title: Isolation, molecular and phenotypic characterization, and antibiotic susceptibility of Cronobacter spp. from Brazilian retail foods.
abstract: Several Cronobacter species are opportunistic pathogens that cause infections in humans. The aim of this study was to detect Cronobacter spp. from 90 samples of retail foods in Brazil, and characterize the strains by phenotypic tests, molecular assays and antibiotic susceptibility. Three isolation methodologies were evaluated using different selective enrichments and the isolates were identified using Vitek 2.0, PCRs protocols, fusA allele sequencing and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Thirty-eight samples (42.2%) contained Cronobacter spp., and the highest percentage was found in flours (66.7%, 20/30), followed by spices and herbs (36.7%, 11/30), and cereal mixes for children (23.3%, 7/30). The 45 isolates included four species: C. sakazakii (n = 37), C. malonaticus (n = 3), C. dublinensis (n = 3), and C. muytjensii (n = 2); that presented 20 different fusA alleles. MLST analysis revealed 32 sequence types (STs), 13 of which were newly identified. All strains were sensitive to all antibiotics (n = 10) tested. The combination of CSB/v enrichment with DFI plating was considered the most efficient for Cronobacter spp. isolation. This study revealed the presence of Cronobacter spp. in foods commercialized in Brazil and the isolates showed a high diversity after MLST analysis and included two strains of the C. sakazakii ST4 neonatal meningitic pathovar.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Food and Sanitizes, Microbiology Department, National Institute of Quality Control in Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Electronic address: marcelollb8@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Marcelo Luiz Lima
authors.initials: MLL
authors.lastname: Brandão
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Food and Sanitizes, Microbiology Department, National Institute of Quality Control in Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Electronic address: natalia.umeda@incqs.fiocruz.br.
authors.forename: Natália Scudeller
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Umeda
authors.affiliation: Pathogen Research Group, Nottingham Trent University, School of Science and Technology, Ciftorn Lane, Nottigham, NG11 8NS, United Kingdom. Electronic address: emily.jackson2013@my.ntu.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.affiliation: Pathogen Research Group, Nottingham Trent University, School of Science and Technology, Ciftorn Lane, Nottigham, NG11 8NS, United Kingdom. Electronic address: stephen.forsythe@ntu.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Stephen James
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Forsythe
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Reference Microorganisms, Microbiology Department, National Institute of Quality Control in Health, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Electronic address: ivano.defilippis@incqs.fiocruz.br.
authors.forename: Ivano
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: de Filippis
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000379:methods; D001938:Brazil; D059126:Cronobacter / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D044083:Cronobacter sakazakii / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D005433:Flour / Q000382:microbiology; D005516:Food Microbiology; D058885:Multilocus Sequence Typing; D020653:Peptide Elongation Factor G / Q000235:genetics; D010641:Phenotype; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017365:Spices / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D020653:Peptide Elongation Factor G
keywords: Antibiogram; Biotype; Cronobacter spp.; Foods; MLST; fusA