Foodborne Infections and Intoxications Lecture Review

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the definitions of pathogens, toxins, infection mechanisms, and food safety principles from the lecture on Foodborne Infections and Intoxications.

Biological hazards

Potential hazards in food production categorized into macrobiological (visible organisms like insects and rodents) and microbiological (pathogens like bacteria, viruses, and parasites).

Pathogenic microorganisms

Microorganisms that cause disease, including bacteria, yeasts, molds, viruses, parasites, and protozoa.

Foodborne infection

A disease resulting from the ingestion of food containing living bacteria that then grow in the human intestinal tract.

Foodborne intoxication

A disease resulting from the ingestion of food containing toxins formed by bacterial growth within the food itself.

Exotoxins

Soluble proteins, such as enterotoxins and neurotoxins, released by active bacterial cells into their environment.

Endotoxins

Lipopolysaccharides located in the outer part of the bacterial cell membrane that are released after cell death or lysis.

Infectious dose

The minimum number of pathogenic organisms or toxins needed to cause symptoms of poisoning in an individual.

Psychrophilic pathogen

A pathogen, such as Listeria monocytogenes, that has the important trait of being able to survive and grow at refrigerator temperatures.

Zoonosis

A disease or infection that is naturally transmissible from vertebrate animals to humans, such as Salmonella spp. or Campylobacter spp.

Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS)

A severe condition involving hemolytic anemia and renal failure that occurs in about $5\%$ of reported E. coli O157:H7 cases.

Staphylococcus aureus heat resistance

The bacteria are destroyed at $66\,^{\circ}\text{C}$ for $12\,\text{min}$, but the enterotoxins require $131\,^{\circ}\text{C}$ for $30\,\text{min}$ to be destroyed.

Clostridium perfringens toxin types

Types A, B, C, D, and E are lethal to humans, with types A and C specifically producing enterotoxins that cause watery diarrhea.

Botulism

Poisoning caused by food containing Clostridium botulinum toxin, which is lethal in small doses and causes symptoms such as respiratory muscle paralysis.

Bacillus cereus toxins

Produces a thermolabile enterotoxin that causes diarrhea and a thermostable toxin that causes vomiting (emetic type).

Vibrio parahaemolyticus

A Gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic bacterium found in sea water, fish, and shellfish that tolerates high salt concentrations.

Campylobacteriosis

A human infection mainly caused by food of animal origin, with the most common route being insufficiently heat-treated chicken meat.

Salmonella Enteritidis

A pathogen representing about $90\%$ of Salmonella isolates, considered a first-degree risk for consumer health, especially in poultry and eggs.

Enterobacteria genera

A group of bacteria including Klebsiella, Proteus, Citrobacter, Aerobacter, Providencia, and Serratia often found in dairy, shellfish, and vegetables.

Mycotoxicosis

Diseases caused by mycotoxins, which are produced by molds that can contaminate food or animal feed during ripening or storage.

Specific (Obligatory) bacteria

Bacteria that form specific endotoxins or exotoxins in food or within the consumer's organism.

Non-specific (Optional) bacteria

Bacteria that cause poisoning as a consequence of biochemical activity producing specific harmful substances.

HACCP and GMP

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points and Good Manufacturing Practice; the required principles food business operators must use to ensure food safety.

Cronobacter sakazakii

A microbiological contaminant with zoonotic potential found in risky foods like newborn milk, milk powder, rice, and chocolate.

Infectious dose of Salmonella spp.

Multiplication to high numbers of $10^{5}$ and more is required to cause infection.

Infectious dose of E. coli O157:H7

Requires fewer than $100$ bacteria to cause illness.