Identification of a new variant with a chromosomally encoded enterotoxin gene in a suspected persistent food poisoning outbreak in Eritrea.

is a causative agent of various human and animal enteric diseases including food poisoning. In this study, we describe an interesting case of a persistent food poisoning outbreak among Finnish peacekeepers in Eritrea, possibly caused by carrying a new variant of the chromosomally encoded enterotoxin gene. strains causing food poisoning carry the enterotoxin gene, , in its chromosome (c-) or on a plasmid (p-).

Case report: Aberrant fecal microbiota composition of an infant diagnosed with prolonged intestinal botulism.

Background: Intestinal botulism is primarily reported in small babies as a condition known as infant botulism. The condition results from the ingestion of environmental or foodborne spores of botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) producing Clostridia, usually Clostridium botulinum, and subsequent spore germination into active botulinum neurotoxinogenic cultures in the gut. It is generally considered that small babies are susceptible to C.

A Novel Prophage-like Insertion Element within Triggers Early Entry into Sporulation in .

Sporulation is a finely regulated morphogenetic program important in the ecology and epidemiology of . Exogenous elements disrupting sporulation-associated genes contribute to sporulation regulation and introduce diversity in the generally conserved sporulation programs of endospore formers. We identified a novel prophage-like DNA segment, termed the element, inserted within , encoding a sporulation-specific cysteine protease, in an environmental isolate of .

Cellular and population strategies underpinning neurotoxin production and sporulation in type E cultures.

Toxin production and sporulation are key determinants of pathogenesis in . Toxins cause the clinical manifestation of clostridial diseases, including diarrhea and colitis, tissue damage, and systemic effects on the nervous system. Spores ensure long-term survival and persistence in the environment, act as infectious agents, and initiate the host tissue colonization leading to infection.

Specific Isolation of Group I Cells by Phage Lysin Cell Wall Binding Domain with the Aid of S-Layer Disruption.

is a notorious pathogen that raises health and food safety concerns by producing the potent botulinum neurotoxin and causing botulism, a potentially fatal neuroparalytic disease in humans and animals. Efficient methods for the identification and isolation of are warranted for laboratory diagnostics of botulism and for food safety risk assessment. The cell wall binding domains (CBD) of phage lysins are recognized by their high specificity and affinity to distinct types of bacteria, which makes them promising for the development of diagnostic tools.

Genomic and Phenotypic Characterization of Clostridium botulinum Isolates from an Infant Botulism Case Suggests Adaptation Signatures to the Gut.

In early life, the immature human gut microbiota is prone to colonization by pathogens that are usually outcompeted by mature microbiota in the adult gut. Colonization and neurotoxin production by a vegetative Clostridium botulinum culture in the gut of an infant can lead to flaccid paralysis, resulting in a clinical outcome known as infant botulism, a potentially life-threatening condition. Beside host factors, little is known of the ecology, colonization, and adaptation of C.

A European-wide dataset to uncover adaptive traits of Listeria monocytogenes to diverse ecological niches.

Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) is a ubiquitous bacterium that causes listeriosis, a serious foodborne illness. In the nature-to-human transmission route, Lm can prosper in various ecological niches. Soil and decaying organic matter are its primary reservoirs.

Prudent Antimicrobial Use Is Essential to Prevent the Emergence of Antimicrobial Resistance in 4/O:3 Strains in Pigs.

is a psychrotrophic zoonotic foodborne pathogen. Pigs are considered the main reservoir of 4/O:3, which is the most commonly isolated bioserotype in many European countries. Consuming pork contaminated with can be a health threat, and antimicrobial-resistant strains may complicate the treatment of the most severe forms of yersiniosis.

Sporulation Strategies and Potential Role of the Exosporium in Survival and Persistence of .

produces the botulinum neurotoxin that causes botulism, a rare but potentially lethal paralysis. Endospores play an important role in the survival, transmission, and pathogenesis of . strains are very diverse, both genetically and ecologically.

Comparative Genome Analysis and Spore Heat Resistance Assay Reveal a New Component to Population Structure and Genome Epidemiology Within Enterotoxin-Carrying Isolates.

causes a variety of human and animal enteric diseases including food poisoning, antibiotic-associated diarrhea, and necrotic enteritis. Yet, the reservoirs of enteropathogenic enterotoxin-producing strains remain unknown. We conducted a genomic comparison of 290 strains and a heat resistance phenotyping of 30 strains to elucidate the population structure and ecology of this pathogen.

Mobile Elements Harboring Heavy Metal and Bacitracin Resistance Genes Are Common among Listeria monocytogenes Strains Persisting on Dairy Farms.

Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen and a resilient environmental saprophyte. Dairy farms are a reservoir of L. monocytogenes, and strains can persist on farms for years.

Phage lysin that specifically eliminates Clostridium botulinum Group I cells.

Clostridium botulinum poses a serious threat to food safety and public health by producing potent neurotoxin during its vegetative growth and causing life-threatening neuroparalysis, botulism. While high temperature can be utilized to eliminate C. botulinum spores and the neurotoxin, non-thermal elimination of newly germinated C.

Transcriptomic and Phenotypic Analyses of the Sigma B-Dependent Characteristics and the Synergism between Sigma B and Sigma L in EGD-e.

Numerous gene expression and stress adaptation responses in are regulated through alternative sigma factors σ and σ. Stress response phenotypes and transcriptomes were compared between EGD-e and its Δ and Δ mutants. Targeted growth phenotypic analysis revealed that the and mutants are impaired during growth under cold and organic-acid stress conditions.

High prevalence of Clostridium botulinum in vegetarian sausages.

Clostridium botulinum is a significant food safety concern due to its ability to produce highly potent neurotoxin and resistant endospores. Vegetarian sausages have become a popular source of plant protein and alternative for meat products. While vegetarian sausages have not been linked to botulism, numerous outbreaks due to preserved vegetables suggest a frequent occurrence of C.

Strain Variability of under NaCl Stress Elucidated by a High-Throughput Microbial Growth Data Assembly and Analysis Protocol.

causes the severe foodborne illness listeriosis and survives in food-associated environments due to its high stress tolerance. A data assembly and analysis protocol for microbial growth experiments was compiled to elucidate the strain variability of stress tolerance. The protocol includes measurement of growth ability under stress (step 1), selection of a suitable method for growth parameter calculation (step 2), comparison of growth patterns between strains (step 3), and biological interpretation of the discovered differences (step 4).

Shopping Detail Information and Home Freezer Sampling Confirmed the Role of Commercial, Modified-Atmosphere Packaged Meatballs as a Vehicle for Listeriosis in Finland.

In November 2016, an elderly patient was diagnosed with bacteremia in Finland. Grocery store loyalty card records and microbiological investigation of foods found in the home fridge and freezer of the patient revealed commercial, modified-atmosphere packaged meatballs as the source of the infection. Investigation of the meatball production plant revealed that the floor drain samples were contaminated with the same strain as those isolated from the patient and meatballs.

Insights into the Phylogeny and Evolution of Cold Shock Proteins: From Enteropathogenic and to Eubacteria.

Psychrotrophic foodborne pathogens, such as enteropathogenic , which are able to survive and multiply at low temperatures, require cold shock proteins (Csps). The Csp superfamily consists of a diverse group of homologous proteins, which have been found throughout the eubacteria. They are related to cold shock tolerance and other cellular processes.

Prevalence and Dynamics of Pathogenic 4/O:3 Among Finnish Piglets, Fattening Pigs, and Sows.

Pigs are considered the main reservoir of , and hence, understanding the ecology of this foodborne pathogen at the farm level is crucial. We calculated Bayesian estimates for the ability of a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) diagnostic test kit to detect antibodies against pathogenic in pigs. The sensitivity and specificity of the test were 75.

Role of DEAD-box RNA helicase genes in the growth of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis IP32953 under cold, pH, osmotic, ethanol and oxidative stresses.

Yersinia pseudotuberculosis is an important foodborne pathogen threatening modern food safety due to its ability to survive and grow at low temperatures. DEAD-box RNA helicase CsdA has been shown to play an important role in the low-temperature growth of psychrotrophic Y. pseudotuberculosis.

Genomic Epidemiology and Phenotyping Reveal on-Farm Persistence and Cold Adaptation of Raw Milk Outbreak-Associated .

Packaged raw milk contaminated with mediated a large yersiniosis outbreak in southern Finland in 2014. The outbreak was traced back to a single dairy farm in southern Finland. Here we explore risk factors leading to the outbreak through epidemiologic investigation of the outbreak farm and through genomic and phenotypic characterization of the farm's outbreak and non-outbreak associated strains.

Processing plant and machinery sanitation and hygiene practices associate with Listeria monocytogenes occurrence in ready-to-eat fish products.

Listeria monocytogenes causes the foodborne illness listeriosis, which exhibits high fatality among people in risk groups. The incidence of listeriosis has increased in Europe, which raises concerns about L. monocytogenes occurrence in foodstuffs.

MdrL, a major facilitator superfamily efflux pump of Listeria monocytogenes involved in tolerance to benzalkonium chloride.

Efflux pumps are recognized as an important mechanism for decreased susceptibility of benzalkonium chloride (BC) in Listeria monocytogenes. Previous studies showed that the efflux pump MdrL was overexpressed in L. monocytogenes exposed to BC.

Changes in Transcriptome of IP32953 Grown at 3 and 28°C Detected by RNA Sequencing Shed Light on Cold Adaptation.

is a bacterium that not only survives, but also thrives, proliferates, and remains infective at cold-storage temperatures, making it an adept foodborne pathogen. We analyzed the differences in gene expression between IP32953 grown at 3 and 28°C to investigate which genes were significantly more expressed at low temperature at different phases of growth. We isolated and sequenced the RNA from six distinct corresponding growth points at both temperatures to also outline the expression patterns of the differentially expressed genes.

Strengthening the efficacy of official food control improves Listeria monocytogenes prevention in fish-processing plants.

Vacuum-packaged cold-salted and cold-smoked fish products are considered typical vehicles for Listeria monocytogenes, the causative agent of the food-borne disease listeriosis, which is increasingly prevalent in the European Union. Efficacy of both the fish processing plant self-checking system and official food control conducted by authorities are crucial for L. monocytogenes prevention in the processing of these risky products.