Over the past decade, foodborne diseases have become a significant public health concern, affecting millions of people globally. Major pathogens like Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus contaminate food and cause several infections. This study investigates the potential of thyme essential oil (Thy-EO) as a natural antimicrobial agent against most common and re-emerging foodborne bacteria, including S. enterica, Yersinia enterocolitica, and L. monocytogenes. Preliminary tests provided qualitative evidence of Thy-EO’s efficacy by evaluating its antibacterial activity through direct contact and vapor phase exposure. Then, the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) were defined to quantitatively evaluate the bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects of Thy-EO, revealing a strong inhibitory effect against S. enterica, Y. enterocolitica and L. monocytogenes. Additionally, Thy-EO exerted rapid bactericidal kinetics characterized by the disruption of bacterial cell membrane integrity over time. Results highlight Thy-EO’s potential as an alternative antimicrobial agent, demonstrating that treatment with Thy-EO significantly and irreversibly affects the growth of the tested foodborne pathogens.

Bioaerosols and pathogens in indoor workplaces and residential environments are the primary culprits of several infections. Techniques for sanitizing air and surfaces typically involve the use of UV rays or chemical sanitizers, which may release chemical residues harmful to human health. Essential oils, natural substances derived from plants, which exhibit broad antimicrobial properties, could be a viable alternative for air and surface sanitation. The objective of this study has been to investigate the efficacy of thyme essential oil (TEO) in environmental sanitation processes. In Vitro assays through agar well diffusion, disk volatilization and tube dilution methods revealed significant antimicrobial activity of TEO 100% against foodborne and environmental isolates, with both bacteriostatic/fungistatic and bactericidal/fungicidal effects. Therefore, aqueous solutions of TEO 2.5% and 5% were formulated for air sanitation through nebulization and surface disinfection via direct contact. Bioaerosol samples and surface swabs were analyzed before and after sanitation, demonstrating the efficacy of aqueous solutions of TEO in reducing mesophilic and psychrophilic bacteria and environmental fungi levels in both air and on surfaces. The obtained results prove the antimicrobial potential of aqueous solutions of TEO in improving indoor air quality and surface cleanliness, suggesting thyme essential oil as an effective and safe natural sanitizer with minimal environmental impact compared to dangerous chemical disinfectants.

Robot-assisted extravesical ureteral reimplantation (REVUR) was described for the first time in 2004. Since then, the surgical approach of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) has changed dramatically. The benefits of this technique are great when compared to the laparoscopic or traditional open approaches. A literature search of PubMed was performed to identify articles covering any aspect of REVUR in the pediatric population. A total of 108 papers published over the period 2004–2024 were collected. Of these, 40 studies were considered valuable in terms of obtaining a complete overview of the REVUR technique. This review aimed to describe the current state of the art of REVUR and define it as the new standard technique for surgical management of selected patients with VUR.