Whole-Genome Sequencing Applied to the Molecular Epidemiology of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Argentina

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli strains are worldwide associated with sporadic human infections and outbreaks. In this work, we report the availability of high-quality draft whole-genome sequences for 19 O157:H7 strains isolated in Argentina.Fil: Masana, Marcelo Oscar. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Tecnología de Alimentos; Argentina.Fil: Carbonari, Claudia Carolina. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas-ANLIS ‘‘Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán’’. Servicio Fisiopatogenia; Argentina.Fil: Fittipaldi, Nahuel. Public Health Ontario. Toronto Laboratories; Canada. University of Toronto. Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology; Canada.Fil: Teatero, Sarah. Public Health Ontario. Toronto Laboratories; Canada.Fil: Athey, Taryn B. T. Public Health Ontario. Toronto Laboratories; Canada.Fil: Pianciola, Luis. Subsecretaría de Salud de Neuquén. Laboratorio Central; Argentina.Fil: Melano, Roberto G. Public Health Ontario. Toronto Laboratories; Canada. University of Toronto. Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology; Canada.Fil: Rivas, Marta. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas-ANLIS ‘‘Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán’’. Servicio Fisiopatogenia; Argentina.Fil: Chinen, Isabel. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas-ANLIS ‘‘Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán’’. Servicio Fisiopatogenia; Argentina

Escenarios sobre calidad e inocuidad en el sector productor de materias primas y alimentos elaborados en Argentina 2030

El presente documento constituye una Síntesis Ejecutiva del Informe Final del proyecto Escenarios sobre exigencias de calidad e inocuidad en el sector productor de materias primas y alimentos elaborados en Argentina para el 2030, desarrollado bajo el contrato de servicios de consultoría firmado entre el Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación Productiva (MINCyT), y el consorcio formado por la Coordinadora de las Industrias de Productos Alimenticios (COPAL) y el Centro de Investigación de Agroindustria (INTA), Préstamo BIRF 7599/AR. El Proyecto fue desarrollado entre septiembre de 2015 y noviembre de 2016.CR Mendoza-San JuanFil: Dominguez, Marta Susana: Universidad Nacional del Sur; ArgentinaFil: Kleiman, Elizabeth. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Programas Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutrición; ArgentinaFil. Vitale Gutierrez, Javier Alejandro. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Centro Regional Mendoza San Juan; ArgentinaFil: Vaudagna, Sergio Ramon. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto Tecnología de Alimentos; Argentina.Fil: Masana, Marcelo Oscar. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Tecnología de Alimentos; Argentina

Risk factors for shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli-associated human diseases

We have reviewed the risk factors for the occurrence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC)-associated human diseases. The analysis of STEC surveillance data and trends shows differences in frequency and severity of the illnesses across countries, whereas the economic and social costs for the affected families, the community, and the health system are better estimated in developed countries. The occurrence of STEC infections is determined by the interaction of the pathogen, the reservoirs, and the biological, cultural, and behavioral aspects of the host. The main risk factors identified in earlier case-control and population-based studies were dietary behaviors and beef consumption. However, in recent years, other risky exposures have also emerged, like the consumption of raw vegetables and sprouts, working or camping in rural areas, visiting farms, and person-to-person transmission. Epidemiological changes have also been determined by the intensification of cattle production, the increase in centralized food production and distribution, and the growth in the volume of international trade of foods. The main lessons learned from recent large outbreaks are knowledge of virulence determinants of new pathogenic strains, recognition of new vehicles of infection, development of new methodologies for detecting STEC in foods and humans, improvement in food regulations and hygiene guidelines, new therapeutic approaches in the treatment of infected patients, establishment of continuous educational programs for food consumers, and enhanced cooperation and teamwork of regional and international networks.Instituto de Tecnología de los AlimentosFil: Chinen, Isabel. Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud “Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán”. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas; ArgentinaFil: Rivas, Marta. Argentina. Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud “Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán”. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas; ArgentinaFil: Miliwebsky, Elizabeth. Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud “Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán”. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas; ArgentinaFil: Masana, Marcelo Oscar. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto Tecnología de Alimentos; Argentin

Risk Factors for Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli-

We have reviewed the risk factors for the occurrence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC)-associated human diseases. The analysis of STEC surveillance data and trends shows differences in frequency and severity of the illnesses across countries, whereas the economic and social costs for the affected families, the community, and the health system are better estimated in developed countries. The occurrence of STEC infections is determined by the interaction of the pathogen, the reservoirs, and the biological, cultural, and behavioral aspects of the host. The main risk factors identified in earlier case-control and population-based studies were dietary behaviors and beef consumption. However, in recent years, other risky exposures have also emerged, like the consumption of raw vegetables and sprouts, working or camping in rural areas, visiting farms, and person-to-person transmission. Epidemiological changes have also been determined by the intensification of cattle production, the increase in centralized food production and distribution, and the growth in the volume of international trade of foods. The main lessons learned from recent large outbreaks are knowledge of virulence determinants of new pathogenic strains, recognition of new vehicles of infection, development of new methodologies for detecting STEC in foods and humans, improvement in food regulations and hygiene guidelines, new therapeutic approaches in the treatment of infected patients, establishment of continuous educational programs for food consumers, and enhanced cooperation and teamwork of regional and international networks.Instituto de Tecnología de los AlimentosFil: Chinen, Isabel. Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud “Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán”. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas; ArgentinaFil: Rivas, Marta. Argentina. Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud “Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán”. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas; ArgentinaFil: Miliwebsky, Elizabeth. Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud “Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán”. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas; ArgentinaFil: Masana, Marcelo Oscar. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto Tecnología de Alimentos; Argentin

Genetic features of human and bovine Escherichia coli O157: H7 strains isolated in Argentina

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are important food-borne pathogens associated with human diseases. In Argentina, O157:H7 is the dominant serotype in hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) cases. Previously, we have described the almost exclusive circulation of human E. coli O157 strains belonging to the hypervirulent clade 8 in Neuquén Province. The aim of the present study was to investigate, by a broad molecular characterization, if this particular distribution of E. coli O157 clades in Neuquén is similar to the situation in other regions of the country and if it may be originated in a similar profile in cattle, its main reservoir. Two-hundred and eighty O157 strains (54 bovine and 226 human) isolated between 2006 and 2008 in different regions of Argentina were studied. All strains harbored rfbO157, fliCH7, eae, and ehxA genes. The predominant genotype was stx2a/stx2c in human (76.1%) and bovine (55.5%) strains. All human isolates tested by Lineage-Specific Polymorphism Assay (LSPA-6), were lineage I/II; among bovine strains, 94.1% belonged to lineage I/II and 5.9% to lineage I. No LSPA-6 lineage II isolates were detected. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis has revealed the existence of nine clade phylogenetic groups. In our clinical strains collection, 87.6% belonged to the hypervirulent clade 8, and 12.4% were classified as clade 4/5. In bovine isolates, 59.3% strains were clade 8, 33.3% clade 4/5 and 7.4% clade 3. More than 80% of human strains showed the presence of 6 of the 7 virulence determinants described in the TW14359 O157 strain associated with the raw spinach outbreak in the U.S. in 2006. More than 80% of bovine strains showed the presence of 3 of these factors. The q933 allele, which has been related to high toxin production, was present in 98.2% of clinical strains and 75.9% of the bovine isolates. The molecular characterization of human STEC O157 strains allows us to conclude that the particular situation previously described for Neuquén Province, may actually be a characteristic of the whole country. These genetic features are quite similar to those observed in the bovine reservoir and may be derived from it. This data confirms that, unlike the rest of the world, in Argentina most of the STEC O157 strains present in cattle may cause human infections of varying severity and the marked virulence described for these strains may be related to the high incidence of HUS in our country.Fil: Masana, Marcelo Oscar. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Tecnología de Alimentos; Argentina.Fil: Pianciola, Luis. Subsecretaría de Salud de Neuquén. Laboratorio Central; ArgentinaFil: D’astek, B.A. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas-ANLIS ‘‘Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán’’. Servicio Fisiopatogenia; Argentina.Fil: Mazzeo, Melina Leonor. Subsecretaría de Salud de Neuquén. Laboratorio Central; Argentina.Fil: Chinen, Isabel. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas-ANLIS ‘‘Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán’’. Servicio Fisiopatogenia; Argentina.Fil: Rivas, Marta. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas-ANLIS ‘‘Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán’’. Servicio Fisiopatogenia; Argentina

High pressure treatments combined with sodium lactate to inactivate Escherichia coli O157:H7 and spoilage microbiota in cured beef carpaccio

High-pressure treatments (400 and 600 MPa) combined with the addition of sodium lactate (1 and 3%) were tested to reduce Escherichia coli O157:H7 (STEC O157) and spoilage microbiota contamination in a manufactured cured beef carpaccio in fresh or frozen conditions. Counts of spoilage microorganisms and STEC O157 were also examined during the curing step to prepare the carpaccio. STEC O157 counts remained almost unchanged through the curing process performed at 1 ± 1 C for 12 days, with a small decrease in samples with 3% of sodium lactate. High-pressure treatments at 600 MPa for 5 min achieved an immediate reduction of up to 2 logarithmic units of STEC O157 in frozen carpaccio, and up to 1.19 log in fresh condition. Counts of spoilage bacteria diminished below detection limits in fresh or frozen carpaccio added with sodium lactate by the application of 400 and 600 MPa. Maximum injury on STEC O157 cells was observed at 600 MPa in carpaccio in fresh condition without added sodium lactate. Lethality of high-pressure treatments on STEC O157 was enhanced in frozen carpaccio, while the addition of sodium lactate at 3% reduced the lethality on STEC O157 in frozen samples, and the degree of injury in fresh carpaccio.Fil: Masana, Marcelo Oscar. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Tecnología de Alimentos; Argentina.Fil: Barrio, Yanina Ximena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Argentina de la Empresa. Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Exactas; Argentina.Fil: Palladino, Pablo Martin. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Tecnología de Alimentos; Argentina.Fil: Sancho, Ana Maria. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Tecnología de Alimentos; Argentina.Fil: Vaudagna, Sergio Ramon. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Tecnología de Alimentos; Argentina.Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Fundación Universidad Argentina de la Empresa. Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Exactas ; Argentina

Frequency, characterization and genotypic analysis of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli in beef slaughterhouses of Argentina = Frecuencia, caracterización y análisis genotípico de Escherichia coli productor de toxina Shiga en frigoríficos de carne bovina de Argentina

The objectives of this study were: (1) to estimate STEC frequency in hide and carcass samples taken from beef slaughterhouses supplying the domestic market in Argentina, (2) to establish the pheno-genotypic characteristics of STEC and non-toxigenic Escherichia coli of serogroups O26, O45, O103, O121, O111, O145 or O157 isolated from the analyzed samples and, (3) to study their clonal relatedness. Sixty hides and 60 carcasses were analyzed. At the screening step, 48% of hide and 80% of carcass samples tested positive for the stx gene by endpoint PCR. The STEC isolation rate was 5% for hides and 8% for carcasses. The isolation rate of STEC-positive for O26, O45, O103, O111, O145 or O157 serogroups was 0% for hides and 2% for carcasses. With the purpose of studying the clonal relatedness of isolates, macrorestriction fragment analysis by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis was performed. The results indicated cross-contamination between hides and between carcasses of animals in the same lot and, that the origin of carcass contamination was their own hide, or the hides of other animals in the same lot. The high detection rate at the screening step, especially in carcasses, and the evidence of cross-contamination show the need to apply additional in-plant intervention strategies aimed at preventing carcass contamination.Los objetivos del presente estudio fueron tres: 1) estimar la frecuencia de Escherichia coli productor de toxina Shiga (STEC) en muestras de cuero y carcasa de bovinos en frigoríficos de consumo interno de Argentina; 2) realizar la caracterización feno-genotípica de las cepas STEC y de Escherichia coli no toxigénicas pertenecientes a los serogrupos O26, O45, O103, O121, O145 u O157 aisladas a partir de las muestras analizadas; 3) establecer la relación clonal de ese conjunto de cepas. Se analizaron 60 cueros y 60 carcasas. En la etapa de tamizaje, el gen stx se detectó en el 48% de las muestras de cuero y en el 80% de las muestras de carcasa por una PCR de punto final. La frecuencia de recuperación de cepas STEC fue del 5% en cueros y del 8% en carcasas, y la de cepas STEC positivas para los serogrupos O26, O45, O103, O121, O111, O145 u O157 fue del 0% en los cueros y del 2% en las carcasas. La relación clonal de las cepas aisladas se investigó a través de electroforesis de campo pulsado y análisis de los patrones de macrorrestricción generados. Los resultados demostraron la existencia de contaminación cruzada entre cueros y carcasas de animales pertenecientes a un mismo lote, y también que el origen de la contaminación fue el propio cuero del animal o el cuero de otros animales pertenecientes al mismo lote. Los altos porcentajes de detección en la etapa de tamizaje, especialmente en carcasas, y la evidencia de contaminación cruzada ponen de manifiesto la necesidad de evaluar la implementación de estrategias de intervención tendientes a evitar la contaminación de carcasas.Instituto de Tecnología de AlimentosFil: Cap, Mariana. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Tecnologia de Alimentos; Argentina.Fil: Carbonari, Claudia C. Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud “Dr. Carlos Malbrán”. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Servicio Fisiopatogenia; Argentina.Fil: D’Astek, Beatriz A. Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud “Dr. Carlos Malbrán”. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Servicio Fisiopatogenia; Argentina.Fil: Zolezzi, Gisela. Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud “Dr. Carlos Malbrán”. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Servicio Fisiopatogenia; Argentina.Fil: Deza, Natalia. Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud “Dr. Carlos Malbrán”. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Servicio Fisiopatogenia; Argentina.Fil: Palladino, Pablo Martín. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Tecnología de Alimentos; Argentina.Fil: Masana, Marcelo Oscar. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Tecnología de Alimentos; Argentina.Fil: Chinen, Isabel. Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud “Dr. Carlos Malbrán”. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Servicio Fisiopatogenia; Argentina.Fil: Rivas, Marta. Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud “Dr. Carlos Malbrán”. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Servicio Fisiopatogenia; Argentina

Subtyping of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Strains Isolated from Human Infections and Healthy Cattle in Argentina

Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli (STEC) cause nonbloody (NBD) and bloody diarrhea (BD), and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Cattle have been described as their main reservoir. STEC O157:H7 is recognized as the predominant serotype in clinical infections, but much less is known about the dominant subtypes in humans and animals or their genetic relatedness. The aims of this study were to compare the STEC O157 subtypes found in sporadic human infections with those in the bovine reservoir using stx-genotyping, phage typing, and XbaI– pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), and correlate the subtypes with the severity of clinical manifestations. The 280 STEC O157:H7 strains collected included in this study were isolated from HUS (n = 122), BD (n = 69), and NBD (n = 30) cases, and healthy carriers (n = 5), and from bovines (n = 54) in the abattoirs. The stx-genotyping showed that stx2/stx2c(vh-a) was predominant in human (76.1%) and in bovine strains (55.5%), whereas the second more important genotype was stx2 (20.8%) in human and stx2c(vh-a) (16.7%) in cattle strains. In human strains, PT4 (37.6%), PT49 (24.3%), and PT2 (18.6%) were the most frequent PTs (80.5%). In bovine isolates, PT2 (26%), PT39 (16.7%), and PT4 and PT49 (11.1% each) were predominant. By XbaI-PFGE, all 280 strains yielded 148 patterns with 75% similarity, and 169 strains were grouped in 37 clusters. Identical PT-PFGE-stx profile combinations were detected in strains of both origins: PT4-AREXH01.0011-stx2/stx2c(vh-a) (12 humans and one bovine), PT4-AREXH01.0543-stx2/stx2c(vh-a) (one human and four bovines), PT2-AREXH01.0076-stx2/stx2c(vh-a) (one human and four bovines), PT49-AREXH01.0175-stx2/stx2c(vh-a) (seven humans and one bovine), and PT49- AREXH01.0022-stx2/stx2c(vh-a) (seven humans and one bovine). No correlation was found among the stx-genotypes, the phage type, and the clinical symptoms.Fil: Del Castillo, Lourdes L. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Tecnología de Alimentos; Argentina.Fil: D’Astek, Beatriz A. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas-ANLIS ‘‘Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán’’. Servicio Fisiopatogenia; Argentina.Fil: Miliwebsky, Elizabeth. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas-ANLIS ‘‘Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán’’. Servicio Fisiopatogenia; Argentina.Fil: Carbonari, Claudia Carolina. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas-ANLIS ‘‘Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán’’. Servicio Fisiopatogenia; Argentina.Fil: Palladino, Pablo Martin. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Tecnología de Alimentos; Argentina.Fil: Deza, Natalia. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas-ANLIS ‘‘Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán’’. Servicio Fisiopatogenia; Argentina.Fil: Chinen, Isabel. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas-ANLIS ‘‘Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán’’. Servicio Fisiopatogenia; Argentina.Fil: Manfredi, Eduardo. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas-ANLIS ‘‘Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán’’. Servicio Fisiopatogenia; Argentina.Fil: Leotta, Gerardo A. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas-ANLIS ‘‘Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán’’. Servicio Fisiopatogenia; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina.Fil: Masana, Marcelo Oscar. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Tecnología de Alimentos; Argentina.Fil: Rivas, Marta. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas-ANLIS ‘‘Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán’’. Servicio Fisiopatogenia; Argentina

The PLATO Mission

International audiencePLATO (PLAnetary Transits and Oscillations of stars) is ESA's M3 mission designed to detect and characterise extrasolar planets and perform asteroseismic monitoring of a large number of stars. PLATO will detect small planets (down to <2 R_(Earth)) around bright stars (<11 mag), including terrestrial planets in the habitable zone of solar-like stars. With the complement of radial velocity observations from the ground, planets will be characterised for their radius, mass, and age with high accuracy (5 %, 10 %, 10 % for an Earth-Sun combination respectively). PLATO will provide us with a large-scale catalogue of well-characterised small planets up to intermediate orbital periods, relevant for a meaningful comparison to planet formation theories and to better understand planet evolution. It will make possible comparative exoplanetology to place our Solar System planets in a broader context. In parallel, PLATO will study (host) stars using asteroseismology, allowing us to determine the stellar properties with high accuracy, substantially enhancing our knowledge of stellar structure and evolution. The payload instrument consists of 26 cameras with 12cm aperture each. For at least four years, the mission will perform high-precision photometric measurements. Here we review the science objectives, present PLATO's target samples and fields, provide an overview of expected core science performance as well as a description of the instrument and the mission profile at the beginning of the serial production of the flight cameras. PLATO is scheduled for a launch date end 2026. This overview therefore provides a summary of the mission to the community in preparation of the upcoming operational phases

The PLATO Mission

International audiencePLATO (PLAnetary Transits and Oscillations of stars) is ESA's M3 mission designed to detect and characterise extrasolar planets and perform asteroseismic monitoring of a large number of stars. PLATO will detect small planets (down to <2 R_(Earth)) around bright stars (<11 mag), including terrestrial planets in the habitable zone of solar-like stars. With the complement of radial velocity observations from the ground, planets will be characterised for their radius, mass, and age with high accuracy (5 %, 10 %, 10 % for an Earth-Sun combination respectively). PLATO will provide us with a large-scale catalogue of well-characterised small planets up to intermediate orbital periods, relevant for a meaningful comparison to planet formation theories and to better understand planet evolution. It will make possible comparative exoplanetology to place our Solar System planets in a broader context. In parallel, PLATO will study (host) stars using asteroseismology, allowing us to determine the stellar properties with high accuracy, substantially enhancing our knowledge of stellar structure and evolution. The payload instrument consists of 26 cameras with 12cm aperture each. For at least four years, the mission will perform high-precision photometric measurements. Here we review the science objectives, present PLATO's target samples and fields, provide an overview of expected core science performance as well as a description of the instrument and the mission profile at the beginning of the serial production of the flight cameras. PLATO is scheduled for a launch date end 2026. This overview therefore provides a summary of the mission to the community in preparation of the upcoming operational phases