Listeria monocytogenes in the seafood industry: Exploring contamination sources, outbreaks, antibiotic susceptibility and genetic diversity.

Fish and seafood are rich sources of protein, vitamins, and minerals, significantly contributing to individual health. A global increase in consumption has been observed. Listeria monocytogenes is a known problem in food processing environments and is found in various seafood forms, including raw, smoked, salted, and ready-to-eat.

Exploring the genetic variability, virulence factors, and antibiotic resistance of Listeria monocytogenes from fresh produce, ready-to-eat hummus, and food-processing environments.

Listeria monocytogenes is ubiquitous in nature and persistent in food-processing facilities, farms, retail stores, and home and restaurant kitchens. Current research suggests ready-to-eat (RTE) products (including RTE hummus and fresh produce) to be of increasing interest and concern. These foods are typically stored at refrigeration temperatures suited to the survival of L.

Differentiation of Listeria monocytogenes serotypes using near infrared hyperspectral imaging.

Among the severe foodborne illnesses, listeriosis resulting from the pathogen Listeria monocytogenes exhibits one of the highest fatality rates. This study investigated the application of near infrared hyperspectral imaging (NIR-HSI) for the classification of three L. monocytogenes serotypes namely serotype 4b, 1/2a and 1/2c.

Exploring the potential of hyperspectral imaging for microbial assessment of meat: A review.

Food safety is always of paramount importance globally due to the devasting social and economic effects of foodborne disease outbreaks. There is a high consumption rate of meat worldwide, making it an essential protein source in the human diet, hence its microbial safety is of great importance. The food industry stakeholders are always in search of methods that ensure safe food whilst maintaining food quality and excellent sensory attributes.

Carbapenem resistance in from agricultural, environmental and clinical origins: South Africa in a global context.

Carbapenem agents are regarded as last-resort antibiotics, however, bacterial resistance towards carbapenems has been reported in both clinical and agricultural settings worldwide. Carbapenem resistance, defined as the resistance of a bacteria towards one or more carbapenem drugs, can be mediated in either of, or a combination of, three mechanisms-although, the mechanism mediated through the production of carbapenemases (β-lactamases that are able to enzymatically degrade carbapenems) is of most significance. Of particular concern is the occurrence of carbapenemase producing (CPE), with literature describing a dramatic increase in resistance globally.

in Chicken Meat: Consumption, Outbreaks, Characteristics, Current Control Methods and the Potential of Bacteriophage Use.

The control of in chicken processing plants is an ongoing challenge for many factories around the globe, especially with the increasing demand for poultry escalating processing throughputs. Foodborne outbreaks due to still pose a prominent risk to public health. As chicken meat is a good reservoir for , it is important for chicken processing plants to continuously optimize methods to reduce the incidence of on their products.

isolates from Western Cape, South Africa exhibit resistance to multiple antibiotics and contradicts certain global resistance patterns.

Food-borne disease outbreaks are common and offer valuable insights into the causes, impacts, and mechanisms underlying food pathogens. This also serves as a good foundation to validate the performance of current best practice control methods, for example antibiotics, that are used in the fight against food pathogens. Listeriosis outbreaks, caused by , is no exception.

PCR-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism and Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis Characterization of Listeria monocytogenes Isolates from Ready-to-Eat Foods, the Food Processing Environment, and Clinical Samples in South Africa.

Abstract: Listeria monocytogenes is a ubiquitous, intracellular foodborne pathogen that is responsible for invasive listeriosis. The ability of L. monocytogenes to cause disease has some correlation with the serotypes of a specific lineage group, making the identification of lineage groups important for epidemiological analysis.

Invasive carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae infection at a paediatric hospital: A case series.

Background: There are no paediatric reports of invasive infection caused by carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) from Africa.

Objectives: To document a series of cases of CRE infections at a tertiary children's hospital in Cape Town, South Africa, describing the clinical and microbiological findings in these children.

Methods: A retrospective, descriptive study was completed using data from a series of children with invasive CRE infection between 2010 and 2015, sourced from their clinical notes and microbiology results.

Emergence of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus at a tertiary paediatric hospital in South Africa.

Background: During 2013, the haematology/oncology unit at a tertiary level paediatric hospital in South Africa experienced the emergence of infection with vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE).

Objective: To describe the clinical and molecular aspects of the cases identified.

Methods: VRE isolates identified from blood culture specimens processed at the National Health Laboratory Service were screened for the presence of the vancomycin resistance genes vanA, B and C1, 2 and 3.