National outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing O145:H28 associated with pre-packed sandwiches, United Kingdom, May-June 2024.

Shiga toxin-producing (STEC) is a group of bacteria that causes gastrointestinal illness and occasionally causes large foodborne outbreaks. It represents a major public health concern due to its ability to cause severe illness which can sometimes be fatal. This study was undertaken as part of a rapid investigation into a national foodborne outbreak of STEC O145.

Saintpaul outbreak associated with cantaloupe consumption, the United Kingdom and Portugal, September to November 2023.

In September 2023, the UK Health Security Agency identified cases of Saintpaul distributed across England, Scotland, and Wales, all with very low genetic diversity. Additional cases were identified in Portugal following an alert raised by the United Kingdom. Ninety-eight cases with a similar genetic sequence were identified, 93 in the United Kingdom and 5 in Portugal, of which 46% were aged under 10 years.

Multinational collaboration in solving a European Braenderup outbreak linked to imported melons, 2021.

A genomic cluster of Braenderup ST22, a serovar of subsp. which causes symptoms of gastrointestinal illness, was notified by Danish authorities to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) on 3 May 2021. By 6 July 2021, Braenderup outbreak cases (n = 348) had been reported from 12 countries in the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) and the United Kingdom (UK), including 68 hospitalised cases.

Local Enteritidis restaurant outbreak investigation in England provides further evidence for eggs as source in widespread international cluster, March to April 2023.

We report a 5-single nucleotide polymorphism cluster of Enteriditis in England, part of a global cluster of Enteritidis ST11. Forty-seven confirmed cases have been investigated of whom 25 were linked to a restaurant. In addition, there were 18 probable cases with restaurant exposure.

Foodborne Outbreak of Extended Spectrum Beta-lactamase Producing Shigella sonnei Associated with Contaminated Spring Onions in the United Kingdom.

Globalization of the food supply chain has created conditions favorable for emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant (MDR) foodborne pathogens. In November 2021, the UK Health Security Agency detected an outbreak of 17 cases infected with the same strain of MDR extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Shigella sonnei. Phylogenetic analysis of whole-genome sequencing data revealed the outbreak was closely related to strains of S.

Two Outbreaks of Foodborne Gastrointestinal Infection Linked to Consumption of Imported Melons, United Kingdom, March to August 2021.

The aim of this study was to describe two foodborne outbreaks caused by contaminated imported melon and make recommendations for future practice. Between March and July 2021, there was an outbreak of 113 cases of Salmonella Braenderup in the UK (62% female, median age 61 years, 33% hospitalized). Analytical epidemiological studies identified Galia melons as the vehicle of infection (OR 671.

Investigation of an international outbreak of multidrug-resistant monophasic Typhimurium associated with chocolate products, EU/EEA and United Kingdom, February to April 2022.

An extensive multi-country outbreak of multidrug-resistant monophasic Typhimurium infection in 10 countries with 150 reported cases, predominantly affecting young children, has been linked to chocolate products produced by a large multinational company. Extensive withdrawals and recalls of multiple product lines have been undertaken. With Easter approaching, widespread product distribution and the vulnerability of the affected population, early and effective real-time sharing of microbiological and epidemiological information has been of critical importance in effectively managing this serious food-borne incident.

Levels and genotypes of Salmonella and levels of Escherichia coli in frozen ready-to-cook chicken and turkey products in England tested in 2020 in relation to an outbreak of S. Enteritidis.

Frozen reformulated (FR) breaded chicken products have previously been implicated in causing human salmonellosis. A multi-country Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis outbreak involving several strains with >400 reported human cases in the UK occurred in 2020. Initially S.

GG soluble mediators ameliorate early life stress-induced visceral hypersensitivity and changes in spinal cord gene expression.

Visceral hypersensitivity is a hallmark of many functional and stress-related gastrointestinal disorders, and there is growing evidence that the gut microbiota may play a role in its pathophysiology. It has previously been shown that early life stress-induced visceral sensitivity is reduced by various probiotic strains of bacteria (including Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG)) alone or in combination with prebiotic fibres in rat models. However, the exact mechanisms underpinning such effects remain unresolved.

Enduring Behavioral Effects Induced by Birth by Caesarean Section in the Mouse.

Birth by Caesarean (C)-section impacts early gut microbiota colonization and is associated with an increased risk of developing immune and metabolic disorders. Moreover, alterations of the microbiome have been shown to affect neurodevelopmental trajectories. However, the long-term effects of C-section on neurobehavioral processes remain unknown.

Enduring effects of an unhealthy diet during adolescence on systemic but not neurobehavioural measures in adult rats.

Adolescence is an important stage of maturation for various brain structures. It is during this time therefore that the brain may be more vulnerable to environmental factors such as diet that may influence mood and memory. Diets high in fat and sugar (termed a cafeteria diet) during adolescence have been shown to negatively impact upon cognitive performance, which may be reversed by switching to a standard diet during adulthood.

A role for the orphan nuclear receptor TLX in the interaction between neural precursor cells and microglia.

Microglia are an essential component of the neurogenic niche in the adult hippocampus and are involved in the control of neural precursor cell (NPC) proliferation, differentiation and the survival and integration of newborn neurons in hippocampal circuitry. Microglial and neuronal cross-talk is mediated in part by the chemokine fractalkine/chemokine (C-X3-C motif) ligand 1 (CX3CL1) released from neurons, and its receptor CX3C chemokine receptor 1 (CX3CR1) which is expressed on microglia. A disruption in this pathway has been associated with impaired neurogenesis yet the specific molecular mechanisms by which this interaction occurs remain unclear.

Gastrointestinal infections caused by consumption of raw drinking milk in England & Wales, 1992-2017.

Systematic, national surveillance of outbreaks of intestinal infectious disease has been undertaken by Public Health England (PHE) since 1992. Between 1992 and 2002, there were 19 outbreaks linked to raw drinking milk (RDM) or products made using raw milk, involving 229 people; 36 of these were hospitalised. There followed an eleven-year period (2003-2013) where no outbreaks linked to RDM were reported.

Host Microbiota Regulates Central Nervous System Serotonin Receptor 2C Editing in Rodents.

Microbial colonization of the gastrointestinal tract plays a crucial role in the development of enteric and central nervous system functionality. The serotonergic system has been heavily implicated in microbiota-gut-brain axis signaling, particularly in proof-of-principle studies in germ-free (GF) animals. One aspect of the serotonergic system that has been left unexplored in relation to the microbiota is the unique ability of the serotonin receptor 2C (5-HT) to undergo post-transcriptional editing, which has been implicated in decreased receptor functionality.

Differential effects of adolescent and adult-initiated exercise on cognition and hippocampal neurogenesis.

Adolescence is a critical period for postnatal brain maturation and thus a time when environmental influences may affect cognitive processes in later life. Exercise during adulthood has been shown to increase hippocampal neurogenesis and enhance cognition. However, the impact of exercise initiated in adolescence on the brain and behavior in adulthood is not fully understood.

Evaluation of simulation methods for teaching peripheral arterial examination to medical students.

Physical examination is a critical component of medical practice yet the focus on efficient patient turnover has impacted the availability of patients with clinical findings willing to be examined by students and skills' teaching is not consistent across clinical rotations. This work evaluates simulation methodologies for teaching of the peripheral arterial examination and evaluates whether skills learnt are transferable to clinical practice. Second-year medical students were taught peripheral arterial examination on a SimMan 3G or with simulated patients (SPs).

Impact of quorum sensing signaling molecules on adhesion and inflammatory markers in endothelial cells.

relies on the quorum sensing (QS) signaling system as a central regulator mechanism of virulence expression that contributes to the formation and maintenance of biofilms and tolerance to conventional antimicrobials. QS Signaling molecules (QSSMs) may be recognized and may function also within the host cells, being potentially involved in the progression of the infectious process. In this study we evaluate the expression of adhesion and inflammatory molecules in endothelial cells treated with QSSMs, in order to bring new insights on the mechanisms involved in the interaction of with host cells during the infectious process.

Chronic interleukin-1β in the dorsal hippocampus impairs behavioural pattern separation.

Understanding the long-term consequences of chronic inflammation in the hippocampus may help to develop therapeutic targets for the treatment of cognitive disorders related to stress, ageing and neurodegeneration. The hippocampus is particularly vulnerable to increases in the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1β (IL-1β), a mediator of neuroinflammation, with elevated levels implicated in the aetiology of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, and in stress-related disorders such as depression. Acute increases in hippocampal IL-1β have been shown to impair cognition and reduce adult hippocampal neurogenesis, the birth of new neurons.

Social interaction-induced activation of RNA splicing in the amygdala of microbiome-deficient mice.

Social behaviour is regulated by activity of host-associated microbiota across multiple species. However, the molecular mechanisms mediating this relationship remain elusive. We therefore determined the dynamic, stimulus-dependent transcriptional regulation of germ-free (GF) and GF mice colonised post weaning (exGF) in the amygdala, a brain region critically involved in regulating social interaction.

Differential effects of adolescent and adult-initiated voluntary exercise on context and cued fear conditioning.

Adolescence is a critical period for postnatal brain maturation and a time during which there is increased susceptibility to developing emotional and cognitive-related disorders. Exercise during adulthood has been shown to increase hippocampal plasticity and enhance cognition. However, the impact of exercise initiated in adolescence, on brain and behaviour in adulthood is not yet fully explored or understood.

The orphan nuclear receptor TLX regulates hippocampal transcriptome changes induced by IL-1β.

TLX is an orphan nuclear receptor highly expressed within neural progenitor cells (NPCs) in the hippocampus where is regulates proliferation. Inflammation has been shown to have negative effects on hippocampal function as well as on NPC proliferation. Specifically, the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β suppresses NPC proliferation as well as TLX expression in the hippocampus.

Faecal microRNAs: indicators of imbalance at the host-microbe interface?

The enteric microbiota is characterised by a balance and composition that is unique to the host. It is important to understand the mechanisms through which the host can maintain the composition of the gut microbiota. MicroRNAs (miRNA) are implicated in intercellular communication and have been isolated from bodily fluids including stool.

Neurobehavioural effects of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG alone and in combination with prebiotics polydextrose and galactooligosaccharide in male rats exposed to early-life stress.

Early life is a period of significant brain development when the brain is at its most plastic and vulnerable. Stressful episodes during this window of development have long-lasting effects on the central nervous system. Rodent maternal separation (MS) is a reliable model of early-life stress and induces alterations in both physiology and behaviour.

Gutsy Moves: The Amygdala as a Critical Node in Microbiota to Brain Signaling.

The amygdala is a key brain area regulating responses to stress and emotional stimuli, so improving our understanding of how it is regulated could offer novel strategies for treating disturbances in emotion regulation. As we review here, a growing body of evidence indicates that the gut microbiota may contribute to a range of amygdala-dependent brain functions from pain sensitivity to social behavior, emotion regulation, and therefore, psychiatric health. In addition, it appears that the microbiota is necessary for normal development of the amygdala at both the structural and functional levels.