Clostridium botulinum

Clostridium botulinum is a bacillus, Gram +, sporulated, strict anaerobes, mesophyll. Is developed at a pH near neutrality
spores are heat resistant
toxin produces heat sensitive (destroyed at 121 ° C for 15 min.)
dominant in the soil, contaminate vegetables and these animals to be eaten
produces neurotoxins with paralyzing action (which causes botulism)
botulism may be due to:
ingestion of a toxin produced food has been developed where the bacterium
intake of the toxin formed in the food, as well as bacteria and spores present in the food which will install the intestine where they produce toxins

Symptoms
The toxin acts at the level of the small intestine with the following symptoms: abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, eye paralysis, disturbance of accommodation of the eye, double vision, dry mouth, low temperature, difficulty swallowing, urine retention . In more severe forms can be paralysis of respiratory muscles (diaphragm and intercostals)

Prevention
Appropriate heat treatment of canned.
Conservation of fresh local products (semi-preserved) salting correct product.
Smoking correct (82 º C for 30min.)
Using raw materials of good quality rejection cans with signs of change.

Bacillus cereus

The famíliaBacillaceae comprises eanaeróbios required strict aerobic microorganisms, cocci and bacilli, gram-positive and gram-negative. Factode have in common they all produce endospores. Bacillus anthracis is the organism responsible for anthrax and is a member maisimportante this genre. This species is known to be one of the most feared players to create bioweapons.
Treatment, Prevention and Control
Contrary to what happens in other species, B. anthracis is susceptible to penicillin, and is also susceptible to Doxycycline, erythromycin and ciprofloxacin. however genes that encode resistance to penicillin and doxycycline were transferred to B. anthracis and is therefore recommended as empirical therapy Ciprofloxacin. There is already documented resistance to sulfonamides and to broad spectrum cephalosporins.

Listeria monocytogenes

Listeriosis is a food poisoning caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes). In the United States, an estimated 2,500 people become seriously ill with listeriosis each year. In Portugal, it is assumed that ume dozen Portuguese is affected by the disease each year. In pregnant women, infection can result in premature birth, severe infections in the newborn, or even stillbirth. Listeriosis primarily affects pregnant women, newborns and adults with compromised immune systems. Healthy adults and children occasionally are infected with L. monocytogenes, but rarely become seriously ill. Babies can be born with listeriosis if their mothers eat contaminated food during pregnancy.
Treatment
A healthy person who is not pregnant usually do not need treatment. The symptoms usually disappear within a few weeks. If the patient is pregnant and begin to suffer from listeriosis, antibiotics can prevent infection of the fetus or newborn. Infants with listeriosis receive the same antibiotics as adults, although using a combination of antibiotics until the physician has relatively certainty of diagnosis.
Prevention
Listeriosis can be prevented by practicing safe food handling (adapted from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States of America):
- Buy with confidence. Put raw meat in a bag, and place the fish or poultry separate from other foods. Go home immediately after finishing your shopping so that you can store all foods properly;
- Prepare food safely. Wash hands before and after handling food. Wash them well after going to the toilet or changing diapers.
- Wash fruits and vegetables under running water. If possible, use two cutting boards, one for fresh produce and one for raw meat, poultry and seafood. You can also wash your knives and cutting boards in the machine to disinfect them.
- Keep food safely. Cook, refrigerate, or freeze meat, poultry, eggs, fish and ready-to-eat within 2 hours maximum. Make sure your refrigerator is 4 ° C or colder. However, it should be noted that Listeria can grow at refrigerator for issolimpe any spills, especially sauces hot dogs, raw meat or poultry.
- Cook food safely. Use a clean thermometer meat to determine if the food is to be cooked at a safe temperature. The reheating leftovers should be done at least 75 º C. Do not eat undercooked hamburger, and be aware of the risk of food poisoning derived from raw fish (including sushi), clams and oysters.
- Serve food safely. Keep cooked foods hot [& 0 ° C or above] and cold foods and cold [4 ° C or below].
- Follow the labels on food packaging. The labels of food packages provide information about when to use the food and how to store them. Read food labels and safety instructions to follow them will reduce your chances of getting sick with food poisoning.
- When in doubt, it is better to throw away. If you are unsure if a food is safe, do not eat. The recovery of contaminated food does not make them safe. Do not taste food suspects. They may look and smell fine, but may no longer be safe to eat.

Escherichia coli

The Escherichia coli (E. coli can be abbreviated) is a large and diverse group of bacteria. While most varieties of E. coli are harmless, others can cause disease. Some kinds of E. coli can cause diarrhea, while others cause urinary tract infections, respiratory illness, pneumonia and other diseases. Still other types of Escherichia coli are used as markers of contamination in the water. You can listen on the finding of Escherichia coli in drinking water, which in itself may be harmless, but it is an indicator of contamination.
Treatment

The treatment with non-specific therapy, including hydration, is important. Antibiotics should not be used in treatment. There is no evidence that treatment with antibiotics help, and use could increase the risk of hemolytic uremic syndrome. Agents against diarrhea, as Imodium ®, might also raise the risk.

Prevention

Infection with infection by toxigenic Escherichia coli Shiga can be prevented in the following ways:
* Wash hands thoroughly after using the bathroom, changing diapers, and before preparing or eating food.
* Wash your hands after contact with animals in their environment (farms, zoos, fairs).
* Avoid unpasteurized dairy products.
* Avoid swallowing water while swimming in lakes, ponds and pools.

Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococcus, according to the international nomenclature Latin, or Portuguese Staphylococci are a genus of Gram-positive cocci shaped that can cause diseases in man, one of the most common pathogens of man.
Treatment
The treatment of choice for Staphylococcus aureus is penicillin, but in most countries, penicillin resistance is extremely common and first-line therapy is most commonly a penicillinase resistant penicillin (for example oxacillin or flucloxacillin). Combination therapy with gentamicin may be used to treat serious infections such as endocarditis, but its use is controversial because of the high risk of damage to the kidneys. The duration of treatment depends on the site of infection and severity.
Antibiotic Resistance in S. alvz'' '' aureus was almost unknown when penicillin was first introduced in 1943, in fact, the original petri dish on which Alexander Fleming, from Imperial College London observed the antibacterial activity of the penicillium mold was growing a culture of S. ' ''' aureus. In 1950, 40% of hospital'' S. aureus isolates'' were resistant to penicillin, and in 1960 this had risen to 80%.
Researchers from Italy have identified a bacteriophage active against Staphylococcus aureus, including methicillin-resistant strains, in mice and possibly humans.
Prevention
Prevention is based on personal hygiene: wash hands with brushes, soaps, disinfectants, use of masks, gloves and hats for the food handler to prevent food contamination and the use of cooling is adequate in the whole process of food. The cooling temperature should always be kept below 7 ° C