Atividade antibacteriana do óleo essencial de origanum vulgare frente a staphylococcus sp. Isolados do queijo minas artesanal / Antibacterial activity of origanum vulgare essential oil in front of staphylococcus sp. Isolates of minas artesanal cheese

 O orégano (Origanum vulgare) é um condimento advindo do mediterrâneo muito utilizado na culinária com diversas propriedades terapêuticas conhecidas. O óleo essencial do orégano apresenta compostos fenólicos com propriedades medicinais bem conhecidas como a antimicrobiana e antioxidante apresentando o carvacrol e p-cimeno como seus principais constituintes. Realizou-se no presente trabalho, o estudo da capacidade bactericida e bacteriostática do óleo essencial do orégano frente a Staphylococcus sp. isolados do queijo. Extraiu-se o óleo essencial pelo método de hidrodestilação. O teste de sensibilidade ao óleo essencial de orégano foi realizado em duplicata. Para a definição da CIM foram preparados tubos nas diluições de 133,3 µl/mL, 66,6 µl/ml, 33,3 µl/ml, 16,6 µl/mL e 8,3 µl/mL, além dos controles positivos e negativos. Na concentração de 133,3 µl/ml não houve crescimento microbiano. Após a leitura da CIM, na concentração em que houve resultado negativo (isto é, não houve crescimento bacteriano por inibição do óleo), retirou-se uma alíquota de seus tubos para definição da CBM. Realizou-se o teste de difusão em disco também com antibióticos convencionais e leitura dos halos de ambas as placas, além da leitura do CBM. Os resultados foram efetivos e satisfatórios na concentração de 133,3 uL/mL tanto para a ação bacteriostática quanto bactericida frente a Staphylococcus sp. isolado do Queijo e S. aureus ATCC

Invasive Species in the Amazon

One of the main reasons for environmental disturbances such as declination in pasture productivity and biodiversity losses is the high infestation of herbaceous weeds, generally referred to as “Juquira” in the Amazon region. If they are not adequately controlled, such infestation might lead to degradation of pasture, resulting in complete loss of productivity and subsequent abandonment of the area. In this sense, this chapter aims to describe the main invasive species present in the Amazon region, as well as to characterize both the old and innovative techniques of use in agriculture, in large and small scale, for the control of agricultural pests

Antioxidant activity of essential oils from condiment plants and their effect on lactic cultures and pathogenic bacteria

ABSTRACT: Studies about preservative and antioxidant activity of essential oils have been encouraged in recent years, given their importance to food industry. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the antioxidant properties and antimicrobial activity of essential oils deriving from Syzygium aromaticum, Cymbopogon citratus and Lippia alba against lactic and pathogenic bacteria responsible for food-borne diseases. Essential oil antibacterial activity was assessed through disc diffusion and macrodilution tests conducted in a mixed lactic culture of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus (YF-L903) and of Escherichia coli (ATCC 8739), Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538), Salmonella enterica (ATCC 6017) strains. Based on the chromatographic analysis results, the essential oils shown to be composed of eugenol (79.41%) which was the prevalent compound in S. aromaticum, geranial (31.89%), neral (24.52%) and β-myrcene (25.37%) in C. citratus, as well as of geranial (33.80%) and neral (25.63%) in L. alba. The observed antibacterial activity confirmed the dose-dependent effect of these three oils on all the assessed bacteria; there was halo inhibition at concentration 20μL mL-1. The essential oil of S. aromaticum presented better antioxidant activity, with IC50 equal to 5.76μg mL-1 and antioxidant activity index of 6.94, and it was considered strong (AAI>2.0) in comparison to the other evaluated oils. This essential oil also presented excellent antioxidant activity at concentrations lower than the one required to inhibit lactic cultures. Based in this outcome, the essential oil from S. aromaticum can be used as preservative agent in processed food whose formulation presents lactic cultures

Atividade antisséptica do óleo essencial de Lippia origanoides Cham. (Alecrim-pimenta) na presença de leite bovino

Resumo: Objetivou-se determinar atividade antisséptica do óleo essencial de Lippia origanoides na presença de leite bovino. A composição química do óleo essencial de alecrim pimenta foi determinada por cromatografia gasosa acoplada à espectrometria de massas (CG-EM), sendo detectados 53 compostos, dos quais 16 foram identificados (>0,1% área total). O carvacrol (32,7%), p-cimeno (23%), timilmetil éter, cariofileno (7,98%) e o γ-terpineno (5,40%) foram os componentes mais abundantes. A concentração inibitória mínima para Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 e E. coli ATCC 8739 foi de 60μL/mL, enquanto para Salmonella Choleraesuis ATCC 35640 foi de 90μL/mL. A concentração bactericida mínima foi de 120μL/mL para as três bactérias. Avaliou-se a atividade antisséptica do óleo essencial na concentração de 120μL/mL na presença de leite bovino sobre as mesmas cepas bacterianas. O óleo em estudo apresentou efeito inibitório do crescimento das cepas em diferentes tempos de ação (p<0,05). S. aureus apresentou maiores índices de inibição após 5 min de contato e Escherichia coli e Salmonella Choleraesuis após 15 min. O óleo essencial de alecrim-pimenta revelou ser um potencial antimicrobiano natural, mesmo na presença de matéria orgânica constituída de uma matriz nutricional complexa que é o leite bovino

Characterization and molecular epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus strains resistant to beta-lactams isolated from the milk of cows diagnosed with subclinical mastitis

Background and Aim: The term ESKAPE, recognized by the WHO, is an acronym, which refers to the pathogens Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter spp., which is extremely virulent and multidrug-resistant. Although the term is used to designate nosocomial pathogens, in a milking environment, strains of Methicillin-resistant S. aureus have been isolated from cattle diagnosed with clinical and subclinical mastitis. Resistant strains may be involved in the transfer of genes conferring resistance to beta-lactam antimicrobials among the species of microorganisms related to mastitis etiology. This study aimed to trace the phenotypic and genotypic profiles of susceptibility to beta-lactams in S. aureus isolated from milk of cattle diagnosed with subclinical mastitis obtained from different rural properties located in the North of Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Materials and Methods: Sixteen microorganisms previously identified as S. aureus isolated from milk of cattle diagnosed with subclinical mastitis were submitted to matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF), mass spectrometry, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis for microbial species confirmation. The S. aureus beta-lactams antimicrobial phenotypic resistance profile was investigated by disk diffusion method. PCR methods were also performed to investigate the S. aureus genotypic beta-lactams resistance profile. For this purpose, blaZ, mecA, mecALGA251, blaOxa23, and blaKPC genes were screened among S. aureus isolates. The genetic diversity of S. aureus by fingerprint random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR was also performed in this study. Results: All isolates showed phenotypic resistance to at least three beta-lactams, among which was meropenem. None of the isolates tested positive for the genes mecALGA251, blaOxa23, and blaKPC; however, the presence of the genes blaZ and mecA was detected among the isolates. The fingerprint analysis divided isolates into two distinct groups and 15 different subgroups. Despite the presence of clonality among the isolates, the PCR-RAPD analysis unveiled a heterogeneous profile with genetic diversity among the S. aureus isolates. Conclusion: In this study, we identified beta-lactams resistant S. aureus strains isolated from the milk of cows diagnosed with subclinical mastitis. The S. aureus beta-lactams resistance was investigated using a phenotypic and genotypic approach. We believe that molecular epidemiology, improved knowledge, and genetic basis of resistance to beta-lactams might assist in asserting guidelines for better management practices of dealing with subclinical mastitis and mapping of origin of resistant pathogens in the studied Brazilian area

Efficacy of novel antiseptic product containing essential oil of Lippia origanoides to reduce intramammary infections in cows

Background and Aim: The use of antimicrobials in the control of mastitis is of concern in public health due to their inefficiency in targeting microorganisms. Studies with medicinal plants have risen as an alternative to the use of conventional products. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of an experimental disinfectant based on the essential oil (EO) from Lippia origanoides in preventing the development of new intramammary infections (IMI) in Holstein cows. Materials and Methods: The conventional protocol of pre- and post-milking was used and the control (Conventional treatment [CNV]) and experimental (Experimental treatment [PEX]) products containing EO at 120 μL/mL were applied by immersion. Individual milk samples were analyzed using sheep blood agar methodologies and biochemical tests. The efficiency of the treatment was defined by the presence or absence of Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, and Streptococcus spp. Results: There were no clinical and subclinical mastitis cases, no lesions in the mucosal of teats, nor dirt score between groups in this study. Both treatments did not influence the occurrence of IMI. Conclusion: The results revealed that PEX acts efficiently against microorganisms compared to the disinfection by the conventional product demonstrating the efficacy of the alternative product on the prevention of new IMIs in dairy cows

Serological markers of recent Campylobacter jejuni infection in patients with Guillain–Barré Syndrome in the State of Piauí, Brazil, 2014–2016

The Instituto Evandro Chagas provided a grant for this study, as well as Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientíıfico e Tecnológico (CNPq) and Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Piauí (FAPEPI).Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil / Teresina Municipal Health Secretariat. Department of Health Surveillance. Teresina, PI, Brazil / Piauí State Health Secretariat. Natan Portella Institute of Tropical Medicine. Teresina, PI, Brazil.Piauí State Health Secretariat. Department of Health Surveillance. Teresina, PI, Brazil.Teresina Municipal Health Secretariat. Department of Health Surveillance. Teresina, PI, Brazil / Piauí State Health Secretariat. Natan Portella Institute of Tropical Medicine. Teresina, PI, Brazil.Novafapi University. Medicine School. Teresina, PI, Brazil.Piauí State University Hospital. Department of Health Surveillance. Teresina, PI, Brazil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Piauí State Health Secretariat. Natan Portella Institute of Tropical Medicine. Teresina, PI, Brazil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Federal University of Piauí. Department of Mother and Child Health. Teresina, PI, Brazil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.In countries where poliomyelitis has been eradicated, Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) is the leading cause of acute flaccid paralysis. The range of infections that precede GBS in Brazil is unknown. Campylobacter jejuni infection is the most frequent trigger of GBS worldwide. Given the lack of systematic surveillance of diarrheal diseases, particularly in adults, the incidence of enteritis caused by C. jejuni in developing countries is unknown. From 2014 to 2016, pretreatment serum samples from 63 GBS patients were tested by immunoglobulin M (IgM) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for C. jejuni. Campylobacter jejuni IgM antibodies were detected in 17% (11/63) of the samples. There was no association between serological positivity (IgM) for C. jejuni and the occurrence of diarrhea among the investigated cases (P = 0.36). Hygiene measures, basic sanitation, and precautions during handling and preparation of food of animal origin may help prevent acute flaccid paralysis