Marise Simões

Hygienic-sanitary conditions of vegetables and irrigation water from kitchen gardens in the municipality of Campinas, SP

We examined samples of irrigation water and vegetables from kitchen gardens in Campinas, Brazil. The bacterial analysis condemned 22.3% of the vegetable samples, and the parasitological examination condemned 14.5%. The criteria established by the Brazilian legislation condemned 11.8% of the irrigation water samples. Parasites were significantly more frequent in vegetables in the rainy season, while excessive fecal coliforms were more frequent in the dry season. A proper monitoring of the irrigation water supply is important to avoid the contamination of vegetables.

Prevalence and characteristics of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains in ground beef in São Paulo, Brazil

This study aims to assess the prevalence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in ground beef collected in two cities located in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil. A total of 250 samples of raw ground beef were collected in local grocery stores during the period of March to December 2002 in the cities of Ribeirao Preto (114 samples) and Campinas (136 samples), Sao Paulo State, Brazil. The samples were processed according to standard methods. The resulting 591 E.coli colonies were screened for STEC by hybridization assays using the specific DNA probes, stx1,stx2 and eae. Further characterization of STEC isolates included the search for the ehxA sequence, detection of enterohemolysin and expression of Shiga toxin using the Vero cell assay. STEC isolates belonging to serotypes O93:H19, ONT:HNT, ONT:H7, and O174:HNT we recovered from four samples (3.5%) collected in Ribeirao Preto. All samples from Campinas were negative for STEC. Three of the strains carried stx2 and ehxA sequences while one harbored stx1,stx2 and ehxA sequences. Considering that among foods of animal origin, ground beef is an important vehicle for STEC transmission, these data emphasize the need of a closer surveillance of these microorganisms. They can survive in unfavorable conditions specially when the products are refrigerated or frozen for long periods of time and can be the cause of outbreaks affecting a great number of consumers.

Molecular epidemiology of a nosocomial outbreak due to Enterobacter cloacae and Enterobacter agglomerans in Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil

A total of 73 isolates (57 Enterobacter cloacae and 16 Enterobacter agglomerans), recovered during an outbreak of bacteremia in the Campinas area, São Paulo, Brazil, were studied. Of these isolates, 61 were from parenteral nutrition solutions, 9 from blood cultures, 2 from a sealed bottle of parenteral nutrition solution, and one was of unknown origin. Of the 57 E. cloacae isolates, 54 were biotype 26, two were biotype 66 and one was non-typable. Of 39 E. cloacae isolates submitted to ribotyping, 87.2% showed the same banding pattern after cleavage with EcoRI and BamHI. No important differences were observed in the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns among E. cloacae isolates exhibiting the same biotype, serotype and ribotype. All E. agglomerans isolates, irrespective of their origin, showed same patterns when cleaved with EcoRI and BamHI. The results of this investigation suggest an intrinsic contamination of parenteral nutrition solutions and incriminate these products as a vehicle of infection in this outbreak.