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Frontiers in Microbiology 2021Coastal zones are exposed to various anthropogenic impacts, such as different types of wastewater pollution, e.g., treated wastewater discharges, leakage from sewage...
Coastal zones are exposed to various anthropogenic impacts, such as different types of wastewater pollution, e.g., treated wastewater discharges, leakage from sewage systems, and agricultural and urban runoff. These various inputs can introduce allochthonous organic matter and microbes, including pathogens, into the coastal marine environment. The presence of fecal bacterial indicators in the coastal environment is usually monitored using traditional culture-based methods that, however, fail to detect their uncultured representatives. We have conducted a year-around survey of the pelagic microbiome of the dynamic coastal ecosystem, subjected to different anthropogenic pressures to depict the seasonal and spatial dynamics of traditional and alternative fecal bacterial indicators. To provide an insight into the environmental conditions under which bacterial indicators thrive, a suite of environmental factors and bacterial community dynamics were analyzed concurrently. Analyses of 16S rRNA amplicon sequences revealed that the coastal microbiome was primarily structured by seasonal changes regardless of the distance from the wastewater pollution sources. On the other hand, fecal bacterial indicators were not affected by seasons and accounted for up to 34% of the sequence proportion for a given sample. Even more so, traditional fecal indicator bacteria () and alternative wastewater-associated bacteria (, , and ) were part of the core coastal microbiome, i.e., present at all sampling stations. Microbial source tracking and Lagrangian particle tracking, which we employed to assess the potential pollution source, revealed the importance of riverine water as a vector for transmission of allochthonous microbes into the marine system. Further phylogenetic analysis showed that the in our data set was affiliated with the pathogenic , suggesting that a potential exposure risk for bacterial pathogens in anthropogenically impacted coastal zones remains. We emphasize that molecular analyses combined with statistical and oceanographic models may provide new insights for environmental health assessment and reveal the potential source and presence of microbial indicators, which are otherwise overlooked by a cultivation approach.
PubMed: 35111137
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.765091 -
Journal of Food Protection Oct 2017Campylobacter and Arcobacter spp. are common causes of gastroenteritis in humans; these infections are commonly due to undercooked poultry. However, their virulence...
Campylobacter and Arcobacter spp. are common causes of gastroenteritis in humans; these infections are commonly due to undercooked poultry. However, their virulence mechanism is still poorly understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of genotypic virulence markers in Campylobacter and Arcobacter species using PCR. The prevalence of virulence and cytolethal distending toxin (CDT) genes was estimated in 71 Campylobacteraceae isolates. PCR was used to detect the presence of virulence genes (iam, cadF, virB1, flaA, cdtA, cdtB, and cdtC) using specific primers for a total of 45 Campylobacter isolates, including 37 C. jejuni and 8 C. coli. All the Campylobacter isolates were positive for the cadF gene. The plasmid gene virB11 was not detected in any strain. The invasion associated marker was not detected in C. jejuni. Lower detection rates were observed for flaA, cdtA, cdtB, and cdtC. The presence of nine putative Arcobacter virulence genes (cadF, ciaB, cj1349, mviN, pldA, tlyA, irgA, hecA, and hecB) was checked in a set of 22 Arcobacter butzleri and 4 Arcobacter cryaerophilus isolates. The pldA and mviN genes were predominant (88.64%). Lower detection rates were observed for tlyA (84.76%), ciaB (84.61%), cadF and cj1349 (76.92%), IrgA and hecA (61.53%), and hecB (57.69%). The findings revealed that a majority of the Campylobacteraceae strains have these putative virulence genes that may lead to pathogenic effects in humans.
Topics: Animals; Arcobacter; Campylobacter; Campylobacter jejuni; Humans; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Poultry; Prevalence; Tunisia; Virulence; Virulence Factors
PubMed: 28906158
DOI: 10.4315/0362-028X.JFP-16-509 -
Journal of Global Antimicrobial... Jun 2017Arcobacter spp. are considered to be potential foodborne pathogens, and consumption of contaminated food containing these bacteria could endanger human and animal...
OBJECTIVES
Arcobacter spp. are considered to be potential foodborne pathogens, and consumption of contaminated food containing these bacteria could endanger human and animal health. Arcobacter butzleri and Arcobacter cryaerophilus are the species most frequently isolated from food of animal origin and from other samples. The aim of this study was to evaluate the susceptibility of arcobacters isolated in the Czech Republic. No information about antibiotic susceptibility and multidrug resistance of arcobacters isolated in the Czech Republic is available in the literature before now.
METHODS
The antimicrobial resistance of A. butzleri (n=80) and A. cryaerophilus (n=20) isolated from meat of animal origin, water sources and clinical samples was examined by the disk diffusion method.
RESULTS
Arcobacters were resistant to one or more antimicrobial agents in 99% (99/100) of tested isolates. Most of the Arcobacter isolates were resistant to β-lactam antibiotics, i.e. ampicillin (81.0%), amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (28.0%), cefalotin (73.0%) and aztreonam (93.0%). Arcobacters were also frequently resistant to lincosamides, i.e. clindamycin (98.0%). Of the aminoglycosides, amikacin, gentamicin and tobramycin were evaluated to be the most effective antibiotics among those tested against arcobacters.
CONCLUSIONS
These results demonstrate substantial resistance in Arcobacter isolates to 18 antimicrobial agents commonly used in medical and veterinary medicine. Multidrug resistance was found in 93.8% (75/80) of A. butzleri isolates and 70.0% (14/20) of A. cryaerophilus isolates.
Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Arcobacter; Czech Republic; Disk Diffusion Antimicrobial Tests; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; Food Microbiology; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections; Humans; Water Microbiology
PubMed: 28400212
DOI: 10.1016/j.jgar.2017.01.006 -
Food Microbiology Aug 2016Considering that several recent cases of human gastroenteritis have been associated with species from the Arcobacter genus, and that few data are currently available...
Considering that several recent cases of human gastroenteritis have been associated with species from the Arcobacter genus, and that few data are currently available about the occurrence of this genus in Italian shellfish, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the occurrence of Arcobacter spp. and the presence of virulence-associated genes. The approach consisted of cultural and biomolecular (multiplex-PCR and 16S-RFLP) methods identifying isolates, followed by PCR assays aimed at the cadF, ciaB, cjl349, irgA, hecA putative virulence genes. Arcobacter spp. was detected in 16/70 (22.8%) shellfish samples. Specifically, Arcobacter spp. was highlighted in 10/42 (23.8%) mussel and in 6/28 (21.4%) clam samples. Subsequently, biomolecular assays revealed Arcobacter butzleri in 12/16 (75%) and Arcobacter cryaerophilus 1B in 4/16 (25%) isolates. PCRs aimed at the five putative virulence genes demonstrated widespread distribution of these genes among Arcobacter isolates and some differences from the results published by other authors. Our research provides more information regarding the health risks associated with the consumption of raw bivalve molluscs and underlines the need to implement an adequate control plan by performing intensive and continuous monitoring in order to guarantee human health.
Topics: Animals; Arcobacter; Bacterial Proteins; Bivalvia; Consumer Product Safety; Food Contamination; Humans; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Shellfish
PubMed: 27052698
DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2015.12.010 -
Revista Espanola de Quimioterapia :... Jun 2021
Topics: Arcobacter; Child; Humans; Spain; Species Specificity
PubMed: 33810639
DOI: 10.37201/req/134.2020 -
Food Science & Nutrition May 2024In this study, to investigate spp. contamination post-scalding and de-feathering, post-evisceration, post-chilling, and packaged products, which are the most essential...
In this study, to investigate spp. contamination post-scalding and de-feathering, post-evisceration, post-chilling, and packaged products, which are the most essential contamination stages of broiler slaughter, a total of 108 samples were taken from three different broiler slaughterhouses at different times. Isolates obtained by cultural methods in 104 of 108 samples were analyzed by mPCR method to identify pathogen spp. , , and mixed contamination of both species were detected in 51 samples. Of the 51 isolates, 27 (52.9%) were , 16 (31.4%) were , and 8 (15.7%) were mixed contamination of and , while was not detected. and contamination was 59.2% post-scalding and de-feathering, 43.4% post-evisceration, 44.4% and 48.1% post-chilling and in packaged products, respectively. All strains were found to be 100% resistant to cefoperazone and penicillin and sensitive to tetracycline. strains were 100% resistant to cefoperazone, penicillin, and cloxacillin and susceptible to tetracycline and erythromycin. In the study, it was determined that spp. caused a very intense contamination (85.18%-100%) and also contamination rates of identified pathogen strains ( and ) were very high (59.2% and 43.4%) in broiler slaughtering stages. Considering that each step in broiler slaughter could contaminate the next stage, developing a safe slaughter and minimizing the risk toward the final product, it was concluded that critical control points could not be well managed in broiler slaughterhouses, and broiler meat may pose a significant risk to public health.
PubMed: 38726459
DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.4013 -
International Journal of Food... Nov 2016Given that changes in consumer food behaviours have led to an increase in the demand for pre-cut ready-to-eat (RTE) vegetables, and that few data are currently available...
Given that changes in consumer food behaviours have led to an increase in the demand for pre-cut ready-to-eat (RTE) vegetables, and that few data are currently available on the occurrence of Arcobacter spp. in such foods, the aim of the present study was to assess the occurrence of Arcobacter spp. that carry virulence-associated genes on pre-cut RTE vegetables, using cultural and molecular methods. Arcobacter was detected using biomolecular identification methods in 44/160 (27.5%) of the samples, of which 40/44 (90.9%) isolates corresponded to A. butzleri and 4/44 (9.1%) to A. cryaerophilus. Studying the incidence of 9 virulence-associated genes revealed the widespread distribution of these genes among the Arcobacter isolates tested. The results obtained in our research provided plenty of information on the health risks associated with the direct consumption of raw vegetables, and highlight the need to implement further studies at each level of the production chain, in order to obtain further information to help protect human health.
Topics: Arcobacter; Food Microbiology; Food Safety; Humans; Italy; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Vegetables
PubMed: 27442848
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2016.07.012 -
Journal of Medical Microbiology Dec 2017The genus Arcobacter includes bacteria that are considered emergent pathogens because they can produce infections in humans and animals. The most common symptoms are...
PURPOSE
The genus Arcobacter includes bacteria that are considered emergent pathogens because they can produce infections in humans and animals. The most common symptoms are bloody and non-bloody persistent diarrhea but cases with abdominal cramps without diarrhea or asymptomatic cases have also been described as well as cases with bacteremia. The objective was to characterize Arcobacter clinical strains isolated from the faeces of patients from three Spanish hospitals.
METHODOLOGY
We have characterized 28 clinical strains (27 of A. butzleri and one of A. cryaerophilus) isolated from faeces, analysing their epidemiological relationship using the multilocus sequence typing (MLST) approach and screening them for their antibiotic susceptibility and for the presence of virulence genes.Results/Key findings. Typing results showed that only one of the 28 identified sequence types (i.e. ST 2) was already present in the MLST database. The other 27 STs constituted new records because they included new alleles for five of the seven genes or new combinations of known alleles of the seven genes. All strains were positive for the ciaB virulence gene and sensitive to tetracycline. However, 7.4 % of the A. butzleri and A. cryaerophilus strains showed resistance to ciprofloxacin.
CONCLUSION
The fact that epidemiological unrelated strains show the same ST indicates that other techniques with higher resolution should be developed to effectively recognize the infection source. Resistance to ciprofloxacin, one of the antibiotics recommended for the treatment of Arcobacter intestinal infections, demonstrated in 10.7 % of the strains, indicates the importance of selecting the most appropriate effective treatment.
Topics: Alleles; Anti-Infective Agents; Arcobacter; Ciprofloxacin; DNA, Bacterial; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; Feces; Humans; Multilocus Sequence Typing; Tetracycline; Virulence Factors
PubMed: 29120301
DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.000638 -
Chemosphere Aug 2022Microplastic pollution, a pressing global environmental problem, has a severe impact on both aquatic ecosystems and public health worldwide. Due to the small size of...
Microplastic pollution, a pressing global environmental problem, has a severe impact on both aquatic ecosystems and public health worldwide. Due to the small size of microplastics, they are able to pass through the filtration systems of municipal wastewater treatment works (WWTWs). In recent years, studies have focused on the environmental abundance and ecotoxicological effects of microplastics, but there are limited studies investigating the colonization of microplastics by bacteria, especially those pathogenic ones. In this study, we examined the colonization and composition of the bacterial communities on polyethylene microbeads after incubation in raw sewage collected from three municipal WWTWs in Hong Kong (Sha Tin Sewage Treatment Works, Stonecutters Island Sewage Treatment Works, and Shek Wu Hui Sewage Treatment Works). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results indicate that bacterial cells were colonized on the surfaces of the microbeads and formed biofilms after sewage incubation. Metagenomic sequencing data demonstrated an increase in bacterial diversity after 21 days of sewage incubation when compared to shorter incubation periods of 6, 11 and 16 days. Importantly, human and fish pathogens such as Arcobacter cryaerophilus, Aeromonas salmonicida, Vibrio areninigrae and Vibrio navarrensis were found in the resident bacterial communities. Taken together, our results demonstrate that microplastics could act as a carrier for wastewater-borne pathogenic bacteria in municipal sewage.
Topics: Animals; Bacteria; Ecosystem; Microplastics; Plastics; Sewage; Wastewater; Water Pollutants, Chemical
PubMed: 35504476
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.134692 -
Revista Do Instituto de Medicina... Nov 2017Arcobacter cryaerophilus is an emerging enteropathogen and potential zoonotic agent transmitted by food and water. In Costa Rica, this bacterium has not been associated...
Arcobacter cryaerophilus is an emerging enteropathogen and potential zoonotic agent transmitted by food and water. In Costa Rica, this bacterium has not been associated with cases of human gastroenteritis, even though it has been isolated from farm animals, especially poultry. This paper reports the first isolation of A. cryaerophilus from a human case of bloody watery diarrhea and the virulence genes associated with this isolate.
Topics: Animals; Arcobacter; Chickens; Costa Rica; Diarrhea; Female; Food Microbiology; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections; Humans; Meat; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Virulence; Young Adult
PubMed: 29116292
DOI: 10.1590/S1678-9946201759072