The sequelae of infection with Escherichia coli O157:H7 include the potentially fatal haemolytic uraemic syndrome. The pathobiological process of E. coli O157:H7 is chiefly dependent on the production of Shiga-like toxins I and II (SLT-I and -II). Antibiotic treatment is currently refrained from since it may lead to enhanced release of SLTs from the bacterium. In this study, the potential utility of rifampicin in treating E. coli O157:H7 infections was assessed both in vitro and in vivo. Five strains of E. coli O157:H7 were tested by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for the transcription of the SLT-I- and SLT-II-encoding genes (stx1 and stx2, respectively). Treatment of bacterial strains with the rifampicin minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC), or the MIC followed by the MBC led to the inhibition of stx1 and stx2 gene transcription. Treatment with the MIC or with the MIC followed by the MBC was also capable of limiting toxin release. SLT-I and SLT-II detection by reverse passive latex agglutination showed an effective decrease in toxin titres following treatment with the MIC of rifampicin or with the MIC followed by the MBC. Treatment of cultures with the MBC alone was not as effective in decreasing toxin titres. The efficacy of rifampicin in treating E. coli O157:H7-infected BALB/c mice was also assessed. Rifampicin treatment resulted in enhanced mouse survival and limited the weight loss of infected animals. In conclusion, both in vitro and in vivo tests showed that rifampicin may be useful in treating E. coli O157:H7 infection.
This study evaluated how a coating made from nanochitosan and whey protein isolate, combined with summer savory essential oil and oxygen absorber packaging, affects the growth of specific bacteria on rainbow trout fillets stored in the fridge.
Results showed that while Listeria monocytogenes initially decreased in all treatment groups, it eventually increased, indicating limited effectiveness of the treatments against this bacterium.
In contrast, the combined treatment with the coating, essential oil, and oxygen absorber was most effective in slowing the growth of E. coli and reducing Pseudomonas aeruginosa levels compared to other methods.
* Out of 544 samples analyzed from 272 bovine carcasses, 11 tested positive for O157:H7 (4.0%), and 6 of those had specific pathogenicity genes detected.
* Additionally, 22 carcasses (8.0%) tested positive for the unspecified pathogen, but none contained the specific genes associated with pathogenicity.
To evaluate the typing and clinical application effect based on clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs), serotype, and Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST). The spacers, serotype and sequence type (ST) were obtained with CRISPRsFinder, SeroTypeFinder and MLST. PCR was used to amplify the CRISPRs, and the spacers were used to predict serotype and ST, then comparing with the serotype and ST.
Rapid measurement of waterborne bacterial viability is crucial for ensuring the safety of public health. Herein, we proposed a colorimetric assay for rapid measurement of waterborne bacterial viability based on a difunctional gold nanoprobe (dGNP). This versatile dGNP is composed of bacteria recognizing parts and signal indicating parts, and can generate color signals while recognizing bacterial suspensions of different viabilities.
Antibiotic resistance is a major global health issue, prompting researchers to seek alternative treatment methods.
Molasses shows promising antimicrobial properties that may help combat resistant bacteria by disrupting bacterial cell membranes and proteins.
The study found that although molasses did not work synergistically with phages, it increased the size of phage plaques and enhanced their activity, suggesting potential benefits of using molasses alongside phage therapy.
