Public Health Risk of Foodborne Pathogens in Edible African Land Snails, Cameroon

Tanyitiku, Mary Nkongho; Nicholas, Graeme; Sullivan, Jon J.; On, Stephen L.W.

doi:10.3201/eid2808.220722

Cited by 6 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 5 publications

(4 reference statements)

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“…Ingestion of contaminated fruits, vegetables, and/or water sources can lead to exposure to the snail-borne pathogens . In some subtropical and tropical countries, giant African snails are also human food sources. , Consuming snail meat can be another route of exposure. Therefore, human pathogens associated with giant African snails can be exposed to humans through direct contact with the snails, their excretions, and contaminated urban gardens, crops, and/or water sources.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Increasing Antimicrobial Resistance and Potential Human Bacterial Pathogens in an Invasive Land Snail Driven by Urbanization

Zhang

Liao

et al. 2023

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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Our understanding of the role urbanization has in augmenting invasive species that carry human bacterial pathogens and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) remains poorly understood. Here, we investigated the gut bacterial communities, antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and potential antibiotic-resistant pathogens in giant African snails (Achatina fulica) collected across an urbanization gradient in Xiamen, China (n = 108). There was a lack of correlation between the microbial profiles of giant African snails and the soils of their habitats, and the resistome and humanassociated bacteria were significantly higher than those of native snails as well as soils. We observed high diversity (601 ARG subtypes) and abundance (1.5 copies per 16S rRNA gene) of giant African snail gut resistome. Moreover, giant African snails in more urban areas had greater diversity and abundance of high-risk ARGs and potential human bacterial pathogens (e.g., ESKAPE pathogens). We highlight that urbanization significantly impacted the gut microbiomes and resistomes of these invasive snails, indicating that they harbor greater biological contaminants such as ARGs and potential human bacterial pathogens than native snails and soils. This study advances our understanding of the effect of urbanization on human bacterial pathogens and AMR in a problematic invasive snail and should help combat risks associated with invasive species under the One Health framework.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Increasing Antimicrobial Resistance and Potential Human Bacterial Pathogens in an Invasive Land Snail Driven by Urbanization

Zhang

Liao

et al. 2023

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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“…The challenges in adapting well-defined snail farming systems are due to the ability of snails to adversely respond to changes in climatic conditions [ 6 , 31 ]. In both farming systems, it is well known that land snails, such as African giant snails, are hosts to many parasites and bacterial pathogens [ 4 , 5 , 8 , 13 , 15 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 35 ]. Indeed, our previous work [ 19 ] detected at least one enteric pathogen in every snail sample examined, with STEC found in 57% of the samples examined.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The surviving colonies of E. coli were confirmed as blue-green colonies in TBX agar plates [ 33 ]. Further E. coli confirmation tests for inconclusive colonies were performed using previously described PCR protocols [ 19 ]. The same procedure was used to screen for E. coli in rolled oats prior to feeding inoculated snails during the entire 30-day survival experiments.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Consumption of snails obtained from unregulated sources may pose public health risks. Significant disease-causing pathogenic microorganisms including Escherichia coli , Campylobacter spp., Salmonella spp., Listeria spp., Yersinia spp., among others, have been detected in studies of edible land snails in both snail farms and free-living environments [ 4 , 5 , 8 , 13 , 15 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ]. Notably, 57% of snails sampled in Cameroon were found to harbour Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) [ 19 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Survival of Escherichia coli in Edible Land Snails: Implications for Heliciculture and Public Health

Tanyitiku,

Nicholas,

Sullivan

et al. 2024

Pathogens

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Background: Land snails are considered a delicacy in many countries in Europe and sub-Saharan Africa. However, the interaction of microbial pathogens with land snails may present a public health threat when handling and/or consuming snails. This study examines the survival of Escherichia coli in edible land snails in a model system. Methods: Well-studied Shigatoxigenic (STEC) and non-STEC strains were compared. Mature Helix spp. were experimentally fed with E. coli-inoculated oats for 48 h. The snail feces after inoculation were periodically sampled and cultured for a 30-day period and subjected to microbiological analyses. Results: The average rate of decline of the non-STEC strain CSH-62 in the feces of live snails was significantly (p < 0.05) faster than that of STEC ERL 06-2503. In addition, the viable population of E. coli ERL 06-2503 significantly (p < 0.05) persisted for a longer time in the intestine of land snails than E. coli CSH-62. Conclusion: The results showed that the viable population of the E. coli strains examined demonstrated first-order kinetics, and their survival (CFU/mL) appeared significantly (p < 0.05) dependent on the E. coli pathotype. In addition, the continuous enumeration of E. coli in snail faeces indicated that land snails could serve as a mode of transmission of microbial pathogens to susceptible hosts, including humans. Further research is recommended to better quantify the direct and indirect health risks of pathogen transmission by edible snails to humans.

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“…DNA was extracted using the PowerWater @ DNA isolation kit (Qiagen Company, USA), as detailed in the manufacturer's guidelines. Subsequently, DNA extracts were examined for Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC), Campylobacter spp., Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes and Yersinia enterocolitica, using previously described PCR primers and cycling conditions (Tanyitiku et al, 2022). In brief, each reaction mixture was prepared to a total volume of 20μl and consisted of 2μl of a 1 in 100 diluted DNA extract, 6μl of distilled water, 1μl each of the forward and reverse primers (100μM prepared working solution), and 10μl of Quantabio repliQa Hifi toughmix.…”

Section: Pcr Detection Of Selected Foodborne Pathogensmentioning

confidence: 99%

Foodborne Pathogens in Leafy Vegetables Grown and Consumed Locally in Yaounde, Cameroon: A Public Health Concern

Tanyitiku¹,

Teh²,

Laison³

et al. 2023

JFR

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This study sought to understand the health risks of foodborne pathogens in fresh leafy vegetables that are grown and consumed locally in Yaounde, Cameroon. Through a survey, 200 respondents were recruited to relate possible food-related illnesses to leafy vegetable consumption. Additionally, a total of 168 vegetable samples consisting of six leafy vegetables and 15 irrigated water samples from five water sources were collected from farms and local markets for microbiological analysis. Using a high-fidelity DNA polymerase, five potential bacterial pathogens, namely, Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC), Campylobacter spp., Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes and Yersinia enterocolitica were also examined. The mean counts of total viable count and total coliforms followed decreasing trends from vegetables obtained on the farms to the local markets, and these ranged from 4.98-8.74 log cfu/g and 1.77-7.42 log cfu/g respectively. All pathogens detected were of significant concern to public health showing high occurrence in some vegetables: STEC (20%) and Yersinia enterolitica (13%) in cabbage, Campylobacter spp. (21%) in lettuce, Listeria monocytogenes (15%) in African nightshade, and Salmonella spp. (15%) in amaranth. Importantly, 42% of respondents highlighted that they frequently got sick from eating leafy vegetables from the study area. These microbiological and qualitative results along with certain vegetable farming and vending practices (such as the use of untreated sewage water for crop irrigation, the sales of physically dirty, muddy, and unpackaged vegetables) indicated that foodborne diseases could be occurring among leafy vegetable-consuming populations in Cameroon.

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Public Health Risk of Foodborne Pathogens in Edible African Land Snails, Cameroon

Cited by 6 publications

References 5 publications

Increasing Antimicrobial Resistance and Potential Human Bacterial Pathogens in an Invasive Land Snail Driven by Urbanization

Increasing Antimicrobial Resistance and Potential Human Bacterial Pathogens in an Invasive Land Snail Driven by Urbanization

Survival of Escherichia coli in Edible Land Snails: Implications for Heliciculture and Public Health

Foodborne Pathogens in Leafy Vegetables Grown and Consumed Locally in Yaounde, Cameroon: A Public Health Concern

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