Aims: To determine the effect of reduced water activity (aw) on thermal inactivation of Salmonella serotype Typhimurium at different temperatures and its mechanism.
Methods and Results: D‐value determinations at a range of different temperatures showed that heating at reduced aw (0·94, produced by addition of glucose or sodium chloride to nutrient broth) was protective at temperatures above 53–55°C but sensitizing below this temperature. Using selective enumeration media to determine injury, it was shown that at lower heating temperatures cells survived at high aw with cytoplasmic injury whereas at low aw these cells were killed. At higher temperatures ribosome degradation was a more important cause of death and was inhibited by low aw heating media thereby providing greater heat resistance.
Conclusions: The observed change in behaviour reflects the different reactions responsible for thermal death at different temperatures and their different response to reduced aw.
Significance and Impact of the Study: This work qualifies the previous assumption that reduced aw is protective and suggests that the efficacy of low temperature pasteurization regimes may be increased by reduced aw.
Objective
This study aims to assess the knowledge and awareness, and to identify the practice reflection of knowledge concerning MERS on hospital visitor’s daily life.
Methods
A cross-sectional study, conducted in two tertiary referral hospitals, Riyadh KSA from February 2015 to February 2016. A total random sample of 305 hospital visitors consented to participate. Data was collected through a self-administered questionnaire consisting of questions regarding awareness and practice of measures to prevent the spread of infection.
Results
Study shows that Participants have a fair knowledge regarding the cause of MERS, (N=228, 74.8%). Nearly half of them (47%) stated that camels are the source of the spread of MERS. About 70% of the participants preferred both sanitization and wearing facemasks as preventive measures for MERS. However, only 3.95% practiced not eating camel products like milk and meat.
Conclusion
Although Hospital visitors showed some knowledge and positive awareness in several aspects of MERS awareness. There are weak areas where knowledge and awareness were not up-to recommended guidelines. Continued educational programs are needed, to improve awareness and knowledge of all the public towards MERS-CoV infection. This study may assist in the development of future strategies on preventive measures of the disease
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