Global Emergence of Colistin-Resistant Escherichia coli in Food Chains and Associated Food Safety Implications: A Review

Antimicrobial resistance in bacteria represents one of the most important challenges for public health worldwide. Human infections from antimicrobial-resistant bacteria can be transmitted from person to person, via the environment (especially in the hospital environment), or via handling or eating contaminated foods. Colistin is well known as a last-resort antibiotic for the treatment of human infections; a recent study performed in the People's Republic of China has revealed that colistin resistance is also conferred by the plasmid-mediated mcr-1 gene in Escherichia coli. After that discovery, further plasmid-mediated, colistin resistance genes have been detected. However, to date, only reports on E. coli carrying the mcr-1 gene (E. coli mcr-1+) in foodstuff are available. E. coli mcr-1+ has been isolated from food of animal origin and vegetables; this discovery has opened a debate among food safety experts. This review aims to provide a critical overview of the currently available scientific literature on the presence of the plasmid-mediated, colistin resistance gene E. coli mcr-1 in foodstuffs, focusing on the main implications and future perspectives for food safety

Fate of Methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) under simulated acidic conditions of the human stomach

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Diagnosis and treatment of cholangiocarcinoma in Italy: A Delphi consensus statement

Background: Clinical practice guidelines for the management of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA)/biliary tract cancer recommend genomic profiling to guide treatment decisions. Variable access to such profiling across Italy means many oncologists are unfamiliar with when and how to conduct genetic testing and prescribe targeted treatments. Methods: A Scientific Board of Italian oncologists who treat CCA (the authors) developed recommendations, based on recent clinical evidence, for using molecular testing in diagnosing, assessing, and treating CCA in Italy. The Delphi process was used to reach consensus on these recommendations among 38 Italian oncologists. Consensus was considered to be met if >= 66.7 % of the panel agreed or strongly agreed with each statement. Findings: Consensus was reached on 28 statements across four themes: (1) epidemiology and risk factors; (2) diagnosis, including molecular diagnosis; (3) treatment selection; and (4) treatment safety. Interpretation: These recommendations should aid Italian clinicians in selecting appropriate treatment options for their patients

Final destination: The Mediterranean Sea, a vulnerable sea. The long journey of Giardia duodenalis cysts.

The Mediterranean Sea is considered a “litmus paper” of pollution risks for any parameter, including faecal contamination. Giardia duodenalis is one of the most important protozoan parasites responsible for diarrhoea in a wide range of hosts, including humans, domestic and wild animals, worldwide. The degree of contamination related to the protozoan’s resistant forms on land, and the consequent transport through rivers from point sources to the sea are important aspects to better understand the processes involved in the microbiological pollution of aquatic ecosystems. However, land-sea transfer routes and the complex transmission patterns often remain neglected. This contribution deals with the contamination by G. duodenalis of the Mediterranean Sea through its inhabitants (shellfish, marine mammals, fishes), and provides data on the origin of such contamination on land from humans and animals to soil, fresh produce and waters; this scenario allows to understand the long journey of the protozoan following the drainage basins (i.e., natural watersheds) from the mainland towards the final destination. The Mediterranean Sea contamination is also explained in the light of the Giardia survival in water and the effects of climatic change with the related consequences. Addressing faecal contamination threats in the Mediterranean Sea is a difficult task, but a number of mitigation measures need to be implemented and/or in some countries even applied. Effective management must become a priority in the agenda of policy makers of all Mediterranean Countries for the implementation of successful measures and can only be applied in the perspective of the One Health approach

Prevalence of anisakid parasites in fish collected from Apulia region (Italy) and quantification of nematode larvae in flesh

Abstract Anisakis spp. and Hysterothylacium spp. are nematodes that commonly parasitize several fish species. Nematode larvae can be recovered in coelomic cavity and viscera, but also in flesh and have an important economic and public health impact. A total of 1144 subjects of wild teleosts, 340 samples of cephalopods and 128 specimens of farmed fish collected from Apulia region were analysed for anisakid larvae detection by visual inspection of coelomic cavity and viscera and by digestion of the flesh. No nematode larvae were found in farmed fish and cephalopod molluscs. All examined wild-caught fish species were parasitized, except for 5 species for each of which only a few subjects belonging to the same batch were sampled, therefore the results are just indicative. A total of 6153 larvae were isolated; among these, 271 larvae were found in the muscular portion. Larvae were identified by morphological method as belonging to the genera Anisakis (97.2%) (type I and type II) and Hysterothylacium (2.8%). Both nematodes could be found in all fish species, except for round sardinella (Sardinella aurita), infected only by Hysterothylacium spp. and for Mediterranean scaldfish (Arnoglossus laterna), little tunny (Euthynnus alleteratus) and chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus) infected only with Anisakis spp.. A sample of 185 larvae was sent to the National Reference Centre for Anisakiasis (C.Re.N.A.) of Sicily for identification at the species level: 180 larvae belonged to the species A. pegreffii and 2 larvae to A. physeteris. The remaining 3 larvae were identified at genus level as Hysterothylacium. Statistical indices such as prevalence, mean intensity and mean abundance were calculated. Chub mackerel (S. japonicus) was the species with the highest prevalence and mean intensity. Moreover, the average and the median values of larvae per 100 g of edible part for each fish species were determined to estimate the consumer exposure to Anisakis spp.. The obtained values were then recalculated by referring to the edible part of all specimens (infected and non-infected) forming a single parasitized batch, getting more realistic and objective data useful for risk assessment. Our results indicate that the consumption of raw or undercooked wild fish caught off Apulian coasts could result in the acquisition of anisakiasis; on the contrary, farmed fish and cephalopods appear to be safer for the consumer

A fish market survey using a novel PCR-sequencing-based protocols for the identification of commercial significant fish species

This study developed a simple, specific, and affordable PCR-sequencing-COI gene-based protocol for the simultaneous identification of some important commercial fish species: Merluccius merluccius, Lates niloticus, Gadus morhua, Ruvettus pretiosus, Pangasianodon hypophthalmus, Epinephelus spp. For this study, a local market survey on fish was carried out to evaluate the application of labelling laws and to detect fraudulent actions using the developed PCR protocols. Ten specimens of each fish species of interest were obtained from wholesale fishery plants and were utilized for the protocol development. DNA was extracted from the individual samples and quantified. DNA isolates were subjected to end-point PCR and the PCR products were sequenced. For the identification of fish species, novel species-specific primers were developed by the program "Primer Express 3.0" and by the software "Primer-BLAST" to amplify fragments of 200 bp, 250 bp, 300 and 562 bp, 350 bp, 400 bp and 522 bp within the COI gene for M. merluccius, L. niloticus, G. morhua, R. pretiosus, P. hypophthalmus, Epinephelus spp., respectively. Single PCR was performed using DNA isolates and developed primers for each fish species of interest. After sequencing, the isolates were compared with the selected sequences of the COI gene and showed a similarity ranging from 99 to 100%. Among 43 samples obtained for the survey, 19 (44.2%) were mislabelled, with 18 (41.9%) mislabelled samples from local fisheries and fish marketplaces and 1 (2.32%) from hypermarket stores. Among fish samples purchased at local fisheries and fish marketplaces, fraudulent actions were observed more frequently in fish slices (100%) than fish fillets (65%). Regarding fish fillets, out of four samples labelled as grouper, three were L. niloticus and one P. hypophthalmus. Two fillets marketed as cod were substituted with L. niloticus. Five samples labelled as "fillet" and two samples labelled as "perch" were identified as P. hypophthalmus. Regarding fish slices, all samples marketed as grouper (E. marginatus) were slices of R. pretiosus. The single case of mislabelling detected from fishery products purchased at hypermarket stores was a sample of "Spinycheek grouper" (Epinephelus diacanthus) that was indicated on label as "Grouper" (Epinephelus marginatus). In summary, our work highlights the need for continuous surveillance of the commercialization of fishery products, to reduce the number of fraud cases that happen in the market. Furthermore, our protocols based on PCR techniques could be useful for quality control of fresh finfish and to strengthen controls on the most frequent fraudulent actions of marketed fishery products

Analysis of two pit-1 gene polymorphisms and relationships with growth performance traits in Podolica young bulls

Pit-1 is a pituitary-specific transcription factor responsible for pituitary development and hormone expression in mammals. In this study the Pit-1/. HinfI and Pit-1/. TaqI loci were investigated using PCR-RFLP approach in a sample of 308 Podolica young bulls. All the possible genotypes for both the SNPs were identified. The allelic frequencies at Pit-1/. TaqI locus were 0.76 (G) and 0.24 (A) while those at Pit-1/. HinfI locus were 0.70 (B) and 0.30 (A). Combined genotypic frequencies and possible haplotypes frequencies were also reported. Moreover the relationships between these SNPs and the growth traits of the Podolica bulls were studied. A positive effect of the Pit-1/. HinfI B allele on growth traits were observed. Furthermore significant statistical results concerning the association between Pit-1/. TaqI and early development (from birth to weaning) were found, with a superiority of the G allele. When in combination, the positive effects of the Pit-1/. HinfI B and the Pit-1/. TaqI G allele were partially confirmed

Incidence and characterization of Aeromonas spp. in environmental and human samples in Southern Italy

The incidence and characterisation of Aeromonas species in human and environmental samples in southern Italy were investigated. The results emphasize that 12.3% of the 210 examined patients carried Aeromonas spp. in their faeces. These results underline the need to include Aeromonas spp. in the list of routinely analysed enteropathogens in all diarrhoeal stool samples, especially in children below 10 years of age, elderly persons and immunocompromised patients

Diagnosis and treatment of cholangiocarcinoma in Italy: A Delphi consensus statement

Background: Clinical practice guidelines for the management of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA)/biliary tract cancer recommend genomic profiling to guide treatment decisions. Variable access to such profiling across Italy means many oncologists are unfamiliar with when and how to conduct genetic testing and prescribe targeted treatments. Methods: A Scientific Board of Italian oncologists who treat CCA (the authors) developed recommendations, based on recent clinical evidence, for using molecular testing in diagnosing, assessing, and treating CCA in Italy. The Delphi process was used to reach consensus on these recommendations among 38 Italian oncologists. Consensus was considered to be met if >= 66.7 % of the panel agreed or strongly agreed with each statement. Findings: Consensus was reached on 28 statements across four themes: (1) epidemiology and risk factors; (2) diagnosis, including molecular diagnosis; (3) treatment selection; and (4) treatment safety. Interpretation: These recommendations should aid Italian clinicians in selecting appropriate treatment options for their patients