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Characterization of Foodborne Pathogens: From Virulence Factors and Toxins Genes...
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Characterization of Foodborne Pathogens: From Virulence Factors and Toxins Genes to Antibiotic Resistance and Typing Schema by Classical Methods up to Whole-Genome Sequencing

A special issue of Pathogens (ISSN 2076-0817). This special issue belongs to the section "Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (29 February 2024) | Viewed by 8539

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Angelo Romano

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Veterinary Medical Research Institute for Piedmont, Liguria and the Aosta Valley, 10154 Turin, Italy
Interests: whole genome sequencing; molecular typing; food-borne pathogens; food-borne outbreak; Staphylococcus aureus; Enterotoxigenic bacteria

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Foodborne Outbreaks (FBO) are often caused by consuming food contaminated by bacteria and/or their toxins, only in USA that there are about 48 million cases of foodborne illness each year with an impressive number of hospitalizations and deaths. The pathogen characterization, starting from classical microbiological up to the most recent sequencing methods, could help in preventing and resolving FBOs. The need for standardization and open access to characterization methods and interpretations are fundamental to be more efficient in the prevention and resolution of new outbreaks.

Whole Genome Sequencing technologies (WGS) are being used either in the characterization of isolates and whole genomic multi locus sequence typing (wgMLST) are used to type the strain to identify similarities by generating a phylogenetic tree or in the identification of microbial population associated with a particular food or food process environment.

The focus of this Special Issue is to address the most recent trends in the application of characterization technologies to foodborne pathogens for ensuring food safety.

In this Special Issue, we would to encompass well-known foodborne pathogens in addition to emerging foodborne pathogens.

The final aim of this Special Issue is to assemble a collection of research articles, reviews and case reports that highlight the advancements in the use of characterization of Foodborne Pathogens by classical methods up to whole-genome sequencing.

For this purpose, we cordially invite you to submit articles related to the various aspects of Food-Borne Pathogens like epidemiology, virulence factors, toxins and antibiotic resistance genes, typing schema by classical methods and with whole-genome sequencing.

Dr. Angelo Romano
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pathogens is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Food-Borne Pathogens
  • Food-Borne outbreak
  • microbiology characterization
  • molecular characterization
  • Whole Genome Sequencing

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 1848 KiB  
Article
A Whole Genome Sequencing-Based Epidemiological Investigation of a Pregnancy-Related Invasive Listeriosis Case in Central Italy
by Valeria Russini, Martina Spaziante, Bianca Maria Varcasia, Elena Lavinia Diaconu, Piermichele Paolillo, Simonetta Picone, Grazia Brunetti, Daniela Mattia, Angela De Carolis, Francesco Vairo, Teresa Bossù, Stefano Bilei and Maria Laura De Marchis
Pathogens 2022, 11(6), 667; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pathogens11060667 - 8 Jun 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2562
Abstract
Listeriosis is currently the fifth most common foodborne disease in Europe. Most cases are sporadic; however, outbreaks have also been reported. Compared to other foodborne infections, listeriosis has a modest incidence but can cause life-threatening complications, especially in elderly or immunocompromised people and [...] Read more.
Listeriosis is currently the fifth most common foodborne disease in Europe. Most cases are sporadic; however, outbreaks have also been reported. Compared to other foodborne infections, listeriosis has a modest incidence but can cause life-threatening complications, especially in elderly or immunocompromised people and pregnant women. In the latter case, the pathology can be the cause of premature birth or spontaneous abortion, especially if the fetus is affected during the first months of gestation. The causative agent of listeriosis, Listeria monocytogenes, is characterized by the innate ability to survive in the environment and in food, even in adverse conditions and for long periods. Ready-to-eat food represents the category most at risk for contracting listeriosis. This study presents the result of an investigation carried out on a case of maternal-fetal transmission of listeriosis which occurred in 2020 in central Italy and which was linked, with a retrospective approach, to other cases residing in the same city of the pregnant woman. Thanks to the use of next-generation sequencing methodologies, it was possible to identify an outbreak of infection, linked to the consumption of ready-to-eat sliced products sold in a supermarket in the investigated city. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Characterization of Foodborne Pathogens: From Virulence Factors and Toxins Genes to Antibiotic Resistance and Typing Schema by Classical Methods up to Whole-Genome Sequencing)
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19 pages, 1500 KiB  
Article
Staphylococcus aureus in Intensive Pig Production in South Africa: Antibiotic Resistance, Virulence Determinants, and Clonality
by Ncomeka Sineke, Jonathan Asante, Daniel Gyamfi Amoako, Akebe Luther King Abia, Keith Perrett, Linda A. Bester and Sabiha Y. Essack
Pathogens 2021, 10(3), 317; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pathogens10030317 - 8 Mar 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2736
Abstract
Although Staphylococcus aureus is a major threat to the veterinary, agricultural, and public health sectors because of its zoonotic potential, studies on its molecular characterisation in intensive animal production are rare. We phenotypically and genotypically characterised antibiotic-resistant S. aureus in intensive pig production [...] Read more.
Although Staphylococcus aureus is a major threat to the veterinary, agricultural, and public health sectors because of its zoonotic potential, studies on its molecular characterisation in intensive animal production are rare. We phenotypically and genotypically characterised antibiotic-resistant S. aureus in intensive pig production in South Africa, using the farm-to-fork approach. Samples (n = 461) were collected from the farm, transport vehicles, and the abattoir using the World Health Organisation on Integrated Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance (WHO-AGISAR) sampling protocol. Bacteria were isolated using selective media and identified using biochemical tests and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Phenotypic resistance was determined using the disk diffusion method. Selected resistance and virulence genes were investigated using PCR. Clonality among the isolates was determined using the repetitive element sequence-PCR. In all, 333 presumptive staphylococcal isolates were obtained, with 141/333 (42.3%) identified as staphylococci biochemically. Ninety-seven (97; 68.8%) were confirmed as S. aureus using PCR, 52.6% of which were identified as methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) through the mecA gene. All the 97 S. aureus isolates (100%) were resistant to at least one of the antibiotics tested, with the highest resistance observed against erythromycin and clindamycin (84.50% each), and the lowest observed against amikacin (2.10%); 82.47% (80/97) were multidrug-resistant with an average multiple antibiotic resistance index of 0.50. Most of the phenotypically resistant isolates carried at least one of the corresponding resistance genes tested, ermC being the most detected. hla was the most detected virulence gene (38.14%) and etb was the least (1.03%). Genetic fingerprinting revealed diverse MRSA isolates along the farm-to-fork continuum, the major REP types consisting of isolates from different sources suggesting a potential transmission along the continuum. Resistance to antibiotics used as growth promoters was evidenced by the high prevalence of MDR isolates with elevated multiple antibiotic resistance indices >0.2, specifically at the farm, indicating exposure to high antibiotic use environments, necessitating antibiotic stewardship and proper infection control measures in pig husbandry and intensive pig production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Characterization of Foodborne Pathogens: From Virulence Factors and Toxins Genes to Antibiotic Resistance and Typing Schema by Classical Methods up to Whole-Genome Sequencing)
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11 pages, 2171 KiB  
Case Report
First Report of Food Poisoning Due to Staphylococcal Enterotoxin Type B in Döner Kebab (Italy)
by Angelo Romano, Simona Carrella, Sara Rezza, Yacine Nia, Jacques Antoine Hennekinne, Daniela Manila Bianchi, Francesca Martucci, Fabio Zuccon, Margherita Gulino, Carmela Di Mari, Teresa Zaccaria and Lucia Decastelli
Pathogens 2023, 12(9), 1139; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/pathogens12091139 - 6 Sep 2023
Viewed by 2183
Abstract
Staphylococcal food poisoning results from the consumption of food contaminated by staphylococcal enterotoxins. In July 2022, the Turin local health board was notified of a suspected foodborne outbreak involving six children who had consumed döner kebab purchased from a takeaway restaurant. The symptoms [...] Read more.
Staphylococcal food poisoning results from the consumption of food contaminated by staphylococcal enterotoxins. In July 2022, the Turin local health board was notified of a suspected foodborne outbreak involving six children who had consumed döner kebab purchased from a takeaway restaurant. The symptoms (vomiting and nausea) were observed 2–3 h later. A microbiological analysis of the food samples revealed high levels (1.5 × 107 CFU/g) of coagulase-positive staphylococci (CPS). The immunoassay detected a contamination with staphylococcal enterotoxins type B (SEB). The whole genome sequencing of isolates from the food matrix confirmed the staphylococcal enterotoxin genes encoding for type B, which was in line with the SEB detected in the food. This toxin is rarely reported in staphylococcal food poisoning, however, because there is no specific commercial method of detection. The involvement of enterotoxin type P (SEP) was not confirmed, though the corresponding gene (sep) was detected in the isolates. Nasal swabs from the restaurant food handlers tested positive for CPS, linking them to the likely source of the food contamination. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Characterization of Foodborne Pathogens: From Virulence Factors and Toxins Genes to Antibiotic Resistance and Typing Schema by Classical Methods up to Whole-Genome Sequencing)
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