Microbiology of street food: understanding risks to improve safety.

Street foods play important socioeconomic and cultural roles and are popular worldwide. In addition to providing convenient and low-cost meals for urban populations, street food offers an essential source of income for vendors, especially women, and it can reflect traditional local culture, which is an important attraction for tourists. Despite these benefits, the microbiological safety of street food has become a worldwide concern because it is often prepared and sold under inadequate safety conditions, without legal control and sanitary surveillance. Consequently, high counts of fecal indicator bacteria and several foodborne pathogens have been detected in street foods. This review provides insight into the microbiology of street food, focus on the associated microbiological safety aspects and main pathogens, and the global status of this important economic activity. Furthermore, the need to apply molecular detection rather than traditional culture-based methods is discussed to better understand the actual risks of microbial infection associated with street foods. Recognition is always the first step toward addressing a problem.

Clinical isolates of E. faecalis and E. faecium harboring virulence genes show the concomitant presence of CRISPR loci and antibiotic resistance determinants.

In this study, we evaluated the antimicrobial susceptibility, the presence of gene-encoding virulence factors and CRISPR systems, as well as the ability to produce lytic enzymes among clinical E. faecalis and E. faecium isolates (n = 44). All enterococci isolates showed phenotypes of multidrug resistance. E. faecalis and E. faecium isolates exhibited high-level aminoglycoside resistance phenotype, several of them harboring the aac(6')Ie-aph(2″)Ia and aph(3')-IIIa genes. The gene vanA was the most frequent among vancomycin-resistant E. faecium. High prevalence of the virulence genes esp and efaA were observed; hyl gene was more associated with E. faecium, while ace and efaA genes were more frequently detected in E. faecalis. Caseinase activity was frequently detected among the isolates. Gelatinase and DNAse activities predominated among E. faecalis, while hemolytic capability was frequent among E. faecium isolates. Twenty-nine isolates showed at least one CRISPR system investigated. Several enterococci isolates harbored the aac(6')-Ie-aph(2″)-Ia or aph(3')-IIIa genes and a CRISPR loci. CRISPR loci were positively correlated to efaA and gelE genes, and gelatinase and DNAse activities, while CRISPR loci absence was related to hyl gene presence. These results show that clinical isolates of E. faecalis and E. faecium harboring virulence genes show the concomitant presence of CRISPR loci and antibiotic resistance determinants.

Influence of Human Eating Habits on Antimicrobial Resistance Phenomenon: Aspects of Clinical Resistome of Gut Microbiota in Omnivores, Ovolactovegetarians, and Strict Vegetarians.

The use of xenobiotics in food production and how food intake is carried out in different cultures, along with different eating habits (omnivorism (ON), ovolactovegetarianism (VT), and strict vegetarianism (VG)) seem to have implications for antimicrobial resistance, especially in the human gut microbiota. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate aspects of the clinical resistome of the human gut microbiota among healthy individuals with different eating habits. Volunteers were divided into 3 groups: n = 19 omnivores (ON), n = 20 ovolactovegetarians (VT), and n = 19 strict vegetarians (VG), and nutritional and anthropometric parameters were measured. Metagenomic DNA from fecal samples was used as a template for PCR screening of 37 antimicrobial resistance genes (ARG) representative of commonly used agents in human medicine. The correlation between eating habits and ARG was evaluated. There were no significant differences in mean caloric intake. Mean protein intake was significantly higher in ON, and fiber and carbohydrate consumption was higher in VG. From the screened ARG, 22 were detected. No clear relationship between diets and the occurrence of ARG was observed. Resistance genes against tetracyclines, ß-lactams, and the MLS group (macrolides, lincosamides, and streptogramins) were the most frequent, followed by resistance genes against sulfonamides and aminoglycosides. Vegetables and minimally processed foods seem to be the main source of ARG for the human gut microbiota. Although eating habits vary among individuals, the open environment and the widespread ARG from different human activities draw attention to the complexity of the antimicrobial resistance phenomenon which should be addressed by a One Health approach.

Estratégias para controle de infeccção hospitalar causada por Enterococcus Vancomicina-resistentes: uma revisão integrativa / Strategies for the control of hospital infections caused by Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus: an integrative review / Estrategias para controlar la infección del hospital causada por Enterococcus resistente a la Vancomicina: una revisión integrativa

Objetivo: avaliar a importância dos Enterococcus resistentes à Vancomicina (VRE) como agentes de infecções relacionadas à assistência à saúde (IRAS) e identificar as estratégias nacionais e internacionais usadas no controle de IRAS por VREs. Método: revisão integrativa da literatura. Seleção de 18 artigos que tratavam da importância de IRAS por VREs e das estratégias de controle. Resultados: observou-se concordância entre os artigos em relação às maneiras de minimizar os índices de IRAS por VREs. A ocorrência de IRAS é permissiva quando medidas para higiene são inadequadas. Ademais, treinamentos acerca do uso de antimicrobianos, culturas de vigilância e estruturação de uma comissão especializada são estratégias para redução de casos e que devem ser seguidas para contingência de VREs como agentes de IRAS. Conclusão: ações preventivas são a maneira mais eficiente de reduzir os casos de IRAS por VREs. É imprescindível padronizar e controlar o uso de antimicrobianos visando à prevenção da seleção de linhagens resistentes. Ainda, faz-se necessário manter ativas estratégias administrativas para controle de IRAS e atualização dos profissionais técnicos e da limpeza que atuam nos serviços de saúde, possibilitando educação continuada acerca de todos os tópicos que envolvam o controle dos casos.(AU)

Objective: to evaluate the importance of Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VREs) as agents of Health care-associated infections (HAIs) and to identify national and international strategies used in the control of HAIs by VREs. Method: this is an integrative literature review. We selected 18 articles that dealt with the importance of HAIs by VREs and the control strategies. Results: we noted an agreement among the articles regarding ways to minimize the rates of HAIs by VREs. The occurrence of HAIs is permissive when hygiene measures are inadequate. Furthermore, training on the use of antimicrobials, surveillance cultures, and the structuring of a specialized committee are strategies to reduce cases and should be followed for the contingency of VREs as agents of HAIs. Conclusion: preventive actions are the most efficient way to reduce cases of HAIs by VREs. It is essential to standardize and control the use of antimicrobials, in order to prevent the selection of resistant strains. Furthermore, it is necessary to keep active administrative strategies for the control of HAIs and to update the technical and cleaning professionals who work in health services, enabling continuing education on all topics involving case control.(AU)

Objetivo: evaluar la importancia de los Enterococcus resistentes a la Vancomicina (VREs) como agentes de infecciones asociadas a la atención sanitaria (IAAS) e identificar las estrategias nacionales e internacionales utilizadas para controlar las IAAS causadas por los VREs. Método: revisión integradora de la literatura. Se seleccionaron 18 artículos que trataban sobre la importancia de las IAAS por los VREs y las estrategias de control. Resultados: se observó una concordancia entre los artículos sobre las formas de minimizar las tasas de IAAS por VREs. La aparición de IAAS es permisible cuando las medidas de higiene son inadecuadas. Además, los tratamientos sobre el uso de antimicrobianos, las culturas de vigilancia y la estructuración de una comisión especializada son estrategias para reducir los casos y que deben seguirse para la contingencia de los VREs como agentes de IAAS. Conclusión: las acciones preventivas son la forma más eficiente de reducir los casos de IAAS por VREs. Es imprescindible programar y controlar el uso de antimicrobianos para prevenir la aparición de líneas resistentes. Asimismo, es necesario mantener activas las estrategias administrativas para el control de las IAAS y la actualización de los profesionales técnicos y de limpieza que trabajan en los servicios sanitarios, permitiendo la formación continua en todos los temas que involucran el control de casos.(AU)

Assessment of vaginal microbiota in Brazilian women with and without bacterial vaginosis and comparison with Nugent score.

INTRODUCTION: Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is characterized by the depletion of Lactobacillus spp. population and increase of other species, especially Gardnerella vaginalis and Atopobium vaginae. This study aimed to investigate the vaginal microbiota structure of Brazilian women with and without BV according to Nugent Score and to assess the correlation among Nugent score and the quantification of BV-associated bacteria. METHODOLOGY: Polymerase Chain Reaction-Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) assay was employed to characterize the vaginal microbiota structure. Quantification of Lactobacillus spp., G. vaginalis, A. vaginae, Mobiluncus sp. and M. hominis were determined by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). RESULTS: Clustering by PCR-DGGE revealed differences in microbial structure of the different patient groups. Gardnerella vaginalis, A. vaginae, M. hominis and Mobiluncus sp. were detected at high loads in BV-associated microbiota. Quantification of Lactobacillus spp. showed an inverse correlation with Nugent score while the loads of G. vaginalis, A. vaginae, M. hominis and Mobiluncus sp. indicated a direct correlation with this method. CONCLUSIONS: Despite Nugent score is considered the gold standard for BV diagnosis, qPCR stands out as a useful tool for bacteria quantification and an alternative for BV diagnosis. Vaginal microbiota is a complex microbial community although there is a common core among BV and non-BV women. Investigation of vaginal microbiota structure may contribute to the development of tools for diagnosis improvement and therapeutic regimen optimization.

Extract of the Bark of Bathysa cuspidataAttenuates the Development of Chemically-Induced Preneoplastic Colorectal Lesions in Rats

ABSTRACTThe aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the bark extractBathysa cuspidata on chemically induced preneoplastic colorectal lesions in Wistar rats. Forty male rats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 10 each): saline (control group, oral administration of saline solution 0.9%); dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO, vehicle control), B200 (treated with 200 mg/kg bark extract ofB. cuspidata), and B400 (treated with 400 mg/kg bark extract ofB. cuspidata). Administration of treatments was carried out by the gavage. The animals received four subcutaneous injections of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH, 40 mg/kg) in the initial two weeks of the experiment to induce preneoplastic colorectal lesions. After 15 weeks, the animals were euthanized and the presence of aberrant crypt foci (ACF), body weight, biochemical analyses, and oxidative stress markers were measured. The extract ofB. cuspidata decreased the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), but did not influence the levels of catalase (CAT), malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide or protein carbonyl, compared with the saline group. The animals supplemented with a more concentratedB. cuspidata extract (B400) showed a significant reduction in the number of ACF in all the portions of the intestinal mucosa. The study demonstrated that the bark extract ofB. cuspidata at 400 mg/kg reduced the preneoplastic colorectal lesions in an animal model of colon cancer and that the effect could be dose-dependent.