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Bacillus Cereus from the Food of Animal Origin in India and Its Public Health Significance

Objectives

1.Isolation and enumeration of Bacillus cereu s from different food samples and outbreaks if any. 2.Characterization of the isolates. 3.Extraction and detection of enterotoxins from the isolates and their correlation with public health.

Methods

172 samples viz. milk (27), milk products (38), meat (39), meat products (32) and swab samples (36) procured from local market in and around Ludhiana city (India) were screened for isolation of B. cereus.

Results

The per cent isolation of B. cereus from milk, burfi, milk powder, chicken, mutton, butter chicken, mutton soup, chicken soup and swab samples were 66.6, 44.8, 44.4, 63.2, 55.0, 57.9, 33.3, 57.1 and 16.7, respectively resulting an overall incidence of 47.1 per cent. Maximum isolation of B. cereus could be made from milk (66.6%) followed by chicken (63.2%). None of the swab samples from butcher's knives was found to contain B. cereus. Bacterial load of B. cereus organism in 17.3 per cent of positive samples was more than 105 c.f.u./g, which is beyond safe, acceptable limits in food meant for human consumption. The isolates were got confirmed, typed and biotyped from PHLS laboratory, Colindale, London (U.K.). Different Bacillus spp. (other than B. cereus) isolated was B. subtilis (12.2%), B. licheniformis (5.2%), B. mycoides (9.6%) and B. thurigensis (1.7%).

Conclusion

A total of 38.3 per cent of B. cereus isolates were found to be enterotoxigenic as detected by rabbit ileal loop method and rabbit skin vasopermeability factor test. A positive correlation has been observed between two methods. Public health significance of these findings will be discussed.

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Sharma, C., Sharma, D., Gill, J. et al. Bacillus Cereus from the Food of Animal Origin in India and Its Public Health Significance. Acta Vet Scand 44 (Suppl 1), P118 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1186/1751-0147-44-S1-P118

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1751-0147-44-S1-P118

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