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Journal of Food Protection Mar 2023Arcobacters are emerging pathogens that have been underestimated due to a lack of a standardized isolation method. The aim of this research was to evaluate the ability...
Arcobacters are emerging pathogens that have been underestimated due to a lack of a standardized isolation method. The aim of this research was to evaluate the ability to isolate Arcobacter butzleri, Arcobacter cryaerophilus, and Arcobacter skirrowii using two Arcobacter-specific culture detection systems: (i) the Houf broth and modified charcoal cefoperazone deoxycholate agar supplemented with cefoperazone, amphotericin B, and teicoplanin (HB/mCCDA+CAT), and (ii) the Nguyen-Restaino-Juárez Arcobacter enrichment broth and chromogenic agar (NRJ-B/M). Both detection systems were evaluated for productivity ratio, sensitivity, and specificity. As a result, the productivity ratio for both plating agars were >90%, which indicates that the selective agents used in the two plating agars did not inhibit Arcobacter growth. Moreover, sensitivity evaluations using artificially inoculated retail ground poultry (n = 780) determined that both detection systems were able to isolate A. butlzeri with >95% sensitivity at the 0.1 and 1.0-2.0 CFU/g detection level. The sensitivity in A. cryaerophilus isolation was higher for NRJ-B/M (78.0% at 0.1 CFU/g; 95.1% at 1.0-2.0 CFU/g) when compared with HB/mCCDA+CAT (34.1% at 0.1 CFU/g; 51.2% at 1.0-2.0 CFU/g). Both detection systems resulted in <50% sensitivity when isolating A. skirrowii at 0.1 and 1.0-2.0 CFU/g; however, the sensitivity for NRJ-B/M was significantly higher than HB/mCCDA+CAT. At the detection level of 5.0 CFU/g, both detection systems were able to isolate A. skirrowii with 100% sensitivity. Specificity comparisons using uninoculated ground poultry samples (n = 40) indicated the growth of background microbiota were significantly inhibited or could be easily differentiated on NRJ-B/M (90.0%, specificity) when compared with HB/mCCDA+CAT (30.0%, specificity). Overall, these results show that the NRJ-B/M detection system is a more sensitive and specific detection system when isolating Arcobacter spp. from ground chicken.
Topics: Animals; Poultry; Arcobacter; Agar; Cefoperazone
PubMed: 36916562
DOI: 10.1016/j.jfp.2023.100057 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2018spp. are considered the most common bacterial cause of foodborne gastroenteritis in the world. The family includes the genus with the three species , , and as...
spp. are considered the most common bacterial cause of foodborne gastroenteritis in the world. The family includes the genus with the three species , , and as emergent enteropathogens and potential zoonotic agents. Here, we characterized genome sequences of that were isolated from water poultry on farms in Germany. Isolates were cultured, identified by MALDI-TOF MS and identification was verified with PCR assays. Antibiotic susceptibility testing of isolates was carried out with erythromycin, ciprofloxacin, doxycycline, tetracycline, gentamicin, and streptomycin using the gradient strip method (-test). We also sequenced whole genomes and predicted antibiotic resistance determinants, virulence factors, performed a phylogenetic analysis to determine the genetic relatedness of these isolates and searched for plasmids.
PubMed: 30619152
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.03067 -
Journal of Environmental Management Jan 2022Woodchip bioreactors are being successfully applied to remove nitrate from commercial land-based recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) effluents. In order to understand...
Woodchip bioreactors are being successfully applied to remove nitrate from commercial land-based recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) effluents. In order to understand and optimize the overall function of these bioreactors, knowledge on the microbial communities, especially on the microbes with potential for production or mitigation of harmful substances (e.g. hydrogen sulfide; HS) is needed. In this study, we quantified and characterized bacterial and fungal communities, including potential HS producers and consumers, using qPCR and high throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene. We took water samples from bioreactors and their inlet and outlet, and sampled biofilms growing on woodchips and on the outlet of the three full-scale woodchip bioreactors treating effluents of three individual RAS. We found that bioreactors hosted a high biomass of both bacteria and fungi. Although the composition of microbial communities of the inlet varied between the bioreactors, the conditions in the bioreactors selected for the same core microbial taxa. The HS producing sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) were mainly found in the nitrate-limited outlets of the bioreactors, the main groups being deltaproteobacterial Desulfobulbus and Desulfovibrio. The abundance of HS consuming sulfate oxidizing bacteria (SOB) was 5-10 times higher than that of SRB, and SOB communities were dominated by Arcobacter and other genera from phylum Epsilonbacteraeota, which are also capable of autotrophic denitrification. Indeed, the relative abundance of potential autotrophic denitrifiers of all denitrifier sequences was even 54% in outlet water samples and 56% in the outlet biofilm samples. Altogether, our results show that the highly abundant bacterial and fungal communities in woodchip bioreactors are shaped through the conditions prevailing within the bioreactor, indicating that the bioreactors with similar design and operational settings should provide similar function even when conditions in the preceding RAS would differ. Furthermore, autotrophic denitrifiers can have a significant role in woodchip biofilters, consuming potentially produced HS and removing nitrate, lengthening the operational age and thus further improving the overall environmental benefit of these bioreactors.
Topics: Aquaculture; Bioreactors; Denitrification; Microbiota; Nitrates; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
PubMed: 34592671
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.113852 -
Italian Journal of Food Safety Mar 2021Given that the number of foodborne illness outbreaks linked to the consumption of ready-to-eat vegetables has been widely documented and considering that data on the...
Given that the number of foodborne illness outbreaks linked to the consumption of ready-to-eat vegetables has been widely documented and considering that data on the occurrence of spp. in such foodstuffs are lacking, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the presence of spp. and the occurrence of virulence factors as well as to genotype spp. in ready-to-eat (RTE) vegetable samples, using cultural and biomolecular assays. spp. was detected in 16/110 (14.5%) samples, with being detected in 15/16 and in 1/16 isolates. PCRs aimed at the nine putative virulence genes demonstrated widespread distribution of such genes among and isolates. In addition, multilocus sequence type (MLST) analysis revealed a low genetic diversity within the arcobacters isolates. The results underline the need to develop an appropriate surveillance system based on biomolecular characterization for an integrated microbiological risk assessment of ready-toeat vegetables, and consequently of composite foods.
PubMed: 33907683
DOI: 10.4081/ijfs.2021.8585 -
Gut Pathogens Dec 2023Arcobacter species are considered emerging foodborne pathogens that can potentially cause serious infections in animals and humans. This cross-sectional study determined...
Antibiotic-Resistant Arcobacter spp. in commercial and smallholder farm animals in Asante Akim North Municipality, Ghana and Korogwe Town Council, Tanzania: a cross-sectional study.
BACKGROUND
Arcobacter species are considered emerging foodborne pathogens that can potentially cause serious infections in animals and humans. This cross-sectional study determined the frequency of potentially pathogenic Arcobacter spp. in both commercial and smallholder farm animals in Ghana and Tanzania. A total of 1585 and 1047 (poultry and livestock) samples were collected in Ghana and Tanzania, respectively. Selective enrichment media, along with oxidase and Gram testing, were employed for isolation of suspected Arcobacter spp. and confirmation was done using MALDI-TOF MS. Antibiotic susceptibility was assessed through disk diffusion method and ECOFFs were generated, for interpretation, based on resulting inhibition zone diameters.
RESULTS
The overall Arcobacter frequency was higher in Ghana (7.0%, n = 111) than in Tanzania (2.0%, n = 21). The frequency of Arcobacter in commercial farms in Ghana was 10.3% (n/N = 83/805), while in Tanzania, it was 2.8% (n/N = 12/430). Arcobacter was detected in only 3.6% (n/N = 28/780) of the samples from smallholder farms in Ghana and 1.5% (n/N = 9/617) of the samples from Tanzania. For commercial farms, in Ghana, the presence of Arcobacter was more abundant in pigs (45.1%, n/N = 37/82), followed by ducks (38.5%, n/N = 10/26) and quails (35.7%, n/N = 10/28). According to MALDI-TOF-based species identification, Arcobacter butzleri (91.6%, n/N = 121/132), Arcobacter lanthieri (6.1%, n/N = 8/132), and Arcobacter cryaerophilus (2.3%, n/N = 3/132) were the only three Arcobacter species detected at both study sites. Almost all of the Arcobacter from Ghana (98.2%, n/N = 109/111) were isolated during the rainy season. The inhibition zone diameters recorded for penicillin, ampicillin, and chloramphenicol allowed no determination of an epidemiological cut-off value. However, the results indicated a general resistance to these three antimicrobials. Multidrug resistance was noted in 57.1% (n/N = 12/21) of the Arcobacter isolates from Tanzania and 45.0% (n/N = 50/111) of those from Ghana. The type of farm (commercial or smallholder) and source of the sample (poultry or livestock) were found to be associated with multi-drug resistance.
CONCLUSIONS
The high levels of MDR Arcobacter detected from farms in both countries call for urgent attention and comprehensive strategies to mitigate the spread of antimicrobial resistance in these pathogens.
PubMed: 38042805
DOI: 10.1186/s13099-023-00588-3 -
MicrobiologyOpen Oct 2019Arcobacter have been frequently detected in and isolated from bivalves, but there is very little information on the genus Arcobacter in the abalone, an important fishery...
Arcobacter have been frequently detected in and isolated from bivalves, but there is very little information on the genus Arcobacter in the abalone, an important fishery resource. This study aimed to investigate the genetic diversity and abundance of bacteria from the genus Arcobacter in the Japanese giant abalone, Haliotis gigantea, using molecular methods such as Arcobacter-specific clone libraries and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Furthermore, we attempted to isolate the Arcobacter species detected. Twelve genotypes of clones were obtained from Arcobacter-specific clone libraries. These sequences are not classified with any other known Arcobacter species including pathogenic Arcobacter spp., A. butzleri, A. skirrowii, and A. cryaerophilus, commonly isolated or detected from bivalves. From the FISH analysis, we observed that ARC94F-positive cells, presumed to be Arcobacter, accounted for 6.96 ± 0.72% of all EUB338-positive cells. In the culture method, three genotypes of Arcobacter were isolated from abalones. One genotype had a similarity of 99.2%-100.0% to the 16S rRNA gene of Arcobacter marinus, while the others showed only 93.3%-94.3% similarity to other Arcobacter species. These data indicate that abalones carry Arcobacter as a common bacterial genus which includes uncultured species.
Topics: Animals; Arcobacter; Biodiversity; Cluster Analysis; DNA, Bacterial; DNA, Ribosomal; Gastropoda; Genotype; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; Metagenomics; Phylogeny; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Sequence Analysis, DNA
PubMed: 31168933
DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.890 -
Applied and Environmental Microbiology Aug 2015Even though dairy cows are known carriers of Arcobacter species and raw or minimally processed foods are recognized as the main sources of human Arcobacter infections in...
Even though dairy cows are known carriers of Arcobacter species and raw or minimally processed foods are recognized as the main sources of human Arcobacter infections in industrialized countries, data on Arcobacter excretion patterns in cows and in milk are scant. This study aimed to identify potentially pathogenic Arcobacter species in a dairy herd and to investigate the routes of Arcobacter transmission among animals and the potential sources of cattle infection and milk contamination. A strategy of sampling the same 50 dairy animals, feed, water, and milk every month for a 10-month period, as well as the sampling of quarter milk, animal teats, the milking environment, and animals living on the farm (pigeons and cats), was used to evaluate, by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), the characteristic patterns in animals, their living environment, and the raw milk they produced. Of the 463 samples collected, 105 (22.6%) were positive for Arcobacter spp. by culture examination. All the matrices except quarter milk and pigeon gut samples were positive, with prevalences ranging from 15 to 83% depending on the sample. Only three Arcobacter species, Arcobacter cryaerophilus (54.2%), A. butzleri (34.2%), and A. skirrowii (32.3%), were detected. PFGE analysis of 370 isolates from positive samples provided strong evidence of Arcobacter circulation in the herd: cattle likely acquire the microorganisms by orofecal transmission, either by direct contact or from the environment, or both. Water appears to be a major source of animal infection. Raw milk produced by the farm and collected from a bulk tank was frequently contaminated (80%) by A. butzleri; our PFGE findings excluded primary contamination of milk, whereas teats and milking machine surfaces could be sources of Arcobacter milk contamination.
Topics: Animals; Animals, Domestic; Arcobacter; Carrier State; Cats; Cattle; Columbidae; DNA Fingerprinting; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; Environmental Microbiology; Food Contamination; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections; Humans; Milk; Molecular Typing
PubMed: 26002896
DOI: 10.1128/AEM.01035-15 -
Foods (Basel, Switzerland) Jul 2021This review maps the global research landscape of the public health implications of from the food-environment interphase using content analytics and integrated science... (Review)
Review
This review maps the global research landscape of the public health implications of from the food-environment interphase using content analytics and integrated science mapping. The search term "Arcobacter" was used to retrieve relevant articles published in Web of Science and Scopus between 1991 to 2019. The number of articles included in the review was 524, with 1304 authors, 172 journal sources, and a collaborative index of 2.55. The annual growth rate of the publications was 9.74%. The most contributing author in the field was Houf K., with 40 publications, 26 h-index, and 2020 total citations. The most productive country was the USA (13.33%). The majority of the articles were published in English (96%) and in the Journal of Food Protection (8.02%). The highest research outputs were in the field of Microbiology (264). The frequently occurred keywords were , poultry, shellfish, cattle, and chicken. This study revealed a fair increase in the growth rate of -related research-especially in the area of isolation and detection of the pathogen in foods and food environments, as well as the pathogenesis and genetic diversity of the pathogen. Research themes in the area of prevalence and epidemiology seem to be underexplored.
PubMed: 34359542
DOI: 10.3390/foods10071673 -
Nature Food Aug 2023China is the largest global consumer of antimicrobials and improving surveillance methods could help to reduce antimicrobial resistance (AMR) spread. Here we report the...
China is the largest global consumer of antimicrobials and improving surveillance methods could help to reduce antimicrobial resistance (AMR) spread. Here we report the surveillance of ten large-scale chicken farms and four connected abattoirs in three Chinese provinces over 2.5 years. Using a data mining approach based on machine learning, we analysed 461 microbiomes from birds, carcasses and environments, identifying 145 potentially mobile antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) shared between chickens and environments across all farms. A core set of 233 ARGs and 186 microbial species extracted from the chicken gut microbiome correlated with the AMR profiles of Escherichia coli colonizing the same gut, including Arcobacter, Acinetobacter and Sphingobacterium, clinically relevant for humans, and 38 clinically relevant ARGs. Temperature and humidity in the barns were also correlated with ARG presence. We reveal an intricate network of correlations between environments, microbial communities and AMR, suggesting multiple routes to improving AMR surveillance in livestock production.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Chickens; Drug Resistance, Bacterial; Farms; Metagenomics; Abattoirs; Escherichia coli; Machine Learning
PubMed: 37563495
DOI: 10.1038/s43016-023-00814-w -
Foodborne Pathogens and Disease May 2019and are important gastroenteric pathogens. is an emerging enteric pathogen. Data on the frequencies of these poultry-associated pathogens on meat products sold in...
and are important gastroenteric pathogens. is an emerging enteric pathogen. Data on the frequencies of these poultry-associated pathogens on meat products sold in sub-Saharan Africa are scarce. This study aimed to analyze the frequency of , , and antibiotic resistance and underlying mechanisms of resistance to fluoroquinolones in locally produced and imported poultry sold in urban Ghana. Chicken meat was collected and cultured on standard media. Bacterial strains were identified by biochemical methods and by mass spectrometry. Antibiotic susceptibility was tested by disk diffusion. Ciprofloxacin-resistant strains were assessed for molecular mechanisms of resistance. Among 200 samples, comprising 34% ( = 68) from the Ghanaian poultry industry and 66% ( = 132) from imports, 9% ( = 17) contained , 11% ( = 22) , and 26.5% ( = 53) . Higher overall contamination frequencies were found in local meat. Most common serovars identified were Kentucky (/ = 5/16; 31%) and Poona (/ = 4/16; 25%). were (/ = 10/19; 53%) and (/ = 9/19; 47%). Resistance to fluoroquinolones was high with 63% ( = 10), 75% ( = 15), and 52% ( = 25) in , , and , respectively. A link between Kentucky [sequence type (ST) 198] and a ciprofloxacin minimum inhibitory concentration of 16 μg/mL was found. Poona-ST308 revealed transferable fluoroquinolone resistance genes. Markedly high frequencies of resistant , , and predominant in locally produced meat represent a probable transmission reservoir for human infections. These findings highlight the need for implementation of surveillance systems that focus on food hygiene, use of antibiotics in animal husbandry, and continuous monitoring of the quality of meat products from imports.
Topics: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Arcobacter; Campylobacter; Ciprofloxacin; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; Fluoroquinolones; Food Microbiology; Ghana; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections; Meat Products; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Poultry; Salmonella enterica
PubMed: 30907631
DOI: 10.1089/fpd.2018.2562