Microbial screening for quinolones residues in cow milk by bio-optical method.

The use of antibiotics on lactating cows should be monitored for the possible risk of milk contamination with residues. Accordingly, Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) are established by the European Commission to guarantee consumers safety. As pointed out by Dec 2002/657/EC, screening is the first step in the strategy for antibiotic residue control, thus playing a key role in the whole control procedure.

Depletion of long-acting ampicillin in goat milk following intramuscular administration.

Although goat milk production represents today a very small percentage of the world milk market, this percentage has been growing continuously during the past 20 years. Goat milk is the basic milk supply in many developing countries and provides tasteful derivative products in developed countries. Goats, as well as all milk-producing animals, can be affected by mastitis, but goats being considered a minor species, few drugs are specifically registered for these animals; most, at least for mastitis treatment, are usually tested and registered for use in cows.

Detection and identification of beta-lactam residues in milk using a hybrid biosensor.

A novel application of a hybrid biosensor is here employed as an analytical method for the detection and presumptive identification of beta-lactam residues in milk. The method is based on measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2), the production of which is related to the microbial growth of the test microorganism Bacillus stearothermophilus var. calidolactis.

Considering the antimicrobial sensitivity of the intestinal botulism agent Clostridium butyricum when treating concomitant infections.

In Italy, neurotoxigenic Clostridium butyricum has been reported as a new agent of intestinal toxemia botulism, and most of the cases have been associated with enterocolitis. Although infections concomitant with botulism must be treated with antibiotics, this can increase the severity of botulism. We discuss the sensitivity of this agent to certain antibiotics, compared to findings on the sensitivity of C.

Susceptibility of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from food in Italy to antibiotics.

The susceptibility of 148 strains of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from food to antibiotics currently used in veterinary and human therapy was determined by standard agar dilution and disk diffusion methods. The antibiotics included amikacin, amoxicillin, cefazolin, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, flumequine, fosfomycin, gentamicin, kanamycin, lincomycin, oxytetracycline, rifampicin, spiramycin, streptomycin, tetracycline, tobramycin and vancomycin. Soussy's breakpoints and MIC(50)-MIC(90) values were used to classify the strains into sensitive, moderately sensitive and resistant groups.

Transferable tetracycline resistance in Listeria monocytogenes from food in Italy.

Mechanisms of tetracycline resistance were investigated in two recent Listeria monocytogenes isolates from food, with L. innocua 52P tet(r) as a control. Tetracycline resistance was transferred conjugatively from all three strains to L.