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The present pilot study aimed at evaluating air sampling as a novel method for monitoring Campylobacter in poultry farms. We compared the bacteriological isolation of Campylobacter from boot swabs and air filter samples using ISO 10272-1:2017. A secondary aim was to evaluate the use of molecular methods, i.e. real time PCR, on the same sample set. Samples from 44 flocks from five European countries were collected, and included air samples, in parallel with boot swabs. Campylobacter spp. was isolated from seven of 44 boot swabs from three of five partners using the enrichment method. Two of these positive boot swab samples had corresponding positive air samples. Using enrichment, one positive air sample was negative in the corresponding boot swabs, but Campylobacter spp. was isolated from direct plating of the boot swab sample. One partner isolated Campylobacter spp. from six of 10 boot swabs using direct plating. Overall, 33 air filter samples were screened directly with PCR, returning 14 positive results. In conclusion, there was a lack of correspondence between results from analysis of boot swabs and air filters using ISO 10272-1:2017. In contrast, the combination of air filters and direct real-time PCR might be a way forward. Despite the use of the detailed ISO protocols, there were still sections that could be interpreted differently among laboratories. Air sampling may turn into a multi-purpose and low-cost sampling method that may be integrated into self-monitoring programs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest or commercial interest, and have all approved the manuscript for publication., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study was focused on characterization of the genetic diversity of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from packed fresh rabbit meat obtained from one producer via retail outlets. The partial aim was to compare the characteristics of a suspect persistent strain with strains from human cases. The occurrence of L. monocytogenes in vacuum-packed rabbit meat was monitored during 2013 to 2016. All strains were characterized by serotyping, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Selected strains, which represented each year, were analyzed using the whole genome sequencing method. L. monocytogenes was detected in 21 (38%) of 56 originally packed rabbit meat samples from one food producer during the whole monitored period. All strains showed the identical serotype (1/2a), AscI/ApaI pulsotype (735/2), and sequence type (ST451). The clonal similarity of strains from rabbit meat was also confirmed on the basis of core genome MLST (on 1,701 loci). This fact suggests the occurrence of a suspect persistent strain in the meat processing plant. Results of core genome MLST enabled us to unambiguously exclude rabbit meat as a source of listeriosis in humans caused by the indistinguishable AscI/ApaI pulsotype and sequence type, although all strains carried all genes important for the virulence of L. monocytogenes . No specific genes that may be associated with its persistence in the food processing environment were detected among the tested strains of ST451.

Food of non-animal origin is a major component of the human diet and has been considered to pose a low risk from the point of view of bacteriological safety. However, an increase in the number of outbreaks of illness caused by such pathogens and linked to the consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables have been reported from around the world recently. Salmonella spp., STEC (Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli) and Listeria monocytogenes are among the most frequently identified agents. Additionally, the transmission of antibiotic resistant strains including also the methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) to humans via the food chain is one of the greatest public health problems being confronted today. Therefore, we focused on the bacterial safety of fruit, vegetables and sprouts on sale in the Czech Republic. One strain (0.3%) of Salmonella Enteritidis phage type PT8, one strain (0.3%) of MRSA and 17 strains (5.0%) of L. monocytogenes were isolated from a total of 339 collected samples. The most problematic commodities were frozen fruit and vegetables (packed and unpacked) and fresh-cut vegetables. Our findings indicate deficiencies in hygiene practices during harvesting, processing and distribution of these commodities. Although sprouts and berries are the most likely to be contaminated by human pathogens, only two samples were positive for the presence of L. monocytogenes., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The occurrence of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria is an important public health issue. The aim of this study was the monitoring of resistant Escherichia coli in raw cow's milk with a focus on the detection of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing strains. In total, 263 samples of raw milk from 40 farms were collected and investigated in 2010 to 2013 in the Czech Republic. Detection of E. coli was performed and evaluated according to ISO 16649-2, and antibiotic resistance was screened by the disk diffusion method. The presence of E. coli was detected in 243 (92.4%) samples. In total, 270 isolates were obtained. Resistance to β-lactam (31.8%) and tetracycline (13.0%) antibiotics was detected most often and also multiresistant strains (5.5%) were observed. E. coli isolates found to be resistant to β-lactam, tetracycline, and quinolone antibiotics were assayed by PCR to detect selected genes encoding those resistance mechanisms. In isolates in which any bla genes were detected, a double-disk synergy test was performed. ESBL production was confirmed in 2 (0.7%) isolates. The genetic analysis identified the presence of the blaCTX-M gene and other resistance genes (tet(B) and qnrB). Both ESBL-positive isolates originated from the same farm and had an identical pulsed-field gel electrophoresis profile. The findings of our study indicate that milk can be a reservoir of bacteria carrying resistance genes with a potential for spreading through the food chain.