X107 CFU Research Articles

Microbiological quality of white local sheep cheese in Mosul city markets

The soft white cheese is considered one of the most popular locally manufactured cheese in Iraq, a kind of traditional cheese that is mainly produced from sheep milk. It usually becomes available in the markets of Mosul between the months of February and July. To investigate the microbiological quality, 25 samples of white, soft, un-salted fresh locally produced sheep cheese were collected from the market in Mosul. These cheese samples were examined by the quantity method to determine the total viable bacterial counts (TVC) and the total counts of coliform and Escherichia coli bacteria. The minimum, maximum and average results of the aforementioned bacterial counts were 1.0x106, 1.4x103, 1.4x102 CFU g-; 2.9x108, 6.0x107, 12.6x105 CFU g- and 18.0x107, 5.8x106, 3.1x105 CFU g-1, respectively. Corresponding to the ‘International Microbiological Reference Criteria’ for cheese, it could be clear from these results that the samples were highly contaminated. Hence, it can be concluded that the sanitary conditions were inadequate either during the milk production and cheese manufacturing process or throughout their distribution in the local market. Therefore, it is recommended to comply with the public health and sanitary measures during the process of local cheese production. In consequence, it is essential to follow the annual screening of local cheese in terms of bacterial counts to determine the degree of contamination and in order to develop a national standard microbiological criteria and quality control for local cheese.

Microbiological quality of commercially available poultry feeds sold in Bangladesh

The study was conducted aiming at the isolation and identification of pathogens from poultry feed manufactured by four different brands namely A (broiler starter), B (broiler finisher), C (layer starter) and D (layer finisher) sold in retail stores of Rangpur city of Bangladesh. All these samples were collected from four randomly chosen outlets and analyzed by culturing in different culture media such as Nutrient broth (NB), Nutrient agar (NA), Salmonella-Shigella (SS) agar, Eosin methylene blue (EMB) agar, MacConkey agar, Triple sugar iron (TSI) agar slant, Motility, Indole, Urease (MIU) and Saboraud Dextrose agar (SDA) media. The bacterial agents were isolated and examined under light microscope for their gross morphological and conventional biochemical characteristics. The bacteriological analyses were done at the Microbiology Laboratory of Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur during the period of January to June, 2014. Total bacterial colonies of all the samples were counted separately according to the American Public Health Association, using nutrient agar medium for total viable count (TVC), Eosine methylene blue (EMB) agar media for total E. coli count (TEC) and Salmonella-Shigella agar for TSC (total salmonella count). Saboraud Dextrose agar (SDA) media was used for detection of fungus. The virulence effect of the organism present in feed were observed by inoculating the organism in poultry. Recorded result showed that average TVC of feed sample A, B, C and D were 5.45x106, 3.28x105, 5.14x106 and 4.53x105 CFU/gm (colony forming unit per gram) respectively. TEC of feed sample A, B, C and D were recorded 6.25x105, 8.26x103, 5.52x105 and 5.65x104 CFU/gm respectively. TSC of feed sample A, B, C and D were recorded 3.15x104, 2.68x103, 4.46x103 and 1.19x104 CFU/gm respectively. The highest TVC, TEC and TSC were found in broiler starter (feed sample A) and lowest TVC, TEC and TSC were found in broiler finisher (feed sample B). Fungal count was 1.85x105 CFU/ gm in layer finisher (feed sample D) could be as a result of their high pathogenecity as reported by researchers elsewhere. These organisms can cause several poultry and farm animal infections specially mycotoxicosis having public health significance to both human and poultry. The presence of high numbers of E. coli and Salmonella spp. in poultry feed were indicative of poor hygienic practices during manufacture, post process contamination and unsatisfactory transportation and reservation. Therefore reinforce the need for preventive control measures, hygienic handling and processing of feeds to reduce the risk of potential human health hazards.Asian J. Med. Biol. Res. March 2017, 3(1): 52-60

Dual color fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assays for detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium avium complexes and related pathogens in cultures.

Two rapid dual color fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assays were evaluated for detecting M. tuberculosis and related pathogens in cultures. The MN Genus-MTBC FISH assay uses an orange fluorescent probe specific for the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) and a green fluorescent probe specific for the Mycobacterium and Nocardia genera (MN Genus) to detect and distinguish MTBC from other Mycobacteria and Nocardia. A complementary MTBC-MAC FISH assay uses green and orange fluorescent probes specific for the MTBC and M. avium complex (MAC) respectively to identify and differentiate the two species complexes. The assays are performed on acid-fast staining bacteria from liquid or solid cultures in less than two hours. Forty-three of 44 reference mycobacterial isolates were correctly identified by the MN Genus-specific probe as Mycobacterium species, with six of these correctly identified as MTBC with the MTBC-specific probe and 14 correctly as MAC by the MAC-specific probe. Of the 25 reference isolates of clinically relevant pathogens of other genera tested, only four isolates representing two species of Corynebacterium gave a positive signal with the MN Genus probe. None of these 25 isolates were detected by the MTBC and MAC specific probes. A total of 248 cultures of clinical mycobacterial isolates originating in India, Peru and the USA were also tested by FISH assays. DNA sequence of a part of the 23S ribosomal RNA gene amplified by PCR was obtained from 243 of the 248 clinical isolates. All 243 were confirmed by DNA sequencing as Mycobacterium species, with 157 and 50 of these identified as belonging to the MTBC and the MAC, respectively. The accuracy of the MN Genus-, MTBC-and MAC -specific probes in identifying these 243 cultures in relation to their DNA sequence-based identification was 100%. All ten isolates of Nocardia, (three reference strains and seven clinical isolates) tested were detected by the MN Genus-specific probe but not the MTBC- or MAC-specific probes. The limit of detection for M. tuberculosis was determined to be 5.1x104 cfu per ml and for M. avium 1.5x104 cfu per ml in liquid cultures with the respective MTBC- and MAC-specific probes in both the MN Genus-MTBC and MTBC-MAC FISH assays. The only specialized equipment needed for the FISH assays is a standard light microscope fitted with a LED light source and appropriate filters. The two FISH assays meet an important diagnostic need in peripheral laboratories of resource-limited tuberculosis-endemic countries.

Effect of Moringa oleifera aqueous leaf extract on hepato-renal changes of albino rats induced with Salmonella typhimurium

Background: This study was designed to evaluate the effect of Moringa oleifera against Salmonella typhimurium infected changes in liver and kidney function parameters in albino rats.Methods: Twenty acclimatized albino rats were divided into four groups of five rats each (groups A-D). Groups B, C and D were exposed to 0.1ml (3.0x104 CFU) of Salmonella typhimurium. Six hours post- infection, Groups B and C were treated with 50 and 100mg/kg of Moringa oleifera aqueous leaf extract respectively and continued for 21 days. Group D was not treated while group A was neither infected nor treated. Serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), bilirubin, albumin, total protein, urea and creatinine were estimated using standard methods. All data were collected and analyzed in October 2015.Results: S. typhimurium infection significantly (p<0.05) increased the levels of ALP, ALT, AST, bilirubin, urea and creatinine when compared with control levels (Group A). Total protein and albumin concentrations were significantly (p<0.05) reduced following the infection. However, Moringa oleifera supplementation was associated with significant (p<0.05) decrease in the levels of ALP, ALT, AST, bilirubin, urea and creatinine. It is also associated with decrease in concentrations of total protein and albumin.Conclusions: This study showed S. typhimurium infection induced changes in liver and kidney function parameters and also revealed possible amelioratory effects to these changes after Moringa oleifera supplementation.

The use of lactic acid bacteria isolated from intestinal tract of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), as growth promoters in fish fed low protein diets

In this study, the effect as growth promoter of five lactic acid strains (Enterococcus faecium, E. durans, Leuconostoc sp., Streptococcus sp. I and Streptococcus sp. II), isolated from intestinal tract of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), was evaluated. Eight isocaloric diets were formulated: one containing 40% of protein as positive control, and seven with 27% protein. Five diets with 27% protein were supplemented with one of the isolated lactic acid bacteria in a concentration of 2.5x106 cfu g-1 of diet. A commercial probiotic based on S. faecium and Lactobacillus acidophilus was added at the same concentration to one 27% protein diet as a comparative diet, and the last diet was not supplemented with bacteria (negative control). Tilapia fry (280 mg basal weight) stocked in 15 L aquaria at a density of two per liter were fed for 12 weeks with experimental diets. Results showed that fry fed with native bacteria supplemented diets presented significantly higher growth and feeding performance than those fed with control diet. Treatment with Streptococcus sp. I isolated from the intestine of Tilapia produced the best growth and feeding efficiency, suggesting that this bacteria is an appropriate native growth promoter.

English

Food safety is a global issue, affecting food production and processing. The study assessed the microbiological quality of commercially dried fruits and home dried fruits and vegetables in Lesotho. Moisture content, pH and water activity of the fruits and vegetables were determined using standard methods. Nine different growth media were used for microbial evaluation. Moisture content and water activity were within World Health Organisation guidelines for dried fruits and vegetables. Fungi counts ranged from 2.0x102 to 8.7x105 CFU g-1, and dried pumpkin leaves recorded the highest. More than 45% and 38% of the samples exceeded the fungal and total aerobic counts recommended by WHO, respectively. Possible pathogens of the genera Salmonella, Shigella, Bacillus and other Enterobacteriaceae were isolated from home dried samples. Faecal coliforms were detected in 55% of the home dried food products. More than 60% of the samples recorded higher microbial levels than recommended. While half of commercially dried fruits exceeded international standards, all home dried fruits and vegetables recorded unacceptably high levels of fungal contamination. The presence of possible pathogenic organisms in these foodstuffs suggest a potential public health hazard to consumers. Sanitation and personal hygiene, especially during home-based food processing, needs improvement. Key words: Dried fruits, food-borne illness; food safety, guideline, low moisture foods, microbial quality, vegetables

The effect of early administration of combined multi-strain and multi-species probiotics on gastrointestinal morbidities and mortality in preterm infants: A randomized controlled trial in a tertiary care unit.

Güney-Varal İ, Köksal N, Özkan H, Bağcı O, Doğan P. The effect of early administration of combined multi-strain and multi-species probiotics on gastrointestinal morbidities and mortality in preterm infants: A randomized controlled trial in a tertiary care unit. Turk J Pediatr 2017; 59: 13-19. Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a gastrointestinal emergency of the neonatal period. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the use of multistrain and multispecies probiotic on gastrointestinal morbidities and mortality. The study was organized as a randomized controlled, prospective study in premature infants (≤32 week and ≤1500 gram). The ready commercial preparations which contain multi-combined probiotics of Lactobacillus rhamnosus (4.1x10⁸ cfu) + Lactobacillus casei (8.2x10⁸ cfu) + Lactobacillus plantorum (4.1x10⁸ cfu) + Bifidobacterium animalis (4.1x10⁸ cfu) together with 383 mg of fructooligosaccharides and 100 mg of galactooligosaccharides as the prebiotic content, was administered enterally to the probiotic group (n=70); control group constituted of 40 preterms. Primary outcomes of the present study were ≥ Stage 2 NEC and the mortality. Secondary outcomes were culture-proven sepsis and days to reach full enteral feeding. All cases of NEC were seen in group 2 as 3.6% (n=4) of all infants. The mortality was found to be 1.4% (n=1) in Group 1 and 22.5% (n=9) in Group 2. The incidence of NEC and the mortality rate were found to be significantly lower in Group 1 (p=0.016, p=0.001, respectively). In Group 1, the NEC-related mortality rate and sepsis-related mortality rate were significantly lower than that of the control group (p=0.046, p=0.023). In this study, we showed that using probiotic strains in combined multistrain and multispecies forms at higher doses and for prolonged duration had positive effects on gastrointestinal complications, sepsis and mortality in premature infants.

Bacterial flora associated with the selected life stages and organs of farmed giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii (de Man)

Bacteria associated with different life stages of giant freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii de Man) were analyzed. The gill, hepatopancreas, haemolymph of brood and juveniles as well as the egg, larvae and larval rearing water were sampled to understand the quantity and the quality of bacteria associated with the animals.A total number of 93 representative isolates were identified. The identified bacterial isolates could be distributed in to 14 genera. A mean bacterial total plate count (TPC) of 4.5x105 colony forming units (cfu) g-1 in eggs, 6.0x106 cfu g-1 in larvae and 4.6x105 cfu ml-1 in water were observed. Among all the organs highest TPC of 3.5x107 cfu g-1 were observed in juvenile’s gills. The brood haemolymph was found to be devoid of any bacteria. Identification of isolates representing different colony morphotype indicated that 89.77% of the bacterial population was gram negative dominated by Aeromonas hydrophilla (16.74%), Enterobacter aerogenes (12.09%) and Citrobacter frundii (10.16%). Among Gram-positive bacteria Bacillus, Streptococcus and Micrococcus were identified. Study of quantitative and qualitative aspects of bacterial prevalence with the different life stages of M. rosenbergii would be helpful in identification of disease causing bacteria and therefore in better management of M.rosenbergii culture.

Seed inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense and N fertilization of corn in the Cerrado biome

ABSTRACT There is a great interest to reduce doses and increase efficiency of inputs in agriculture. One alternative to lower doses of N fertilizers in corn is seed inoculation with diazotrophic bacteria, which can fix atmospheric N in soil. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of N doses-in the absence and presence of Azospirillum brasilense-on plant nutritional status at different growth stages and on seed yield of corn. The experiment was conducted during the 2011/2012 production season on a typical cerrado soil in Uberlândia, Triângulo Mineiro. The experimental design was randomized blocks with six repetitions. The treatments consisted of five N doses and the absence or presence of Azospirillum brasilense (100 mL ha-1) as a seed inoculant. A commercial product with minimum concentration of 2x108 CFU mL-1 100 mL ha-1 was used. Inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense did not significantly affect corn macronutrient content and yield, except for foliar calcium and potassium at 200 kg N ha-1 at the V8 stage. Corn yield increased with N doses up to 150 kg N ha-1.

Utilizing Moist or Dry Swabs for the Sampling of Nasal MRSA Carriers? An In Vivo and In Vitro Study.

This study investigates the quantitative bacterial recovery of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in nasal screenings by utilizing dry or moistened swabs within an in vivo and an in vitro experimental setting. 135 nasal MRSA carriers were each swabbed in one nostril with a dry and in the other one with a moistened rayon swab. Quantitative bacterial recovery was measured by standard viable count techniques. Furthermore, an anatomically correct artificial nose model was inoculated with a numerically defined suspension of MRSA and swabbed with dry and moistened rayon, polyurethane-foam and nylon-flocked swabs to test these different settings and swab-materials under identical laboratory conditions. In vivo, quantities of MRSA per nostril in carriers varied between <101 and >107 colony forming units, with a median of 2.15x104 CFU. However, no statistically significant differences could be detected for the recovery of MRSA quantities when swabbing nasal carriers with moist or dry rayon swabs. In vitro testing confirmed the in vivo data for swabs with rayon, polyurethane and nylon-flocked tips, since pre-moistening of swabs did not significantly affect the quantities of retrieved bacteria. Therefore, pre-moistening of swabs prior to nasal MRSA sampling provides no advantage in terms of recovering greater bacterial quantities and therefore can be omitted. In addition, this situation can be mimicked in an in vitro model, thereby providing a useful basis for future in vitro testings of new swab types or target organisms for screening approaches.

Identification of some kefir microorganisms and optimization of their production in sugarcane juice

Kefir grains are a consortium of bacteria and yeasts grouped in a polysaccharide called kefirano. They ferment sugar substrates to produce organic acids, CO2, vitamins and ethanol. They also have positive effects on health. This research project aimed to optimize the fermentation process of sugarcane concentrate using kefir grains. The microorganisms were first identified morphologically and biochemically, then isolated and purified in selective media. Optimization was conducted using the response surface methodology with a composite central design. The independent variables were: temperature, time and percentage of kefir grains added. As for dependent variables, we considered the following: increase in kefir grains (also measured as a percentage), acidity and microbial growth. Additionally, our study identified populations of Lactobacillus curvatus and the following yeasts: Candida famata, Can. magnoliae, Can. krusei/incospicua and Can. sphaerica in the kefir grains. The optimal conditions were 33.5 °C, 30 h and 6% w/w of added kefir grains. The increase in kefir grains reached was of 193 ± 12%. The lactobacilli, lactococci and yeast counts were 1.57x108, 8.63x107 and 2.05x107 CFU mL-1 respectively. Experimental optimization was an effective tool for the fermentation of kefir grains in sugarcane concentrate.

Establishment of a pathogenicity index in Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Typhimurium strains inoculated in one-day-old broiler chicks

Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Typhimurium are responsible for causing huge economic loses in aviculture, as they lead young broiler chicks to develop clinical disease and thus increase mortality. Salmonella's pathogenicity is considered complex and multifactorial, demanding more studies that could elucidate the interaction between host and pathogen. The present study aims to evaluate the virulence of 130S. Enteritidis isolates and 70S. Typhimurium inoculated in one-day-old chicks through the establishment of a pathogenicity index. For each strain, 10 commercial chicks from the Cobb lineage were used. Then, 200µL of a solution containing 2x108 CFU of S. Enteritidis or S. Typhimurium were inoculated in the birds by intraperitoneal via. Mortality and presence of lesions such as aerosaculitis (A), perihepatitis (Ph), pericarditis (Pc), peritonitis (Pt), onfalitis (O) and cellulitis (C) were registered daily for seven days. From the second to the seventh day there was a proportional decrease in the punctuation of the time of death (TD) for each day that the bird had survived. The pathogenicity index was calculated using the following formula: PI = (TD x 5) + A + Ph + Pc + Pt + O + C. The obtainment of the PI of each bacterial sample was achieved by calculating the rate of the ten inoculated birds. Based on the obtained results, it was possible to attribute the pathogenicity value for each strain, which enabled us to classify them in groups of low (27/200), intermediate (95/200) and high (78/200) pathogenicity. The utilization of standards like time of death and presence of septicemic lesions made it possible to determine the pathogenicity rate for each strain. Besides that, the proposed model has presented dramatic differences between the high, intermediate and low pathogenicity groups, which makes this mechanism useful for further classification of strains isolated in poultry farms.

Chemical and physical properties of Thai traditional shrimp paste (Ka-pi)

Thai traditional fermented shrimp paste (Ka-pi) is widely consumed as condiment and seasoning ingredient in Thailand. Chemical and physical properties of thirteen shrimp paste samples were examined. The water content and water activity (Aw) of the products ranged from 33.95-52.19 % and 0.64-0.72, respectively while salt concentration was 7.00 to 10.85 %. The nitrogen content varied from 2.87 to 6.85 % (w/w). KS1 showed the highest protein content (42.8 %) followed by SP1 and SP3 (42.4 and 41.3 %), respectively. The predominant amino acids were glutamic acid (70.1-593.9 µg/g), lysine (112.7-546.3 µg/g) and leucine (29.5-544.9 µg/g). Total bacterial cell count in the samples ranged from 1.3x103 - 2.9x105 cfu g-1 while lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were not detected. This study will be provided the information for improving the quality of products in manufacture to meet the demand of consumer.

Vplyv hnojenia na biologick� aktivitu p�dneho spolocenstva streptomyc�t

The search for new natural mechanisms to inhibit the growth of phytopathogenic microorganisms has become widely widespread. Therefore, the main objective of the present study was determination of antimicrobial activities of actinomycetes isolated from agricultural soil, which was fertilized mainly by organic fertilizers, against 8 selected phytopathogenic strains. Among the actinomycetes, Streptomyces species have been extensively studied, because they have been recognized as an important source of secondary metabolites, which can suppress the growth of undesirable pests in crops. The results indicated that the richest source of Streptomyces colonies was soil fertilized with compost (103 x104 CFU*g-1 dry soil). On the basis of morphological signs, total of 65 isolates were selected and examined for antimicrobial activities. Isolates exhibited the best activity against Gram negative bacterium Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus, disease agent of “ring rot” of potatoes and against fungus Fusarium poae, disease agent of Fusarium head blight of wheat. Twelve isolates exhibited promising broad-spectrum activity against tested organisms. On the basis of results, six of them were selected for further screening. Comparison of polyphasic studies with available literature led to identification of biological active strains S. olivochromogenes (13SC11), S. avermitilis (13SC2), S. rishiriensis (13SC13), S. globisporus (13SC19), S. sampsonii (13SPC10) and S. avidinii (13SPC4). After quantification analysis of various enzymes, tested isolates produced alkaline phosphatase, leucinearylamidase, valinearylamidase, acid phosphatase, naphtol-AS-BI-phosphohydrolase, glucosidase in high values (>40 nmol) and were positive for nitrate reduction, hydrolysis of gelatin, urease, and esculin. These isolates can be used in the development of new biopesticides anf biofertilizers with antibacterial and antifungal effect.

Effect of fertilization on biological activity of community of soil streptomycetes

The search for new natural mechanisms to inhibit the growth of phytopathogenic microorganisms has become widely widespread. Therefore, the main objective of the present study was determination of antimicrobial activities of actinomycetes isolated from agricultural soil, which was fertilized mainly by organic fertilizers, against 8 selected phytopathogenic strains. Among the actinomycetes, Streptomyces species have been extensively studied, because they have been recognized as an important source of secondary metabolites, which can suppress the growth of undesirable pests in crops. The results indicated that the richest source of Streptomyces colonies was soil fertilized with compost (103 x104 CFU*g-1 dry soil). On the basis of morphological signs, total of 65 isolates were selected and examined for antimicrobial activities. Isolates exhibited the best activity against Gram negative bacterium Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus, disease agent of “ring rot” of potatoes and against fungus Fusarium poae, disease agent of Fusarium head blight of wheat. Twelve isolates exhibited promising broad-spectrum activity against tested organisms. On the basis of results, six of them were selected for further screening. Comparison of polyphasic studies with available literature led to identification of biological active strains S. olivochromogenes (13SC11), S. avermitilis (13SC2), S. rishiriensis (13SC13), S. globisporus (13SC19), S. sampsonii (13SPC10) and S. avidinii (13SPC4). After quantification analysis of various enzymes, tested isolates produced alkaline phosphatase, leucinearylamidase, valinearylamidase, acid phosphatase, naphtol-AS-BI-phosphohydrolase, glucosidase in high values (>40 nmol) and were positive for nitrate reduction, hydrolysis of gelatin, urease, and esculin. These isolates can be used in the development of new biopesticides anf biofertilizers with antibacterial and antifungal effect.

The Effect of Given Atung Seed Extraction as a Natural Preservative to Changes The Quality Value of Swordfish Smoking

&lt;p&gt;Atung (Parinarium glaberimmum Hassk) was tropical plant as potential as antimicrobial much&lt;br /&gt;grown in Eastern Indonesia especially in Maluccas area. The aim of this research was to determine&lt;br /&gt;the chemical characteristics of smoked swordfish was soak in extract atung seed before smoking.&lt;br /&gt;Measurement parameter of chemical characteristics covering the moisture conten, levels of ash,&lt;br /&gt;levels of fat, levels of a protein micro method Kjeldahl ash (AOAC 2005), carbohydrates (method&lt;br /&gt;by difference) and microbiologi. The observation is made every day storage 2 days up 4 days. This&lt;br /&gt;research used Factorial Randomized Design with 3 replication. Data analysis statistic univariate&lt;br /&gt;using software SPSS 20. The results of this research show the swordfish were soak in extract atung&lt;br /&gt;seed before smoking affect the chemical characteristics and microbiologi. Swordfish smoked&lt;br /&gt;with extract atung seed and room tempareture storage were given significant effect (α=5%) to the&lt;br /&gt;microbes total. The best value of swordfish in soak of atung extract at first production with value&lt;br /&gt;of microbes 2,6x104 CFU. The chemical characteristics analysis result show differences among&lt;br /&gt;the treatments during the storage room temperature. The best values of chemical characteristics&lt;br /&gt;swordfish smoked at 2 days room temperature storage with moisture level 59,46%, ash level 2,66%,&lt;br /&gt;fat level 1,63%, protein level 34,62% and carbohydrat level 1,63%.&lt;br /&gt;Keywords : Atung seed, natural preservative, quality&lt;/p&gt;

Evaluación de tres dosis de un preparado microbiano, obtenido en Ecuador, en la respuesta productiva y sanitaria de cerdos en posdestete

&lt;p&gt;Para evaluar tres dosis de un preparado microbiano obtenido en el Ecuador (4x106 UFC de bacterias lácticas, 1,5x105 UFC de levaduras por cada mililitro), en el comportamiento productivo y de salud en cerdos durante la etapa post-destete, se aplicó un diseño completamente aleatorizado, con cuatro tratamientos y cuatro repeticiones por tratamiento: T1 concentrado, T2, T3, T4 (concentrado más 5 mL/kg de peso vivo (PV), 10 mL/kg PV 15 mL/kg PV del preparado microbiano, respectivamente). Se utilizaron 160 cerdos castrados del cruce Landrace x Large White con Blanco Belga x Pietrain, de 28 d de edad y con 6,99 kg de PV. El mayor peso vivo final y la mejor ganancia de peso total y diaria (P &amp;lt; 0,0001) se obtuvo en el grupo de cerdos donde se agregó 15 mL/kg PV del preparado microbiano, con valores de 25,78 kg, 18,78 kg y 447,25 g, respectivamente. En el mismo grupo experimental se encontraron las conversiones de materia seca, proteína bruta y energía metabolizable más eficientes 1,54 kg /kg PV y aumento de peso vivo de 383,92 g/kg PV y 23,16 MJ/kg PV, respectivamente. También en este grupo se registró la menor presencia de animales con diarrea (P &amp;lt; 0,0001) 6,85%. Se concluye que la adición de 15 mL/kg PV mejora el comportamiento productivo y sanitario de cerditos destetados.&lt;/p&gt;

Efficacy of synbiotic treatment in children with acute rotavirus diarrhea

Background Diarrhea is one of the major causes of morbidityand mortality in children throughout the world, mostly due torotavirus infection. In daily practice, we routinely use the WorldHealth Organization Five steps for managing acute diarrhea.Thispractice has shown great success in diarrhea management, butconcerns remain on reducing the duration of diarrhea to preventcomplications. Synbiotics can reduce the severity of diarrhea.However, there has been limited data on synbiotic therapy fortreating acute rotavirus diarrhea in children.Objective To compare the durations of acute rotavirus diarrheatreated with synbiotics vs. placebo.Methods This study was a randomized, double-blind, clinical trial,performed at the Pediatric Gastrohepatology Division, Sanglahand Wangaya Hospitals in Denpasar. Subjects were children aged6 to 59 months with acute rotavirus diarrhea. Rotavirus wasdiagnosed by immune chromatography assay. The synbiotic groupreceived probiotic comprised of Lactobacillus sp., Streptococcus sp.,Bifidobacterium sp. (total viable count 1.00x109 CFU per dose), andprebiotic consisted of 990.00 mg fructooligosacharide (FOS). Theplacebo consisted of lactose monohydrate packaged similarly as thesynbiotics. Subjects orally ingested 1 pack per day for 5 days.Results Seventy children with acute rotavirus diarrhea wasinvolved in this study. The median duration of diarrhea in thesynbiotic group was 50.0 (SE 1.1); 95%CI 47.9 to 52.1 hours, whilethat of the placebo group was 63.0 (SE 5.9); 95%CI 51.4 to 74.6hours. Based on Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, the duration ofdiarrhea in the synbiotic group was significantly shorter than thatof the placebo group (log-rank test P &lt;0.0001).Conclusion In children with acute rotaviral diarrhea, synbioticreduces the duration of diarrhea compared to placebo.

Preclinical testing of a vaccine candidate against tularemia.

Tularemia is caused by a gram-negative, intracellular bacterial pathogen, Francisella tularensis (Ft). The history weaponization of Ft in the past has elevated concerns that it could be used as a bioweapon or an agent of bioterrorism. Since the discovery of Ft, three broad approaches adopted for tularemia vaccine development have included inactivated, live attenuated, or subunit vaccines. Shortcomings in each of these approaches have hampered the development of a suitable vaccine for prevention of tularemia. Recently, we reported an oxidant sensitive mutant of Ft LVS in putative EmrA1 (FTL_0687) secretion protein. The emrA1 mutant is highly sensitive to oxidants, attenuated for intramacrophage growth and virulence in mice. We reported that EmrA1 contributes to oxidant resistance by affecting the secretion of antioxidant enzymes SodB and KatG. This study investigated the vaccine potential of the emrA1 mutant in prevention of respiratory tularemia caused by Ft LVS and the virulent SchuS4 strain in C57BL/6 mice. We report that emrA1 mutant is safe and can be used at an intranasal (i. n.) immunization dose as high as 1x106 CFU without causing any adverse effects in immunized mice. The emrA1 mutant is cleared by vaccinated mice by day 14–21 post-immunization, induces minimal histopathological lesions in lungs, liver and spleen and a strong humoral immune response. The emrA1 mutant vaccinated mice are protected against 1000–10,000LD100 doses of i.n. Ft LVS challenge. Such a high degree of protection has not been reported earlier against respiratory challenge with Ft LVS using a single immunization dose with an attenuated mutant generated on Ft LVS background. The emrA1 mutant also provides partial protection against i.n. challenge with virulent Ft SchuS4 strain in vaccinated C57BL/6 mice. Collectively, our results further support the notion that antioxidants of Ft may serve as potential targets for development of effective vaccines for prevention of tularemia.

English

Sediments of North Delta (Egypt) are a rich source of many thermo-tolerant bacteria, which could be used as a good source of many enzymes. Sediment samples were collected from six different sites in North Delta region. The counts of thermo-tolerant marine bacteria (at 55°C) in sediment samples ranged from 9.8x102 to 6.8x103 CFU g-1. It was found that the occurrence of thermo-tolerant bacteria in North Delta sediments at 55°C reached 11.1% with respect to the total viable count at 30°C. Five of seven selected thermo-tolerant bacterial isolates showed optimum growth at pH 9 and NaCl concentration of 4% (w/v) after 24 h of incubation at 55°C. Two thermo-tolerant marine bacteria were selected and identified as Achromobacter sp. HEGN 014 and Virgibacillus pantothenticus HEGN 114 using 16S rDNA analysis. Their sequence similarities were 96 and 97%, respectively. Their optimum growth was at pH 9 and NaCl concentration of 4% (w/v) with tolerance to higher concentration of 7 and 9% (w/v), respectively. Moreover, both strains were investigated to produce an extracellular lipase, while they showed no productivity for cellulase, chitinase or protease at 55°C, however, gelatinase was produced only by V. pantothenticus HEGN 114. Antibiotics resistance was observed for Achromobacter sp. HEGN 014 and V. pantothenticus HEGN 114. The optimum reaction temperatures for the purified lipases from both strains were the same at 35 and 55°C. The amino acid analysis showed that arginine represented 89.982 mmole of total detected amino acids of lipase produced from Achromobacter sp. HEGN 014 with tolerance to higher concentration of 7 and 9% (w/v) NaCl. Key words: Achromobacter sp., Virgibacillus pantothenticus, thermo-tolerant, lipase.