Stress, sublethal injury, resuscitation, and virulence of bacterial foodborne pathogens.
Environmental stress and food preservation methods (e.g., heating, chilling, acidity, and alkalinity) are known to induce adaptive responses within the bacterial cell. Microorganisms that survive a given stress often gain resistance to that stress or other stresses via cross-protection. The physiological state of a bacterium is an important consideration when studying its response to food preservation techniques. This article reviews the various definitions of injury and stress, sublethal injury of bacteria, stresses that cause this injury, stress adaptation, cellular repair and response mechanisms, the role of reactive oxygen species in bacterial injury and resuscitation, and the potential for cross-protection and enhanced virulence as a result of various stress conditions.
Wesche
Alissa M
AM
Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA.
Gurtler
Joshua B
JB
Marks
Bradley P
BP
Ryser
Elliot T
ET
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D001419:Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D018407:Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D005506:Food Contamination; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005519:Food Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D018869:Heat-Shock Response; D006801:Humans; D009997:Osmotic Pressure; D013696:Temperature; D014774:Virulence