Primary Laparoscopic Surgery Does Not Affect the Prognosis of Early-Stage Ovarian Clear Cell Cancer.

PURPOSE: Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is performed frequently in early-stage ovarian cancer patients, especially in ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC). The aim of this study was to investigate whether primary laparoscopic surgery influences prognosis in patients with early-stage OCCC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage I  OCCC were retrospectively reviewed in two hospitals between April 2010 and August 2020. Clinical data were abstracted, and patients were followed up until February 2021. Patients were divided into open surgery (laparotomy) and laparoscopy groups, and the Kaplan-Meier method was applied to compare progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) between the groups. Statistical differences were determined by the Log rank test. RESULTS: Eighty-nine patients were included in the study; 20 (22.5%) and 69 (77.5%) patients underwent laparoscopic and open surgery, respectively. The patients' characteristics were well-balanced except that patients in the laparoscopy group tended to have smaller tumors and lower frequency of omentectomy and lymphadenectomy compared with the open surgery group. The median follow-up duration was 42.6 and 36.5 months in the laparoscopy and open surgery groups, respectively. Nine (10.1%) patients developed recurrence, and 4 (4.5%) died of the disease; all in the open surgery group. The estimated 2-year PFS rates were 100.0% and 90.1%, and the estimated 5-year OS rates were 100.0% and 91.9% in the laparoscopy and open surgery groups, respectively. No significant survival differences were found between the groups. CONCLUSION: Survival was not compromised when primary laparoscopic surgery was performed in early-stage OCCC patients. A well-designed randomized controlled trial is warranted.

Therapeutic Role of Retroperitoneal Lymphadenectomy in 170 Patients With Ovarian Clear Cell Cancer.

INTRODUCTION: We evaluated the therapeutic role of retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy in patients with ovarian clear cell cancer (OCCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 170 OCCC patients diagnosed at two hospitals in China between April 2010 and August 2020. Clinical data were abstracted, and patients were followed until February 2021. Patients were divided into retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy and no lymphadenectomy groups. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to compare progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) between the two groups. Statistical differences were determined by the log-rank test. The COX proportional hazards regression model was applied to identify predictors of tumor recurrence. RESULTS: The median age was 52 years; 90 (52.9%) and 80 (47.1%) patients were diagnosed as early and advanced stage, respectively. Clinically positive and negative nodes was found in 40 (23.5%) and 119 (70.0%) patients, respectively. Of all the 170 patients, 124 (72.9%) patients underwent retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy, while 46 (27.1%) did not. The estimated 2-year PFS and 5-year OS rates were 71.4% and 65.9% in the lymphadenectomy group, and 72.0% and 73.7% in no lymphadenectomy group (p = 0.566 and 0.669, respectively). There was also no difference in survival between the two groups when subgroup analysis was performed stratified by early and advanced stage, or in patients with clinically negative nodes. Multivariate analysis showed that retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy were not an independent predictor of tumor recurrence. CONCLUSION: Retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy provided no survival benefit in patients diagnosed with OCCC. A prospective clinical trial is needed to confirm the present results.

Knockdown of Ezrin inhibited migration and invasion of cervical cancer cells in vitro.

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common malignancy in women. The aim of this study was to investigate the functions of Ezrin in cervical cancer cells. Two cervical cancer cell lines, SiHa and CaSki, were cultured in vitro. Following the knockdown of Ezrin using siRNA, real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot analysis were applied to analyze Ezrin expression at the messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels. Subsequently, wound healing assay, transwell assay, and sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay were used to detect the migration, invasion, and viability of cervical cancer cells, respectively. Results revealed that Ezrin siRNA can notably inhibit the migration and invasion of SiHa and CaSki cells (P < 0.05). However, knockdown of Ezrin shows no effects on the viability of SiHa and CaSki cells (P < 0.05). It is indicated that Ezrin plays a possible role in promoting the migration and invasion of cervical cancer cells and may be a therapeutic target to prevent metastasis of cervical cancer.

Primary small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the Bartholin's gland: A case report.

Primary carcinoma of the Bartholin's gland (BG) is a rare malignancy. There are extremely rare cases of small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (SCNC) of the BG reported in the English literature. A postmenopausal female presented with a 1-month history of increasing pain and swelling on the left vulva consistent with spontaneously bleeding. Pathology identified SCNC that arose in BG. The patient was treated with a radical wide local excision and bilateral inguinal lymph node dissection followed by six courses of chemotherapy. One month after primary treatment, without any pelvic recurrence or abnormal tumor markers indications, distant metastasis of the liver was diagnosed and VI hepatic lobectomy was performed. The patient maintained regular adjuvant chemotherapy every month under outpatient surveillance and has no local recurrence or distant metastasis.

Presence and Antimicrobial Resistance of Escherichia coli in Ready-to-Eat Foods in Shaanxi, China.

The aim of this study was to determine the presence and characteristics of Escherichia coli in ready-to-eat (RTE) foods. A total of 300 RTE foods samples were collected in Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China: 50 samples of cooked meat, 165 samples of vegetable salad, 50 samples of cold noodles, and 35 samples of salted boiled peanuts. All samples were collected during summer (in July to October) 2011 and 2012 and surveyed for the presence of E. coli . E. coli isolates recovered were classified by phylogenetic typing using a PCR assay. The presence of Shiga toxin genes 1 (stx1) and 2 (stx2) was determined for these E. coli isolates by PCR, and all isolates were analyzed for antimicrobial susceptibility and the presence of class 1 integrons. Overall, 267 (89.0%) RTE food samples were positive for E. coli : 49 cold noodle, 46 cooked meat, 150 salad vegetable, and 22 salted boiled peanut samples. Of the 267 E. coli isolates, 73.0% belong to phylogenetic group A, 12.4% to group B1, 6.4% to group B2, and 8.2% to group D. All isolates were negative for both Shiga toxin genes. Among the isolates, 74.2% were resistant to at least one antimicrobial agent, and 17.6% were resistant to three or more antimicrobial agents. Resistance to ampicillin (75.6% of isolates) and tetracycline (73.1% of isolates) was most frequently detected; 26.2% of E. coli isolates and 68.8% of multidrug-resistant E. coli isolates were positive for class 1 integrons. All isolates were sensitive to amikacin. Our findings indicate that RTE foods in Shaanxi were commonly contaminated with antibiotic-resistant E. coli , which may pose a risk for consumer health and for transmission of antibiotic resistance. Future research is warranted to track the contamination sources and develop appropriate steps that should be taken by government, industry, and retailers to reduce microbial contamination in RTE foods.

Antibiotic Susceptibility and Molecular Screening of Class I Integron in Salmonella Isolates Recovered from Retail Raw Chicken Carcasses in China.

Salmonella is one of the leading causes for foodborne diseases. Foods, particularly those of animal origin, act as an important role for Salmonella transmission. In this study, the antibiotic susceptibility of 743 Salmonella isolates recovered from retail raw chicken carcasses in eight provinces was tested, and the isolates were also screened for the presence of class I integron and drug-resistant gene cassettes. One hundred thirteen (15.21%) isolates were harboring class I integron. A higher percentage of integron-positive Salmonella isolates were found in retail chicken in Sichuan Province (29.33%), followed by Beijing (22.14%), Shaanxi (19.15%), Guangxi (14.13%), Henan (12.50%), Shanghai (7.25%), Fujian (8.22%), and Guangdong (6.25%) Provinces. The respective prevalence of class I integron in Salmonella isolates recovered from retail chickens in large, free, and small markets was 16.31%, 14.04%, and 15.27%. Moreover, 20.13%, 14.02%, and 13.74% of Salmonella isolates recovered from retail chickens stored in frozen, chilled, and ambient conditions, respectively, were positive for class I integron. Subsequent sequencing of class I integron revealed the presence of 10 gene cassettes harboring resistance genes (dfrA17-aadA5, dfrA17-aadA5, dfrA1-aadA1, dfrA12-aadA2, dfrA17-aadA5-aadA4, dfrA1-aadA1-aadA2, dfrA1, dfrA5, aadA2, aacA4-catB8-aadA1-dfrA1-(aac6-II)-(blaCARB-8), blaPSE-1-blaP1). The most prevalent gene cassette was dfrA17-aadA5 (59.62%). Class I integron-positive isolates were significantly more resistant to multiple antibiotics, and they commonly exhibited corresponding antibiotic resistance profiles to the antibiotic resistance gene cassettes harbored in their class I integron. The results indicated that class I integron with different antibiotic resistance gene cassettes that were prevalent in Salmonella isolates differed from provinces, marketplaces, and chicken storage conditions.

Long noncoding RNA C17orf91 is a potential prognostic marker and functions as an oncogene in ovarian cancer.

BACKGROUND: This study was aimed to explore the role of long noncoding RNA C17orf91 and its potential mechanisms in ovarian cancer development. RESULTS: To assess its role in ovarian cancer, microarray datasets (GSE14407, GSE30587, and GSE17260) in Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) were utilized to assess the expression and clinical significance of C17orf91 in ovarian cancer. Next, loss-of-function studies were performed to establish the role of C17orf91 and the underlying mechanisms in ovarian cancer development. It was found that elevated expression of C17orf91 was observed in omental metastases when compared with matched primary ovarian tumors(GSE30587, P = 0.016). Moreover, Log Rank analysis revealed that increased expression of C17orf91 was associated with shorter progression free survival(PFS)(HR = 1.90(1.19-3.03), P = 0.008). Overall survival(OS) also showed a similar trend, but did not reach statistical significance(HR = 1.75(0.97-3.13), P = 0.061). Loss-of-function studies further demonstrated that C17orf91 repression impaired migration, invasion and viability of ovarian cancer cells, and downregulated the pro-metastatic gene, MYC, at both mRNA and protein level. CONCLUSION: Collectively, our findings revealed that C17orf91 was a potential prognostic marker and functioned as an oncogene in ovarian cancer. It remains to be seen whether modulation of C17orf91 expression will cause phenotypic changes in vivo.

Prevalence and Characterization of Cronobacter sakazakii in Retail Milk-Based Infant and Baby Foods in Shaanxi, China.

Cronobacter sakazakii (formerly Enterobacter sakazakii) is an opportunistic pathogen that causes meningitis, sepsis, and necrotizing enterocolitis in neonates and infants through consumption of contaminated milk-based foods. In this study, the prevalence of C. sakazakii in 705 retail milk-based infant and baby food samples was investigated in 12 cities in Shaanxi, China, in 2010 and 2012. One hundred and nineteen samples (16.9%) were C. sakazakii positive. The isolates were further characterized for antimicrobial susceptibility to 14 antibiotics, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis profiles, and presence of the virulence genes. Samples of brand W, Y, A, and G in 2010 and 2012 were C. sakazakii positive. All isolates recovered in 2010 and 2012 were susceptible to levofloxacin and cefoperazone. In 2012, no isolate was resistant to gentamicin, cefoxitin, chloramphenicol, gatifloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and ceftriaxone. Antibiotic resistance of the isolates was most commonly found to rifampicin, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, streptomycin, tetracycline, and ampicillin in both 2010 and 2012, except to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole in 2012. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis profiles indicated that C. sakazakii isolates were genotypically diverse, although these isolates were prevalent in infant and baby foods with the same brand. A total of 34 virulence gene profiles of the C. sakazakii isolates in 2010 and 2012 were detected. Isolates that co-carried hly-ompX-eitCBAD-iucABCD/iutA genes in 2012 were significantly (p < 0.05) more prevalent than those in 2010. The results added new epidemiological evidence for the widespread occurrence of C. sakazakii in retail milk-based infant and baby foods and this should be an indicator of potential health risk for consumers.

Distribution and Molecular Characterization of Salmonella enterica Hypermutators in Retail Food in China.

Hypermutable pathogens can easily acquire mutation opportunities, as well as antimicrobial resistance, and are tremendous hazards to food safety and public health. In this study, a total of 96 (7.6%) hypermutators were identified from 1,264 Salmonella isolates recovered from retail foods. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis indicated that hypermutators were genetically diverse. Amino acid substitution of Val421Phe was detected in MutS in one hypermutator and Val246Ala in 56 other hypermutators, while no mutation in MutS was found among the remaining 39 hypermutators. Hypermutators in Salmonella isolates recovered in 2010 (9.3%) and 2008 (7.7%) were significantly more prevalent than those in 2007 (1.4%). The rate of hypermutators in mutton (22.2%) was significantly higher than that in chicken (7.9%) and pork (4.7%). In Salmonella Leimo isolates (60.0%), hypermutators were most frequently detected, followed by Salmonella Essen (50.0%), Salmonella Indiana (36.6%), Salmonella Kallo (25.0%), Salmonella Heidelberg (23.8%), Salmonella Typhimurium (14.0%), Salmonella Shubra (13.0%), Salmonella Albany (11.1%), Salmonella Agona (7.0%), Salmonella Gueuletapee (6.3%), and Salmonella Enteritidis (1.7%). Salmonella hypermutators in isolates recovered from retail food stored at ambient temperature (15.7%) were significantly more prevalent than those stored in chilled (3.1%) and frozen (5.4%) condition. The overall distributions of mutation frequencies of the 96 hypermutators (selected by rifampin) were from 2.16 × 10(-5) to 4.25 × 10(-1). Mutation frequencies of hypermutators of Salmonella Leimo, Salmonella Essen, Salmonella Kallo, and Salmonella Agona were relative low, while those of Salmonella Typhimurium, Salmonella Indiana, and Salmonella Shubra were extremely high. No significant correlation was found between mutation frequency and antimicrobial resistance of the hypermutators.

Characterization of Extended-Spectrum ß-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli Strains Isolated from Retail Foods in Shaanxi Province, China.

Extended-spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli strains have been reported worldwide; however, the incidence and characterization of foodborne ESBL-producing E. coli strains have been rarely reported in the People's Republic of China. Among a collection of 659 E. coli isolates recovered from retail foods in Shaanxi Province, People's Republic of China, 223 cefoxitin-resistant and/or cefoperazone-resistant isolates were screened for ESBL production with the double disk diffusion test. The ESBL-producing isolates were characterized for antimicrobial resistance and the presence of blaTEM, blaSHV, and blaCTX-M genes. Isolates with blaCTX-M were further classified by PCR as having blaCTX-M-1, blaCTX-M-2, blaCTX-M-8, blaCTX-M-9, or blaCTX-M-25. One hundred forty-seven isolates were identified as ESBL positive. PCR detection revealed that 146 isolates (99.3%) contained the blaCTX-M gene. Among these isolates, 42 (28.8%) were positive for the enzyme CTX-M-1, 5 (3.4%) for CTX-M-2, and 99 (67.8%) for CTX-M-9. No CTX-M-8 and CTX-M-25 were found in this study. One hundred fifteen isolates (78.2%) were positive for the blaTEM gene, but blaSHV was not detected. Among the 147 ESBL-producing E. coli isolates, 75 (51.0%), 35 (23.8%), and 4 (2.7%) isolates were positive for blaTEM and blaCTX-M-9, blaTEM and blaCTX-M-1, and blaTEM and blaCTX-M-2, respectively. All of the 147 ESBL-producing isolates were resistant to three or more non-ß-lactam antibiotics. This study provides evidence that foodborne E. coli can harbor ESBL-encoding genes. Thus, food could be a vehicle for the dissemination of ESBL-producing E. coli strains, a situation that requires surveillance and appropriate management strategies.

Placental site trophoblastic tumor presented with vaginal metastasis.

Placental site trophoblastic tumor (PSTT) is a rare type of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN). It is rising from the abnormal proliferation of intermediate trophoblastic cells with occasional multinuclear giant cells, with the potential for local invasion and metastasis. For its untypical and changeable clinical characteristics, the diagnosis and management are still poorly understood. Here we documented a case of PSTT with vaginal lesion as her unique presentation. After surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy, the patient was cured.

Prevalence, distribution, and diversity of Escherichia coli in plants manufacturing goat milk powder in Shaanxi, China.

The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence, distribution, and diversity of Escherichia coli in goat-milk-powder plants in Shaanxi, China. Three plants manufacturing goat milk powder in Shaanxi province were visited once for sampling during 2012 and 2013. Samples were taken for isolation of E. coli. Isolates were characterized by antimicrobial susceptibility testing and detection of virulence genes. All isolates were further examined by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis. In total, 53 E. coli strains were isolated from 32 positive samples out of 534 samples. Among E. coli isolates, resistance was most frequently observed to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (75.5%), whereas all isolates were sensitive to gatifloxacin, kanamycin, amikacin, and amoxicillin-clavulanate. The 6 virulence genes of pathogenic E. coli were not detected. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis results showed that E. coli strains in plants were genetically diverse and milk storage tank could be an important contamination source. This study could provide useful information for plants manufacturing goat milk powder to establish proper management practices that help minimize the chance of microbial contamination.

Emergence of ß-lactamases and extended-spectrum ß-lactamases (ESBLs) producing Salmonella in retail raw chicken in China.

ß-Lactamases and extended-spectrum ß-lactamases (ESBLs) producing pathogenic bacteria were widely studied previously in China, but were seldom focused on foodborne Salmonella. In this study, an investigation concerning ß-lactamases and ESBLs producing Salmonella recovered from retail raw chickens was performed. Sixty of 699 foodborne Salmonella isolates were detected as ß-lactamases and ESBLs-producing ones that covered 12 Salmonella serotypes and exhibited different pulsed-field gel electrophoresis genotypes. Forty-four of 60 ß-lactamases and ESBLs-producing strains were simultaneously resistant to ampicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, ceftiofur, ceftriaxone, and cefoxitin. The most commonly detected ß-lactamases and ESBLs-encoding gene was bla(TEM-1) (n = 44), followed by bla(OXA-1) (n = 38), bla(CMY-2) (n = 29), bla(PSE-1-like) (n = 1), bla(CTX-M-3) (n = 16), and bla(CTX-M-15) (n = 1), respectively. Fourteen, 24, 21, and 1 isolates were detected simultaneously positive for 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the detected ß-lactamases and ESBLs-encoding genes, respectively. A Salmonella strain simultaneously co-carrying bla(TEM-1), bla(OXA-1), bla(CMY-2), and bla(CTX-M-3) was first reported in the present study. Amino acid substitution of Trp244Cys/His247Leu was detected in PSE-1, Val218Asp in CMY-2, and Asp242Gly in CTX-M-15 enzymes, respectively. A difference was found among the amino acid sequences of the detected OXA-1, CMY-2, CTX-M, PSE-1, and TEM-1. The results demonstrated that ß-lactamases and ESBLs were emerging and prevalent in foodborne Salmonella.

The SNAI1 3'UTR functions as a sponge for multiple migration-/invasion-related microRNAs.

Accumulating evidence has indicated a large-scale regulatory network generated by 3'untranslated regions (3'UTRs) in cancer. The 3'UTRs act not only in cis but, most likely even more importantly, as trans regulators of gene expression, consequently leading to phenotypic alterations. Here, we found that ectopic expression of SNAI1 3'UTR induced migration and invasion of ovarian cancer cell line RMUG-L without significantly affecting cell viability. Additionally, SNAI1 3'UTR overexpression regulated key epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers, including SNAI1, Vimentin, and E-cadherin, and functioned as a sponge for multiple migration-/invasion-related microRNAs (miRNAs) in RMUG-L cells. These findings revealed the noncoding function of SNAI1 for the first time.

Molecular characterization of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis on retail raw poultry in six provinces and two National cities in China.

One hundred and twenty six Salmonella Enteritidis isolates recovered from 1152 retail raw poultries were characterized by antimicrobial susceptibility test, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), presence of quinolone resistance (Qnr) associated genes, Class I integron, extended spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) encoding genes, and mutations in quinolone resistance-determining region (QRDR) of GyrA and ParC. Resistance was most frequently found to nalidixic acid (88.1%), followed by to tetracycline (65.9%), sulfisoxazole (65.1%), and ampicillin (61.9%), and a less extent to cefoxitin (8.7%), gatifloxacin (8.7%), levofloxacin (7.9%), ceftriaxone (7.1%), and ceftiofur (6.3%). One hundred and twenty three (98.4%) isolates were resistant to at least one antibiotic, and 93 (74.4%) to at least four antibiotics. aac(6')-Ib-cr, qnrB, qnrA and qnrS genes were detected in 15 (11.9%), 11 (8.7%), 6 (4.8%) and 1 (0.8%) isolates, respectively. Amino acid substitutions of Ser83Tyr, Asp87Asn, Asp87Tyr, Asp87Gly and Ser83Phe/Asp87Asn were detected in QRDR of GyrA, Arg80Ser was the unique mutation in ParC. Eight isolates were detected with amino acid substitution both in GyrA and ParC. Three isolates carried Class I integron that harboring dfrA17-aadA5, dhfR1-aadA1, and dfrA1, respectively. Five isolates were detected carrying bla(TEM)-bla(ACC) (n = 1), bla(TEM) (n = 1), bla(TEM)-bla(OxA) (n = 3), respectively. Genetic diversities (D = 0.9255) were found among isolates based on PFGE analysis.

Presence and antimicrobial susceptibility of Escherichia coli recovered from retail chicken in China.

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of Escherichia coli in retail whole chicken in the People 9 s Republic of China. Five hundred seventy-six raw whole chicken samples, randomly purchased from 146 farmers' markets or supermarkets in four provinces from March through December 2010, were analyzed for E. coli contamination, and the E. coli isolates were further tested for the presence of virulence genes and antimicrobial susceptibility. The overall positive rate for E. coli in retail chicken was 69.1%. E. coli prevalence was the highest in Beijing (86.8%), followed by Henan province (78.5%), Shaanxi province (65.3%), and the lowest prevalence was found in Sichuan province (45.8%). Among 398 isolates recovered, only the eae gene was detected in one isolate; no other virulence genes were detected. Resistance was most common to tetracycline (84.4%), followed by nalidixic acid (74.1%), ampicillin (71.1%), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (70.1%), amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (68.8%), and streptomycin (58.5%). Lower resistance was detected to chloramphenicol (43.7%), kanamycin (42.7%), ciprofloxacin (30.2%), gentamicin (29.4%), cefoperazone (13.6%), amikacin (12.6%), gatifloxacin (8%), and cefoxitin (7.8%). Only 3.8% of the isolates were susceptible to all tested antimicrobials. Six percent of the isolates displayed resistance to one antimicrobial, 6.3% to two, and 83.9% to three or more of the antimicrobials. Our findings indicate that retail chicken in China was commonly contaminated with E. coli, and many E. coli strains exhibited multiple drug resistance. The implementation of good manufacturing practices throughout the poultry production chain is necessary to reduce E. coli contamination in retail chicken, and the prudent use of antibiotics is imperative in poultry production in China.

Presence of qnr, aac(6')-Ib, qepA, oqxAB, and mutations in gyrase and topoisomerase in nalidixic acid-resistant Salmonella isolates recovered from retail chicken carcasses.

Four hundred sixty-two nalidixic acid- and/or ciprofloxacin-resistant Salmonella isolates were examined for presence of quinolone-resistance mechanisms. A total of 339 amino acid substitutions were identified in GyrA (204) and ParC (135). Ser83Phe/Asp87Gly (29.4%) were most commonly detected in GyrA in 136 isolates, and to a lesser extent of Asp87Asn (22.8%), Asp87Gly (19.1%), Ser83Phe/Asp87Asn (19.1%), and Ser83Tyr (5.1%). Ser80Arg (97.0%) was detected in ParC in 132 isolates. Simultaneous mutations in GyrA and ParC (n=109) were commonly detected to be Ser83Phe/Asp87Gly(GyrA)-Ser80Arg(ParC) (35.8%), Asp87Asn(GyrA)-Ser80Arg(ParC) (22.9%), and Ser83Phe/Asp87Asn(GyrA)-Ser80Arg(ParC) (21.1%). qnrA, qnrB, qnrS, aac(6')-Ib, qepA, and oqxAB were detected in 52 (11.3%), 64 (13.9%), 11(2.4%), 107 (23.2%), 6 (1.3%), and 194 (42.0%) of 462 isolates, respectively. Isolates carried more qnr, aac(6')-Ib, qepA, and oqxAB genes, and amino acid substitution in GyrA and ParC was more resistant to nalidixic acid and fluoroquinolones.

Prevalence, distribution, and diversity of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella in kiwifruit orchards and processing plants.

The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence, distribution, and diversity of three foodborne bacteria in kiwifruit orchards and processing plants. Fourteen kiwifruit orchards and two processing plants in Shaanxi province were visited for sampling in 2012. Fruit samples and environmental samples in orchards and plants were taken for isolation of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella. All isolates were characterized by antimicrobial susceptibility testing and detection of virulence genes. Selected isolates were further examined by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis. In total, 160 E. coli isolates and 14 S. aureus isolates were recovered from 407 samples from orchards and plants, while no Salmonella was recovered. E. coli isolates displayed resistance most frequently to streptomycin (65.6%), and S. aureus isolates displayed resistance most frequently to erythromycin (21.4%). Three E. coli isolates (1.9%) were positive for stx2 and two S. aureus isolates (14.3%) were positive for both seb and seh. Seventy-seven E. coli isolates and 14 S. aureus isolates were analyzed by PFGE. PFGE results showed that both E. coli and S. aureus isolates were diverse, and blades for slicing during the processing could be an important contamination source. This study could provide useful information for kiwifruit growers and industry to establish proper management practices that help minimize the chance of microbial contamination from farm to table.

Characterization of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases-producing Salmonella strains isolated from retail foods in Shaanxi and Henan Province, China.

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL)-producing Salmonella enterica have been reported worldwide. However, research on foodborne ESBL-producing Salmonella has been rarely conducted. One hundred and thirty eight ceftriaxone or/and cefoperazone-resistant Salmonella strains recovered from retail foods in Shaanxi and Henan Province, China, were screened for ESBL. The ESBL-producing strains were further characterized for antimicrobial resistance, pulse field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) profiles, and the presence of blaTEM, blaSHV, blaOXA, blaCTX-M, and blaPSE. The transferability of ESBL encoding genes to a susceptible Escherichia coli strain was also investigated. Thirty (21.7%) isolates were identified as ESBL positive and belonged to S. enterica serovars Indiana, Shubra, Typhimurium, and Enteritidis. S. Indiana and S. Shubra isolates were firstly identified in ESBL-producing strains. Great genetic diversity was seen among these ESBL-producing strains. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed that blaTEM-1B was the only ESBL-encoding gene among the genes tested and was detected in 26 of 30 strains and was carried in the conjugative plasmids. The blaTEM-1B gene was transferable through conjugation at rates ranging from 4.71 × 10(-7) to 7.55 × 10(-6) transconjugant per recipient cell. This study provides the evidence of foodborne ESBL-producing Salmonella, and the transferability of plasmid harboring ESBL-encoding genes could possibly contribute to the dissemination of ESBL.

Counts, serotypes, and antimicrobial resistance of Salmonella isolates on retail raw poultry in the People's Republic of China.

The objective of this study was to determine Salmonella counts, serotypes, and antimicrobial resistance profiles in retail raw chicken meat in the People's Republic of China. Salmonella counts were determined according to the most-probable-number (MPN) method for 300 whole chicken carcasses. These samples were collected from large, small, and wet (open) markets in Guangdong, Shaanxi, and Sichuan provinces. Salmonella isolates were serotyped and tested for antimicrobial susceptibility. Of the 300 chicken carcasses, 43.3% were positive for Salmonella, with an overall mean of 1.7 log MPN per carcass (95% confidence interval, 1.6 to 1.8 log MPN per carcass). No significant differences (P > 0.05) were detected for storage temperature (i.e., chilled, frozen, or ambient), market type (large, small, or wet), province, or location (capital or noncapital city). Seventy-eight serotypes were identified among the 1,094 Salmonella isolates. The top five most common Salmonella serotypes on raw chicken carcasses were Enteritidis (19.2%), Indiana (15.2%), Typhimurium (14.6%), Agona (7.1%), and Thompson (6.6%). Salmonella isolates (n = 779) were most frequently resistant to sulfisoxazole (74.1%) and tetracycline (71.1%) and least resistant to ceftriaxone (22.5%) and cefoxitin (19%). Only 4% of the isolates were susceptible to all 15 antimicrobial agents, 45% were resistant to 1 to 5 agents, 29% were resistant to 6 to 10 agents, and 22% were resistant to 11 to 15 agents. Our findings revealed that Salmonella contamination was common in retail raw poultry in China, and the counts on contaminated carcasses were mostly low. Salmonella isolates were diverse in their serotype distribution and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles, with more than half of the isolates resistant to more than five antimicrobial agents. These data may be used in risk assessment models to reduce the transmission of Salmonella via chicken meat to humans in China.