ABSTRACT
The present study evaluates the presence of Listeria spp and particularly of L. monocytogenes in bovine, pork and poultry meats sold by retail in supermarkets and butchers in the city of Cassino. The sensibility to the antibiotics mostly used in the veterinary practice has been tested on the isolated strains. The different species of Listeria have shown a considerable variation of isolation based on the meat's typology and on the different store's provenance. Moreover our results show greater degree of contamination than the data currently available the Italian literature. In our study poultry meat is the most contaminated one. We can assert that omissions and poor caring errors in the manipulation and conservation of meat expose the customer to an even higher risk of infection.
Subject(s)
Abattoirs/standards , Food Industry/standards , Listeria monocytogenes/isolation & purification , Meat Products/microbiology , Animals , Cattle , Consumer Product Safety , Humans , Listeria/isolation & purification , Meat/microbiology , Poultry , SwineABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: A study has been made of the behaviour of preventable infectious diseases by means of vaccination in the developmental age, reported between 1995 and 2003, in the area of Frosinone and Province, Italy. RESULTS: . Analysis of the distribution of the 185 cases of hepatitis B notified, demonstrates that the mean age has increased from 26.5 to 41.1 years. Notifications of invasive diseases due to haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) refer exclusively to 13 cases of meningitis. As far as concerns pertussis, 119 cases have been reported (median age 4.0 years, mode 1.0). Overall 850 cases of measles were reported (median age 7.0 years, mode 5.0), the highest number being recorded in 1997 (349 cases: median age 7.0 years, mode 5.0) and 2002 (199 cases: median age 8.0 years, mode 8.0). Rubella occurred in 411 cases (median age 12.0 years, mode 11.0), with 53.3% involving females. As far as concerns mumps, the last peak of the epidemic occurred in 2001 (median age 7.0 years, mode 6.0) with 137 cases. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Results emerging from the study demonstrate a reduction in time in the number of notifications for almost all the diseases under consideration. The distribution of the cases of rubella infertile females, in 2002, stresses the need to promote campaigns in order to recuperate still-susceptible women of childbearing age. The cases of hepatitis B, pertussis and meningitis due to Hib confirm the high rate of protection resulting from vaccination. The incidence rates of measles, mumps, rubella and pertussis when compared with those of the paediatric sentinel surveillance system (SPES) clearly demonstrate not only that these are underestimated but also reveal controversial findings with respect to data provided by Infectious Diseases Italian Surveillance System (SIMI).
Subject(s)
Communicable Disease Control/methods , Communicable Diseases/epidemiology , Vaccination , Adolescent , Adult , Age Distribution , Aged , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections/epidemiology , Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections/prevention & control , Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections/epidemiology , Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections/prevention & control , Humans , Incidence , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Italy/epidemiology , Male , Mandatory Reporting , Middle Aged , Paramyxoviridae Infections/epidemiology , Paramyxoviridae Infections/prevention & control , Sentinel SurveillanceABSTRACT
The presence of bacterial food pathogens was evaluated in 154 food samples collected from supermarkets and butchers in the city of Cassino (South-Central Italy). Food pathogens were identified in 17.5% of the total food samples. In the raw meat samples, 24.6% tested positives for Listeria monocytogenes, 4.3% for Salmonella and 2.9% for Escherichia coli O157. Y. enterocolitica, only investigated in pork meat, was identified in 7.4% of the samples. In poultry, L. monocytogenes was identified in 55% of the samples.
