جستجوی مقالات مرتبط با کلیدواژه « microbial contamination » در نشریات گروه « پزشکی »

An important route of microbial transmission is the shared use of these products in beauty salons. We aimed to investigate level of contamination with microorganisms and their metabolites in shared-use cosmetics in several women's beauty salons.

Bacterial and fungal strains from 320 opened/used cosmetic samples were identified according to the Iranian standards for microbial quality of cosmetic products in Golestan Province (North of Iran) during Jul-Sep 2021. In order to assess production of toxins and protease by the predominant bacterial and fungal isolates, multiplex-polymerase chain reaction and the Lowry protein assay were performed, respectively.

Microbial contamination was detected in 180 samples (56.5%), and the highest and lowest rates of microbial contamination were related to skin products (63.88%) and eye beauty products (20%), respectively. The highest level of S. aureus contamination (> 4,000 colony-forming units/g) was found in toner and face wash samples, and the highest level of C. albicans contamination was seen in lipstick samples (>20,000 colony-forming units/g). Only one (2%) S. aureus isolate produced staphylococcal enterotoxin B, while 3 out of 12 (25%) C. albicans isolates were able to produce protease.

The shared-used health and beauty products, face products, in the study area are heavily contaminated. Therefore, it is essential to store used cosmetics in dry and cool places, establish strict inspection regulations for cosmetic products before and after entering the market, and increase awareness of beauty salon workers regarding the appropriate use, sanitary control, and maintenance of health and beauty products.

Cigarette contamination due to contact with contaminated hands is one of the problems of bulk cigarette distribution. This study was conducted to investigate the microbial contamination of unpackaged cigarettes in Bandar Abbas City, Iran. 

This study was conducted among various distributors of bulk cigarettes (peddlers, stalls, and supermarkets) in Bandar Abbas City. Cigarette samples were dried, and the microbial quality of their filter was evaluated by Ultersnap U microbial load measuring device. To express the index of microbial contamination, based on the defined scale of the device, RLUs (relative light units) ≤10 indicate cleanliness, 11 to 29 denote the warning level, and ≥30 signify contamination. 

Our results showed that 26.9% of cigarettes were sold by vendors, 65.4% by stalls, and 7.7% by supermarkets. The prevalence rates of microbial contamination in standard packaged and unpackaged (bulk) cigarettes were 2.3% and 46.2%, respectively. Among the examined samples, 17.3% were clean, 36.5% were contaminated at the warning level, and 46.2% were contaminated. The percentages of contaminated cigarettes sold by vendors, stalls, and supermarkets were 50%, 47.1%, and 25%, respectively.

The results of this study underscore microbial contamination as another side risk that can be transferred directly from the hands of the supplier to the mouth of the consumer. The intensity of contamination was different based on the place of supply (sales units). Therefore, more attention should be paid to the organization of distribution units of these products.

Ready-to-eat meat products offer numerous benefits, but improper handling can pose severe threats to human health. Due to its short life span, there is a need for adequate handling and preservation to prevent microbial contamination. Suya, a popular ready-to-eat meat product consumed in Nigeria, can be a major source of food poisoning if not processed and handled properly because it can predispose its consumers to pathogenic microorganisms, heavy metals which result from contaminated water and utensils used during processing, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from the incomplete combustion during roasting of the meat. Staphylococcus spp., (95.2%), Escherichia coli (90.5%), Bacillus sp. (66.7%), Salmonella (55%), Klebsiella sp. (52.4%) were the most identified bacteria contaminants. While Aspergillus spp. (commonly flavus, niger, and fumigatus) were identified in all 11 reports that identified fungal contamination, followed by Penicillium spp., (81.8%), Rhizopus spp. (63.6%), Mucor spp. (54.5%) and Candida albicans (45.5%). Infestation by Taenia sp (67%), A. lumbricoides (50%), E. histolytica (41.7%), G. lamblia (25%), and Hookworm (16.7%) were also identified. Microbial contaminants were also identified in spices meant to supplement and improve suya's organoleptic and nutritional value. Microbial isolates from suya samples displayed resistance to some commonly used antibiotics, raising concerns about antibiotic resistance development. Suya is one of the unsafe ready-to-eat meat products to consume in Nigeria due to the unhygienic practices during its processing and packaging, such as bare-hand contact, exposure to vehicular emissions, or other environmental contaminants, and packaging in inked papers with contaminants, which makes it unfit for human consumption. This review underscores the importance of identifying and addressing these areas of contamination during suya preparation, production, packaging, and consumption. There is a dire need to educate suya vendors, consumers, and policymakers on food safety and the need for hygienic practices during suya production to safeguard public health.

Consumption of artisanal foods, such as Shir Berenj, is common in Iran. Nevertheless, little evidence can be found about the safety of traditional foods in the literature. This study aimed to investigate the microbiological and chemical quality of Shir Berenj samples in Khouzestan province.

Shir Berenj samples were collected from Ahvaz, Shoushtar, Andimeshk, and Dezful. They were put in an ice pack and transferred to the laboratory. Microbiological (total count, psychrophile count, mold and yeast, S. aureus, Salmonella, Enterobacteriaceae, and E. coli) and chemical (fat content, pH, and dry matter) tests were carried out to determine the safety and quality of samples.

According to Iran standards, 96% of Shir Berenj samples were rejected. The data showed that microbial contamination was the most critical problem for the safety of Shir Berenj samples. Merely 70 % of samples were contaminated with Enterobacteriaceae beyond the standard limit. Moreover, 50 % of samples were contaminated with Escherichia coli, indicating poor hygienic conditions.

Surveillance organizations should be more watchful about the safety of Shir Berenj. We suggest that appropriate approaches should be used to improve the knowledge of food handlers involved in producing Shir Berenj.

Over the past decades, billions of people on Earth have used respirator masks to prevent animal - to - human and human - to - human virus transmission. Recent research has shown the low risk of surface transmission of COVID - 19, which turned into a pa ndemic since January 2020. Social distancing and the use of masks indoors are the most important factors in breaking its transmission chain.

However, the use of contaminated respirator masks can cause dangerous microbial and viral dis eases. By adding the factor “avoiding microbial contamination”, the proposed model, called “Excellent Performance by Avoiding Microbial Contamination (EPBAMC)”, improves the WHO’s three - factor optimal - performance model of the respirator masks. In this stud y, to evaluate the need to add the factor of “avoiding contamination”, samples of brand - new respirator masks were collected from several countries and their microbial contamination was carefully studied. The research method was such that the research steps were performed with highest accuracy rate and no double infection was created.

By culturing in sterilized medium, the bacterial load of the respirator masks was studied and the results were analyzed. By performing different cultures, a variety of pathogenic microorganisms were identified on half of the respirator mask samples. Some brand - new respirator mask samples contained more than one pathogen. A very important issue was that bacteria were found in brand - new respirators distributed by pharmaci es that cause nosocomial infections and are resistant to antibiotics.

The results of this study made it necessary to review the standards of the production and distribution process and the procedures for controlling and inspecting respirator ma sks.

Rice is one of the most staple foods in the diet of people all over the world and the second most consumed food among the people in Iran. Therefore, it is expected this product be offered in suitable quality to the household food basket. In this study, microbial contamination, as well as concentrations of mycotoxins and heavy metals in imported rice samples available in the market of Ahvaz, were evaluated and the health risk of exposure to heavy metals was assessed in three groups of children, women, and men. According to the results, the contamination of rice with Bacillus cereus in all the samples was within the acceptable level set by Iran National Standards Organisation, but mold and yeast contamination in 14.28% of the samples was more than the acceptable level. Examination of mycotoxins showed that 71.42% of the samples contained aflatoxin B1 and total. Aflatoxin G1 and ochratoxin A were observed in 50% and 35.71% of the samples, respectively; the amount of these toxins in all the samples was less than the limit set by International NGO Safety Organization (INSO). Concentrations of cadmium, lead, and arsenic in the rice samples were 0.042±0.01, 0.14±0.03, and 0.13±0.03 (mg kg-1), respectively. Estimation of daily intake (EDI) of the elements through rice was less than the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) recommended by Codex. Hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI) values were less than 1 in all three groups of women, men, and children. However, the cumulative risk of cancer for children, women, and men were 2.14×103, 7.40×10-4, and 6.86×10-4, respectively. Therefore, the imported rice was safe in terms of the amount of mycotoxins, but it can be a potential source for exposure to heavy metals.

Fifty-one swab samples were collected from mobile phones randomly form the social group in Kufa Technical Institute, wet swabs samples were taken  from different sources  including (Lecturer, administration staff, restaurant workers, garden workers and students)  then the samples were cultured on selective and enrichment  culture media to isolate all the bacterial contaminated species and identified by gram stain and biochemical tests and confirmation were carried out by using vitek2.The results showed that all sample were contaminated with bacteria, ten different types of bacteria isolated include Staphylococcus aureus (49%), Staphylococcus epidermidis bacteria (12%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (11%). Staphylococcus haemolyticus Escherichia vulneris (6%), Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Bacillus sp with (4%), while the lowest percentage of presence was due to bacteria Pantoea spp and Cronobacter sakazakii group (2%). Also the results showed that the percentage of bacteria present on mobile phone by the student group is the highest in (41.18%) while the lowest for lecturer (4%). we also noted a decrease in microbial growth using disinfectants, the first disinfectant showed high level of  inhibitory effect compared to the second disinfectant, while  control disinfectant (70% ethanol alcohol) did not show any effect against all tested bacteria.

The prevalence of contaminated foodborne diseases has always been a major challenge all around the world. A huge amount of money is spent on treating these diseases every year. This study investigated the status of chemical and microbial contamination of confectionery products in Iran. Data were collected from electronic databases including Pubmed, Science Direct, Elsevier, SID, Magiran, and Google Scholar during 2001 - 2017. Search keywords included microbial contamination, chemical contamination, confectionery products, cream-filled pastry, and Iran. The results indicated that the highest contamination rates in South Khorasan, Tehran, Gorgan, and Isfahan were related to Staphylococcus aureus (80%), Escherichia coli(57%), Enterobacteriaceae (25.1%), and yeasts (100%), respectively. Moreover, the least prevalent pathogens in west of Tehran, Tabriz, east of Gilan, and south of Tehran were S. aureus (4.81%), Coliform (2.51%), Bacillus cereus (1.2%), and E. coli (2%), respectively. In addition, there was no Salmonella in southeast of Tehran and Yasouj. Most confectionery products contained unauthorized artificial dyes, and authorized artificial dyes were also overused. The most commonly used artificial dye was sunset yellow with 80% use in Arak. Moreover, 100% of the samples in Arak contained unauthorized artificial dyes. Confectionery products are an important part of food products in the country. The likelihood of microbial and chemical spoilage of these products increases due to the use of such ingredients as eggs, milk, and color additives. Further training and supervision on the preparation and maintenance of these products by the local health authorities can be effective in reducing the contamination.

One of the causes of male infertility is Genital tract infections (GTI). Considering the importance of GTI, widespread recognition of them seems necessary. we aimed to characterize and compare semen microbial populations in fertile and infertile men who referred to an infertility clinic in Yazd, Iran. 

Semen samples were collected from two groups of fertile (268) and infertile (210) men. Sperm analysis (concentration, morphology, viability and motility parameters) were performed according to the World Health Organization (WHO) 2010 guidelines laboratory manual. Bacterial isolation was performed in Sheep Blood Agar and Eosin Methylene Blue (EMB) agar plates. For PCR, samples were analyzed with genus specific primers.

All semen characteristics were poor in the infertile group compared to those in the fertile men (p-value< 0.05). Enterococcus spp. (18.7%, 17.1%; p= 0.814), E. coli (7.9%, 11.4%; p= 0.486), Staphylococcus aureus (6.4%, 2.9%; p= 0.398) and Proteus mirabilis (0%, 2.9%; p= 0.002) were the most
common agents, respectively. Also, the results obtained from PCR were confirmed using culture-base method.

Proteus mirabilis contamination was identified in the infertile group. While no significant association was observed between male infertility and semen microbial populations, p. mirabilis may be the leading cause of reproduction impairment in men.

Functional constipation is a prevalent problem in children. This study was designed to compare the efficacy and safety of molasses with polyethylene glycol (PEG) in childhood constipation. This randomized single-center trial was conducted in Amir Al-Momenin Hospital, Semnan, Iran. 110 constipated children aged from 2 to 8 years were randomly assigned to 2 g/kg PEG or 2 ccs/kg molasses. Children were treated for 1 month, and frequency of defecation, frequency of encopresis, abdominal pain, appetite, fecaloma, and pain at defecation were compared. The safety of both treatments was also studied. After 1 month of treatment, both drugs had an equal effect on the frequency of defecation and the frequency of encopresis per week (P <0.05). Both drugs were effective in relieving defecation pain to some extent. Molasses had a better effect on appetite status (P <0.05). Molasses caused a lower rate of side effects; diarrhea (P <0.01), nausea (P <0.05), and vomit. Our study showed that red sugar was as effective as PEG 3350 for treating childhood functional constipation.

 Gyms are among the places where various human infections can spread. One of the most important strategies to prevent infection spread among athletes is the use of strong and effective disinfectants.

 The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the antiseptic properties of chlorhexidine gluconate and pomegranate peel extract on staphylococcal isolates from sports mats.

 This descriptive-analytical study was performed on 22 Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis isolates from a total of 105 sports mat samples. After identification of multi-drug resistant (MDR) staphylococcal isolates, the antimicrobial effect of chlorhexidine gluconate 20% and pomegranate peel extract was evaluated by broth microdilution according to the instructions of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute.

 Overall, 14 (66.7%) S. aureus and 8 (28.6%) S. epidermidis isolates resistant to azithromycin, linezolid, ciprofloxacin, vancomycin, and aztreonam were reported as MDR strains. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of chlorhexidine gluconate, which inhibited the growth of 90% of MDR S. aureus isolates was 250 μg/mL, which was 4-fold lower than the MIC of pomegranate peel extract (MIC90 ≥ 500μg/mL) and 2-fold lower against MDR S. epidermidis isolates (MIC90 ≤ 125 μg/mL). The MIC of chlorhexidine gluconate and pomegranate peel extract against S. aureus isolates differed significantly (P = 0.037).

 Compared to pomegranate peel extract, chlorhexidine gluconate has a higher antibacterial effect on MDR staphylococcal isolates from sports mats. Further research is required to verify the efficacy of this biocide for disinfection of gyms and sports clubs.

Dried Black Curd (DBC), also known as Gharahghorut (Persian), is a dairy product produced from curd of yogurt or doogh. The aim of this study was to evaluate microbial contamination of industrially and traditionally produced DBC in Iran.

Four DBC brands holding certification of the Institute of Standards and Industrial Research of Iran (ISIRI), Iran Ministry of Health and Medical Education (IMHME) and ISO were purchased from a market in Tehran, Iran. Microbial monitoring for presence of coliform, Escherichia coli, coagulase-positive Staphylococcus aureus, mold and yeast was performed using different basic, enriched, selective and differential media including peptone water agar, MacCankey agar, blood agar and brain heart infusion agar, etc. according to the ISIRI standards (No.13299).

None of the tested samples had microbial contamination. However, in one traditional DBC sample, the population of mold and yeast was higher than the acceptable level defined by the ISIRI standard.

We found no contamination with coagulase-positive S. aureus, E. coli and coliforms in four brands of traditionally and industrially produced DBC in Iran. This indicates that the hygienic practices designated by the IMHME are well-implemented in the industrial sector. However, the mold and yeast contamination in traditionally produced DBC should be prevented by applying hygienic practices during the process of manufacturing and distribution.