Microbial Load, Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria and Antibiotic Residues in Broiler Chicken

Chicken meat is highly preferred protein food worldwide. To meet the demand, huge poultry farms are established and using antibiotics as prophylaxis and treatment against the bacterial diseases. Uncontrolled usage of antibiotics has led to development of antibiotic resistance in poultry and antibiotic residues in poultry chicken. Fifty one chicken meat samples were collected from various retail outlets. Antibiotic residues were quantified by HPLC, total microbial load was measured by growth of bacteria on growth medium and antibiotic resistant profile of Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp, Staphylococcus aureus and Campylobacter spp was determined by well diffusion method. Except neomycin, all tested antibiotics were present in the range of 10-978 ppm, the average microbial load was in the range log 10 of 7.32 per gram of chicken sample, E. coli, Salmonella spp, Staphylococcus aureus and Campylobacter spp were resistant to several antibiotics studied. Hence there is a need of appropriate usage of antibiotics in poultry and proper handling of chicken during farming and slaughtering.

Incerteza de medição associada à contagem microbiana de produtos farmacêuticos / Measurement uncertainty associated with microbial count of pharmaceutical products

A contaminação microbiana pode comprometer a eficácia e a segurança dos produtos farmacêuticos. Os testes de contagem microbiana são utilizados para avaliar a qualidade microbiológica de produtos farmacêuticos não estéreis, exigidos pela maioria dos compêndios farmacopeicos. Apesar disso, raramente é considerada a avaliação da incerteza de medição para testes de contagem microbiana, o que pode levar a falsas decisões quanto à conformidade/nãoconformidade. Neste trabalho avaliamos os efeitos de matriz nos testes de contagem microbiana e sua avaliação de incerteza top-down, e avaliamos a incerteza da medição utilizando a abordagem bottom-up, além de que estimamos os riscos do consumidor ou do produtor devido à incerteza da medição. As incertezas combinada e expandida são calculadas empregando-se a abordagem topdown consideraram a exatidão (recuperação) e a precisão como os principais componentes de incerteza. O componente de incerteza da exatidão foi o mais relevante em 59% das amostras estudadas, enquanto a precisão foi a principal fonte de incerteza em apenas 41% das amostras, sendo observado que quanto maior a interferência da matriz, maior o fator de incerteza e, consequentemente, maior a assimetria para o intervalo em torno da medida. A partir da abordagem bottom-up, foram identificadas e quantificadas três principais fontes de incerteza: fator de diluição, volume plaqueado e contagem das placas. A contribuição dessas fontes de incerteza depende do valor medido da carga microbiana em produtos farmacêuticos, a contribuição do fator de diluição e das incertezas do volume plaqueado aumentam com o aumento do valor medido, enquanto a contribuição da contagem das placas diminui com o aumento do valor medido. Foi possível avaliar o risco de decisões falsas devido à incerteza de medição, por meio das estimativas dos riscos do consumidor ou do produtor. Os riscos foram avaliados utilizando-se o método Monte Carlo. Portanto, foi demonstrado a relevância da avaliação da incerteza de medição para garantir a confiabilidade dos resultados dos testes de contagem microbiana e a apoiar a tomada de decisões quando a avaliação da conformidade/não-conformidade dos produtos farmacêuticos não estéreis

Microbial contamination can compromise the efficacy and safety of pharmaceutical products. Microbial counting tests are used to assess the microbiological quality of non-sterile pharmaceutical products required by most pharmacopoeia compendiums. Despite this, measurement uncertainty assessment for microbial count tests is rarely considered, which can lead to false compliance/non-compliance decisions. In this work we evaluated the matrix effects on microbial counting tests and their top-down uncertainty assessment, and evaluated measurement uncertainty using the bottom-up approach, inaddition to estimating the consumer's or producer's risks due to measurement uncertainty. The combined and expanded uncertainties calculated using the top-down approach considered accuracy (recovery) and accuracy as the main components of uncertainty. The uncertainty component of accuracy was the most relevant in 59% of the samples studied, while accuracy was the main source of uncertainty in only 41% of the samples, being observed that the greater the interference of the matrix, the greater the uncertainty factor and, consequently, the greater the asymmetry for the interval around the measurement. From the bottom-up approach, three main sources of uncertainty were identified and quantified: dilution factor, platelet volume and plaque count. The contribution of these sources of uncertainty depends on the measured value of microbial load in pharmaceutical products, the contribution of the dilution factor and uncertainties of the plated volume increase with the increase in the measured value, while the contribution of plate counting decreases with the increase of the measured value. It was possible to assess the risk of false decisions due to measurement uncertainty by estimating consumer or producer risks. The risks were evaluated using the Monte Carlo method. Therefore, the relevance of measuring uncertainty assessment has been demonstrated to ensure the reliability of microbial count test results and to support decision-making when assessing non-sterile pharmaceutical conformity/non-compliance

Effect of Inoculation with Organophosphate Solubilizing Bacteria on Quality and Soil Fertility of Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveThe effect of inoculation with different organophosphate-resolving bacteria or compound bacteria on the quality of Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis medicinal materials and rhizosphere soil fertility were studied to provide a reference for the development and application of biological bacterial fertilizer in artificial cultivation of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis. MethodThe three dominant species of organophosphate-solubilizing bacteria were inoculated separately and in combination in sterilized soil by single-factor indoor pot planting， and no inoculation was used as the control group. The effect of inoculation of organophosphate-solubilizing bacteria on total saponins content in rhizomes of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis， as well as microbial numbers， enzyme activities and nutrient contents in rhizosphere soil were analyzed. ResultIn the seven treatments inoculated with organophosphate-solubilizing bacteria， the total saponin content in the rhizomes of Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis was increased by 16.42%， 3.83%， 16.86%， 33.69%， 2.11%， 13.44%， and 28.83%， respectively， compared with the control. Inoculation with organophosphate-solubilizing bacteria increased the number of soil microorganisms to varying degrees， and the effects of S6 and S7 treatments were the most significant. Inoculation with organophosphate-solubilizing bacteria improved the enzyme activity， and the effect of S7 treatment was the most significant. The activities of acid phosphatase， neutral phosphatase， alkaline phosphatase， protease， invertase and catalase were 49.96% and 104.67% ， 110.17%， 99.61%， 26.26%， 11.29% higher than those of the control， respectively. Inoculation with organophosphate-solubilizing bacteria reduced the pH of the rhizosphere soil and increased the content of soil available nutrients. Under the S7 treatment， the contents of alkaline hydrolyzable nitrogen， available phosphorus and available potassium in the rhizosphere soil of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis were 181.46%， 51.64% and 42.62% higher than those of the control， respectively. Correlation analysis showed that there was a significant positive correlation between total saponins and phosphatase activities， a significant positive correlation between soil microorganisms and soil enzyme activities， and a very significant positive correlation between soil nutrients. ConclusionInoculation of different organophosphate-resolving bacteria or compound bacteria can improve the quality and rhizosphere soil fertility of P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis. Among them， the mixed inoculation of three kinds of bacteria and the mixed inoculation of B. mycoides and B. wiedmannii have the best effect.

Uncertainty Evaluation for Total Aerobic Microbial Count of Jingfang Granule / 中国药师

Objective:To establish the uncertainty evaluation method for total aerobic microbial count of Jingfang granule. Meth-ods:According to Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2015 edition, volume IV), the total aerobic microbial count of 20 samples of the same batch of Jingfang granule was detected. National specification of measuring instruments JJF1059.1-2012 was used to perform the uncer-tainty evaluation on the total count of aerobic microbial type A and type B,and the combined uncertainty and the extended uncertainty were calculated. SPSS statistics 19.0 software was used to analyze the normal distribution of data. Results:The combined standard was 0.043 9, the expanded measurement uncertainty was 0.088(k=2),the colony distribution range of the samples was 690-1 000 cfu· g-1,and the data was normal distribution. Conclusion:The established method for uncertainty assessment is simple and convenient, and the results of new test samples can be added. New range of uncertainty can be obtained by recalculating the standard deviation of the combined samples.

Comparison of Microbial Count Test Method Described in Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2010 Edition and 2015 Edition / 中国药师

Objective:To compare the microbial count method described in Chinese Pharmacopoeia ( ChP) 2010 edition and 2015 edition. Methods:The bacterial count and total aerobic microbial count for 15 samples of Jingfang granule with the same batch were tested respectively by the method described in ChP 2010 edition and 2015 edition, the average number, uncertainty, colony distribu-tion range of samples and qualified rate from the two testing items were analyzed and compared. Results:The average number of colo-nies for the bacterial count and total aerobic microbial count was 720 and 830 cfu·g-1 , the expand uncertainty of 95％ confidence in-tervals was 0. 067 and 0. 061, the colony distribution range of samples was 620-840 cfu·g-1 and 720-960 cfu·g-1 , and the qualified rate was 90％ and 100％, respectively. Conclusion:The microbial count method described in Chp 2015 edition is more sensitive with more reasonable result evaluation, which can guarantee the stability of inspection reports.

Effectiveness of 10% povidone-iodine drying time before Peripheral Intravascular Catheter insertion: preliminary results from an explorative quasi-experimental study / Eficácia de iodopovidona a 10% de acordo com tempo de secagem antes da inserção do cateter intravenoso periférico: resultados preliminares de um estudo exploratório quasi-experimental / Eficacia del tiempo de secado de la yodopovidona al 10% antes de la inserción de catéter venoso periférico: resultados preliminares de un estudio exploratorio casi-experimental

AIM: to investigate the effectiveness of 10% povidone-iodine after a 30-second or 2-minute drying time on microbial count reduction at the point of a Peripheral Intravascular Catheter (PIC) insertion. A quasi-experimental design was adopted. In total, 53 patients were enrolled, 25 were exposed to a 2-m drying time and 28 to a 30-s drying time. From the preliminary results of this study, no differences in the occurrence of contamination have emerged between patients receiving 30-s and 2-m drying time for 10% povidone-iodine solutions.

OBJETIVO: investigar a eficácia da solução iodopovidona a 10% sobre a redução da contagem microbiana no ponto de inserção do Cateter Venoso Periférico após tempo de secagem de 30s ou 2 min. MÉTODO: desenho quase-experimental. Foram incluídos 53 pacientes no estudo: 25 foram expostos a 2min de secagem e 28 foram expostos a 30s de secagem. RESULTADOS: Os resultados preliminares não apresentaram diferenças na ocorrência de contaminação entre os pacientes que foram submetidos a 30s ou 2min de secagem após desinfecção com solução de iodopovidona a 10%.

OBJETIVO: para investigar la eficacia de una solución yodopovidona al 10% tras tiempo de secado de 30 segundos o 2 minutos en la reducción del contaje microbiano en el local de inserción del Catéter Venoso Periférico, fue adoptado un diseño casi-experimental. Al total, fueron incluidos 53 pacientes, 25 expuestos a 2 min. de secado y 28 a 30 segundos. Con base en los resultados preliminares, no se encontraron diferencias en la ocurrencia de contaminaciones entre pacientes sometidos a un tiempo de secado de 30 s. o de 2 min tras desinfección con solución de yodopovidona al 10%.

Development and validation of a microbial counting method for mebendazole oral suspension / Desenvolvimento e validação de um método de contagem microbiana para o mebendazol suspensão oral

Mebendazole is an important medicine used to treat helminth infections. These infections affect more than two billion people worldwide. The LAFEPE® (Recife-PE, Brazil) produces the drug mebendazole oral suspension that contains the preservatives methylparaben and propylparaben in its formulation. Drugs that have antimicrobial properties due to preservatives must undergo neutralization of these compounds to allow microbial count testing according to recommendations by the official compendia. In order to obtain a validated method for microbial counting and to ensure its safety and reliability within the pharmaceutical industry, validation of preservative neutralization and of the method for microbial counting was performed according to the USP 30 and PDA Technical Report No. 33. The method used ATCC Gram positive and Gram negative microorganisms, yeasts, most and culture media Tryptic Soy Agar and Sabouraud dextrose agar. The neutralizers were polysorbate 80 and lecithin. Recovery levels of over 70 percent of the microorganisms used in the test indicated the neutralization of antimicrobial activity and proved the absence of toxicity of neutralizers. The microbial counting method validated proved accurate, precise, robust and linear and can be safely used in routine operations.

O mebendazol é um importante medicamento utilizado no tratamento de infecções por helmintos. Essas infecções afetam mais de dois bilhões de pessoas em todo o mundo. O LAFEPE (Recife-PE, Brasil) produz o medicamento mebendazol suspensão oral, que possui em sua formulação os conservantes metilparabeno e propilparabeno. Em medicamentos que possuem propriedades antimicrobianas em decorrência dos conservantes faz-se necessária a neutralização da ação desses compostos para a realização do teste de contagem microbiana segundo preconizado pelos compêndios oficiais. A fim de obter um método de contagem microbiana validado e que garanta sua segurança e reprodutibilidade dentro da indústria farmacêutica foi realizada a validação da neutralização dos antimicrobianos e validação do método de contagem microbiana de acordo com a USP 30 e PDA-Technical Report N° 33. O método desenvolvido utilizou microrganismos ATCC Gram positivos, Gram negativos, leveduras e fungos e meios de cultura Tryptic Soy Agar e Sabouraud-dextrose Agar. Os neutralizantes foram polissorbato 80 e lecitina de soja . Níveis de recuperação superiores a 70 por cento dos microrganismos utilizados no ensaio indicaram neutralização da atividade antimicrobiana e comprovou a ausência de toxicidade dos neutralizantes. O método de contagem microbiana validado revelou-se exato, preciso, robusto e linear podendo ser utilizado com segurança na rotina operacional.

Microbial Contamination of Seven Major Weaning Foods in Nigeria.

Five million children aged less than five years die annually due to diarrhoea. The aim of the study was to identify some possible contributing factors for persistent diarrhoea. Seven weaning foods, including a locally-made food, were evaluated by estimating the microbial load using the most probable number method and aflatoxin levels (AFM1, AFG1, AFG2, and AFB2) by immunoaffinity column extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with detection of fluorescence. The results showed that the locally-made weaning food had the highest microbial count (2,000 cfu/g) and faecal streptococcal count (25 cfu/g). Moulds isolated were mainly Aspergillus niger, A. flavus, A. glaucus, Cladosporium sp., and Penicillium sp. The home-made weaning food recorded the highest fungal count (6,500 cfu/g). AFM1 of the weaning foods was 4.6-530 ng/mL. One weaning food had AFB1 level of 4,806 ng/g. Aflatoxin metabolites, apart from AFM1 and AFB1 present in the weaning foods, were AFG1 and AFG2. There were low microbial counts in commercial weaning foods but had high levels of aflatoxins (AFM1, AFG1, AFG2, AFB1, and AFB2). Growth and development of the infant is rapid, and it is, thus, possible that exposure to aflatoxins in weaning foods might have significant health effects.

Fluoride and bacterial content of bottled drinking water versus municipal tap water.

Background: Water is a divine gift. People quench their thirst without questioning the source of water. But, apprehension about contaminants in municipal water supplies along with increased fear of fluorosis made bottled drinking water as one of the important tradable commodities. Objectives: The objectives of the study were to determine and compare the fluoride and bacterial contents of commercially available bottled drinking water and municipal tap water in Davangere city, Karnataka. Materials and Methods: Fifty samples of 10 categories of bottled drinking water with different batch numbers were purchased and municipal water from different sources were collected. Fluoride levels were determined by an ion-selective electrode. Water was cultured quantitatively and levels of bacteria were calculated as colony-forming units (CFUs) per milliliter. Results: Descriptive analysis of water samples for fluoride concentration was in the range of 0.07-0.33 for bottled drinking water, Bisleri showing the highest of 0.33. A comparison of the mean values of microbial count for bottled drinking water with that of municipal tap water showed no statistically significant difference, but was more than the standard levels along with the presence of fungus and maggots. Conclusion: The fluoride concentration was below the optimal level for both municipal tap water and bottled drinking water. CFUs were more than the recommended level in both municipal tap water and bottled drinking water.