Science Direct – Five-year study on prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Campylobacter from poultry carcasses in Poland
During 2009–2013 a total of 2114 swab samples collected from broiler carcasses in all 16 voivodeships (administrative districts) of Poland were examined for the presence of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli. The antimicrobial resistance of the isolates to ciprofloxacin, tetracycline and erythromycin using the MIC method was also tested. It was found that 1151 (54.4%) carcasses were contaminated with Campylobacter, with 50% of C. jejuni and C. coli species isolated from positive samples. The temporal trend in the prevalence of Campylobacter-positive samples demonstrated that the highest percentage of carcasses was contaminated during the first year of the survey (70.5%) whereas in the last year (2013) only 36.3% of broilers contained these bacteria. Antimicrobial resistance analysis showed that overall 939 (81.6%) of isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin, 646 (56.1%) to tetracycline but only 28 (2.4%) to erythromycin. Significant differences in resistance profiles between C. jejuni and C. coli were observed with greater resistance level observed in the latter species. Furthermore, a significant increase in the percentage of C. jejuni resistant to ciprofloxacin (from 59.6% in 2009 to 85.9% in 2014) and to tetracycline (from 23.2% to 70.4%, respectively) was identified. Only 20 (1.7%) Campylobacter isolates displayed a multiresistance pattern.
Science Direct – Microbial biofilms in seafood: A food-hygiene challenge
Seafood forms a part of a healthy diet. However, seafood can be contaminated with foodborne pathogens, resulting in disease outbreaks. Because people consume large amounts of seafood, such disease outbreaks are increasing worldwide. Seafood contamination is largely due to the naturally occurring phenomenon of biofilm formation. The common seafood bacterial pathogens that form biofilms are Vibrio spp., Aeromonas hydrophila, Salmonella spp., and Listeria monocytogenes. As these organisms pose a global health threat, recent research has focused on elucidating methods to eliminate these biofilm-forming bacteria from seafood, thereby improving food hygiene. Therefore, we highlight recent advances in our understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms of biofilm formation, the factors that regulate biofilm development and the role of quorum sensing and biofilm formation in the virulence of foodborne pathogens. Currently, several novel methods have been successfully developed for controlling biofilms present in seafood. In this review, we also discuss the epidemiology of seafood-related diseases and the novel methods that could be used for future control of biofilm formation in seafood.
FoodWorld 