Although there were no cases of infection, nosocomial transmission of MRSA clearly occurred in the neonatal unit, and this highlights the need for infection control practices such as hand hygiene to prevent cross-dissemination. Other healthcare practices, which are very basic but also ample in scope, may play a role, such as general education of women and breast feeding.

Apesar da expressividade da atividade leiteira no agronegócio no Brasil e região Sul, o setor enfrenta problemas em relação à produtividade e qualidade do produto. Sendo assim, existe a necessidade de projetos voltados para a assistência ao produtor familiar de forma a identificar e quantificar os principais problemas de manejo de suas propriedades desenvolvendo boas práticas de ordenha, higiene e sanidade do rebanho. Conhecer a realidade de cada propriedade possibilita a adoção de medidas simples a serem empregadas para a obtenção de um leite de melhor qualidade, incrementando a renda e facilitando a permanência do produtor na atividade.

The objective of this study was to characterize the genotype and phenotype of S. aureus isolates from pork sausages. Fifty samples of pork sausages were collected, counts of coagulase-positive Staphylococcus were made and isolates were obtained to identify S. aureus species. In the isolates, the presence of genes sea, seb, sec, and sed was surveyed, the methicillin-resistance was assessed and the production of biofilm in Congo red agar, stainless steel, polyethylene, glass, and pork casing was tested. The capacity of biofilm formation was assessed after the exposure to sublethal stress. Of the samples tested, 12% had counts superior to what is permitted by the legislation. S. aureus was isolated in 44% of the samples. Of these, 54% had only the gene sed and 32% had genes sec and sed, 73% were classified as methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Of the MRSA isolates, 62% had only gene sed and 35% had both genes found in this study. Regarding the biofilm formation in Congo red agar, 68% of S. aureus isolates were considered as biofilm formers. After undergoing the sublethal stress, most of the biofilm former isolates proceeded to form biofilm and the non-biofilm former isolates responded in a distinct manner. The condition in which the sublethal stress greatly induced the biofilm formation was the cold. Biofilm production was observed only in the stainless steel and pork casing in 71% and 57% of the isolates tested, respectively. Thus, we stress the importance of implementing good manufacturing practices within the industry to control microbial contamination and biofilm formation.

Species of the Vibrio genus are commonly reported as agents of food poisoning outbreaks associated with fish consumption. The objective of this study was to assess the antimicrobial activity of the essential oils of Origanum vulgare and Ocimum basilicum against Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio vulnificus, as well as to assess their addition to fillets of Mugil platanus and sensorial acceptance among consumers. The antimicrobial activity was analyzed by the disc diffusion test and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC). M. platanus fillets, experimentally contaminated, were marinated for 24 hours in a solution containing 1.0% and 1.5% of essential oil of O. vulgare. For the sensory analysis, samples marinated in 1.5% of O. vulgare oil were prepared and offered to 100 testers. The oil of O. basilicum shows no antimicrobial activity, so its application would be ineffective; for such reason the subsequent tests were not performed. However, the essential oil of O. vulgare produced inhibition halo diameters ranging from 24.6 to 34.1 mm, on average, and the MBC ranging from 3.9% to 15.6%. When added to the product, the essential oil of O. vulgare eliminated the microorganisms that were experimentally inoculated. In the sensorial analysis, samples marinated in 1.5% of O. vulgare essential oil obtained an average of 6.82 of acceptance note among consumers.