Food-Borne Pathogens in Livestock

A special issue of Zoonotic Diseases (ISSN 2813-0227).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2023) | Viewed by 8604

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Roseworthy, SA 5371, Australia
Interests: foodborne pathogens; host-pathogen interactions; host microbiota and pathogen interactions; host immune response to zoonotic pathogens

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Foodborne pathogens add a significant cost to the public health system of a country. According to the WHO, at global scale, each year, the consumption of unsafe foods cause 600 million cases of foodborne diseases. In low- and middle-income countries, an estimated USD 110 billion is lost each year in productivity and medical expenses resulting from unsafe foods. Foodborne diseases negatively affect socioeconomic development by straining health care systems, and harm national economies, tourism, and trade. Foodborne diseases are usually infectious, but some can be toxic in nature and are caused by various bacteria, protozoans, viruses, or chemicals entering the body through the consumption of contaminated foods or water. Some foodborne pathogens are normally present in the gut of animals and the production environments and can infect humans if contaminated products are handled unsafely or consumed. To prevent or lower the incidence of these diseases, it is vital to understand their origin and triggering factors under the umbrella of One Health and Eco-Health approaches.

This Special Issue focuses on the epidemiological and host–environment interaction approaches for understanding the causes of host-pathogen relationships. An improved understanding of the area is important to combat the diseases, which will lower disease control burden on public health system. Topics in this Special Issue include origin and host specificity of foodborne pathogens, environmental effects, intensive and extensive farming systems, host immune response, and strategies for controlling the diseases.

Dr. Samiullah Khan
Guest Editor

Keywords

  • foodborne pathogens
  • bacteria
  • virus
  • protozoans
  • route of transmission
  • disease management
  • phytochemicals
  • probiotics
  • prebiotics
  • synbiotics
  • microbiome
  • metabolome
  • vaccine
  • food hygiene
  • food safety
  • safer food production

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

6 pages, 276 KiB  
Communication
Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in Slaughtered Pigs in Kiambu, Kenya
by Dorcas Chepyatich, Derrick Noah Sentamu, Nicholas Bor, Joshua Onono, Peter Baaro Gathura, James M. Akoko and Lian Francesca Thomas
Zoonotic Dis. 2023, 3(4), 301-306; https://doi.org/10.3390/zoonoticdis3040024 - 13 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1959
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous protozoan parasite of public health concern, with severe health consequences among immunocompromised individuals and pregnant mothers. Pigs are intermediate hosts of this zoonotic parasite and consumption of undercooked pork is a risk factor for T. gondii infection. We [...] Read more.
Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous protozoan parasite of public health concern, with severe health consequences among immunocompromised individuals and pregnant mothers. Pigs are intermediate hosts of this zoonotic parasite and consumption of undercooked pork is a risk factor for T. gondii infection. We investigated the seroprevalence and risk factors for T. gondii in pigs in Kenya. A cross-sectional study was conducted at a non-integrated abattoir in Kiambu, Kenya, where 446 blood samples were collected from slaughtered pigs between 5 January and 5 March 2021. For each pig sampled, additional data were collected on the county of origin, farm size, sex and live weight. Serum was harvested from each pig blood sample, and these were subjected to indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay tests to detect the presence of immunoglobin G (IgG) for T. gondii infection. The overall seroprevalence for T. gondii was 34.53% (95% C.I. 30.16–39.17). Risk factors for T. gondii seropositivity in pigs included farm size (p < 0.001) and the live weight of pigs (p = 0.044). The high seroprevalence of T. gondii indicates that consumers of raw and undercooked pork may be at a high risk of infection. It is therefore recommended that strategies for the mitigation of risk of exposure in populations should prioritize public health education for pig farmers, pork handlers and consumers on risk reduction measures along the pork value chains. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food-Borne Pathogens in Livestock)
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13 pages, 1250 KiB  
Article
Genetic Diversity, Antimicrobial Resistance and Survival upon Manure Storage of Campylobacter jejuni Isolated from Dairy Cattle Farms in the Cantabric Coast of Spain
by Athanasia Varsaki, Sagrario Ortiz, Patricia Santorum, Pilar López, Victoria López-Alonso and Joaquín V. Martínez-Suárez
Zoonotic Dis. 2022, 2(3), 82-94; https://doi.org/10.3390/zoonoticdis2030009 - 13 Jul 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2426
Abstract
The aim of this study was the examination of the genetic diversity and antimicrobial susceptibility of C. jejuni isolates obtained from dairy farms situated in Cantabria. The presence of Campylobacter jejuni was scrutinized in dairy farms situated in the Cantabria region (Atlantic coast, [...] Read more.
The aim of this study was the examination of the genetic diversity and antimicrobial susceptibility of C. jejuni isolates obtained from dairy farms situated in Cantabria. The presence of Campylobacter jejuni was scrutinized in dairy farms situated in the Cantabria region (Atlantic coast, North of Spain). A total of 520 samples were collected from 12 dairy farms and 62 C. jejuni isolates were achieved. Sixty-one (61) of the isolates proceeded from fresh feces and only one from the stable (soil). Characterization of the isolates was conducted by Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was carried out by standardized disk diffusion test. The PFGE analysis showed a high genetic diversity. From the 62 C. jejuni isolates, 27 different PFGE types were obtained with 70% similarity. The results of the antimicrobial susceptibility tests showed that 21 out of 27 strains were resistant to ciprofloxacin (78%), and 15 of them were also resistant to tetracycline (55%), whereas none of the 27 strains analyzed were resistant to erythromycin. C. jejuni was capable of surviving in livestock waste for at least 20–25 days, whereas the maximum detectable survival time on crops was of six days. This study reveals the high genetic diversity and ciprofloxacin resistance of C. jejuni in dairy cattle farms in Northern Spain, a fact that highlights the urgent need for the surveillance and control of this foodborne pathogen. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food-Borne Pathogens in Livestock)
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14 pages, 1613 KiB  
Article
Isolation and Characterization of Lytic Bacteriophages Specific for Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli
by Abdul-Raouf Al-Mohammadi, Gamal El-Didamony, Mohamed S. Abd El Moneem, Ibrahim M. Elshorbagy, Ahmed Askora and Gamal Enan
Zoonotic Dis. 2022, 2(2), 59-72; https://doi.org/10.3390/zoonoticdis2020007 - 6 May 2022
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Abstract
In this study, two lytic bacteriophages designated as vB_CjP and vB_CcM were isolated and evaluated for their ability to combat multidrug-resistant bacteria Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli, respectively. A morphological analysis of these phages by transmission electron microscopy revealed that the vB-CjP [...] Read more.
In this study, two lytic bacteriophages designated as vB_CjP and vB_CcM were isolated and evaluated for their ability to combat multidrug-resistant bacteria Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli, respectively. A morphological analysis of these phages by transmission electron microscopy revealed that the vB-CjP bacteriophage had a mean head dimension of 66.6 ± 2.1 nm and a short non-contractile tail and belongs to the Podoviridae family, whereas vB_CcM had a mean head dimension of 80 ± 3.2 nm, a contractile tail, and a length calculated to be 60 ± 2.5 nm and belongs to the Myoviridae family. The results of the host range assay showed that vB_CjP could infect 5 of 10 C. jejuni isolates, whereas vB_CcM could infect 4 of 10 C. coli isolates. Both phages were thermostable and did not lose their infectivity and ability to lyse their host following exposure to 60 °C for 10 min; furthermore, phage particles were relatively stable within a pH range of 6–8. A one-step growth curve indicated that the phages produced estimated burst sizes of 110 and 120 PFU per infected cell with latent periods of 10 and 15 min, for vB-CjP and vB-CcM, respectively. The lytic activity of these phages against planktonic Campylobacter showed that these phages were able to control the growth of Campylobacter in vitro. These results suggest that these phages have a high potential for phage applications and can reduce significantly the counts of Campylobacter spp. The lytic activity of vB-CjP and vB-CcM phages at different (MOIs) against multidrug resistance Campylobacter strains was evaluated. The bacterial growth was slightly delayed by both phages, and the highest efficiency of both phages was observed when MOI = 1 was applied. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food-Borne Pathogens in Livestock)
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