Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

One Health 2019 Jun 9;7:100092. Epub 2019 Apr 9.

Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, The University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.

serovar Wangata is an important cause of salmonellosis in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Standard surveillance has not identified a common food source and cases have been attributed to an unknown environmental or wildlife reservoir. Investigation of the spatial distribution of cases may provide valuable insights into local risk factors for infection and the potential role of the environment and wildlife. Read More

MBio 2019 Apr 23;10(2). Epub 2019 Apr 23.

Department of Pathogen Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom

In eukaryotes, glycosylation plays a role in proteome stability, protein quality control, and modulating protein function; however, similar studies in bacteria are lacking. Here, we investigate the roles of general protein glycosylation systems in bacteria using the enteropathogen as a well-defined example. By using a quantitative proteomic strategy, we were able to monitor changes in the proteome when glycosylation is disrupted. Read More

Zhongguo Dang Dai Er Ke Za Zhi 2019 Apr;21(4):323-326

Department of Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.

Objective: To investigate the etiology and risk factors for unintentional injuries in children admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), and to provide a basis for preventing these injuries and decreasing the mortality rate.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of children with unintentional injuries admitted to the PICU from December 2012 to December 2017.

Results: A total of 102 children with unintentional injuries were admitted to the PICU, which accounted for 3. Read More

Toxins (Basel) 2019 Apr 13;11(4). Epub 2019 Apr 13.

University of Vigo, Department of Analytical and Food Chemistry, Campus Universitario de Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain.

Ciguatera Fish Poisoning is a worldwide concern caused by the consumption of fish contaminated with ciguatoxins not only in endemic regions in the Pacific Ocean or the Caribbean Sea but also in emerging areas of Macaronesia on the eastern Atlantic. The recent emergence of these toxins in other coastal areas worldwide, prompted the need for the characterization of the risk in these areas. This Ciguatera Fish Poisoning risk has been recently identified as a potential threat in subtropical areas of the Atlantic coast and scientific efforts are being focused in the identification and confirmation of the toxins involved in this potential risk. Read More

Foodborne Pathog Dis 2019 Apr 23. Epub 2019 Apr 23.

2 Agricultural Product Quality Safety and Standards Institute, Jiangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanchang, China.

is one of the most important foodborne pathogens associated with animal and human diseases. In this study, 672 samples of fresh meat (pork, 347; chicken, 196; and duck, 129) were collected from retail markets in different provinces of China from 2010 to 2014. We identified 10 different serotypes among 80 isolates, whereas 12 isolates were nonmotile precluding conventional identification of complete serotype. Read More

Biosens Bioelectron 2019 Apr 11;135:120-128. Epub 2019 Apr 11.

Department of BioNano Technology, Gachon University 1342 Seongnam-daero, Sujeong-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 13120, South Korea. Electronic address:

This study presents a slidable paper-embedded plastic microdevice fully integrated with DNA extraction, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), and colorimetric detection functionalities. The developed microdevice consists of three layers that allow a sliding movement to mix the sample and reagents for DNA purification, amplification, and detection in a sequential manner. An FTA card was employed in the main chamber for DNA extraction and purification from intact bacterial cells. Read More

MMWR Surveill Summ 2019 04 19;68(3):1-16. Epub 2019 Apr 19.

Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria, Center for Global Health, CDC.

Problem/condition: Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis, which is transmissible by ingestion of fecally contaminated food or water. Cyclosporiasis is most common in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. In the United States, foodborne outbreaks of cyclosporiasis have been linked to various types of imported fresh produce (e. Read More

Front Microbiol 2019 2;10:641. Epub 2019 Apr 2.

Guangdong Institute of Microbiology, State Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology Southern China, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Microbial Culture Collection and Application, Guangdong Open Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Guangzhou, China.

is one of the most important food-borne pathogens globally. It produces various toxins and invasive enzymes and can be found in numerous food products. Milk is an important source of staphylococcal food poisoning. Read More

Front Microbiol 2019 2;10:640. Epub 2019 Apr 2.

Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland.

Third generation cephalosporins (3GC) are one of the main choices for treatment of infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria. Due to their overuse, an increasing trend of resistance to 3GC has been observed in developing countries. Here, we describe fecal colonization of 3GC-resistant (3GCr) in healthy infants (1-12 months old) living in rural areas of Bangladesh. Read More

Conserv Physiol 2019 10;7(1):coy068. Epub 2019 Apr 10.

Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Food Poisoning Diagnosis Traceability Technology, Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No.13 He Ping Li Middle street,Dongcheng district, Beijing, China.

Phytoestrogens have been shown to affect the reproductive hormone levels in both humans and animals. As the main category of phytoestrogens, total flavonoids have a particularly important impact on female animals. To investigate the potential relationship between the total flavonoids in bamboo and the reproductive hormones in female giant pandas, urinary samples and dietary bamboo samples were collected from three main breeding locations (Beijing, Shaanxi and Sichuan). Read More

Water Res 2019 Mar 29;157:564-571. Epub 2019 Mar 29.

Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.

Poor hand hygiene contributes to diarrhea in developing countries. Handwashing with soap reduces diarrhea risk, but drying hands on contaminated towels can compromise the benefits of handwashing. In response to the challenge of keeping hands clean, an antimicrobial hand towel was developed and shown to be promising in the laboratory, but has not been adequately tested in the field. Read More

Food Chem Toxicol 2019 Apr 14;128:267-279. Epub 2019 Apr 14.

Laboratory of Toxicology, University of Crete, Voutes, Heraklion, Crete, 71003, Greece.

Worldwide, special attention has been paid to wild mushrooms-induced poisoning. This review article provides a report on the global pattern and characteristics of mushroom poisoning and identifies the magnitude of mortality induced by mushroom poisoning. In this work, reasons underlying mushrooms-induced poisoning, and contamination of edible mushrooms by heavy metals and radionuclides, are provided. Read More

J Agric Food Chem 2019 Apr 15. Epub 2019 Apr 15.

Mushroom consumption is a global tradition that is still gaining popularity. However, foraging for wild mushrooms and accidental ingestion of toxic mushrooms can result in serious illness and even death. The early diagnosis and treatment of mushroom poisoning are quite difficult, as the symptoms are similar to those caused by common diseases. Read More

Zoonoses Public Health 2019 Apr 15. Epub 2019 Apr 15.

Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.

The role of free-ranging wildlife in the epidemiology of enteropathogens causing clinical illness in humans and domestic animals is unclear. Salmonella enterica and anti-microbial resistant bacteria have been detected in the faeces of raccoons (Procyon lotor), but little is known about the carriage of these bacteria in other sympatric meso-mammals. Our objectives were to: (a) report the prevalence of Salmonella and associated anti-microbial resistance, Campylobacter spp, Clostridium difficile, and anti-microbial resistant Escherichia coli in the faeces of striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) and Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana) in southern Ontario; and (b) compare the prevalence of these bacteria in the faeces of these meso-mammal hosts with raccoons from a previously reported study. Read More

Commun Dis Intell (2018) 2019 Apr 15;43. Epub 2019 Apr 15.

Royal Darwin Hospital Northern Territory; Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, Northern Territory

This report describes the epidemiology of mosquito-borne diseases of public health importance in Australia during the 2014–15 season (1 July 2014 to 30 June 2015) and includes data from human notifications, sentinel chicken, vector and virus surveillance programs. The National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System received notifications for 12,849 cases of disease transmitted by mosquitoes during the 2014–15 season. The Australasian alphaviruses Barmah Forest virus and Ross River virus accounted for 83% (n=10,723) of notifications. Read More

Environ Res 2018 Dec 25. Epub 2018 Dec 25.

Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium; Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium. Electronic address:

The impact of foodborne metals on the burden of disease has been largely overlooked, in comparison to the attention on acute diseases associated with infectious foodborne agents. Four articles in this special section describe in detail the burden of disease from foodborne lead, methylmercury, arsenic, and cadmium. Ingested lead and methylmercury are causally associated with lifelong intellectual disability. Read More

Viruses 2019 Apr 11;11(4). Epub 2019 Apr 11.

Division of Infectious Disease, Key Laboratory of Surveillance and Early-warning on Infectious Disease, Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 102206, China.

We conducted a retrospective analysis of norovirus outbreaks reported to the National Public Health Emergency Event Surveillance System (PHEESS) in China from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2017. We reviewed all acute gastroenteritis outbreaks ( = 692) submitted to PHEESS to identify the frequency, seasonality, geographic distribution, setting, and transmission mode of outbreaks due to norovirus. A total of 616 norovirus outbreaks resulting in 30,848 cases were reported. Read More

Viruses 2019 Apr 9;11(4). Epub 2019 Apr 9.

Enteric Virus Laboratory, Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.

Norovirus (NoV) causes about one-fifth of all cases of foodborne diseases and is a foremost cause of domestically acquired foodborne acute gastroenteritis and outbreaks. NoV infections are often associated with the consumption of contaminated fresh and ready-to-eat produce, fresh and frozen berries, raw/undercooked bivalve mollusks and products which become contaminated during handling. Despite many industrial efforts to control and prevent NoV contamination of foods, the prevalence of NoV in high-risk foodstuffs at retail is still significant. Read More

Hong Kong Med J 2019 Apr 10;25(2):102-112. Epub 2019 Apr 10.

Hospital Authority Toxicology Reference Laboratory, Department of Pathology, Princess Margaret Hospital, Laichikok, Hong Kong.

Introduction: Hong Kong has a great diversity of plants, many of which are toxic to humans. The aim of this study was to identify the plant species most commonly involved in cases of plant poisoning in Hong Kong and to provide clinicians with a reference tool for the diagnosis and management of plant poisoning.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all plant poisoning cases referred to the Hospital Authority Toxicology Reference Laboratory from 1 January 2003 to 31 December 2017. Read More

Foods 2019 Apr 7;8(4). Epub 2019 Apr 7.

Department of Food and Biotechnology, Korea University, 2511 Sejong-ro, Sejong 30019, Korea.

Spores are resistant against many extreme conditions including the disinfection and sterilization methods used in the food industry. Selective prevention of sporulation of species is an ongoing challenge for food scientists and fermentation technologists. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of single and combined supplementation of calcium and manganese on sporulation of common pathogenic and food spoilage species: . Read More

Anaerobe 2019 Apr 6;57:107-114. Epub 2019 Apr 6.

Southern Right Whale Health Monitoring Program, Chubut, 9120, Argentina; School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, California, 95616, United States.

Between 2003 and 2017, at least 706 southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) calves died at the Península Valdés calving ground in Argentina. Pathogenic microbes are often suggested to be the cause of stranding events in cetaceans; however, to date there is no evidence supporting bacterial infections as a leading cause of right whale calf deaths in Argentina. We used high-throughput sequencing and culture methods to characterize the bacterial communities and to detect potential pathogens from the intestine of stranded calves. Read More

J Vet Diagn Invest 2019 Apr 8:1040638719842897. Epub 2019 Apr 8.

Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY (Romano, Bryant, Gaskill).

Diagnosing mushroom poisoning in dogs can be difficult and often includes identification of suspect mushrooms. Visual identification may be hindered by mastication, oral medications, or poor quality of environmental mushroom samples. Other analytical techniques may thus be necessary to aid in mushroom identification. Read More

Expert Rev Med Devices 2019 Apr 8:1-8. Epub 2019 Apr 8.

b Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.

Objectives: Endogenous and exogenous infection of the biliary tract could occur during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.

Methods: Bile samples of patients with hepatobiliary diseases, and swab samples of elevator channel samples of duodenoscope and washing instruments were prepared simultaneously and cultured aerobically and anaerobically. Antimicrobial susceptibility of the most common characterized bacterial species was tested, and their genetic relatedness was analyzed by multiple locus variable number of tandem repeats method. Read More

Food Sci Biotechnol 2019 Apr 15;28(2):319-327. Epub 2018 Nov 15.

1Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing, 100048 China.

This study aims at examining the level of biogenic amines (BAs) in different kinds of sufu commonly consumed in China. The correlation between different BAs and physical and chemical index in sufu samples was also investigated. The results proved that different processing technologies altered the distribution of BAs in commercial sufu. Read More

Arh Hig Rada Toksikol 2019 Mar;70(1):14-17

Institute of Biological Basis of Animal Production, Faculty of Biology, Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Lublin, Poland.

Palythoa spp. corals and some other marine organisms contain one of the most poisonous substances ever known - palytoxin (PTX). Due to their modest life requirements and ease of breeding, these corals are popular in home aquariums. Read More

Vet Microbiol 2019 Apr 23;231:71-75. Epub 2019 Feb 23.

Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada. Electronic address:

Historically, extended-spectrum cephalosporin resistance in bacteria from animals in Canada has been attributed to the SHV and CMY β-lactamase families. This pattern is beginning to change with the emergence of the bla gene family among Escherichia coli recovered from various animal species. Here we analyze and compare whole genome sequences of bla-positive E. Read More

Food Chem 2019 Aug 18;289:673-679. Epub 2019 Mar 18.

Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong. Electronic address:

Prolonged dietary exposure to AA-contaminated food crops cultivated in contaminated farmland was shown to be one of the main culprits of Balkan endemic nephropathy. Ultra-sensitive methods for the detection of AA at trace levels are important for surveillance purposes. We report the development of a novel liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for AA-detection. Read More

Foodborne Pathog Dis 2019 Apr 5. Epub 2019 Apr 5.

1 Department of Experimental Pathology, Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.

Background: Foodborne diseases are still a major health issue in Lebanon, although some steps have been taken forward in food safety. To this purpose, PulseNet Lebanon, a foodborne diseases tracking network, was established in 2009, through the collaboration between the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) and the American University of Beirut (AUB).

Materials And Methods: Three papers published regarding the PulseNet project were summarized. Read More

Heliyon 2019 Mar 19;5(3):e01362. Epub 2019 Mar 19.

Dairy Science Dept., (Dairy Microbiol. Lab.), National Research Centre, 33 El-Bohouth St. (Former El-Tahrir St.) Dokki, Giza, Egypt.

Dairy products, especially cheeses have a great nutritional value and a high consumption level around the world. Considering a widespread consumption of cheeses, there is a growing concern regarding safety and microbiological quality. The current study was designed to conduct a recent evaluation of cheeses microbiological quality. Read More

Gastroenterol Hepatol Bed Bench 2019 ;12(1):46-51

Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Aim: In present survey, we attempted to inquire the plausible linkage of rs1327474 A/G and HCV chronic infection or the clearance of the virus.

Background: IFN-γ signaling pathway is an important trigger for activating antiviral immune responses and production of wide variety of molecules with anti-microbial profiles including type 1 cytokines. Any defect or variation in IFNG signaling pathway may result in susceptibility or progression to diverse diseases such as inflammatory and virus associated disorders. Read More

Acta Trop 2019 Apr 1;194:135-147. Epub 2019 Apr 1.

Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.

Background: Foodborne Neglected Zoonotic Helminths (FNZH) are parasites of both economic and public health importance. They include Taenia solium, Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato, Echinococcus multilocularis and Foodborne trematodes (FBT). FNZH are earmarked for major interventions for control, elimination and eradication. Read More

MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2019 Apr 5;68(13):308-311. Epub 2019 Apr 5.

Cassava (Manihot esculenta), an edible tuberous root that is resistant to drought, diseases, and pests, is a major source of carbohydrates in tropical areas, the second most widely grown and consumed food in Uganda after bananas, and a staple in the diet for approximately 57% of the Uganda population (Figure 1) (1). On September 5, 2017, a funeral was held in Kasese District in western Uganda. Following the funeral, 33 persons with symptoms that included diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pains were admitted to Bwera Hospital in Kasese District. Read More

Rev Med Suisse 2019 Apr;15(645):706-709

Service d'immunologie et allergie, Département de médecine, CHUV, 1011 Lausanne.

Allergic reactions to fish are potentially life-threatening. We detail here various reactions to fish, notably anaphylaxis and food protein induced enterocolitis syndrome, as well as confounders such as reactions to the parasite Anisakis and scombroid poisoning. Most IgE-mediated reactions are directed to β-parvalbumin. Read More

Infect Chemother 2019 Mar;51(1):21-27

Department of Epidemiology, Seoul National University Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul, Korea.

Background: In July 2017, there was an outbreak of infection in three auxiliary police squads in Seoul, Korea. An epidemiological investigation was conducted to identify the cause and source of the illness.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective cohort study of all members of the three auxiliary police squads was conducted. Read More

Toxicol Lett 2019 Jun 30;308:50-55. Epub 2019 Mar 30.

Department of Public Health, Division of Environmental Health Science, School of Health Sciences and Practice, New York Medical College, 40 Sunshine Cottage Rd, Valhalla, New York, 10595, USA; Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, New York Medical College, 40 Sunshine Cottage Rd, Valhalla, New York, 10595, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, 675 Hoes Ln W, New Jersey, 08854, USA.

Tetramethylenedisulfotetramine (TMDT) is a synthetic neurotoxic rodenticide and potential chemical threat agent. Signs of TMDT poisoning include convulsions which can progress into status epilepticus and death. Although clinical reports clearly show that poisoning via food and drink is the main route of exposure, experimental studies have primarily utilized parenteral routes. Read More

Toxins (Basel) 2019 Mar 31;11(4). Epub 2019 Mar 31.

Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Mala, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia.

Mycotoxins are common food contaminants which cause poisoning and severe health risks to humans and animals. The present study applied chemometric approach in liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) optimization for simultaneous determination of mycotoxins, i.e. Read More

J Vis Exp 2019 Mar 14(145). Epub 2019 Mar 14.

Beijing Key Laboratory of Diagnostic and Traceability Technologies for Food Poisoning, Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control/Beijing Center of Preventive Medicine Research, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, China;

Applying toxicity testing of chemicals in higher order organisms, such as mice or rats, is time-consuming and expensive, due to their long lifespan and maintenance issues. On the contrary, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) has advantages to make it an ideal choice for toxicity testing: a short lifespan, easy cultivation, and efficient reproduction. Read More

JMIR Public Health Surveill 2019 Apr 1;5(2):e11477. Epub 2019 Apr 1.

Institute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.

Background: Wet markets are markets selling fresh meat and produce. Wet markets are critical for food security and sustainable development in their respective regions. Due to their cultural significance, they attract numerous visitors and consequently generate tourist-geared information on the Web (ie, on social networks such as TripAdvisor). Read More

Foodborne Pathog Dis 2019 Mar 30. Epub 2019 Mar 30.

1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Enteric Diseases Laboratory Branch, National Botulism and Enteric Toxins Team, Atlanta, Georgia.

Clostridium botulinum produces botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT), which is the causative agent of botulism, a rare but serious disease that can result in death if not treated. Infant botulism occurs when C. botulinum colonizes the intestinal tract of infants and produces BoNT. Read More

J Health Pollut 2019 Mar 14;9(21):190302. Epub 2019 Mar 14.

Soil and Earth Science, Institute of Natural Resources, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.

Background: The primary environmental risk associated with artisanal small-scale gold mining (ASGM) activities in Sekotong and Taliwang is waste discharged directly into the environment. This waste contains variable concentrations of heavy metals and a high level of mercury. When these elements are released into the environment, plants and animals can be contaminated. Read More

Yakugaku Zasshi 2019 ;139(4):617-627

Laboratory of Self-defense and Regulation, Osaka University of Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Salmonella is a Gram-negative [Gram(-)] bacteria, distributed widely in such natural environments as soil, dust, or river water, causing food poisoning as well as oral infections such as Typhi or Paratyphi. Salmonella is highly tissue invasive, easily spreading throughout the whole body after initial growth in the phagocytic vesicles of macrophages as an intra-cellular parasite. Because there remain many unknown elements in the Salmonella-macrophage interaction, I started my study by focusing on the molecules and mechanisms underlying the interaction; for example, how Salmonella escapes natural biodefense systems armed by macrophages, and how macrophages surround and inactivate Salmonella. Read More

J Mol Biol 2019 Mar 27. Epub 2019 Mar 27.

Banting and Best Department of Medical Research, Department of Molecular Genetics, and the Terrence Donnelly Center for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E1, Canada. Electronic address:

To develop an antibody (Ab) therapeutic against staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), a potential incapacitating bioterrorism agent and a major cause of food poisoning, we developed a "class T" anti-SEB neutralizing Ab (GC132) targeting an epitope on SEB distinct from that of previously developed "class M" Abs. A systematic engineering approach was applied to affinity-mature Ab GC132 to yield an optimized therapeutic candidate (GC132a) with sub-nanomolar binding affinity. Mapping of the binding interface by hydrogen-deuterium exchange coupled to mass spectrometry revealed that the class T epitope on SEB overlapped with the T-cell receptor binding site, whereas other evidence suggested that the class M epitope overlapped with the binding site for the major histocompatibility complex. Read More

Toxicol In Vitro 2019 Mar 26;58:150-160. Epub 2019 Mar 26.

German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Department of Food Safety, Max-Dohrn-Straße 8-10, 10589 Berlin, Germany. Electronic address:

Okadaic acid (OA) is a lipophilic phycotoxin that accumulates in the hepatopancreas and fatty tissue of shellfish. Consumption of highly OA-contaminated seafood leads to diarrhetic shellfish poisoning which provokes severe gastrointestinal symptoms associated with a disruption of the intestinal epithelium. Since the molecular mechanisms leading to intestinal barrier disruption are not fully elucidated, we investigated the influence of OA on intestinal tight junction proteins (TJPs) in differentiated Caco-2 cells. Read More

J Appl Microbiol 2019 Mar 29. Epub 2019 Mar 29.

Department of Veterinary Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.

Aims: Methicillin-sensitive and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA and MRSA, respectively) in the nostrils of dogs and workers at an animal shelter were cultured. Staphylococcal toxin genes were analyzed to identify potential health concerns.

Methods And Results: Samples were obtained from 441 dogs and 9 workers. Read More

Trop Dis Travel Med Vaccines 2019 12;5. Epub 2019 Mar 12.

4Previously Office of Health Services, Peace Corps, 1111 20th Street NW, Washington, DC, 20526 USA.

Background: Gastrointestinal (GI) illness is the most commonly reported health concern among Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) serving in Guatemala. This project identified water types and treatment and storage practices used by PCVs and measured select water quality parameters in their household water.

Methods: A survey about water types and practices was conducted of PCVs in Guatemala. Read More

Acta Vet Hung 2019 Mar;67(1):40-50

3 Institute of Public Health of Vojvodina , Novi Sad , Serbia.

Trichinellosis is one of the most important foodborne diseases in the Eastern European countries. The main objective of this study was to investigate the epidemiological patterns of trichinellosis outbreaks that occurred between 2005 and 2016 in Vojvodina, a northern province of the Republic of Serbia. The average incidence was 3. Read More

Foodborne Pathog Dis 2019 Mar 28. Epub 2019 Mar 28.

1 Department of Food and Nutrition and Chung-Ang University, Anseong-si, Republic of Korea.

Contamination of fresh vegetables and berries with human enteric viruses is a major cause of food poisoning. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of norovirus GI, norovirus GII, hepatitis A virus (HAV), adenovirus, astrovirus, rotavirus, and male-specific coliphage systematically in fresh fruit and vegetables and associated agricultural environmental samples, including irrigation water, soil, and worker's gloves. Enteric viruses were detected by international standard methods (ISO/TS 15216), and male-specific coliphages were isolated using US EPA Method 1601. Read More

Pathog Dis 2019 Mar;77(2)

Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, Italian National Workers Compensation Authority, Rome, Italy.

Emerging viral infections represent a public health risk pointed out by the spreading of pathogens with potential zoonotic risk. Moreover, the risk of zoonosis has probably been underestimated in occupational settings. A literature review between 2007 and 2018 was performed to identify evidences concerning the epidemiological associations between some emerging viruses and occupational diseases. Read More

Parasitol Res 2019 May 25;118(5):1465-1472. Epub 2019 Mar 25.

Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.

Gnathostomiasis, an emerging food-borne parasitic zoonosis in Asia, is mainly caused by Gnathostoma spinigerum (Nematoda: Gnathostomatidae). Consumption of raw meat or freshwater fishes in endemic areas is the major risk factor. Throughout Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Lao PDR, Cambodia, and Myanmar, freshwater fish are often consumed raw or undercooked. Read More

J Food Sci Technol 2019 Feb 21;56(2):1016-1026. Epub 2019 Jan 21.

1Department of Microbiology, PSG College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu 641020 India.

is one of the major food contaminants worldwide, and its enterotoxins are documented as food poisoning and bioterrorism agents. In the present study, an attempt was made to account on the incidences of toxigenic and its antibiotic resistance profiles in ready to eat bakery food products from different parts of Southern India (Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana). A total of 100 food samples, including milk, cake, cheese and chicken products were assessed for and Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B (SEB) by PCR. Read More