一起粪肠球菌引起食源性疾病暴发流行病学分析及分子溯源调查

目的调查某小型餐馆发生的一起食源性疾病暴发事件,分析事件发生的原因及危险因素,并提出预防措施。方法采用现场流行病学方法调查事件特征及危险因素,通过运用脉冲场凝胶电泳(PFGE)方法对致病因子进行同源性分析。结果共调查到5例病例,临床表现为腹泻、腹痛。调查结果提示中毒食物为2019年6月13日晚餐的卤鸡腿饭,现场卫生学调查提示可能的危险因素为卤鸡腿常温放置时间过久,供餐前重新加热时间不足。现场采样的3份病例肛拭子标本、1份卤鸡腿和1份切菜砧板棉拭样品均检出粪肠球菌,脉冲场凝胶电泳检测同源性为100%。结论食用受大量粪肠球菌污染的卤鸡腿是本次食源性疾病暴发的主要原因。建议加强小型餐馆从业人员食品安全意识,掌握正确的食品烹饪方法。     

一起阿邦尼沙门菌引起食源性疾病暴发事件流行病学分析及分子溯源调查

目的 查明引起某庙会期间发生的一起食源性疾病暴发事件的原因,确认致病危害因素及其来源,为此类事件预防控制提供参考。方法 开展现场流行病学调查,通过描述分析方法分析病例临床特征、流行病学特征及相关危害因素。开展病例对照研究确定可疑食物,通过脉冲场凝胶电泳（PFGE）法对致病因子进行相似性分析。结果 根据病例定义共收集可疑病例32例,主要临床表现为腹痛（87.50%）、腹泻（78.13%）、发热（75.00%）、头晕恶心（71.88%）。病例对照研究结果显示水煮带壳花生是危险因素（OR=4.000,95%CI：1.409~11.354）。采集28份样品中有7份分离培养出沙门菌,血清型鉴定均为阿邦尼沙门菌,经PFGE图谱分析高度相似。结论 本次事件是由阿邦尼沙门菌引起的食源性疾病暴发,可疑食物为水煮带壳花生,应加强非城区流动摊位散装食品的监管,同时加强食源性疾病监测管理工作。     

一起婚宴引起的副溶血性弧菌食源性疾病暴发事件调查

目的 对一起婚宴引起的副溶血性弧菌食源性疾病暴发事件进行流行病学调查,查明可疑食品、致病因子及污染来源,为防控此类事件提供依据。方法 采用现场流行病学、食品卫生学、实验室检测和病例对照分析等方法,调查事件发生的原因,并采取相应的防控措施。结果 共调查疑似病例20例,临床表现以腹泻、腹痛、发热、呕吐为主。最短潜伏期为4 h,最长潜伏期为35.5 h,平均潜伏期为16 h。3份病例的肛拭标本副溶血弧菌阳性,脉冲电场凝胶电泳进行图谱比对分析,发现3株菌株同源。病例对照分析表明可疑食品为香酥脆皮咸蹄膀。卫生学调查显示,熟制后的香酥脆皮咸蹄膀改刀时共用了粗加工生海鲜的砧板。结论 该事件是一起生熟厨具不分致食品污染副溶血性弧菌引起的食源性疾病暴发事件。建议餐饮单位加强食品卫生安全宣教,生熟用具予以明显区分标识,防止交叉污染,并积极落实其他各项食品安全措施。     

一起副溶血性弧菌致食源性疾病暴发疫情的流行病学调查

目的查明S饭店群体性食源性疾病暴发的原因,找出可疑食物,防止类似事件再次发生。方法制定病例定义,开展病例搜索,对病例信息进行描述性分析和病例对照研究,并采集病例粪便标本、剩余食物样品等进行实验室检测。结果暴发病例162例,罹患率22.2%(162/730),临床表现主要为腹泻(100%,162/162)、腹痛(96.3%,156/162)、乏力(77.2%,125/162)、恶心(68.5%,111/162)、呕吐(53.1%,86/162),平均潜伏期为12 h,病例对照结果显示扇贝(OR=1.74,95%CI=1.00~3.02)和牛仔骨(OR=2.87,95%CI=1.38~5.99)为可疑危险因素,34份粪便标本、1份甲鱼切块和1份砧板上检出副溶血性弧菌。结论本次事件为一起副溶血性弧菌污染宴席食物导致群体性食源性疾病暴发事件,交叉污染和食品未加工熟透很可能是发病的主要原因,建议餐饮机构要规范操作流程,加强自我监管,防止此类事件再次发生。     

全基因组测序在食源性疾病监控和暴发调查中的应用

全基因组测序(WGS)分型在微生物的遗传与变异特征分析、菌株进化和暴发溯源调查中已经显示出了其极大的应用价值和发展潜力。本文简要概述了WGS的基本原理,介绍了基于全基因组的单核苷酸多态性分型和基于全基因组多位点序列分型两种主要的测序数据解读和分析方式,比较了WGS与脉冲场凝胶电泳技术、多位点序列分型等常见分子分型手段的主要特点,列举了典型的WGS应用于食源性疾病监控和暴发识别的案例,最后对WGS分型在食源性疾病监控和暴发调查领域的发展前景进行了展望。     

一起由肠炎沙门菌引起的学校食源性疾病暴发调查分析

目的 查明引起某学校食源性疾病暴发的可疑食品、致病因子和危险因素,为今后类似事件的防控和调查提供参考依据。方法 通过描述性流行病学方法分析病例的临床特征、流行病学特征及相关危险因素,开展病例对照研究,确定可疑餐次及食物,采集病例和厨工肛拭子、留样食物及环境样本进行病原学检测,采用脉冲场凝胶电泳(PFGE)对沙门菌分离株进行分型分析。结果 共搜索到病例74例,患病率为1.9%,临床症状主要为腹泻(83.8%)、腹痛(78.4%)、发热(63.5%)等。流行曲线为间歇性同源暴露,病例班级和宿舍分布无明显聚集性。病例对照研究结果显示在第二饭堂滑蛋饭窗口打餐是危险因素(10月8日OR=7.00,95%CI:1.51～32.48;10月9日OR=262.50,95%CI:22.21～3102.06)。共采集76份样本,其中12份样本分离培养出肠炎沙门菌,经PFGE图谱分析为2种带型,相似度95.7%。结论 本次事件为一起由肠炎沙门菌引起的食源性疾病暴发,可疑食品为滑蛋饭,应加强学校等集体单位食品卫生监管工作,蛋类食物应彻底煮熟煮透。     

一起由巴氏杀菌乳污染引起的济南市多家幼儿园食源性疾病暴发事件的流行病学分析

目的 对一起涉及济南市多家幼儿园食源性疾病暴发事件的发生原因和可疑危险因素进行分析,为加强学校食源性疾病防控提供依据.方法 采用现场流行病学的方法,对病例进行调查,运用描述性流行病学方法、队列研究方法对暴发事件数据和各因素进行分析.结果 事件涉及济南市4个区11家幼儿园195名儿童,罹患率17.06％,年龄范围为3～6...     

2012—2014年甘肃省食源性疾病暴发事件调查质量评价

目的对甘肃省基层疾控中心食源性疾病暴发事件的调查质量进行评价,并为规范其调查处置及报告撰写提供参考。方法收集2012—2014年甘肃省流行病学调查报告,按照相关指南及标准的要求对流调报告指标进行评价。结果共收集52起暴发事件的流调报告,普遍存在描述性流行病学分析不系统、不深入的情况;食品卫生学调查侧重于一般卫生学调查,对暴发原因调查开展相对较少;部分事件定性的实验室证据支持力度不够。结论甘肃省食源性疾病暴发事件流行病学调查质量从现场调查、数据分析挖掘、实验室检验结果解读等方面均有不足,因此还应在稳定队伍的同时加强培训,做好人员及知识的储备工作。     

一起由金黄色葡萄球菌和蜡样芽孢杆菌感染导致的学校食源性疾病暴发事件的调查

目的：调查一起金黄色葡萄球菌和蜡样芽孢杆菌感染导致的食源性疾病暴发事件,分析原因,探讨预防控制措施,为预防该类事件的发生提供参考。方法：2021年6月4日对病例就诊医院和就餐现场开展病例搜索、个案流行病学、现场卫生学调查,对患者生物学标本、可疑食物标本采样并进行实验室检测。结果：某学校食用过可疑食品的2名新疆籍学生均发病,症状以恶心、呕吐、头晕、精神萎靡为主,伴有发热、腹痛等症状;经检测,10份样品中1份检出金黄色葡萄球菌阳性,1份检出蜡样芽孢杆菌阳性。患者临床症状基本符合上述细菌感染导致的疾病。致病餐次为6月4日午餐。结论：该事件是一起网购的食品长时间放置存储不当引起细菌滋生而造成的食源性疾病暴发事件。     

重庆市某区一起肠炎沙门菌引起的食源性疾病暴发事件调查分析

目的 对一起因食用被肠炎沙门菌污染面包引起的食源性疾病暴发事件进行调查分析,为今后处置类似事件提供依据。方法 利用描述性流行病学方法分析病例的临床特征、流行病学分布及相关危险因素,开展回顾性队列研究确定病因食品,采集病例和食堂从业人员生物标本、剩余食品和环境样品进行实验室检验,结合卫生学调查情况,综合分析暴发事件的发生原因。结果 回顾性队列研究显示2021年5月20日重庆市某食品厂生产的某批次预包装面包为可疑食物,在食用该批次面包的73人中,有55人发病,患病率为75.34%,潜伏期中位数为15 h,同时,在剩余食品、相关环境样品、病人肛拭子中均检出肠炎沙门菌。结论 本次事件是一起因进食受肠炎沙门菌污染的面包导致的食源性疾病暴发事件。     

Streptococcus dysgalactiae ssp. dysgalactiae in Norwegian bovine dairy herds: Risk factors,sources, and genomic diversity

Despite the importance of Streptococcus dysgalactiae ssp. dysgalactiae (SDSD) as an udder pathogen, the reservoir and epidemiological characteristics of this bacterium are largely unexplored. The aims of this study were to investigate risk factors for SDSD intramammary infections (SDSD-IMI) in Norwegian bovine dairy herds, identify sources of SDSD on animals and in the environment, and elucidate the genetic diversity of SDSD isolates. Data from herd recordings and a questionnaire were used to investigate herd-level risk factors for SDSD-IMI in 359 freestall dairy herds. Seven herds with a suspected high prevalence of SDSD-IMI were visited to sample extramammary sources (e.g., skin, wounds, mucous membranes, and freestall environment). Bacterial isolates were whole-genome sequenced to investigate the distribution of SDSD genotypes within herds and to assess the phylogenetic relationship between SDSD isolates from 27 herds across Norway. Risk factors for high incidence of SDSD-IMI in freestall dairy herds were related to housing, including closed flooring in alleys and rubber mats in cubicle bases. Parlor milking was also a risk factor compared with automatic milking systems. From herd visits, a considerable proportion of extramammary samples were SDSD positive, particularly from wounds and skin of the animals and the cubicle bases. Samples from mucous surfaces (nostrils, rectum, and vagina) and water troughs were least frequently positive. Eight multilocus sequence types (ST) were identified among the sequenced isolates from 27 herds, and phylogenetic analyses revealed 8 clades corresponding to ST. No significant association was identified between sampling site (milk, body sites, and environment) and ST. In 4 of 6 herds from which 5 or more isolates were available, one ST dominated and was found in milk and extramammary samples. One ST (ST453) was found in 15 of 27 herds, which implies that this is a widely distributed and possibly a bovine-adapted strain. Findings in this study suggest that SDSD is a cow-adapted opportunist with potential for contagious transmission, and that the freestall environment is likely to play a role in transmission between cows.     

一起检出多种致病菌的食源性疾病暴发调查与病因探讨

目的对一起食源性疾病暴发中检出多种致病菌的情况进行探讨分析,找出真正的致病菌,为研究类似的食源性疾病病因提供参考。方法利用标准化的食源性疾病暴发个案调查表收集信息,采用描述流行病学描述事件特征、分析流行病学探索危险食物,采集的样本按照GB 4789系列食品卫生微生物学检验标准进行可疑致病菌分离培养,分离出的副溶血性弧菌按照DNA指纹图谱分析方法进行基因分型。结果搜索到共同进餐者30例,失访5例,其中符合病例定义的17例,罹患率为56.67%(17/30);临床表现主要以腹泻(17/17)、腹痛(16/17)为主,腹痛以上腹部疼痛为主(10/16);发病潜伏期为11~25 h;回顾性队列研究未发现可疑食物。在病例肛拭子中检出9株副溶血性弧菌,8株奇异变形杆菌,1株沙门菌混合副溶血性弧菌,1株空肠弯曲菌;在从业人员肛拭子中检出1株奇异变形杆菌;在环境涂抹拭子中检出1株副溶血性弧菌,4株奇异变形杆菌;在食品样品中检出1株副溶血性弧菌,4株奇异变形杆菌。对从9例病例检测到的副溶血性弧菌进行脉冲场凝胶电泳分子分型,结果发现其遗传相似性达97%以上。结论综合现场流行病学调查和食品卫生学以及实验室检测结果分析,排除其他致病因子引起该起事件暴发的可能,认为这是一起由副溶血性弧菌引起的食源性疾病暴发事件。     

Streptococcus dysgalactiae isolates at calving and lactation performance within the same lactation

The objective of the study was to investigate the association between early lactation Streptococcus dysgalactiae isolates and milk yield, somatic cell count (SCC), clinical mastitis, and culling in the same lactation. The 178 commercial dairy herds were randomly placed into 3 penicillin- or penicillin-dihydrostreptomycin-based dry-cow treatments and 3 different postmilking teat disinfection groups—negative control, iodine, or external teat sealant. All cows were sampled in early lactation, and Strep. dysgalactiae-positive and culture-negative cows were followed throughout the remainder of the lactation. Mixed models, including repeated measurements, with test-day observation as dependent variable, were used to compare milk yield, SCC, and available milk quality variables throughout the remaining lactation. Survival analyses, using a positive frailty model to account for any herd random effects, were used to estimate the hazard ratio for clinical mastitis and culling. Streptococcus dysgalactiae-positive cows had a significantly higher SCC throughout the lactation compared to culture-negative cows. For primiparous or multiparous cows, respectively, the differences in the geometric mean SCC between Strep. dysgalactiae-positive and culture-negative cows was 197,000 or 280,000 cells/mL at the beginning of the lactation, 24,000 or 46,000 cells/mL in mid lactation, and 39,000 or 111,000 cells/mL at the end of the lactation. Streptococcus dysgalactiae-positive primiparous or multiparous cows produced 334 or 246 kg less milk, respectively, during a 305-d lactation compared with culture-negative cows. Compared with culture-negative cows, the hazard ratios for clinical mastitis in Strep. dysgalactiae-positive cows were 2.3 (1.9 to 2.9) and 1.6 (1.3 to 2.0) for culling. For cows with both Strep. dysgalactiae and Staphylococcus aureus isolates, the hazard ratio for culling significantly increased to 2.5 (1.9 to 3.2).     

培养条件对Streptococcus equisimilis合成透明质酸相对分子质量的影响

作者比较了不同培养条件对Streptococcus equisimilis合成透明质酸相对分子质量的影响。结果表明:高质量浓度葡萄糖有利于长链透明质酸的合成,当发酵体系葡萄糖初始质量浓度从20g/L上升至80g/L,相对分子质量从1.24×106增大到2.02×106,提高了62.9%。葡萄糖补料培养不利于高相对分子质量透明质酸的合成,利用葡萄糖间歇和连续补料培养的方式得到透明质酸相对分子质量分别为1.53×106和1.42×106,比分批培养下降了19.9%和25.7%。在33~39℃范围内,较低温度有利于高相对分子质量透明质酸的合成,在33℃培养条件下透明质酸相对分子质量最高可达2.54×106。发酵液p H显著影响透明质酸的相对分子质量,在p H8时,达到了最高的2.38×106。较高溶氧水平有利于高相对分子质量透明质酸的合成,在0~45%溶氧浓度范围内,相对分子质量随溶氧水平的增加从1.16×106提升至2.43×106,增长了109.4%。本研究结果为后续高相对分子质量透明质酸的生产提供有用的实验依据。     

Effect of enhanced hygiene on transmission of Staphylococcus aureus,Streptococcus agalactiae,and Streptococcus dysgalactiae in dairy herds with automatic milking systems

The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of hygiene measures in automatic milking units on the transmission of 3 mastitis pathogens considered to be mainly or partly transmitted from cow to cow during milking events. Two studies were conducted as within-herd experimental trials in 2 Danish commercial dairy herds (A and B) with automatic milking systems. Interventions to enhance hygiene were implemented on the automatic milking units. The 2 studies evaluated separate interventions. In herd A, the hygiene interventions were manual wash with the Lely foam unit and adjustments on the brush-mediated teat cleaning procedure. In herd B, the hygiene intervention included automatic disinfection spray on the upper surface of the brush motor and daily change of brushes. Composite milk samples were collected longitudinally at 3- or 4-wk intervals from all lactating cows. Additional milk samples were taken from cows entering or leaving the study groups. Milk samples were analyzed with quantitative PCR. A hidden Markov model implemented within a Bayesian framework was used to estimate the transmission probability. For analysis, 701 samples from 156 cows were used for herd A, and 1,349 samples from 390 cows were used for herd B. In the intervention group in herd B, transmission of Streptococcus agalactiae was reduced to 19% (95% posterior credibility interval: 0.00–64%) of the transmission in the control group, whereas transmission of Streptococcus dysgalactiae was reduced to 17% (95% posterior credibility interval: 0.00–85%) of transmission in the control group. This suggests that automatic spray on the upper surface of the brush motor with disinfectant along with daily change of brushes collectively reduced transmission of Strep. agalactiae and Strep. dysgalactiae. Results on Staphylococcus aureus in herd B and results on manual foam cleaning and brush-mediated teat cleaning adjustments in herd A were inconclusive.     

Multiplex polymerase chain reaction as a mastitis screening test for Staphylococcus aureus,Streptococcus agalactiae,Streptococcus dysgalactiae and Streptococcus uberis in bulk milk samples

Effective diagnostic tools for screening herds for mastitis pathogens are important in development and monitoring of mastitis control programmes. A multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for simultaneous detection of Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus dysgalactiae and Streptococcus uberis was used in preliminary studies to assess its applicability as an alternative method for monitoring mastitis caused by these organisms at the herd level. PCR was used to detect the presence of these organisms in bulk milk samples. Correlations with bulk milk somatic cell counts (BMCC), total bacteria counts and thermoduric bacteria counts were evaluated. A total of 176 bulk milk samples were collected from 42 herds on five consecutive occasions at approx. 10-d intervals. Str. uberis was the most common organism in these bulk milk samples. There was no relationship between presence of either Staph. aureus, Str. dysgalactiae or Str. uberis and BMCC, total bacteria counts or thermoduric bacteria counts. However, presence of Str. agalactiae was associated with high BMCC and total bacteria counts. The results of this study show that regular analysis of bulk milk using this multiplex PCR assay may be a useful tool for monitoring herd status with respect to Str. agalactiae, but is of less value for monitoring occurrence of Staph. aureus, Str. dysgalactiae and Str. uberis. Further investigations are needed to clarify the relationship between positive PCR results and the prevalence of infected cows in the herd.     

Physiological characteristics of Streptococcus dysgalactiae and Streptococcus uberis and the effect of the lactoperoxidase complex on their growth in a chemically-defined medium and milk

Aerobic or anaerobic degradation of glucose by Streptococcus dysgalactiae and Streptococcus uberis yielded products qualitatively similar to those observed previously for Streptococcus agalactiae. There were, however, quantitative differences. Though acetoin was formed during aerobic growth of Streptococcus uberis, there was none with Streptococcus dysgalactiae. Differences between Streptococcus dysgalactiae and Streptococcus uberis in their aerobic metabolism of glucose was in lower oxygen consumption (.5 mol/mol of glucose), greater conversion of glucose to lactic acid, and lower molar growth yields with Streptococcus uberis. Cell suspensions of Streptococcus uberis had strong peroxidase activity, and no hydrogen peroxide accumulated during the respiration on glucose. With Streptococcus dysgalactiae, there was more oxygen consumed during growth (1.5 mol/mol of glucose used), greater conversion of glucose to acetic and formic acids and carbon dioxide, and a cell yield of about 6 g of dry cells more per mole of glucose than with Streptococcus uberis. This increase in molar growth yield with Streptococcus dysgalactiae over Streptococcus uberis could be nearly all accounted for by differences in the amount of substrate level adenosine triphosphate generated. Cell suspensions oxidizing glucose accumulated hydrogen peroxide and showed no peroxidase activity. Streptococcus dysgalactiae showed the same growth relationships in three milk media as Streptococcus agalactiae, although growth and acid formation values were much lower. Growth inhibition by the lactoperoxidase complex was reversed with cystine. Acid formation by Streptococcus uberis was decreased by the lactoperoxidase complex and increased by the addition of cystine; however, neither appeared to affect the growth of the organism.     

Analysis of an outbreak of Streptococcus uberis mastitis

An outbreak of Streptococcus uberis mastitis was described to gain insight into the dynamics of Strep. uberis infections at a herd level. Data were obtained from a longitudinal observational study on a commercial Dutch dairy farm with good udder health management. Quarter milk samples for bacteriological culture were routinely collected at 3-wk intervals from all lactating animals (n = 95 +/- 5). Additional samples were collected at calving, clinical mastitis, dry-off, and culling. During the 78-wk observation period, 54 Strep. uberis infections were observed. The majority of infections occurred during a 21-wk period that constituted the disease outbreak. The incidence rate was higher in quarters that had recovered from prior Strep. uberis infection than in quarters that had not experienced Strep. uberis infection before. The incidence rate of Strep. uberis infection did not differ between quarters that were infected with other pathogens compared with quarters that were not infected with other pathogens. The expected number of new Strep. uberis infections per 3-wk interval was described by means of a Poisson logistic regression model. Significant predictor variables in the model were the number of existing Strep. uberis infections in the preceding time interval (shedders), phase of the study (early phase vs. postoutbreak phase), and prior infection status of quarters with respect to Strep. uberis, but not infection status with respect to other pathogens. Results suggest that contagious transmission may have played a role in this outbreak of Strep. uberis mastitis.     

Use of partial budgeting to determine the economic benefits of antibiotic treatment of chronic subclinical mastitis caused by Streptococcus uberis or Streptococcus dysgalactiae

The economic effect of lactational antibiotic treatment of chronic subclinical intramammary infections due to Streptococcus uberis or Streptococcus dysgalactiae was explored by means of partial budgeting. Effects at cow level and herd level were modelled, including prevention of clinical mastitis episodes and the prevention of transmission of infections. Input variables for our deterministic model were derived from literature or based on 2002/2003 dairy prices and farming conditions in The Netherlands. Sensitivity analysis was used to examine the effect of uncertainty around input variables or changes in price estimates. On farms where pathogen transmission was prevented through proper udder health management, 3-d antibiotic treatment during lactation resulted in an average net profit of euro+11.62 over no treatment while 8-d antibiotic treatment had an average negative net result of euro-21.83. Sensitivity analysis showed that profitability depends on the probability of treatment-induced cure, pathogen transmission rates, culling rate, retention pay-off, and costs of antibiotic treatment. Three-day antibiotic treatment of chronic subclinical streptococcal mastitis is economically profitable over a range of input values for cure probabilities, transmission rates and losses due to culling. In contrast, 8-d lactational treatment is only profitable for very valuable animals, on farms where the risk of pathogen transmission is high and/or when the farmer is likely to cull a high percentage of cows with subclinical mastitis. Because bacterial flora, cow characteristics and management differ widely between farms, the economic outcome of lactational treatment of chronic subclinical streptococcal mastitis may be highly farm-dependent.     

The differential enumeration of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subspecies bulgaricus and Streptococcus salivarius subspecies thermophilus in yogurt and labneh using an improved whey medium

Bromocresol green whey agar (BGWA), an elective differential medium for yogurt bacteria, was prepared by mixing 2 parts of whey obtained by autoclaving (121°C/15 min) reconstituted non-fat dry milk (NFDM) (15% w/w; pH 5.7 by 1 N HCl) with 1 part of a sterile agar solution (115°C/15 min) containing 3% yeast extract, 1.2% K₂HPO₄, 0.004% bromocresol green and 4% agar. Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp bulgaricus colonies in BGWA pour plates were light in colour and in the form of an irregular mass with twisted filament projections, while Streptococcus salivarius subsp thermophilus colonies were green lenticular with entire edges. BGWA performed generally better than deMan-Rogosa-Sharpe agar and M17 agar when L bulgaricus and S thermophilus respectively were enumerated in samples of commercial yogurt and labneh (yogurt concentrated by removing part of its whey) and in single cultures of yogurt bacteria in NFDM. Immediately after processing, the counts of yogurt bacteria in labneh samples were similar to those of yogurt samples, indicating a loss of these bacteria with whey during processing. The decrease in the numbers of yogurt bacteria in labneh samples at the end of the shelf-life (14 days at 7°C) was slight, indicating a relative resistance of these bacteria to acidity and refrigeration.