Cronobacter Support
05-06-2009, 09:58 AM
1st International Conference on Cronobacter Poster Abstract 18
Characterization of Cronobacter recovered from dried milk and related products
Cronobacter is a recently proposed genus consisting of six genomospecies that encompass the organisms previously identified as Enterobacter sakazakii. Infant formula has been identified as one route of transmission for infection in infants. However, the primary reservoirs for subsequent contamination of foods with Cronobacter remain undefined due to the ubiquitous nature of these organisms. More recently, infections in adults have been reported, especially amongst the elderly and patients who are immunocompromised. The aim of this study was to identify and characterize Cronobacter isolated from dried-milk and related products available in an Egyptian food market. In total sixteen Cronobacter isolates were identified and characterized using pheno- and genotyping experiments. Real-time PCR confirmed the detection of Cronobacter. Antibiotic susceptibilities were obtained for each of the strains. Phenotype profiles were generated based on key biochemical distinguishing tests. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and repetitive sequence based PCR analysis provided molecular subtyping information. Sequencing of the recN gene was used to differentiate between the recently described species of Cronobacter. Phenotype and genotype analysis should be applied to further characterize Cronobacter and prevent its transmission into food products.
Brendan Healy, Stephen O’Brien, Carmen Negredo, Carol Iversen and Séamus Fanning
Centres for Food Safety & Food-borne Zoonomics. UCD Veterinary Sciences Centre, School of Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
Characterization of Cronobacter recovered from dried milk and related products
Cronobacter is a recently proposed genus consisting of six genomospecies that encompass the organisms previously identified as Enterobacter sakazakii. Infant formula has been identified as one route of transmission for infection in infants. However, the primary reservoirs for subsequent contamination of foods with Cronobacter remain undefined due to the ubiquitous nature of these organisms. More recently, infections in adults have been reported, especially amongst the elderly and patients who are immunocompromised. The aim of this study was to identify and characterize Cronobacter isolated from dried-milk and related products available in an Egyptian food market. In total sixteen Cronobacter isolates were identified and characterized using pheno- and genotyping experiments. Real-time PCR confirmed the detection of Cronobacter. Antibiotic susceptibilities were obtained for each of the strains. Phenotype profiles were generated based on key biochemical distinguishing tests. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and repetitive sequence based PCR analysis provided molecular subtyping information. Sequencing of the recN gene was used to differentiate between the recently described species of Cronobacter. Phenotype and genotype analysis should be applied to further characterize Cronobacter and prevent its transmission into food products.
Brendan Healy, Stephen O’Brien, Carmen Negredo, Carol Iversen and Séamus Fanning
Centres for Food Safety & Food-borne Zoonomics. UCD Veterinary Sciences Centre, School of Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.