Chapters authored
Molecular Diagnostic Platforms for Specific Detection of Escherichia coli
Developing countries due to socio-economic conditions are more prone to frequent pathogenic outbreaks; inadequate sanitation and water quality monitoring are also responsible for such conditions. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to provide microbiologically safe food/water in order to protect public health. Several flaws in traditional culturing methods have sparked a surge in interest in molecular techniques as a means of improving the efficiency and sensitivity of microbiological food/water quality monitoring. Molecular identification of water contaminants, mainly Escherichia coli, has been extensively used. Several of the molecular-based techniques are based on amplification and detection of nucleic acids. The advantages offered by these PCR-based methods over culture-based techniques are a higher level of specificity, sensitivity, and rapidity. Of late, the development of a biosensor device that is easy to perform, highly sensitive, and selective has the potential to become indispensable in detecting low CFU of pathogenic E. coli in environmental samples. This review seeks to provide a vista of the progress made in the detection of E. coli using nucleic acid-based approaches as part of the microbiological food/water quality monitoring.
Part of the book: Escherichia coli
Antimicrobial Resistance and Virulence of Escherichia coli in the Purview of Public Health Monitoring
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has emerged as a major threat to human, animal, and environment health in the developed as well as the developing nations. The usage of antibiotics outside of the prescribed parameters in both the healthcare and livestock sectors is directly tied to this resistance event. Additionally, several Escherichia coli strains harbor the AMR genes, which can be transferred to humans leading to public health problems. Depending on the type of antibiotics used, E. coli has evolved to prowess several resistance mechanisms. Resistance genes that are horizontally transmissible also encode this resistance mechanism. Different resistance genes for each class of antibiotics are encoded by resistant E. coli. In conclusion, the current chapter ushers light on the molecular evolution of resistance and the regulatory genes contributing to the development of MDR in E. coli. Moreover, we have also discussed about the inappropriate practices of prescribing the antibiotics leading to intensifying the MDR in bacteria envisaging the implementation of rigorous guidelines for proper use of antibiotics in human beings.
Part of the book: Antimicrobial Stewardship