AI Article Synopsis

  • Shiga toxin-producing (STEC) and enteropathogenic (EPEC) bacteria are foodborne pathogens that can cause serious health issues, yet their presence in imported food in China had not been previously characterized.
  • A study analyzed 1,577 food samples from various countries between 2015-2021, finding that STEC was present in 1.01% and EPEC in 0.51%, with notable antifungal resistance observed in both types of bacteria.
  • The research highlighted that these bacteria could not only pose a risk due to their pathogenic potential but also transfer antibiotic resistance and virulence genes through foodborne routes.

Article Abstract

Shiga toxin-producing (STEC) and enteropathogenic (EPEC) are foodborne pathogens that cause hemolytic uremic syndrome and fatal infant diarrhea, respectively, but the characterization of these bacteria from imported food in China are unknown. A total of 1577 food samples from various countries during 2015-2021 were screened for STEC and EPEC, and the obtained isolates were tested for antimicrobial resistance and whole genome sequencing analysis was performed. The prevalence of STEC and EPEC was 1.01% (16/1577) and 0.51% (8/1577), respectively. Antimicrobial resistances to tetracycline (8%), chloramphenicol (8%), ampicillin (4%), ceftazidime (4%), cefotaxime (4%), and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (4%) were observed. The antimicrobial resistance phenotypes corresponded with genotypes for most strains, and some resistance genes were related to mobile genetic elements. All 16 STEC isolates were negative, two solely contained ( or ), 12 merely carried (, , or ), and two had both and ( + , + + ). Although they were negative, several STEC isolates carried other adherence factors, such as (5/16), (1/16), and (8/16), and belonged to serotypes (O130:H11, O8:H19, and O100:H30) or STs (ST297, ST360), which have caused human infections. All the eight EPEC isolates were atypical EPEC; six serotypes and seven STs were found, and clinically relevant EPEC serotypes O26:H11, O103:H2, and O145:H28 were identified. Two STEC/ETEC (enterotoxigenic ) hybrids and one EPEC/ETEC hybrid were observed, since they harbored and/or . The results revealed that food can act as a reservoir of STEC/EPEC with pathogenic potential, and had the potential ability to transfer antibiotic resistance and virulence genes.

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Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8875648PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/toxins14020068DOI Listing

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