Immune Responses in Farm Workers after Exposure to Bacillus thuringiensis Pesticides

Bernstein, I. Leonard; Bernstein, Jonathan A.; Miller, Maureen C.; Tierzieva, Sylva; Bernstein, David I.; Lummus, Zana L.; Selgrade, MaryJane K.; Doerfler, Donald L.; Seligy, Verner L.

doi:10.2307/3434400

Cited by 34 publications

(49 citation statements)

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“…A survey conducted in farm workers who picked vegetables treated with Bt microbial products, indicates that exposure to Bt products may lead to allergic skin sensitisation and induction of IgE and IgG antibodies. However, there were no reports of clinical allergic disease in any of the workers, or of antibodies to the endotoxin proteins of the Bt sprays (Bernstein et al 1999). …”

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confidence: 99%

Potential Impact of Differential Production of the Cry2Ab and Cry1Ac Proteins in Transgenic Cotton in Response to Cold Stress

Addison¹,

Rogers²

2010

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confidence: 99%

Potential Impact of Differential Production of the Cry2Ab and Cry1Ac Proteins in Transgenic Cotton in Response to Cold Stress

Addison¹,

Rogers²

2010

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“…Standard methods that either do not differentiate B. cereus from B. thuringiensis (8) or specify that a 3-to 7-day culture followed by staining and microscopic examination for ICP be performed (12) are not as sensitive or rapid as detecting cry genes by PCR (unpublished data) to discriminate between these Bacillus species. Although B. thuringiensis is not considered a food-borne pathogen (11,24), and is rarely found linked to food-borne (15) or other (4,8,20) human illness this pesticide is currently under review by the European Union (9). This study suggests that there is an association between this bacterium and previously recognized food-borne gastrointestinal illnesses.…”

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confidence: 99%

Identification of Bacillus cereus Group Species Associated with Food Poisoning Outbreaks in British Columbia, Canada

McIntyre

Bernard

Beniac

et al. 2008

Appl Environ Microbiol

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Food poisoning laboratories identify Bacillus cereus using routine methods that may not differentiate all Bacillus cereus group species. We recharacterized Bacillus food-poisoning strains from 39 outbreaks and identified B. cereus in 23 outbreaks, B. thuringiensis in 4, B. mycoides in 1, and mixed strains of Bacillus in 11 outbreaks. (16,19,22). They are difficult to discern using standard biochemical schemes, chemotaxonomic methods, or phylogenetically relevant target genes (1, 2), and many distinguishing pathogenicity markers in this group can be attributed to mobile plasmids (18,21,22,23). B. cereus sensu stricto carries the plasmid-borne emetic toxin cereulide (ces) (7,13,14), and B. thuringiensis carries insecticidal crystal protein (ICP) (cry) genes on one or more plasmids (3, 5, 6). The differentiation of B. cereus group members using molecular techniques is not routine in food-poisoning diagnostic methods and may cause underreporting of species such as B. thuringiensis (1,8 DNA was extracted by lysing pure culture in a heating block at 102°C for 10 min. Microcentrifuged supernatant was frozen at Ϫ80°C until required. Pathogenicity genes for emetic cereulide toxin (nonribosomal peptide synthetase [NRPS]) and ICP (cry1 or cry2) were detected in multiplex PCR assays (7, 10) shown in Fig. 1. Each master mix contained 0.8 M of each primer, hot start master mix, diethyl pyrocarbonate water (20 l), and 5 l of DNA. The PCR products were loaded onto 2% agarose gels made with 0.5ϫ Tris-borate-EDTA buffer and ethidium bromide (1 g ml Ϫ1 ). The gels were electrophoresed at 120 V for 30 min and then visualized on a Bio-Rad Gel Doc 2000.Strains positive for NRPS were designated as B. cereus, those positive for ICP (by microscopy or PCR) as B. thuringiensis, those with rhizoidal growth on nutrient agar as B. mycoides, and all other strains with the typical B. cereus phenotype as B. cereus NRPS Ϫ ICP Ϫ . PCR-negative isolates were further examined for ICP crystals using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) since B. thuringiensis strains may carry one to six cry genes and there is no universal method available to detect all cry genes (there are currently more than 150 cry1 toxins) (17; Bacillus thuringiensis toxin nomenclature [http: //www.lifesci.sussex.ac.uk/Home/Neil_Crickmore/Bt/]). Samples of B. cereus group bacteria were prepared for electron microscopy by fixation with 2% glutaraldehyde and 1% para-

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“…In a study carried out in 1999 involving 48 exposed farm workers, Bernstein et al failed to demonstrate occupationally related symptoms caused by B. thuringiensis (8). However, an increased immune response was detected in the exposed farm workers.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Also, exposure in many studies has been measured indirectly; i.e., individuals exposed were defined as persons residing or working in areas sprayed with B. thuringiensis (8,34). Therefore, a major aim of this study was to determine whether a correlation exists among individual exposure, gastrointestinal symptoms, work processes, and intestinal carriage of B. thuringiensis.…”

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confidence: 99%

Bacillus thuringiensis in Fecal Samples from Greenhouse Workers after Exposure to B. thuringiensis -Based Pesticides

Jensen

Larsen

Jacobsen

et al. 2002

Appl Environ Microbiol

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In a study of occupational exposure to Bacillus thuringiensis, 20 exposed greenhouse workers were examined for Bacillus cereus-like bacteria in fecal samples and on biomonitoring filters. Bacteria with the following characteristics were isolated from eight individuals: intracellular crystalline inclusions characteristic of B. thuringiensis, genes for and production of B. cereus enterotoxins, and positivity for cry11 as determined by PCR. DNA fingerprints of the fecal isolates were identical to those of strains isolated from the commercial products used. Work processes (i.e., spraying) correlated with the presence of B. thuringiensis in the fecal samples (10 2 to 10 3 CFU/g of feces). However, no gastrointestinal symptoms correlated with the presence of B. thuringiensis in the fecal samples.

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Immune Responses in Farm Workers after Exposure to Bacillus thuringiensis Pesticides

Cited by 34 publications

References 0 publications

Potential Impact of Differential Production of the Cry2Ab and Cry1Ac Proteins in Transgenic Cotton in Response to Cold Stress

Potential Impact of Differential Production of the Cry2Ab and Cry1Ac Proteins in Transgenic Cotton in Response to Cold Stress

Identification of Bacillus cereus Group Species Associated with Food Poisoning Outbreaks in British Columbia, Canada

Bacillus thuringiensis in Fecal Samples from Greenhouse Workers after Exposure to B. thuringiensis -Based Pesticides

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