Browsing by Author "Waldron, Calvin Michael"
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- Efficacy of Delmopinol in Preventing the Attachment of Campylobacter jejuni to Chicken, Stainless Steel and High-Density PolyethyleneWaldron, Calvin Michael (Virginia Tech, 2013-05-24)Campylobacter spp. are the second leading bacterial cause of food borne illness in the U.S. New antimicrobials that prevent bacterial attachment may be effective for reducing Campylobacter. Delmopinol hydrochloride (delmopinol) is a cationic surfactant that is effective for treating and preventing gingivitis and periodontitis. This study evaluated the effectiveness of delmopinol for reducing attachment of Campylobacter jejuni to chicken, stainless steel and high-density polyethylene. Chicken pieces, steel and HDPE coupons were spot-inoculated with 0.1 mL of a Campylobacter jejuni culture. After 10 min, samples were sprayed with 0.5% or 1.0% delmopinol, 0.01% sodium hypochlorite, or distilled water. Contact times were 1, 10, or 20 min prior to rinsing with buffered peptone water. Rinses were serially diluted onto Campy Cefex Agar for enumeration. For additional samples, solutions were applied first, followed by inoculation with C. jejuni after 10 min. Cultures remained undisturbed for 1, 10, or 20 min. Then samples were rinsed and plated as above. When C. jejuni was inoculated before treatments, 1% delmopinol application led to mean log reductions of 1.26, 3.70, and 3.72 log CFU/mL, greater than distilled water, for chicken, steel and HDPE respectively. When C. jejuni was inoculated after spray treatments, 1% delmopinol reduced C. jejuni by 2.72, 3.20, and 3.99 mean log CFU/mL more than distilled water for chicken, steel and HDPE respectively. Application of 1% delmopinol, either before or after bacteria inoculation, resulted in a significantly (p<0.05) greater log reduction than 0.01% sodium hypochlorite or distilled water. Delmopinol may be a promising antimicrobial treatment.
- The Recovery and Transfer of Aerosolized Listeria InnocuaWaldron, Calvin Michael (Virginia Tech, 2017-09-15)Airborne pathogenic bacteria can present a significant public health risk. Pathogenic Listeria monocytogenes can colonize numerous surfaces as well, through direct and indirect cross contamination. The physical environment can also affect the transmission and viability of Listeria (distance from the source, temperature, humidity, air flow). The purpose of this work was to explore the ability of Listeria innocua (a surrogate for L. monocytogenes) to contaminate a surface after it has become aerosolized in a bioaerosol chamber and a walk-in cooler. L. innocua was nebulized into a 154 L biosafety chamber (~5 log CFU in 1 mL) at two relative humidity (RH) levels (83% and 65%). Oxford Listeria agar plates, stainless steel coupons and polyethylene (HDPE) coupons in the chamber were exposed to the aerosolized bacteria for 5, 10, 20 or 40 minutes. Also, at these times, air samples (100 L) were collected on to gelatin filters which were transferred to Oxford agar plates. In the second part of the research, L. innocua was nebulized into an 11 m3 walk-in cooler where RH ranged from ~29-37%. Aerosolized bacteria were collected on to Oxford agar plates for 10 min intervals and with 50 or 100 L air samples. Recovery of L. innocua from steel, plastic and agar was significantly higher at 83% RH (2.7 cells/cm2) compared to 65% RH (0.45 cells/cm2). Mean cell recovery from air samples (gelatin filters) was significantly higher (p<0.05) when collected 5 or 10 minutes after nebulization at 83% humidity (mean 2.2 CFU/L) compared to collection after 20 or 40 minutes or compared to all times under 65% humidity (mean 0.4 CFU/L). Recovery from HDPE coupons (1.21 CFU/cm2) was 2.5 X recovery from Oxford agar (0.49 CFU/cm2). In the walk-in cooler, total estimated mean recovery from Oxford media at 10 min after nebulizing was 0.48%, but only 0.04% for samples collected after 60 minutes. The recovery of L. innocua from air samples after 60 min was one-fourth of the number recovered 5 min after nebulizing. No significant difference in recovery was found between plates at different distances (2 – 2.5 m) from the nebulizer in the walk-in cooler. Understanding the survival of aerosolized Listeria and how it can colonize over time on a food contact surface will enhance our efforts to prevent transmission on a small and large scale. The food industry will be able to implement better safety measures to prevent contamination by Listeria species.