The characterization of Listeria spp. isolated from food products and the food‐processing environment

Aim: To enhance the information pertaining to the epidemiology of a collection of 378 Listeria spp. isolates obtained from several food‐processing plants in Ireland over a 3‐ year period (2004–2007). Methods and results: The collection was characterized by pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The most prevalent pulse‐type was PFGE profile I (n = 14·5%) that consisted mainly of environmental Listeria spp. samples. Serotyping of 145 Listeria monocytogenes isolates was performed. The most common serovar was 1/2a and comprised 57·4% (n = 77) of the L. monocytogenes collection. The other serovars were as follows: 4b (14·1%, n = 19), 1/2b (9·7%, n = 13), 4c (4·4%, n = 6) and 1/2c (6·7%, n = 9), respectively. Eleven isolates were identified as non‐Listeria spp., the remaining ten L. monocytogenes isolates were nontypeable. The antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed the antibiotic that isolates displayed the most resistance to was gentamicin (5%) followed by sulfamethoxazole‐trimethoprim (2%), tetracycline and ciprofloxacin (1·5%). Conclusions: The subtyping has indicated the diversity of the Listeria spp. The presence of serotype 1/2a, 1/2b and 4b in both raw and cooked ready‐to‐eat food products is a public health concern, as these serotypes are frequently associated with foodborne outbreaks and sporadic cases of human listeriosis. In addition, the emergence of antimicrobial‐resistant L. monocytogenes isolates could have serious therapeutic consequences. Significance and Impact of Study: The molecular subtyping and the further characterization of these isolates may be valuable particularly in the context of a suspected common source outbreak in the future.     

Ecogenetics of antibiotic resistance in Listeria monocytogenes

The acquisition process of antibiotic resistance in an otherwise susceptible organism is shaped by the ecology of the species. Unlike other relevant human pathogens, Listeria monocytogenes has maintained a high rate of susceptibility to the antibiotics used for decades to treat human and animal infections. However, L. monocytogenes can acquire antibiotic resistance genes from other organisms’ plasmids and conjugative transposons. Ecological factors could account for its susceptibility. L. monocytogenes is ubiquitous in nature, most frequently including reservoirs unexposed to antibiotics, including intracellular sanctuaries. L. monocytogenes has a remarkably closed genome, reflecting limited community interactions, small population sizes and high niche specialization. The L. monocytogenes species is divided into variants that are specialized in small specific niches, which reduces the possibility of coexistence with potential donors of antibiotic resistance. Interactions with potential donors are also hampered by interspecies antagonism. However, occasional increases in population sizes (and thus the possibility of acquiring antibiotic resistance) can derive from selection of the species based on intrinsic or acquired resistance to antibiotics, biocides, heavy metals or by a natural tolerance to extreme conditions. High-quality surveillance of the emergence of resistance to the key drugs used in primary therapy is mandatory.     

Reduction in Listeria monocytogenes and spoilage bacteria on smoked catfish using X-ray treatments

Aims: To determine the efficacy of X‐ray processes in inactivating L. monocytogenes levels in smoked catfish during storage at 5°C and to determine the effects of X‐ray doses on controlling the growth of spoilage bacteria on smoked catfish during storage at 5°C for up to 5 weeks. Methods and Results: Smoked catfish fillets inoculated with L. monocytogenes were treated with 0·0–2·0 kGy X‐ray and stored at 5°C for 5 weeks. The negative controls (uninoculated/untreated) and uninoculated samples treated with the lowest (0·1 kGy) and highest (2·0 kGy) doses were stored at 5°C and tested for psychrotrophs count during the 5 weeks of storage. The initial L. monocytogenes population on smoked catfish was significantly (P < 0·05) reduced to undetectable level by a treatment of 1·0 kGy or higher. The initial psychrotrophs count on smoked catfish was significantly reduced from 4·7 CFU g^?1 to below the detectable level by a treatment with 2·0 kGy. Conclusions: Smoked catfish treated with 2·0 kGy X‐ray had no detectable L. monocytogenes throughout 35 days of storage at 5°C. A treatment with 2·0 kGy X‐ray also kept the levels of psychrotrophs in the smoked catfish within the acceptable level until 35 days. Significance and Impact of the Study: The results of this investigation indicate that X‐ray at 2·0 kGy can eliminate L. monocytogenes and extend the shelf life of smoked catfish stored at refrigeration temperature.     

Prevalence and characteristics of Listeria monocytogenes in meat,meat products,food handlers and the environment of the meat processing and the retail facilities of a company in Northern Greece

In this study, we investigated the incidence of Listeria monocytogenes in the receiving meat, the meat products, the personnel and the environment of a vertically integrated company in Northern Greece owing a processing plant and three trading facilities. A total of 303 samples were examined from the receiving raw meat, raw meat preparations, ready-to-eat meat products, processing surfaces and the environment of these facilities as well as the food handlers’ hands and nasal cavities. MALDI-TOF MS was used for Listeria identification; from the 22 (7·26%) positive to Listeria spp. isolates, 12 (3·96%) identified as L. monocytogenes, eight (2·64%) as Listeria innocua and two (0·66%) as Listeria welshimeri. Molecular serotyping of L. monocytogenes isolates by multiplex PCR revealed 11 strains belonging to serogroup IIa (1/2a and 3a) and one to IIc (1/2c and 3c). The assay for the detection of the virulence-associated genes revealed eight isolates carrying all the examined genes (inlA, inlB, inlC, plcA, prfA, actA, hlyA and iap) and four carrying all except the actA gene. Eleven (91·7%) of the isolates showed a strong ability to form biofilm. All isolates were multidrug resistant. The MALDI-TOF Main Spectrum Profile (MSPs), revealed three clusters: one with five isolates (four from environmental samples and one from a food handler), one with five isolates (all from environmental samples) and one with two isolates (both from raw meat products). MALDI-TOF MS seems to be a reliable tool for the identification of niches and contamination routes in processing plants, contributing also to the evaluation and improvement of the applied preventive measures to control L. monocytogenes.     

食品动物养殖环境中细菌耐药性研究进展

抗生素耐药性被世界卫生组织认为是21世纪人类面临的最大的公共卫生安全问题之一。近年来,抗生素耐药基因作为一种新型污染物而受到广泛关注。养殖场现已成为耐药基因的一个重要储库,耐药菌及耐药基因随着动物排泄物进入环境,从而加速了耐药基因在环境中的传播。畜禽养殖环境中耐药基因和耐药菌可能经食物链、空气等途径传至人类,给人类健康带来巨大威胁。文中结合最新文献,主要介绍了动物养殖场抗菌药物耐药菌和耐药基因的分布特点、耐药基因的持留和传播扩散、研究方法等方面的研究进展,为食品动物养殖环境的抗菌药物耐药性风险评估提供一定支持。     

环境抗生素抗性基因研究进展

抗生素耐药性及其在全球范围内的传播已成为国际关注的热点。本文结合最新文献,综述了抗生素抗性基因在环境中的来源、传播、分布以及新型抗性基因的发现等方面的研究进展。环境中抗生素抗性基因的来源主要是环境中细菌的内在抗性基因及随人或动物粪便排到体外的抗性细菌。功能宏基因组学技术的应用极大地丰富了人们对抗生素抗性组学的认知,并已从环境中筛选到多种新型抗性基因。近年来,由于抗生素在医疗以及养殖业中的大量使用,增加了抗性基因在环境中的丰度和多样性,加速了抗性基因在环境中的传播,在多种环境介质(如养殖水域、污水处理厂、河流、沉积物和土壤等)均检测到多种高丰度的抗生素抗性基因。我们建议今后在以下方面开展深入研究:(1)抗性基因传播和扩散的机制;(2)新型抗性基因筛选和抗性机制;(3)抗生素和抗性基因环境风险评估体系等。     

VirAB在单核细胞增生李斯特菌耐药性及生物被膜形成中的作用

【背景】单核细胞增生李斯特菌(Listeria monocytogenes,Lm)对一些临床常用抗生素、乳酸链球菌素(Nisin)等抗菌药物的敏感性下降,然而其背后的机制仍未完全阐明。【目的】调查转运蛋白VirAB在Lm对抗菌药物的耐药性及生物被膜形成中的作用。【方法】利用同源重组技术构建Lm基因缺失突变株,比较野生株和缺失株对抗菌药物的耐药性;利用微孔板法观测突变株生物被膜形成能力的变化;利用平板泳动法研究菌株的泳动能力。【结果】与野生株相比,virAB缺失突变株对头孢类抗生素、Nisin和溴化乙锭的敏感性增加;当培养基中分别添加亚致死浓度的苯扎氯铵、卡那霉素和四环素时,突变株均表现出不同程度的生长缺陷。缺失virAB后菌株形成生物被膜的能力下降。【结论】VirAB在Lm对头孢类等抗菌药物的耐药及生物被膜形成方面具有重要作用。     

Screening of benzalkonium chloride resistance in Listeria monocytogenes strains isolated during cold smoked fish production

AIMS: To determine the susceptibility to disinfectants and cross-resistance to antibiotics in Listeria monocytogenes strains isolated from fish products and the fish-processing environment. METHODS AND RESULTS: Minimal inhibitory concentration assessment, using the agar dilution method, showed 108 of 255 L. monocytogenes isolates with low susceptibility to benzalkonium chloride (BC), commonly used in food industries. Most of them are from raw products of farmed fish during processing, while the remaining resistant isolates were mainly from the environment and finished products irrespective of the fish species. Two BC-resistant isolates were resistant to ethidium bromide (EB). The conservation of resistance after plasmid curing suggested that the resistance genes are not plasmid associated. EB accumulation assays demonstrated that the two BC(R) EB(R) isolates used an efflux pump to expel these substrates whereas a different mechanism was probably used by the majority of the strains with BC(R) EB(S) pattern. No cross-resistance was found with antibiotics. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the difference in susceptibilities to BC for L. monocytogenes strains isolated from fish-processing plants and in resistance mechanisms to BC developed by these bacteria. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The presence of BC resistant L. monocytogenes strains could contribute to their adaptation and so explained their survival and persistence in the fish-processing environment.     

新生儿及产妇感染单核细胞增生李斯特菌分离株的血清型、耐药性及分子特征研究

为探讨广西南宁地区新生儿及产妇感染的单核细胞增生李斯特菌(Listeria monocytogenes, Lm)的血清型、药物敏感性及其分子流行病学特征,本研究回顾性收集2015-2017年广西壮族自治区妇幼保健院新生儿科及产科送检标本中分离的Lm,对其进行体外药物敏感性检测、血清学分型以及多位点序列分型(multilocus sequence typing, MLST)分析菌株间的同源性;同时分析患儿及其母亲的临床特征及危险因素。结果显示,广西南宁地区新生儿感染Lm发病率较低,2015-2017年发病率为0.091‰;所有分离的Lm分属4b(83.3%)和1/2a(16.7%)2个血清型;药物敏感性试验结果显示,Lm对青霉素、氨苄西林、复方新诺明及美罗培南均100%敏感,暂未发现耐药菌株;MLST分型共获得2个序列型(sequence types,ST),以ST­1型(83.3%)为主。其中分离自同一新生儿患者(Case 2)外周血(Lm2)、耳拭子(Lm3)及其母亲羊水(Lm4)、宫颈分泌物(Lm5)的4株菌具有相同的血清型、药物敏感性表型以及MLST分型。感染Lm的患儿主要表现为发热、肺炎、发绀、败血症及脑膜炎;而产妇感染则具有非特异性的临床特征。结果提示,广西南宁地区存在的Lm菌株为致病性较强的4b、1/2a血清型菌株;Lm可通过母婴垂直传播引起新生儿感染。因此,临床医师应重视孕产妇及新生儿Lm病原学检查、早期诊断和及时合理地使用抗生素预防、治疗,从而减少Lm引起的母婴感染。     

rmlB基因在单核细胞增生李斯特菌耐药性、生物被膜形成和毒力方面的作用

【目的】探究单核细胞增生李斯特菌(Listeria monocytogenes,Lm)rmlB基因在细菌耐药、生物被膜形成和毒力方面的作用。【方法】通过同源重组的方法敲除Lm染色体上的rmlB基因,比较野生株与rmlB缺失株在耐药性方面的差异;利用微孔板法观测rmlB缺失菌株生物被膜形成能力的变化;利用RT-PCR检测缺失菌株中主要毒力基因转录表达,并观察rmlB缺失对细菌溶血活性的影响。【结果】同野生菌株相比,rmlB缺失菌株对头孢菌素和杆菌肽等作用位点在细菌细胞壁和细胞膜的敏感性显著增加(P≤0.01),生物被膜形成能力显著降低(P≤0.01),细菌主要毒力基因hly的转录表达及溶血活性也发生显著降低(P≤0.01)。【结论】rmlB基因在Lm生物被膜形成和耐受作用位点位于细胞壁和细胞膜的抗生素及细菌毒力方面具有重要作用。     

鸡蛋生产链中沙门氏菌对抗生素及消毒剂的耐药性研究

为研究鸡蛋生产链中沙门氏菌的污染情况及抗生素、消毒剂耐药情况,本文鉴定了鸡蛋生产链中分离得到的111株沙门氏菌(Salmonella)血清型,并测定了抗生素和消毒剂对沙门氏菌的最小抑菌浓度(Minimum inhibitory concentrations, MICs),检测了其对抗生素和消毒剂的耐药基因的表达情况。研究结果表明,沙门氏菌对甲氧苄啶(Trimethoprim, TMP)耐药率最高(N=100,P=90.09%),对阿莫西林/克拉维酸(Amoxicillin and clavulanate, AMC)、头孢噻呋钠(Sodium ceftiofur, CFS)、庆大霉素(Gentamicin, CN)敏感。沙门氏菌共产生6种不同的耐药谱型,TMP是最主要的耐药谱型(N=36,P=32.43%),52.25%的菌株(N=58)具有多重耐药性。苯扎氯铵(Benzalkonium chloride, BC)与氯化十六烷基吡啶(Cetylpyridinium chloride, CPC)对沙门氏菌的MIC的范围分别为：8~128 μg/mL、8~256 μg/mL。相对于质控菌株Escherichia coli ATCC10536,101株沙门氏菌对BC和CPC同时具有较高的耐药性(P=90.99%),109株沙门氏菌对抗生素和消毒剂具有共同耐药性(P=98.20%)。抗生素耐药基因检出率最高为blaTEM(N=49, P=44.14%),未检测出qnrA、qnrB、qepA基因,仅检测出qacEΔ1消毒剂耐药基因(N=63, P=56.76%)。抗生素耐药基因sul1和消毒剂耐药基因qacEΔ1具有显著相关性(P<0.01)。S. Derby对TMP、土霉素(Oxytetracycline, OTC)、阿莫西林(Amoxicillin, AML)、环丙沙星(Ciprofloxacin, CIP)同时表现较高的耐药性,S. Derby检出了11种抗生素耐药基因,消毒剂耐药基因qacEΔ1的检出率为81.25%(N=52)。鸡场中养殖内环境沙门氏菌对抗生素和消毒剂的耐药率以及耐药基因检出率均高于养殖外环境,鸡蛋包装、储存及销售等环节中沙门氏菌耐药率及耐药基因检出率均较高。由此可见,鸡蛋生产链中沙门氏菌对抗生素、消毒剂耐药性较严重,且存在共同耐药的现象。因此,需要进一步规范防控鸡场中沙门氏菌,规范抗生素和消毒剂的使用以及加强鸡蛋生产链条中卫生安全的监管。     

Antibiotic resistance profiling and phenotyping of Aeromonas species isolated from aquatic sources

This study aimed to investigate antibiotics resistance pattern and phenotyping of Aeromonas species isolated from different aquatic sources in Melaka, Malaysia. A total of 53 Aeromonas species were isolated from the following sources: sediment (n = 13), bivalve (n = 10), sea cucumber (n = 16) and sea water (n = 14) and resistance to 12 antibiotics – Tetracycline (30 μg), Kanamycin (30 μg), Oxytetracycline (30 μg), Ampicillin (10 μg), Streptomycin (10 μg), Gentamicin (10 μg), Sulphamethoxazole (25 μg), Nalixidic acid (30 μg), Trimethoprim (1.25 μg), Novobiocin (5 μg), Penicilin (10 μg) and Chloramphenicol (10 μg) was tested. The results obtained from this study reveal multi drug resistance pattern among the isolates. All the isolates were completely resistant to Ampicillin, Novobiocin, Sulphamethoxazole and Trimethoprim, respectively but susceptible to Tetracycline (100%), Kanamycin (5.7%), Gentamicin (5.7%) and Oxytetracycline (24.5%). Antibiotics phenotyping of the bacteria revealed 21 different phenotypes among the isolates.     

Antibiotic resistance and genotyping of clinical group B Salmonella isolated in Accra,Ghana

AIMS: The purpose of this study was to investigate the antibiotic resistance and clonal lineage of serogroup B Salmonella isolated from patients suspected of suffering from enteric fever in Accra, Ghana. METHODS AND RESULTS: Serogroup B Salmonella were isolated from blood (n=28), cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) (n=1), or urine (n=2), and identified based on standard biochemical testing and agglutinating antisera. Isolates were examined for their susceptibility to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Most of the isolates could be classified as multiple-drug resistant. Furthermore, the genetic location of resistance genes was shown to be on conjugative plasmids. Genetic fingerprinting by plasmid profiling, enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC)-PCR, and repetitive element (REP)-PCR were performed to determine the diversity among the isolates. Plasmid profiling discriminated five unique groupings, while ERIC-PCR and REP-PCR resulted in two and three groupings, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A high rate of antibiotic resistance was associated with the Salmonella isolates and the genes responsible for the resistance are located on conjugative plasmids. Also, there appears to be minimal diversity associated with the isolates. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: As a result of the increasing antibiotic resistance among bacteria of all genera, surveys to monitor microbial populations are critical to determine the extent of the problem. The inability to treat many infectious diseases with current antibiotic regimens should prompt the medical community to be more prudent with its antibiotic use.     

Effects of high-pressure processing on Listeria monocytogenes, spoilage microflora and multiple compound quality indices in chilled cold-smoked salmon

AIMS: To evaluate the effect of high-pressure processing (HPP) on Listeria monocytogenes, microbial and chemical changes and shelf-life in chilled cold-smoked salmon (CSS). METHODS AND RESULTS: First, challenge tests with L. monocytogenes were carried out using HPP of the product at 0.1 (control), 150, 200 and 250 MPa. Secondly, storage trials with the naturally contaminated product and HPP at 0.1 (control) and 200 MPa were realized. Shelf-life, microbial changes and chemical changes were determined and existing predictive models and multiple compound quality indices evaluated. HPP with 250 MPa did not inactivate L. monocytogenes but significant lag phases of 17 and 10 days were observed at ca 5 and 10 degrees C, respectively. HPP with 200 MPa had a marked effect on both colour and texture of CSS. CONCLUSIONS: High-pressure processing was unable to prevent growth of L. monocytogenes or spoilage of chilled CSS. Existing mathematical models allowed growth rates of L. monocytogenes and shelf-life of samples without high-pressure treatments to be predicted. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: High-pressure processing seems more appropriate for new types of salmon products than for a classical product like CSS where consumers expect specific quality attributes.