Publications by authors named "Gianfranco Santagada"

Members of group are important food contaminants and they are of relevant interest in food safety and public heath due to their ability to cause two distinct forms of food poisoning, emetic and diarrhoeal syndrome. In the present study, 90 strains of isolated from dairy products, have been typed using Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) analysis and investigated for the occurrence of 10 enterotoxigenic genes (, , , , , , , , and ) and one emetogenic gene (), to determine their genetic diversity. A total of 58 sequence types were identified and among these 17 were signalled as new profiles.

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Article Synopsis
  • Arcobacter butzleri is a foodborne pathogen linked to various diseases, with limited data on its presence in Southern Italy, particularly in bulk milk samples.
  • Out of 484 milk samples tested, 13.2% were positive for Arcobacter spp. using Real Time PCR, but only 4.1% were confirmed by traditional cultural methods, indicating discrepancies in detection techniques.
  • Genetic analysis revealed 16 different Sequence Types of A. butzleri, with 87.5% being previously unreported, showcasing a significant genetic diversity that complicates tracing infection sources during outbreaks.
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Due to the increasing number of studies reporting the detection of antimicrobial-resistant isolates of , we sought to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility of isolates collected in Italy and find potential correlations to their serotypes and multilocus sequence types (MLST). The antimicrobial susceptibility of 317 isolates collected from food, humans, and the environment from 1998 to 2009 was assessed by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). Serotyping and MLST was also performed on all isolates.

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is a pathogenic aerobic bacterium responsible for diarrhea and septicemia in humans. It is frequently isolated from food products of animal origin, including milk and dairy products. To data, few reports are currently available on the genetic characteristics and virulence profiles of .

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  • MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) poses a significant threat as it can cause serious infections in humans and can be transmitted from swine to humans, especially those working in intensive pig farms.
  • Out of 85 pig farms surveyed, MRSA was found in 64.7% of farms, with a higher occurrence in pig fattening farms compared to breeding farms, and a study of 418 pigs indicated a 59.1% prevalence overall, identifying 12 different genotypes, predominantly ST398.
  • Additionally, MRSA was found in 17.3% of swine workers, displaying multi-resistance patterns, including resistance to tetracycline, highlighting the urgent public health risk of antimicrobial-resistant Staphyl
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The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence and genetic characteristics of spp. in bovine bulk tank milk produced in Apulia Region (Italy). Samples collected from 396 dairy farms, after enrichment in a selective broth, were subjected to an genus - specific Real Time PCR.

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The epidemiology of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in horses and its zoonotic potential is poorly understood. The objective of this study is to provide data on the prevalence and genetic characteristics of MRSA isolated from horses on farms, at racecourses, and at slaughterhouses in Italy, using standard and molecular methods. In addition, we report the prevalence of MRSA in horse handlers.

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Unlabelled: The capability to produce biofilm is an important persistence and dissemination mechanism of some foodborne bacteria. This paper investigates the relationship between some molecular characteristics (SCCmec, ST, spa-type, agr-type, cna, sarA, icaA, icaD, clfA, fnbA, fnbB, hla, hlb) of 22 food-related methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains and their ability to form biofilm on stainless steel and polystyrene. Five (22.

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Historically, genome-wide and molecular characterization of the genus Listeria has concentrated on the important human pathogen Listeria monocytogenes and a small number of closely related species, together termed Listeria sensu strictu. More recently, a number of genome sequences for more basal, and nonpathogenic, members of the Listeria genus have become available, facilitating a wider perspective on the evolution of pathogenicity and genome level evolutionary dynamics within the entire genus (termed Listeria sensu lato). Here, we have sequenced the genomes of additional Listeria fleischmannii and Listeria newyorkensis isolates and explored the dynamics of genome evolution in Listeria sensu lato.

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Here we announce the draft genome sequences of 6 Listeria monocytogenes strains from ricotta cheese produced in a dairy processing plant located in southern Italy and potentially involved in a multistate outbreak of listeriosis in the United States.

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Standardized tools for typing Listeria monocytogenes isolates are required in epidemiological surveys investigating food-borne disease outbreaks and in the food-processing environment to identify the sources of contamination and routes by which the organisms are spread. In this survey Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) and Multi-Locus Sequence Typing (MLST) have been used to study 103 L. monocytogenes isolates from food and environmental sources.

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