Molecular characterization and safety properties of multi drug-resistant Escherichia coli O157:H7 bacteriophages.

The increase in multi drug resistance (MDR) amongst food-borne pathogens such as Escherichia coli O157:H7, coupled with the upsurge of food-borne infections caused by these pathogens is a major public health concern. Lytic phages have been employed as an alternative to antibiotics for use against food-borne pathogens. However, for effective application, phages should be selectively toxic.

The potential role of Listeria monocytogenes in promoting colorectal adenocarcinoma tumorigenic process.

Background: Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen, which can cause a severe illness, especially in people with a weakened immune system or comorbidities. The interactions between host and pathogens and between pathogens and tumor cells have been debated in recent years. However, it is still unclear how bacteria can interact with tumor cells, and if this interaction can affect tumor progression and therapy.

Comparative genomics and proteomics analysis of phages infecting multi-drug resistant Escherichia coli O177 isolated from cattle faeces.

The increasing prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) pathogens has become a major global health concern. To address this challenge, innovative strategies such as bacteriophage therapy must be optimised. Genomic characterisation is a crucial step in identifying suitable phage candidates for combating AMR pathogens.

Safety Properties of O157:H7 Specific Bacteriophages: Recent Advances for Food Safety.

Shiga-toxin-producing (STEC) is typically detected on food products mainly due to cross-contamination with faecal matter. The serotype O157:H7 has been of major public health concern due to the severity of illness caused, prevalence, and management. In the food chain, the main methods of controlling contamination by foodborne pathogens often involve the application of antimicrobial agents, which are now becoming less efficient.

Caecal microbial communities, functional diversity, and metabolic pathways in Ross 308 broiler chickens fed with diets containing different levels of Marama () bean meal.

The caecum of a chicken harbors complex microbial communities that play vital roles in feed digestion, nutrient absorption, and bird health. Understanding the caecal microbial communities could help improve feed utilization efficiency and chicken product quality and, ultimately, deliver sustainable poultry production systems. Thus, this study assessed the caecal microbial communities and their functional diversity and metabolic pathways in broilers reared on diets containing different levels of marama () bean meal (MBM).

Evidence of Virulent Multi-Drug Resistant and Biofilm-Forming Species Isolated from Various Sources in South Africa.

Listeriosis is a foodborne disease caused by Listeria monocytogenes species and is known to cause severe complications, particularly in pregnant women, young children, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of Listeria species in food and water using both biochemical and species-specific PCR analysis. L.

Green Tea () Products as Alternatives to Antibiotics in Poultry Nutrition: A Review.

The overuse and misuse of antibiotics in poultry feeds increase the total cost of production and compromise the quality of poultry products, which poses a serious threat to human health. Globally, health-conscious poultry consumers have long called for the alternate use of natural additives to mitigate the development and spread of multidrug resistant pathogens. Phytogenic plants, such as green tea () products, contain putative nutraceuticals with antibiotic properties that can be used as alternatives to therapeutic, metaphylactic, prophylactic, and growth-promoting antibiotics.

Data on complete genome sequence and annotation of two multidrug resistant atypical enteropathogenic O177 serotype isolated from cattle faeces.

Atypical enteropathogenic belonging to the serotype O177 is a rare strain found in ruminants, especially cattle. When compared to shiga toxin producing (STEC) O157 and non-O157 STEC (O26, O45, O103, O104, O111, O121, and O145) serotypes, the antimicrobial resistance, virulence factors, and genomic structure of O177 are poorly understood. Therefore, in this article, we present the whole genome sequence data of two aEPEC O177 isolates ( O177_CF-154-A and O177_CF-335-B) generated using Illumina MiSeq platform.

Genetic diversity and whole genome sequence analysis data of multidrug resistant atypical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli O177 strains: An assessment of food safety and public health implications.

Atypical enteropathogenic E. coli (aEPEC) strains are emerging pathogens responsible for fatal diarrhoea in humans worldwide. The purpose of this study was to investigate genetic diversity, virulence and antimicrobial resistance profiles of aEPEC O177 strains isolated from faeces of cattle reared in intensive and extensive production systems in South Africa.

An Assessment of the Viability of Lytic Phages and Their Potency against Multidrug Resistant O177 Strains under Simulated Rumen Fermentation Conditions.

Preslaughter starvation and subacute ruminal acidosis in cattle are known to promote ruminal proliferation of atypical enteropathogenic strains, thereby increasing the risk of meat and milk contamination. Using bacteriophages (henceforth called phages) to control these strains in the rumen is a potentially novel strategy. Therefore, this study evaluated the viability of phages and their efficacy in reducing O177 cells in a simulated ruminal fermentation system.

Efficacy of novel phages for control of multi-drug resistant Escherichia coli O177 on artificially contaminated beef and their potential to disrupt biofilm formation.

Contaminated beef is a prominent source of foodborne pathogens such as Escherichia coli O177. Susceptibility of nine multi-drug resistant E. coli O177 strains against eight individual phages and six phage cocktails was assessed using polystyrene microplate titer plate.

Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase-Resistant Determinants among Carbapenem-Resistant from Beef Cattle in the North West Province, South Africa: A Critical Assessment of Their Possible Public Health Implications.

Carbapenems are considered to be the last resort antibiotics for the treatment of infections caused by extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing strains. The purpose of this study was to assess antimicrobial resistance profile of Carbapenem-resistant (CRE) isolated from cattle faeces and determine the presence of carbapenemase and ESBL encoding genes. A total of 233 faecal samples were collected from cattle and analysed for the presence of CRE.

Characterization of Lytic Bacteriophages Infecting Multidrug-Resistant Shiga Toxigenic Atypical O177 Strains Isolated From Cattle Feces.

The increasing incidence of antibiotic resistance and emergence of virulent bacterial pathogens, coupled with a lack of new effective antibiotics, has reignited interest in the use of lytic bacteriophage therapy. The aim of this study was to characterize lytic O177-specific bacteriophages isolated from cattle feces to determine their potential application as biocontrol agents. A total of 31 lytic O177-specific bacteriophages were isolated.

The First Isolation and Molecular Characterization of Shiga Toxin-Producing Virulent Multi-Drug Resistant Atypical Enteropathogenic O177 Serogroup From South African Cattle.

Atypical enteropathogenic (aEPEC) is a group of diarrhoeagenic with high diversity of serogroups, which lack the bundle-forming pili (BFP) and genes encoding for shiga toxins. The aim of this study was to isolate, identify and determine virulence and antibiotic resistance profiles of aEPEC O177 strains from cattle feces. A total of 780 samples were collected from beef and dairy cattle and analyzed for the presence of O177.

Distribution of virulence factors, determinants of antibiotic resistance and molecular fingerprinting of Salmonella species isolated from cattle and beef samples: suggestive evidence of animal-to-meat contamination.

In this study, three hundred presumptive Salmonella strains isolated from cattle faeces and raw beef samples were subjected to both preliminary and confirmatory tests specific for Salmonella. PCR assays revealed that 100%, 20% and 26.7% of the isolates were positive for 16S rRNA, fliC and fljB gene fragments, respectively.