Emerging alternatives against Clostridioides difficile infection.

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is a significant worry within healthcare institutions and the community. It is one of the leading agents causing severe diarrhea worldwide. Effective management is critical since the morbidity and mortality attributed to CDI have increased exponentially over the past 20 years. Currently, antibiotics are the standard treatment for primary C. difficile infection, but at the same time, they are associated with disease relapse and increased drug resistance. CDI's high recurrence rates, spore generation, and antimicrobial resistance are currently significant challenges that urge the development of new options to combat this infection. This review describes up-and-coming alternatives and how they can mitigate the challenges associated with CDI. Here we have discussed the advantages and challenges of current and experimental alternatives against CDI.

The Role of Pathogenic E. coli in Fresh Vegetables: Behavior, Contamination Factors, and Preventive Measures.

Many raw vegetables, such as tomato, chili, onion, lettuce, arugula, spinach, and cilantro, are incorporated into fresh dishes including ready-to-eat salads and sauces. The consumption of these foods confers a high nutritional value to the human diet. However, the number of foodborne outbreaks associated with fresh produce has been increasing, with Escherichia coli being the most common pathogen associated with them. In humans, pathogenic E. coli strains cause diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis, hemolytic uremic syndrome, and other indications. Vegetables can be contaminated with E. coli at any point from pre- to postharvest. This bacterium is able to survive in many environmental conditions due to a variety of mechanisms, such as adhesion to surfaces and internalization in fresh products, thereby limiting the usefulness of conventional processing and chemical sanitizing methods used by the food industry. The aim of this review is to provide a general description of the behavior and importance of pathogenic E. coli in ready-to-eat vegetable dishes. This information can contribute to the development of effective control measures for enhancing food safety.