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PubMed1998

Vibrio vulnificus septicemia in a patient with severe aplastic anemia.

A 53-year-old man with severe aplastic anemia developed sporadic Vibrio vulnificus septicemia 1 day after eating raw fish and shellfish. Although V. vulnificus infection is potentially fatal, he was saved by immediate and sensitive antibiotic administration. Patients with chronic hematologic disease are susceptible to infection by this organism and are prone to developing septicemia when they eat raw seafood. It is necessary for a patient with this infection to be given effective antibiotics as quickly as possible.

Anemia, Aplastic↗

PubMed2002

Biosensors in fish production and quality control.

Fishery products are important not only from a nutritional point of view, but also as an item of international trade and foreign exchange earner for a number of countries in the world. Fish and shellfish are highly perishable, and prone to vast variations in quality due to differences in species, environmental habitats, feeding habits, etc. In addition, they can also function as carriers of several microbial and other health hazards. Therefore, maintenance of quality is of utmost importance in production and trade of fishery products. Most of the current quality control techniques are time consuming and cumbersome. There is an excellent scope for the application of biosensors in the seafood industry including the rapidly expanding aquaculture operations for fast assessment of quality. This article discusses the scope of applications biosensors in the seafood industry.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Initial fermentation of sea sludge using aerobic and thermophilic microorganisms in a mangrove soil.

As sea sludge has the potential to cause eutrophication and red tide resulting in the death of shellfish and offensive odors, an effective method to treat it is needed. It was found that adding soil taken from a mangrove swamp to sea sludge promoted an initial fermentation of the sludge constituents. The result suggested that certain microorganisms that were thought to inhabit the sub-tropical mangrove soil had the potential to play a significant role in the fermentation and that the use of the microorganisms in the mangrove soil might be useful for composting sea sludge.

Bacteria, Aerobic↗

PubMed2002

Lifestyle and other risk factors for thyroid cancer in Los Angeles County females.

PURPOSE AND METHODS: We conducted a population-based case-control study of thyroid cancer. Cases were 292 women, aged 15-54 when diagnosed between the years 1980 and 1983 (145 diagnosed in 1980-81 and 147 diagnosed in 1982-83). Female neighborhood controls (n = 292) were matched to each case on birth-year and race. RESULTS: Among women < 35 years, thyroid disease in first-degree relatives increased thyroid cancer risk [odds ratio (OR) = 2.0, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.1-3.7]. Risk was not associated with fish consumption, although high childhood consumption of shellfish decreased thyroid cancer risk (OR = 0.2, 95% CI = 0.05-0.7 for consumption at least a few times weekly). Among papillary thyroid cancers (82% of cases), frequent adult consumption of saltwater fish decreased risk. Cancer risk was reduced with consumption of certain vegetables, wine, and tea. Other dietary variables, including milk, beer and hard liquor, and coffee were not related to thyroid cancer risk. Among the papillary sample, risk increased with longer use of multivitamins (OR = 2.9, 95% CI = 1.2-7.4 for > 10 years of use). Smoking and body mass were not associated with thyroid cancer risk. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest a role of family history of thyroid disease and certain dietary variables in the etiology of thyroid cancer in adult females.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Lower extremity manifestations of Vibrio vulnificus infection.

Vibrio vulnificus is a potentially lethal marine bacterium that has not been previously described in podiatric literature. A review of the microorganism's characteristics, susceptible patient population, and lower extremity manifestations of infection is presented. V. vulnificus is found as part of the normal flora of the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic, and Pacific coastal waters and is often isolated from the filter feeding shellfish of these regions. Its pathogenicity is generally reserved for the immunocompromised host, and is specifically related to disease states which exhibit high serum iron levels. V. vulnificus infections present in two distinct clinical syndromes: primary sepsis secondary to raw oyster ingestion, or localized infection from wound exposure to V. vulnificus-inhabited salt water. Both syndromes demonstrate characteristic skin lesions of the trunk and extremities that present as hemorrhagic bullae and progress to necrotic ulcerations. Although V. vulnificus infection is rare, its extreme virulence in patients suffering from a chronic disease process and its manifestation of characteristic lower-extremity lesions require the podiatric physician to be able to recognize and treat such a condition.

Combined Modality Therapy↗

PubMed1996

Exciton coupled circular dichroic studies of self-assembled brevetoxin-porphyrin conjugates in lipid bilayers and polar solvents.

BACKGROUND: Brevetoxins, involved in the 'red tide' as well as shellfish poisoning, are known to bind to cell membranes and membrane proteins. Brevetoxin B (BTX-B) interacts specifically with neuronal sodium channels. We recently found that BTX also induces selective ion movements across lipid bilayers through transmembrane BTX self-assemblies. RESULTS: We examined the self-assembly of several BTX derivatives in the presence and absence of cations and lipid bilayers using the powerful porphyrin chromophores as circular dichroism labels. BTX derivatives self-assemble into tubes, which can bind to metals both when soluble and when inserted into the bilayer to form transmembrane pores. Depending on the tendency of the BTX derivative to self-aggregate (the critical 'micelle' concentration, cmc), it may aggregate in solution before membrane insertion, or may insert itself into the membrane as a monomer before assembling the pore. CONCLUSIONS: The active BTX-B complex in lipid bilayers is a cyclic, transmembrane self-assembly consisting of antiparallel aligned BTX molecules that can mediate selective ion movement through membranes. The differences in pore formation mechanisms between BTX derivatives may be reflected in differences in pore formation by natural BTX variants, perhaps explaining their varying levels of toxicity.

Circular Dichroism↗

PubMed2001

School readiness for children with food allergies.

BACKGROUND: Food allergy reactions and anaphylaxis may occur in children while at school. However, information regarding school readiness for children with food allergies is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To identify school education and prevention and treatment policies for food-allergic children in Michigan. METHODS: A questionnaire assessing food allergy awareness and avoidance and treatment strategies was mailed to a randomized sample (n = 273) of 2,082 public elementary school principals. RESULTS: One hundred four responses representing 109 schools were collected. From school estimates of 66,598 children, there was a 1.7% self-reported prevalence of food allergy. The most common allergens were milk and peanut, followed by tree nuts, shellfish, egg, and wheat. Affected children were identified primarily through office records, with few reporting individual emergency plans or designated classrooms, teachers, or lunch tables. Methods of food allergy education included parents of students and in-services. Avoidance strategies, food substitution, and "no-sharing" policies were common, whereas other measures such as food-label-teaching were uncommon. A minority of schools had epinephrine immediately accessible, either in the student's classroom, carried by the student, or passed by teachers. Principals, nurses, and teachers were most often trained to administer epinephrine. CONCLUSIONS: There appears to be a need for schools to formally educate staff on food allergy, provide information on prevention measures such as reading of food labels, establish immediate accessibility to emergency epinephrine, and train staff for appropriate epinephrine use.

Child↗

PubMed1997

Allergic reactions to anisakis simplex parasitizing seafood.

BACKGROUND: The ingestion of Anisakidae ssp larvae parasitized fish can cause anisakiasis. Allergic reactions after ingestion of safely cooked but parasitized fish have been reported. METHODS: Twenty-three patients who suffered allergic reactions after seafood ingestion, with negative skin tests were studied. Anisakis simplex sensitization was assessed by skin prick test and/or specific serum Immunoglobulin E (IgE). Total serum IgE and specific IgE against the implicated seafood and Ascaris lumbricoides were also determined. RESULTS: Manifestations of Anisakis simplex allergy were urticaria/angioedema (18/23) patients and anaphylaxis (5/23). Gastric symptoms were also observed (3/23). Sea fish and shellfish were implicated. Raw and cooked seafood ingestion caused reactions. Total serum IgE ranged from 13 to 7200 KU/L. Specific IgE to Anisakis simplex was positive (> 0.35 KU/L) in all patients, and skin tests were positive in 20. Serum-specific IgE and skin tests to the involved seafoods were negative in every patient. Serum-specific IgE to Ascaris lumbricoides was negative in 13 patients. No association between total IgE and the eosinophil count (r < 0.1) was observed, but there was some association between total IgE and specific IgE to Anisakis simplex (r = 0.58). CONCLUSION: Anisakis simplex sensitization is the cause of allergic reactions after seafood ingestion. It is important to pay attention to this new "food allergy" to diagnose correctly the etiology of adverse food reactions.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

Domoic acid: a fascinating marine toxin.

There are indications that toxic algal blooms are increasing because of pollution of coastal waters and worldwide shipping. This mini-review deals with the marine biotoxin domoic acid, also known as amnesic shellfish poison, and its main producing pennate diatom genus Pseudo-nitzschia (Bacillariophyceae). Besides contamination of seafood, these organisms have also been involved in human and marine wildlife mortality. The article aims to give an overview of all biological and environmental factors that should be considered when trying to evaluate a possible increase in toxic blooms of Pseudo-nitzschia spp. Pseudo-nitzschia blooms characteristically occur in a low light regime, at a time when the temperature is falling and at a wide range of salinities. Laboratory studies have shown that the production of domoic acid, a water-soluble amino acid, is related to silicon, phosphorus, nitrogen and trace metal (mainly iron) availability. Domoic acid has no known function in defence or primary metabolism; a role in excretion of excess photosynthetic energy or as a binding ligand for trace metals is suggested. The variability in domoic acid production by different Pseudo-nitzschia spp., or the presence of toxic and non-toxic strains of the same species, cannot be explained. The conclusion is drawn that an increase in toxic blooms of Pseudo-nitzschia spp. might be possible, especially because of the expected increase in nutrient availability from pollution and desert dust. Global warming may have an influence as well by lengthening the growth period for Pseudo-nitzschia, enlarging their global distribution and increasing the dust load through desertification.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2003

Efficiency of particle retention and clearance rate in the polychaete Sabellaria alveolata L.

The development of Sabellaria alveolata, a gregarious reef-building polychaete species, is maximal in Mont-Saint-Michel Bay (France), where trophic capacity is now threatened by increasing shellfish farming. As no data are available concerning the ecophysiological response of this species, the purpose of the present study was to obtain clearance rate and retention efficiency values to provide a first order of magnitude for the trophic role of this species. Data were obtained using a flow-through system with novel troughs suitable for 225 cm2 reef blocks containing a mean number of 940 +/- 102 (S.E.) individuals. The experimental diet used consisted of a mixture of two live microalgae, Skeletonema costatum (3800 cell ml-1) and Isochrysis galbana (23,700 cell ml-1), chosen to cover a broad size range (2 to 16 microns equivalent spherical diameter, ESD), as determined by a particle counter. On the basis of a mean clearance rate of 0.7 lh-1 obtained with reef blocks, the mean rate for an individual was estimated at 7.5 x 10(-4) L h-1. Particles larger than 6 microns ESD were cleared with 100% efficiency, but S. alveolata was unable to retain particles smaller than 2 microns ESD. The results are compared with data obtained for other polychaete species, and clearance rate values are extrapolated to an entire reef.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Habitual fish consumption and risk of incident stroke: the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer (EPIC)-Norfolk prospective population study.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between fish consumption and stroke risk. DESIGN: Prospective population cohort study. SETTING: Norfolk, UK cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer (EPIC-Norfolk). SUBJECTS: Subjects were 24 312 men and women aged 40-79 years who had no previous history of stroke at baseline. METHODS: Fish consumption was assessed using a food-frequency questionnaire at baseline in 1993-1997 and stroke incidence ascertained to 2004. RESULTS: A total of 421 incident strokes were identified (mean follow-up=8.5 years, total person-years=209 238). There were no significant relationships between total fish, shellfish or fish roe consumption and risk of stroke in men and women after adjusting for age, systolic blood pressure, body mass index, smoking, cholesterol, diabetes, physical activity, alcohol consumption, fish oil supplement use and total energy intake using Cox regression analyses. Oily fish consumption was significantly lower in women who subsequently had a stroke (odds ratio (OR) for consumers vs. non-consumers=0.69, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.51-0.94, P=0.02). The trend in men was similar but not significant (OR for consumers vs. non-consumers=0.88, 95% CI 0.65-1.19, P=0.41). CONCLUSIONS: There was no consistent relationship between fish consumption and stroke in this British population. Inconsistencies in the observed health effects of fish consumption in different populations may reflect different patterns and type of fish consumed and preparation methods.

Adult↗

PubMed1985

Survival of Kanagawa-positive strains of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in a brackish-water area.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus was observed to overwinter in sediments and to be present in considerable numbers in sediments and Clithon retropictus (gastropod mollusc) during summer months at a brackish-water area along Hashizu Creek in Japan. The highest level of the organisms was 9.3 X 10(6) and 2.3 X 10(7)/100 g in sediments and C. retropictus respectively. Production of Kanagawa haemolysin was detected in approximately 12% and 20% of strains isolated from sediments and C. retropictus respectively at two stations in Hashizu Creek but were not detected at the other three stations. Two haemolysin-producing strains were isolated from water samples but none were isolated from Corbicula japonica (bivalve mollusc). These findings suggest that haemolysin producers are preserved principally in sediments and some shellfish in the brackish-water areas with restricted salinity conditions.

Environment↗

PubMed1981

A study of the incidence of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in Malaysian shrimp undergoing processing for export.

The incidence of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in products of the Malaysian export shrimp processing industry was investigated through the stages from the catch to that of the cooked, peeled and frozen product. The organism was commonly found in freshly caught and landed shrimp, and could be detected by enrichment culture at all stages of processing. The number of V. parahaemolyticus in shrimp varied from nil to 4x10(4), and 19 of the 50 serotypes in the current antigenic scheme were found, O1-K38 and O1-K32 occurring most often. All the isolates were Kanagawa-negative; one strain was a sucrose-positive variant. The study indicated that specifications of 10(2) g-1 for V. parahaemolyticus in raw tropical shellfish are too stringent but that the Malaysian shrimp industry should be able to meet this requirement for cooked shrimp.

Animals↗

PubMed1982

Market fish hygiene in Kenya.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus was isolated from 53 out of 584 samples (9.1%) of market fish. All strains were Kanagawa negative and were distributed as follows: sea fish 5 out of 370 samples (1.4%), shellfish 48 out of 214 samles (22.4%). Other fish spoilage microflora recovered were: Alcaligenes faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus vulgaris, Aeromonas spp. and Vibrio alginolyticus. Total aerobic counts and coliform counts per gram for the lake fish ranged from 2.6 X 10(2) to 6.6 X 10(7) and 10 to 1.0 X 10(2), respectively. Those from marine fish ranged from 1.0 X 10(5) to 8.8 X 10(6) and 2.0 X 10(3) to 1.6 X 10(4), respectively. Counts for marine fish gills alone ranged from 1.4 X 10(5) to 3.4 X 10(8) and 7.2 X 10(2) to 1.4 X 10(7), respectively. No high-temperature (44 degrees) coliforms were recovered from either lake or marine samples.

Alcaligenes↗

PubMed2000

Molecular characterization of the ribosomal RNA gene region of Perkinsus atlanticus: its use in phylogenetic analysis and as a target for a molecular diagnosis.

Due to their widespread distribution and virulence, protozoan species of the genus Perkinsus are especially worrisome parasites for shellfish farmers. In the present paper, we investigate the organization and the structural features of the nuclear ribosomal genes of Perkinsus atlanticus as well as the use of DNA sequence information from this region for phylogenetic analyses. This information has been useful, further, for the development of a diagnostic test based on the amplification by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. We have isolated a high-copy DNA sequence in this species, and, after its characterization, we have determined that it corresponds to the ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes 28S-5S-18S and the intergenic spacers. By comparing the complete sequence of the 5S rRNA gene and a partial sequence of the 18S rRNA gene of P. atlanticus with the sequences of those genes in other Alveolates, we have found additional support for the hypothesis that Perkinsus is more closely related to species of Dinoflagellata than to species of Apicomplexa. The intergenic spacer sequence between the 5S and the 18S rRNA genes was used to design a pair of primers to be used as a PCR-based diagnostic test.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

Staphylococcal food poisoning in the United Kingdom, 1969-90.

Between 1969 and 1990 strains of Staphylococcus aureus from 359 outbreaks and sporadic cases of staphylococcal food poisoning in the United Kingdom were examined in the PHLS Food Hygiene Laboratory for the production of enterotoxin. In a number of instances the incriminated foods were also examined for the presence of enterotoxin. Strains from 79% of incidents produced enterotoxin A alone or together with another enterotoxin. The level of S. aureus present in the foods ranged from no viable S. aureus detected to 1.5 x 10(10) c.f.u./g with a median of 3.0 x 10(7) c.f.u./g. Enterotoxin was detected in foods in the absence of viable S. aureus in only two outbreaks and in both cheese was the implicated food. Meat, poultry or their products were the vehicle in 75% of incidents with ham and chicken most frequently implicated. Other foods included fish and shellfish (7%) and milk and milk products (8%). Most contamination took place in the home followed by restaurants and shops. Seventy-one percent of the incident strains were lysed by phages of group III or I/III.

Bacterial Toxins↗

PubMed1994

Measurement of IgA responses following Norwalk virus infection and other human caliciviruses using a recombinant Norwalk virus protein EIA.

An enzyme immunoassay employing recombinant Norwalk virus capsid protein was evaluated for the measurement of IgA responses. Tests on 23 volunteers and patients known to have been infected with Norwalk virus (NV) showed that 19 developed significant IgA responses, 2 had unchanging levels of IgA and 2 failed to respond. There was no evidence of IgA responses to NV following infection with Hawaii or Snow Mountain-like viruses. Tests on sera from patients involved in outbreaks associated with eating contaminated shellfish suggest that some patients may have been infected with more than one strain of calicivirus. The use of the rNV EIA for measuring IgA and IgG responses in patients involved in a major outbreak of food poisoning affecting hospital staff indicated that the causative agent was probably NV.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Publication bias in foodborne outbreaks of infectious intestinal disease and its implications for evidence-based food policy. England and Wales 1992-2003.

Systematic national surveillance of outbreaks of infectious intestinal disease (IID) was introduced in England and Wales in 1992 to provide comprehensive information on causative organisms, sources or vehicles of infection and modes of transmission. We compared information from this system with that published in the peer-reviewed literature between 1 January 1992 and 31 January 2003 to assess the potential effect of publication bias on food-safety policy. During the study period 1763 foodborne outbreaks of IID were reported to national surveillance. Fifty-five were published in the peer-reviewed literature. The peer-reviewed literature overestimated the impacts of milk/milk products, miscellaneous foods (e.g. sandwiches) and desserts and underestimated those of poultry, fish and shellfish, red meat/meat products and eggs/egg products. Without systematic surveillance, knowledge of causative organisms, sources or vehicles of infection and modes of transmission, as gleaned from the peer-reviewed literature, would potentially distort food-safety policy.

Animals↗