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Microbiological quality, targeting contamination with Escherichia coli, of ready-to-eat spicy meat product, “Suya” retailed in Ogbete Main Market (Location 1) and Oye Emene Market (Location 2), in Enugu, Nigeria was evaluated. Forty-eight samples of the “suya,” in forms of beef, liver, intestine, and chicken, were homogenized and serially diluted with sterile distilled water and plated into Eosin Methylene Blue agar using Pour Plate Technique. Identification of isolates were based on cultural characteristics, Gram stain reaction and Biochemical (IMViC) test, and confirmed by molecular test using 16S rRNA gene. Result showed that E coli were isolated from all the samples. Total colony counts (TCC) of all E.coli isolates were at inoculums much greater than the known infective dose for the Enteropathogenic strains. Least TCC in the April-August 2015 test samples from Locations 1/2 were: 5.6 x102/6.0 x 102, respectively; and 4.4 ×102/3.2 x 102, respectively in Locations1/2 in the September- November 2016 test. The four highest TCC were from the cow intestine suya. In conclusion, “suya” sold to the public are contaminated, probably of faecal origin; therefore not fit for human consumption. This study also underscores the need for improved surveillance system on suya products, to enforce good food hygiene practices.

Alginate films containing natamycin as the antimicrobial agent were developed and its release from the films to liquid and semi-solid media with different water activities was evaluated. In samples immersed in liquid media, the release rate of natamycin increased with an increase in the water activity of the solutions. Effective diffusivities were estimated by fitting Fick’s second law to the data, obtaining values ranging from 0.52 × 10–12 to 5.30 × 10–12 cm2/s. The amount of natamycin that migrated to the semi-solid media indicated incomplete release, with 85% of the initial mass released in gels and only 33% released in cheese samples. This highlights the importance of evaluating the release behavior in real systems. The films were applied to slices of semi-hard cheese, previously inoculated with Aspergillus niger and Penicillium roqueforti. Colony counts on the surface of cheese samples sandwiched between active films were one log cycle lower than that in uncovered slices. Cheese samples covered with control films (without natamycin) also yielded fewer colonies but were not as effective.

Previous research has identified the food safety aspects of the fresh fruit juices sold in Surakarta. The results showed that the level of microbiological contamination in fresh fruit juice was very high and it was not safe for consumption. This study aims to test the ability of mint leaves (Menta piperita) as a natural antimicrobial source to suppress the growth of pathogens in avocado juice. Mint leaves contain natural antimicrobial compounds in the form of menthol, menthone, menthophuran, and methyl acetate. The study used a factorial completely randomized design with 2 factors, namely the length of incubation time and the addition of mint leaves stored in standard room temperature and refrigerant. The incubation times were 0, 2, 4, and 6 hours. The results showed that mint leaves were able to suppress the number of Staphylococci, reaching the lowest number, namely 2.19 ± 0.00 log CFU / ml. Total Salmonella-Shigella was not detected by adding mint leaves and incubation for 6 hours at cold temperature. The total coliform count gave the final result with the lowest log colony count value in avocado juice and cold incubation temperature of 3.58 ± 0.43. The use of mint leaves as a natural antimicrobial in food is not yet effective, so it needs to be studied more about the use of its essential oil or needs to be explored for further effective methods.

Wound healing and wound management are among challenging clinical problems, despite the advancement in medical technology and research. Honey is one of the natural products, synthesized by honey bees that exhibits great antibacterial and medicinal properties. Incorporation of honey into modern dressing materials such as cellulose hydrogel is beneficial to anticipate cell proliferation while preventing infection in a wound region. This study reports the fabrication of honey cellulose hydrogels for reliable alternative treatment of wound infection. The cellulose hydrogels were incorporated with three types of mainland Southeast Asia honeys of stingless bee, giant bee and Asian bee, independently. Each hydrogel was subjected to ATR-FTIR analysis for the determination of chemical composition. The antibacterial properties of honey hydrogels were evaluated through zone inhibition and colony count tests against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The cytocompatibility of the honey hydrogels was then evaluated through MTT assay and cell scratch assay with human skin fibroblast cells. The composition of honey and cellulose hydrogel were verified with the appearances of fingerprint bandwidth and identical peaks of both compounds, respectively. The giant bee honey hydrogels produced the highest bacterial retardation through both antibacterial tests. The stingless bee honey hydrogels projected susceptibility towards E. coli while the Asian bee honey hydrogels projected susceptibility towards S. aureus. Among these three variations of honey hydrogels, the in-vitro cytocompatibility analyses testified the greatest cell viability and cell migration on the stingless bee honey hydrogels compared to the Asian bee honey hydrogels, giant bee honey hydrogels and control hydrogels. The findings support the potential of honey hydrogels as a reliable alternative treatment for wound infection.

Staphylococcus aureus colonizes patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) and exacerbates disease by promoting inflammation. The present study investigated the safety and mechanisms of action of Staphylococcus hominis A9 (ShA9), a bacterium isolated from healthy human skin, as a topical therapy for AD. ShA9 killed S. aureus on the skin of mice and inhibited expression of a toxin from S. aureus (psmα) that promotes inflammation. A first-in-human, phase 1, double-blinded, randomized 1-week trial of topical ShA9 or vehicle on the forearm skin of 54 adults with S. aureus-positive AD (NCT03151148) met its primary endpoint of safety, and participants receiving ShA9 had fewer adverse events associated with AD. Eczema severity was not significantly different when evaluated in all participants treated with ShA9 but a significant decrease in S. aureus and increased ShA9 DNA were seen and met secondary endpoints. Some S. aureus strains on participants were not directly killed by ShA9, but expression of mRNA for psmα was inhibited in all strains. Improvement in local eczema severity was suggested by post-hoc analysis of participants with S. aureus directly killed by ShA9. These observations demonstrate the safety and potential benefits of bacteriotherapy for AD.

Article Details: Received: 2020-10-14 | Accepted: 2020-11-27 | Available online: 2021-01-31 https://doi.org/10.15414/afz.2021.24.mi-prap.80-84 The aim of the study was the evaluation of gluten quality of selected meat products. Gluten is a vegetable protein, which, due to its properties, is very often used in various sectors of the food industry and therefore in the production of meat products. Sensory evaluation, microbiological examination and gluten detection were performed in samples of sausages, Poultry frankfurter, Fine salami and Malokarpatska salami. The meat products came from different producers and were purchased from a retail network. Sensory quality was determined by assessing color, aroma, juiciness, fragility and taste using a 5-point rating scale. The microbiological examination included the determination of the total number of microorganisms, the number of psychrotrophic, coliform microorganisms and coagulase-positive staphylococci. The presence of gluten alone was detected using a commercially produced GlutenTox Home test kit as well as a PCR reaction. Individual testing of selected meat products showed minor differences in the overall quality of gluten free and gluten-free meat products. Keywords: meat products, salami, gluten, quality, microbiological examination References Abaffyova, Z. et al. (2015). Cereal grain a little different. Bratislava. Pediatria pre prax . 4, 140–146. Fric, P., Keil, R. (2011). Celiac disease for practice. Olomouc. Medicina pro praxi. 8, 354–359. Hulin, P., Dostalek, P., Hochel, I. (2008). Methods for determination of gluten proteins in food. Metody stanoveni lepkových bilkovin v potravinach. Chemicke listy ,102(5), 327–337. https://www.academia.edu/18759054/Methods_for_determination_of_gluten_proteins_in_food Olexova, L. et al. (2006). Detection of gluten-containing cereals in flours and ‘‘gluten-free’’ bakery products by polymerase chain reaction. Food Control , 17(3), 234–237. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2004.10.009 STN EN ISO 4833-1. Microbiology of food chain. Horizontal method for the enumeration of microorganisms. Part 1: Colony count at 30 degrees C by the pour plate technique. (ISO 4833-1: 2013) STN EN ISO 6888-1. Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs. Horizontal method for the enumeration of coagulase-positive staphylococci ( Staphylococcus aureus and other species). Part 1: Technique using Baird-Parker agar medium (ISO 6888-1:1999) STN EN ISO 4832. Microbiology. General guidance for the enumeration of coliforms. Colony count technique Taylor, S. (1992). Chemistry and detection of food allergens. Food Technology , 46(5), 148–152. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408399609527761 Toldra, F. (2002). Fermentation and starter cultures. Dry-cured meat products , Trumbull : Food & Nutrition Press Inc., 89–112. https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470385111 van Hengel, A. J. (2007). Food allergen detection methods and the challenge to protect food-allergic consumers. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry , 389(1), 111–118. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-007-1353-5

Introduction: This research was carried out to compare the effects of 0.525% and 5.25% NaOCl, 2% H2O2, and 16-mg/mL propolis on additional silicone impression materials contaminated with Candida albicans at 5- and 10-minute exposure times, to evaluate the hypotheses of this study that propolis can be used for disinfecting of dental impressions. Materials and methods: A total of 122 silicone impressions were prepared. Two samples were considered the negative controls, and the rest were contaminated with C. albicans fungal species and disinfected with 0.525% NaOCl, 5.25% NaOCl, 2% H2O2, 16-mg/mL propolis, and 96% ethyl alcohol for 5 and 10 minutes (10 samples for each interval in each group). The data were analyzed with Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney U tests in all the groups at 5- and 10-minute intervals. Results: All the disinfecting agents significantly decreased C. albicans colony counts at both intervals compared to the control groups (P = 0.00). The differences in the disinfecting effects were significant between the four study groups (P = 0.00). The most significant effects were related to NaOCl at both intervals and concentrations and 2% H2O2 at the 10-minute interval (P = 0.001), followed by 2% H2O2 at the 5-minute interval and propolis (P = 0.001). Concerning propolis (P = 0.001) and 2% H2O2 (P = 0.004), the effect of exposure time was significant. Conclusion: All the disinfecting agents in the present study can be used to disinfect impressions contaminated with C. albicans; however, concerning propolis, although it resulted in significant decreases in C. albicans colony counts, the elimination of the remaining colonies was ineffective.

The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157:H7 in colon contents and on carcasses from pigs slaughtered at provincially licensed abattoirs (PLAs) in Alberta, Canada. In 2017, carcass sponge samples and colon content samples were collected from 504 healthy market hogs at 39 PLAs and analyzed for E. coli O157:H7. Carcass samples were also analyzed for E. coli and aerobic colony count (ACC). Nine (1.8%) of 504 carcass samples were confirmed positive for E. coli O157:H7. Seven (1.4%) of 504 colon content samples were confirmed positive for E. coli O157:H7. These positives were found in 5 (12.8%) of 39 PLAs from hogs originating from eight farms. The E. coli O157:H7 isolates recovered from the positive samples (n = 1 isolate per sample) were clonal, as determined by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Six E. coli O157:H7 isolates obtained over 8 months from one PLA that only processed hogs and sourced hogs from one farm had indistinguishable pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns. All 16 E. coli O157:H7 isolates harbored eae and ehxA and were of stx2a subtype, suggesting that swine can carry E. coli O157:H7 of importance to human health. All carcass sponge swabs (100%) were positive for ACC. E. coli was present in 72% of carcass swabs. Carcasses from PLAs slaughtering both beef and hogs had a numerically higher ACC mean value but not statistically different compared with the carcasses from PLAs slaughtering only swine (2,799 and 610 CFU/cm2, respectively). E. coli showed a similar trend with a mean value of 0.88 CFU/cm2 in PLAs slaughtering both species and 0.26 CFU/cm2 in PLAs slaughtering only swine (P ≤ 0.05). This study provides evidence that healthy market hogs from different producers and farms in Alberta can carry E. coli O157:H7, and some strains of the organism may be able to establish persistence on some swine farms. HIGHLIGHTS

The transient contamination of medical professional’s attires including white coats is one of the major vehicles for the horizontal transmission of microorganisms in the hospital environment. This study was carried out to determine the degree of contamination by bacterial agents on the white coats in a tertiary care hospital in Nepal. Sterilized uniforms with fabric patches of 10 cm × 15 cm size attached to the right and left pockets were distributed to 12 nurses of six different wards of a teaching hospital at the beginning of their work shift. Worn coats were collected at the end of the shifts and the patches were subjected for total bacterial count and identification of selected bacterial pathogens, as prioritized by the World Health Organization (WHO). Fifty percent of the sampled swatches were found to be contaminated by pathogenic bacteria. The average colony growth per square inch of the patch was 524 and 857 during first and second workdays, respectively, indicating an increase of 63.6% in colony counts. The pathogens detected on patches were Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter sp. Additional bacteria identified included Bacillus sp., Micrococcus sp., and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS). The nurses working in the maternity department had their white coats highly contaminated with bacteria. On the other hand, the least bacterial contamination was recorded from the nurses of the surgery ward. One S. aureus isolate from the maternity ward was resistant to methicillin. This study showed that pathogens belonging to the WHO list of critical priority and high priority have been isolated from white coats of nurses, thus posing the risk of transmission to patients. White coats must be worn, maintained, and washed properly to reduce bacterial contamination load and to prevent cross-contamination of potential superbugs. The practice of wearing white coats outside the healthcare zone should be strictly discouraged.

Background:Candida auris is an emerging and often multidrug-resistant fungal pathogen with an exceptional ability to persist on hospital surfaces. These surfaces can act as a potential source of transmission. Therefore, effective disinfection strategies are urgently needed. We investigated the efficacy of ultraviolet C light (UV-C) disinfection for C. auris isolates belonging to 4 different clades.Methods:In vitro testing of C. auris isolates was conducted using 106 colony-forming units (CFU) spread on 20-mm diameter steel carriers and exposed to a broad-spectrum UV-C light source for 10, 20, and 30 minutes at a 1.5 m (5 feet) distance. Post-UV survivors on the coupons were subsequently plated. Colony counts and log reductions were recorded, calculated, and compared to untreated control carriers. Identification of all isolates were confirmed by MALDI-TOF and morphology was visualized by microscopy.Results:We observed an increased susceptibility of C. auris to UV-C in 8 isolates belonging to clades I, II and IV with increasing UV exposure time. The range of log kill (0.8–1.19) was highest for these isolates at 30 minutes. But relatively no change in log kill (0.04–0.35) with increasing time in isolates belonging to clade III were noted. Interestingly, C. auris isolates susceptible to UV-C were mostly nonaggregating, but the isolates that were more resistant to UV exposure formed aggregates.Conclusions:Our study suggests variability in susceptibility to UV-C of C. auris isolates belonging to different clades. More studies are needed to assess whether a cumulative impact of prolonged UV-C exposure provides additional benefit.

Background: Escherichia coli (E. coli) is the major cause of community-based Urinary tract infections (UTI). Products from nature have been used in traditional medicine practice although with limited scientific validity. In this study garlic and cranberry extracts was assessed for its efficacy to inhibit E. coli growth. Materials and Methods: Crude garlic and cranberry extracts were obtained and E. coli was isolated from an infected urine sample. Two-fold serial dilution was carried out on the E. coli and crude extract inoculations. Incubation and plating was carried out for 24 hr at 30°C. Colony count was done using a digital Quebec Colony Counter. Results: A general trend of reducing number of average CFU with increasing concentration of both extracts was observed. Garlic was observed to be more potent than the cranberry extract even at the lowest concentration. Conclusion: This study establishes the merit of using garlic and cranberry extract as a household remedy for UTI caused by E. coli.

Background: The significant increase in the use of implantable cardiac devices (ICDs) has been accompanied by biofilm formation and increase rate of infection on the devices. The purpose of our study is to describe the clinical and microbiological findings of infection of ICDs in the cardiology units of western Algeria hospitals. Methodology: All patients with clinical diagnosis of ICD infections or infective endocarditis upon removal of their ICDs from December 2012 to August 2014 in cardiology units of 4 Algerian hospitals were included in the study. Each element of the ICD pocket and lead was separately sonicated in sterile saline, inoculated onto Chapman and MacConkey agar plates and incubated aerobically at 37oC for colony count after 24 hours. Biochemical identification of the bacteria isolates was made by API 20E, API 20 NE and API Staph, and confirmed by Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics WalkAway® 96 Plus System. Antibiotic susceptibility testing on each isolate was performed by the disk diffusion method on Mueller Hinton agar. Biofilm formation was detected by Congo Red Agar (CRA) and Tissue Culture Plate (TCP) methods, and hydrophobicity of the bacterial cell was determined by the MATH protocol. Results: Over a period of twenty-one months, 17 ICDs were removed from patients with post-operative infections; 6 (35.3%) had early infection of ICD and 11 (64.7%) had late ICD infection. Fifty-four bacterial strains were isolated and identified, with coagulase-negative staphylococci being the predominant bacteria with 46.3% (25/54). There was no significant association between hydrophobicity and antimicrobial resistance in the 54 isolates but there is positive correlation between biofilm production and antimicrobial resistance, with the strongest biofilm producers resistant to more than one antibiotic. Four independent predictors of infection of resynchronization devices were reported; reoperation, multi-morbidity, long procedure, and ICD implantation. Conclusion: Our study is the first in Algeria to describe microbiological characteristics of ICD infection. The bacteria in the biofilm were protected, more resistant and tolerated high concentrations of antibiotics and thus played a major role in the development of ICD infections. Despite the improvements in ICD design and implantation techniques, ICD infection remains a serious challenge. Keywords: implantable cardiac devices, staphylococci, resistance, biofilm, hydrophobicity French title: Infections des dispositifs cardiaques implantables par des bactéries formant un biofilm dans les hôpitaux de l'ouest Algérien Contexte: L'augmentation significative de l'utilisation des dispositifs cardiaques implantables est un risque majeur d'augmentation du taux d'infection et donc du risque de formation d'un biofilm sur ce genre de dispositifs. L'objectif de notre étude est de décrire les résultats cliniques et microbiologiques de l'infection sur les dispositifs cardiaques implantables (DCI) dans les unités de cardiologie des hôpitaux de l'ouest Algérien. Méthodologie: Tous les patients cliniquement diagnostiqués avec une infection sur DCI, ou une endocardite infectieuse et ayant subit un retrait de leur dispositif cardiaque sont inclus dans cette étude et cela sur une période entre décembre 2012 et aout 2014 dans 4 unités de cardiologie. Chaque élément du DCI (boitier et sonde) est trempé séparément dans une solution saline stérile, ensemencé sur deux milieux de culture, un milieu de Chapman et un milieu MacConkey et incubé en aérobiose à 37°C pour la numération des colonies après 24 heures. L'identification biochimique des isolats de bactéries est effectuée par le API 20E, API 20 NE et API Staph, et confirmée par le système WalkAway® 96 Plus de Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics. Les tests de sensibilité aux antibiotiques de chaque isolat sont effectués par la méthode de diffusion des disques sur gélose de Mueller Hinton. La formation d'un biofilm est détectée par les méthodes de la gélose rouge du Congo (CRA) et de la plaque de culture tissulaire (TCP), et l'hydrophobicité de la cellule bactérienne est déterminée par le protocole MATH. Résultats: Sur une période de 21 mois, 17 DCI sont retirés de patients atteints d'infections postopératoires; 6 patients (35,3%) sont identifiés comme ayant une infection précoce sur leurs DCI et 11 patients (64,7%) ayant une infection tardive. Cinquante-quatre souches bactériennes sont isolées et identifiées, les staphylocoques à coagulase négative étant les bactéries prédominantes avec 46,3% (25/54). Il n'y a pas d'association significative entre l'hydrophobicité et la résistance aux antimicrobiens dans les 54 isolats, mais il existe une corrélation positive entre la production de biofilm et la résistance aux antimicrobiens, les plus puissants en biofilm sont résistant à plus d'un antibiotique. Quatre facteurs prédictifs indépendants d’infection des dispositifs cardiaques implantable sont retrouvés dans ce travail: ré-intervention, longue procédure, sujets multi-tarés, et implantation d’un DCI Conclusion: Notre étude est la première en Algérie à décrire les caractéristiques microbiologiques de l'infection des DCI. Les bactéries présentes dans le biofilm sont protégées, plus résistantes et tolèrent de fortes concentrations d'antibiotiques et jouent ainsi un rôle majeur dans le développement des infections par DCI. Malgré des améliorations dans les techniques de conception et d'implantation de DCI, l'infection des dispositifs cardiaques implantables reste un problème grave et très couteux. Mots-clés: dispositifs cardiaques implantables; staphylocoque; résistance; biofilm; hydrophobicité

Acrylic resin processed by compression molded technique had been used to manufacture the removable complete dentures bases for many years. However there are many disadvantages connected to the use of this material with the ordinary compression molding as a denture base, the reason that made the researches try to find a better alternatives whether by changing the processing technique: like in the case of using acrylic resins processed by injection molded technique which proved to be a better choice in many aspects, on the other hand some researchers preferred to use another material so they used metal bases as replacement for the ordinary acrylic denture base. There are many ways to make patterns for metal bases casting in partial and complete dentures. Recently many researchers and practitioners used CAD-CAM technologies to make patterns for metal casting and facilitate the work, and save time. This study compares the candida albicans colony formation on the two materials mentioned above as an advantage to the material studied.Purpose: The purpose of this study is to compare the growth of candida albicans on removable complete dentures bases manufactured using CAD/CAM designed metal (Co-Cr casted from milled wax patterns) and injection molded acrylic resin. Materials and Methods: Split-palate maxillary complete dentures were fabricated for 10 edentulous patients. one-half of the palate was made in acrylic resin and the other half in Co-Cr metal palate that was casted from CAD-CAM milled patterns for each patient in this study. specimens were collected at 1, 3, and 5 months using a modified imprint culture method. Speciation of Candida albicans was performed using a chromogenic culture medium. Two-sample t-test was employed to determine effects and significant interactions between the acrylic and the metal groups. Results: Significant differences were observed in the candida albicans colony counts between both materials during the first, the third, and the fifth month. The Colony forming unit(CFU)/cm2 means were significantly less on the Co-Cr casted metal denture bases than CFU/cm2 means on the injection molded acrylic resin. Conclusions: The metal base proved to be effective in decreasing the candida albicans growth typically present in complete dentures. Colony counts of Candida albicans were higher in the injection molded acrylic resin part of denture bases of the patients in this study.

Background: Plaque retention during fixed orthodontic therapy is an important cause of developing enamel demineralization. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of different brackets types on the count of Streptococcus Mutans in orthodontic patients using conventional fluoridated toothpaste. Materials and Methods: Plaque samples were collected from maxillary 1st premolar teeth of twenty right handed patients (using split mouth technique) before bonding, after 48 hrs of bonding using tooth brush only, and after 2 weeks of using fluoridated toothpaste. Stainless steel bracket was bonded on right first premolar while the left one was bonded with sapphire bracket. The calculation of the Streptococcus Mutans count was done using the plate counting method utilizing colony counter. The differences between the two types of brackets were determined using the Wilcoxon signed ranks test. Results: The median bacterial count on the right side was insignificantly higher than the left side; streptococcus mutans in the plaque sample around the sapphire brackets showed insignificantly less counts than around the stainless steel one, when the patients used tooth brush only or fluoridated toothpastes. Fluoridated toothpastes reduced streptococcus mutans insignificantly around both types of brackets. Conclusion: Fluoridated toothpaste acts effectively in reducing streptococcus mutans colony counts around sapphire and stainless steel brackets. Keywords: Streptococcus mutans, Stainless steel brackets, Sapphire brackets.

Many factors can influence the microbiological quality of raw cow’s milk. In this study, our aim was to determine whether there was any difference between the microbiological statuses of milk produced in different seasons. Samples were collected and analysed from five dairy farms in Hajdú-Bihar County, from February to November in 2019. During our studies, total plate count (TPC), coliform count and Staphylococcus aureus count of raw cow’s milk samples were determined. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) between the mean TPC values detected in the milk collected in winter and autumn, but that values were significantly (P

This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of 810-nm diode laser on the root canals infected with Enterococcus faecalis biofilm-like structure by using comparable and safe parameters. The root canals of 52 extracted human single-rooted teeth were prepared, 4 teeth allocated as negative control and 48 teeth inoculated with E. faecalis for 3 weeks. The teeth were then randomly divided into the following 4 experimental groups: Group NaOCl (n = 12), 17% EDTA + 5.25% NaOCl + saline; Group DL1 (n = 12), 17% EDTA + 1 W diode laser + saline; Group DL2 (n = 12), 17% EDTA + 1.5 W diode laser + saline; Group S (n = 12), Saline. Samples were obtained from dentin chips before and after the interventions. A reduction in colony count was assessed by counting the colony-forming units. Compared to the control group, significant reductions were noted in E. faecalis colony counts in all groups (p .05). The greatest reduction in colony count (98.9%) was noted in the Group NaOCl. The difference in this respect between the Group DL2 and Group S (p .05). Our results demonstrated two different parameters of 810-nm diode laser showing the significant antibacterial effect on E. faecalis biofilm but it was not as effective as NaOCl irrigation.

Objectives Isolation gowns are used as a barrier to bacterial transmission from patient to provider and vice versa. If an isolation gown is ineffective, the patient and provider have a potential breach of safety and increased infection risk. This study compared the bacterial permeability of differently rated, commonly uses isolation gowns to assess their effectiveness in preventing simulated bacterial transmittance, and thus contamination, from patient to provider. Methods Serial dilutions of Staphylococcus epidermidis in sterile saline were applied to a simulated skin surface. Unrated and Levels 1 through 4 non-sterile isolation gowns contacted the solution, simulating patient contact. Both sides of the contaminated gowns were then cultured on blood agar by rolling a sterile swab across the gown and evenly inoculating the culture plate. Colony counts from inside and outside of the gowns were compared. Separately, S. epidermidis was placed on a sample of each gown and scanning electron microscopy was used to visualize the contaminated gowns’ physical structure. Results Mean bacterial transmittance from outside of the gown (i.e. patient contact side) to inside of the gowns (i.e. provider clothing or skin side) based on gown rating was as follows: unrated: 50.4% (SD 9.0%); Level 1: 39.7% (SD 11.2%); Level 2: 16.3% (SD 10.3%); Level 3: 0.3% (SD 0.8%); Level 4: 0.0% (SD 0.0%). Scanning electron microscope imaging of unrated, Level 1, and Level 2 gowns revealed gown pore sizes much larger than the bacteria. The Welch one-way analysis of variance statistic showed significant difference dependent on gown-level rating. Conclusions Unrated, Level 1, and Level 2 isolation gowns do not provide effective bacterial isolation barriers when bacteria like S. epidermidis make contact with one side of the gown material. Not studied, but implied, is that unrated and lower rated isolation gowns would be as or even more physically permeable to virus particles, which are much smaller than bacteria.

Background and aim: The prevalence of typhoid fever is reportedly high, especially in Asia. When a pathogen enters the human body, there are markers in the form of molecules that will be known by the innate immune system. Specific molecular markers of gram negative bacteria, which are Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and Toll-Like receptors-4 will interact with LPS. The binding between LPS and TLR-4 will give rise to activation signals that will activate innate immune cells. Immune cells will release a number of proinflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α, IL-1, and IL-6. While Vitamin D Receptors (VDR) are expressed in large amounts in tumor tissue and infected cells. This study aimed to prove the role of IL-6, TNF-α, and VDR in inhibiting bacterial growth in mice that have been induced by S.Typhi. Methods: This research was a real experimental pre-post test design to investigate the level of IL-6, TNF-α and VDR in suppressing the growth of bacteria in the peritoneal fluid of S. Typhi, male, mice BALB/c. Mice were divided into three groups comprised of 10 mice each. All mice in groups A and B were intraperitoneally inoculated with S. Typhi strain Thy1 in study day 0. Group A was treated with antibiotic Levofloxacine, on study day 4th. Another study group, group B, was used as a placebo and received aquades on study day 4th. While group C as a control was not inoculated with S. Typhi. Blood samples from three groups for the calculation of serum Il-6, TNF-α, and VDR were collected. This examination was taken four times; at baseline, 4th day, 10th day, and 30th day. For the calculation of bacterial colony, peritoneal fluid retrieval was collected three times, which is on 4th day, 10th day, and 30th day. Results: A repeated measure ANOVA in group A (antibiotic) and group B (placebo) group showed that mean IL-6, TNF-α, and VDR level differed statistically significant between times (p-value 0.000). There was a strong negative correlation between bacterial colony count and VDR level, which was statistically significant in both groups (group A; r = -0.875, p-value = 0.000 vs group B; r = -0.470, p-value = 0.002). IL-6 and TNF-α didn't give significant statistical correlation with bacterial colony count. Conclusion: VDR, IL-6, and TNF-α play an important role in killing bacteria. From the results of this study, IL-6 level is related to the number of bacterial colonies, the lower the IL-6 level, the less the number of bacterial colonies. Similarly, TNF-α levels have a positive correlation with the number of bacterial colonies. While VDR levels are also related to the number of bacterial colonies, the higher the VDR level, the lower the number of bacterial colonies.

The non-destructive method for detection of fungal contamination in peach fruit using hyperspectral imaging was evaluated. Growth characteristics of three major spoilage fungi in peach fruit during decay were estimated. Three quantitative prediction models were then constructed to forecast the microbial content from the HSI datasets. The prediction of fungal contamination on the fruit was visualized with different colors. Additionally, principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to reduce the dimensionality of the HSI data and to discriminate the infection degree in peaches. The results showed that partial least squares regression (PLSR) could achieve performance with Rp2 not less than 0.84in predicting fungal colony counts, while PCA scores successfully identified the infected degrees of samples. This study illustrates that HSI combined with chemometrics can potentially be implemented for the quantitative detection of fungal contamination in peach fruit.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the microbial contamination of domestic swine carcasses over an 8-year period in a slaughterhouse located in the Marche region, Central Italy. The hygiene of the slaughter process was assessed by microbiological criteria involving aerobic colony count (ACC), Enterobacteriaceae and Salmonella spp. [Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 and amendments]. Five carcasses were tested during five sampling sessions each year (four different sites from each carcass were pooled before the analysis) for a total of 200 samples. The results of the study showed low levels of ACC and Enterobacteriaceae and the absence of Salmonella spp., except for one sample. The values of ACC were consistently satisfactory (

Pacific saury (Cololabis saira) is usually sold as whole fish in wholesale markets, or in its gutted form which is easy for consumers to cook in retail markets. In order to assess the effect of gutting on the shelf life of Pacific saury during refrigerated storage and reveal the microbial community, fish samples grouped into (I) whole fish and (II) gutted fish were analyzed periodically for sensory, biochemical and microbiological characteristics, and high-throughput sequencing technology was used to investigate the microbiota. Results showed that the sensory score for the gutted fish became unacceptable on day 8, while the whole fish score remained acceptable for 10 days. The total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) value of the gutted fish reached 30 mg N(100g) −1 on day 6, while that of the whole samples surpassed 30 mgN(100g) −1 on day 10. The thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) value of the gutted fish got close to 5.0 mg kg−1 on day 10, while that of the whole samples surpassed 5.0 mg kg −1 on day 14. The aerobic plate colony counts (APCs) for the gutted and whole Pacific saury reached 7.0 log10 CFUg−1 on days 6 and 10, respectively. Organoleptic, biochemical and microbiological analyses revealed that shelf-lives should be 6-8 days for gutted fish and 10 days for whole fish. Microbiota analysis results showed that gutting partly changed the initial microbiota, but didn’t alter the dominant bacteria during storage. When the fish were spoiled, high proportion of Pseudomonadaceae was detected in both groups.

Background: Dental caries is one of the commonest oral diseases that require early stages of prevention and intervention. The primary organisms related to dental caries are streptococcus mutans and lactobacilli. In the past decades, some of the non-pathogenic bacteria called probiotics have been added to the food products for the beneficial effect of human health. Intake of probiotic food products has been shown to have beneficial effects on the oral tissues. Hence the present study aimed to compare the levels of salivary pH, S. mutans, B. dentium counts in children consuming probiotic and non-probiotic curd. Methods and Material: 40 healthy caries free children were randomly allocated into two groups. First baseline salivary samples were collected from all the participants and tested for salivary pH, salivary B. dentium and S. mutans count. After collecting the baseline values test group of children were provided with probiotic curd whereas the control group were provided with non probiotic curd for 15 days. After 15 days of consumption of these dairy products, salivary samples were collected again and tested for salivary pH, salivary B. dentium and S. mutans count. Results: Probiotic curd was found to be more effective in reducing the colony counts of B.dentium and S.mutans .There was a marginal decrease in pH in both the groups but was well above the critical pH. Conclusions: Probiotic curd showed considerable level of decrease in colony counts of B.dentium, S.mutans and salivary pH when compared to normal curd.

Background: Sodium hypochlorite (5.25% NaOCl) is the gold standard among irrigation solutions, but it is toxic to periapical tissue, decreases the micromechanical characteristics of dentin, has no effect on smear layer removal, and may not completely eradicate biofilms. Therefore, many new irrigation solutions, such as mixtures of tetracycline, citric acid, and detergent (MTAD) and a mixture of chlorhexidine (CHX) and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) have been introduced as the alternatives to NaOCl. Objectives: The objectives of this study are to analyze the differences in the effects of MTAD and mixtures of CHX and EDTA on the growth of Enterococcus faecalis ex vivo.Methods: This study used 28 lower premolars, divided into seven groups. Group I received MTAD. Group II received MTAD with CHX. Group III received a mixture of CHX and EDTA. Group IV received a 2% CHX solution. Group V received 17% EDTA. Group VI received a 5.25% NaOCl solution, which served as the positive control, and Group VII received sterile distilled water, which was the negative control. The effectiveness of various irrigation solutions in preventing the growth of E. faecalis was measured by the zone of growth inhibition and colony counts. Results: A one-way analysis of variance revealed a significant difference among the tested irrigation solutions, both in terms of zone inhibition of E. faecalis and E. faecalis colonies counting (P < 0.05). Conclusion: There was a different antibacterial effect between MTAD and the mixture of CHX and EDTA. MTAD were more effective as irrigation solution compared to the mixture of CHX and EDTA. However, as irrigation solutions, both were less effective than 5.25% NaOCl.

Understanding the molecular determinants underlying the interaction between the leaf and human pathogenic bacteria is key to provide the foundation to develop science-based strategies to prevent or decrease the pathogen contamination of leafy greens. In this study, we conducted a dual RNA-sequencing analysis to simultaneously define changes in the transcriptomic profiles of the plant and the bacterium when they come in contact. We used an economically relevant vegetable crop, lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cultivar Salinas), and a model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana Col-0, as well as two pathogenic bacterial strains that cause disease outbreaks associated with fresh produce, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium 14028s (STm 14028s). We observed commonalities and specificities in the modulation of biological processes between Arabidopsis and lettuce and between O157:H7 and STm 14028s during early stages of the interaction. We detected a larger alteration of gene expression at the whole transcriptome level in lettuce and Arabidopsis at 24 h post inoculation with STm 14028s compared to that with O157:H7. In addition, bacterial transcriptomic adjustments were substantially larger in Arabidopsis than in lettuce. Bacterial transcriptome was affected at a larger extent in the first 4 h compared to the subsequent 20 h after inoculation. Overall, we gained valuable knowledge about the responses and counter-responses of both bacterial pathogen and plant host when these bacteria are residing in the leaf intercellular space. These findings and the public genomic resources generated in this study are valuable for additional data mining.

Background In resource-limited settings, sputum smear conversion is used to document treatment response. Many People living with HIV (PLHIV) are smear-negative at baseline. The Xpert MTB/RIF test can indirectly measure bacterial load through cycle threshold (ct) values. This study aimed to determine if baseline Xpert MTB/RIF could predict time to culture negativity in PLHIV with newly diagnosed TB. Methods A subset of 138 PLHIV from the ‘SOUTH’ study on outcomes related to TB and antiretroviral drug concentrations were included. Bacterial load was estimated by Mycobacterium Growth Indicator Tubes (MGIT) culture time-to-positivity (TTP) and Lowenstein Jensen (LJ) colony counts. Changes in TTP and colony counts were analyzed with Poisson Generalised Estimating Equations (GEE) and multilevel ordered logistic regression models, respectively, while time to culture negativity analysed with Cox proportional hazard models. ROC curves were used to explore the accuracy of the ct value in predicting culture negativity. Results A total of 81 patients (58.7%) were males, median age 34 (IQR 29 ̶ 40) years, median CD4 cell count of 180 (IQR 68 ̶ 345) cells/μL and 77.5% were ART naive. The median baseline ct value was 25.1 (IQR 21.0 ̶ 30.1). A unit Increase in the ct value was associated with a 5% (IRR = 1.05 95% CI 1.04 ̶ 1.06) and 3% (IRR = 1.03 95% CI 1.03 ̶ 1.04) increase in TTP at week 2 and 4 respectively. With LJ culture, a patient’s colony grade was reduced by 0.86 times (0R = 0.86 95% CI 0.74 ̶ 0.97) at week 2 and 0.84 times (OR = 0.84 95% CI 0.79 ̶ 0.95 P = 0.002) at week 4 for every unit increase in the baseline ct value. There was a 3% higher likelihood of earlier conversion to negativity for every unit increase in the ct value. A ct cut point ≥28 best predicted culture negativity at week 4 with a sensitivity of 91. 7% & specificity 53.7% while a cut point ≥23 best predicted culture negativity at week 8. Conclusion Baseline Xpert MTB/RIF ct values predict sputum conversion in PLHIV on anti-TB treatment. Surrogate biomarkers for sputum conversion in PLHIV are still a research priority.

Ginkgo Biloba (GB) is a widely used finished herbal product. Due to its natural source there is no demand to evaluate its quality before marketing. Although GB products have shown promising potential with the efficacy, many of these products remain untested. The Current work aims to evaluate some quality parameter of GB finished products like total flavonoid content (TFC), microscopic, Loss On Drying (LOD) and microbial tests in comparison with GB crude plant. The TFC ranged from (22.86 to78.74 mg/g). Microscopic findings revealed the presence of large amounts of starch grains in product A. Furthermore, most of the products were heavily contaminated with bacteria and fungi. As bacterial colony counts ranged from (103 to 7.5 × 105 CFU/g) and from (1.7 × 103 to 0.75 × 107 CFU/g) for fungal colony counts. Most of the products exceeded the reference limits for LOD. thus may pose a threat to consumer's health.

The need to use a natural alternative for disinfecting dental impression materials, which should be biocompatible and effective, led us to evaluate the efficacy of Aloe vera as a disinfectant by immersion and spray method on alginate impression material and its effect on the dimensional stability of the resultant gypsum cast.The efficacy of the disinfection procedures against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida albicans was evaluated by determining the number of colony-forming units (CFU) recovered after disinfection of alginate discs inoculated with 1x106 CFU for defined intervals with aloe vera solution (99.96%). Dimensional stability was determined from the mean percentage deviation of three measurements that were taken between the fixed points on the casts using a traveling microscope and compared with corresponding measurements from the master model and controls. Statistical analysis of data was determined by analysis of variance.We found out that there is a mean percentage reduction in colony count of S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, and C. albicans after 3 minutes of immersion in aloe vera and after 3 minutes spray disinfection. Complete elimination of all the microorganism cells after 7 min immersion and spray disinfection. There was a statistically significant difference in the increase of the mean anteroposterior (AP) and cross arch (CA) dimension after 3 and 7 minutes immersion in aloe vera.Spraying with aloe vera for 7 minutes was proved to be the most effective disinfection procedure without altering dimensional stability.

In view of the increasing interest in the occurrence and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria due to wastewater treatment systems into the environment, total colony counts and antibiotic-resista...

Pathologic halitosis has been classified into 5 types: oral, airway, gastroesophageal, blood-borne and subjective, respectively. Type 1 (oral) halitosis mostly takes origin from anaerobic bacterial activities on oral surfaces. The role of anaerobic bacterial activities is clearly demonstrated, but despite the large number of anectodal claims, the role of Candida in patients with halitosis has not been adequately investigated. The aim of this study was to confirm the relationship between Candida and halitosis. A total of 136 subjects were enrolled and divided into two groups. The study group comprised of 69 patients with halitosis who had over 0.7 ppm H2S concentration in their oral cavity and the control group comprised of 67 healthly subjects. Self assesment scores for halitosis, Candida colony counts in saliva samples, oral NH3, SO2, H2S, H2 and volatile organic gas concentrations were recorded. H2S producing capacity of subjects was quantified by applying cysteine challenge test. Candida samples were taken from the mouths of the patients with and without halitosis, and Candida albicans isolates were inoculated into broth medium. After 3 days of incubation at 37oC, gas concentrations of the headspace of the flasks were read by a portable multigas detector. The rate of Candida positivity was 44.9% in the study group while it was 46.3% in the control group. There was no statistical significant difference between the groups according to the Candida growth (p= 0.561). The oral gas concentrations were comparable in both groups (p< 0.05). Oral H2S concentration increased 9.65 fold with 20 mM cysteine rinse in patients with halitosis while it was increased 5.8 fold in controls. Self assesment for halitosis were well correlated with clinical signs (p= 0.001, r= 0.8). Concentrations of hidrogen and organic gases were found to be increased in all Candida culture media. In this study, no relationship between the presence of Candida and oral halitosis was detected. As a result, there is no need for diets similar to Candida diet in the treatment of halitosis. On the other hand, cysteine challenge can be a useful diagnostic tool. In addition, portable gas detectors can be used as a convenient and practical halitometer to quantify halitosis.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to evaluate the possible microbiological contamination in terms of total counts and representative microbial groups found in the hazelnuts as well as in work areas and on the working surfaces of a hazelnut processing plant.Design/methodology/approachSome microbiological parameters related to the manufacturing process (e.g. aerobic colony count yeast and fungi) were evaluated. Indoor air samples were tested in order to evaluate the possible contamination of fungal strains (i.e. mycotoxin producing fungi).FindingsThe results showed that the highest values (>of 500 CFU/m3) for bacteria and fungi were only observed in the shelling and sorting areas. Some species such as Aspergillus and Penicillium (potential mycotoxin-producers) as well as some noxious colonies ofAspergillus fumigatuswere detected along the processing line. No occurrence of aflatoxins was observed in the finished product. Microbial loads obtained through surface analyses were in accordance to the reference data.Originality/valueThe aim of this study was to monitor and improve the procedures currently used in a hazelnut processing plant.

Aim Green tea is an antimicrobial agent that has beneficial effects on oral and dental health. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of "green tea" and "green tea with xylitol" mouthwashes on the salivary Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus colony count in children. Materials and methods In this double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial, 64 children aged 6-12 years were randomly divided into two groups. Subjects were instructed to wash their mouth with 5% "green tea" or 20% "green tea with xylitol" mouthwashes twice a day for a period of 2 weeks. Salivary counts of bacteria were determined at the baseline and after 2 weeks of intervention. Results A significant difference was found between the average number of bacterial colonies between the two groups after intervention (p Conclusion Findings of this study suggest that the effect of the "green tea with xylitol" mouthwash on reducing the number of salivary colonies of S. mutans and Lactobacillus is significantly higher than that of the "green tea" mouthwash. Clinical significance The green tea mouthwash can be advised for dental and oral health of children. How to cite this article: Hajiahmadi M, Yegdaneh A, Homayoni A, et al. Comparative Evaluation of Efficacy of "Green Tea" and "Green Tea with Xylitol" Mouthwashes on the Salivary Streptococcus Mutans and Lactobacillus Colony Count in Children: A Randomized Clinical Trial. J Contemp Dent Pract 2019;20(10):1190-1194.

Tomatoes are one of the major fresh produce commodities consumed in the United States. Harvesting tomato fruit at a later stage of development can enhance consumer acceptance but can also increase damage due to bruising. Bruising can affect the quality of whole tomatoes by causing an unacceptable appearance and accelerating decay. Bruising may also facilitate bacterial attachment to the fruit surface and support growth of pathogens. This study evaluated the survival and/or proliferation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella on the surface of artificially bruised and unbruised tomatoes at three ripeness stages (breaker, pink, and red) and two storage temperatures (10 and 20°C). A total of 1,440 tomatoes, 720 for each organism, were analyzed. Both E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella counts declined significantly ( P0.05) on the bruised and unbruised tomatoes over the 7-day storage period, by approximately 2.5 and 2.0 log, respectively. E. coli O157:H7 was not detected on pink tomatoes on day 7, whereas Salmonella persisted on the tomato surfaces throughout the 7-day study at all ripeness stages. Bruising had no significant effect ( P0.05) on the survival of E. coli O157:H7 (CFU per tomato) compared with the unbruised tomatoes, in most cases. Tomatoes from the red ripeness stage showed a significant effect ( P0.05) of bruising on Salmonella survival at both 10 and 20°C. Similar to the colony count results, the frequency (presence or absence) of inoculated tomatoes with detectable levels of inoculated bacteria decreased significantly ( P0.05) over time. At the lower temperature, E. coli O157:H7 was recovered from significantly higher ( P0.05) numbers of breaker and pink tomatoes, whereas there was no effect of temperature on the overall survival of E. coli O157:H7 on red tomatoes. Results from this study are essential for understanding the effects of bruising on produce safety and for producers and packers to develop mitigation strategies to control pathogenic and spoilage organisms.

Rapid detection of Aspergillus spp. contamination levels in peanuts was investigated by near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and electronic nose (E-nose) in this study. Sterilized peanuts artificially inoculated with five Aspergillus strains were stored for 9 days until moldy. NIR spectroscopy and E-nose response characteristics of peanuts were collected at different storage stages (day 0, 3, 6 and 9). Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) was applied to classify samples according to infection level and achieved correct classified rate of 92.11% and 86.84% in prediction by NIR spectroscopy and E-nose, respectively. Moreover, only 4.41% moldy samples were misclassified as acceptable ones by NIR spectroscopy. Quantification of colony counts in peanuts was accomplished using partial least squares regression (PLSR) and good prediction results were achieved by NIR spectroscopy (rp2 = 0.886, RPD = 3.0, LOD = 0.578 log CFU/g) and E-nose (rp2 = 0.785, RPD = 2.1, LOD = 0.808 log CFU/g). The results demonstrate that both NIR spectroscopy and E-nose methods may offer the feasibility for detection of fungal contamination levels in peanuts. Peanut samples naturally contaminated with various fungus should be incorporated in the future to further verify their ability.

Purpose. Isolating colonies and obtaining accurate colony counts from bacterial cultures are critical steps for the optimal management of infected patients. The uncertainties in the colony count results from the bacterial cultures were evaluated by verifying the performance of the WASP inoculation system according to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 15189 standard. Methodology. We first (i) evaluated the cross-contamination and precision of the WASP instrument (Copan Diagnostics, Italy) and (ii) established enumeration reading grids for urine, swab, bronchopulmonary specimens (BPSs) and catheter tip cultures. Subsequently, 72 clinical samples were tested to compare the results of the WASP, PREVI Isola (bioMerieux, France) and manual inoculation methods. Results. The WASP method did not show cross-contamination. The coefficient of variation for the colony counts in the repeatability experiment was evaluated for 10 µl and 30 µl loop protocols and determined to be 29 and 14 %, respectively. The agreement between the automated and manual methods and between the automated methods for the colony counts was high (94.4 and 100 %, respectively). The WASP method yielded better isolation quality compared to the manual method (P=0.020) and to the PREVI Isola only when polymicrobial specimens were considered (P=0.014). For quantification evaluation, the measurement uncertainty was evaluated to 1.8×103 c.f.u. ml−1 for a suspension of Escherichia coli at 104 c.f.u. ml−1. Conclusion. We report the verification of the performance of the WASP instrument and describe a rapid procedure for achieving semi-quantitative cultures from BPSs and catheter tips. Quantitative interpretation of the bacterial cultures should be performed with caution.

Background: Denture prostheses are significant interventions in oral environment for restoring lost formand function due to tooth loss. Little is known about change in microflora in removable partial denturewearers with age and time since denture delivery. Therefore, the present study was conducted to evaluateand compare the oral microbial flora pre and post insertion of removable partial denture at different timeintervals and age groups.Materials and Method: A sample of 60 patients wearing removable partial denture was included inthe study, 30 of age group 40-50 years (Group 1) and 30 of age group 50-60 years (Group 2).Sample ofunstimulated saliva was collected from the patient’s mouth from the distal most edentulous area using threesterile cotton swabs by one investigator. Colony count and identification of microorganisms was done.Results: The difference among mean colony counts between group 1 and 2 were not statistically significantat any of the three timeintervals. A statistically significant difference in colony counts was seen betweenbaseline, 1 month and 3 months in whole sample as well as both the age groups. Among various aerobicmicroorganisms, Streptococcus mitis, Diphtheroids and Candida Albicanswere the most prevailing aerobicmicro organism after 3 months of denture use, while among anaerobic organisms, Prophyromonasgingivaliswas the most prevalent microorganism after three months.Conclusion: A significant difference in colony count as well as colonizing microorganisms has been foundin the present study. This difference according to time is an important component in the affect of removablepartial denture on oral health of denture wearers. Age group was not a significant factor affecting microbialhealth in RPD wearers.

The aim of the present study was to address method-dependent implications during the quantification of viable Campylobacter coli cells on meat over time. Traditional colony counting on selective and non-selective culture media along with an optimized viability real-time PCR utilizing propidium monoazide-quantitative PCR (PMA-qPCR), spheroplast formation and an internal sample process control (ISPC), were comparatively evaluated for monitoring the survival of C. coli on fresh lamb meat during refrigeration storage under normal atmospheric conditions. On day zero of three independent experiments, lamb meat pieces were artificially inoculated with C. coli and then stored under refrigeration for up to 8 days. Three meat samples were tested on different days and the mean counts were determined per quantification method. An overall reduction of the viable C. coli on lamb meat was observed regardless of the applied quantification scheme, but the rate of reduction followed a method-dependent pattern, the highest being observed for colony counting on modified charcoal cefoperazone deoxycholate agar (mCCDA). Univariate ANOVA indicated that the mean counts of viable C. coli using PMA-qPCR were significantly higher compared to Columbia blood agar (CBA) plating (0.32 log10 cell equivalents, p = 0.015) and significantly lower when mCCDA was compared to CBA plating (0.88 log10 CFU, p < 0.001), indicating that selective culture on mCCDA largely underestimated the number of culturable cells during the course of meat storage. PMA-qPCR outperformed the classical colony counting in terms of quantifying both the culturable and viable but non-culturable (VBNC) C. coli cells, which were generated over time on meat and are potentially infectious and equally important from a public health perspective as their culturable counterparts.

Background: Tuber aestivum Vittad., known as black summer truffle, represents high-value food especially used as garnishment in nouvelle cuisine. The aim of this study was to investigate on the viable microbial populations associated with T. aestivum ascomata collected in different sites of Sicily and one locality of Umbria (Italy). Methods: The ripe ascomata of black summer truffles were collected from Central Italy. Cell densities of spoilage bacteria, fecal indicators, potential pathogens, yeasts, and molds were analyzed. Statistical analysis was conducted with XLSTAT software. Results: The microbiological counts of truffles ranged between 6.00 and 9.63 log Colony Forming Unit (CFU)/g for total mesophilic count and between 6.18 and 8.55 log CFU/g for total psychrotrophic count; pseudomonads were in the range 6.98-9.28 log CFU/g. Listeria spp. and coagulase-positive streptococci detected in no samples. Coagulase-negative streptococci were found in some samples with 2.11-4.76 log CFU/g levels. Yeasts and filamentous fungi were detected at consistent levels of 3.60-7.81 log CFU/g. Significant differences (p

Objectives. The present study evaluated the antimicrobial effects of fissure sealants containing chitosan nanoparticles. Materials and Methods. Antibacterial effect of Master Dent fissure sealant alone and after incorporating chitosan nanoparticles was evaluated on Streptococcus mutans, sanguis, and Lactobacillus acidophilus. Biofilm growth was evaluated by determining colony counts. Antimicrobial effect was determined on days 3, 15, and 30 by counting microbial colonies using eluted components test. One-way ANOVA, Tukey HSD tests, t test, and two-way ANOVA were used for statistical analyses (α = 0.05). Results. Biofilm inhibition test showed that fissure sealant containing 1 wt.% chitosan decreased colony counts significantly ( P < 0.05 ). Eluted components test with S. mutans and sanguis showed significant decrease in colony counts during the first 15 days in chitosan containing group; however, from day 30, antimicrobial activity decreased noticeably, with no significant difference from control group ( P > 0.05 ). Antimicrobial activity against L. acidophilus was maintained in chitosan group up to 30 days, and decrease in colony counts was significant ( P < 0.05 ). Conclusion. According to the results of this study, incorporation of 1 wt.% chitosan into fissure sealant induced an antimicrobial activity. Antibacterial effect on L. acidophilus persisted for longer time (30 days) compared to the two other bacterial species (15 days).

Game meat production strongly differs from that of other meats, as peculiar factors present in the field and in the steps prior to transfer to a game-handling establishment can influence the hygiene of the carcasses and, therefore, of the meat. The effects of such factors were considered in hunted wild boars based on the main hygienic criteria adopted in meat processing. Environmental, animal, and hunting conditions were studied during two selective hunting seasons in Central Italy. A total of 120 hunted wild boar carcasses were sampled after the skinning process and analyzed for aerobic colony count, Enterobacteriaceae count, and Salmonella spp. isolation. The calculated mean values for aerobic colony and Enterobacteriaceae counts were 3.66 and 2.05 CFU/cm2, respectively, in line with the limits set for the meat of other ungulates by EU legislation. Salmonella spp. showed a prevalence of 2.5% (IC 95%: 1.72–3.27%). Statistical analysis of the data performed with the AIC criterion showed that the main parameter to consider for improving the hygienic level of carcasses is to reduce the time in the refrigerator before skinning, followed by hunting on cold days (&lt, 10 °C) without rain, hunting animals &lt, 60 kg, and reducing the time between shooting and evisceration.

Current method for obtaining microbial colonies still relies on traditional dilution and spreading plate (DSP) procedures, which is labor-intensive, skill-dependent, low-throughput and inevitably causing dilution-to-extinction of rare microorganisms. Herein, we proposed a novel ultrasonic spraying inoculation (USI) method that disperses microbial suspensions into millions of aerosols containing single cells, which lately be deposited freely on a gel plate to achieve high-throughput culturing of colonies. Compared with DSP, USI significantly increased both distributing uniformity and throughput of the colonies on agar plates, improving the minimal colony-forming abundance of rare Escherichia coli mixed in a lake sample from 1% to 0.01%. Applying this novel USI to a lake sample, 16 cellulose-degrading colonies were screened out among 4766 colonies on an enlarged 150-mm-diameter LB plate. Meanwhile, they could only be occasionally observed when using commonly used DSP procedures. 16S rRNA sequencing further showed that USI increased colony-forming species from 11 (by DSP) to 23, including seven completely undetectable microorganisms in DSP-reared communities. In addition to avoidance of dilution-to-extinction, operation-friendly USI efficiently inoculated microbial samples on the agar plate in a high-throughput and single-cell form, which eliminated masking or out-competition from other species in associated groups, thereby improving rare species cultivability.

Risk categorisation of abattoirs based on their hygiene process performances has been suggested as an essential component of a risk-based meat safety assurance system. Two large-scale and two small-scale poultry abattoirs, located in Serbia, were subjects of the study aiming to investigate the usefulness of testing for pathogens and indicator microorganisms for abattoir risk categorisation. Fifty pooled samples of neck skins from chilled broiler carcasses were taken during two sampling days in each abattoir. The samples were tested for aerobic colony count (ACC), Enterobacteriaceae count (EBC), Escherichia coli count (ECC), Campylobacter count and Salmonella presence. Abattoirs were categorised as low, medium or high risk based on criteria set by regulation for pathogens and criteria set by authors for indicator microorganisms considering differences between poultry and red meat carcass processing. The two large abattoirs were categorised as medium risk, while the two small abattoirs were categorised as high risk regarding the three groups of indicator microorganisms. On the other hand, risk categorisation regarding the two pathogens was different − the two large and one of the small abattoirs were categorised as high risk, while the other small abattoir was categorised as low risk. No statistical association between the count of any indicator and Campylobacter count was found. Only a very weak statistical association was found between indicator counts and Salmonella presence on chilled carcasses. The level of indicators on chilled carcasses is mainly related to abattoir process hygiene, while the presence of pathogens on chilled carcasses could be considerably affected by their pre-abattoir status. Therefore, risk categorisation of poultry abattoirs based on ACC, EBC and/or ECC merits further investigation and standardisation.

Introduction Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common in low socioeconomic country like Pakistan. There are various factors responsible for UTI, one major factor being diabetes. This study aims to compare diabetic and non-diabetic patients, for gender association, symptoms, and organisms, with UTI. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in the medicine ward of tertiary care hospital in Pakistan from January 2019 to December 2019. For urine analysis, freshly voided 5-10 ml of clean midstream urine specimens was collected in a sterile container. Samples were sent to the lab immediately, A colony count of ≥105 CFU/ml was considered for the diagnosis of UTI. Culture was done if UTI was diagnosed. Results The overall incidence of UTI in participants of the diabetic group was significantly higher than those in the non-diabetic group (13.67% vs 6.40%; P=0.004). Escherichia coli was the most common organism in both the diabetic and non-diabetic groups (60% vs 72%; P=0.73). Frequency of Klebsiella was considerably higher in the participants of diabetes but it was not significant (23.3% vs 11.1%; P=0.29). Conclusion UTI was significantly higher in the diabetic population compared to the non-diabetic population. Since diabetes is prevalent in Pakistan, care of diabetes should include reducing the risk factors for UTI.

Due to many cases of antibiotic resistance in typhoid fever, efforts have been made to combine antibiotic therapy or active compounds with herbs. Curcumin is an active compound found in herbal plants. Curcumin has an antimicrobial effect; through binding to vitamin D receptors as a ligand, this increases the expression of mRNA CAMP gene and eradicates bacteria. 25 Adult balb/c mice, aged 8-12 weeks and weighing 30-40 grams, were induced with S. Typhi via intraperitoneal. They were randomly allocated in equal blocks to receive CM200 (Curcumin 200 mg/kg), CM400 (Curcumin 400 mg/kg), CM200+Vit.D(Curcumin 200 mg/kg with Vitamin D), positive control or negative control for 5 days. Mice were then maintained for 3 weeks to determine the amount of colony in the post-intervention period and the level of mRNA CAMP gene. Real time PCR was used to measure the expression of CAMP gene. The level of mRNA gene CAMP expression significantly increased in CM200 (2.01±0.75) and CM400 (4.06±0.68), pdifference< 0.0001. The highest increase of CAMP gene expression was observed in CM200+Vit.D(5.47±0.53), pdifference< 0.0001. Curcumin increased the mRNA expression of CAMP gene.

A total of 80 random samples of freshly slaughtered and chilled broiler chicken carcasses (40 of each) were collected from different private small-scale manual poultry processing shops and local retailers in Port Said Province-Egypt during the period extended from January to May 2020. All samples were subjected to bacteriological examination to evaluate the quality and safety of dressed chicken carcasses. The obtained results revealed that the incidence rates of Escherichia coli, salmonella and campylobacter in the examined freshly slaughtered broiler chicken carcasses samples were 65%, 50%, and 55%, respectively, while the aerobic colony counts ranged from 1.5 × 105 to1.1 × 106, with a mean value of 3.2 × 105± 4.2 × 104cfu/cm2, respectively. Meanwhile, the incidence rates of E. coli, salmonella and campylobacter in the examined air chilled broiler chicken carcasses samples were 75%, 35%, and 40%, respectively, and the aerobic colony counts were ranged from 3 × 106 to 1.9 × 108, with a mean value of 4.1 × 107± 1.1 × 107cfu/cm2, respectively. From the obtained results, it was concluded that dressed freshly slaughtered and air chilled broiler chicken carcasses could be contaminated with a variety of bacteria which reflected the standard of hygiene under which these carcasses were slaughtered, handled and stored in addition to the probable public health hazards.

The study evaluated the drinking water quality from 45 public schools in the city of Curitiba, Brazil. Water samples were harvested from two different points at each school: the first one, drinking fountain used by students (n=45) and the second, kitchen faucet (n=45), comprising 90 samples. The samples were submitted to analysis according to current legislation, such as: dosage of free chlorine; colony counts of heterotrophic bacteria; presence of total coliform bacteria and Escherichia coli. In addition, an enterococci analysis was also included as a complementary microbiological indicator of fecal contamination. The isolated strains of enterococci were identified and submitted to an antibiotic susceptibility test. In relation to the legal parameters, 35.5% (n=16) of the 45 schools evaluated did not meet the quality water standards set by the Brazilian legislation. Although none of the 90 samples exhibited the presence Escherichia coli, 6.6% (n=6) of the analyzed samples presented enterococci contamination. Regarding the antibiotic susceptibility test, the isolated strains demonstrated a similar behavior, became resistant to six antibiotics and had intermediate sensitivity to one (Streptomycin) of the nine antibiotics tested. The drinking water destined for human consumption in the public schools may pose health risks for students since the fecal contamination by enterococci was confirmed, and it could be observed that the water may be a source of genes from bacteria resistant to antimicrobials. This study reinforces the importance of monitoring complementary microbiological indicators to assure water quality, seeing that fecal contamination was detected only when alternative parameters were inserted, emphasizing the relevance of including microbiological indicators beyond what the legislation requires to evaluate the drinking water more effectively and to safeguard public health. Resumo O estudo avaliou a qualidade da água potável de 45 escolas públicas na cidade de Curitiba, Brasil. Amostras de água foram coletadas de dois pontos diferentes de cada escola: o bebedouro utilizado pelos alunos (n = 45) e a torneira da cozinha (n = 45), totalizando 90 amostras. As amostras foram submetidas à análise de parâmetros legais: dosagem de cloro livre, contagem de bactérias heterotróficas, presença de coliformes totais e Escherichia coli. Além disso, a análise de enterococos também foi incluída como um indicador microbiológico complementar de contaminação fecal. As cepas de enterococos isolados foram identificadas e submetidas ao teste de sensibilidade a antibióticos. Em relação aos parâmetros legais, 35,5% (n = 16) das 45 escolas avaliadas não atenderam aos padrões de qualidade da água da legislação brasileira. Embora nenhuma das 90 amostras exibisse a presença de Escherichia coli, observou-se que 6,6% (n = 6) das amostras analisadas apresentaram contaminação por enterococos. No teste de sensibilidade aos antibióticos, as cepas isoladas demonstraram um comportamento semelhante, apresentando resistência a seis antibióticos e sensibilidade intermediária a um (estreptomicina). A água potável destinada ao consumo humano nas escolas públicas pode representar um risco à saúde dos estudantes, uma vez que a contaminação fecal por enterococos foi confirmada e considerada uma fonte de genes com resistência a antimicrobianos que podem ser facilmente disseminados para outras pessoas. Este estudo reforça a importância do monitoramento de indicadores microbiológicos complementares para garantir a qualidade da água, uma vez que a contaminação fecal foi detectada apenas quando parâmetros alternativos foram inseridos, enfatizando sua relevância para avaliar a água de maneira mais eficaz e salvaguardar a saúde pública.

This study aimed to compare the efficacy of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) irrigating solution alone and following activation with photon-induced photoacoustic streaming (PIPS), photodynamic therapy (PDT) with indocyanine green (ICG), passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI), and manual dynamic activation (MDA) method for elimination of Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) from the root canal system. A total of 59 extracted human single-rooted teeth were collected and prepared. E. faecalis was inoculated into the root canals and incubated for 4 weeks. The teeth were then randomly divided into five experimental groups (n = 10): the AN group, irrigation with AgNPs alone; the AN/ICG/DL group, irrigation with AgNPs and ICG, then activation with diode laser; the AN/PIPS group, irrigation with AgNPs and activation with 0.3 W Er: YAG laser; the AN/MDA group, irrigation with AgNPs and activation with tapered gutta-percha; and the AN/PUI group, irrigation with AgNPs and activation with ultrasonic. Also, two control groups of irrigation with 2.5% sodium hypochlorite (n = 5) and no intervention (n = 4) were also used. Samples were collected from the dentinal chips before and after the intervention, and the percentage of reduction in colony count was calculated. A significant reduction in E. faecalis colony count was noted in all groups (P < 0.05). Maximum reduction in colony count was noted in AN/PIPS and AN/PUI groups by 91.03 and 91.29%, respectively. Minimum reduction was noted in the AN group alone. Activation with PUI and PIPS enhanced the efficacy of AgNPs irrigating solution for elimination of E. faecalis from the root canal system. AgNPs activated by ultrasound or PIPS can be used as an adjunct for disinfection of the root canal system in endodontic treatment.

Background: Controlling and reducing the food-borne illnesses remain one of the most challenging problems encountered by food authorities worldwide. This study was conducted to assess the microbiological quality of chicken breast, chicken liver, local and imported offal, and ground beef meat products sold in the Lebanese retail market. Methods: Thirty-five chicken breast and liver samples produced by ISO 22000 certified and non-certified companies were purchased from the market. Chicken samples were tested for Total Aerobic Count (TAC), Total Coliforms (TC), Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp., and Listeria monocytogenes. Twenty offal and ground beef meat samples were collected as sold in bulk from the market and were analyzed for Escherichia coli O157:H7. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS statistical software v. 23.0. Results: The results showed that 20, 100, 20, 80, and 0% of the analyzed chicken breast samples were rejected for TAC, TC, S. aureus, Salmonella spp., and L. monocytogenes, respectively. For chicken liver samples, 100% of the samples were rejected for TC and Salmonella spp., while all the samples were accepted for TAC, S. aureus, and L. monocytogenes. E. coli O157:H7 was absent in all meat samples. Conclusion: Some chicken samples from both certified and non-certified suppliers exceeded the standard upper limits showing hygienic concerns; whereas meat products were safe for consumption regarding the pathogenic E. coli O157:H7.

Markers for preoperative skin marking are used several times and bear a risk of transmitting bacteria. Bacterial contamination was assessed by sonication and culture. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) was performed for facultative pathogens to assess multi-drug resistance (MDR). An accelerated failure time model was applied to assess the statistical relationship between the bacterial contamination and the filling status of markers. Of 45 markers, 13 had a colony count

Automation of the clinical microbiology laboratory has become more prominent as laboratories face higher specimen volumes and understaffing and are becoming more consolidated. One recent advancement is the use of digital image analysis to rapidly distinguish between chromogenic growth for screening bacterial cultures. In this study, colony segregation software developed by Copan (Brescia, Italy) was evaluated to distinguish between significant growth and no growth of urine cultures plated onto standard blood and MacConkey agars. Specimens from 3 sites were processed on a WASP instrument (Copan) and incubated on the WASPLab platform (Copan), and plates were imaged at 0 and 24 hours postinoculation. Images were read by technologists following validated laboratory protocols (VLPs), and results were recorded in the laboratory information systems (LIS). Image analysis performed colony counts on the 24-hour images, and results were compared with the VLP. A total of 12,931 urine cultures were tested and analyzed with an overall sensitivity and specificity of 99.8% and 72.0%, respectively. After secondary review, 91.1% of manual-positive/automation-negative specimens were due to expert rules that reported the plate as contaminated or growing only normal flora and not due to threshold counts. Nine specimens were found to be manual-positive/automation-negative; a secondary review demonstrated that the results of 8 of these specimens were due to growth of microcolonies that were programmed to be ignored by the software and 1 were due to a colony count near the limit of significance. Overall, the image analysis software proved to be highly sensitive and can be utilized by laboratories to batch-review negative cultures to improve laboratory workflow.