Does Salmonella diarizonae 58:r:z53 Isolated from a Mallard Duck Pose a Threat to Human Health?

Salmonella diarizonae (IIIb) is frequently isolated from reptiles and less frequently from birds and mammals. However, its isolation from invasive human infections has not been widely reported. Migratory mallard ducks are excellent bioindicators of pathogen presence and pathogen antibiotic resistance (AMR). We present the first isolation from a mallard duck in central Europe of the antibiotic-resistant Salmonella enterica subsp. diarizonae with the unique antigenic pattern 58:r:z53 and report its whole-genome sequencing, serosequencing, and genotyping, which enabled the prediction of its pathogenicity and comparison with phenotypic AMR. The isolated strain was highly similar to S. diarizonae isolated from humans and food. Twenty-four AMR genes were detected, including those encoding aminoglycoside, fluoroquinolone, macrolide, carbapenem, tetracycline, cephalosporin, nitroimidazole, peptide antibiotic, and disinfecting agent/antiseptic resistance. Six Salmonella pathogenicity islands were found (SPI-1, SPI-2, SPI-3, SPI-5, SPI-9, and SPI-13). An iron transport system was detected in SPI-1 centisome C63PI. Plasmid profile analyses showed three to be present. Sequence mutations in the invA and invF genes were noted, which truncated and elongated the proteins, respectively. The strain also harbored genes encoding type-III secretion-system effector proteins and many virulence factors found in S. diarizonae associated with human infections. This study aims to elucidate the AMR and virulence genes in S. enterica subsp. diarizonae that may most seriously threaten human health.

Dyes Used in Processed Meat Products in the Polish Market, and Their Possible Risks and Benefits for Consumer Health.

Manufacturers are obliged to label processed meat products with information concerning the additives used and nutritional values. The aim of the study was to identify the dyes most frequently used in processed meat, evaluate their influence on specific food qualities, assess whether their use was correct and review their effect on health. The analysis was based on information on the labels and images of processed meat, and used a generalised linear model with a binary dependent variable. The risks and benefits for human health were defined based on the available literature. Twelve dyes were found to be used in the manufacture of processed meat. Carmine was found in 183 of 273 (67.03%) evaluated assortments containing dyes. The occurrence of water, flavourings and high fat and carbohydrate contents increased the chances that a dye would be present in a particular product. Unauthorised use of food additives was found in 20 products, with smoked meat products demonstrating the highest number of non-compliances. In general, the dyes used with food are considered safe; however, reservations are associated with the use of E150C and E150D caramels due to their potential carcinogenic effect, and carmine and annatto due to their allergic effects.

Multi-Drug Resistance to Salmonella spp. When Isolated from Raw Meat Products.

Salmonella spp. is the most frequent cause of foodborne diseases, and the increasing occurrence of MDR strains is an additional and increasing problem. We collected Salmonella spp. strains isolated from meat (poultry and pork) and analysed their antibiotic susceptibility profiles and the occurrence of resistance genes. To determine the susceptibility profiles and identify MDR strains, we used two MIC methods (MICRONAUT and VITEC2 Compact) and 25 antibiotics. Phenotypic tests showed that 53.84% strains were MDR. Finally, molecular analysis strains revealed the presence of blaSHV, blaPSE-1, blaTEM, but not blaCTX-M genes. Moreover, several genes were associated with resistance to aminoglycosides, cephalosporins, fluorochinolones, sulfonamides, and tetracyclines. This suggests that further research on the prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in foodborne strains is needed, especially from a One Health perspective.

Wild Duck (Anas platyrhynchos) as a Source of Antibiotic-Resistant Salmonella enterica subsp. diarizonae O58-The First Report in Poland.

The "One Health" approach increasingly demonstrates the global spread of pathogenic microorganisms and their antimicrobial resistance in the environment, both in animals and humans. Salmonella enterica subsp. diarizonae is nowadays very often isolated from cold-blooded reptiles to a lesser extent from sheep, but unfortunately more and more often from humans. However, there are a few studies describing the isolation of Salmonella enterica subsp. diarizonae from migratory wild birds. The mallard duck (Anas platyrhynchos), a wild animal that traverses the continent of Eurasia, can be an excellent indicator of the spread of intestinal microbes as well as their resistance to antibiotics. This is the first report of the Salmonella enterica subsp. diarizonae detection in Poland in a migrating mallard duck. This research presented the identification difficulties associated with the isolation of Salmonella enterica subsp. diarizonae using three different biochemical tests and advanced serology tests. At the same time, we detected very high antimicrobial resistance in the isolated strain. By using the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) method, it was found that the isolated strain of S. enterica subsp. diarizonae has high antibiotic resistance against 14 of the 33 tested antimicrobials agents. The resistance genes that have been identified in S. enterica subsp. diarizonae include aadA, strA/strB, and blaTEM.

Gene Expression Profile in Peripheral Blood Nuclear Cells of Small Ruminant Lentivirus-Seropositive and Seronegative Dairy Goats in Their First Lactation.

The immune response to a viral antigen causes inflammatory cell infiltration to the tissue, which creates a suitable environment for the replication of the virus in macrophages, and the recruitment of more monocytes to the site of infection, or latently infected monocytes. The aim of the study was to analyze the transcriptomic profile of peripheral blood nuclear cells isolated from SRLV-seropositive and SRLV-negative goats at the peak of their first lactation. SRLV-seropositive goats were probably infected via colostrum. Custom transcriptomic microarrays for goats were designed and developed, namely the Capra hircus gene expression array, which features ~50,000 unique transcripts per microarray. Only four genes were differentially expressed, with up-regulated expression of the GIMAP2, SSC5D and SETX genes, and down-regulated expression of the GPR37 gene in SRLV-seropositive vs. SRLV-seronegative goats. However, in an RT-qPCR analysis, the result for the SETX gene was not confirmed. The differences in the expressions of the studied genes indicate an active inflammatory process in the SRLV-seropositive goats at the early stage of infection.

Citrobacter braakii Yield False-Positive Identification as Salmonella, a Note of Caution.

BACKGROUND: Globally, Salmonella enterica is one of the leading causes of foodborne illness in humans. Food of animal origin is obligatorily tested for the presence of this pathogen. Unfortunately, in meat and meat products, this is often hampered by the presence of background microbiota, which may present as false-positive Salmonella. METHODS: For the identification of Salmonella spp. from meat samples of beef, pork, and poultry, the authorized detection method is PN-EN ISO 6579-1:2017-04 with the White-Kauffmann-Le Minor scheme, two biochemical tests: API 20E and VITEK II, and a real-time PCR-based technique. RESULTS: Out of 42 presumptive strains of Salmonella, 83.3% Salmonella enterica spp. enterica, 14.3% Citrobacter braakii, and 12.4% Proteus mirabilis were detected from 180 meat samples. CONCLUSIONS: Presumptive strains of Salmonella should be identified based on genotypic properties such as DNA-based methods. The aim of this study was the isolation and identification of Salmonella spp. from miscellaneous meat sorts: beef, pork, and poultry.

Nanoparticles of Titanium and Zinc Oxides as Novel Agents in Tumor Treatment: a Review.

Cancer has become a global problem. On all continents, a great number of people are diagnosed with this disease. In spite of the progress in medical care, cancer still ends fatal for a great number of the ill, either as a result of a late diagnosis or due to inefficiency of therapies. The majority of the tumors are resistant to drugs. Thus, the search for new, more effective therapy methods continues. Recently, nanotechnology has been attributed with big expectations in respect of the cancer fight. That interdisciplinary field of science creates nanomaterials (NMs) and nanoparticles (NPs) that can be applied, e.g., in nanomedicine. NMs and NPs are perceived as very promising in cancer therapy since they can perform as drug carriers, as well as photo- or sonosensitizers (compounds that generate the formation of reactive oxygen species as a result of either electromagnetic radiation excitation with an adequate wavelength or ultrasound activation, respectively). Consequently, two new treatment modalities, the photodynamic therapy (PDT) and the sonodynamic therapy (SDT) have been created. The attachment of ligands or antibodies to NMs or to NPs improve their selective distribution into the targeted organ or cell; hence, the therapy effectiveness can be improved. An important advantage of the targeted tumor treatment is lowering the cyto- and genotoxicity of active substance towards healthy cells. Therefore, both PDT and SDT constitute a valuable alternative to chemo- or radiotherapy. The vital role in cancer eradication is attributed to two inorganic sensitizers in their nanosized scale: titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.

Comparison of Infectious Agents Susceptibility to Photocatalytic Effects of Nanosized Titanium and Zinc Oxides: A Practical Approach.

Nanotechnology contributes towards a more effective eradication of pathogens that have emerged in hospitals, veterinary clinics, and food processing plants and that are resistant to traditional drugs or disinfectants. Since new methods of pathogens eradication must be invented and implemented, nanotechnology seems to have become the response to that acute need. A remarkable achievement in this field of science was the creation of self-disinfecting surfaces that base on advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). Thus, the phenomenon of photocatalysis was practically applied. Among the AOPs that have been most studied in respect of their ability to eradicate viruses, prions, bacteria, yeasts, and molds, there are the processes of TiO2/UV and ZnO/UV. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) and zinc oxide (ZnO) act as photocatalysts, after they have been powdered to nanoparticles. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is an agent that determines their excitation. Methods using photocatalytic properties of nanosized TiO2 and ZnO prove to be highly efficient in inactivation of infectious agents. Therefore, they are being applied on a growing scale. AOP-based disinfection is regarded as a very promising tool that might help overcome problems in food hygiene and public health protection. The susceptibility of infectious agents to photocatalylic processes can be generally arranged in the following order: viruses > prions > Gram-negative bacteria > Gram-positive bacteria > yeasts > molds.

Chances and limitations of nanosized titanium dioxide practical application in view of its physicochemical properties.

Nanotechnology is a field of science that is nowadays developing in a dynamic way. It seems to offer almost endless opportunities of contribution to many areas of economy and human activity, in general. Thanks to nanotechnology, the so-called nanomaterials can be designed. They present structurally altered materials, with their physical, chemical and biological properties entirely differing from properties of the same materials manufactured in microtechnology. Nanotechnology creates a unique opportunity to modify the matter at the level of atoms and particles. Therefore, it has become possible to obtain items displaying new, useful properties, i.e. self-disinfecting and self-cleaning surfaces. Those surfaces are usually covered by a thin layer of a photocatalyst. The role of the photocatalyst is most of the time performed by the nanosized titanium dioxide (nano-TiO2). Excitation of nano-TiO2 by ultraviolet radiation initiates advanced oxidation processes and reactions leading to the creation of oxygen vacancies that bind water particles. As a result, photocatalytic surfaces are given new properties. Those properties can then be applied in a variety of disciplines, such as medicine, food hygiene, environmental protection or building industry. Practically, the applications include inactivation of microorganisms, degradation of toxins, removing pollutants from buildings and manufacturing of fog-free windows or mirrors.