Treatment of fresh poultry carcases with emulsions of glycerol monocaprate (monocaprin) to reduce contamination with Campylobacter and psychrotrophic bacteria.

1. A previous study has shown that emulsions of monocaprin in citrate lactate buffer at pH 4·1-4·3 are highly active in killing Campylobacter in water, where they reduce viable bacterial counts by more than 6 log(10) colony forming units (cfu) in 1 min at a concentration of 1·25 mM (0·03%). 2. The present study was carried out to evaluate whether monocaprin emulsions could be used to kill Campylobacter on raw poultry. 3. It was shown that immersion of naturally contaminated chicken legs in 20 mM (0·5%) monocaprin emulsion at pH 4·1 for 1 min at 20°C reduced the number of Campylobacter by 2·0 to 2·7 log(10) cfu. Pre-chill dipping of whole carcases into 20 mM monocaprin emulsion in the slaughterhouse also caused a significant reduction in Campylobacter contamination. 4. Immersion in monocaprin emulsions at pH 4·1 was also assessed as a means to reduce the number of psychrotrophic spoilage bacteria. There were lower psychrotrophic bacteria counts on treated chicken parts than on untreated controls after storage at 3°C for up to 14 d. 5. Immersion in emulsions of monocaprin, which is a natural lipid classified as GRAS, may be a feasible method to reduce the number of Campylobacter and spoilage bacteria on raw poultry. This method could reduce the risk of human exposure to Campylobacter, and at the same time increase the shelf-life of poultry products.

Killing of Campylobacter on contaminated plastic and wooden cutting boards by glycerol monocaprate (monocaprin).

AIMS: Contamination in the kitchen with foodborne bacteria is a risk factor in human exposure to these pathogens, an important route being transfer of bacteria from contaminated cutting boards and other surfaces to humans. The aim of this study was to test microbicidal emulsions of glycerol monocaprate (monocaprin) against Campylobacter on contaminated cutting boards. METHODS AND RESULTS: Plastic and wooden cutting boards, soiled with meat juice heavily contaminated with Campylobacter, were treated for 2 min with emulsions of monocaprin (MC) made in water or in buffer at low pH. Viable Campylobacter counts were reduced below the detectable level on plastic board surfaces after treatment with MC emulsions with or without 1.25% washing-up liquids (WUL). The counts were also greatly reduced on wooden boards (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Monocaprin emulsions and mixtures of MC emulsions and WUL may be useful as sanitizers/disinfectants in kitchens and in other food preparing and processing facilities. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Cleaning with MC emulsions with or without WUL may reduce the risk of human exposure to Campylobacter.

Perioperative risk factors for short term shunt revisions in adult hydrocephalus patients.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to prospectively study perioperative variables associated with revision after shunt surgery for adult hydrocephalus. METHODS: Two protocols were designed to prospectively study perioperative risk factors during shunt insertion. Over 10 years (1995-2004), 450 adult (age >16 years) patients with first time shunt implantations were studied. Patients who had been treated with endoscopic third ventriculostomy were excluded from the study. All shunts were designated as meeting one of two end points: (1) shunt failure requiring revision within 6 months or (2) no shunt failure within 6 months. Shunt revision within 6 months postoperatively was considered to be related to the shunting procedure. RESULTS: 85 shunt revisions were performed within 6 months after insertion. During the study period the revision rate declined from 21.1% to 9.1%. Revision rates were the same for ventriculoperitoneal (n = 411) and ventriculoatrial (n = 39) shunts. The predictive values of variables related to the patient, operating room, surgical technique and shunt system were analysed to determine shunt outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Right frontal placement of the ventricular catheter was associated with the lowest rate of revisions. Adjustable valves were associated with a lower risk for shunt revision. Shunt revision rates did not differ between ventriculoperitoneal and ventriculoatrial shunts.

Virucidal activities of medium- and long-chain fatty alcohols and lipids against respiratory syncytial virus and parainfluenza virus type 2: comparison at different pH levels.

Recent studies have shown that some lipids and fatty alcohols have microbicidal activities against a broad variety of pathogens. In this study, virucidal activities of fatty acids, monoglycerides and fatty alcohols were tested against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human parainfluenza virus type 2 (HPIV2) at different concentrations, times and pH levels. The most active compounds were mixed with milk products and fruit juices and the mixtures tested for virucidal effects. The aim was to determine which compounds are the most active against these respiratory viruses and could possibly be used in pharmaceutical formulations or as additives to milk products or juice. Several compounds caused a significant inactivation of virus, and there was generally a good agreement between the activities against RSV and parainfluenza virus. By changing the pH from 7 to 4.2, the virucidal activities of some of the compounds were greatly increased, i.e., they inactivated virus in a shorter time and at lower concentrations. The most active compound tested was 1-monoglyceride of capric acid, monocaprin, which also showed activity against influenza A virus and significant virucidal activities after addition to milk products and fruit juices, even at a concentration as low as 0.06-0.12%. The significant virucidal activities of fatty alcohols and lipids on RSV and parainfluenza virus demonstrated in this in vitro study raise the question of the feasibility of using such compounds as ingredients in pharmaceutical dosage forms against respiratory infections caused by these viruses, and possibly other paramyxo- and myxoviruses.

Effect of glycerol monocaprate (monocaprin) on broiler chickens: an attempt at reducing intestinal Campylobacter infection.

Attempts have been made by several workers to prevent or to reduce colonization of Campylobacter in the intestines of broiler chickens by adding antibacterial agents to their food, but the results have varied. Monocaprin, the 1-monoglyceride of capric acid, has been found to be very active in killing Campylobacter in vitro. It was therefore studied whether Campylobacter infection in chickens would be affected by adding emulsions of monocaprin to their drinking water and feed. It was found that treatment with monocaprin in water and feed did not prevent spread of Campylobacter from artificially infected to noninfected 24-d-old chickens, but Campylobacter counts in cloacal swabs were significantly reduced, particularly during the first 2 d of treatment. There was also a significant reduction in the Campylobacter counts in cloacal swabs of naturally infected 36-d-old broilers that were treated for 3 d prior to slaughter. Addition of monocaprin to drinking water and feed 2 to 3 d before slaughter might therefore be considered as a means of reducing Campylobacter infection in broilers, possibly in conjunction with other antibacterial agents such as short-chain organic acids. Further studies are needed to determine whether this would reduce carcass contamination.

Virucidal effect of lipids on visna virus, a lentivirus related to HIV.

Natural lipids and fatty alcohols show virucidal activities against enveloped viruses. A virucidal profile of these compounds against visna virus (VV), a lentivirus related to HIV, or against other viruses of the genus Lentivirus has not been established before and could help elucidate how lipids inactivate enveloped viruses and assist in the development of virucidal drugs. The activity profile for VV may not exactly reflect the profile for HIV or for the lentivirus subgroup in general, but the results for VV are in agreement with earlier studies, which have shown that lipids become generally more virucidal at low pH.

Development of a virucidal cream containing the monoglyceride monocaprin.

The lipid monocaprin (1-monoglyceride of capric acid) has been shown to be effective against enveloped viruses such as herpes simplex virus HSV in vitro. As it is known that HSV can develop resistance to acyclovir which is the most common treatment used, it was considered to be of interest to formulate a cream containing the lipid monocaprin as the active substance against HSV. The aim of this study was to develop an o/w-emulsion (cream) containing monocaprin and to evaluate the effects of formulation variables on the virucidal activity of monocaprin as well as the in vitro release rate of the monoglyceride from the formulations. The results show that release rate and extent of monocaprin release as well as the microbicidal properties of the the o/w-emulsion formulations are affected by the proportion of the oil phase and the amount of carbomer in the aqueous phase. Reducing the oil volume fraction increased antiviral effect and release of monocaprin from the formulation.