Capitol News

Summer is the time for grilling, but as cooking moves from the kitchen to the patio, unwelcome bacterial guests can tag along for dinner. While most bacteria are beneficial, certain germs can grow on food and cause foodborne illness, or food poisoning, when consumed. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates 48 million people are sickened by foodborne bacteria every year.

Most illnesses result in minor, flu-like symptoms, including upset stomach, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and dehydration. However, some illnesses can lead to hospitalization and even death.

Researchers like Shannon Manning, an MSU Research Foundation Professor, indicate that foodborne illnesses pose another threat: they’re spreading antibiotic resistance. With grilling season in full swing, the College of Natural Science interviewed Manning to discuss harmful bacteria that can ruin a summer party. The following discussion has been edited for length and clarity.

**How big of a problem is foodborne illness in Michigan and the U.S. in general?**

"About one in six Americans are sickened by food poisoning every year. The old, young, immunocompromised and pregnant patients are the most susceptible. According to the CDC, foodborne illness hospitalizes about 128,000 people every year, resulting in 3,000 deaths."

The CDC maintains a surveillance program called FoodNet which separates the country into ten regions. FoodNet tracks 31 different disease-causing bacteria that can be transmitted through food products in these regions to identify hotspots for disease and emerging infections.

"FoodNet represents only 15% of the U.S. population so Michigan is not surveilled directly," said Manning. "The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services does monitor foodborne illness and has determined that the rates in the state mirror the FoodNet sampling of the upper Midwest region."

**How can people protect themselves from foodborne illness?**

"It is important to follow simple food safety practices recommended by the FDA," stated Manning. "To prevent foodborne illness:

1. Clean: Wash your hands before, during and after cooking. Wash the outside rind of fruits and vegetables before cutting.

2. Separate: Use different cutting boards, knives and utensils for meat and vegetables to avoid cross-contamination.

3. Cook: Cook meat to the proper minimum internal temperature.

4. Chill: Transport foods in an insulated cooler and store leftovers in shallow containers in the refrigerator or freezer."

**How does public perception of foodborne bacteria match with reality?**

"In 2018, the Pew Research Center released a report examining public perception of food safety," said Manning. "They found that one-third of respondents were concerned by antibiotics use in animals and pesticides on plants."

Manning added that there is significant concern about antibiotic use in livestock because pathogenic bacteria could acquire or harbor resistance genes.

"The FDA and WHO have implemented new guidelines limiting certain antibiotics' use in food animals," she noted.

**Can you tell us about your work?**

"In my lab we look for bacterial pathogens affecting humans," explained Manning. "We analyze genome sequences to understand which bacterial traits are important for human infections."

**How do bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics used for treating human illnesses?**

"Bacteria with specific resistance genes or mutations can survive some antibiotics," said Manning. "These genes can be shared through horizontal gene transfer."

She highlighted that many pathogens causing high disease rates are becoming resistant to various antibiotics.

"Both salmonella and campylobacter — two disease-causing bacteria — are good at acquiring resistance genes," she noted.

**Why is campylobacter less reported compared to salmonella or E.coli?**

"People often don't feel sick enough to seek medical care after eating contaminated with campylobacter," explained Manning."If they don’t seek care then a stool sample would not be collected for culture testing."

Campylobacter is difficult to culture making diagnosis challenging without modern tools detecting DNA or antigens necessary for outbreak investigations.