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Evaluation of Cronobacter Growth and Phenotypic Variation Under Modified Culture Conditions

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Abstract

Cronobacter sakazakii is an opportunistic pathogen known to cause acute meningitis and necrotizing enterocolitis in neonates and immunocompromised individuals. It has been isolated from a wide range of food and environmental samples, and has been linked to outbreaks associated with powdered infant formula. This study was carried out to assess variations in growth conditions (temperature, pH, and sugar supplement) and to establish how these changes impact phenotypic characteristics for successful recovery and identification of Cronobacter, particularly for routine surveillance purposes. A total of six Cronobacter isolates were tested to evaluate the above growth conditions, including three ATCC Cronobacter reference and three environmental isolates obtained from regulatory sample screening. Although only slight changes in colony-forming units were observed across the pH range and the sugars tested, the morphology was significantly impacted by changes in these growth factors. Incubation between 30 and 50 °C resulted in growth after 24 h, and the growth was slower at ambient temperature and colony formation was most robust at 30 °C. Results of this study suggest that 30 °C may be suitable for recovery of some Cronobacter strains, and minor variations in growth conditions can alter colony morphology and appearance. Expression of unique biological characteristics based on phenotypic observations may be beneficial for differentiating various Cronobacter strains.

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Acknowledgments

The findings and conclusions in this manuscript are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views or official position of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The names of vendors or manufacturers are provided as examples of available product sources; inclusion does not imply endorsement of the vendors, manufacturers, or products by the FDA or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This study was supported in part by funding from the FDA 2013 Commissioner’s Fellowship Program. The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

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  1. Southeast Regional Laboratory, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 60, Eighth Street, Atlanta, GA, 30309, USA

    Katharine Segars, Steven Simpson, Khalil Kerdahi & Irshad M. Sulaiman

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  1. Katharine Segars
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  2. Steven Simpson
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  3. Khalil Kerdahi
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  4. Irshad M. Sulaiman
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Correspondence to Irshad M. Sulaiman.

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Segars, K., Simpson, S., Kerdahi, K. et al. Evaluation of Cronobacter Growth and Phenotypic Variation Under Modified Culture Conditions. Curr Microbiol 72, 190–197 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-015-0936-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-015-0936-1

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