The present study is an overview of the role of vegetables as a transmission vehicle of Salmonella in Mexico. One hundred samples of each of 17 different vegetables were analyzed during a period of 18 months. Salmonella was isolated from 98 samples. Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium was isolated from the highest percentage of samples with typeable Salmonella isolates (23.9%), followed by S. enterica subsp. arizonae and Salmonella Choleraesuis each from 16.9%, Salmonella Gallinarum from 11.1%, Salmonella Anatum and S. enterica subsp. houtenae each from 9.7%, Salmonella Agona and Salmonella Edinburg each from 4.22%, Salmonella Enteritidis and S. enterica subsp. salamae each from 2.81%, and Salmonella Bongor, Salmonella Pullorum, Salmonella Typhi, and Salmonella C1 flagellar b each from 1.4%. Of the isolated bacteria, 27.6% were nontypeable strains. Salmonella was isolated from 12% of parsley samples, 11% of cilantro samples, 9% of broccoli samples, 9% of cauliflower samples, 9% of "papaloquelite" (Porophyllum ruderale) samples, 9% of purslane (Portulaca oleracea) samples, 7% of long lettuce samples, 7% of spinach samples, 7% of watercress samples, 6% of Chinese parsley samples, 4% of beet samples, 3% of celery samples, 3% of Romaine lettuce samples, 1% of cabbage samples, and 1% of potato samples. The presence of Salmonella Typhi in parsley is noteworthy. No Salmonella isolates were obtained from zucchini and onion. These results indicate that raw or minimally processed vegetables can be contaminated with Salmonella, leading to direct infection of consumers or cross-contamination of other foodstuffs. These contaminated vegetables can represent a severe health risk for the Mexican consumer.

Rotaviruses are the principal cause of dehydration caused by diarrhea in children younger than 2 years of age. Although these viral infections have mainly been associated with ingestion of fecally contaminated food and water, few studies have addressed the presence of the virus in food that is consumed raw or slightly cooked. In this work, 30 oyster samples and 33 vegetable samples were examined for the presence of rotavirus genotypes to evaluate their potential to produce gastrointestinal infections. The rotaviruses were identified by reverse transcriptase PCR amplification of the VP7 gene. G and P genotyping was also performed by reverse transcriptase PCR, with a detection sensitivity of up to 15 PFU/ml. Rotaviruses were found in 17 (26.9%) of 63 samples (10 oysters and 7 vegetables). The G2 genotype was found in 11 (64.7%) of 17 of the rotavirus strains, and 16 (94.1%) of 17 had the P[4] genotype. The combined genotypes found most frequently were G2P[4] (10 [58.82%] of 17), GNTP[4] (6 [35.29%] of 17), and G2P[NT] (1 [5.8%] of 17).