Pathogenicity, Toxin Production, Control and Detection of Bacillus cereus

Abstract

Bacillus cereus is a toxin-producing, endospore-forming, facultative bacterium ubiquitous in the environment. It has been associated with numerous foodborne illness outbreaks and is found in a variety of foods including grains, produce and processed foods. When present in high numbers, B. cereus produces toxins leading to foodborne illness. Although disease is usually self-limiting and resolves with a short time, illness can result in complications. Moreover, B. cereus is resistant to many antimicrobials which can make treatment difficult in scenarios where more extensive treatment is required. Current control methods are limited, and detection of this pathogen in food is often difficult due to its genetic similarity to Bacillus anthracis and Bacillus thuringiensis. Given this, more research is required to identify better process controls to reduce contamination of food with this ubiquitous organism, and develop better methods for detection.