Comparison of certain microbial counting methods which are currently commonly used in the soaking process

This study examines the interrelation of the test methods which are commonly applied in the leather industry for hide or skin soaking. For this purpose, five different bactericides were given during the soaking processes and after the presoaking process. The processes were measured at the first 20th min, 24th and 48th h. For this purpose, two different ATP test kits, dip slide and agar pour plate method were used in order to determine the microorganism load as RLU (Relative Light Units) or CFU (Colony Forming Units)/ml. The values with all methods were identified as highly different from each other, while the statistical analyses indicated positive Pearson correlation coefficients especially between the 24th and 48th h measurements. The appearance of a positive correlation between the different methodsunder constant conditions implied the effectiveness of the bactericides to the customer at the factory environment. The ATP test method and dip slide methods that are commonly used in the market are correct and convenient methods offered by some companies

Human Pathogen Shown to Cause Disease in the Threatened Eklhorn Coral Acropora palmata

Coral reefs are in severe decline. Infections by the human pathogen Serratia marcescens have contributed to precipitous losses in the common Caribbean elkhorn coral, Acropora palmata, culminating in its listing under the United States Endangered Species Act. During a 2003 outbreak of this coral disease, called acroporid serratiosis (APS), a unique strain of the pathogen, Serratia marcescens strain PDR60, was identified from diseased A. palmata, human wastewater, the non-host coral Siderastrea siderea and the corallivorous snail Coralliophila abbreviata. In order to examine humans as a source and other marine invertebrates as vectors and/or reservoirs of the APS pathogen, challenge experiments were conducted with A. palmata maintained in closed aquaria to determine infectivity of strain PDR60 from reef and wastewater sources. Strain PDR60 from wastewater and diseased A. palmata caused disease signs in elkhorn coral in as little as four and five days, respectively, demonstrating that wastewater is a definitive source of APS and identifying human strain PDR60 as a coral pathogen through fulfillment of Koch's postulates. A. palmata inoculated with strain PDR60 from C. abbreviata showed limited virulence, with one of three inoculated fragments developing APS signs within 13 days. Strain PDR60 from non-host coral S. siderea showed a delayed pathogenic effect, with disease signs developing within an average of 20 days. These results suggest that C. abbreviata and non-host corals may function as reservoirs or vectors of the APS pathogen. Our results provide the first example of a marine “reverse zoonosis” involving the transmission of a human pathogen (S. marcescens) to a marine invertebrate (A. palmata). These findings underscore the interaction between public health practices and environmental health indices such as coral reef survival

Ecological and innovative fungicide for the leather industry: Essential oil of Origanum minutiflorum

WOS: 000236266100003Origanum minutiflorum (oregano) is an endemic species in Turkiye, from which essential oil is produced from its leaves and flowering tops by steam distillation. The antimicrobial activity of essential oil is known for years and many studies concerning its applications on different fields (medical science, pharmacy, food industry, etc.) have been carried out due to its advantages of being natural and nonmutagenic. The objective of this study was to examine the applicability of Origganum minutiflorum essential oil as a fungicide against fungus that grows on leather during the pickling and tanning processes. In the study, 2-Thiocyano-methylthlobenzotiazole (TCMTB) and N-octyl-isothiazolinone (N-OITZ) containing commercial fungicides were also used as controls. During the microbiologic tests, the Growth Of Mould species like Aspergillus niger, Alternaria alternata, Penicillium rubrum and Trichoderma viride that cause problems in leather industry were also investigated against this essential oil and the fungicides. The results of this Study show that oregano essential oil has antifungal activity and its effect improves with increasing concentration. Comparison of the experimental results reveals that leather treated with oregano essential oil is even more resistant against test moulds than leather treated with commercial fungicide at their recommended dosage