Aims: A 2,2-dichloropropionic acid (2,2-DCP) naturally degrading bacterial species, strain SN1 was successfully isolated from cow dung capable of utilizing the substance as the sole carbon source and energy. Methodology and results: Strain SN1 was preferred over other strains (SN2, SN3 and SN4) following observations on its rapid growth in 20 mM 2,2-DCP liquid minimal media. Since strain SN1 clearly exhibited tolerance towards 2,2-DCP, its growth in various concentrations (10 mM, 20 mM, 30 mM and 40 mM) of the substance was evaluated. The study found the bacteria grew particularly well in 20 mM 2,2-DCP with the highest chloride release of 39.5 µmole Cl- /mL while exhibiting a remarkably short doubling time of 3.85 h. In view of such notable characteristics, species identification via Biolog GEN III system and 16S rRNA analysis was performed and established strain SN1 as Bacillus cereus. Conclusion, significance and impact of study: Considering the rapid growth of B. cereus strain SN1 in such medium, its employment as a bioremediation agent to treat 2,2-DCP contaminated soils may prove beneficial. Moreover, this is the first reported case of a Bacillus sp. isolated from cow dung capable of utilizing 2,2-DCP. Therefore, further assessment into its ability to degrade other types of haloalkanoic acids merit special consideration.
Bacillus cereus

Aims: This study was conducted to isolate Bacillus cereus from raw and cooked chicken meat from selected retail shops and wet markets in Kota Bharu and to determine the antimicrobial resistance patterns of B. cereus. Methodology and results: A total of sixty samples (30 from raw and 30 from cooked chicken meat) were tested for presence of B. cereus. Isolation and identification of B. cereus was done by using routine bacterial culture and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Bacillus cereus was detected in 16.67% (10/60) of the samples tested. All isolates were negative for the enterotoxigenic gene, nhe genes, however, six of the isolates were found to be positive for hbla genes. B. cereus isolates showed 100% resistance towards beta lactam antibiotics. Conclusion, significance and impact study: Although only 60 samples are analysed in the current study, the fact that toxigenic strains of B. cereus were isolated in cooked chicken meat intended for human consumption implies the potential public health risk it might pose. Further study with increased sample size, screening other toxigenic strains of B. cereus and molecular typing is recommended to have a more detailed understanding of the occurrence of the bacteria in chicken meat in Kota Bharu. It is necessary to educate the public on the risks of food contamination by bacteria that may cause food borne illnesses. Some precautions such as routine checking of the freshness of food before consumption, hygienic preparation and proper cooking of food can be implemented to reduce the risks of food borne illnesses related B. cereus and other potentially dangerous bacteria.
Bacillus cereus ; Foodborne Diseases

PURPOSE: Bacillus cereus is an important cause of post-traumatic endophthalmitis. Several different anti-biotics have been used to prevent permanent visual loss. The authors compared the efficacy of intravitreal vancomycin and ciprofloxacin in the treatment of experimental Bacillus cereus endophthalmitis. METHODS: Forty eyes of 20 white rabbits were inoculated with B. cereus organisms. Ten eyes were randomized to receive intravitreal vancomycin (group 1) and 10 eyes ciprofloxacin (group 2) after 12 or 24 hours. Fellow eyes were injected with normal saline as control group. After 48 hours, the eyes were examined and graded for clinical signs of infection and enucleated for histologic examination. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference in clinical features between treated groups and control group (p<0.05). There was no significant difference between vancomycin-treated group and ciprofloxacin-treated group. Compared to eyes treated 12 hours after inoculation, eyes treated 24 hours after inoculation showed worse clinical gradings (p<0.05). Histologic examination showed vancomycin or ciprofloxacin-treated groups had significant less inflammation and tissue destruction than control group (p<0.05). There was a statistically significant difference in vitreous and retinal structure between ciprofloxacin-treated after 12 hours inoculation and 24 hours inoculation group (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Ciprofloxacin appeared to be limiting inflammation and tissue destruction in experimental Bacillus endophthalmitis and might effective in substitute vancomycin when necessary.
Bacillus cereus ; Bacillus* ; Ciprofloxacin* ; Endophthalmitis* ; Inflammation ; Rabbits ; Retinaldehyde ; Vancomycin

Two terpenoids, including one uniquely aromatized one (1), were isolated from CH2Cl2-soluble fraction of MeOH extracts of Curcuma zedoaria. They were identified to be a sesquiterpene ketolactone (1) and orobanone (2), respectively on the basis of their NMR data. The structure of compound 1 was confirmed by X-ray chrystallography and the reported NMR assignments for 1 were revised in this study. Antibiotic activities for compounds 1 and 2 were evaluated using disk diffusion assay. Compound 1 showed potent antibacterial activities against Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus pseudointermedius while compound 2 was active against Bacillus cereus.
Bacillus cereus ; Curcuma* ; Diffusion ; Listeria monocytogenes ; Rhizome* ; Staphylococcus ; Terpenes ; Zingiberaceae

BACKGROUND: In this study, we compared various methods of taxonomic identification of Bacillus strains: biochemical methods, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). We also developed a pathogen- isolate resource database, thus increasing the identification rate when using MALDI-TOF MS. METHODS: Thirty Bacillus strains were obtained from the NCCP (National Culture Collection for Pathogens) and were identified using the VITEK 2 system (bio-Mérieux, France), API kit (bioMérieux, France), 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and MALDI-TOF MS. The pathogenicity of Bacillus cereus was confirmed through the identification of virulent genes using a multiplex PCR, and both protein extraction for protein profiling in MALDI-TOF MS and repetitive-sequence fingerprinting were performed. RESULTS: The identification rates at the species level were 40%, 80%, and 76.3% for the VITEK 2 system (bioMérieux), 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and MALDI-TOF MS, respectively. When the major spectrum-profiling dendrogram was compared with the phylogenetic tree, which was constructed based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences and rep-PCR fingerprinting, the classifications were confirmed to be effective. CONCLUSION: Identification of Bacillus strains using MALDI-TOF MS was more effective than that using the VITEK 2 system (bioMérieux), but was similar to that using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Continual addition to a proteome-based database can result in increased identification rates for MALDI-TOF MS.
Bacillus cereus ; Bacillus* ; Classification ; Dermatoglyphics ; Genes, rRNA ; Mass Spectrometry* ; Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Trees ; Virulence

Bacillus species are aerobic, gram-positive, spore forming rods that are widely distributed in soil, dust, stream, and other environmental sources and are regarded as natural organism. But certain species of the genus Bacillus, most notably B.cereus, which is associated with food-borne illness, occasionally have been implicated in the occurrence of fatal illness and complication in a compromised host. We roport a case of pneumonia and bacteremia caused by B.cereus in an 81 year-old man, who had no obvious immunologic compromise. The condition was treated with combination of roxithromycin and gentamicin.
Bacillus cereus* ; Bacillus* ; Bacteremia ; Dust ; Gentamicins ; Pneumonia* ; Rivers ; Roxithromycin ; Soil ; Spores

PURPOSE: We encountered two patients who developed Bacillus cereus endophthalmitis following trauma and eventually underwent enucleation, after aggressive antibiotic therapy. METHODS: When removing the intraocular foreign bodies, vancomycin and ceftazidime were injected intravitreally. The patients received postoperative topical fortified antibiotics hourly and underwent intravenous antibiotic therapy. RESULTS: After the operation, rapid corneal melting progressed to impending perforation in one patient's eye and enucleation was done on postoperative day 11. The eye of another patient progressed to phthisis bulbi and the patient underwent enucleation on postoperative day 45. CONCLUSIONS: Bacillus cereus is one of the most aggressive and devastating organisms that causes post-traumatic endophthalmitis and results in poor visual outcome. It is thought to be better to prevent the loss of anatomic integrity and visual function than to perform early intravitreal injection of antibiotics when the operation might be delayed.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bacillus cereus* ; Bacillus* ; Ceftazidime ; Endophthalmitis* ; Foreign Bodies ; Freezing ; Humans ; Intravitreal Injections ; Vancomycin

Bacillus cereus is a widespread organism in nature and a member of the B. cereus group of catalasepositive, aerobic, spore-forming, Gram-positive bacilli. B. cereus found in blood is often dismissed as a contaminant in the absence of repeated isolation from multiple cultures. Soft tissue and bone infection due to B. cereus have been associated with trauma, intravenous drug use, and an immunocompromised state. We report a very late prosthetic joint infection of the hip joint and consequent bacteremia caused by B. cereus, which occurred 13 years after total hip replacement surgery in the absence of recent trauma or intervention.
Arthritis ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip ; Bacillus cereus* ; Bacillus* ; Bacteremia* ; Hip Joint* ; Hip* ; Joints* ; Pathology* ; Prostheses and Implants

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prevalence and toxin production characteristics of non-emetic and emetic Bacillus cereus strains isolated via the laboratory surveillance system in Korea. METHODS: A total of 667 B. cereus strains were collected by the Korea National Research Institute of Health laboratory surveillance system from 2012 to 2014. The collected strains were analyzed by geographical region, season, patient age, and patient sex. Additionally, the prevalence rates of enterotoxin and emetic toxin genes were evaluated. RESULTS: The isolation rate of B. cereus strains increased during the summer, but the isolation rate was evenly distributed among patient age groups. Emetic toxin was produced by 20.2% of the isolated strains. The prevalence rates of five enterotoxin genes (entFM, nheA, cytK2, hblC, and bceT) were 85.0, 78.6, 44.5, 36.6, and 29.7%, respectively, among non-emetic strains and 77.8, 59.3, 17.8, 11.9 and 12.6%, respectively, among emetic strains. Thus, the prevalence rates of all five enterotoxin genes were lower in emetic B. cereus. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of enterotoxin genes differed between non-emetic and emetic B. cereus strains. Among emetic B. cereus strains, the prevalence rates of two enterotoxin genes (cytK2 and hblC) were lower than those among the non-emetic strains. In both the emetic and non-emetic strains isolated in Korea, nheA and entFM were the most prevalent enterotoxin genes.
Academies and Institutes ; Bacillus cereus* ; Bacillus* ; Enterotoxins ; Epidemiology ; Humans ; Korea* ; Prevalence ; Seasons

Omija berry (Schisandra fructus) is a traditional Korean fruit, which contains lots of medicinal ingredients. In order to analyze whether Omija contains antibacterial components, we extracted Omija using five different methods including water precipitation, ethanol precipitation, hot water extract, methanol-ultrasonication, and water-ultrasonication, and examined their antimicrobial activities against Escherichia coli (E. coli), and Bacillus cereus (B. cereus). Most of Omija extracts did not inhibit bacteria growth in the paper disc diffusion assay except hot water extract for 60 minutes. Hot water extract for 60 minutes made clear inhibition zone around the disc at all the concentrations (x1, x1/10, x1/100) in both E. coli and B. cereus. However, hot water extracts for 90 minutes and 120 minutes showed antimicrobial activities only at x1 stock solution, which indicates that 60 minutes extraction at hot water is the best method to obtain Omija extract with the best antimicrobial activities in disc diffusion assay. In turbidimetric assay, water extract in soak, hot water extract, and methanol extract in ultrasonicator inhibited growth of both E. coli and B. cereus. Ethanol extract in soak and water extract in ultrasonicator had no effect on bacterial growth in both E. coli and B. cereus. In this study, we found that Omija extracts showed antimicrobial activities against E. coli and B. cereus. Therefore, water soluble materials of Omija can be used as a drink supplement and developed as an antibacterial cleanser.
Bacillus cereus* ; Bacillus* ; Bacteria ; Diffusion ; Escherichia coli ; Ethanol ; Fruit ; Methanol ; Methods ; Water