Campylobacter in food animals and humans in northern Thailand

Cross-sectional, longitudinal, and case-control studies were conducted to describe the epidemiology of Campylobacter in chickens, swine, dairy cows, farm workers, nonfarm residents, and children with diarrhea. Samples were collected in Chiang Mai and Lamphung provinces of northern Thailand from 2000 through 2003. A total of 2,360 samples were processed. Results from the cross-sectional study indicated that the prevalences of Campylobacter in chickens at the farm, slaughterhouse, and market were 64, 38, and 47%, respectively. In swine, the prevalences at the farm, slaughterhouse, and market were 73, 69, and 23%, respectively. Campylobacter prevalence was 14% in dairy cows and 5% in raw milk. The prevalence of Campylobacter on farms was lower in environmental samples than in samples collected from live animals. No Campylobacter isolates were obtained from healthy nonfarm residents, but isolates were obtained from 5 and 18% of farm workers and children with diarrhea, respectively. The prevalence of Campylobacter in pigs in the longitudinal study was 61% at the farm, 46% at the slaughterhouse, and 33% at the market. The majority of Campylobacter isolates from chickens (52%), swine (98%), and farm workers (66%) were Campylobacter coli, whereas the majority of isolates from dairy cows (63%) and children with diarrhea (62%) were Campylobacter jejuni. Most Campylobacter isolates from diarrheal children had single-strand conformation polymorphism profiles similar to those of isolates from chickens. None of the risk factors for infection in children with diarrhea were significantly associated with the isolation of Campylobacter.     

Antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella isolated from food animals: A review

Salmonella enterica is recognized as one of the most common causes of bacterial foodborne illness worldwide. The majority of Salmonella infections are attributed to consumption of contaminated food of animal origin such as eggs, chicken, pork, etc. Severe Salmonella infections often require antimicrobial therapy to aid in the elimination of the infection. A potential problem that has been developing for many decades is the development of antimicrobial resistance. There has been an increasing concern over the past 30 years regarding the worldwide emergence of multidrug-resistant phenotypes among Salmonella serotypes such as S. Typhimurium, S. Enteritidis and S. Newport. A special concern is the emergence of resistance to quinolones, fluoroquinolones or extended-spectrum cephalosporins such as ceftiofur and ceftriaxone. Recently, the occurrence of Salmonella isolates resistant to these antibiotics has increased. Therefore, continuous monitoring of its prevalence and resistance in the food supply is necessary because of the public health implications of a potential spread of resistant microorganisms. Furthermore, a holistic animal management approach such as stringent control of antimicrobial agents in the livestock industry, early clinical and microbiological diagnosis, appropriate treatment, and implementation of strict sanitary standards in the food industry are also needed to significantly reduce the overall burden of salmonellosis on human health.     

Ectopic pregnancy in animals and humans

Ectopic pregnancy denotes a pregnancy occurring elsewhere than in the cavity of the uterus. This pathology has been recognised for years and it causes numerous maternal deaths during the first trimester of pregnancy. While this condition is well-known in humans, it is rarely diagnosed in animals. However, the causes and mechanisms leading to an ectopic implantation of the ovum are not always clearly defined in humans or animals. Two types of ectopic pregnancy are mainly recognized: (1) tubal pregnancy occurs when an oocyte is fertilized and then remains in the oviduct and (2) abdominal pregnancy occurs when the gestation develops in the peritoneal cavity. The latter may be subdivided into two subtypes: the primary form, when a fertilized oocyte enters the peritoneal cavity and becomes attached to the mesentery or abdominal viscera, and the secondary form, which follows the rupture of an oviduct or the uterus after the fetus has been implanted, and the fetus is expelled into the peritoneal cavity. Cornual, ovarian and cervical ectopic locations are less frequent. Several differences exist in ectopic pregnancies between human beings and animal species. While abdominal pregnancy has been described in both human and animal species, tubal ectopic pregnancies would appear to be restricted to primates. Other than anecdotal cases, this pathological condition does not occur in laboratory, domestic or farm animals. Several factors are described as being the cause of these differences.     

Colonic spirochetosis in animals and humans

Colonic spirochetosis is a disease caused by the gram-negative bacteria Brachyspira aalborgi and Brachyspira pilosicoli. B. pilosicoli induces disease in both humans and animals, whereas B. aalborgi affects only humans and higher primates. Symptoms in humans include diarrhea, rectal bleeding, and abdominal cramps. Colonic spirochetosis is common in third world countries; however, in developed countries, the disease is observed mainly in homosexual males. Terminally ill patients infected with Brachyspira are particularly at risk for developing spirochetemia. Diarrhea, poor growth performance, and decreased feed-to-gain efficiency is seen in pigs with colonic spirochetosis. The disease in chickens is characterized by delayed and/or reduced egg production, diarrhea, poor feed conversion, and retarded growth. Thus, colonic spirochetosis can represent a serious economic loss in the swine and poultry industries. The organisms are transmitted by the fecal-oral route, and several studies have demonstrated that human, primate, pig, dog, or bird strains of B. pilosicoli can be transmitted to pigs, chickens, and mice. B. pilosicoli may be a zoonotic pathogen, and although it has not been demonstrated, there is a possibility that both B. pilosicoli and B. aalborgi can be transferred to humans via contact with the feces of infected animals, meat from infected animals, or food contaminated by food handlers. Neither B. pilosicoli nor B. aalborgi has been well characterized in terms of basic cellular functions, pathogenicity, or genetics. Studies are needed to more thoroughly understand these Brachyspira species and their disease mechanisms.     

Mechanisms of erythromycin resistance of Campylobacter spp. isolated from food, animals and humans

Macrolides are regarded as drugs of choice for treatment of human campylobacteriosis. The use of antimicrobials for this purpose as well as in food animal production could result in macrolide resistance in Campylobacter species. Campylobacter isolates exhibit two different phenotypes with regard to erythromycin resistance: high-level resistance (HLR) and low-level resistance (LLR). Thirty-six food/animal and human isolates of Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli were examined for their mechanisms of resistance to erythromycin. The data presented here confirm the previous findings that the A2075G mutation in the 23S rRNA gene is the most frequently reported mechanism of high-level erythromycin resistance in Campylobacter isolates. The efflux pump inhibitor PAbetaN increased susceptibility to erythromycin for at least 16-32-fold in all examined HLR isolates, suggesting that the efflux mechanism acts in synergy with the 23S rRNA mutation to confer high-level erythromycin resistance. This was also confirmed in the isolates with sequence variation in the efflux pump cmeB gene. Additionally, the PAbetaN restored the susceptibility of LLR strains to the level of minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the susceptible strains and also reduced the MICs of the susceptible C. jejuni and C. coli isolates. The data suggest that active efflux contributes to the intrinsic resistance to erythromycin in Campylobacter and also contribute to high-level resistance.     

Tobacco and cigarette butt consumption in humans and animals

Discarded cigarette butts may present health risks to human infants and animals because of indiscriminate eating behaviours. Nicotine found in cigarette butts may cause vomiting and neurological toxicity; leachates of cigarette butts in aquatic environments may cause exposure to additional toxic chemicals including heavy metals, ethyl phenol and pesticide residues. This report reviews published and grey literature regarding cigarette butt waste consumption by children, pets and wildlife. Although reports of human and animal exposures number in the tens of thousands, severe toxic outcomes due to butt consumption are rare. Nonetheless, the ubiquity of cigarette butt waste and its potential for adverse effects on human and animal health warrants additional research and policy interventions to reduce the stream of these pollutants in the environment.     

The antibiotic resistance characteristics of non-typhoidal Salmonella enterica isolated from food-producing animals, retail meat and humans in South East Asia

Antimicrobial resistance is a global problem. It is most prevalent in developing countries where infectious diseases remain common, the use of antibiotics in humans and animals is widespread, and the replacement of older antibiotics with new generation antibiotics is not easy due to the high cost. Information on antibiotic resistance phenotypes and genotypes of Salmonella spp. in food animals and humans in different countries and geographic regions is necessary to combat the spread of resistance. This will improve the understanding of antibiotic resistance epidemiology, tracing of new emerging pathogens, assisting in disease treatment, and enhancing prudent use of antibiotics. However, the extent of antibiotic resistance in food-borne pathogens and humans in many developing countries remains unknown. The goal of this review is to discuss the current state of antibiotic resistance of non-typhoid Salmonella spp. in food-producing animals, retail meat and humans from South East Asia. It is focused on resistance characteristics of traditional and "critically important" antibiotics in this region, and the emergence of multidrug resistant strains and genetic elements that contribute to the development of multidrug resistance, including integrons and the Salmonella Genomic Island (SGI).     

食品中沙门氏菌检测方法的研究进展

本文通过查阅大量文献,对近年来食品中沙门氏菌的检测方法的进行了综述,详细的介绍了目前常用沙门氏菌的检测方法.认为.传统方法可以对沙门氏菌做出鉴定,但需要4～7 d的时间;以抗体为基础的ELISA方法和免疫荧光标记方法将检测时间缩短了一半,且灵敏性高和特异性强:以核酸为基础的PCR技术由于灵敏、简单、快速和特异已被广泛用于沙门氏菌检测.但是这些方法仍然存在一定的不足,需要进一步加以改进,关于食品中沙门氏菌的检测方法的研究还有待进一步深入.     

Characterization of antimicrobial resistance in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium isolates from food animals in the U.S.

Salmonella enterica subspecies enteric serovar Typhimurium is the second most common serovar implicated in human diseases in the United States. In this study, 120 S. Typhimurium isolates from animal sources were characterized by antimicrobial susceptibility testing, antimicrobial resistance gene detection and plasmid analysis. Overall, 94 (78%) of the isolates were resistant to one or more antimicrobials and 63 (53%) were resistant to at least five antimicrobials. Resistance was most commonly observed to streptomycin (62%), sulfisoxazole (62%), or tetracycline (61%). When resistance was detected, a corresponding resistance gene was detected in 89% of cases. Class 1 integrons were detected in 51 isolates, all which contained the aadA2 gene. A plasmid Inc group was detected in 68 (57%) isolates. Thirty nine (57%) of these isolates were resistant to 5 or more antimicrobials.     

泰国食品安全监管体系研究

中国和泰国食品贸易关系密切,两国食品进出口需求量庞大,贸易合作潜力巨大。目前泰国已建立适合泰国国情的较为完善的食品安全监管体系。本文通过分析泰国食品安全监管机构和职责、法律法规、标准体系,食品监管,贸易信息等,介绍泰国食品安全监管的具体工作以及经验,为政府部门和社会各界了解泰国食品安全监管体系提供依据,同时为扩大一带一路食品贸易规模提供参考。     

Vitamin C and plasma triglycerides in experimental animals and in humans

A chronic latent vitamin C deficiency in guinea pigs enhances triglyceride concentration in blood plasma but does not markedly alter the composition of fatty acids in serum and hepatal triglycerides. An addition of 0·5% ascorbic acid to the diet of golden hamsters tends to normalise alimentary hypertriglyceridemia provoked by a high-glucose fat-free diet not containing vitamin C. A daily administration of 2 × 500 mg of an effervescent ascorbic acid for three months to subjects aged between 50 and 75 who were in a state of a seasonal vitamin C deficiency resulted in a significant depression of triglyceridemia. The hypotriglyceridemic effect of ascorbic acid depended on the starting plasma concentration of triglycerides: the higher the initial triglyceridemia, the more striking the hypotriglyceridemic effect. An administration of 2 × 500 mg of effervescent ascorbic acid every 24 h to a selected group of subjects with an initial triglyceridemia above 200 mg % for the duration of one year brought about a very significant decline of triglyceridemia, and this still persisted six weeks following cessation of ascorbic acid administration. An intervention of vitamin C at the level of triglyceride splitting enzymes is presumed.     

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci isolated from animals and food

One hundred and one chicken products, boiled ham and turkey cold meat were acquired from 18 different supermarkets in Spain during October 1997 to June 1998 and were analyzed for vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE). In the same way, 50 intestinal chicken samples from a slaughterhouse were also studied. VRE were detected in 25 of 92 samples of food of chicken origin (27.2%), but no VRE were found in cooked pork or turkey products. VRE were also detected in 8 of 50 intestinal chicken samples from the slaughterhouse (16%). VRE were identified as Enterococcus durans (n = 11), Enterococcus faecalis (n = 10), Enterococcus faecium (n = 10) and Enterococcus hirae (n = 2). All these strains were characterized as belonging to the vanA genotype by polymerase chain reaction. Ampicillin, quinupristin/dalfopristin and high level aminoglycoside resistance were frequently found among these strains. Heterogeneity was observed in susceptibility patterns among VRE strains, even in those of the same species. The high rate of colonization of chicken products by vanA containing enterococci detected 6 months to 1 year after the banning of avoparcin as a growth promoter, supports other studies suggesting that the food chain could be a source of VRE colonization in humans and thus a source of VRE infections.     

Cytokines: applications in domestic food animals.

Cytokines such as human, bovine, and porcine interferons and human and bovine interleukin-1 and interleukin-2 have been used in vivo in cattle and pigs. Colony-stimulating factors and tumor necrosis factor alpha have been evaluated in vitro in food animals. Studies to evaluate cytokines in domestic food animals have shown that specific and nonspecific immunomodulation is possible in immunosuppressed or pathogen-exposed animals. Cytokine prophylaxis or therapy in food animals may have the greatest potential for control of respiratory disease and mastitis.     

泰国食品接触材料监管及标准现状

目的研究泰国食品接触材料法规体系,为我国面向泰国的食品接触材料出口业务提供支持。方法搜集泰国食品接触材料监管机构网站,查询泰国食品接触材料法律、法规及通告,学习其监管模式和管控要求。结果在泰国食品接触材料法规体系中,《食品法》对食品接触材料规定了通用原则,特定材质(陶瓷搪瓷、塑料、奶瓶和婴幼儿牛奶容器)的法规分别从基本要求、指标限量、特殊规定等方面进行管控。泰国食品接触材料的主要监管机构包括泰国食品药品监督管理局、泰国工业标准学会、消费者保护委员会办公室、商务部、科学服务部。结论与我国食品接触材料法规比较,泰国针对具体材质的法规尚不全面,且未规定标签标识、信息传递等方面的要求,但是泰国针对奶瓶和婴幼儿牛奶容器规定了较为具体的管控措施,对我国出口泰国的此类产品提出了更为严格的挑战。     

Survival of Salmonella in spices and growth in cooked food

Contamination of spices with pathogens has been reported worldwide, and Salmonella might result in foodborne infections. In this study, we investigated the survival of Salmonella in black pepper and red pepper, and the growth of the surviving Salmonella in cooked food. Salmonella Enteritidis, Salmonella Weltevreden and Salmonella Senftenberg were inoculated into spices, and their survival during storage was examined. In black pepper, S. Enteritidis was no longer viable after storage for 28 days, but S. Weltevreden and S. Senftenberg remained viable. In red pepper, S. Weltevreden and S. Senftenberg survived for 28 days although S. Enteritidis was not viable after 7 days. Salmonella Weltevreden and Salmonella Senftenberg were inoculated into cooked food, and their survival during storage was determined. In potato salad, egg salad, namul and kimchi as cooked foods, both pathogens grew at 30 degrees C, but not at 10 degrees C. Our results indicate that cooked food should be stored at low temperature after addition of spices, such as black pepper and red pepper, following the cooking.     

Possible horizontal transmission of Salmonella via reusable egg trays in Thailand

Salmonella contamination of eggshells, egg contents, reusable egg trays, and various environmental samples was assessed. Although the overall Salmonella contamination rate from egg farms was low (3.2%), over a quarter (26.7%) of egg trays from farms and more than one third (36.7%) of trays from the market were contaminated. Salmonella strains isolated from reusable egg trays were analyzed by serotyping, antimicrobial susceptibility test and XbaI pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) typing. Five serovars (S. Braenderup, S. Emek, S. Weltevreden, S. Stanley, and S. Derby) were isolated, and half of the strains assessed were found to be resistant to one or more of the six antimicrobial agents examined. The overall resistance rates to nalidixic acid, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, tetracycline, and ampicillin were 40.7%, 36.0%, 26.7% and 3.5%, respectively. The PFGE types were matched against sample location and drug resistance. S. Braenderup PFGE type A2 (susceptible to all tested drugs) was isolated from all sample sites; PFGE type A2 (resistant to nalidixic acid) was isolated from Farm C and the market. S. Braenderup PFGE type A1 (resistant to four drugs) was isolated from Farms A and C. S. Weltevreden PFGE type C3 (susceptible to all tested drugs) was isolated from Farms A and B and type C4 (susceptible to all tested drugs) was isolated from Farm A and the market. The distribution of the related genotypes and resistance patterns of Salmonella in egg farms and the market indicate drug-resistant strains of Salmonella may be spread on reusable egg trays.     

食品中沙门氏菌检测方法研究进展

沙门氏菌病是一种在自然界广泛存在的人畜共患病,可以引起人类败血症、胃肠炎等疾病,还能导致动物伤寒、副伤寒,严重者会危及人、畜的生命。因此,建立沙门氏菌的快速检测方法对预防和控制沙门氏菌感染至关重要。目前沙门氏菌的检测技术有传统培养法、免疫学检测技术、分子生物学检测技术和近年来发展起来的如生物传感器检测技术、纳米技术、基于适配体检测技术等新型技术。该文总结了沙门氏菌各种检测方法的原理、优点和缺点及研究情况,并对沙门氏菌的检测方法及应用前景进行了展望。     

mini-MPN-STE-qPCR法快速定量检测食品中沙门氏菌

目的 建立一种快速、简易、可定量检测食源性沙门氏菌定量PCR(quantitative PCR, qPCR)方法。方法 依据沙门菌属invA基因序列设计染料法qPCR引物, 建立基于嵌合荧光法的沙门氏菌qPCR检测方法, 并通过短时间增菌(short time enrichment, STE)的5管微型多管发酵计数法（mini-most probable number, mini-MPN）进行定量检测, 构建mini-MPN-STE-qPCR法。使用人工污染的鸡肉混合液进行定量检测, 检测结果与传统MPN计数法和平板计数法进行比较分析。结果 建立的 qPCR法特异性良好, 方法灵敏度为50 CFU/mL, 结合48孔板min-MPN和4h 短时间增菌建立的mini-MPN-STE-qPCR法可将整个检测流程缩短至7 h。人工添加沙门氏菌的鸡肉混合液检测结果表明方法检出限为-0.347 log MPN/mL, Bland-Altman分析结果显示, 此法与传统MPN计数法相关系数R2=0.994, 与平板计数法相关系数R2=0.992。结论 该方法准确、简单易行、成本低、灵敏度高, 可用于食品中沙门菌的快速定量检测。