a source of contamination during processing.FindingsEquipment used to clean and temper wheat grain was found to harbor substantial populations of aerobic mesophilic bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, and molds. Generic E. coli was found in 2 instances on cleaning equipment at an average of 0.4 log CFU/10 cm2. Coliform counts increased markedly in wheat kernels and milled fractions after passing through the different milling steps.ConclusionsThese data demonstrate that microorganisms, including fecal indicators, were common colonizers of milling equipment and that a consistent cross‐contamination risk existed throughout the processing line. Cleaning and sanitation efforts should focus especially on tempering equipment and prompt removal of buildup of grain/flour residues within the milling equipment.Significance and noveltyThis study identified critical control areas and equipment where cross‐contamination is likely to occur during milling. Appropriate sanitary measures should, therefore, be implemented in the mill to minimize the risk of microbial contamination during wheat milling.

Diversidade microbiana no ambiente e em partes do trono imperial de D. Pedro II - Caracterização por microbiologia clássica e biologia molecular antes e após intervenções de conservação e restauro

The Museu Imperial has an important historical collection from the Portuguese Royal Family in Brazil. The throne represents the imperial power and is considered one of the most important objects in the museum; however, the piece has been facing for decades a gradual deterioration, mainly in its fabrics. With the growing motivation to preserve this property, conservation and restoration processes were conducted in all parts of the throne. As a part of this treatment, a microbiological survey was conducted in selected parts of the object and the surrounding environment where it was placed. This biodeterioration study, control and detection of microbial species indicated a very pertinent answer in relation to the place it was exposed, and the restoration process was performed in order to solve the most pronounced damages aiming to restore the original characteristics of the artefact. The study indicated a high diversity of fungi and bacteria. It was observed a marked decrease, before and after restoration, being observed the recurrence of the genera Absidia, Cladosporium and Epicoccum. This reduction was not so pronounced for bacteria, being also observed the recurrence of some bacterial groups after restoration (Microbacterium, Staphylococcus and Kocuria). In the atmosphere new fungal species were found after restoration, indicating a natural recontamination of the exhibition area.

Antibiotic-Resistant Salmonella, isolated from cloacal swab samples from turtles in Guatemala

Salmonellosis is a relevant public health threat worldwide. Reptiles are commonly involved in cases in humans. A microbiological survey was conducted from August to October 2018 to isolate Salmonella bacteria and look for antibiotic-resistant isolates in pet turtles of five species (Kinosternon sp., Rhinoclemmys sp., Staurotypus sp., Trachemys scripta y T. venusta) in Guatemala City and San Lucas Sacatepéquez. Cloacal swabs were taken from 63 turtle individuals and cultivated in the Microbiology Laboratory at the Veterinary Medicine Faculty, University of San Carlos of Guatemala. Three samples were positive to the presence of Salmonella sp. One of these isolates (from Trachemys scripta) was resistant to Gentamicin, Penicillin and Amikacin, other isolate (from T. scripta) was partially resistant to Amoxicilin+Clavulanic Acid and Penicillin and other (from T. venusta) to Penicillin. These findings highlight the need for better biosecurity practices and show the capacity of bacteria to develop survival strategies that involve resistance to harmful substances like antibiotics. Key words: Salmonellosis, public health, epidemiology, zoonoses, multiresistant gram negative bacteria.

Rapid Microbiological Assessment in Raw Milk: Validation of a Rapid Alternative Method for the Assessment of Microbiological Quality in Raw Milk.

The consumption of dairy products and the dairy industry are one of the main global agri-food sectors for its size, economic importance, and level of technology. Microbiological quality of pasteurized milk or other milk products is dependent on microbiological quality of raw milk. A variety of microbiological count methods is available for monitoring the hygienic quality of raw milk. Among them, the pour plate method is the official essay for counting the number of colony-forming units in milk samples according to International Organization for Standardization (ISO) No. 4833-1:2013. The aim of the present study is the validation of the Micro Biological Survey (MBS) method, against the reference plate-count method, for the assessment of the microbiological quality of raw milk. This comparative study, performed in collaboration with the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana M. Aleandri (IZSLT), demonstrates the accuracy of this alternative method for the determination of total viable bacterial count in cow’s raw milk. The results obtained with the MBS method highlight its potential as a valid tool for reliable microbiological analysis in dairy industries.

Effect of Rearing Temperature on Growth and Microbiota Composition of Hermetia illucens.

The potential utilization of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) as food or feed is interesting due to the nutritive value and the sustainability of the rearing process. In the present study, larvae and prepupae of H. illucens were reared at 20, 27, and 33 °C, to determine whether temperature affects the whole insect microbiota, described using microbiological risk assessment techniques and 16S rRNA gene survey. The larvae efficiently grew across the tested temperatures. Higher temperatures promoted faster larval development and greater final biomass but also higher mortality. Viable Enterobacteriaceae, Bacillus cereus, Campylobacter, Clostridium perfringens, coagulase-positive staphylococci, Listeriaceae, and Salmonella were detected in prepupae. Campylobacter and Listeriaceae counts got higher with the increasing temperature. Based on 16S rRNA gene analysis, the microbiota of larvae was dominated by Providencia (>60%) and other Proteobateria (mainly Klebsiella) and evolved to a more complex composition in prepupae, with a bloom of Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Bacilli, while Providencia was still present as the main component. Prepupae largely shared the microbiota with the frass where it was reared, except for few lowly represented taxa. The rearing temperature was negatively associated with the amount of Providencia, and positively associated with a variety of other genera, such as Alcaligenes, Pseudogracilibacillus, Bacillus, Proteus, Enterococcus, Pediococcus, Bordetella, Pseudomonas, and Kerstersia. With respect to the microbiological risk assessment, attention should be paid to abundant genera, such as Bacillus, Myroides, Proteus, Providencia, and Morganella, which encompass species described as opportunistic pathogens, bearing drug resistances or causing severe morbidity.