Susceptibility of the heat-, acid-, and bile-adapted Vibrio vulnificus to lethal low-salinity stress

As a marine pathogenic bacterium that inhabits seawater or seafood, Vibrio vulnificus encounters low salinity and other stresses in the natural environment and during food processing. This investigation explores the cross-protective response of sublethal heat-, acid-, or bile-adapted V. vulnificus YJ03 against lethal low-salinity stress. Experimental results reveal that the acid (pH 4.4)- and heat (41 degrees C)-adapted V. vulnificus were not cross-protected against the lethal low-salinity challenge (0.04% NaCl). The bile (0.05%)-adapted exponential- and stationary-phase cells were cross-protected against low salinity, whereas low-salinity (0.12% NaCl)-adapted stationary cells were sensitized against 12% bile stress. Results of this study provide further insight into the interaction between low salinity and other common stresses in V. vulnificus.     

Characterization of the low-salinity stress in Vibrio vulnificus

Vibrio vulnificus is a marine pathogenic bacterium commonly found in seawater or seafood. This organism encounters low-salinity stress in its natural environment and during food processing. This study was designed to investigate the response of V. vulnificus YJ03 to lethal low salinity (0.04% NaCl) and its adaptation to sublethal salinity (0.12% NaCl with 20 amino acids added). A short period in the nonculturable state was induced by lethal low-salinity stress followed by cell death after 30 min of stress. Addition of 1 mM glycine betaine or 0.5 mM sucrose reduced the damage. Low-salinity adaptation was achieved in the exponential-phase cells but not in the stationary-phase cells. Significant protection against lethal low-salinity stress was attained when the cells were adapted for as little as 1.5 min. The adapted cells were significantly protected against lethal low salinity and 2.4% sodium sorbate but sensitized to the challenge of heat (52 degrees C) and acid (pH 3.2). Nonlethal low-salinity treatment of seafood should be avoided to prevent stress adaptation of V. vulnificus.     

Ethanol shock changes the fatty acid profile and survival behavior of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in various stress conditions

Vibrio parahaemolyticus 690, a clinical strain, was subjected to ethanol shock in the presence of 5% ethanol for a period of 30 and 60 min. Survival behaviors of the ethanol shocked and control cells of V. parahaemolyticus in the presence of H(2)O(2) (20 ppm), crystal violet (3 ppm), NaCl (20%), and low pH solution (pH 4.4) containing various organic acids including lactic acid, acetic acid, citric acid and tartaric acid (25 mM) were compared. In addition, the effects of ethanol shock on the fatty acid profile and recovery of V. parahaemolyticus on tryptic soy agar (TSA) plus various amounts of NaCl were also investigated. After ethanol shock, it was found that the proportion of vaccenic acid (18:1) increased, while the proportion of palmitic acid (16:0) and ratio of saturated fatty acid to unsaturated fatty acid decreased in cells of V. parahaemolyticus. The recovery of the ethanol-shocked cells on TSA plus 6.0% or 7.5% NaCl was significantly less than the control cells. Furthermore, ethanol shock increased the survival of V. parahaemolyticus in the presence of H(2)O(2), while made the test organism less resistant to crystal violet, high NaCl and organic acids. The degree of decreased acid tolerance observed on the ethanol-shocked cells of test organism varied with the organic acid examined. Finally, ethanol shock for 60 min exhibited either a higher or similar degree of effect on the test organism (depending on the type of stress encountered) than did ethanol shock for 30 min. Data obtained from the present study does provide useful information that is indispensable when control measure of V. parahaemolyticus is to be performed efficiently and adequately.     

Effects of acid stress on Vibrio parahaemolyticus survival and cytotoxicity

For several foodborne bacterial pathogens, an acid tolerance response appears to be an important strategy for counteracting acid stress imposed either during food processing or by the human host. The acid tolerance response enhances bacterial survival of lethal acid challenge following prior exposure to sublethal acidic conditions. Previous studies have revealed relationships between a foodborne pathogen's ability to survive acid challenge and its infectious dose. Vibrio parahaemolyticus is capable of causing gastroenteritis when sufficient cells of pathogenic strains are consumed. This study was designed to characterize acid sensitivities and to compare the effects of sublethal acid exposure (adaptation) on survival capabilities and cytotoxicities of different V. parahaemolyticus strains. Survival of acid challenge by stationary-phase cells differed by up to 3 log CFU/ml among the 25 isolates tested. No differences in acid resistance were found between strains when they were grouped by source (clinical isolates versus those obtained from food). Survival at pH 3.6 for log-phase cells that had been previously exposed to sublethal acidic conditions (pH 5.5) was enhanced compared with that for cells not previously exposed to pH 5.5. However, for stationary-phase cells, exposure to pH 5.5 impaired both subsequent survival at pH 3.6 and cytotoxicity to human epithelial cells. Relative cytotoxicities of nonadapted stationary-phase cells were 1.2- to 4.8-fold higher than those of adapted cells. Sublethal acid exposure appears to impose measurable growth phase-dependent effects on subsequent lethal acid challenge survival and cytotoxicity of V. parahaemolyticus.     

Susceptibility of Vibrio parahaemolyticus to various environmental stresses after cold shock treatment

Vibrio parahaemolyticus was subjected to cold shock treatment at 20 or 15 degrees C for 2 or 4 h. The effect of cold shock on the survival of V. parahaemolyticus subjected to subsequent low temperature (5 and -18 degrees C) and other adverse conditions (47 degrees C, 6 ppm crystal violet, 1000 ppm H(2)O(2), 25 mM acetic acid and 25 mM lactic acid) was investigated. Regardless of the cold shock treatment, survival of V. parahaemolyticus increased when stored at 5 or -18 degrees C, while no increase in survival was noted for cells cold shocked in the presence of chloramphenicol. Cold shock treatment under the conditions tested, in general, enabled V. parahaemolyticus cells to survive better following subsequent challenge by crystal violet, while the cold-shocked organism was more susceptible to high temperature (47 degrees C), H(2)O(2) and organic acids (lactic and acetic acid) than the non-shocked cells. Furthermore, the temperature and time of the cold shock treatment affected the cold shock response of V. parahaemolyticus.     

几种天然食用成分对副溶血性弧菌抑菌作用研究

副溶血性弧菌是引起我国特别是沿海地区细菌性食物中毒危害的首要食源性致病菌。本实验通过单因素试验和正交试验研究醋酸、酒精与茶多酚3 种天然食用成分对菌悬液中副溶血性弧菌存活率的影响。单因素试验结果表明：经体积分数高于50%酒精或质量浓度为0.5mg/mL的茶多酚处理5min能完全杀灭菌悬液中的副溶血性弧菌;经pH2 的醋酸溶液处理也能使菌悬液中副溶血性弧菌降低4.79lg(CFU/mL)。正交试验结果表明：酒精体积分数、茶多酚质量浓度和酸度对副溶血性弧菌的抑制效果具有明显的协同作用;pH2.8、酒精体积分数20% 及茶多酚质量浓度0.125mg/mL 或pH2.4、酒精体积分数12% 及茶多酚质量浓度0.125mg/mL 的混合体系均能有效抑制副溶血性弧菌的生长。这些研究结果说明食用酒精、醋酸和茶叶提取物的适当配合将有可能作为复合杀菌剂用于水产食品中,从而降低副溶血性弧菌感染的风险。     

Effects of heat, acid, and freeze-thaw challenges on survival of starved Vibrio parahaemolyticus in minimal salt medium, tryptic soy broth, and filtered oyster homogenate medium

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a ubiquitous gram-negative enteropathogenic bacterium. To evaluate the risk of stress-adapted V. parahaemolyticus cells in food, we investigated the survivability of starvation-adapted and starvation-low salinity-adapted cells of this pathogen in different media against different stresses. Logarithmically grown bacterial cells were starved at 25 degrees C in a minimal salt medium with 0.5 or 3.0% NaCl for 24 h. Resistances against challenges of heat, acid, and freeze-thaw treatment exhibited by the starvation-adapted cells were similar to those exhibited by the starvation-low salinity-adapted cells but substantially higher than those of the unadapted control cells. The increased stress resistance of the adapted cells against freeze-thaw challenge was lower in tryptic soy broth than in the starving medium. Resistance of the adapted bacteria against heat and freeze-thaw treatment was completely eliminated in filter-sterilized oyster homogenate medium. Practically, these results help to assess the risk of stress-adapted V. parahaemolyticus in food.     

The Acetic Acid Tolerance Response induces cross-protection to salt stress in Salmonella typhimurium

Salmonella typhimurium induces an Acid Tolerance Response (ATR) upon exposure to mildly acidic conditions in order to protect itself against severe acid shock. This response can also induce cross-protection to other stresses such as heat and salt. We investigated whether both the acetic acid induced and lactic acid induced ATR in S. typhimurium provided cross-protection to a salt stress at 20 degrees C. Acid-adapted cells were challenged with both a sodium chloride (NaCl) and potassium chloride (KCl) shock and their ability to survive ascertained. Acetic acid adaptation provided cells with protection against both NaCl and KCl stress. However, lactic acid adaptation did not protect against either osmotic stressor and rendered cells hypersensitive to NaCl. These results have implications for the food industry where hurdle technology means multiple sub-lethal stresses such as mild pH and low salt are commonly used in the preservation of products.     

Survival of Vibrio parahaemolyticus serovar O3:K6 strains under acidic conditions

The survival of Vibrio parahaemolyticus serovar O3:K6 strains and other serovars in the presence of acetic, citric and hydrochloric acids were studied. There were no differences in resistance to these acids between serovar O3:K6 and the other serovars. At pH 5.6, citric acid was more effective in reducing the number of viable cells of V. parahaemolyticus than acetic acid. However, at pH 4.5, acetic acid was more effective than citric acid. The number of viable cells decreased quickly in the presence of rice vinegar or wine vinegar at pH 4.0.     

双层平板直接定性定量法检测海产品中副溶血性弧菌

目的:建立一种直接定量定性检测海产品中副溶血性弧菌的方法。方法:参照国标菌落计数方法,筛选具备计数和显示副溶血性弧菌典型菌落颜色功能的培养基,将人工染菌样品分别置于50、4和-18℃温度下并分别进行测试。结果:在NaCl NA双层平板上副溶血性弧菌菌落呈淡紫色,在人工染菌样品实验中与NaCl NA平板计数无显著差异;NaCl NA双层平板直接定量检测4℃冷藏处理和-18℃冷冻的样品中副溶血性弧菌浓度分别是对照组的68.9%和21.7%。结论:NaCl NA双层平板法具备操作简便、检验周期短、结果稳定、灵敏度高等特点,适合应用于-18~50℃温度环境下放置的海产品中副溶血性弧菌直接定性定量检测,能如实反映样品受污染的情况。     

Behavior of acid-adapted and unadapted Escherichia coli O157:H7 when exposed to reduced pH achieved with various organic acids.

A study was done to determine if various organic acids differ in their inhibitory or lethal activity against acid-adapted and unadapted Escherichia coli O157:H7 cells. E. coli O157:H7 strain EO139, isolated from venison jerky, was grown in tryptic soy broth (TSB) and in TSB supplemented with 1% glucose (TSBG) for 18 h at 37 degrees C, then plated on tryptic soy agar (TSA) acidified with malic, citric, lactic, or acetic acid at pH 5.4, 5.1, 4.8, 4.5, 4.2, and 3.9. Regardless of whether cells were grown in TSB or TSBG, visible colonies were not formed when plated on TSA acidified with acetic, lactic, malic, or citric acids at pH values of < or =5.4, < or =4.5, < or =4.2, or < or =4.2, respectively. Cells not adapted to reduced pH did not form colonies on TSA acidified with lactic acid (pH 3.9) or acetic acid (pH 3.9 and 4.2); however, a portion of acid-adapted cells remained viable on TSA containing lactic acid (pH 3.9) or acetic acid (pH 4.2) and could be recovered in TSB. Inactivation of acid-adapted cells was less than that of unadapted cells in TSB acidified at pH 3.9 with citric, lactic, or acetic acid and at pH 3.4 with malic acid. Significantly (P< or =0.05) higher numbers of acid-adapted cells, compared with unadapted cells, were detected 12 h after inoculation of TSB acidified with acetic acid at pH 3.9; in TSB containing lactic acid (pH 3.9), the number of acid-adapted cells was higher than the number of unadapted cells after 5 h. In TSB acidified at pH 3.9 with citric acid or pH 3.4 with malic acid, significantly higher numbers of acid-adapted cells survived. This study shows that organic acids differ in their inhibitory or lethal activity against acid-adapted and unadapted E. coli O157:H7 cells, and acid-adapted cells are more tolerant than unadapted cells when subsequently exposed to reduced pH caused by these acids.     

Hydrophobicity, cell adherence, cytotoxicity, and enterotoxigenicity of starved Vibrio parahaemolyticus

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a ubiquitous gram-negative enteropathogenic bacterium that may encounter starvation or other environmental stresses during food processing or human infection. Pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus ST550 cultures starved in modified Morita mineral salt solution with 3 or 0.5% NaCl exhibited similar resistance against challenges of environmental stresses. Changes in virulence of the starved V. parahaemolyticus was determined using HEp-2 cell culture and suckling mouse assay. The starved cells exhibited greater cell adherence and hydrophobicity than did the cells in exponential growth phase. Expression of virulence in terms of cytotoxicity and mouse lethality was lower in the starved cells than in the exponential-phase cells at the same postinfection time. An additional 1 h of in vitro or in vivo incubation was required to enable these starved cells to reach the same cytotoxicity and mouse lethality levels as exhibited by the exponential-phase cells.     

The susceptibility of Streptococcus thermophilus 14085 to organic acid,simulated gastric juice,bile salt and disinfectant as influenced by cold shock treatment

Streptococcus thermophilus is a thermophilic lactic acid bacterium which is used as the starter organism for the fermentation of yoghurt and some cheese. In the present study, S. thermophilus BCRC 14085 was subjected to cold shock treatment by exposure at 10 °C for 2 h. The effect of cold shock on the susceptibility of S. thermophilus in subsequent lethal stress environments such as simulated gastric juice (pH 2.0–3.0), bile solution (2.0%) and various organic acids (0.75 M, pH 3.5) including propionic, lactic, acetic, citric and tartaric acid was investigated. In addition, the survival of cold-shocked and non-shocked S. thermophilus exposed to disinfectants, Clidox-S and Quatricide, were compared. Results revealed that cold shock enhanced the tolerance of S. thermophilus in the presence of simulated gastric juice (pH 2.5 and 2.8), while in bile solution, the population increase of cold-shocked cells is higher than that of non-shocked cells after 12 h of incubation. Furthermore, the susceptibility of S. thermophilus, regardless of cold shock, to organic acid varied with the kinds of organic acid examined. The cold-shocked S. thermophilus showed a significantly less survival (P < 0.05) than that of the non-shocked cells when exposed to lactic or acetic acid. Furthermore, cold shock reduced the survival of S. thermophilus when exposed to Quatricide but not Clidox-S.     

胁迫生长条件下副溶血性弧菌的生物特性分析

为了解副溶血性弧菌在不同环境应激条件下的生长情况,以副溶血性弧菌标准菌株（Vibrio parahaemolyticus,CICC21617）为研究对象,使其在低盐度（0.9?g/100?mL?NaCl）、低pH值（pH?5.0）和高温（50?℃）条件下适应性传代培养后,通过测定菌株生存能力、生物被膜生成能力、溶血素活力和胞外蛋白酶产量等指标分析胁迫条件下副溶血性弧菌的生物特性。结果显示,经过胁迫传代的菌株较原始菌株,其生存能力和生物被膜生成能力有所增强,而溶血素活力和胞外蛋白酶产量却明显下降,外膜蛋白的种类和表达量亦有所不同。结果说明副溶血性弧菌可能是通过改变自身生物学特性来适应外界的不利生存环境,且菌株经应激适应后对逆境生存环境的耐受性明显增强。     

Response of heat-shocked Vibrio parahaemolyticus to subsequent physical and chemical stresses

Vibrio parahaemolyticus foodborne strains 405, 556, and 690 and a V. parahaemolyticus chopping board isolate were heat shocked at 42 degrees C for 15, 30, or 45 min. Heat shock, regardless of heating periods tested, caused an increased demand for NaCl during recovery from heat injury. Further study with strain 690 and the chopping board isolate also revealed that heat shock generally increased the survival of the test organism during subsequent exposure to 47 degrees C, 20 ppm H202, and 8% ethanol and reduced the tolerance of the test organism to low temperatures (5 and -18 degrees C). The extent of the heat shock response of V. parahaemolyticus varied with strain and the duration of treatment. Furthermore, heat shock treatments in the present study caused the leakage of nucleic acids from V. parahaemolyticus cells. This effect was most pronounced with cells heat shocked at 42 degrees C for 45 min.     

Heat and acid tolerance of Listeria monocytogenes after exposure to single and multiple sublethal stresses

The majority of published studies on the adaptive heat or acid tolerance response of Listeria monocytogenes have been performed with a single strain exposed to a single adaptation treatment; however, in food ecosystems, microorganisms commonly exist as multi-species communities and encounter multiple stresses, which may result in "stress hardening". Therefore, the present study evaluated the adaptive responses to heat (52, 57 and 63 degrees C) or lactic acid (pH 3.5) of a 10-strain composite of L. monocytogenes meat and human isolates at stationary phase, following exposure to combinations of osmotic (10% NaCl), acidic (pH 5.0 with HCl) and thermal (T; 46 degrees C) stresses, sequentially or simultaneously within 1.5h, in tryptic soy broth with 0.6% yeast extract (TSBYE). All treatments induced adaptive responses on L. monocytogenes at 57 degrees C, while no such cross-protection was observed at 52 and 63 degrees C. Survivor curves at 57 degrees C appeared convex with profound shoulders determined by a Weibull model. The highest thermotolerance was observed after combined exposure to acid and heat shock (pH-T), followed by exposure to osmotic shock, and by the combination of osmotic with heat shock (NaCl-T). Regarding acid tolerance, prior exposure to low pH, pH-T, or a combination of NaCl, pH and T resulted in a marked increase of resistance to pH 3.5, showing concave inactivation curves with tails at higher levels of survivors (log(10)CFU ml(-1)) than the control cultures. The sequence of exposure to sublethal stresses did not affect the thermotolerance of L. monocytogenes, whereas simultaneous exposure to most multiple stresses (e.g., NaCl-pH-T, NaCl-T and NaCl-pH) resulted in higher survivors of L. monocytogenes at pH 3.5 than exposure to the same stresses sequentially. The results indicate that combinations and sequences of sublethal hurdles may affect L. monocytogenes acid and heat tolerance, especially in acidic environments with mild heating or in low moisture environments.     

Sub-lethal heat treatment affects the tolerance of Cronobacter sakazakii BCRC 13988 to various organic acids, simulated gastric juice and bile solution

Cronobacter spp., formerly Enterobacter sakazakii, are considered emerging opportunistic pathogens and the etiological agent of life-threatening bacterial infections in infants. In the present study, C. sakazakii BCRC 13988 was first subjected to sub-lethal heat treatment at 47 °C for 15 min. Survival rates of the heat-shocked and non-shocked C. sakazakii cells in phosphate buffer solution (PBS, pH 4.0) containing organic acids (e.g. acetic, propionic, citric, lactic or tartaric acid), simulated gastric juice (pH 2.0-4.0), and bile solution (0.5 and 2.0%) were examined. Results revealed that sub-lethal heat treatment enhanced the test organism's tolerance to organic acids, although the extent of increased acid tolerance varied with the organic acid examined. Compared with the control cells, heat-shocked C. sakazakii cells after 120-min of exposure, exhibited the largest increase in tolerance in the lactic acid-containing PBS. Furthermore, although heat shock did not affect the behavior of C. sakazakii in bile solution, it increased the test organism's survival when exposed to simulated gastric juice with a pH of 3.0-4.0.     

戊糖片球菌的抑菌与共凝聚能力及其对水体中副溶血性弧菌的净化效应

研究了7株戊糖片球菌对副溶血性弧菌的抑菌特性和共凝聚能力,探讨了不同抑菌和凝聚特性的戊糖片球菌的细胞形态特征及其对水体中副溶血性弧菌的影响。结果表明7株戊糖片球菌对副溶血性弧菌的抑制作用是同p H值乳酸的1.1~1.3倍,抑菌活性对过氧化氢酶、蛋白酶以及加热处理不敏感。戊糖片球菌对副溶血性弧菌的2 h共凝聚率在14.8~37.6%之间,具有显著菌株差异性,其中菌株F28-8达到37.6%,显著高于其它菌株(P0.01)。扫描电镜结果显示菌株F28-8具有独特的细胞表面结构和粘连模式。戊糖片球菌对水体中副溶血性弧菌具有促凝聚和减菌作用,副溶血性弧菌悬液经过F28-8处理60 h,上层悬液中的可培养细胞浓度比未经处理的对照组降低了3.1 Log10 CFU/m L,显著高于低凝聚性菌株H13(P0.01),而凝聚物中可培养细胞比对照组降低了1.6 Log10CFU/m L,与H13处理无显著差异(P0.05)。     

Histamine formation by Tetragenococcus muriaticus, a halophilic lactic acid bacterium isolated from fish sauce.

We examined histamine formation in cultures of Tetragenococcus muriaticus, a halophilic lactic acid bacterium isolated from fish sauce. T. muriaticus formed histamine in low acidity (pH 5.8), O2 limiting conditions with optimal NaCl and glucose concentrations of 5-7% (w/v) and above 1%, respectively. Histamine formation could not be prevented even at 20% (w/v) NaCl, indicating that NaCl could not prevent histamine formation by this bacterium. A conspicuous amount of histamine accumulated only during the late stationary phase regardless of the growth conditions. Studies of cell suspension experiments confirmed the results obtained from cultured cells.     

Response of Vibrio parahaemolyticus to ethanol shock

In this study, the growth and survival of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in the presence of 0.0-8.0% ethanol was first examined. V. parahaemolyticus was then exposed to a sub-lethal dose of 5.0% ethanol for 30 and 60 min (ethanol shock). Morphological changes and alterations in cell leakage, thermal tolerance at 47 degrees C, and susceptibility to 8% ethanol and low temperature (4 and -18 degrees C) of V. parahaemolyticus caused by ethanol shock were investigated. In addition, recoveries of the ethanol-shocked cells of V. parahaemolyticus on thiosulfate-citrate-bile salts-sucrose agar (TCBS) and TSA-3.0% NaCl were also compared. The findings revealed that the presence of ethanol in TSB-3.0% NaCl at 6.0-8.0% and 5.0% or less, exerted bactericidal and partial growth inhibition effect, respectively, on V. parahaemolyticus. Recovery of ethanol-shocked cells of V. parahaemolyticus was significantly (P<0.05) less on TCBS than on TSA-3.0% NaCl. A significantly (P<0.05) marked increase of protein and nucleic acid material in the supernatant of cell suspension was found after cells of V. parahaemolyticus were exposed to ethanol shock. Extensive cell disruption, wrinkling and cell-wall pitting, indicative of cell-surface damage were also noted on the ethanol-shocked cells. Ethanol-shocked cells of V. parahaemolyticus exhibited a similar yet higher susceptibility at 4 and -18 degrees C compared with the control cells. Moreover, there was a marked increase in the thermal tolerance and resistance to 8.0% ethanol with cells of V. parahaemolyticus after ethanol shock. Finally, the duration of ethanol shock testing did not affect the extent of increased thermal tolerance. While cells of V. parahaemolyticus subjected to ethanol shock for 60 min showed an increase in their resistance to 8.0% ethanol, they also showed an increase in susceptibility at -18 degrees C, than those ethanol shocked for 30 min.