Human pathogenic bacteria as contaminants in freshly consumed vegetables

The 2011 enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) outbreak in Germany casted new light on the potential reservoirs of human pathogenic bacteria (HUPA) other than the ones commonly recognized in animal production chains. Soil, plants and water systems were demonstrated to be environments where HUPA can survive for longer periods in time and where they may acquire genotypic properties from resident microbes, thereby combining traits that allow them to adapt to novel ecosystems. In analogy with zoonosis, we propose the term phytonosis for HUPA strains adapted to the plant environment that are transmitted via consumption to humans to cause disease