Acta Microbiologica Bulgarica

1-9

Authors: Raspor, P., Jevšnik, M., Raspor Lainšček, P.

The aim of this short paper is to present the state of the art in the area of unique communication environment when foodborne illness due to contamination with food appears. These situations request a very specific behavior and reaction of the food supply chain managers towards consumers. Risk Perception Model and Good Practices for Risk Communication seeks for solutions which should not be restricted to negative messages and warnings but should include positive ‘educational messages’. It is very important to respect all good practices in food supply chains/nets which are in function. Regarding information channels, we should use all available, but tailor the information to bring proper information, awareness and action to the audience.

18-24

Authors: Bojanić-Rašović, M.

Enterococci form part of the lactic acid bacteria of importance in foods. They are nonstarter lactic acid bacteria in a variety of autochthonous cheeses in Southern Europe. Some indigenous strains of E. faecium have interesting technological properties for cheese manufacture, together with good safety characteristics. They are important in the development of sensory characteristics during ripening of many cheeses and have been used as components of cheese starter cultures. Enterococci are also used as human probiotics. Some enterococci of dairy origin produce bacteriocins (enterocins), which have an inhibitory effect against food spoilage and pathogenic bacteria. The characteristics of enterocins have led to the proposed use of enterococci as adjunct starter or protective cultures in cheeses. Otherwise, enterococci as opportunistic pathogens which cause diseases of humans and animals and carriers are genes of resistance on pathogenic bacteria. Virulence factors of enterococci are the cytolysin (hemolysin), gelatinase, creation of peroxide, surface proteins for aggregation, surface proteins for adhesion, a surface binding collagen protein, capsule, hyaluronidase. Because of multiple resistance to antibiotics, mortality from nosocomial infections caused by enterococci is about 61%. Enterococci very easily acquire resistance to antibiotics by mutation or by receiving resistance genes from other microorganisms located on chromosome, transferable plasmids and transposons. It can be concluded that prior to the use of enterococci as a starter culture, an adjunct of cultures or probiotics, it is necessary to fully investigate the virulence and resistance of enterococci on antibiotics for the purpose of health security. On the other hand, in order to prevent the occurrence of vancomicin resistant enterococci in the gastrointestinal tract of humans and animals and dissemination in the environment and food, it is necessary to carry out strict control of the use of antibiotics.

32-36

Authors: Duran, N., Ay, E., Bayraktar, S., Çolak, S., Alpaslan, Kaya D.

Escherichia coli is one of the most important human pathogens and is a major cause of nosocomial infections. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the antimicrobial efficacy of Nigella sativa L. against multi drug-resistant E. coli isolates. This study was carried out on multi drug resistant E. coli isolates. In this study, seeds of Nigella sativa L. obtained from spice market were used as material .Multidrug resistant E. coli strains were identified by conventional methods. The antibacterial activity of Nigella sativa L.’s essential oils was performed by disk diffusion test. In addition, when needed, automated systems were used for rapid identification of microorganisms and susceptibility testing identification. The ESBL production of these strains was confirmed by double disc synergy test.In ESBL producing E.coli strains, the MIC range of ampicillin was 4-32 μg/ml and the MIC range of cefuroxime was found to be 2-16 μg/ml. MIC values of ampicillin were range from 0.25 to 4 μg/ml and MIC of levofloxacin range were 1 to 8 μg/ml and MIC of cefuroxime range were found to be 0.25-4 μg/ml. Following treatment with essential oils of Nigella sativa, resistance rates of GSBL producing E.coli strains against all these three antibiotics (ampicillin, levofloxacin and cefuroxime) have been found to decrease statistically significantly (p < 0.05). Nigella sativa L.’s essential oils showed complete zone of inhibition of the standart E.coli strains (p < 0.05).Besides this, in experiments with multi drug resistant E.coli isolates, it was found that the inhibition zones of Nigella-treated GSBL producing E.coli strains differed from non-treated strains. There was a statistically significant increasing in inhibition zones in drug E.coli isolates (p < 0.01).The essential oils of Nigella sativa L. may contain promising antimicrobial components in the treatment of multi drug-resistant Ecoli isolates.This is very important for the discovery of new antimicrobial agents. More extensive clinical trials should be undertaken in this regard.

42-46

Authors: Shikova, E., Emin, D., Alexandrova, D., Shindov, M., Kumanova, А., Moens, U.

The role of KI polyomavirus (KIPyV) and Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) as human pathogens is not completely understood. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of these polyomaviruses in patients with respiratory diseases (acute and chronic, including lung cancer). 221 nasopharyngeal swabs and lung biopsy specimens were studied for the presence of KIPyV and MCPyV by nested PCR. KIPyV and MCPyV were detected in nasopharyngeal specimens at similar rates, 10.3% and 8.2%, respectively. We found 2.8% KIPyV positivity rate among patients with non-cancer chronic lung diseases. All specimens from lung cancer cases were negative for KIPyV and MCPyV. The results suggested that there may be a relationship between these polyomaviruses and acute respiratory diseases, but no evidence was found for their involvement in lung cancerogenesis.

52-54

Authors: Bayırlı-Turan, D., Gümüş, D., Kalaycı-Yüksek, F., Gümüş, A., Şerefhanoğlu, K., Ang-Küçüker, M.

In the present study we aimed to investigate antibiotic resistance rates in colistin resistant bacteria; and also to compare two methods (Etest and VITEK 2) for detection of colistin resistance. A total of 56 strains were defined as colistin resistant according to VITEK2. Among the 56 colistin resistant strains, only 40 (71.4%) of them were defined as resistant according to Etest method. 34 (85%) out of these 40 strains were identified as K. pneumoniae. The resistance rates were detected for ciprofloxacin, meropenem and ceftazidime as 100%, 97.5% and 95% respectively for all colistin resistant strains. Among the 16 colistin susceptible strains, the resistance to ciprofloxacin, meropenem and ceftazidime were found as 100%, 87.5% and 81.25 respectively.

57-58

Authors: Sever, C., Tosun, A. I., Güven, Ö.

The aim of the study was to investigate the status of intestinal colonization with VRE in patients admitted to Istanbul Medipol University Hospital in a 5-year period. VRE colonization was determined to be 3.19% in screened rectal swab specimens. The results indicate that there was an increase in 2016, since then VRE isolation rate has been in a decreasing trend.

61-62

Authors: Kalaycı-Yüksek, F., Bilgin, M., Uz, G., Gümüş D., Anğ-Küçüker, M.

Letter to the Editor.