DEVELOPMENT OF IMPROVED AND RAPID PATHOGEN DETECTION METHODOLOGIES FOR LABORATORY, ESPECIALLY IN FOOD SAMPLES FOR FIELD USE REAL-TIME PCR, MULTIPLEX REAL TIME-PCR, QUANTITATIVE-PCR AND REVERSE TRANSCRIPTASE PCR

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Antibiotic resistance of Enterobacteriaceae isolated from the domestic food related environments

Publication . Azevedo, I.; Albano, H.; Silva, J.; Teixeira, P.

Background: Multidrug resistant Enterobacteriaceae which was confined to the hospital environments is now emerging in the domestic food related environments as well. The main objective of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of antibiotic re-sistant Enterobacteriaceae in the domestic food related environments. Methods: Resistance to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, tetracy-cline, nalidixic acid, nitrofurantoin, and trimethoprim was evaluated in 125 isolates; col-lected in domestic food related environments using agar micro dilution method. Results: Results indicated that 49.6% of the isolates were resistant to at least one antibi-otic (32.8% to ampicillin, 6.4% to nitrofurantoin, 4% to tetracycline, 3.2% to nalidixic acid, 2.4% to chloramphenicol and 1.7% to trimethoprim). Resistance to multiple antibi-otics was observed in 6.4% of the isolates. Conclusion: This study implicates existence of antibiotic resistant Enterobactericeae in the domestic food related environments. This resistance phenomenon requires continual vigilance; and further studies are required to evaluate the role of domestic surfaces in the transmission of resistant pathogens and spread of infectious diseases.

2015Journal article

Open access

Food safety in the domestic environment

Publication . Azevedo, Inês; Albano, Helena; Silva, Joana; Teixeira, Paula

The main purpose of this work was to evaluate the significance of food safety in domestic environments. In this study, several points in 15 houses (handles of doors, refrigerators and dishwashers, cooking stove knobs, surfaces of preparation of foods, taps and kitchen towels, as well as from domestic animals' feet that usually have access to the kitchen area, and WC knobs and taps) were sampled and tested for detection and quantification of Enterobacteriaceae, Staphylococcus coagulase-positive, Escherichia coli, Listeria spp. and Campylobacter spp. A questionnaire was also prepared and administered to the person responsible for domestic tasks in order to evaluate their experience of hygienic practices. The results showed a total of 125 Enterobacteriaceae spp. isolates, 86 Staphylococcus coagulase-positive isolates, 5 Listeria spp., 13 E. coli isolates and no Campylobacter spp. was found. Most of the isolates were found distributed by the entire house, with handles, knobs and domestic animals' feet being the points more contaminated. Also, there was no relation between the answers to the questionnaires administered and the microbiological results obtained. These results revealed the need to develop some education campaigns designed to educate consumers in good hygiene practices at home.

2014Journal article

Restricted access

Antilisterial activity of bacteriocinogenic Pediococcus acidilactici HA6111-2 and Lactobacillus plantarum ESB 202 grown under pH and osmotic stress conditions

Publication . Engelhardt, Tekla; Albano, Helena; Kisk, Gabriella; Mohácsi-Farkas, Csilla; Teixeira, Paula

Bacteriocin producing lactic acid bacteria (LAB) cultures can be used as biopreservatives in fermented food products; thus the food industry is interested in stable cultures that produce bacteriocins consistently. Inhibtion of Listeria spp. by bacteriocinogenic Pediococcus acidilactici and Lactobacillus plantarum (both isolated from fermented meats) was investigated under conditions of stress induced by low pH and high salt concentrations. Listeria monocytogenes serogroup IIb (from cheese), L. monocytogenes serogroup IVb (from cheese), L. monocytogenes serogroup IIb (from ground beef) and Listeria innocua NCTC 11288 were used as target strains. P. acidilactici and Lb. plantarum demonstrated antilisterial activity under the stress conditions investigated (pH 3.5; pH 8.5; 7.5% NaCl). However, activity was dependent on the stress conditions applied and on the target organism. L. monocytogenes serogroup IIb (from ground beef) and L. innocua C 11288 were, respectively the most sensitive and the most resistant to the cell-free supernatants produced by the LAB investigated.

2015Journal article

Restricted access