Enhanced Surface Colonization by Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Biofilms Formed by an Acinetobacter calcoaceticus Isolate from Meat-Processing Environments

Abstract

A meat factory commensal bacterium, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, affected the spatial distribution of Escherichia coli O157:H7 surface colonization. The biovolume of E. coli O157:H7 was 400-fold higher (1.2 ؋ 10 6 m 3 ) in a dynamic cocultured biofilm than in a monoculture (3.0 ؋ 10 3 m 3 ), and E. coli O157:H7 colonized spaces between A. calcoaceticus cell clusters.

Diversity and biofilm-forming capability of bacteria recovered from stainless steel pipes of a milk-processing dairy plant

“…However, surprisingly, and in contrast to previous reported results (Faille et al 2001), most B. cereus strains were found to be nonbiofilm producers, even though isolates of these species were a majority population in all samples. The abundance of potential nonbiofilm producers strains in all samples argues for attachment of these bacteria to the real biofilm producers forming mixed-species biofilms (Habimana et al 2010;Lourenco et al 2011;Simoes et al 2007) or for these bacteria being attached to inert milk constituents (fat, protein) precipitating on the stainless steel surfaces. This is not surprising since the methodology followed in this study selected for attachment not for biofilm formation.…”

Coaggregation between Rhodococcus and Acinetobacter strains isolated from the food industry

“…Acinetobacter and Rhodococcus species are commonly found in food processing plants, and have the ability to form biofilms (Aaku et al 2004;Bore and Langsrud 2005;Lewis et al 1989;Møretrø et al 2013;Schirmer et al 2013). Acinetobacter calcoaceticus has been shown to promote biofilm formation by the pathogenic bacteria Escherichia coli O157:H7, however the mechanisms involved were not investigated (Habimana et al 2010). Also the food borne pathogenic bacterium Listeria monocytogenes is a relatively poor biofilm former , which adhesion and biofilm formation may be induced in multispecies biofilms (Bremer et al 2001;Hassan et al 2004).…”

“…These bacteria may be involved in reducing the quality of foods, but importantly, may also facilitate colonization and survival of pathogenic bacteria. As an example, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus has been shown to promote biofilm formation of the pathogenic bacterium E. coli O157:H7 (Habimana et al 2010). Acinetobacter spp.…”

Attachment and Biofilm Formation by Salmonella in Food Processing Environments

“…Adhesion of Salmonella to food surfaces was the first published report on foodborne bacterial biofilm (Duguid et al, 1966). Since that time, many documents have described the ability of foodborne pathogens to attach to various surfaces and form biofilms, including L. monocytogenes (Blackman & Frank, 1996;Chorianopoulos et al, 2011;di Bonaventura et al, 2008;Poimenidou et al, 2009), Salmonella enterica (Chia et al, 2009;Giaouris et al, 2005;Giaouris & Nychas, 2006;Habimana et al, 2010b;Joseph et al, 2001;Kim & Wei, 2007, 2009Oliveira et al, 2006;Marin et al, 2009;Rodrigues et al, 2011;Solomon et al, 2005;Stepanović et al, 2003Stepanović et al, , 2004, Yersinia enterocolitica (Kim et al, 2008), Campylobacter jejuni (Joshua et al, 2006) and Escherichia coli O157:H7 (Habimana et al, 2010a;Skandamis et al, 2009). Modern food processing supports and selects for biofilm forming bacteria on food-contact surfaces due to mass production of products, lengthy production cycles and vast surface areas for biofilm development (Lindsay & von Holy, 2006).…”