All bacteria / virus / prions Flashcards
Staphylococcus Aureus
S Aureus is commonly found in humans and animals. True or False?
True. In humans, commonly found on nose and skin
Staphylococcus Aureus
What are the characteristics of S.Aureus?
- gram positive or negative
- spore forming or not
- What conditions does it survive in (temp,pH, salt)
- what metabolites it produce
- Gram positive cocci
- Most resistant, non-spore-forming species : grow in wide range of temperatures, pH and salt resistant (10%)
- Produce highly heat-stable enterotoxins (proteins) that are not destoryed by proteases (trypsin, pepsin) and remain intact in GI tract.
Staphylococcus Aureus
For S Aureus, what is the
- disease type
- infectious dose
- incubation period
- illness period
- Intoxication
- < 10 micrograms of enterotoxin (around 10^5 organisms / g of food)
- Incubation period : 1/2 to 6h
- illness period : few hours - 1 day
Staphylococcus Aureus
What are the 2 main transmission routes for S Auerus?
- Person to person : contamination of food from infected workers with S Auerus strains that can produce toxins on their skin
- Temperature abuse : improper storage temperatures, cooling not rapid enough
Staphylococcus Aureus
What are the symptoms for S Aureus for
1. mild cases [4]
2. severe cases [4]
Mild cases
- diarrhoea, nausea + vomit, abdominal pain
Severe cases
- Dehydration (from diarrhoea and vomiting)
- Headache
- Muscle cramps
-** Change in blood pressure and pulse rate**
Staphylococcus Aureus
What is the main category of food that is incriminated for S Aureus?
Foods that have considerable preparation steps.
Includes a wide range of RTE / chilled products
- Meat and meat products
- Poultry and egg products
- Milk and dairy products
- Salads
- Bakery products
Staphylococcus Aureus
What are 5 ways to diagnose S Aureus?
- Serologicalmethods to determine enterotoxicity (For S.Auereus strains)
- Detection of enterotoxin
- Detecting presence of large no of coagulase positive S Aureus from contaminated food samples
- Interviews with victims
- gathering of epidemiological data in case of outbreaks
Staphylococcus Aureus
Why is detecting presence of large no of coagulase positive S Aureus from contaminated food samples not a good way to diagnose it?
In some cases, Staph Aureus may not be detected as it may have been killed through cooking. However, absence of S Aureus does not mean that it is NOT the cause of disease, since toxin is present in the food. It is more important to detect toxin
Staphylococcus Aureus
How to detect enterotoxin in S Aureus? [2]
- Concetrate toxin by restoring serological activity and identify with antiserum
- Rapid methods to detect 1 nanogram toxin / g food (v low LOD) : using antibodies such as ELISA
C. Perfringens
Is clostridium perfringens
1. Gram positive or negative
2. Spore forming or not
Gram positive, spore forming
C. Perfringens
Clostridium perfringens is widely distributed in the environment. True or False?
True
C. Perfringens
where can C. Perfringens and its spores be naturally found?
C.Perfringens : intestines of humans and many domestic animals
Spores : soil / sediments / areas subject to human or animal faecal pollution
C. Perfringens
What is the:
1. Disease type (infection? intoxication?)
2. Infective dose (hint : per g of food)
3. Infection / illness period
- Infection
- 108 vegetative cells ;; for 100 g of food : 106 cells / g of food
- Symptoms last for 1-2 weeks in vulnerable populations
C. Perfringens
What are the 2 different types of disease related to C. Perfringens?
- Perfringens food poisoning (gastroenteritis) – infection. Type A strands produce Clostridium Perfringens Enterotoxin (CPE)
- Pig bel disease – Type C strands produce beta toxin (intoxication)
Pig bel disease – pig belly – belly swell
C. Perfringens
What are the symptoms for C.
Perfringens food poisoning [2] and whats the incubation period?
Gastroenteritis
- watery diarrhea and abdominal cramps 8-12h after consumption of affected food
C. Perfringens
What are the symptoms for C.Perfringens for
Pig Bel disease? [4, 2 common 2 characteristic]
- Swollen belly (like pig -> pig bel)
- Necrosis (death) of small intestine
- Diarrhoea
- Vomit
C. Perfringens
What are the incriminated foods for C. Perfringens?
Cooked meat products, especially with gravy. (catered food)
C. Perfringens
What is the main cause behind C. Perfringens food poisoning?
Due to temperature abuse of cooked foods, causing rapid multiplication and formation of spores.
- Spores survive cooking, germinate after heat shock. and multiply rapidly due to slow cooling / improper storage temp.
C. Perfringens
how to diagnose C.Perfrignens? [3]
1) Symptoms and history of eating temperature abused foods
Confirmation
2) Detecting CPE toxin in faeces of patients through serological assays
3) Detection of presence of large qty of organisms in contaminated food or patient’s stools
Bacillus cerus
Is bacillus cerus :
- gram positive or negative
- spore forming or not
- Gram positive
- Spore forming
(Usually gram +ve = spore forming except for staph aureus : gram +ve BUT not spore forming)
Bacillus cerus
What is the disease type for Bacillus cerus? (Infection / intoxication / toxicoinfection)
Intoxication, ingestion of pre-formed toxin
Bacillus cerus
What are the 2 types of disease that Bacillus cerus can cause? Which type is more common?
- Emetic type (more common)
- Diarrhoeal type
Bacillus cerus
For the emetic type B. cerus, it is caused by the ingestion of?
Low molecular weight heat stable peptide known as cereulide
- heat-resistant emetic toxin
Bacillus cerus
What are the symptoms of emetic type B.cereus? [4] What is the incubation period and length of intoxication?
Similar to S. Auerus intoxication : Nausea and vomitting (occasional cramps and diarrhoea)
- 1/2 - 6h after ingestion of food, with occassional cramps and diarrhoea.
- Length of intoxication : < 24h (v fast)
Listeria can be inhibited by **high temp, particularly pasteurisation**
Symptoms 1. Septicaemia (blood poisoning) 2. **Meningitis (brain inflammation)** 3. Miscarriage, still birth,** serious health issues in newborns** for pregnant women, > 80% fatality rate
Symptoms : flu-like symptoms 1. fever and chills 2. nausea 3. vomit 4. SOMETIMES diarrhoea
Prevention measures 1. Prevent cross contamination of RTE and raw foods 2. Prevent growth of Listeria through regular disinfection. 3. Regulatory measures - reject positive consignments and suspend plant till disinfected - Regular monitoring systems (HACCP) etc