WorldWideScience

Sample records for similar listeria monocytogenes

  1. Aerosol studies with Listeria innocua and Listeria monocytogenes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Guodong; Ma, Li; Oyarzabal, Omar A; Doyle, Michael P

    2007-08-01

    Aerosol studies of Listeria monocytogenes in food processing plants have been limited by lack of a suitable surrogate microorganism. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential of using green fluorescent protein-labeled strains of Listeria innocua as a surrogate for L. monocytogenes for aerosol studies. These studies were conducted in a laboratory bioaerosol chamber and a pilot food-processing facility. Four strains of L. innocua and five strains of L. monocytogenes were used. In the laboratory chamber study, Listeria cells were released into the environment at two different cell numbers and under two airflow conditions. Trypticase soy agar (TSA) plates and oven-roasted breasts of chicken and turkey were placed in the chamber to monitor Listeria cell numbers deposited from aerosols. A similar experimental design was used in the pilot plant study; however, only L. innocua was used. Results showed that L. monocytogenes and L. innocua survived equally well on chicken and turkey breast meats and TSA plates. No-fan and continuous fan applications, which affected airflow, had no significant effect on settling rates of aerosolized L. monocytogenes and L. innocua in the bioaerosol chamber or L. innocua in the pilot plant study. Listeriae cell numbers in the air decreased rapidly during the first 1.5 h following release, with few to no listeriae detected in the air at 3 h. Aerosol particles with diameters of 1 and 2 microM correlated directly with the number of Listeria cells in the aerosol but not with particles that were 0.3, 0.5, and 5 microM in diameter. Results indicate that L. innocua can be used as a surrogate for L. monocytogenes in an aerosol study.

  2. Effect of Listeria seeligeri or Listeria welshimeri on Listeria monocytogenes detection in and recovery from buffered Listeria enrichment broth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dailey, Rachel C; Welch, Lacinda J; Hitchins, Anthony D; Smiley, R Derike

    2015-04-01

    The presence of multiple species of Listeria in regulated food products is not uncommon and can complicate the recovery of Listeria monocytogenes particularly on a non-differentiating medium. The potential complications of Listeria seeligeri and Listeria welshimeri on the recovery of L. monocytogenes from inoculated food test samples using the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) selective enrichment procedure was investigated. Post-enrichment enumeration, in the absence of food product, indicates that some L. seeligeri and L. monocytogenes pairings may have population differentials as great as 2.7 ± 0.1 logs with L. seeligeri being the predominant species. A similar observation was noted for L. welshimeri and L. monocytogenes pairings which resulted in population differentials as large as 3.7 ± 0.2 logs with L. welshimeri being the predominant species. Select strain pairings were used to inoculate guacamole, crab meat, broccoli, and cheese with subsequent recovery by the FDA Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM) method with 10 colonies per sample selected for confirmation. The presence of L. seeligeri had little effect on the recovery of L. monocytogenes. The presence of L. welshimeri resulted in the failure to recover L. monocytogenes in three out of the four food matrices. This work extends the observation that non-pathogenic species of Listeria can complicate the recovery of L. monocytogenes and that competition during selective enrichment is not limited to the presence of just Listeria innocua. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  3. Effect of Listeria seeligeri or Listeria welshimeri on Listeria monocytogenes detection in and recovery from buffered Listeria enrichment broth☆

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dailey, Rachel C.; Welch, Lacinda J.; Hitchins, Anthony D.; Smiley, R. Derike

    2016-01-01

    The presence of multiple species of Listeria in regulated food products is not uncommon and can complicate the recovery of Listeria monocytogenes particularly on a non-differentiating medium. The potential complications of Listeria seeligeri and Listeria welshimeri on the recovery of L. monocytogenes from inoculated food test samples using the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) selective enrichment procedure was investigated. Post-enrichment enumeration, in the absence of food product, indicates that some L. seeligeri and L. monocytogenes pairings may have population differentials as great as 2.7 ± 0.1 logs with L. seeligeri being the predominant species. A similar observation was noted for L. welshimeri and L. monocytogenes pairings which resulted in population differentials as large as 3.7 ± 0.2 logs with L. welshimeri being the predominant species. Select strain pairings were used to inoculate guacamole, crab meat, broccoli, and cheese with subsequent recovery by the FDA Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM) method with 10 colonies per sample selected for confirmation. The presence of L. seeligeri had little effect on the recovery of L. monocytogenes. The presence of L. welshimeri resulted in the failure to recover L. monocytogenes in three out of the four food matrices. This work extends the observation that non-pathogenic species of Listeria can complicate the recovery of L. monocytogenes and that competition during selective enrichment is not limited to the presence of just Listeria innocua. PMID:25475325

  4. Relationship between Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria spp. in seafood processing plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alali, Walid Q; Schaffner, Donald W

    2013-07-01

    The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes as an outcome and Listeria spp. as an explanatory variable by food products, food contact surfaces, and nonfood contact surfaces in seafood processing plants by using peer-reviewed published data. Nine sets of prevalence data of L. monocytogenes and Listeria spp. were collected from published studies and used for the analyses. Based on our analysis, the relationship between L. monocytogenes prevalence and Listeria spp. prevalence in food products (incoming raw materials and finish products) was significant (P = 0.04) with (low) R² = 0.36. Furthermore, Listeria spp. were not a good indicator for L. monocytogenes when testing food contact surfaces (R² = 0.10). Listeria spp. were a good indicator for L. monocytogenes only on nonfood contact surfaces (R² = 0.90). On the other hand, the presence of Listeria spp. on food contact surfaces (R² = 0.002) and nonfood contact surfaces (R² = 0.03) was not a good indicator for L. monocytogenes presence in food products. In general, prevalence of Listeria spp. does not seem to be a good indicator for L. monocytogenes prevalence in seafood processing plants.

  5. Recombinant probiotic expressing Listeria adhesion protein attenuates Listeria monocytogenes virulence in vitro.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ok Kyung Koo

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Listeria monocytogenes, an intracellular foodborne pathogen, infects immunocompromised hosts. The primary route of transmission is through contaminated food. In the gastrointestinal tract, it traverses the epithelial barrier through intracellular or paracellular routes. Strategies to prevent L. monocytogenes entry can potentially minimize infection in high-risk populations. Listeria adhesion protein (LAP aids L. monocytogenes in crossing epithelial barriers via the paracellular route. The use of recombinant probiotic bacteria expressing LAP would aid targeted clearance of Listeria from the gut and protect high-risk populations from infection. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The objective was to investigate the ability of probiotic bacteria or LAP-expressing recombinant probiotic Lactobacillus paracasei (Lbp(LAP to prevent L. monocytogenes adhesion, invasion, and transwell-based transepithelial translocation in a Caco-2 cell culture model. Several wild type probiotic bacteria showed strong adhesion to Caco-2 cells but none effectively prevented L. monocytogenes infection. Pre-exposure to Lbp(LAP for 1, 4, 15, or 24 h significantly (P<0.05 reduced adhesion, invasion, and transepithelial translocation of L. monocytogenes in Caco-2 cells, whereas pre-exposure to parental Lb. paracasei had no significant effect. Similarly, Lbp(LAP pre-exposure reduced L. monocytogenes translocation by as much as 46% after 24 h. Lbp(LAP also prevented L. monocytogenes-mediated cell damage and compromise of tight junction integrity. Furthermore, Lbp(LAP cells reduced L. monocytogenes-mediated cell cytotoxicity by 99.8% after 1 h and 79% after 24 h. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Wild type probiotic bacteria were unable to prevent L. monocytogenes infection in vitro. In contrast, Lbp(LAP blocked adhesion, invasion, and translocation of L. monocytogenes by interacting with host cell receptor Hsp60, thereby protecting cells from infection. These data show promise

  6. The Distribution of Listeria in Pasture-Raised Broiler Farm Soils Is Potentially Related to University of Vermont Medium Enrichment Bias toward Listeria innocua over Listeria monocytogenes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Locatelli, Aude; Lewis, Micah A.; Rothrock, Michael J.

    2017-01-01

    The occurrence of Listeria monocytogenes has been widely investigated in the poultry production chain from the processing plant to the final product. However, limited data are available on Listeria species, including Listeria monocytogenes, in the poultry farm environment. Therefore, fecal and soil samples from 37 pastured poultry flocks from 10 all-natural farms over 3 years were assessed to determine the prevalence and diversity of Listeria within these alternative poultry farm environments using standard cultural and molecular methods. Listeria species were isolated in 15% of poultry farm samples and included Listeria innocua (65.7%), L. monocytogenes (17.4%), and Listeria welshimeri (15.1%). Additional multiplex PCR serotyping showed group 1/2a-3a to be the most dominant L. monocytogenes serovar group. Based on these results, monoculture growth experiments were conducted on four Listeria soil isolates (three L. monocytogenes isolates representing the three recovered serovar groups and one L. innocua isolate) to determine if culture medium [tripticase soy broth (TSB) and University of Vermont modified Listeria enrichment broth (UVM)], inoculum concentration (102 or 105 CFU/ml), or incubation temperature (20, 30, and 42°C) differentially affected these Listeria species. Overall, very few significant growth differences were observed between the behavior of the three L. monocytogenes isolates (representing the three recovered serovar groups) under the growth conditions tested. Alternatively, at 30°C in UVM with the lower inoculum concentration, the L. innocua isolate had a significantly shorter lag phase than the L. monocytogenes isolates. In coculture growth studies under these same incubation conditions, the lag phase of L. innocua and L. monocytogenes was similar, but the final concentration of L. innocua was significantly higher than L. monocytogenes. However, cocultures in UVM for high inoculum concentration did not show preferential growth of L. innocua

  7. The Distribution of Listeria in Pasture-Raised Broiler Farm Soils Is Potentially Related to University of Vermont Medium Enrichment Bias toward Listeria innocua over Listeria monocytogenes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Locatelli, Aude; Lewis, Micah A; Rothrock, Michael J

    2017-01-01

    The occurrence of Listeria monocytogenes has been widely investigated in the poultry production chain from the processing plant to the final product. However, limited data are available on Listeria species, including Listeria monocytogenes , in the poultry farm environment. Therefore, fecal and soil samples from 37 pastured poultry flocks from 10 all-natural farms over 3 years were assessed to determine the prevalence and diversity of Listeria within these alternative poultry farm environments using standard cultural and molecular methods. Listeria species were isolated in 15% of poultry farm samples and included Listeria innocua (65.7%), L. monocytogenes (17.4%), and Listeria welshimeri (15.1%). Additional multiplex PCR serotyping showed group 1/2a-3a to be the most dominant L. monocytogenes serovar group. Based on these results, monoculture growth experiments were conducted on four Listeria soil isolates (three L. monocytogenes isolates representing the three recovered serovar groups and one L. innocua isolate) to determine if culture medium [tripticase soy broth (TSB) and University of Vermont modified Listeria enrichment broth (UVM)], inoculum concentration (10 2 or 10 5  CFU/ml), or incubation temperature (20, 30, and 42°C) differentially affected these Listeria species. Overall, very few significant growth differences were observed between the behavior of the three L. monocytogenes isolates (representing the three recovered serovar groups) under the growth conditions tested. Alternatively, at 30°C in UVM with the lower inoculum concentration, the L. innocua isolate had a significantly shorter lag phase than the L. monocytogenes isolates. In coculture growth studies under these same incubation conditions, the lag phase of L. innocua and L. monocytogenes was similar, but the final concentration of L. innocua was significantly higher than L. monocytogenes . However, cocultures in UVM for high inoculum concentration did not show preferential growth of L

  8. Listeria monocytogenes: diagnostic problems

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Beumer, R.R.; Hazeleger, W.C.

    2003-01-01

    The first isolation methods for the detection of Listeria spp. were generally based on the direct culture of samples on simple agar media, but isolation of the pathogenic Listeria monocytogenes was difficult. In time, new techniques were developed, based on a variety of selective and elective agents

  9. Carrier status for Listeria monocytogenes and other Listeria species ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Listeria organisms are documented to be zoonotic; one of the sources of infection is the domestic fowl where it could occur as in apparent infection. The carriage of Listeria monocytogenes and other Listeria in indigenous birds has not been documented in Kenya. Objective: To establish whether healthy looking ...

  10. Prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in poultry meat

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mehmet ELMALI

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available AbstractThe objectives of this study were i to isolate Listeria spp. and Listeria monocytogenes in broiler wing meat samples, ii to confirm the isolates by PCR, based on prs and hly A gene sequences, iii to determine the seasonal and monthly distribution of the isolates. A total of 120 broiler wing meat samples (60 packaged pieces wrapped using strech film in styrofoam plates and 60 unpackaged pieces bought from different markets in Hatay province were analysed. Listeria spp. was isolated from 57 (47.5% out of 120 samples. Fifty-four, out of 57 Listeria spp. isolates were identified as L. monocytogenes. L. monocytogenes was isolated from the samples collected during the spring, winter, summer, and autumn at the levels of 26.6%, 40%, 53.3%, 60%, respectively. In this study, the isolation rates were found to be the highest in autumn, while the isolation rates were found to be the lowest in spring. As a consequence, high prevalence of Listeria spp. and L. monocytogenes in poultry wing meat samples may pose a risk for human health. We consider that with obeying the rules of good hygiene practices (GHP, good manufacturing practices (GMP and HACCP can minimize the contamination with Listeria spp.

  11. Occurrence of Listeria monocytogenes in smoked fish in Sokoto ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    STORAGESEVER

    2008-09-03

    Sep 3, 2008 ... monocytogenes and other Listeria species are common contaminant of smoked fish, and this may pose serious public health implications. Key words: Smoked fish, Listeria monocytogenes, contamination, public health. INTRODUCTION ... L. monocytogenes belong to the recently emerging psychrotrophic ...

  12. Comparison of the Prevalences and Diversities of Listeria Species and Listeria monocytogenes in an Urban and a Rural Agricultural Watershed.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stea, Emma C; Purdue, Laura M; Jamieson, Rob C; Yost, Chris K; Truelstrup Hansen, Lisbeth

    2015-06-01

    Foods and related processing environments are commonly contaminated with the pathogenic Listeria monocytogenes. To investigate potential environmental reservoirs of Listeria spp. and L. monocytogenes, surface water and point source pollution samples from an urban and a rural municipal water supply watershed in Nova Scotia, Canada, were examined over 18 months. Presumptive Listeria spp. were cultured from 72 and 35% of rural and urban water samples, respectively, with 24% of the positive samples containing two or three different Listeria spp. The L. innocua (56%) and L. welshimeri (43%) groups were predominant in the rural and urban watersheds, respectively. Analysis by the TaqMan assay showed a significantly (P monocytogenes of 62% versus 17% by the culture-based method. Both methods revealed higher prevalences in the rural watershed and during the fall and winter seasons. Elevated Escherichia coli (≥ 100 CFU/100 ml) levels were not associated with the pathogen regardless of the detection method. Isolation of Listeria spp. were associated with 70 times higher odds of isolating L. monocytogenes (odds ratio = 70; P monocytogenes isolates, followed by IVb (16.1%), IIb (15.8%), and IIc (0.4%). L. monocytogenes was detected in cow feces and raw sewage but not in septic tank samples. Pulsotyping of representative water (n = 54) and local human (n = 19) isolates suggested genetic similarities among some environmental and human L. monocytogenes isolates. In conclusion, temperate surface waters contain a diverse Listeria species population and could be a potential reservoir for L. monocytogenes, especially in rural agricultural watersheds. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  13. Prevalence and location of Listeria monocytogenes in farmed rainbow trout.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miettinen, Hanna; Wirtanen, Gun

    2005-10-15

    A total of 510 rainbow trout originating from fish farms in lakes and sea areas around Finland were studied for the presence of Listeria monocytogenes. Samples were studied as pools from five fish. Gill, viscera, and skin from the pooled samples were analysed separately. The individual samples were analysed later if the pooled sample was found to be Listeria positive. The prevalence of Listeria spp. and L. monocytogenes in pooled unprocessed fresh rainbow trout was on average 35.0% and 14.6%, respectively. On the other hand, the prevalence of Listeria spp. and L. monocytogenes in individual thawed fish was found to be 14.3% and 8.8%, respectively. These numbers tend to overestimate and underestimate the real situation because not all fish in pooled samples were necessarily contaminated and in some of the Listeria positive pooled samples all individual samples turned out to be Listeria free. The prevalence of L. monocytogenes varied greatly between different fish farms from zero to 100% in pooled samples and from zero to 75% according to individually studied fish samples. Some indications of the influence of weather conditions and seasonal variations that strongly affected the Listeria contamination of fish were also noticed. The location of Listeria spp. and L. monocytogenes in different parts of the fish differed with statistical significance in rainbow trout. Up to 95.6% of the L. monocytogenes and 84.5% of Listeria spp. positive samples were gill samples. Only 4.4% (2/45) of the L. monocytogenes positive samples were obtained from skin or viscera. Closer study at one fish farm revealed that there was only one L. monocytogenes ribotype present in the contaminated fish, although water and surfaces were heavily contaminated with six other L. monocytogenes ribotypes.

  14. Longitudinal monitoring of Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria phages in seafood processing environments in Thailand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vongkamjan, Kitiya; Benjakul, Soottawat; Kim Vu, Hue Thi; Vuddhakul, Varaporn

    2017-09-01

    Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen commonly found in environments of seafood processing, thus presenting a challenge for eradication from seafood processing facilities. Monitoring the prevalence and subtype diversity of L. monocytogenes together with phages that are specific to Listeria spp. ("Listeria phages") will provide knowledge on the bacteria-phage ecology in food processing plants. In this work, a total of 595 samples were collected from raw material, finished seafood products and environmental samples from different sites of a seafood processing plant during 17 sampling visits in 1.5 years of study. L. monocytogenes and Listeria spp. (non-monocytogenes) were found in 22 (3.7%) and 43 (7.2%) samples, respectively, whereas 29 Listeria phages were isolated from 9 (1.5%) phage-positive samples. DNA fingerprint analysis of L. monocytogenes isolates revealed 11 Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) profiles, with two subtypes were frequently observed over time. Our data reveal a presence of Listeria phages within the same seafood processing environments where a diverse set of L. monocytogenes subtypes was also found. Although serotype 4b was observed at lower frequency, data indicate that isolates from this seafood processing plant belonged to both epidemiologically important serotypes 1/2a and 4b, which may suggest a potential public health risk. Phages (all showed a unique genome size of 65 ± 2 kb) were classified into 9 host range groups, representing both broad- and narrow-host range. While most L. monocytogenes isolates from this facility were susceptible to phages, five isolates showed resistance to 12-20 phages. Variations in phage host range among Listeria phages isolated from food processing plant may affect a presence of a diverse set of L. monocytogenes isolates derived from the same processing environment in Thailand. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. 78 FR 27939 - Draft Interagency Risk Assessment-Listeria monocytogenes

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-05-13

    ... Listeria (L.) monocytogenes contamination of certain ready-to-eat (RTE) foods, for example cheese, deli... Scott, V.N., Survey of Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat foods. Journal of Food Protection, 2003... monocytogenes in ready-to-eat processed meat and poultry collected in four FoodNet states in International...

  16. First Trimester Listeria monocytogenes Septicemia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Goddijn, M.; Schipper, H. G.; Spanjaard, L.; Wolf, H.

    1997-01-01

    Background: Little is known about fetal outcome after Listeria monocytogenes septicemia in the first trimester of pregnancy.Case: A primigravida with L. monocytogenes septicemia at 9 weeks gestation was treated with amoxicillin. At 40 weeks gestation a healthy female infant was born.Conclusion: This

  17. Fødevarebetinget listeria monocytogenes endokarditis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Frydland, Martin; Bundgaard, Henning; Moser, Claus

    2014-01-01

    Infection with Listeria monocytogenes is rare and mainly seen in immunosuppressed patients. Infection with L. monocytogenes has a mortality rate of 30%. We present a case report of L. monocytogenes bacteraemia and endocarditis in a 70-year-old man with several co-morbidities and following four...... major surgical procedures. This illustrates the findings and characteristics in one of the 16 patients who died in 2013 and 2014 this summer due to sausage-related L. monocytogenes infection....

  18. Transfer of antibiotic resistance from Enterococcus faecium of fermented meat origin to Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria innocua.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jahan, M; Holley, R A

    2016-04-01

    Listeria monocytogenes is an important foodborne pathogen that can cause infection in children, pregnant women, the immunocompromised and the elderly. Antibiotic resistance in this species would represent a significant public health problem since the organism has a high fatality/case ratio and resistance may contribute to failure of therapeutic treatment. This study was designed to explore whether the in vitro transferability of antibiotic resistance from enterococci to Listeria spp. could occur. It was found that 2/8 Listeria strains were able to acquire tetracycline resistance from Enterococcus faecium. Listeria monocytogenes GLM-2 acquired the resistance determinant tet(M) and additional streptomycin resistance through in vitro mating with Ent. faecium S27 isolated from commercial fermented dry sausage. Similarly, Listeria innocua became more resistant to tetracycline, but the genetic basis for this change was not confirmed. It has been suggested that enterococci may transfer antibiotic resistance genes via transposons to Listeria spp., and this may explain, in part, the origin of their antibiotic resistance. Thus, the presence of enterococci in food should not be ignored since they may actively contribute to enhanced antibiotic resistance of L. monocytogenes and other pathogens. Acquisition of antibiotic resistance by pathogenic bacteria in the absence of antibiotic pressure represents an unquantified threat to human health. In the present work resistance to tetracycline and streptomycin were transferred by nonplasmid-based conjugation from Enterococcus faecium isolated from fermented sausage to Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria innocua. Thus, natural transfer of antibiotic resistance to Listeria strains may occur in the future which reinforces the concern about the safety of enterococcal strains present in foods. © 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  19. Listeria Spp. and Listeria Monocytogenes Contamination in Ready-To-Eat Sandwiches Collected from Vending Machines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cossu, Francesca; Spanu, Carlo; Deidda, Silvia; Mura, Erica; Casti, Daniele; Pala, Carlo; Lamon, Sonia; Spanu, Vincenzo; Ibba, Michela; Marrocu, Elena; Scarano, Christian; Piana, Andrea; De Santis, Enrico Pietro Luigi

    2016-04-19

    Ready-to-eat (RTE) food is characterised by a long shelf-life at refrigerated temperature and can be consumed as such, without any treatment. The aim of the work was to evaluate the presence of Listeria spp. and Listeria monocytogenes in RTEs collected from refrigerated vending machines placed in hospital environment and accessible to the hospitalised patients. In 4 different sampling, 55 RTEs were collected from vending machines of six hospitals located in different areas of Sardinia region. All the samples were characterised by similar manufacturing process, such as the use of modified atmosphere packaging and belonged to 5 different producers. Listeria spp. was not countable using the enumeration method in all of the analysed samples. Using the detection method, Listeria spp. was recovered from 9 sandwich samples. Interestingly, 3 of these samples (5.5%) made by the manufacturer, were positive for L. monocytogenes contamination. The risk related to the L. monocytogenes presence in RTEs proportionally increases when food is introduced in susceptible environments , such as hospitals and consumed by susceptible people . Although the RTEs analysed showed values that complied with the European microbiological criteria for foodstuffs, the availability of these products in a susceptible environment should be carefully checked. Therefore, in order to limit the possible exposition to L. monocytogenes , more information on the risk related to RTE consumption should be provided to the hospitalised patients.

  20. Listeria spp. and Listeria monocytogenes contamination in ready-to-eat sandwiches collected from vending machines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francesca Cossu

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Ready-to-eat (RTE food is characterised by a long shelf-life at refrigerated temperature and can be consumed as such, without any treatment. The aim of the work was to evaluate the presence of Listeria spp. and Listeria monocytogenes in RTEs collected from refrigerated vending machines placed in hospital environment and accessible to the hospitalised patients. In 4 different sampling, 55 RTEs were collected from vending machines of six hospitals located in different areas of Sardinia region. All the samples were characterised by similar manufacturing process, such as the use of modified atmosphere packaging and belonged to 5 different producers. Listeria spp. was not countable using the enumeration method in all of the analysed samples. Using the detection method, Listeria spp. was recovered from 9 sandwich samples. Interestingly, 3 of these samples (5.5% made by the manufacturer, were positive for L. monocytogenes contamination. The risk related to the L. monocytogenes presence in RTEs proportionally increases when food is introduced in susceptible environments, such as hospitals and consumed by susceptible people. Although the RTEs analysed showed values that complied with the European microbiological criteria for foodstuffs, the availability of these products in a susceptible environment should be carefully checked. Therefore, in order to limit the possible exposition to L. monocytogenes, more information on the risk related to RTE consumption should be provided to the hospitalised patients.

  1. Listeria monocytogenes - Danger for health safety vegetable production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kljujev, Igor; Raicevic, Vera; Jovicic-Petrovic, Jelena; Vujovic, Bojana; Mirkovic, Milica; Rothballer, Michael

    2018-04-22

    The microbiologically contaminated vegetables represent a risk for consumers, especially vegetables without thermal processing. It is known that human pathogen bacteria, such as Listeria monocytogenes, could exist on fresh vegetables. The fresh vegetables could become Listeria-contaminated if they come in touch with contaminated soil, manure, irrigation water. The aim of this work was to investigate the presence of Listeria spp. and L. monocytogenes in different kind of vegetables grown in field and greenhouse condition as well as surface and endophytic colonization plant roots of different vegetables species by L. monocytogenes in laboratory conditions. The detection of Listeria spp. and L. monocytogenes in vegetable samples was done using ISO and PCR methods. The investigation of colonization vegetable roots and detection Listeria-cells inside plant root tissue was done using Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) method in combination with confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). The results showed that 25.58% vegetable samples were positive for Listeria spp. and only one sample (carrot) was positive for L. monocytogenes out of 43 samples in total collected from field and greenhouse. The strain L. monocytogenes EGD-E surface and endophytic colonized carrot root in highest degree while strain L. monocytogenes SV4B was the most represented at leafy vegetable plants, such at lettuce (1.68 × 10 6  cells/mm 3 absolutely dry root) and spinach (1.39 × 10 6  cells/mm 3 absolutely dry root) root surface. The cells of L. monocytogenes SV4B were visible as single cells in interior tissue of plant roots (celery and sweet corn roots) as well as in the interior of the plant root cell at sweet corn root. The cells of L. monocytogenes EGD-E bind to the surface of the plant root and they were less commonly found out on root hair. In the inner layers of the root, those bacterial cells were inhabited intercellular spaces mainly as single cells very close to the

  2. Detection of Listeria Spp. and Listeria monocytogenes in vegetables ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This paper aimed to study the prevalence and antibiotic resistance pattern among Listeria monocytogenes in raw vegetables sourced from commercial farms and local farms in Terengganu. Thirteen types of vegetables investigated for the presence of L. monocytogenes using multiplex PCR and LAMP methods. Isolation of ...

  3. Assessment of Listeria sp. Interference Using a Molecular Assay To Detect Listeria monocytogenes in Food.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zittermann, Sandra I; Stanghini, Brenda; See, Ryan Soo; Melano, Roberto G; Boleszczuk, Peter; Murphy, Allana; Maki, Anne; Mallo, Gustavo V

    2016-01-01

    Detection of Listeria monocytogenes in food is currently based on enrichment methods. When L. monocytogenes is present with other Listeria species in food, the species compete during the enrichment process. Overgrowth competition of the nonpathogenic Listeria species might result in false-negative results obtained with the current reference methods. This potential issue was noted when 50 food samples artificially spiked with L. monocytogenes were tested with a real-time PCR assay and Canada's current reference method, MFHPB-30. Eleven of the samples studied were from foods naturally contaminated with Listeria species other than those used for spiking. The real-time PCR assay detected L. monocytogenes in all 11 of these samples; however, only 6 of these samples were positive by the MFHPB-30 method. To determine whether L. monocytogenes detection can be affected by other species of the same genus due to competition, an L. monocytogenes strain and a Listeria innocua strain with a faster rate of growth in the enrichment broth were artificially coinoculated at different ratios into ground pork meat samples and cultured according to the MFHPB-30 method. L. monocytogenes was detected only by the MFHPB-30 method when L. monocytogenes/L. innocua ratios were 6.0 or higher. In contrast, using the same enrichments, the real-time PCR assay detected L. monocytogenes at ratios as low as 0.6. Taken together, these findings support the hypothesis that L. monocytogenes can be outcompeted by L. innocua during the MFHPB-30 enrichment phase. However, more reliable detection of L. monocytogenes in this situation can be achieved by a PCR-based method mainly because of its sensitivity.

  4. Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria spp. contamination patterns in retail delicatessen establishments in three U.S. states.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simmons, Courtenay; Stasiewicz, Matthew J; Wright, Emily; Warchocki, Steven; Roof, Sherry; Kause, Janell R; Bauer, Nathan; Ibrahim, Salam; Wiedmann, Martin; Oliver, Haley F

    2014-11-01

    Postprocessing contamination in processing plants has historically been a significant source of Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat delicatessen meats, and therefore a major cause of human listeriosis cases and outbreaks. Recent risk assessments suggest that a majority of human listeriosis cases linked to consumption of contaminated deli meats may be due to L. monocytogenes contamination that occurs at the retail level. To better understand the ecology and transmission of Listeria spp. in retail delicatessens, food and nonfood contact surfaces were tested for L. monocytogenes and other Listeria spp. in a longitudinal study conducted in 30 retail delis in three U.S. states. In phase I of the study, seven sponge samples were collected monthly for 3 months in 15 delis (5 delis per state) prior to start of daily operation; in phase II, 28 food contact and nonfood contact sites were sampled in each of 30 delis during daily operation for 6 months. Among the 314 samples collected during phase I, 6.8% were positive for L. monocytogenes. Among 4,503 samples collected during phase II, 9.5% were positive for L. monocytogenes; 9 of 30 delis showed low L. monocytogenes prevalence (Listeria spp. isolates, including 184 Listeria innocua, 48 Listeria seeligeri, and 13 Listeria welshimeri were characterized. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was used to characterize 446 L. monocytogenes isolates. PFGE showed that for 12 of 30 delis, one or more PFGE types were isolated on at least three separate occasions, providing evidence for persistence of a given L. monocytogenes subtype in the delis. For some delis, PFGE patterns for isolates from nonfood contact surfaces were distinct from patterns for occasional food contact surface isolates, suggesting limited cross-contamination between these sites in some delis. This study provides longitudinal data on L. monocytogenes contamination patterns in retail delis, which should facilitate further development of control strategies in

  5. LACTIC FLORA-LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES INTERACTION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Colombo

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available The EC Regulation 2073/2005 (1 requires that food processors evaluate the capability of ready-to-use (RTE products to support the development of Listeria monocytogenes when their pH and aW values are favourable to the growth of this microorganism. It is renown that the lactic flora plays an important role in many different foods, both from a technological and a food safety standpoint. This study was aimed to observe the behaviour and the potential anti-Listeria effect of some natural lactic flora present in Italian liver patè crostini (chicken heart and liver, anchovies, onions, capers, starch, no added preservatives through the Combase Predictor – Max Growth Rate predictive software. The natural lactic flora of the crostini demonstrated a variable capability to inhibit the growth of Listeria monocytogenes which depends upon : the concentration of the lactic flora at the beginning of the shelf life period and the subsequent lag phase, the possible release of anti-Listeria substances, and the maximum growth rate.

  6. Prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in raw milk in North Lebanon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Al Kassaa, I; El Omari, Kh.; Esmail, B.; Hamze, M; Saati, M.

    2016-01-01

    Listeriosis, although a zoonosis, is an invasive disease that can affect newborns, pregnant women and immunocompromised adults. Clinical manifestations can be expressedby febrile gastroenteritis, invasive forms including severe sepsis, meningitis, rhombencephalitis, prenatal infections and abortions. Species of Listeria bacteria are ubiquitous and adaptableto the environment in animal and plant foods. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in 100 samples of fresh cow milk collected from different areas of North Lebanon. Listeria monocytogenes was detected by using the Grand VIDAS technique (Biomérieux France). The results obtained revealed the absence of Listeria monocytogenes inall analyzed samples. (Author)

  7. Early trigeminal nerve involvement in Listeria monocytogenes rhombencephalitis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Karlsson, William K; Harboe, Zitta Barrella; Roed, Casper

    2017-01-01

    dysfunction on that side. In addition, we identified another 120 cases of Listeria rhombencephalitis following a systematic review. Cranial nerves VII, V, IX, and X, respectively, medulla oblongata, cerebellum and pons, were the most frequently involved brain structures. The present clinical and radiological...... findings corroborate earlier data from animal experiments, indicating that L. monocytogenes may be capable of retrograde intra-axonal migration along the cranial nerves. We suggest that in a subset of patients with rhombencephalitis L. monocytogenes enters the cerebellopontine angle through the trigeminal......Listeria monocytogenes is associated with rhombencephalitis. However, the exact mechanisms of brainstem invasion remains poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate clinical and radiological data suggesting that Listeria may invade the brainstem via the trigeminal nerve. Three females (41, 64 and 70...

  8. Effekt av ulike desinfeksjonsstrategier mot Listeria monocytogenes

    OpenAIRE

    Fossmo, Sabine

    2013-01-01

    Kontroll med bakterier som Listeria utgjør en stor utfordring for mange matprodusenter. Listeria monocytogenes er hovedsakelig et produksjonshygienisk problem, forbedret hygiene kan derfor være tiltak for å redusere overlevelse og smitteoverføring av bakterien i produksjonsmiljø. Hensikten med forsøkene i oppgaven var å undersøke effekten av ulike desinfeksjonsstrategier på drap av L. monocytogenes, både når bakteriene var i biofilm og i suspensjon. Dette inkluderte bruk av tradisjonelle desi...

  9. Antimicrobial resistance of Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria innocua from meat products and meat-processing environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gómez, Diego; Azón, Ester; Marco, Noelia; Carramiñana, Juan J; Rota, Carmina; Ariño, Agustín; Yangüela, Javier

    2014-09-01

    A total of 336 Listeria isolates from ready-to-eat (RTE) meat products and meat-processing environments, consisting of 206 Listeria monocytogenes, and 130 Listeria innocua isolates, were characterized by disc diffusion assay and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values for antimicrobial susceptibility against twenty antimicrobials. Resistance to one or two antimicrobials was observed in 71 L. monocytogenes isolates (34.5%), and 56 L. innocua isolates (43.1%). Multidrug resistance was identified in 24 Listeria isolates, 18 belonging to L. innocua (13.9%) and 6 to L. monocytogenes (2.9%). Oxacillin resistance was the most common resistance phenotype and was identified in 100% Listeria isolates. A medium prevalence of resistance to clindamycin (39.3% isolates) and low incidence of resistance to tetracycline (3.9% isolates) were also detected. Listeria isolates from RTE meat products displayed higher overall antimicrobial resistance (31.3%) than those from the environment (13.4%). All the strains assayed were sensitive to the preferred antibiotics used to treat listeriosis. Results showed that although antimicrobial resistance in L. monocytogenes still occurs at a low prevalence, L. innocua can form a reservoir of resistance genes which may transfer between bacterial species, including transference to organisms capable of causing disease in humans. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Incidence of Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria spp. in a small-scale mushroom production facility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Viswanath, Prema; Murugesan, Latha; Knabel, Stephen J; Verghese, Bindhu; Chikthimmah, Naveen; Laborde, Luke F

    2013-04-01

    Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen of significant concern to the agricultural and food processing industry because of its ability to grow and persist in cool and moist environments and its association with listeriosis, a disease with a very high mortality rate. Although there have been no listeriosis outbreaks attributed to fresh mushrooms in the United States, retail surveys and recalls are evidence that L. monocytogenes contamination of mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) can occur. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of Listeria spp., including L. monocytogenes, in a small-scale mushroom production facility on the campus of the Pennsylvania State University in the United States. Of 184 samples taken from five production zones within the facility, 29 (15.8%) samples were positive for Listeria spp. Among the Listeria spp. isolates, L. innocua was most prevalent (10.3%) followed by L. welshimeri (3.3%), L. monocytogenes (1.6%), and L. grayi (0.5%). L. monocytogenes was recovered only from the phase I raw material composting area. Isolates of L. monocytogenes were confirmed and serotyped by multiplex PCR. The epidemiological relatedness of the three L. monocytogenes isolates to those serotypes or lineages frequently encountered in listeriosis infections was determined by multi-virulence-locus sequence typing using six virulence genes, namely, prfA, inlB, inlC, dal, clpP, and lisR. The phylogenetic positions of the three isolates in the dendrogram prepared with data from other isolates of L. monocytogenes showed that all isolates were grouped with serotype 4a, lineage IIIA. To date, this serotype has rarely been reported in foodborne disease outbreaks.

  11. Prevalence and serotypes of Listeria monocytogenes contamination in Chinese beef processing plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Lixian; Feng, Xiaohui; Zhang, Lihua; Zhu, Ruiliang; Luo, Xin

    2012-06-01

    The aim of this work was to study the epidemiology of Listeria spp., particularly Listeria monocytogenes, and to identify the serotypes present in contaminated samples from beef processing plants in China. A total of 439 samples were obtained from bovine feces, hides, and carcasses at three commercial processing plants. A standard protocol (ISO 11290-1) was followed to detect Listeria spp. and L. monocytogenes, and multiplex polymerase chain reaction was used to identify the various L. monocytogenes serotypes. The overall prevalences of Listeria spp. and L. monocytogenes were 65.6% and 26.4%, respectively, and the contamination was highest in the hide samples. The identified L. monocytogenes serotypes were 1/2c and 1/2a. The results of the current study indicate that Listeria spp. contamination is common in Chinese beef processing plants; specific measures should be taken to prevent and/or treat L. monocytogenes contamination of feces and hides in beef slaughter plants. Furthermore, because Listeria spp. contamination was found to be prevalent, it should, therefore, be studied further. The prevention of cases of sporadic listeriosis in China should also be addressed.

  12. NATURAL ATYPICAL LISTERIA INNOCUA STRAINS WITH LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES PATHOGENICITY ISLAND 1 GENES

    Science.gov (United States)

    The detection of the human foodborne pathogen, Listeria monocytogenes, in food, environmental samples and clinical specimens associated with cases of listeriosis, a rare but high mortality-rate disease, requires distinguishing the pathogen from other Listeria species. Speciation...

  13. One group of genetically similar Listeria monocytogenes strains frequently dominates and persists in several fish slaughter- and smokehouses

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wulff, Gitte; Gram, Lone; Ahrens, Peter

    2006-01-01

    Contamination of foods with the human pathogen Listeria monocytogenes may occur during processing, and the purpose of this study was to determine whether genetically similar strains colonize different processing plants or whether specific persistent strains are unique to each processing plant. We...... smokehouses and two slaughterhouses and was predominant in three of these plants. A subset of 35 strains was also analyzed by amplified fragment length polymorphism typing, which confirmed the genetic similarity of the groups. Moreover, strains of the dominant RAPD type were indistinguishable from strains...

  14. REALIS: Postgenomic Analysis of Listeria Monocytogenes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    The REALIS Consortium

    2006-04-01

    Full Text Available Listeria monocytogenes is a remarkably successful food-borne pathogen. It is capable a of surviving and proliferating under conditions that exist within the food chain, such as at low temperatures, high salt and low pH and b of colonizing animal host tissues after ingestion of contaminated food, causing opportunistic infections mainly, but not exclusively, in immunocompromised hosts. The ultimate goals of REALIS are two fold: Firstly, it aims to completely decipher all genes required for survival in and adaptation of Listeria monocytogenes to two very different environments, ie., the infected host and the external environment. Secondly, using genomics and postgenomic tools, REALIS seeks to precisely address fundamental questions regarding evolutionary relationships between pathogenic and non-pathogenic Listeria and to define qualities of particularly successful clonal pathovariants in causing disease. This project will provide both industry and health care managers with rational approaches to curbing food-borne contamination, minimising risks of infection and providing novel pharmacological approaches for halting the fulminant course of infection.

  15. Effect of citral and carvacrol on the susceptibility of Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria innocua to antibiotics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zanini, S F; Silva-Angulo, A B; Rosenthal, A; Rodrigo, D; Martínez, A

    2014-05-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibiotic susceptibility of Listeria innocua (L. innocua) and Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) cells in the presence of citral and carvacrol at sublethal concentrations in an agar medium. The presence of terpenes in the L. monocytogenes and L. innocua culture medium provided a reduction in the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of all the antibiotics tested. These effects were dependent on the concentration of terpenes present in the culture medium. The combination of citral and carvacrol potentiated antibiotic activity by reducing the MIC values of bacitracin and colistin from 32.0 and 128.0 μg ml⁻¹ to 1.0 and 2.0 μg ml⁻¹, respectively. Thus, both Listeria species became more susceptible to these drugs. In this way, the colistin and bacitracin resistance of L. monocytogenes and L. innocua was reversed in the presence of terpenes. Results obtained in this study show that the phytochemicals citral and carvacrol potentiate antibiotic activity, reducing the MIC values of cultured L. monocytogenes and L. innocua. Phytochemicals citral and carvacrol potentiate antibiotic activity of erythromycin, bacitracin and colistin by reducing the MIC values of cultured Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria innocua. This effect in reducing the MIC values of the antibiotics tested in both micro-organisms was increased when natural antimicrobials were combined. This finding indicated that the combination among terpenes and antibiotic may contribute in reducing the required dosage of antibiotics due to the possible effect of terpenes on permeation barrier of the micro-organism cell membrane. © 2014 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  16. Listeria monocytogenes infection of HD11, chicken macrophage-like cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jarvis, N A; Donaldson, J R; O'Bryan, C A; Ricke, S C; Crandall, P G

    2017-04-01

    Listeria monocytogenes can be carried by and infect poultry, although the clinical disease in birds is rare. Escape from macrophage phagocytosis is a key step in pathogenesis for L. monocytogenes. Therefore, we investigated the infection of the chicken macrophage-like cell line HD11 with 2 strains of L. monocytogenes EGD-e and Scott A. After infection, L. monocytogenes was quantified by spread plating and HD11 was quantified with trypan blue exclusion stain before enumeration. The standard macrophage killing protocols require washing the cell monolayers 3 times with PBS, which was found to negatively influence HD11 monolayers. Maximum bacterial densities within macrophages were not different between the 2 Listeria strains. HD11 required more than 11 h to effectively reduce intracellular L. monocytogenes Scott A, and Scott A was more susceptible to HD11 killing than EGD-e. It appears that Listeria infection initially causes attenuation of HD11 growth, and infected HD11 cells do not begin to lyse until at least 11 h post infection. These results suggest that there are subtle strain to strain differences in response to HD11 macrophage phagocytosis. The long lead-time required for HD11 to kill L. monocytogenes cells means that there is sufficient time available for chicken macrophages to circulate in the blood and transfer the intracellular Listeria to multiple tissues. © 2016 Poultry Science Association Inc.

  17. Various Ready-to-Eat Products from Retail Stores Linked to Occurrence of Diverse Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria spp. Isolates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vongkamjan, Kitiya; Fuangpaiboon, Janejira; Turner, Matthew P; Vuddhakul, Varaporn

    2016-02-01

    Listeriosis outbreaks have been associated with a variety of foods. This study investigated the prevalence and diversity of Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria spp. in ready-to-eat (RTE) products and evaluated the performance of a rapid detection method, the 3M molecular detection assay for L. monocytogenes (MDA-LM), for detection of L. monocytogenes. Assay results were compared with those obtained using the U.S. Food and Drug Administration standard culture method described in the Bacteriological Analytical Manual. Products (n = 200) were purchased from retail stores: 122 aquatic products, 22 products of animal origin, 18 vegetarian products, 15 deli meat products, 13 salad and vegetable products, 4 desserts, 2 egg-based products, and 4 other products. L. monocytogenes prevalence was comparable with both methods. Overall, 15 (7.5%) of 200 samples were positive for L. monocytogenes: 3% of aquatic products, 1.5% of products of animal origin, 1% of vegetarian products, and 2% of deli meat products. Compared with the standard culture method, the sensitivity, specificity, and the accuracy of the MDA-LM were 86.7% (95% confidence interval, 58.4 to 97.7%), 98.4% (95% confidence interval, 95.0 to 99.6%), and 97.5%, respectively. Using the culture-based method, 18 (9%) of 200 samples were positive for Listeria species other than L. monocytogenes. Listeria isolates from these samples were classified into nine allelic types (ATs). The majority of isolates were classified as ATs 58 and 74, which were identified as L. monocytogenes lineages I and IV, respectively. Listeria innocua and Listeria welshimeri also were represented by isolates of multiple ATs. The MDA-LM is a rapid and reliable technique for detecting L. monocytogenes in various RTE foods. Further study is needed to develop effective control strategies to reduce L. monocytogenes contamination in RTE foods.

  18. A multiplex PCR for detection of Listeria monocytogenes and its lineages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rawool, Deepak B; Doijad, Swapnil P; Poharkar, Krupali V; Negi, Mamta; Kale, Satyajit B; Malik, S V S; Kurkure, Nitin V; Chakraborty, Trinad; Barbuddhe, Sukhadeo B

    2016-11-01

    A novel multiplex PCR assay was developed to identify genus Listeria, and discriminate Listeria monocytogenes and its major lineages (LI, LII, LIII). This assay is a rapid and inexpensive subtyping method for screening and characterization of L. monocytogenes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. [Risk assessment of Listeria monocytogenes in deli meats and vegetable salads].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tian, Jing; Liu, Xiu-mei

    2009-09-01

    To analysis risk from Listeria monocytogenes in deli meats and vegetable salads. Use Risk Ranger which is a software programme developed by the University of Hobart, Australia and answer 11 questions on affecting the risk from hazards in the specific foods by combining data from national foodborne diseases surveillance network and some references to make semi-quantitative risk assessment for the specific food. Relative risk from Listeria monocytogenes in deli meats and vegetable salads is 61 and 52, respectively. Incidence of listeriosis caused by deli meats-Listeria monocytogenes pairs and vegetable salads-Listeria monocytogenes pairs is 5.4 and 0.2 cases per million people, respectively. Risk from the former is 32 times than that from the latter. By changing the selection for some risk factors in the model, it was known that the risks from two food-hazard combinations could decrease 10 times, if taking necessary actions after processing. Deli meats is a kind of high risk food for listeriosis.

  20. Evaluation of a monoclonal antibody able to detect live Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria innocua

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sølve, Marianne; Boel, Jeppe; Nørrung, Birgit

    2000-01-01

    A monoclonal Listeria antibody, designated B4, was evaluated. The ability of the antibody to bind to viable bacteria belonging to Listeria spp, compared to bacteria of the same species killed by beat treatment, acid or base treatment, sanitizers, and irradiation was examined. The antibody was found...... to react with viable L. monocytogenes and L. innocua, but not with heat-killed (72 degrees C, 5 min) strains of these organisms. When L. monocytogenes and L. innocua were killed by methods other than heat treatment, it was ambiguous whether the antibody detected the organism or not. It was concluded...... that the B4 antibody has potential to be used in an immune capture step to capture live L, monocytogenes and L. innocua from foods prior to identification of L. monocytogenes by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)....

  1. Antimicrobial Resistance Profiles of Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria innocua Isolated from Ready-to-Eat Products of Animal Origin in Spain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Escolar, Cristina; Gómez, Diego; Del Carmen Rota García, María; Conchello, Pilar; Herrera, Antonio

    2017-06-01

    The objective of this work was to investigate the antimicrobial resistance in Listeria spp. isolated from food of animal origin. A total of 50 Listeria strains isolated from meat and dairy products, consisting of 7 Listeria monocytogenes and 43 Listeria innocua strains, were characterized for antimicrobial susceptibility against nine antimicrobials. The strains were screened by real-time PCR for the presence of antimicrobial resistance genes: tet M, tet L, mef A, msr A, erm A, erm B, lnu A, and lnu B. Multidrug resistance was identified in 27 Listeria strains, 4 belonging to L. monocytogenes. Resistance to clindamycin was the most common resistance phenotype and was identified in 45 Listeria strains; the mechanisms of resistance are still unknown. A medium prevalence of resistance to tetracycline (15 and 9 resistant and intermediate strains) and ciprofloxacin (13 resistant strains) was also found. Tet M was detected in Listeria strains with reduced susceptibility to tetracycline, providing evidence that both L. innocua and L. monocytogenes displayed acquired resistance. The presence of antimicrobial resistance genes in L. innocua and L. monocytogenes indicates that these genes may be transferred to commensal and pathogenic bacteria via the food chain; besides this, antibiotic resistance in L. monocytogenes could compromise the effective treatment of listeriosis in humans.

  2. Resistance of Listeria monocytogenes biofilms to sanitizing agents

    Science.gov (United States)

    Listeria monocytogenes is notorious for its capacity to colonize the environment and equipment of food processing facilities and to persist in the processing plant ecosystem, sometimes for decades. Such persistence is mediated by multiple attributes of L. monocytogenes, including the pathogen’s capa...

  3. Listeria monocytogenes infection in pregnancy and neonatal sepsis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francesca Pascale

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available Authors report a fatal neonatal sepsis caused by Listeria monocytogenes. While the diagnostic procedure aimed to identify the microrganism is described, it is emphasized the importance to recover Streptococcus agalactiae (GBS and L. monocytogenes by means of vaginal-rectal swab culture. The intrapartum screening for L. monocytogenes, by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR providing results in 75 minutes is also evaluated.

  4. Commensal microbes provide first line defense against Listeria monocytogenes infection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Littmann, Eric R.; Kim, Sohn G.; Morjaria, Sejal M.; Ling, Lilan; Gyaltshen, Yangtsho; Taur, Ying; Leiner, Ingrid M.

    2017-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen that causes septicemia, meningitis and chorioamnionitis and is associated with high mortality. Immunocompetent humans and animals, however, can tolerate high doses of L. monocytogenes without developing systemic disease. The intestinal microbiota provides colonization resistance against many orally acquired pathogens, and antibiotic-mediated depletion of the microbiota reduces host resistance to infection. Here we show that a diverse microbiota markedly reduces Listeria monocytogenes colonization of the gut lumen and prevents systemic dissemination. Antibiotic administration to mice before low dose oral inoculation increases L. monocytogenes growth in the intestine. In immunodeficient or chemotherapy-treated mice, the intestinal microbiota provides nonredundant defense against lethal, disseminated infection. We have assembled a consortium of commensal bacteria belonging to the Clostridiales order, which exerts in vitro antilisterial activity and confers in vivo resistance upon transfer into germ free mice. Thus, we demonstrate a defensive role of the gut microbiota against Listeria monocytogenes infection and identify intestinal commensal species that, by enhancing resistance against this pathogen, represent potential probiotics. PMID:28588016

  5. Prevalence and contamination patterns of Listeria monocytogenes in catfish processing environment and fresh fillets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Bang-Yuan; Pyla, Rajkumar; Kim, Tae-Jo; Silva, Juan L; Jung, Yean-Sung

    2010-08-01

    Catfish skins, intestines, fresh fillets, processing surfaces at different production stages, chiller water and non-food contact surfaces were sampled for Listeria monocytogenes and other Listeria species. Among 315 samples, prevalence of L. monocytogenes, Listeria innocua and a group of Listeria seeligeri-Listeria welshimeri-Listeria ivanovii was 21.6, 13.0 and 29.5%, respectively. No Listeria grayi was detected in this survey. While no L. monocytogenes strains were isolated from catfish skins and intestines, the strains were found with a frequency of 76.7% in chilled fresh catfish fillets and 43.3% in unchilled fillets. L. monocytogenes and Listeria spp. were also detected in fish contact surfaces such as deheading machine, trimming board, chiller water, conveyor belts at different stages, and fillet weighing table. Among L. monocytogenes, 1/2b (47.0%), 3b (16.0%) and 4c (14%) were the predominant serotypes isolated, whereas 4b, 4e, 1/2c and 1/2a were detected at much lower frequencies. Genotype analyses of L. monocytogenes isolates using serotyping, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC)-PCR revealed that chiller water represented an important contamination source of L. monocytogenes in the chilled catfish fillets of two processing facilities, whereas fillet weighing table significantly contributed to the catfish fillet contamination of the third facility. This study suggests that L. monocytogenes contamination in the processed catfish fillets originates from the processing environment, rather than directly from catfish. Results from this study can aid the catfish industry to develop a plant-specific proper cleaning and sanitation procedure for equipment and the processing environment designed to specifically target L. monocytogenes contamination. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Meningoencefalite por Listeria monocytogenes em ovinos Meningoencephalitis in sheep caused by Listeria monocytogenes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel R. Rissi

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available São descritos sete casos de doença neurológica em ovinos por Listeria monocytogenes no Rio Grande do Sul e Paraná entre 2000 e 2007. Foram afetados ovinos com idades entre 12-24 meses. Os casos ocorreram no verão e início da primavera e os índices gerais de morbidade e letalidade foram de 3,15% e 100%, respectivamente. Quando essa informação estava disponível, nenhum dos ovinos afetados era alimentado com silagem. Em três propriedades havia contato próximo dos ovinos afetados com outras espécies. A evolução do quadro clínico foi de 12 horas a três dias e os sinais clínicos foram caracterizados por decúbito (7/7, desvio da cabeça (4/7, incoordenação (3/7, depressão (3/7, andar em círculos (2/7, cegueira unilateral, emagrecimento progressivo, febre, midríase, movimentos de pedalagem, nistagmo lateral, opistótono, paralisia flácida dos membros pélvicos ou dos quatro membros, salivação excessiva e tremores (1/7 cada. Histologicamente observou-se encefalite com microabscessos, predominantemente unilateral com variáveis graus de gliose e alterações degenerativas como esferóides axonais e infiltração de células Gitter. As lesões se estendiam desde a medula oblonga até o mesencéfalo. Antígenos de Listeria monocytogenes foram detectados por imuno-histoquímica em seções de tronco encefálico de todos os ovinos afetados. O diagnóstico foi realizado com base nos achados epidemiológicos e clinico-patológicos, e confirmado pela imuno-histoquímica (IHQ utilizando anticorpo policlonal anti-L. monocytogenes.Seven cases of neurological disease in sheep caused by Listeria monocytogenes in Rio Grande do Sul and Paraná state, southern Brazil are described. The cases occurred between 2000 and 2007 and 12-24-month-old sheep were affected. Overall morbidity and lethality rates were 3.15% and 100%, respectively. Cases occurred in the summer and early spring. When this information was available, affected sheep had not been

  7. Multiple cortical brain abscesses due to Listeria monocytogenes in an immunocompetent patient.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khan, Sadia; Kumar, Anil; Kale, Satyajit; Kurkure, Nitin; Nair, Gulsiv; Dinesh, Kavitha

    2018-04-01

    Listeria monocytogenes is an intracellular organism which is well recognised for its ability to cause meningeal infections in neonates, immunosuppressed, debilitated and elderly individuals. 1 Other less common central nervous system (CNS) infections caused by Listeria spp. include rhomboencephalitis, cerebritis and abscesses in the brain, brain stem and spinal cord. The neuroradiological appearance of Listeria brain abscesses is similar to other types and may also mimic primary or metastatic brain tumours. 2 , 3 We report a case of Listeria brain abscesses in a patient who was being treated for atypical parkinsonism. A good clinical outcome was achieved after appropriate antimicrobial therapy.

  8. Antimicrobial resistance of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from dairy-based food products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harakeh, Steve; Saleh, Imane; Zouhairi, Omar; Baydoun, Elias; Barbour, Elie; Alwan, Nisreen

    2009-06-15

    In this study Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) was isolated from three traditionally consumed Lebanese dairy-based food products. One hundred and sixty four samples (45 samples of Baladi cheese, 36 samples of Shankleesh and 83 of Kishk) were collected from the Bekaa Valley in the Northeast region of Lebanon. Suspected Listeria colonies were selected and initially identified by using standard biochemical tests. Initial identification of the positive L. monocytogenes colonies was confirmed at the molecular level by Polymerase Chain Reaction (n=30) and the confirmed isolates were evaluated for their susceptibility to 10 commonly used antimicrobials. All of the 30 isolates were confirmed to be L. monocytogenes yielding a PCR product of approximately 660 base pairs (bp). L. monocytogenes was detected in 26.67%, 13.89% and 7.23% of the Baladi cheese, Shankleesh and Kishk samples, respectively. The highest resistance in L. monocytogenes isolates was noted against oxacillin (93.33%) followed by penicillin (90%). The results provide an indication of the contamination levels of dairy-based foods in Lebanon and highlight the emergence of multi-drug resistant Listeria in the environment.

  9. Listeria prevalence and Listeria monocytogenes serovar diversity at cull cow and bull processing plants in the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guerini, Michael N; Brichta-Harhay, Dayna M; Shackelford, T Steven D; Arthur, Terrance M; Bosilevac, Joseph M; Kalchayanand, Norasak; Wheeler, Tommy L; Koohmaraie, Mohammad

    2007-11-01

    Listeria monocytogenes, the causative agent of epidemic and sporadic listeriosis, is routinely isolated from many sources, including cattle, yet information on the prevalence of Listeria in beef processing plants in the United States is minimal. From July 2005 through April 2006, four commercial cow and bull processing plants were sampled in the United States to determine the prevalence of Listeria and the serovar diversity of L. monocytogenes. Samples were collected during the summer, fall, winter, and spring. Listeria prevalence on hides was consistently higher during cooler weather (28 to 92% of samples) than during warmer weather (6 and 77% of samples). The Listeria prevalence data collected from preevisceration carcass ranged from undetectable in some warm season samples to as high as 71% during cooler weather. Listeria on postintervention carcasses in the chill cooler was normally undetectable, with the exception of summer and spring samples from one plant where > 19% of the carcasses were positive for Listeria. On hides, L. monocytogenes serovar 1/2a was the predominant serovar observed, with serovars 1/2b and 4b present 2.5 times less often and serovar 1/2c not detected on any hides sampled. L. monocytogenes serovars 1/2a, 1/2c, and 4b were found on postintervention carcasses. This prevalence study demonstrates that Listeria species are more prevalent on hides during the winter and spring and that interventions being used in cow and bull processing plants appear to be effective in reducing or eliminating Listeria contamination on carcasses.

  10. Prevalence, antimicrobial susceptibility and virulotyping of Listeria species and Listeria monocytogenes isolated from open-air fish markets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jamali, Hossein; Paydar, Mohammadjavad; Ismail, Salmah; Looi, Chung Yeng; Wong, Won Fen; Radmehr, Behrad; Abedini, Atefeh

    2015-07-25

    The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and characterization of Listeria species and Listeria monocytogenes isolated from raw fish and open-air fish market environments. Eight hundred and sixty two samples including raw fish and fish market environments (samples from workers' hands, workers' knives, containers and work surface) were collected from the open-air fish markets in the Northern region of Iran. Listeria spp. was isolated from 104/488 (21.3%) raw fish and 29/374 (7.8%) of samples from open-air fish market environment. The isolates of Listeria spp. included L. innocua (35.3%), L. monocytogenes (32.3%), L. seeligeri (18%), and L. ivanovii (14.3%). Of the 43 L. monocytogenes isolates, 31 (72.1%), 10 (23.3%) and 2 (4.7%) belonged to serovars 1/2a, 4b, and 1/2b, respectively. The inlA, inlB, inlC, inlJ, actA, hlyA, iap, plcA, and prfA virulence-associated genes were detected in almost all of the L. monocytogenes isolates. The Listeria spp. isolates showed high resistance against tetracycline (23.3%), penicillin G, and cephalothin (each 16.5%). Besides, we observed significant resistance level to tetracycline (27.9%), ampicillin (20.9%), cephalothin, penicillin G, and streptomycin (each 16.3%) in the L. monocytogenes isolates. All of the isolates were susceptible to cefotaxime, gentamicin, kanamycin, and pefloxacin. We found that tetM (25.6%), tetA (23.3%), ampC (14%), and penA (11.6%) were the most prevalent antibiotic resistance genes in the L. monocytogenes isolates. Recovery of potentially pathogenic L. monocytogenes from raw fish and environment of open-air fish market samples in this study is a convincing evidence for the zoonotic potential of listeriosis.

  11. Listeria monocytogenes growth limits and stress resistance mechanisms

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Veen, van der S.

    2008-01-01

    The food-borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive facultative anaerobic rod, which is the causative agent of listeriosis. Due to the severity of the disease and the fact that its incidence is increasing in numerous European countries, L. monocytogenes is of great public health

  12. Molecular ecology of Listeria monocytogenes and other Listeria species in small and very small ready-to-eat meat processing plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, Shanna K; Roof, Sherry; Boyle, Elizabeth A; Burson, Dennis; Thippareddi, Harshavardhan; Geornaras, Ifigenia; Sofos, John N; Wiedmann, Martin; Nightingale, Kendra

    2011-01-01

    A longitudinal study was conducted to track Listeria contamination patterns in ready-to-eat meats from six small or very small meat processing plants located in three states over 1 year. A total of 688 environmental sponge samples were collected from nonfood contact surfaces during bimonthly visits to each plant. Overall, L. monocytogenes was isolated from 42 (6.1%) environmental samples, and its prevalence ranged from 1.7 to 10.8% across different plants. Listeria spp., other than L. monocytogenes, were isolated from 9.5% of samples overall, with the prevalence ranging from 1.5 to 18.3% across different plants. The prevalence of L. monocytogenes correlated well with that of other Listeria spp. for some but not all plants. One L. monocytogenes isolate representing each positive sample was characterized by molecular serotyping, EcoRI ribotyping, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis typing. Seven sample sites tested positive for L. monocytogenes on more than one occasion, and the same ribotype was detected more than once at five of these sites. Partial sigB sequencing was used to speciate other Listeria spp. isolates and assign an allelic type to each isolate. Other Listeria spp. were isolated more than once from 14 sample sites, and the same sigB allelic type was recovered at least twice from seven of these sites. One plant was colonized by an atypical hemolytic L. innocua strain. Our findings indicate that small and very small meat processing plants that produce ready-to-eat meat products are characterized by a varied prevalence of Listeria, inconsistent correlation between contamination by L. monocytogenes and other Listeria spp., and a unique Listeria molecular ecology.

  13. Prevalence and level of Listeria monocytogenes and other Listeria sp. in ready-to-eat minimally processed and refrigerated vegetables.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kovačević, Mira; Burazin, Jelena; Pavlović, Hrvoje; Kopjar, Mirela; Piližota, Vlasta

    2013-04-01

    Minimally processed and refrigerated vegetables can be contaminated with Listeria species bacteria including Listeria monocytogenes due to extensive handling during processing or by cross contamination from the processing environment. The objective of this study was to examine the microbiological quality of ready-to-eat minimally processed and refrigerated vegetables from supermarkets in Osijek, Croatia. 100 samples of ready-to-eat vegetables collected from different supermarkets in Osijek, Croatia, were analyzed for presence of Listeria species and Listeria monocytogenes. The collected samples were cut iceberg lettuces (24 samples), other leafy vegetables (11 samples), delicatessen salads (23 samples), cabbage salads (19 samples), salads from mixed (17 samples) and root vegetables (6 samples). Listeria species was found in 20 samples (20 %) and Listeria monocytogenes was detected in only 1 sample (1 %) of cut red cabbage (less than 100 CFU/g). According to Croatian and EU microbiological criteria these results are satisfactory. However, the presence of Listeria species and Listeria monocytogenes indicates poor hygiene quality. The study showed that these products are often improperly labeled, since 24 % of analyzed samples lacked information about shelf life, and 60 % of samples lacked information about storage conditions. With regard to these facts, cold chain abruption with extended use after expiration date is a probable scenario. Therefore, the microbiological risk for consumers of ready-to-eat minimally processed and refrigerated vegetables is not completely eliminated.

  14. Incidence of Listeria monocytogenes and Other Bacteria in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Prof. Ogunji

    Abstract. The involvement of Listeria monocytogenes in spontaneous abortion in Jos was investigated. One hundred blood and 100 placenta samples were collected from spontaneous abortion patients in Jos. The samples were inoculated first into Listeria enrichment broth. Incubation was at 37o C, followed by cold ...

  15. Novel Cadmium Resistance Determinant in Listeria monocytogenes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parsons, Cameron; Lee, Sangmi; Jayeola, Victor; Kathariou, Sophia

    2017-03-01

    Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen that can cause severe disease (listeriosis) in susceptible individuals. It is ubiquitous in the environment and often exhibits resistance to heavy metals. One of the determinants that enables Listeria to tolerate exposure to cadmium is the cadAC efflux system, with CadA being a P-type ATPase. Three different cadA genes (designated cadA1 to cadA3 ) were previously characterized in L. monocytogenes A novel putative cadmium resistance gene ( cadA4 ) was recently identified through whole-genome sequencing, but experimental confirmation for its involvement in cadmium resistance is lacking. In this study, we characterized cadA4 in L. monocytogenes strain F8027, a cadmium-resistant strain of serotype 4b. By screening a mariner-based transposon library of this strain, we identified a mutant with reduced tolerance to cadmium and that harbored a single transposon insertion in cadA4 The tolerance to cadmium was restored by genetic complementation with the cadmium resistance cassette ( cadA4C ), and enhanced cadmium tolerance was conferred to two unrelated cadmium-sensitive strains via heterologous complementation with cadA4C Cadmium exposure induced cadA4 expression, even at noninhibitory levels. Virulence assessments in the Galleria mellonella model suggested that a functional cadA4 suppressed virulence, potentially promoting commensal colonization of the insect larvae. Biofilm assays suggested that cadA4 inactivation reduced biofilm formation. These data not only confirm cadA4 as a novel cadmium resistance determinant in L. monocytogenes but also provide evidence for roles in virulence and biofilm formation. IMPORTANCE Listeria monocytogenes is an intracellular foodborne pathogen causing the disease listeriosis, which is responsible for numerous hospitalizations and deaths every year. Among the adaptations that enable the survival of Listeria in the environment are the abilities to persist in biofilms, grow in the cold, and

  16. Phenotypic and Genotypic Characterization of Atypical Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria innocua Isolated from Swine Slaughterhouses and Meat Markets

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luisa Zanolli Moreno

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available In the last decade, atypical Listeria monocytogenes and L. innocua strains have been detected in food and the environment. Because of mutations in the major virulence genes, these strains have different virulence intensities in eukaryotic cells. In this study, we performed phenotypic and genotypic characterization of atypical L. monocytogenes and L. innocua isolates obtained from swine slaughterhouses and meat markets. Forty strains were studied, including isolates of L. monocytogenes and L. innocua with low-hemolytic activity. The isolates were characterized using conventional phenotypic Listeria identification tests and by the detection and analysis of L. monocytogenes-specific genes. Analysis of 16S rRNA was used for the molecular identification of the Listeria species. The L. monocytogenes isolates were positive for all of the virulence genes studied. The atypical L. innocua strains were positive for hly, plcA, and inlC. Mutations in the InlC, InlB, InlA, PI-PLC, PC-PLC, and PrfA proteins were detected in the atypical isolates. Further in vitro and transcriptomic studies are being developed to confirm the role of these mutations in Listeria virulence.

  17. Behaviour of Listeria monocytogenes in packaged fresh mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus).

    Science.gov (United States)

    González-Fandos, E; Olarte, C; Giménez, M; Sanz, S; Simón, A

    2001-11-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of Listeria monocytogenes to grow in mushrooms packaged in two different types of PVC films when stored at 4 degrees C and 10 degrees C. Mushrooms were packed in two polymeric films (perforated and nonperforated PVC) and stored at 4 degrees C and 10 degrees C. The carbon dioxide and oxygen content inside the packages, aerobic mesophiles, psychrotrophs, Pseudomonas spp., Listeria monocytogenes, faecal coliforms, Escherichia coli, anaerobic spores and major sensory factors were determined. The mushrooms packaged in nonperforated film and stored at 4 degrees C had the most desirable quality parameters (texture, development stage and absence of moulds). Listeria monocytogenes was able to grow at 4 degrees C and 10 degrees C in inoculated mushrooms packaged in perforated and nonperforated films between 1 and 2 log units during the first 48 h. After 10 d of storage, the populations of L. monocytogenes were higher in mushrooms packaged in nonperforated film and stored at 10 degrees C. MAP followed by storage at 4 degrees C or 10 degrees C extends the shelf life by maintaining an acceptable appearance, but allows the growth and survival of L. monocytogenes. According to this study additional hurdles must be studied in order to prevent the growth of L. monocytogenes.

  18. Incidence of Listeria monocytogenes and Other Bacteria in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The involvement of Listeria monocytogenes in spontaneous abortion in Jos was investigated. One hundred blood and 100 placenta samples were collected from spontaneous abortion patients in Jos. The samples were inoculated first into Listeria enrichment broth. Incubation was at 37o C, followed by cold enrichment at ...

  19. PRÉVALENCE DE LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES DANS LE LAIT CRU DE VACHE AU LIBAN NORD

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Imad al Kassaa

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Al Kassaa Imad, Khaled el Omari, Marwa Saati, Bachar Ismail and Monzer Hamze. 2016. Prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in raw cow milk in north Lebanon. Lebanese Science Journal, 17(1: 39-45. Listeriosis, although a zoonosis, is an invasive disease that can affect newborns, pregnant women and immunocompromised adults. Clinical manifestations can be expressed by febrile gastroenteritis, invasive forms including severe sepsis, meningitis, rhombencephalitis, prenatal infections and abortions. Species of Listeria bacteria are ubiquitous and adaptable to the environment in animal and plant foods. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in 100 samples of fresh cow milk collected from different areas of North Lebanon. Listeria monocytogenes was detected by using the Grand VIDAS technique (Biomérieux France. The results obtained revealed the absence of Listeria monocytogenes in all analyzed samples.

  20. Frequency of contamination Listeria monocytogenes of raw dried cured vacuum packed sausages

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hristo Daskalov

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to collect actual data concerning the frequency of contamination with Listeria monocytogenes of some very popular in Bulgaria raw dried cured vacuum packed sausages, produced from October 2004 till May 2008. 148 vacuum-packed samples were taken from 9 different food business operators during all seasons of the year. The samples were analyzed according to USDA method for meat foods. Ten specimens were positive for presence of Listeria monocytogenes equal to 6,75% of all tested samples. In two other raw dried cured sausages L.welshimeri and L.innocua were found, but these species are not pathogenic for consumers. In the period before the official implementation of HACCP system (01.01.2006 in Bulgaria, 52 samples were examined and 5 Listeria monocytogenes isolates were found (~10%. 2,5 years after the HACCP implementation, 96 specimens from the same meat factories were tested and 5 Listeria monocytogenes isolates (5,2% were detected. Samples taken from lots, produced in winter time were contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes more often (7 of all 10 than specimens taken during other seasons. Data were discussed through the point of view of the effectiveness of hygienic practices and HACCP system application. Also, application of ‘microbiological criterion’ set in COMMISSION REGULATION (EC No 2073/2005 for ready-to-eat foods unable to support the growth of L. monocytogenes was considered.

  1. COMPARISON OF TWO METHODS FOR THE DETECTION OF LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. Tantillo

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to compare the performance of the conventional methods for detection of Listeria monocytogenes in food using media Oxford and ALOA (Agar Listeria acc. to Ottaviani & Agosti in according to the ISO 11290-1 to a new chromogenic medium “CHROMagar Listeria” standardized in 2005 AFNOR ( CHR – 21/1-12/01. A total of 40 pre-packed ready-to-eat food samples were examined. Using two methods six samples were found positive for Listeria monocytogenes but the medium “CHROMagar Listeria” was more selective in comparison with the others. In conclusion this study has demonstrated that isolation medium able to target specifically the detection of L. monocytogenes such as “CHROMagar Listeria” is highly recommendable because of that detection time is significantly reduced and the analysis cost is less expensive.

  2. PASTEURISASI HIGH TEMPERATURE SHORT TIME (HTST) SUSU TERHADAP Listeria monocytogenes PADA PENYIMPANAN REFRIGERATOR

    OpenAIRE

    SABIL, SYAHRIANA

    2015-01-01

    2015 SYAHRIANA SABIL (I 111 11 273). Pasteurisasi High Temperature Short Time (HTST) Susu terhadap Listeria monocytogenes pada Penyimpanan Refrigerator. Dibimbing oleh RATMAWATI MALAKA dan FARIDA NUR YULIATI. Pasteurisasi High Temperature Short Time (HTST) merupakan proses pemanasan susu di bawah titik didih yang diharapkan dapat membunuh Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) karena bersifat patogen dan mengakibatkan listeriosis yang merupakan penyakit zoonosis. Tu...

  3. Validation of the ANSR(®) Listeria monocytogenes Method for Detection of Listeria monocytogenes in Selected Food and Environmental Samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caballero, Oscar; Alles, Susan; Le, Quynh-Nhi; Gray, R Lucas; Hosking, Edan; Pinkava, Lisa; Norton, Paul; Tolan, Jerry; Mozola, Mark; Rice, Jennifer; Chen, Yi; Ryser, Elliot; Odumeru, Joseph

    2016-01-01

    Work was conducted to validate performance of the ANSR(®) for Listeria monocytogenes method in selected food and environmental matrixes. This DNA-based assay involves amplification of nucleic acid via an isothermal reaction based on nicking enzyme amplification technology. Following single-step sample enrichment for 16-24 h for most matrixes, the assay is completed in 40 min using only simple instrumentation. When 50 distinct strains of L. monocytogenes were tested for inclusivity, 48 produced positive results, the exceptions being two strains confirmed by PCR to lack the assay target gene. Forty-seven nontarget strains (30 species), including multiple non-monocytogenes Listeria species as well as non-Listeria, Gram-positive bacteria, were tested, and all generated negative ANSR assay results. Performance of the ANSR method was compared with that of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service Microbiology Laboratory Guidebook reference culture procedure for detection of L. monocytogenes in hot dogs, pasteurized liquid egg, and sponge samples taken from an inoculated stainless steel surface. In addition, ANSR performance was measured against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Bacteriological Analytical Manual reference method for detection of L. monocytogenes in Mexican-style cheese, cantaloupe, sprout irrigation water, and guacamole. With the single exception of pasteurized liquid egg at 16 h, ANSR method performance as quantified by the number of positives obtained was not statistically different from that of the reference methods. Robustness trials demonstrated that deliberate introduction of small deviations to the normal assay parameters did not affect ANSR method performance. Results of accelerated stability testing conducted using two manufactured lots of reagents predicts stability at the specified storage temperature of 4°C of more than 1 year.

  4. Listeria monocytogenes : nog steeds een probleem?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Beumer, R.R.

    2011-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes is net als vele andere bacteriële voedselpathogenen al tientallen jaren bekend. De meeste grondstoffen voor voedingsmiddelen komen uit de akker- en tuinbouw, de veehouderij en de visserij. Besmetting vindt daar plaats met micro-organismen afkomstig uit grond, fecaliën, water,

  5. Listeria spp. e listeria monocytogenes na produção de salsichas tipo hot dog

    OpenAIRE

    Cesar, Alessandra Paro Rodrigues; Mesquita, Albenones José de; Prado, Cristiano Sales; Nunes, Iolanda Aparecida; Almeida Filho, Edivaldo Sampaio de

    2011-01-01

    v. 12, n. 2, p.339-352, abr./jun.2011. Listeria monocytogenes está amplamente distribuída no ambiente e tem sido isolada de alimentos associados a surtos de elevada letalidade, representando um risco para a saúde pública. Em alguns países, os produtos prontos para consumo, como embutidos cozidos, entre os quais as salsichas, estão associadas à listeriose humana. Considerando a relevância do tema e a necessidade de dados, analisou-se a ocorrência de Listeria spp. e L. monocytogenes na pr...

  6. Prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes and other Listeria species in butter from United Kingdom production, retail, and catering premises.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewis, H C; Little, C L; Elson, R; Greenwood, M; Grant, K A; McLauchlin, J

    2006-07-01

    Two recent listeriosis outbreaks involving butter prompted this first cross-sectional study on the prevalence, levels, and types of Listeria species in 3229 samples of butter from production, retail, and catering premises in the United Kingdom during May and June 2004. When the criteria of the Microbiological Guidelines were used, 99.4% of samples were found to be of satisfactory microbiological quality, 0.5% were of acceptable quality, and 0.1% were of unsatisfactory quality as a result of high levels (>100 CFU/g) of Listeria spp. The butter samples with Listeria spp. present at more than 100 CFU/g were negative for L. monocytogenes. L. monocytogenes was detected in 0.4% (n=13) of samples, all at levels of less than 10 CFU/g, and were therefore of acceptable quality. Butter was contaminated more frequently with Listeria spp., including L. monocytogenes, when packed in plastic tubs, when in pack sizes of 500 g or less, when stored or displayed above 8 degrees C, when a hazard analysis system was not in place, and when the manager had received no food hygiene training. This study demonstrates that although butter is regarded as a low-risk product, it may provide an environment for the persistence and growth of Listeria spp., including L. monocytogenes. The control of L. monocytogenes in food processing and supply systems is critical in order to minimize the potential for this bacterium to be present in foods at the point of consumption at levels hazardous to health.

  7. [Analysis of antibiotic susceptibility of foodborne Listeria monocytogenes in China].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Yang; Fu, Ping; Guo, Yunchang; Liu, Xiurmei

    2008-03-01

    To study the antibiotic susceptibility of foodborne Listeria monocytogenes in China. The susceptibilities of 476 strains of foodborne Listeria monocytogenes to antibiotics were determined in Broth Microdilution Susceptibility Testing in Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. The antibiotics of gentamicin, ampicillin, penicillin, tetracycline, doxycycline, imipenem, erythromycin, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, cephalothin, rifampin, vancomycin, chloramphenicol, Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, ampicillin-sulbactam were used. The rates of antibiotic resistance in 467 is olates were 4.5%. Tetracycline resistance was most prevalent, accouting for 4.07% . The foods that the rates of antibiotic resistance were highest were vegetable (10%). Among 14 provinces, Jilin, Hubei and Hebei were the third top, the rate of which were 19.6% and 9.1% and 8%, respectively. It was suggested that antibiotic resistance exists in foodborne Listeria monocytogenes to a certain extent in China. It should pay more attention to the use of drugs in prevention and clinic treatment to reduce the antibiotic resistant strains.

  8. Effects of irradiation on bacterial load and Listeria monocytogenes in raw chicken

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Varabioff, Y.; Mitchell, G.E.; Nottingham, S.M.

    1992-01-01

    After irradiation of chickens to a dose of 2.5 kGy, the decrease in the standard plate count (SPC) was similar in air and in vacuum-packaged chickens. During storage at 4 degrees C for 15 d, the SPC increased progressively in both types of packaged chickens. At the end of the storage period, the SPC was higher in air-packaged chicken than in vacuum-packaged chickens. In irradiated chickens, Listeria monocytogenes was only recovered from the vacuum-packaged chickens after 7 d cold storage. In unirradiated chickens, L. monocytogenes proliferated similarly in both air- and vacuum-packaged chickens

  9. Listeria monocytogenes Meningitis in an Immunosuppressed Patient with Autoimmune Hepatitis and IgG4 Subclass Deficiency

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shahin Gaini

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available A 51-year-old Caucasian woman with Listeria monocytogenes meningitis was treated and discharged after an uncomplicated course. Her medical history included immunosuppressive treatment with prednisolone and azathioprine for autoimmune hepatitis. A diagnostic work-up after the meningitis episode revealed that she had low levels of the IgG4 subclass. To our knowledge, this is the first case report describing a possible association between autoimmune hepatitis and the occurrence of Listeria monocytogenes meningitis, describing a possible association between Listeria monocytogenes meningitis and deficiency of the IgG4 subclass and finally describing a possible association between Listeria monocytogenes meningitis and immunosuppressive therapy with prednisolone and azathioprine.

  10. Listeria monocytogenes Meningitis in an Immunosuppressed Patient with Autoimmune Hepatitis and IgG4 Subclass Deficiency

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gaini, Shahin

    2015-01-01

    A 51-year-old Caucasian woman with Listeria monocytogenes meningitis was treated and discharged after an uncomplicated course. Her medical history included immunosuppressive treatment with prednisolone and azathioprine for autoimmune hepatitis. A diagnostic work-up after the meningitis episode...... revealed that she had low levels of the IgG4 subclass. To our knowledge, this is the first case report describing a possible association between autoimmune hepatitis and the occurrence of Listeria monocytogenes meningitis, describing a possible association between Listeria monocytogenes meningitis...... and deficiency of the IgG4 subclass and finally describing a possible association between Listeria monocytogenes meningitis and immunosuppressive therapy with prednisolone and azathioprine....

  11. Environmental prevalence and persistence of Listeria monocytogenes in cold-smoked trout processing plants

    Science.gov (United States)

    The presence of Listeria monocytogenes on the surfaces of equipment and workers' hands during different production stages, as well as on fish skin and meat during processing and storage of cold-smoked trout, was investigated. Listeria monocytogenes was recovered from 10 (6.06%) of a total 165 cotto...

  12. Recombinant phage probes for Listeria monocytogenes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carnazza, S.; Gioffrè, G.; Felici, F.; Guglielmino, S.

    2007-10-01

    Monitoring of food and environmental samples for biological threats, such as Listeria monocytogenes, requires probes that specifically bind biological agents and ensure their immediate and efficient detection. There is a need for robust and inexpensive affinity probes as an alternative to antibodies. These probes may be recruited from random peptide libraries displayed on filamentous phage. In this study, we selected from two phage peptide libraries phage clones displaying peptides capable of specific and strong binding to the L. monocytogenes cell surface. The ability of isolated phage clones to interact specifically with L. monocytogenes was demonstrated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and confirmed by co-precipitation assay. We also assessed the sensitivity of phage-bacteria binding by PCR on phage-captured Listeria cells, which could be detected at a concentration of 104 cells ml-1. In addition, as proof-of-concept, we tested the possibility of immobilizing the affinity-selected phages to a putative biosensor surface. The quality of phage deposition was monitored by ELISA and fluorescent microscopy. Phage-bacterial binding was confirmed by high power optical phase contrast microscopy. Overall, the results of this work validate the concept of affinity-selected recombinant filamentous phages as probes for detecting and monitoring bacterial agents under any conditions that warrant their recognition, including in food products.

  13. Symptomatic hydrocephalus in a newborn infected with listeria monocytogenes Hidrocefalia sintomática em um recém-nascido infectado com Listeria monocytogenes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Analía L. Laciar

    2000-03-01

    Full Text Available Central nervous system infections caused by Listeria monocytogenes produce a wide range of clinical symptoms which include cerebral abscesses, meningitis and nonmeningitic parenchymal cerebritis. A case study is presented of early listeriosis with signs of meningitis accompanied with septicemia and complicated with severe hydrocephalus.As infecções do sistema nervoso central produzidas por Listeria monocytogenes provocam una grande variedade de sintomas clínicos que incluem abscessos cerebrais, meningites e cerebrites parenquimáticas não meningíticas. Apresenta-se um caso de listeriose precoce com sinais de meningite acompanhada de septicemia e agravado com hidrocefalia grave.

  14. Occurrence of Listeria monocytogenes in smoked fish in Sokoto ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in smoked fish in Sokoto, Nigeria. A total of 115 different species of smoked fish from the various retail outlets and market places within the metropolis were analysed for the presence of L. monocytogenes using ISO culture method.

  15. Genome sequences of Listeria monocytogenes strains with resistance to arsenic

    Science.gov (United States)

    Listeria monocytogenes frequently exhibits resistance to arsenic. We report here the draft genome sequences of eight genetically diverse arsenic-resistant L. monocytogenes strains from human listeriosis and food-associated environments. Availability of these genomes would help to elucidate the role ...

  16. Performance of Isfahan North Wastewater Treatment Plant in the Removal of Listeria monocytogenes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    nahid Navijouy

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Listeria and in particular Listeria monocytogenes is considered a ubiquitous foodborne pathogen which can lead listeriosis in human and animals. Listeriosis can be serious and may cause meningitis, septicemia and abortion in pregnant women. Although wastewater or sludge may contaminate foods of plant origin, there are no data on occurrence of Listeria spp. in wastewater and sludge in Iran. The purpose of current investigation was to study the occurrence of Listeria spp. in various samples of wastewater and sludge in Isfahan North wastewater treatment plant. Influent, effluent, raw sludge and dried sludge samples were collected from Isfahan North municipal wastewater treatment plant. L. monocytogenes were enumerated by a three–tube most probable number (MPN assay using enrichment Fraser broth. A total of 65 various samples from five step in 13 visits were collected. The presence of Listeria spp. also was determined using USDA procedure. Then, phenotypically identified L. monocytogenes were further confirmed by Polymerase Chain Reaction amplification. L. monocytogenes isolated from 76.9%, 38.5%, 84.6%, 69.2% and 46.2% of influent, effluent, raw sludge, stabilized sludge and dried sludge respectively. The efficiency of wastewater treatment processes, digester tank and drying bed in removal L. monocytogenes were 69.6%, 64.7% and 73.4% respectively. All phenotypically identified L. monocytogenes were further confirmed by Polymerase Chain Reaction. The results of present study have shown that Listeriaspp. and L. monocytogenes in particular, were present in wastewater treatment plant effluents and sludge at high level. The bacteria may spread on agriculture land and contaminate foods of plant origin. This may cause a risk of spreading disease to human and animals.

  17. Listeria monocytogenes endophthalmitis following keratoconjunctivitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shoughy, Samir S; Tabbara, Khalid F

    2014-01-01

    Endophthalmitis due to endogenous or exogenous bacteria is a rare infection of the eye. We report a case of endophthalmitis following Listeria monocytogenes keratoconjunctivitis in a 27-year-old healthy white male presenting with hand motion visual acuity, right eye mucopurulent conjunctivitis, elevated intraocular pressure, and pigmented hypopyon 6 months post-keratectomy. The conjunctivitis was unresponsive to a 5-day course of topical tobramycin eye drops, and the patient developed keratitis with pain that progressed to endophthalmitis after 21 days. Diagnostic B-scan revealed vitreous exudates. Intraocular fluid specimen showed Gram-positive organisms and the aqueous culture grew penicillin-/aminoglycoside-sensitive L. monocytogenes. The patient was given intravitreal and systemic vancomycin and ceftazidime. The eye was unresponsive to intravenous penicillin and gentamicin; the anterior chamber progressively flattened and developed phthisis bulbi. L. monocytogenes keratoconjunctivitis may lead to bacterial endophthalmitis. Prompt culture and early antibiotic therapy are recommended.

  18. Monitoring paneer for Listeria monocytogenes - A high risk food ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was developed and applied to spiked and natural paneer samples to detect Listeria monocytogenes, a high risk food pathogen. The sensitivity of the assay on L. monocytogenes spiked paneer samples was 104 cells prior to enrichment, was improved to 103 cells after 4 h ...

  19. CHALLENGE TESTS WITH LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES IN SALAMI: PRELIMINARY RESULTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. Mioni

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Challenge tests are the preferable methodology to study the behaviour of Listeria monocytogenes on ready to eat foods, according to Regulation (EC 2073/2005. Challenge testing using L. monocytogenes in seasoned salami from different food business operators showed, after seasoning of the product, a count reduction of the inoculated organisms without any further growth of the pathogen; however differences of L. monocytogenes behaviour could be observed according to different production protocols.

  20. Atlas(®) Listeria monocytogenes LmG2 Detection Assay Using Transcription Mediated Amplification to Detect Listeria monocytogenes in Selected Foods and Stainless Steel Surface.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bres, Vanessa; Yang, Hua; Hsu, Ernie; Ren, Yan; Cheng, Ying; Wisniewski, Michele; Hanhan, Maesa; Zaslavsky, Polina; Noll, Nathan; Weaver, Brett; Campbell, Paul; Reshatoff, Michael; Becker, Michael

    2014-01-01

    The Atlas Listeria monocytogenes LmG2 Detection Assay, developed by Roka Bioscience Inc., was compared to a reference culture method for seven food types (hot dogs, cured ham, deli turkey, chicken salad, vanilla ice cream, frozen chocolate cream pie, and frozen cheese pizza) and one surface (stainless steel, grade 316). A 125 g portion of deli turkey was tested using a 1:4 food:media dilution ratio, and a 25 g portion for all other foods was tested using 1:9 food:media dilution ratio. The enrichment time and media for Roka's method was 24 to 28 h for 25 g food samples and environmental surfaces, and 44 to 48 h for 125 g at 35 ± 2°C in PALCAM broth containing 0.02 g/L nalidixic acid. Comparison of the Atlas Listeria monocytogenes LmG2 Detection Assay to the reference method required an unpaired approach. For each matrix, 20 samples inoculated at a fractional level and five samples inoculated at a high level with a different strain of Listeria monocytogenes were tested by each method. The Atlas Listeria monocytogenes LmG2 Detection Assay was compared to the Official Methods of Analysis of AOAC INTERNATIONAL 993.12 method for dairy products, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Microbiology Laboratory Guidebook 8.08 method for ready-to-eat meat and environmental samples, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Bacteriological Analytical Manual, Chapter 10 method for frozen foods. In the method developer studies, Roka's method, at 24 h (or 44 h for 125 g food samples), had 126 positives out of 200 total inoculated samples, compared to 102 positives for the reference methods at 48 h. In the independent laboratory studies, vanilla ice cream, deli turkey and stainless steel grade 316 were evaluated. Roka's method, at 24 h (or 44 h for 125 g food samples), had 64 positives out of 75 total inoculated samples compared to 54 positives for the reference methods at 48 h. The Atlas Listeria monocytogenes LmG2 Detection Assay detected all 50

  1. Listeria monocytogenes internalizes in Romaine Lettuce grown in greenhouse conditions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Listeria monocytogenes has been implicated in a number of outbreaks involving fresh produce, including an outbreak in 2016 resulting from contaminated packaged salads. The persistence and internalization potential of L. monocytogenes in romaine lettuce was evaluated, and the persistence of two L. mo...

  2. Urban prevalence of Listeria spp. and Listeria monocytogenes in public lavatories and on shoe soles of facility patrons in the European capital city Vienna.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schoder, D; Schmalwieser, A; Szakmary-Brändle, K; Stessl, B; Wagner, M

    2015-05-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Listeria spp. and Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) in urban public lavatories and on shoe soles of facility patrons in a European capital city. More than 91% of all municipal public lavatories in Vienna close to public hubs were included in this study. Overall, 373 swab samples of public lavatories and shoes of facility patrons were enriched, according to ISO 11290-1. Listeria monocytogenes isolates were subtyped using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. A total of 24 samples were positive for Listeria spp., yielding an overall prevalence of 6.4% (24/373). Listeria monocytogenes was found in 2.1% (8/373) of all samples. Swabs from lavatories in parks, container lavatories and lavatories at markets had the highest prevalences of 20.7% (6/29), 20% (2/10) and 12.5% (1/8) Listeria spp., respectively. These detection rates were statistically significantly higher than those associated with lavatories in shopping centres (P = 0.003, P = 0.002, P = 0.02) and at public transport locations (P = 0.0004, P = 0.005, P = 0.02). Shoes sampled at Christmas markets showed the highest Listeria spp. and L. monocytogenes prevalences of 80% (4/5) and 40% (2/5), respectively. With regard to shoe type, Listeria spp. detection rates were 14.3% (3/21; winter boots), 13.3% (2/15; hiking boots), sport shoes (5.9%; 2/34) and brogues (5.1%; 4/79). No Listeria spp. were found on shoe soles that had smooth treads (0/76), while Listeria spp. were detected on 19.5% (8/41) of medium depth tread shoe types and on 9.4% (3/32) of deep tread shoes. These data suggest that soil environment is still one of the most important reservoirs for the foodborne pathogen L. monocytogenes. © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  3. Growth inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes by a nonbacteriocinogenic Carnobacterium piscicola

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nilsson, Lilian; Bech Hansen, T.; Garrido, P.

    2005-01-01

    Aims: This study elucidates the mechanisms by which a nonbacteriocinogenic Carnobacterium piscicola inhibits growth of Listeria monocytogenes. Methods and Results: Listeria monocytogenes was exposed to live cultures of a bacteriocin-negative variant of C. piscicola A9b in co-culture, in a diffusion...... chamber system, and to a cell-free supernatant. Suppression of maximum cell density (0-3.5 log units) of L. monocytogenes was proportional to initial levels of C. pisciola (10(3)-10(7) CFU ml(-1)). Cell-to-cell contact was not required to cause inhibition. The cell-free C. piscicola supernatant caused...... a decrease in L. monocytogenes maximum cell density, which was abolished by glucose addition but not by amino acid, vitamin or mineral addition. The fermentate also gave rise to a longer lag phase and a reduction in growth rate. These effects were independent of glucose and may have been caused by acetate...

  4. Isolation and detection of Listeria monocytogenes in poultry meat by standard culture methods and PCR

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kureljušić, J.; Rokvić, N.; Jezdimirović, N.; Kureljušić, B.; Pisinov, B.; Karabasil, N.

    2017-09-01

    Listeria is the genus of a bacteria found in soil and water and some animals, including poultry and cattle. It can be present in raw milk and food made from raw milk. It can also live in food processing plants and contaminate a variety of processed meats. Microscopically, Listeria species appear as small, Gram-positive rods, which are sometimes arranged in short chains. In direct smears, they can be coccoid, so they can be mistaken for streptococci. Longer cells can resemble corynebacteria. Flagella are produced at room temperature but not at 37°C. Haemolytic activity on blood agar has been used as a marker to distinguish Listeria monocytogenes among other Listeria species, but it is not an absolutely definitive criterion. Further biochemical characterization is necessary to distinguish between the different Listeria species. The objective of this study was to detect, isolate and identify Listeria monocytogenes from poultry meat. Within a period of six months from January to June 2017, a total of 15 samples were collected. Three samples were positive for the presence of Listeria monocytogenes. Biochemical and microbiological tests as well as PCR technique using specific primers were used to confirm L. Monocytogenes in the samples.

  5. Radio sensibility of listeria monocytogenes in pure culture and frozen contaminated shrimps and stored them at -18 deg C

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rubio M V, T.; Espinoza, J.; L Sanchez, M.V.

    1997-01-01

    Full text: Listeria monocytogenes has been recognized for a number of years as a food pathogen bacteria. Ionizing radiation is a new technology and an excellent method to eliminate this microorganism form frozen food. The sensitivity of Listeria monocytogenes serotype 01 and 04 to irradiation, in pure culture and frozen shrimps was investigated. The D 10 values were of 0,26-0,37 kGy in pure culture and frozen shrimps, respectively. The D 10 founded were similar to those reported by the literature under similar conditions. Doses of 6 kGy were enough to eliminate a contamination of 10 6 -10 7 ufc/ml of L. Monocytogenes in frozen shrimps and storage them during 200 days at 18 deg C

  6. REAL-TIME PCR DETECTION OF LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES IN FOOD SAMPLES OF ANIMAL ORIGIN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaroslav Pochop

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to follow the contamination of food with Listeria monocytogenes by using Step One real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR. We used the PrepSEQ Rapid Spin Sample Preparation Kit for isolation of DNA and SensiFAST SYBR Hi-ROX Kit for the real-time PCR performance. In 24 samples of food of animal origin without incubation were detected strains of Listeria monocytogenes in 15 samples (swabs. Nine samples were negative. Our results indicated that the real-time PCR assay developed in this study could sensitively detect Listeria monocytogenes in food of animal origin without incubation. This could prevent infection caused by Listeria monocytogenes, and also could benefit food manufacturing companies by extending their product’s shelf-life as well as saving the cost of warehousing their food products while awaiting pathogen testing results. The rapid real-time PCR-based method performed very well compared to the conventional method. It is a fast, simple, specific and sensitive way to detect nucleic acids, which could be used in clinical diagnostic tests in the future.

  7. Listeria monocytogenes Identification in Food of Animal Origin Used with Real Time PCR

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaroslav Pochop

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to follow the contamination of food with Listeria monocytogenes by using Step One real time polymerase chain reaction (RT PCR. We used the PrepSEQ Rapid Spin Sample Preparation Kit for isolation of DNA and SensiFAST SYBR Hi-ROX Kit for the real-time PCR performance. In 20 samples of food of animal origin with incubation were detected strains of Listeria monocytogenes in 9 samples (swabs. Eleven samples were negative. Our results indicated that the real-time PCR assay developed in this study could sensitively detect Listeria monocytogenes in food of animal origin without incubation. This could prevent infection caused by Listeria monocytogenes, and also could benefit food manufacturing companies by extending their product’s shelf-life as well as saving the cost of warehousing their food products while awaiting pathogen testing results. The rapid real-time PCR-based method performed very well compared to the conventional method. It is a fast, simple, specific and sensitive way to detect nucleic acids, which could be used in clinical diagnostic tests in the future.

  8. Assessment of Listeria monocytogenes virulence in the Galleria mellonella insect larvae model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rakic Martinez, Mira; Wiedmann, Martin; Ferguson, Martine; Datta, Atin R

    2017-01-01

    Several animal models have been used to understand the molecular basis of the pathogenicity, infectious dose and strain to strain variation of Listeria monocytogenes. The greater wax worm Galleria mellonella, as an alternative model, provides some useful advantages not available with other models and has already been described as suitable for the virulence assessment of various pathogens including L. monocytogenes. The objectives of this study are: 1) confirming the usefulness of this model with a wide panel of Listeria spp. including non-pathogenic L. innocua, L. seeligeri, L. welshimeri and animal pathogen L. ivanovii; 2) assessment of virulence of several isogenic in-frame deletion mutants in virulence and stress related genes of L. monocytogenes and 3) virulence assessment of paired food and clinical isolates of L. monocytogenes from 14 major listeriosis outbreaks occurred worldwide between 1980 and 2015. Larvae injected with different concentrations of Listeria were incubated at 37°C and monitored over seven days for time needed to kill 50% of larvae (LT50) and to determine change of bacterial population in G. mellonella, 2 and 24 hours post-inoculation. Non-pathogenic members of Listeria and L. ivanovii showed significantly (P monocytogenes strains. Isogenic mutants of L. monocytogenes with the deletions in prfA, plcA, hly, actA and virR genes, also showed significantly (P monocytogenes strains related to non-invasive (gastroenteritis) outbreaks of listeriosis showed significantly (P < 0.05) lower virulence than isolates of the same serotype obtained from outbreaks with invasive symptoms. The difference, however, was dose and strain- dependent. No significant differences in virulence were observed among the serotype tested in this study.

  9. Survival strategies of Listeria monocytogenes - roles of regulators and transporters

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wemekamp-Kamphuis, H.H.

    2003-01-01

    Outbreaks of the food-borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes are mainly associated with ready-to-eatfoods. Survival strategies of L. monocytogenes in relation to minimally processed foods were studied.

  10. Listeria monocytogenes in Fresh Produce: Outbreaks, Prevalence and Contamination Levels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qi Zhu

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Listeria monocytogenes, a member of the genus Listeria, is widely distributed in agricultural environments, such as soil, manure and water. This organism is a recognized foodborne pathogenic bacterium that causes many diseases, from mild gastroenteritis to severe blood and/or central nervous system infections, as well as abortion in pregnant women. Generally, processed ready-to-eat and cold-stored meat and dairy products are considered high-risk foods for L. monocytogenes infections that cause human illness (listeriosis. However, recently, several listeriosis outbreaks have been linked to fresh produce contamination around the world. Additionally, many studies have detected L. monocytogenes in fresh produce samples and even in some minimally processed vegetables. Thus L. monocytogenes may contaminate fresh produce if present in the growing environment (soil and water. Prevention of biofilm formation is an important control measure to reduce the prevalence and survival of L. monocytogenes in growing environments and on fresh produce. This article specifically focuses on fresh produce–associated listeriosis outbreaks, prevalence in growing environments, contamination levels of fresh produce, and associated fresh produce safety challenges.

  11. Listeria monocytogenes associated kerato-conjunctivitis in four horses in Norway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Revold, Tobias; Abayneh, Takele; Brun-Hansen, Hege; Kleppe, Signe L; Ropstad, Ernst-Otto; Hellings, Robert A; Sørum, Henning

    2015-11-09

    Listeria monocytogenes has been reported to cause various infectious diseases in both humans and animals. More rarely, ocular infections have been reported. To our knowledge, only two cases of Listeria keratitis have been described in horses. We report kerato-conjunctivitis in four Norwegian horses associated with L. monocytogenes. Clinically, all cases were presented with recurrent unilateral kerato-conjunctivitis. L. monocytogenes bacteria were isolated from swab samples from all cases, and cytology carried out in 3 cases was indicative of L. monocytogenes infection. The present report describes the first known cases in which L. monocytogenes has been isolated from keratitic lesions in horses in Norway. A potential risk factor may be feeding of silage or haylage, but other sources of infection cannot be ruled out. The phenotypic features including antimicrobial susceptibility and serotype of the isolates are described. Laboratory detection of L. monocytogenes demands extra caution since only low numbers of bacteria were detected in the eye-swabs, probably due to the low volume of sample material and the intracellular niche of the bacterium. A general poor response to treatment in all these cases indicates that clinicians should pay extra attention to intensity and duration of treatment if L. monocytogenes is identified in connection with equine kerato-conjunctivitis.

  12. Listeria monocytogenes in poultry and poultry products: Epidemiological investigations in seven Danish abattoirs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ojeniyi, B.; Wegener, Henrik Caspar; Jensen, N.E.

    1996-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes was isolated from 11/236 (4 . 7%) caecal samples from parent flocks, providing broilers to the abattoirs investigated. Caecal samples from 2078 broilers representing 90 randomly selected broiler flocks were negative for L. monocytogenes. A total of 3080 samples from seven...... abattoirs including poultry processing line samples, and final products were also examined for L. monocytogenes. Listeria monocytogenes was isolated in 0 . 3% to 18 . 7% of the samples collected in the different abattoirs. Epidemiological typing of 247 L. monocytogenes isolates, including serotyping, phage...... isolates of L. monocytogenes since only 120/247 (48 . 6%) isolates were typable by phage typing and 230/247 (93 . 1%) L. monocytogenes belonged to serotype 01 while 6/247 (2 . 4%) belonged to 04. The discovery of a few dominating clones in each abattoir might indicate an endemic occurrence of L...

  13. Control options for Listeria monocytogenes in seafoods

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Huss, Hans Henrik; Jørgensen, Lasse Vigel; Vogel, Birte Fonnesbech

    2000-01-01

    At least three outbreaks of listeriosis associated with seafood have been reported. Listeria monocytogenes is widely distributed in the general environment including fresh water, coastal water and live fish from these areas. Contamination or recontamination of seafood may also take place during...

  14. Recombinant phage probes for Listeria monocytogenes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Carnazza, S; Gioffre, G; Felici, F; Guglielmino, S [Department of Microbiological, Genetic and Molecular Sciences, University of Messina, Messina (Italy)

    2007-10-03

    Monitoring of food and environmental samples for biological threats, such as Listeria monocytogenes, requires probes that specifically bind biological agents and ensure their immediate and efficient detection. There is a need for robust and inexpensive affinity probes as an alternative to antibodies. These probes may be recruited from random peptide libraries displayed on filamentous phage. In this study, we selected from two phage peptide libraries phage clones displaying peptides capable of specific and strong binding to the L. monocytogenes cell surface. The ability of isolated phage clones to interact specifically with L. monocytogenes was demonstrated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and confirmed by co-precipitation assay. We also assessed the sensitivity of phage-bacteria binding by PCR on phage-captured Listeria cells, which could be detected at a concentration of 10{sup 4} cells ml{sup -1}. In addition, as proof-of-concept, we tested the possibility of immobilizing the affinity-selected phages to a putative biosensor surface. The quality of phage deposition was monitored by ELISA and fluorescent microscopy. Phage-bacterial binding was confirmed by high power optical phase contrast microscopy. Overall, the results of this work validate the concept of affinity-selected recombinant filamentous phages as probes for detecting and monitoring bacterial agents under any conditions that warrant their recognition, including in food products.

  15. Inhibitory Effect of Nisin on Listeria monocytogenes Inoculated into Surimi and Minced Meat

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Masoud Rezaei

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Background & Objective: Listeria monocytogenes has already established as an important food born pathogen which induce listeriosis in human. Use of bacteriocins to provide food safety has been increased dramatically. Nisin has a wide spectrum inhibitory effect than the other bacteriocins and inhibits food-borne pathogens such as L. monocytogenes and many other Gram-positive spoilage microorganisms. The purpose of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effect of Nisin on population of Listeria monocytogenes and the role of changes in food components on the antilisterial properties of Nisin. Materials & Methods: The minced meat and surimi samples were inoculated by 1×104 cfu/g of L. monocytogenes. Then samples exposed to Nisin at the levels of 500 or 1000 IU/g were prepared. All treatments after packaging in plastic bags were kept for 12 days at refrigerator temperature. Samples were cultured on CHROMagarTM Listeria every 2 days and the number of listeria monocytogenes was counted. Results: two different concentrations of Nisin (500 or 1000 IU/g was not able to inhibit L. monocytogenes below the acceptable level for raw food (100 cells per g in minced meat and surimi of silver carp. But the number of bacteria reduces more in fish surimi as compared to the mince meal. Also, antilisterial activity of Nisin was reduced during the storage period. Conclusion: Inhibitory property of Nisin against L. monocytogenes in surimi significantly was higher than the minced (P<0.05. So it is possible the antilisterial properties of Nisin will increase by elimination of some enzymes during processing.

  16. Listeria monocytogenes en alimentos: ¿son todos los aislamientos igual de virulentos? Foodborne Listeria monocytogenes: are all the isolates equally virulent?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. López

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available Listeria monocytogenes es un patógeno humano que se transmite a través de los alimentos y que causa infecciones graves, con una alta tasa de mortalidad. A pesar de la ubicuidad del microorganismo, la tasa real de la enfermedad es bastante baja y se asocia casi siempre a condiciones predisponentes. Tradicionalmente se consideraba que los aislamientos presentes en los alimentos y en el ambiente tenían la misma capacidad patogénica que los aislamientos de origen clínico. Pero el análisis de mutaciones en los genes de determinados factores de virulencia (internalina, hemolisina, fosfolipasas, proteína de superficie ActA y proteína reguladora PrfA, los estudios cuantitativos realizados con cultivos celulares y la genética de poblaciones, están replanteando la discusión sobre la variabilidad de la virulencia de L. monocytogenes. A pesar de todos estos avances, no existe un único marcador que permita comprobar la virulencia de los aislamientos naturales de esta especie. Probablemente en el futuro, la combinación de diferentes marcadores moleculares permitirá detectar los alimentos contaminados sólo por los clones virulentos de L. monocytogenes, con lo que se mejorará la prevención de la listeriosis humana transmitida por alimentos.Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne human pathogen responsible for invasive infections presenting overall a high mortality. Despite the ubiquity of the microorganism, the actual disease rate is quite low and the disease is most often associated with an underlying predisposition. Foodborne and environmental isolates were traditionally considered of similar pathogenicity compared to clinical isolates. But the analysis of mutations in the genes encoding specific virulence factors (internalin, hemolysin, phospholipases, surface protein ActA and regulator protein PrfA, quantitative studies with cell cultures and population genetics have raised considerable concerns about virulence differences among L

  17. Incidence and control of Listeria monocytogenes in foods in Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nørrung, Birgit; Andersen, Jens Kirk; Schlundt, Jørgen

    1999-01-01

    The Danish regulatory policy on Listeria monocytogenes in foods is based on the principles of HACCP and was developed using a health risk assessment approach. The Danish policy focuses examinations and criteria for L. monocytogenes in ready-to-eat foods and is based on a combination of inspection...

  18. Listeria monocytogenes Monographic Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emil Tirziu

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Listeria monocytogenes is a ubiquitous bacteria with a remarkable resistance in discordant condition which produce listeriosis, an infectious disease that affects multiple domestic and wild animals’ species, but also humans. Receptive to listeriosis are the majority of domestic or wild mammals and birds, in the last years being registered an increase of receptivity in humans. The concept of listeriosis in human pathology, a disease caused by eating or drinking contaminated food and water, appeared for the first time in 1981, during an outbreak in Canada with seven cases in adults and 34 cases of maternalfetal listeriosis. The alimentary origin of human listeriosis can be easily explained if considered some general characteristics of the bacteria. Thus, resistance in various conditions, especially at lower temperatures, justifies its dissemination and food contamination, particularly when is conserved by refrigeration. Also, L. monocytogenes has a significant presence in alimentary products. Some studies showed that 4% of the milk products, 29% of the meat products, 5% of the vegetable products and 26% of the products obtained from fishes and shell fishes are positive for L. monocytogenes, which allows us to say that battle against these bacteria is a war against microbial contamination.

  19. Detection of Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat food by Step One real-time polymerase chain reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pochop, Jaroslav; Kačániová, Miroslava; Hleba, Lukáš; Lopasovský, L'ubomír; Bobková, Alica; Zeleňáková, Lucia; Stričík, Michal

    2012-01-01

    The aim of this study was to follow contamination of ready-to-eat food with Listeria monocytogenes by using the Step One real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We used the PrepSEQ Rapid Spin Sample Preparation Kit for isolation of DNA and MicroSEQ® Listeria monocytogenes Detection Kit for the real-time PCR performance. In 30 samples of ready-to-eat milk and meat products without incubation we detected strains of Listeria monocytogenes in five samples (swabs). Internal positive control (IPC) was positive in all samples. Our results indicated that the real-time PCR assay developed in this study could sensitively detect Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat food without incubation.

  20. Listeria monocytogenes, a down-to-earth pathogen.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vivant, Anne-Laure; Garmyn, Dominique; Piveteau, Pascal

    2013-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes is the causative agent of the food-borne life threatening disease listeriosis. This pathogenic bacterium received much attention in the endeavor of deciphering the cellular mechanisms that underlie the onset of infection and its ability to adapt to the food processing environment. Although information is available on the presence of L. monocytogenes in many environmental niches including soil, water, plants, foodstuff and animals, understanding the ecology of L. monocytogenes in outdoor environments has received less attention. Soil is an environmental niche of pivotal importance in the transmission of this bacterium to plants and animals. Soil composition, microbial communities and macrofauna are extrinsic edaphic factors that direct the fate of L. monocytogenes in the soil environment. Moreover, farming practices may further affect its incidence. The genome of L. monocytogenes presents an extensive repertoire of genes encoding transport proteins and regulators, a characteristic of the genome of ubiquitous bacteria. Postgenomic analyses bring new insights in the process of soil adaptation. In the present paper focussing on soil, we review these extrinsic and intrinsic factors that drive environmental adaptation of L. monocytogenes.

  1. Prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Listeria monocytogenes isolated in chicken slaughterhouses in Northern Greece.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakaridis, I; Soultos, N; Iossifidou, E; Papa, A; Ambrosiadis, I; Koidis, P

    2011-06-01

    This study was conducted to determine the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Listeria monocytogenes recovered from chicken carcasses in slaughterhouses in Northern Greece. A total of 100 poultry samples (300 carcasses) were examined for Listeria spp. The samples were neck skin taken from four different slaughterhouses in Northern Greece. Forty samples were also taken from the environment of the slaughterhouses. Identification of L. monocytogenes was carried out by PCR and fingerprinting of the isolates by random amplified polymorphic DNA. L. monocytogenes strains isolated from chicken carcasses and from the environment of the slaughterhouses were also examined for antibiotic resistance. Fifty-five isolates of L. monocytogenes were tested for susceptibility to 20 antibiotics using the disk diffusion method. Listeria spp. were present in 99 of the poultry samples tested (99%), and 38 yielded L monocytogenes (38%). L. monocytogenes was also isolated in 80% of samples from the environment of a certain slaughterhouse, while the other slaughterhouses were found to be contaminated only with Listeria spp. All isolates were resistant to nalidixic acid and oxolinic acid, the majority of them to clindamycin, and only a few to tetracycline and oxytetracycline, whereas they were found to be susceptible to all other antimicrobials. The results of this study demonstrate a high prevalence of L. monocytogenes contamination in chicken carcasses, and all isolates were found to be sensitive to the antimicrobials most commonly used to treat human listeriosis.

  2. Prevalence and growth of Listeria monocytogenes in naturally contaminated seafood

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, Lasse Vigel; Huss, Hans Henrik

    1998-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes contamination of seafood varies with product category. The highest prevalence was found in cold- smoked fish (34-60%), while the lowest was found in heat- treated and cured seafood (4-12%). The prevalence of L. monocytogenes differed greatly in cold-smoked salmon between...... production sites, ranging from monocytogenes. The organism showed moderate growth...... in naturally contaminated cold-smoked, and 'gravad', fish while the growth appeared faster in hot smoked fish. Thus L. monocytogenes is not under control in these products. Finally, the prevalence and growth of L. monocytogenes in naturally contaminated cold-smoked salmon are discussed in relation...

  3. Genome Sequences of Two Listeria monocytogenes Strains from Nectarines Associated with Listeriosis in 2014

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Chunye; Marjanovic, Olivera; Kiang, David

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Listeria monocytogenes is an important foodborne pathogen. Here, we present the annotated whole genome of Listeria monocytogenes strains F14M01297-C2 and F14M01297-C4, isolated from nectarines distributed by a packing facility in California during an investigation of listeriosis associated with stone fruit in 2014. PMID:28729255

  4. Prevalence of Listeria species in camel sausages from retail markets in Aydin province in Turkey and RAPD analysis of Listeria monocytogenes Isolates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ozbey Gokben

    2006-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Samples were taken from 100 camel sausages from the different retail markets in Aydin province in the south-west of Turkey and they were tested for the presence of Listeria spp by biochemical methods. Samples were enriched using Listeria Enrichment Broth and they were inoculated onto Listeria Selective Agar. Listeria monocytogenes was isolated from nine samples (9%, Listeria innocua from 14 samples (14% and Listeria welshimeri from two samples(2%. A 701 bp fragment of listeriolysin O sequence for L. monocytogenes was amplified using specific primers by polymerase chain reaction (PCR for confirmation of the identification. A random primer (OPA-11 was used in a random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD assay. This detected five different band profiles amongst the L. monocytogenes isolates, indicating a relatively large amount of genetic heterogeneity amongst the nine isolates. The study has highlighted the need for improved strategies for food safety, in particular appropriate hygienic precautions to avoid contamination of sausage during the manufacturing process and appropriate preservation techniques during storage and transport, to prevent transmission of Listeria spp to consumers at home and abroad.

  5. An outbreak of an unusual strain of Listeria monocytogenes infection in North-East Scotland

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emmanuel Okpo

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Summary: Listeria monocytogenes infection is an important cause of illness and hospitalization in vulnerable individuals. In the present study, we describe a community outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes in the North-East region of Scotland, which was epidemiologically, environmentally and microbiologically linked to a local meat product and ready-to-eat product manufacturer. Infected individuals were interviewed, and an environmental investigation was conducted. Clinical and environmental samples were tested by culture, and isolates were typed by fluorescent amplified fragment length polymorphism (fAFLP. Three cases of Listeria monocytogenes were linked geographically, had the same serotype (1/2a and were indistinguishable by fAFLP type XII.6. The human, food and environmental isolates were of the same serotype and were indistinguishable by molecular typing.This is the first community outbreak of L. monocytogenes reported in Scotland since the current outbreak surveillance was established in 1996. Epidemiological and laboratory evidence indicated poor hand hygiene, unhygienic practices and cross-contamination throughout the manufacturing process of ready-to-eat foods as a possible cause of the outbreak. More stringent control of commercial food establishments that provide ready-to-eat food and the need to advise specifically vulnerable groups, e.g., pregnant women, of the risk of L. monocytogenes in ready-to-eat food is urgently needed. Keywords: Listeria monocytogenes, Outbreak, Foodborne, Community acquired infection, Listeriosis

  6. A novel suicide plasmid for efficient gene mutation in Listeria monocytogenes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Although several plasmids have been used in Listeria monocytogenes for generating mutants by allelic exchange, construction of L. monocytogenes mutants has been inefficient due to lack of effective selection markers for first and second recombination events. To address this problem, we have develope...

  7. Role of Extracellular DNA during Biofilm Formation by Listeria monocytogenes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Harmsen, Morten; Lappann, Martin; Knøchel, S

    2010-01-01

    (eDNA) may be the only central component of the biofilm matrix and that it is necessary for both initial attachment and early biofilm formation for 41 L. monocytogenes strains that were tested. DNase I treatment resulted in dispersal of biofilms, not only in microtiter tray assays but also in flow......Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne pathogen that is capable of living in harsh environments. It is believed to do this by forming biofilms, which are surface-associated multicellular structures encased in a self-produced matrix. In this paper we show that in L. monocytogenes extracellular DNA...... cell biofilm assays. However, it was also demonstrated that in a culture without eDNA, neither Listeria genomic DNA nor salmon sperm DNA by itself could restore the capacity to adhere. A search for additional necessary components revealed that peptidoglycan (PG), specifically N-acetylglucosamine (NAG...

  8. Comparative experimental infection of Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria ivanovii in bovine trophoblasts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rocha, Cláudia E; Mol, Juliana P S; Garcia, Luize N N; Costa, Luciana F; Santos, Renato L; Paixão, Tatiane A

    2017-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive, facultative intracellular and invasive bacterium that has tropism to the placenta, and causes fetal morbidity and mortality in several mammalian species. While infection with L. monocytogenes and L. ivanovii are known as important causes of abortion and reproductive failure in cattle, the pathogenesis of maternal-fetal listeriosis in this species is poorly known. This study used the bovine chorioallantoic membrane explant model to investigate the kinetics of L. monocytogenes, L. ivanovii, and L. innocua infections in bovine trophoblastic cells for up to 8 h post infection. L. monocytogenes and L. ivanovii were able to invade and multiply in trophoblastic cells without causing cell death or inducing expression of pro-inflammatory genes. Although L. innocua was unable to multiply in bovine trophoblastic cells, it induced transcription of the pro-inflammatory mediator CXCL6. This study demonstrated for the first time the susceptibility of bovine trophoblastic cells to L. monocytogenes and L. ivanovii infection.

  9. Prevalence and level of Listeria monocytogenes and other Listeria species in retail pre-packaged mixed vegetable salads in the UK.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Little, C L; Taylor, F C; Sagoo, S K; Gillespie, I A; Grant, K; McLauchlin, J

    2007-01-01

    As part of the European Commission (EC) co-ordinated programme for 2005, a study of pre-packaged ready-to-eat (RTE) mixed salads containing meat or seafood ingredients from retail premises was undertaken in the UK to determine the frequency and level of Listeria monocytogenes in these products. Almost all (99.8%; 2682/2686) samples were of satisfactory/acceptable microbiological quality. Two (0.1%) samples exceeded EC legal food safety criteria due to the presence of L. monocytogenes in excess of 100 cfu g(-1) (1.7 x 10(2), 9.9 x 10(2)cfu g(-1)) while another two (0.1%) were unsatisfactory due to L. welshimeri levels over 100 cfu g(-1) (1.2 x 10(3), 6.0 x 10(3) cfu g(-1)). Overall contamination of Listeria spp. and L. monocytogenes found in samples of mixed salads in the UK was 10.8% and 4.8%, respectively. Almost twice as many salad samples with meat ingredients were contaminated with Listeria spp. and L. monocytogenes (14.7% and 6.0%, respectively) compared to samples with seafood ingredients (7.4% and 3.8%, respectively). Pre-packaged mixed salads were contaminated with Listeria spp. and L. monocytogenes more frequently when: collected from sandwich shops; not packaged on the premises; stored or displayed above 8 degrees C. This study demonstrates that the control of L. monocytogenes in food manufacturing and at retail sale is essential in order to minimize the potential for this bacterium to be present in mixed salads at the point of consumption at levels hazardous to health.

  10. Prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in raw bovine milk and milk products from central highlands of Ethiopia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seyoum, Eyasu Tigabu; Woldetsadik, Daniel Asrat; Mekonen, Tesfu Kassa; Gezahegn, Haile Alemayehu; Gebreyes, Wondwossen Abebe

    2015-11-30

    Listeria monocytogenes is of major significance in human and veterinary medicine. Most human Listeria infections are foodborne and the association of contaminated milk and dairy produce consumption with human listeriosis is noteworthy. In Ethiopia, there is limited data regarding the prevalence of L. monocytogenes in raw bovine milk and dairy products. The aim of this study was, therefore, to determine the prevalence of L. monocytogenes in raw bovine milk and dairy produce. A total of 443 milk and milk product samples were microbiologically analyzed following methods recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Bacteriological Analytical Manual to isolate Listeria spp. The overall prevalence of Listeria spp. was 28.4% and specifically that of L. monocytogenes was 5.6%. Taking the prevalence of Listeria spp. into consideration, cheese was found to be highly contaminated at 60%, followed by pasteurized milk samples (40%), raw milk (18.9%) and yoghurt (5%). Considering the prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes only, raw milk had the lowest contamination while cheese had the highest, followed by pasteurized milk and yoghurt. Raw milk and milk products produced in urban and peri-urban areas of central Ethiopia were contaminated with pathogenic bacteria, L. monocytogenes. The detection of this pathogen in raw milk and milk products warrants an urgent regulatory mechanism to be put in place and also the potential role of milk processing plants in the contamination of dairy products should be investigated.

  11. Metabolic responses of primary and transformed cells to intracellular Listeria monocytogenes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nadine Gillmaier

    Full Text Available The metabolic response of host cells, in particular of primary mammalian cells, to bacterial infections is poorly understood. Here, we compare the carbon metabolism of primary mouse macrophages and of established J774A.1 cells upon Listeria monocytogenes infection using (13C-labelled glucose or glutamine as carbon tracers. The (13C-profiles of protein-derived amino acids from labelled host cells and intracellular L. monocytogenes identified active metabolic pathways in the different cell types. In the primary cells, infection with live L. monocytogenes increased glycolytic activity and enhanced flux of pyruvate into the TCA cycle via pyruvate dehydrogenase and pyruvate carboxylase, while in J774A.1 cells the already high glycolytic and glutaminolytic activities hardly changed upon infection. The carbon metabolism of intracellular L. monocytogenes was similar in both host cells. Taken together, the data suggest that efficient listerial replication in the cytosol of the host cells mainly depends on the glycolytic activity of the hosts.

  12. Listeria monocytogenes endophthalmitis following keratoconjunctivitis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shoughy SS

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Samir S Shoughy,1 Khalid F Tabbara1–31The Eye Center and The Eye Foundation for Research in Ophthalmology, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 3The Wilmer Ophthalmological Institute of The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USAAbstract: Endophthalmitis due to endogenous or exogenous bacteria is a rare infection of the eye. We report a case of endophthalmitis following Listeria monocytogenes keratoconjunctivitis in a 27-year-old healthy white male presenting with hand motion visual acuity, right eye mucopurulent conjunctivitis, elevated intraocular pressure, and pigmented hypopyon 6 months post-keratectomy. The conjunctivitis was unresponsive to a 5-day course of topical tobramycin eye drops, and the patient developed keratitis with pain that progressed to endophthalmitis after 21 days. Diagnostic B-scan revealed vitreous exudates. Intraocular fluid specimen showed Gram-positive organisms and the aqueous culture grew penicillin-/aminoglycoside-sensitive L. monocytogenes. The patient was given intravitreal and systemic vancomycin and ceftazidime. The eye was unresponsive to intravenous penicillin and gentamicin; the anterior chamber progressively flattened and developed phthisis bulbi. L. monocytogenes keratoconjunctivitis may lead to bacterial endophthalmitis. Prompt culture and early antibiotic therapy are recommended.Keywords: conjunctivitis, L. monocytogenes, endophthalmitis

  13. Effect of Filling Type and Heating Method on Prevalence of Listeria species and Listeria monocytogenes in Dumplings Produced in Poland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szymczak, Barbara; Dąbrowski, Waldemar

    2015-05-01

    The count of Listeria monocytogenes was determined, before and after heat treatment, in 200 samples of dumplings of 9 brands and with different types of stuffing. Analyses were conducted according to ISO 11290-1 standard and with real-time PCR method. The highest count of L. monocytogenes was found in meat dumplings (10(2) to 10(4) CFU/g), whereas products with white cheese-potato stuffing and vegetable-mushroom stuffing contained significantly less Listeria, 20 to 80 and 5 to 32 CFU/g, respectively. In cooled meat dumplings the extent of contamination depended significantly on the producer. In addition, a significant (P monocytogenes in meat dumplings. In contrast, the microwave heating applied for 2 min at 600 W only reduced the count of L. monocytogenes by 1 to 2 logs. Hence, the microwave heating failed to reduce the risk of infection with this pathogen below the level permissible in the EU regulation, especially in the most contaminated samples. In this case, the efficacy of microwave heating was significantly (P monocytogenes (rho = 0.626), then by meat content in the stuffing (0.476), and to the lowest extent--by the type of meat (0.415 to 0.425). However, no Listeria sp. and L. monocytogenes were isolated from cooked dumplings with fruits (strawberries or blueberries). © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

  14. Assessment of Listeria monocytogenes virulence in the Galleria mellonella insect larvae model.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mira Rakic Martinez

    Full Text Available Several animal models have been used to understand the molecular basis of the pathogenicity, infectious dose and strain to strain variation of Listeria monocytogenes. The greater wax worm Galleria mellonella, as an alternative model, provides some useful advantages not available with other models and has already been described as suitable for the virulence assessment of various pathogens including L. monocytogenes. The objectives of this study are: 1 confirming the usefulness of this model with a wide panel of Listeria spp. including non-pathogenic L. innocua, L. seeligeri, L. welshimeri and animal pathogen L. ivanovii; 2 assessment of virulence of several isogenic in-frame deletion mutants in virulence and stress related genes of L. monocytogenes and 3 virulence assessment of paired food and clinical isolates of L. monocytogenes from 14 major listeriosis outbreaks occurred worldwide between 1980 and 2015. Larvae injected with different concentrations of Listeria were incubated at 37°C and monitored over seven days for time needed to kill 50% of larvae (LT50 and to determine change of bacterial population in G. mellonella, 2 and 24 hours post-inoculation. Non-pathogenic members of Listeria and L. ivanovii showed significantly (P < 0.05 higher LT50 (lower virulence than the wild type L. monocytogenes strains. Isogenic mutants of L. monocytogenes with the deletions in prfA, plcA, hly, actA and virR genes, also showed significantly (P < 0.05 higher LT50 than the wild type strain at the inoculum of 106CFU/larva. Food isolates had significantly (P < 0.05 lower virulence than the paired clinical isolates, at all three inoculum concentrations. L. monocytogenes strains related to non-invasive (gastroenteritis outbreaks of listeriosis showed significantly (P < 0.05 lower virulence than isolates of the same serotype obtained from outbreaks with invasive symptoms. The difference, however, was dose and strain- dependent. No significant differences in

  15. Combination of endolysins and high pressure to inactivate Listeria monocytogenes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Nassau, Tomas J; Lenz, Christian A; Scherzinger, Anna S; Vogel, Rudi F

    2017-12-01

    Outbreaks of listeriosis are often related to the consumption of low-processed ready-to-eat food products (e.g. soft cheeses or smoked fish) contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Traditional preservation techniques, such as heat treatment, cannot eliminate Listeria from these products without strongly affecting the quality of the foods. We therefore investigated the use of endolysin (PlyP40, Ply511, or PlyP825) in combination with high hydrostatic pressure processing to kill L. monocytogenes in buffer. The results demonstrated a more than additive effect when both treatments were combined. For example, whereas 0.16 μg/mL PlyP825 or 300 MPa (1 min, 30 °C) applied individually reduced the cell count by 0.2 and 0.3 log cfu, respectively, a combined treatment resulted in a reduction of 5.5 log cfu. Similar results were obtained for the other endolysins combined with high pressure processing. We also showed that the synergistic inactivation of cells by endolysin and HHP is possible at a pressure level of only 200 MPa (2 min, 30 °C). Thus, the application of endolysins did not only substantially increase the bactericidal effect of high pressure, but it also enabled the inactivation of bacterial cells at much lower pressure levels. This shows the potential of using such combined processes for the inactivation of L. monocytogenes and food preservation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. 9 CFR 430.4 - Control of Listeria monocytogenes in post-lethality exposed ready-to-eat products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... post-lethality exposed ready-to-eat products. 430.4 Section 430.4 Animals and Animal Products FOOD... Control of Listeria monocytogenes in post-lethality exposed ready-to-eat products. (a) Listeria... comes into direct contact with a food contact surface which is contaminated with L. monocytogenes. (b...

  17. The occurrence, transmission, virulence and antibiotic resistance of Listeria monocytogenes in fish processing plant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skowron, Krzysztof; Kwiecińska-Piróg, Joanna; Grudlewska, Katarzyna; Świeca, Agnieszka; Paluszak, Zbigniew; Bauza-Kaszewska, Justyna; Wałecka-Zacharska, Ewa; Gospodarek-Komkowska, Eugenia

    2018-06-13

    The aim of this research was to investigate the occurrence of Listeria monocytogenes in fish and fish processing plant and to determine their transmission, virulence and antibiotic resistance. L. monocytogenes was isolated according to the ISO 11290-1. The identification of L. monocytogenes was confirmed by multiplex PCR method. Genetic similarity of L. monocytogenes strains was determined with the Pulsed-Filed Gene Electrophoresis (PFGE) method. The multiplex PCR was used for identification of L. monocytogenes serogroups and detection of selected virulence genes (actA, fbpA, hlyA, iap, inlA, inlB, mpl, plcA, plcB, prfA). The L. monocytogens isolates susceptibility to penicillin, ampicillin, meropenem, erythromycin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole was evaluated with disc diffusion method according to EUCAST v. 7.1. The presence of 237 L. monocytogenes isolates (before genetic similarity assessment) in 614 examined samples was confirmed. After strain differentiation by PFGE techniques the presence of 161 genetically different strains were confirmed. The genetic similarity of the examined isolates suggested that the source of the L. monocytogenes strains were fishes originating from farms. All tested strains possessed all detected virulence genes. Among examined strains, the most (26, 38.6%) belonged to the group 1/2a-3a. The most of tested strains were resistant to erythromycin (47.1%) and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (47.1%). Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  18. Listeria monocytogenes repellence by enzymatically modified PES surfaces

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Veen, van der S.; Nady, N.; Franssen, M.C.R.; Zuilhof, H.; Boom, R.M.; Abee, T.; Schroën, C.G.P.H.

    2015-01-01

    : The effect of enzyme-catalyzed modification of poly(ethersulfone) (PES) on the adhesion and biofilm formation of two Listeria monocytogenes strains is evaluated under static and dynamic flow conditions. PES has been modified with gallic acid, ferulic acid and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid. The surfaces

  19. Listeria spp., y L. monocytogenes EN LECHE CRUDA DE CABRA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yolanda Albarracín C

    2008-08-01

    Full Text Available Objective. To test non-pasteurized goat’s milk from the village of ‘la Garita’, Northern Santander, for Listeria monocytogenes. Material and methods. 90 samples of non-pasteurized goat’s milk were obtained over a 4 month period; pH and temperature of each sample were measured. The INVIMA technique was used to isolate L. monocytogenes; the species was confirmed by PCR. Results. The study showed that eight goat milk providers of the zone neither had refrigeration nor pasteurized the milk. The prevalence of L. monocytogenes was 3%; 15% of the samples had other species of Listeria. The milk obtained from this zone contained the pathogen that may cause listeriosis in children less than 5 years of age, pregnant women, adults and immunologically compromised patients. Conclusions. This study shows the occurrence of this pathogen in goat’s milk and identified areas of risk for those people who drink goat’s milk.

  20. Identification of Listeria monocytogenes on Green Mussels and Cockle Shell

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Winiati Puji Rahayu

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available AbstractGreen mussel (Perna viridis and cockle shell (Anadara granosa are one of many sources of animal protein which is many cultivated in Indonesia because their price is relatively affordable. This study was conducted to identify the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in 27 samples of green mussels and 3 samples of cockle shells using real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (real-time PCR and biochemical methods. The target gene for amplification in real-time PCR was an hlyA gene because this gene was a determinant of virulence genes that produce listeriolysin O. Primers used in this study were forward primer DG69 (GTG CCG GGT AAA AGA CCA TA and reverse primer DG74 (CGC CAC TGA GAT ACT AT and fluorescence signals indicator using SYBR Green I. The results of analysis using real-time PCR were negative Listeria monocytogenes in all samples, while using biochemical methods there was one of 30 samples contaminated by Listeria welshimeri.

  1. Visualization of gold and platinum nanoparticles interacting with Salmonella Enteritidis and Listeria monocytogenes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ewa Sawosz

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available Ewa Sawosz1, André Chwalibog2, Jacek Szeliga3, Filip Sawosz2, Marta Grodzik1, Marlena Rupiewicz1, Tomasz Niemiec1, Katarzyna Kacprzyk11Division of Biotechnology and Biochemistry of Nutrition, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Warsaw, Poland; 2Department of Basic Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; 3Division of Microbiology of Analytical Centre, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Warsaw, PolandPurpose: Rapid development of nanotechnology has recently brought significant attention to the extraordinary biological features of nanomaterials. The objective of the present ­investigation was to evaluate morphological characteristics of the assembles of gold and platinum nanoparticles (nano-Au and nano-Pt respectively, with Salmonella Enteritidis (Gram-negative and Listeria monocytogenes (Gram-positive, to reveal possibilities of constructing bacteria-nanoparticle vehicles.Methods: Hydrocolloids of nano-Au or nano-Pt were added to two bacteria suspensions in the following order: nano-Au + Salmonella Enteritidis; nano-Au + Listeria monocytogenes; nano-Pt + Salmonella Enteritidis; nano-Pt + Listeria monocytogenes. Samples were inspected by transmission electron microscope.Results: Visualization of morphological interaction between nano-Au and Salmonella Enteritidis and Listeria monocytogenes, showed that nano-Au were aggregated within flagella or biofilm network and did not penetrate the bacterial cell. The analysis of morphological effects of interaction of nano-Pt with bacteria revealed that nano-Pt entered cells of Listeria monocytogenes and were removed from the cells. In the case of Salmonella Enteritidis, nano-Pt were seen inside bacteria cells, probably bound to DNA and partly left bacterial cells. After washing and centrifugation, some of the nano-Pt-DNA complexes were observed within Salmonella Enteritidis.Conclusion: The results indicate that the bacteria could be used as a vehicle to deliver nano

  2. Listeria monocytogenes isolated in ready-to-eat food in South Bačka region of Vojvodina province, Serbia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gusman Vera

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Listeria monocytogenes is pathogenic bacterium that can contaminate food products during and after processing. As ready-to-eat food does not undergo any treatment to ensure its safety before consumption, the risk of foodborne disease must be considered if this pathogen is present in the food. As diseases caused by contaminated food are an important public health problem today, the aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in different ready-to-eat food products. In the seven-month period from June 1 to December 31, 2011, a total of 1 380 food samples were examined in the Division of Sanitary Bacteriology, Center for Microbiology, Institute of Public Health of Vojvodina in Novi Sad. A total of 912 samples were analyzed for the presence of Listeria monocytogenes according to ISO 11290-2. The identity of suspected Listeria monocytogenes was confirmed using the VITEK 2 Compact system (BioMerieux, France. Out of 912 samples, Listeria monocytogenes was detected in 18 (1.97%. Listeria monocytogenes was mostly found in cooked meals (in 6 samples out of 18, sandwiches (4 samples and frozen food, such as ice-cream and frozen vegetables (4 samples. It was also found in tofu bread spreads (2 samples, cream cheese (1 sample and cakes (1 sample. The presence of Listeria monocytogenes in some ready-to-eat food could present a public health hazard, particularly to the high-risk population group, because of the high mortality rate associated with listeriosis and the widespread nature of the organism. Monitoring of listeriosis is essential to prevent foodborne outbreaks, and in assessing human health risk in ready-to-eat foods.

  3. Characterization and antibiotic susceptibility of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from poultry and red meat in Morocco

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hayat Ennaji

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available Hayat Ennaji1,2, Mohammed Timinouni2, My Mustapha Ennaji3, Mohammed Hassar1, Nozha Cohen11Laboratoire de Microbiologie et Hygiène des Aliments et de l’Environnement, Institut Pasteur du Maroc., Casablanca, Morocco; 2Laboratoire de Microbiologie et Biologie Moléculaire, Institut Pasteur du Maroc., Casablanca, Morocco; 3Laboratoire de Virologie et Hygiène and Microbiologie., Faculté des Sciences et Techniques - Mohammedia, Université Hassan II, Mohammedia, MoroccoAbstract: This study was carried out on 426 samples of raw meats collected from butcheries and supermarkets in Casablanca, Morocco. The samples were examined for the occurrence of Listeria species. Strains of Listeria monocytogenes were characterized by several biochemical tests and confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR. β-hemolytic cultures and nonhemolytic isolates were tested for biochemical properties with the Listeria API test. Among the 43 Listeria species isolates; we identified 10 strains for L. monocytogenes (23.3%, 31 strains for L. innocua (72.1% and 2 strains for L. welshimeri (4.6%. Strains of L. monocytogenes were separated by multiplex PCR; two serogroups IIb and IVb were thus differentiated. Antibiotic susceptibility of L. monocytogenes to 21 antibiotics was determined by the disk diffusion method. All isolates were susceptible to a wide range of the tested antibiotics with the exception of nalidixic acid, colistine and cephalosporins second and third generation for which they were all resistant.Keywords: antibiotic susceptibility, Listeria monocytogenes, meat, PCR

  4. Magnetic bead based immuno-detection of Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria ivanovii from infant formula and leafy green vegetables using the Bio-Plex suspension array system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Day, J B; Basavanna, U

    2015-04-01

    Listeriosis, a disease contracted via the consumption of foods contaminated with pathogenic Listeria species, can produce severe symptoms and high mortality in susceptible people and animals. The development of molecular methods and immuno-based techniques for detection of pathogenic Listeria in foods has been challenging due to the presence of assay inhibiting food components. In this study, we utilize a macrophage cell culture system for the isolation and enrichment of Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria ivanovii from infant formula and leafy green vegetables for subsequent identification using the Luminex xMAP technique. Macrophage monolayers were exposed to infant formula, lettuce and celery contaminated with L. monocytogenes or L. ivanovii. Magnetic microspheres conjugated to Listeria specific antibody were used to capture Listeria from infected macrophages and then analyzed using the Bio-Plex 200 analyzer. As few as 10 CFU/mL or g of L. monocytogenes was detected in all foods tested. The detection limit for L. ivanovii was 10 CFU/mL in infant formula and 100 CFU/g in leafy greens. Microsphere bound Listeria obtained from infected macrophage lysates could also be isolated on selective media for subsequent confirmatory identification. This method presumptively identifies L. monocytogenes and L. ivanovii from infant formula, lettuce and celery in less than 28 h with confirmatory identifications completed in less than 48 h. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  5. Overlevingsstrategieën Listeria monocytogenes bij lage temperatuur

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wemekamp-Kamphuis, H.H.; Abee, T.

    2004-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes is an important food-borne pathogen that may cause severe infections in humans. Many outbreaks caused by this organism have been associated with ready-to-eat foods wich may have undergone some form of minimal processing, or have been contaminated after processing. Ready-to-eat

  6. Uncovering Listeria monocytogenes hypervirulence by harnessing its biodiversity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Charlier, Caroline; Touchon, Marie; Chenal-Francisque, Viviane; Leclercq, Alexandre; Criscuolo, Alexis; Gaultier, Charlotte; Roussel, Sophie; Brisabois, Anne; Disson, Olivier; Rocha, Eduardo P. C.; Brisse, Sylvain; Lecuit, Marc

    2016-01-01

    Microbial pathogenesis studies are typically performed with reference strains, thereby overlooking microbial intra-species virulence heterogeneity. Here we integrated human epidemiological and clinical data with bacterial population genomics to harness the biodiversity of the model foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes and decipher the basis of its neural and placental tropisms. Taking advantage of the clonal structure of this bacterial species, we identify clones epidemiologically associated with either food or human central nervous system (CNS) and maternal-neonatal (MN) listeriosis. The latter are also most prevalent in patients without immunosuppressive comorbidities. Strikingly, CNS and MN clones are hypervirulent in a humanized mouse model of listeriosis. By integrating epidemiological data and comparative genomics, we uncovered multiple novel putative virulence factors and demonstrated experimentally the contribution of the first gene cluster mediating Listeria monocytogenes neural and placental tropisms. This study illustrates the exceptional power of harnessing microbial biodiversity to identify clinically relevant microbial virulence attributes. PMID:26829754

  7. Modeling the effect of temperature on survival rate of Listeria monocytogenes in yogurt.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szczawiński, J; Szczawińska, M E; Łobacz, A; Jackowska-Tracz, A

    2016-01-01

    The aim of the study was to (i) evaluate the behavior of Listeria monocytogenes in a commercially produced yogurt, (ii) determine the survival/inactivation rates of L. monocytogenes during cold storage of yogurt and (iii) to generate primary and secondary mathematical models to predict the behavior of these bacteria during storage at different temperatures. The samples of yogurt were inoculated with the mixture of three L. monocytogenes strains and stored at 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15°C for 16 days. The number of listeriae was determined after 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 12, 14 and 16 days of storage. From each sample a series of decimal dilutions were prepared and plated onto ALOA agar (agar for Listeria according to Ottaviani and Agosti). It was found that applied temperature and storage time significantly influenced the survival rate of listeriae (pbacteria was found in the samples stored at 6°C (D-10 value = 243.9 h), whereas the highest reduction in the number of the bacteria was observed in the samples stored at 15°C (D-10 value = 87.0 h). The number of L. monocytogenes was correlated with the pH value of the samples (pyogurt stored under temperature range from 3 to 15°C, however, the polynomial model gave a better fit to the experimental data.

  8. Complete genome sequence of Listeria monocytogenes strain MR310, isolated from a pastured-flock poultry farm system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Investigation of Listeria monocytogenes transmission from environmental sources associated with pasture-raised chickens to poultry products is needed to determine ways to prevent potential foodborne illness. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of Listeria monocytogenes MR310, one of the iso...

  9. Thermal resistance of Listeria monocytogenes in sausage meat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farber, J M; Hughes, A; Holley, R; Brown, B

    1989-01-01

    The heat resistance of a mixture of 10 different strains of Listeria monocytogenes inoculated into ground meat and ground meat plus cure was examined. D-values for ground meat ranged from 1.01 min at 62 degrees C to 13.18 min at 56 degrees C. The D-values obtained for ground meat plus cure were approximately 5-8 fold times higher than those for ground meat alone. These results imply that rare meats and possibly some cooked fermented meats may not be heated adequately to inactivate Listeria.

  10. A dynamical systems approach to actin-based motility in Listeria monocytogenes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hotton, S.

    2010-11-01

    A simple kinematic model for the trajectories of Listeria monocytogenes is generalized to a dynamical system rich enough to exhibit the resonant Hopf bifurcation structure of excitable media and simple enough to be studied geometrically. It is shown how L. monocytogenes trajectories and meandering spiral waves are organized by the same type of attracting set.

  11. Listeria monocytogenes meningitis in the Netherlands, 1985-2014: A nationwide surveillance study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koopmans, Merel M; Bijlsma, Merijn W; Brouwer, Matthijs C; van de Beek, Diederik; van der Ende, Arie

    2017-07-01

    Listeria monocytogenes can cause sepsis and meningitis. We report national surveillance data on L. monocytogenes meningitis in the Netherlands, describing incidence changes, genetic epidemiology and fatality rate. We analyzed data from the Netherlands Reference Laboratory of Bacterial Meningitis for cases of L. monocytogenes meningitis. Strains were assessed by serotyping and bacterial population structure by multi-locus sequence typing. A total of 375 cases of Listeria meningitis were identified between 1985 and 2014. Peak incidence rates were observed in neonates (0.61 per 100,000 live births) and older adults (peak at 87 year; 0.53 cases per 100,000 population of the same age). Neonatal listerial meningitis decreased 17-fold from 1.95 per 100,000 live births between 1985 and 1989, to 0.11 per 100,000 live births between 2010 and 2014. Overall case fatality rate was 31%, in a multivariate analysis older age and concomitant bacteremia were associated with mortality (both p listeria meningitis has remained high. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  12. Pathogenic potential of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from cattle ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Listeria monocytogenes is an opportunistic food-borne pathogen causing listeriosis especially among immune-compromised persons. Its high rate of morbidity and mortality has classed the organism among the top watch list in foods. It is known to produce several virulence factors which aid its survival in harsh conditions ...

  13. Prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility of Listeria monocytogenes in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    One hundred and ninety two raw milk samples were collected from lactating cows identified in Fulani herds and small scale dairy farms within Sokoto metropolis in order to investigate the presence and determine the antibiotic susceptibility of Listeria monocytogenes in the milk. Selective culture and identification method ...

  14. Sublethal injury and virulence changes in Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria innocua treated with antimicrobials carvacrol and citral.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva, A; Genovés, S; Martorell, P; Zanini, S F; Rodrigo, D; Martinez, A

    2015-09-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of two antimicrobial substances, carvacrol and citral, on Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria innocua cells, as well as possible virulence changes in injured cells, using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model test. The results indicated that the percentage of sublethal damage was higher in L. monocytogenes than in L. innocua. The results of the study carried out by using C. elegans indicated that C. elegans fed in a lawn of L. monocytogenes previously treated with carvacrol showed a loss in life span (p ≤ 0.05) as compared with L. monocytogenes treated with citral, Escherichia coli OP50 as a negative control, and treated and untreated L. innocua. Egg laying was also affected: worms fed in a lawn of treated and untreated L. monocytogenes laid fewer eggs than those fed in a lawn of treated and untreated L. innocua or fed with OP50 as a negative control. Worms fed in a lawn of treated and untreated L. innocua also laid fewer eggs than those fed with OP50 as a negative control. A phenotype named bag of worms and an undescribed new one, "vulva inflammation", were also observed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. In vivo transcriptional profiling of Listeria monocytogenes and mutagenesis identify new virulence factors involved in infection.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Camejo

    2009-05-01

    Full Text Available Listeria monocytogenes is a human intracellular pathogen able to colonize host tissues after ingestion of contaminated food, causing severe invasive infections. In order to gain a better understanding of the nature of host-pathogen interactions, we studied the L. monocytogenes genome expression during mouse infection. In the spleen of infected mice, approximately 20% of the Listeria genome is differentially expressed, essentially through gene activation, as compared to exponential growth in rich broth medium. Data presented here show that, during infection, Listeria is in an active multiplication phase, as revealed by the high expression of genes involved in replication, cell division and multiplication. In vivo bacterial growth requires increased expression of genes involved in adaptation of the bacterial metabolism and stress responses, in particular to oxidative stress. Listeria interaction with its host induces cell wall metabolism and surface expression of virulence factors. During infection, L. monocytogenes also activates subversion mechanisms of host defenses, including resistance to cationic peptides, peptidoglycan modifications and release of muramyl peptides. We show that the in vivo differential expression of the Listeria genome is coordinated by a complex regulatory network, with a central role for the PrfA-SigB interplay. In particular, L. monocytogenes up regulates in vivo the two major virulence regulators, PrfA and VirR, and their downstream effectors. Mutagenesis of in vivo induced genes allowed the identification of novel L. monocytogenes virulence factors, including an LPXTG surface protein, suggesting a role for S-layer glycoproteins and for cadmium efflux system in Listeria virulence.

  16. Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) Can Precisely Discriminate the Lineages of Listeria monocytogenes and Species of Listeria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ojima-Kato, Teruyo; Yamamoto, Naomi; Takahashi, Hajime; Tamura, Hiroto

    2016-01-01

    The genetic lineages of Listeria monocytogenes and other species of the genus Listeria are correlated with pathogenesis in humans. Although matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has become a prevailing tool for rapid and reliable microbial identification, the precise discrimination of Listeria species and lineages remains a crucial issue in clinical settings and for food safety. In this study, we constructed an accurate and reliable MS database to discriminate the lineages of L. monocytogenes and the species of Listeria (L. monocytogenes, L. innocua, L. welshimeri, L. seeligeri, L. ivanovii, L. grayi, and L. rocourtiae) based on the S10-spc-alpha operon gene encoded ribosomal protein mass spectrum (S10-GERMS) proteotyping method, which relies on both genetic information (genomics) and observed MS peaks in MALDI-TOF MS (proteomics). The specific set of eight biomarkers (ribosomal proteins L24, L6, L18, L15, S11, S9, L31 type B, and S16) yielded characteristic MS patterns for the lineages of L. monocytogenes and the different species of Listeria, and led to the construction of a MS database that was successful in discriminating between these organisms in MALDI-TOF MS fingerprinting analysis followed by advanced proteotyping software Strain Solution analysis. We also confirmed the constructed database on the proteotyping software Strain Solution by using 23 Listeria strains collected from natural sources.

  17. Biofilm Formation of Listeria monocytogenes on Various Surfaces

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M Mahdavi

    2007-10-01

    Full Text Available Introduction & Objective: Listeria monocytogenes is considered as a ubiquitous foodborne pathogen which can lead to serious infections, especially in newborns, elderly, pregnant, and immunocompromised people. The organism has been isolated from many foods and may cause meningitis, septicemia and abortion in pregnant women. Also L. monocytogenes forms biofilms on many food contact surface materials and medical devices. Development of biofilms on many surfaces is a potential source of contamination of foods that may lead to spoilage or transmission of foodborne pathogens. Materials & Methods: Biofilm formation of L. monocytogenes (RITCC 1293 serotype 4a was investigated. Hydrophobicity of L. monocytogenes was measured by MATH method. Then biofilm formation of the organism was assessed at 2, 4, 8, 16 and 20 hours on stainless steel (type 304 no 2B, polyethylene and glass by drop plate method. Results: Results indicated that L. monocytogenes with 85% of hydrophobicity formed biofilm on each of three surfaces. Biofilm formation on stainless steel surfaces was significantly more than other surfaces (p<0.05. Conclusion: The ability of biofilm formation of L. monocytogenes on medical devices and food containers is very important as far as hygiene and disease outbreaks are concerned.

  18. Listeria spp. E Listeria monocytogenes NA PRODUÇÃO DE SALSICHAS TIPO HOT DOG

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ALESSANDRA PARO RODRIGUES CESAR

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Listeria monocytogenes is widely distributed in the environment and it has been isolated from food that were associated to outbreaks of high lethality in many countries. Thus, this bacterium represents an important pathogen to the public health. Ready-to-eat products, likecooked stuffed food, within them, frankfurters, are associated to human listeriosis in many countries. Taking into consideration the importance of the subject and the need of more data about it, the occurrence of Listeria spp. and L. monocytogenes in industrial plants, in meat raw materials, in slurry and frankfurters was investigated.These samples were collected in two production plants with SIF (Federal Inspection Service; in one of them GMP, HACCP and SOP were implemented. The results of the 1 06 microbiological analysis were submitted to the program @Risk to obtain the risk analysis; the meanvalues results showed that 7 to 9% of the frankfurters in the market may have L. monocytogenes. The analysis indicated that 88 strains of L. monocytogenes were obtained from 1 06 samples; among them, 76 werecollected in the industrial plants that participate in the experiment, and 30 were collected in the market. In serological typification, 95% of these strains were classified as serotypes 4b, 1 /2a and 1 /2b. Besides the presence of the bacterium in frankfurthers consumed inBrazil and the risk factors associated to this pathogen, the situation concerns because of the lack of epidemiological data, absence of patterns and the deficient information given to the consumer, specially information related to the presence of L. monocytogenes, particularly important to the groups at risk, as well as information related to the importance of heating the product

  19. Prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in the river receiving the effluent of municipal wastewater treatment plant

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Atefeh Taherkhani

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Aims: The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of Listeria spp. in the river water before and after discharge of the effluent of the municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP in Isfahan, Iran. Materials and Methods: A total of 66 samples were collected bi-weekly over 4 months from eleven discrete sampling locations in Zayandehrood River, Iran. Three sampling sites were located above the discharge point and five sites were located after the discharge point of WWTP. Samples were also collected from the influent and the effluent of WWTP. Listeria spp. were isolated using a selective enrichment procedure and a subculture onto polymyxin-acriflavine-lithium chloride-ceftazidime-esculin-mannitol Agar. All isolates were subjected to standard biochemical tests. Results: L. monocytogenes was isolated from influent (83%, effluent (50% and (18.5% river water. Listeria spp. was not found before the discharge point in river water. However, L. monocytogenes was isolated in samples collected from 200 m (33%, 500 m (33%, 2 km (16.5%, 5 km (16.5% and 10 km (16.5% downstream from the WWTP. Listeria innocua (9% and Listeria seeligeri (10% were the second most frequently isolated species. Conclusion: During the wastewater treatment, Listeria spp. is not removed completely. L. monocytogenes is widely distributed in the Zayandehrood river. L. monocytogenes released into surface water demonstrates a potential risk for public health. These results indicate the need for appropriate water management in order to reduce human and animal exposure to such pathogens.

  20. A novel Listeria monocytogenes-based DNA delivery system for cancer gene therapy.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    van Pijkeren, Jan Peter

    2012-01-31

    Bacteria-mediated transfer of plasmid DNA to mammalian cells (bactofection) has been shown to have significant potential as an approach to express heterologous proteins in various cell types. This is achieved through entry of the entire bacterium into cells, followed by release of plasmid DNA. In a murine model, we show that Listeria monocytogenes can invade and spread in tumors, and establish the use of Listeria to deliver genes to tumors in vivo. A novel approach to vector lysis and release of plasmid DNA through antibiotic administration was developed. Ampicillin administration facilitated both plasmid transfer and safety control of vector. To further improve on the gene delivery system, we selected a Listeria monocytogenes derivative that is more sensitive to ampicillin, and less pathogenic than the wild-type strain. Incorporation of a eukaryotic-transcribed lysin cassette in the plasmid further increased bacterial lysis. Successful gene delivery of firefly luciferase to growing tumors in murine models and to patient breast tumor samples ex vivo was achieved. The model described encompasses a three-phase treatment regimen, involving (1) intratumoral administration of vector followed by a period of vector spread, (2) systemic ampicillin administration to induce vector lysis and plasmid transfer, and (3) systemic administration of combined moxifloxacin and ampicillin to eliminate systemic vector. For the first time, our results reveal the potential of Listeria monocytogenes for in vivo gene delivery.

  1. Prevalence of Listeria species in camel sausages from retail markets in Aydin province in Turkey and RAPD analysis of Listeria monocytogenes isolates

    OpenAIRE

    Ozbey, Gokben; Ertas, Hasan Basri; Kok, Filiz

    2006-01-01

    Abstract Samples were taken from 100 camel sausages from the different retail markets in Aydin province in the south-west of Turkey and they were tested for the presence of Listeria spp by biochemical methods. Samples were enriched using Listeria Enrichment Broth and they were inoculated onto Listeria Selective Agar. Listeria monocytogenes was isolated from nine samples (9%), Listeria innocua from 14 samples (14%) and Listeria welshimeri from two samples(2%). A 701 bp fragment of listeriolysi...

  2. Distribution of the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes in the western part of the Sea of Okhotsk

    Science.gov (United States)

    Terekhova, V. E.; Sosnin, V. A.; Buzoleva, L. S.; Shakirov, R. B.

    2010-04-01

    The Amur River’s influence on the distribution of the opportunistic bacteria Listeria monocytogenes in the western part of the Sea of Okhotsk is discussed. The presence of Listeria in the seawater, sea ice, and sediments on the northeastern Sakhalin shelf and slope supports the idea of its connection with the Amur River discharge. The hypothesis of the allochtonic parentage of L. monocytogenes in the sea’s development is proved.

  3. Listeria monocytogenes endophthalmitis - case report and review of risk factors and treatment outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bajor, Anna; Luhr, Anke; Brockmann, Dorothee; Suerbaum, Sebastian; Framme, Carsten; Sedlacek, Ludwig

    2016-07-16

    The majority of cases of endophthalmitis are caused by exogenous pathogens; only 5-10 % are of endogenous origin. One cause of these rare cases of endogenous endophthalmitis is Listeria monocytogenes. Twenty-six cases of endophthalmitis due to this pathogen have been published over the last twenty years. The aim of this review is to summarize the main risk factors and common clinical findings of endogenous endophthalmitis due to Listeria monocytogenes. We report on a 62-year-old female presenting with a sterile hypopyon iritis with secondary glaucoma and an underlying rheumatoid disease. In microbiological analysis we identified Listeria monocytogenes. Further we searched through all published cases for typical signs, risk factors, details of medical and surgical treatment and outcome of endogenous endophthalmitis due to this rare pathogen. Ocular symptoms in almost all of these published cases included pain, redness of the eye, and decreased vision. Main clinical features included elevated intraocular pressure and fibrinous anterior chamber reaction, as well as a dark hypopyon. While the infection is typically spread endogenously, neither an exogenous nor endogenous source of infection could be identified in most cases. Immunocompromised patients are at higher risk of being infected than immunocompetent patients. The clinical course of endophthalmitis caused by Listeria monocytogenes had different visual outcomes. In some cases, the infection led to enucleation, blindness, or strong visual loss, whereas most patients showed a tendency of visual improvement during therapy. Early diagnosis and treatment initiation are crucial factors in the outcome of endogenous endophthalmitis caused by Listeria monocytogenes. This possible differential diagnosis should be kept in mind while treating patients with presumable sterile hypopyon and anterior uveitis having a high intraocular pressure. A bacterial source should be considered with a prompt initiation of systemic

  4. Antimicrobial susceptibility and antibiotic resistance gene transfer analysis of foodborne, clinical, and environmental Listeria spp. isolates including Listeria monocytogenes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bertsch, David; Muelli, Mirjam; Weller, Monika; Uruty, Anaïs; Lacroix, Christophe; Meile, Leo

    2014-02-01

    The aims of this study were to assess antibiotic resistance pheno- and genotypes in foodborne, clinical, and environmental Listeria isolates, as well as to elucidate the horizontal gene transfer potential of detected resistance genes. A small fraction of in total 524 Listeria spp. isolates (3.1%) displayed acquired antibiotic resistance mainly to tetracycline (n = 11), but also to clindamycin (n = 4) and trimethoprim (n = 3), which was genotypically confirmed. In two cases, a tetracycline resistance phenotype was observed together with a trimethoprim resistance phenotype, namely in a clinical L. monocytogenes strain and in a foodborne L. innocua isolate. Depending on the applied guidelines, a differing number of isolates (n = 2 or n = 20) showed values for ampicillin that are on the edge between intermediate susceptibility and resistance. Transferability of the antibiotic resistance genes from the Listeria donors, elucidated in vitro by filter matings, was demonstrated for genes located on transposons of the Tn916 family and for an unknown clindamycin resistance determinant. Transfer rates of up to 10(-5) transconjugants per donor were obtained with a L. monocytogenes recipient and up to 10(-7) with an Enterococcus faecalis recipient, respectively. Although the prevalence of acquired antibiotic resistance in Listeria isolates from this study was rather low, the transferability of these resistances enables further spread in the future. This endorses the importance of surveillance of L. monocytogenes and other Listeria spp. in terms of antibiotic susceptibility. © 2014 The Authors. MicrobiologyOpen published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. Irrigation Is Significantly Associated with an Increased Prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in Produce Production Environments in New York State.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weller, Daniel; Wiedmann, Martin; Strawn, Laura K

    2015-06-01

    Environmental (i.e., meteorological and landscape) factors and management practices can affect the prevalence of foodborne pathogens in produce production environments. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes, Listeria species (including L. monocytogenes), Salmonella, and Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in produce production environments and to identify environmental factors and management practices associated with their isolation. Ten produce farms in New York State were sampled during a 6-week period in 2010, and 124 georeferenced samples (80 terrestrial, 33 water, and 11 fecal) were collected. L. monocytogenes, Listeria spp., Salmonella, and STEC were detected in 16, 44, 4, and 5% of terrestrial samples, 30, 58, 12, and 3% of water samples, and 45, 45, 27, and 9% of fecal samples, respectively. Environmental factors and management practices were evaluated for their association with terrestrial samples positive for L. monocytogenes or other Listeria species by univariate logistic regression; analysis was not conducted for Salmonella or STEC because the number of samples positive for these pathogens was low. Although univariate analysis identified associations between isolation of L. monocytogenes or Listeria spp. from terrestrial samples and various water-related factors (e.g., proximity to wetlands and precipitation), multivariate analysis revealed that only irrigation within 3 days of sample collection was significantly associated with isolation of L. monocytogenes (odds ratio = 39) and Listeria spp. (odds ratio = 5) from terrestrial samples. These findings suggest that intervention at the irrigation level may reduce the risk of produce contamination.

  6. The influence of Listeria monocytogenes cells on the primary immunologic response in irradiated mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Borowski, J.; Jokoniuk, P.

    1977-01-01

    The influence of killed Listeria monocytogenes cells on the primary immunologic response in mice irradiated with 300 or 500 R was studied. The immunologic response of the mice to sheep red blood cells used as antigen was assessed at the cellular level (by counting PFC) and humoral level. Injection of killed Listeria monocytogenes cells before irradiation of the mice diminished the immunosuppressive effect of roentgen radiation. Injection of the cells after irradiation accelerated regeneration of immunologic reactivity in the irradiated mice. (author)

  7. New perspectives on the gastrointestinal mode of transmission in invasive Listeria monocytogenes infection

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schlech, W.F. III

    1984-01-01

    The route or mechanism of transmission of Listeria monocytogenes from its rural veterinary reservoir to newborn and older human populations has been obscure. Anecdotal reports of milk-borne infection from cows with Listeria mastitis have been published, but intensive investigations of small outbreaks of L. monocytogenes infections in humans have not supported a gastrointestinal mode of infection. Several recent studies, however, strongly suggest this possibility, and case-control studies of epidemic listeriosis in the Canadian Maritime provinces in 1981 documented an association between ingestion of uncooked vegetables and the development of illness (p = 0.02). In that study, coleslaw from a regional producer which was distributed throughout the Maritimes was considered to be the vehicle of transmission. Cabbage, the raw product in the production of coleslaw, was contaminated at a farm prior to arrival at the plant. Contamination occurred through fertilization with raw manure from a flock of sheep known to harbor L. monocytogenes. Therefore, an indirect link was established between Listeria monocytogenes infection of sheep on a cabbage farm and subsequent development of invasive listeriosis in humans. This study supports findings from other epidemiologic studies of human listeriosis and is consistent with results of investigations into the mode of transmission of natural and laboratory-acquired listeriosis in animals. 34 references.

  8. An insight into the isolation, enumeration and molecular detection of Listeria monocytogenes in food

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jodi Woan-Fei Law

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Listeria monocytogenes, a foodborne pathogen that can cause listeriosis through the consumption of food contaminated with this pathogen. The ability of L. monocytogenes to survive in extreme conditions and cause food contaminations have become a major concern. Hence, routine microbiological food testing is necessary to prevent food contamination and outbreaks of foodborne illness. This review provides insight into the methods for cultural detection, enumeration and molecular identification of L. monocytogenes in various food samples. There are a number of enrichment and plating media that can be used for the isolation of L. monocytogenes from food samples. Enrichment media such as buffered Listeria Enrichment Broth (BLEB, Fraser broth and University of Vermont Medium (UVM Listeria enrichment broth are recommended by regulatory agencies such as FDA-BAM, USDA-FSIS and ISO. Many plating media are available for the isolation of L. monocytogenes, for instance, PALCAM, Oxford and other chromogenic media. Besides, reference methods like FDA-BAM, ISO 11290 method and USDA-FSIS method are usually applied for the cultural detection or enumeration of L. monocytogenes. MPN technique is applied for the enumeration of L. monocytogenes in the case of low level contamination. Molecular methods including polymerase chain reaction (PCR, multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR, real-time/quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR, nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP, DNA microarray and Next Generation Sequencing (NGS technology for the detection and identification of L. monocytogenes are discussed in this review. Overall, molecular methods are rapid, sensitive, specific, time- and labour-saving. In future, there are chances for the development of new techniques for the detection and identification of foodborne with improved features.

  9. Oxygen restriction increases the infective potential of Listeria monocytogenes in vitro in Caco-2 cells and in vivo in guinea pigs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Licht Tine

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Listeria monocytogenes has been implicated in several food borne outbreaks as well as sporadic cases of disease. Increased understanding of the biology of this organism is important in the prevention of food borne listeriosis. The infectivity of Listeria monocytogenes ScottA, cultivated with and without oxygen restriction, was compared in vitro and in vivo. Fluorescent protein labels were applied to allow certain identification of Listeria cells from untagged bacteria in in vivo samples, and to distinguish between cells grown under different conditions in mixed infection experiments. Results Infection of Caco-2 cells revealed that Listeria cultivated under oxygen-restricted conditions were approximately 100 fold more invasive than similar cultures grown without oxygen restriction. This was observed for exponentially growing bacteria, as well as for stationary-phase cultures. Oral dosage of guinea pigs with Listeria resulted in a significantly higher prevalence (p Listeria in fecal samples was observed after dosage with oxygen-restricted bacteria. These differences were seen after challenge with single Listeria cultures, as well as with a mixture of two cultures grown with and without oxygen restriction. Conclusion Our results show for the first time that the environmental conditions to which L. monocytogenes is exposed prior to ingestion are decisive for its in vivo infective potential in the gastrointestinal tract after passage of the gastric barrier. This is highly relevant for safety assessment of this organism in food.

  10. Rapid detection of Listeria monocytogenes in milk using confocal micro-Raman spectroscopy and chemometric analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Junping; Xie, Xinfang; Feng, Jinsong; Chen, Jessica C; Du, Xin-jun; Luo, Jiangzhao; Lu, Xiaonan; Wang, Shuo

    2015-07-02

    Listeria monocytogenes is a facultatively anaerobic, Gram-positive, rod-shape foodborne bacterium causing invasive infection, listeriosis, in susceptible populations. Rapid and high-throughput detection of this pathogen in dairy products is critical as milk and other dairy products have been implicated as food vehicles in several outbreaks. Here we evaluated confocal micro-Raman spectroscopy (785 nm laser) coupled with chemometric analysis to distinguish six closely related Listeria species, including L. monocytogenes, in both liquid media and milk. Raman spectra of different Listeria species and other bacteria (i.e., Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli) were collected to create two independent databases for detection in media and milk, respectively. Unsupervised chemometric models including principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis were applied to differentiate L. monocytogenes from Listeria and other bacteria. To further evaluate the performance and reliability of unsupervised chemometric analyses, supervised chemometrics were performed, including two discriminant analyses (DA) and soft independent modeling of class analogies (SIMCA). By analyzing Raman spectra via two DA-based chemometric models, average identification accuracies of 97.78% and 98.33% for L. monocytogenes in media, and 95.28% and 96.11% in milk were obtained, respectively. SIMCA analysis also resulted in satisfied average classification accuracies (over 93% in both media and milk). This Raman spectroscopic-based detection of L. monocytogenes in media and milk can be finished within a few hours and requires no extensive sample preparation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Detection of Listeria spp. in liquid egg products and in the egg breaking plants environment and tracking of Listeria monocytogenes by PFGE.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rivoal, Katell; Fablet, Aurore; Courtillon, Céline; Bougeard, Stéphanie; Chemaly, Marianne; Protais, Jocelyne

    2013-08-16

    Human listeriosis, caused by Listeria monocytogenes, is a severe bacterial infection that can lead to meningitis, cerebromeningitis, bacteremia or septicemia, with acute lethality and potentially leading to death. A study has shown that 29.5% of the caged laying hens in France are contaminated by L. monocytogenes (Chemaly et al., 2008). However, very little information regarding egg and egg product contamination is currently available. The objective of this study is to determine the sanitary status of egg products and egg breaking plants in France regarding Listeria spp. and L. monocytogenes contaminations. The sampling scheme performed in five egg breaking plants in Western France during one year have revealed that 8.5% of raw egg products were contaminated by L. monocytogenes. No pasteurized egg products have been shown to be contaminated by L. monocytogenes. However, a high level of contamination by Listeria spp., and particularly by L. innocua, has been shown with 26.2% and 1.8% of raw and pasteurized egg products contaminated, respectively. This work has also revealed the presence of Listeria spp. and L. monocytogenes in the environment of egg breaking plants with 65.1% and 8.0% of contaminated samples, respectively. The typing of 253 isolates of L. monocytogenes by PFGE using ApaI and AscI enzymes has revealed a high diversity with 46 different pulsotypes and has shown that the raw material is a source of contamination of egg breaking plants. One L. monocytogenes cluster was dominant in the 5 egg-breaking plants during the four seasons studied. The issue of which strains are better adapted to egg products must be considered and studied in depth by comparing them to pulsotypes from strains of other chains. However, the traceability of L. monocytogenes in plants during the various seasons has also made it possible to highlight the presence of strains that are specific to egg breaking plants. The study of cleaning and disinfection methods in these plants as well

  12. Biosensor for the detection of Listeria monocytogenes: emerging trends

    KAUST Repository

    Soni, Dharmendra Kumar

    2018-05-23

    The early detection of Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) and understanding the disease burden is of paramount interest. The failure to detect pathogenic bacteria in the food industry may have terrible consequences, and poses deleterious effects on human health. Therefore, integration of methods to detect and trace the route of pathogens along the entire food supply network might facilitate elucidation of the main contamination sources. Recent research interest has been oriented towards the development of rapid and affordable pathogen detection tools/techniques. An innovative and new approach like biosensors has been quite promising in revealing the foodborne pathogens. In spite of the existing knowledge, advanced research is still needed to substantiate the expeditious nature and sensitivity of biosensors for rapid and in situ analysis of foodborne pathogens. This review summarizes recent developments in optical, piezoelectric, cell-based, and electrochemical biosensors for Listeria sp. detection in clinical diagnostics, food analysis, and environmental monitoring, and also lists their drawbacks and advantages.

  13. Detección de Listeria spp. y Listeria monocytogenes en muestras de leche cruda y quesos artesanales respectivamente, mediante PCR en Tiempo Real

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Viviana Pamela Chiluisa-Utreras

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Background. In Ecuador, studies about bacteria genre Listeria in artisanal cheeses are scarce, and in raw milk, practically nonexistent. Milk production is one of the main livestock activities in the province of Pichincha and it is essential to study these products. Since all the cantons that make up Pichincha are milk producers, three of them, Cayambe, Quito and Pedro Moncayo were randomly sampled. Objective. To determine Listeria spp. And Listeria monocytogenes in samples of raw milk and artisanal cheeses, respectively, using Real Time PCR. Methods. The application of the qPCR technique in the detection of microorganisms and especially of bacteria in food, is based on four fundamental aspects: its sensitivity, specificity, speed and processing capacity of large sample flow. It is possible to detect small amounts of pathogenic microorganisms, such as Listeria spp in raw milk, after extraction and quantification of total DNA. Results. In this study in raw milk, one positive was determined from a total of 60 samples, representing 1.6% of Listeria spp. and 16 positive samples of 45, representing 35.6% of Listeria monocytogenes in artisanal cheeses from three farms in the province of Pichincha. Conclusions. The results, according to the statistical analyzes carried out with the Kruskal - Wallis test, show that in Pichincha the bacterium is present in raw milk, but in non - representative quantities, whereas for Listeria monocytogenes there is statistical significance in the cheeses samples

  14. Listeria monocytogenes meningitis: serotype distribution and patient characteristics in The Netherlands, 1976-95

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Aouaj, Y.; Spanjaard, L.; van Leeuwen, N.; Dankert, J.

    2002-01-01

    Two hundred and seven cases of listeria meningitis that occurred in The Netherlands over 20 years were reviewed to study associations between Listeria monocytogenes serotype, age, underlying disease, and outcome. The mean annual incidence per 100000 population was 0.12 in 1981-90, decreasing to 0.07

  15. Acanthamoeba feature a unique backpacking strategy to trap and feed on Listeria monocytogenes and other motile bacteria

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Doyscher, Dominik; Fieseler, Lars; Dons, Lone Elisabet

    2013-01-01

    Despite its prominent role as an intracellular human pathogen, Listeria monocytogenes normally features a saprophytic lifestyle, and shares many environmental habitats with predatory protozoa. Earlier studies claimed that Acanthamoeba may act as environmental reservoirs for L.?monocytogenes, wher......Despite its prominent role as an intracellular human pathogen, Listeria monocytogenes normally features a saprophytic lifestyle, and shares many environmental habitats with predatory protozoa. Earlier studies claimed that Acanthamoeba may act as environmental reservoirs for L.......?monocytogenes, whereas others failed to confirm this hypothesis. Our findings support the latter and provide clear evidence that L.?monocytogenes is unable to persist in Acanthamoeba castellanii and A.?polyphaga. Instead, external Listeria cells are rapidly immobilized on the surface of Acanthamoeba trophozoites......-lapse microscopy revealed that shortly after the bacteria are collected, the amoeba can change direction of movement, phagocytose the backpack and continue to repeat the process. The phenomenon was also observed with avirulent L.?monocytogenes mutants, non-pathogenic Listeria, and other motile bacteria, indicating...

  16. Prevalence of Listeria spp. and Molecular Characterization of Listeria monocytogenes Isolates from Broilers at the Abattoir.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bouayad, Leila; Hamdi, Taha M; Naim, Malek; Leclercq, Alexandre; Lecuit, Marc

    2015-07-01

    Products from three broiler abattoirs were sampled for Listeria species to evaluate the changes in the prevalence and contamination rates at two stages of processing. Sampling was performed at the evisceration stage and at the end of processing after packaging and refrigerating at 4°C for 24 h. A total of 212 samples were collected; 52 were from abattoir A, and 80 samples each were collected from abattoirs B and C. Among all samples, 99 (46.7%) tested positive for Listeria, including L. monocytogenes 19 (8.9%), L. innocua 69 (32.5%), L. grayi 10 (4.7%), and L. welshimeri 1 (0.5%). The L. monocytogenes contamination rate varied from 5% to 11.5% in the 3 abattoirs. L. innocua was the most common species identified and was found in 8.8% of the samples from abattoir A and 33.7% of the samples from both abattoirs B and C. Twenty-six of the L. monocytogenes isolates obtained from positive samples were subjected to serotyping by multiplex polymerase chain reaction and characterization by the pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) method using two cutting enzymes, ApaI and AscI. Three molecular serogroups were identified: IIa, IIb, and IVb. Serogroup IIa was common to all abattoirs, and serogroups IIb and IVb were found only in abattoir C. The 10 different obtained PFGE profiles were grouped into 7 clusters; some of these clusters were common to the 3 abattoirs, and others were specific to the abattoirs in which they were identified. This study revealed a high prevalence of Listeria spp., particularly L. monocytogenes, in raw broilers. This high incidence presents a risk to consumers due to the potential occurrence of cross-contamination with other foods in domestic refrigerators and the ability of these microorganisms to survive in undercooked products.

  17. An outbreak of an unusual strain of Listeria monocytogenes infection in North-East Scotland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okpo, Emmanuel; Leith, Jayne; Smith-Palmer, Alison; Bell, John; Parks, Duncan; Browning, Fiona; Byers, Lynn; Corrigan, Helen; Webster, Diana; Karcher, Anne M; Murray, Andrew; Storey, Tom

    2015-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes infection is an important cause of illness and hospitalization in vulnerable individuals. In the present study, we describe a community outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes in the North-East region of Scotland, which was epidemiologically, environmentally and microbiologically linked to a local meat product and ready-to-eat product manufacturer. Infected individuals were interviewed, and an environmental investigation was conducted. Clinical and environmental samples were tested by culture, and isolates were typed by fluorescent amplified fragment length polymorphism (fAFLP). Three cases of Listeria monocytogenes were linked geographically, had the same serotype (1/2a) and were indistinguishable by fAFLP type XII.6. The human, food and environmental isolates were of the same serotype and were indistinguishable by molecular typing. This is the first community outbreak of L. monocytogenes reported in Scotland since the current outbreak surveillance was established in 1996. Epidemiological and laboratory evidence indicated poor hand hygiene, unhygienic practices and cross-contamination throughout the manufacturing process of ready-to-eat foods as a possible cause of the outbreak. More stringent control of commercial food establishments that provide ready-to-eat food and the need to advise specifically vulnerable groups, e.g., pregnant women, of the risk of L. monocytogenes in ready-to-eat food is urgently needed. Copyright © 2015 King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. [Listeria monocytogenes nosocomial infection in the maternity ward].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jean, D; Croize, J; Hirtz, P; Legeais, C; Pelloux, I; Favier, M; Mallaret, M R; Le Noc, P; Rambaud, P

    1991-01-01

    Nosocomial infection with Listeria monocytogenes 4b occurred in January 1990 in a maternity hospital in Grenoble. The 3 patients involved were born within a 24 hour-interval. The premature newborn responsible for contamination was asymptomatic. Two other newborns without any perinatal infectious risk presented with meningitis, one on the 5th day of life in the maternity hospital, the other one on the 11th day while already at home. The 3 strains of Listeria had the same serovar and lysovar. Epidemiologic investigations led to suspect a contamination in the delivery room and during the care of the children. Strict respect of hygiene orders is imperative to avoid nosocomial infections.

  19. Listeria monocytogenes cross-contamination of cheese: risk throughout the food supply chain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sauders, B D; D'Amico, D J

    2016-10-01

    Listeria monocytogenes has been the most common microbial cause of cheese-related recalls in both the United States and Canada in recent years. Since L. monocytogenes is inactivated by pasteurization, the majority of these cases have been linked to environmental and cross-contamination of fresh-soft, soft-ripened, and semi-soft cheeses. Cross-contamination of foods with L. monocytogenes is a continuous risk throughout the food supply chain and presents unique challenges for subsequent illness and outbreak investigations. Reports on outbreaks of listeriosis attributed to cross-contamination downstream from primary processing help highlight the critical role of epidemiological investigation coupled with coordinated molecular subtyping and surveillance in the recognition and investigation of complex foodborne outbreaks. Despite their complexity, environmental sampling throughout the supply chain coupled with improved genotyping approaches and concomitant analysis of foodborne illness epidemiological exposure data are needed to help resolve these and similar cases more rapidly and with greater confidence.

  20. Enterocin CRL35 inhibits Listeria monocytogenes in a murine model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salvucci, Emiliano; Saavedra, Lucila; Hebert, Elvira Maria; Haro, Cecilia; Sesma, Fernando

    2012-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen causative of opportunistic infections. Listeriosis is associated with severe infections in pregnant women causing abortion or neonatal listeriosis. An alternative to antibiotics are safe novel bacteriocins peptides such as enterocin CRL35 with strong antilisterial activity produced by Enterococcus mundtii CRL35. In the present paper, our goal is to study the effectiveness of this peptide and the producer strain in a murine model of pregnancy-associated listeriosis. A single dose of 5×10(9) colony-forming unit of L. monocytogenes FBUNT (Faculty of Biochemistry-University of Tucumán) resulted in translocation of pathogen to liver and spleen of BALB/c pregnant mice. The maximum level of Listeria was observed on day 3 postinfection. Interestingly, the intragastric administration of enterocin CRL35 significantly reduced the translocation of the pathogen to vital organs. On the other hand, the preadministration of E. mundtii CRL35 slightly inhibited this translocation. Listeria infection caused a significant increase in polymorphonuclear leukocytes at day 3 postinfection compared to the noninfected group. This value was reduced after the administration of enterocin CRL35. No significant changes were observed in either white blood cells or lymphocytes counts. Based on the data presented in the present work enterocin CRL35 would be a promising alternative for the prevention of Listeria infections.

  1. Occurrence and antimicrobial resistance patterns of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from vegetables

    OpenAIRE

    Byrne,Vanessa de Vasconcelos; Hofer,Ernesto; Vallim,Deyse Christina; Almeida,Rogeria Comastri de Castro

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Although the consumption of fresh and minimally processed vegetables is considered healthy, outbreaks related to the contamination of these products are frequently reported. Among the food-borne pathogens that contaminate vegetables is Listeria monocytogenes, a ubiquitous organism that exhibits the ability to survive and multiply at refrigerated temperatures. This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of L. monocytogenes in vegetables as well as the antimicrobial resistance of isola...

  2. An insight into the isolation, enumeration, and molecular detection of Listeria monocytogenes in food

    Science.gov (United States)

    Law, Jodi Woan-Fei; Ab Mutalib, Nurul-Syakima; Chan, Kok-Gan; Lee, Learn-Han

    2015-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes, a foodborne pathogen that can cause listeriosis through the consumption of food contaminated with this pathogen. The ability of L. monocytogenes to survive in extreme conditions and cause food contaminations have become a major concern. Hence, routine microbiological food testing is necessary to prevent food contamination and outbreaks of foodborne illness. This review provides insight into the methods for cultural detection, enumeration, and molecular identification of L. monocytogenes in various food samples. There are a number of enrichment and plating media that can be used for the isolation of L. monocytogenes from food samples. Enrichment media such as buffered Listeria enrichment broth, Fraser broth, and University of Vermont Medium (UVM) Listeria enrichment broth are recommended by regulatory agencies such as Food and Drug Administration-bacteriological and analytical method (FDA-BAM), US Department of Agriculture-Food and Safety (USDA-FSIS), and International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Many plating media are available for the isolation of L. monocytogenes, for instance, polymyxin acriflavin lithium-chloride ceftazidime aesculin mannitol, Oxford, and other chromogenic media. Besides, reference methods like FDA-BAM, ISO 11290 method, and USDA-FSIS method are usually applied for the cultural detection or enumeration of L. monocytogenes. most probable number technique is applied for the enumeration of L. monocytogenes in the case of low level contamination. Molecular methods including polymerase chain reaction, multiplex polymerase chain reaction, real-time/quantitative polymerase chain reaction, nucleic acid sequence-based amplification, loop-mediated isothermal amplification, DNA microarray, and next generation sequencing technology for the detection and identification of L. monocytogenes are discussed in this review. Overall, molecular methods are rapid, sensitive, specific, time- and labor-saving. In future, there are

  3. Applicability of the EN ISO 11290-1 standard method for Listeria monocytogenes detection in presence of new Listeria species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barre, Léna; Angelidis, Apostolos S; Boussaid, Djouher; Brasseur, Emilie Decourseulles; Manso, Eléonore; Gnanou Besse, Nathalie

    2016-12-05

    During the past six years, new species of the genus Listeria have been isolated from foods and other environmental niches worldwide. The Standard method EN ISO 11290-1 that is currently under revision will include in its scope all Listeria species in addition to L. monocytogenes. The objective of this project was to evaluate the ability of the Standard EN ISO 11290-1 method to detect and identify the newly discovered Listeria spp., and to assess potential over-growth effects of the new species in mixed cultures with L. monocytogenes during each step of the enrichment process. This objective was addressed by the generation of necessary data on the behavior of the new species during the pre-enrichment and the enrichment steps of the reference method as well as data on their phenotypic characteristics on rich and selective media used for isolation and identification. Most of the new Listeria species developed well on selective agar media for Listeria, however the recovery of some species was difficult due to poor growth in Half Fraser and Fraser broth. Good results (consistently positive) were obtained for confirmation at the genus level via the catalase test, the Gram test and the blueish appearance test on non-selective medium, but not with the VP test, as most of the new species yielded a negative result. In the light of results obtained in co-culture experiments and inhibition tests, and considering the growth rates in Half Fraser and Fraser broths, the new species do not seem to interfere with the detection of L. monocytogenes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Formation of biofilm by strains of Listeria monocytogenes isolated ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Quantification of biofilm formation by 40 Listeria monocytogenes strains from wara soft cheese and its processing environment was assessed on glass vials surfaces. Attachement to glass surface was quantified using a crystal violet binding assay. All the 40 strains produced biofilms after 48 and 72 h incubation at 37oC.

  5. Modeling the growth of Listeria monocytogenes in soft blue-white cheese

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rosshaug, Per Sand; Detmer, Ann; Ingmer, Hanne

    2012-01-01

    The aim of this study was to develop a predictive model simulating growth over time of the pathogenic bacterium Listeria monocytogenes in a soft blue-white cheese. The physicochemical properties in a matrix such as cheese are essential controlling factors influencing the growth of L. monocytogenes....... We developed a predictive tertiary model of the bacterial growth of L. monocytogenes as a function of temperature, pH, NaCl, and lactic acid. We measured the variations over time of the physicochemical properties in the cheese. Our predictive model was developed based on broth data produced...... production and retail conditions showed that the number of L. monocytogenes cells increases 3 to 3.5 log within the shelf life of the cheese....

  6. Molecular analysis of the iap gene of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from cheeses in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil Análise molecular do gene iap de Listeria monocytogenes isoladas de queijos no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jozi Fagundes de Mello

    2008-03-01

    Full Text Available The polymorphic region sequences in the iap gene were analyzed in 25 strains of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from cheeses in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, and compared with reference strains. This investigation distinguished two clusters of L. monocytogenes: I (20 strains and II (5 strains.A seqüência da região polimórfica do gene iap foi analisada em 25 cepas de Listeria monocytogenes isoladas de queijo no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul e comparadas com cepas referências. Esta investigação distinguiu L. monocytogenes em dois grupos: I (20 cepas e II (5 cepas.

  7. Listeria monocytogenes behaviour in presence of non-UV-irradiated titanium dioxide nanoparticles.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Grazia Ammendolia

    Full Text Available Listeria monocytogenes is the agent of listeriosis, a food-borne disease. It represents a serious problem for the food industry because of its environmental persistence mainly due to its ability to form biofilm on a variety of surfaces. Microrganisms attached on the surfaces are a potential source of contamination for environment and animals and humans. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs are used in food industry in a variety of products and it was reported that daily exposure to these nanomaterials is very high. Anti-listerial activity of TiO2 NPs was investigated only with UV-irradiated nanomaterials, based on generation of reactive oxigen species (ROS with antibacterial effect after UV exposure. Since both Listeria monocytogenes and TiO2 NPs are veicolated with foods, this study explores the interaction between Listeria monocytogenes and non UV-irradiated TiO2 NPs, with special focus on biofilm formation and intestinal cell interaction. Scanning electron microscopy and quantitative measurements of biofilm mass indicate that NPs influence both production and structural architecture of listerial biofilm. Moreover, TiO2 NPs show to interfere with bacterial interaction to intestinal cells. Increased biofilm production due to TiO2 NPs exposure may favour bacterial survival in environment and its transmission to animal and human hosts.

  8. Antimicrobial treatments to control Listeria monocytogenes in queso fresco.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lourenço, António; Kamnetz, Mary B; Gadotti, Camila; Diez-Gonzalez, Francisco

    2017-06-01

    Queso fresco, is a Hispanic non-fermented cheese highly susceptible to contamination with L. monocytogenes. This research was aimed to determine the effect of GRAS antimicrobial ingredients to control L. monocytogenes. Antimicrobials included caprylic acid (CA), Nisaplin ® (N, 2.5% nisin), a mixture of sodium lactate and sodium diacetate (SL/SD), Lactococcus lactis sbp. lactis DPC 3147, monolaurin, and lactic acid (LA). Batches of queso fresco curds were inoculated with 10 4  CFU/g and stored at 4 °C for three weeks. During storage the count of L. monocytogenes reached 7 to 8 Log CFU/g in control samples. Most individual antimicrobial treatments resulted in less than 1 Log CFU/g reductions in final counts, with the exception of N (0.5 g/kg) and CA (2.9 g/kg) that caused more than 3 and 5 Log CFU/g differences with controls, respectively. Mixtures of ingredients were more effective in inhibiting L. monocytogenes growth, and treatments with N and CA consistently delivered 6 Log CFU/g less counts than controls. Supplementation of 12 g/kg LA to treatments with SL/SD (3%/0.22%) caused differences of more than 4 Log CFU/g in final Listeria populations. Samples treated with the binary mixtures of N and CA (0.5 and 0.7 g/kg, respectively) were evaluated in a consumer panel (n = 67). Panelists slightly preferred control and commercial over treated samples, but all samples were in average rated between "slightly liking" and "moderately liking." These experiments indicated that combined use of antimicrobial ingredients may be an effective way to control the population of Listeria monocytogenes in queso fresco. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Spatial and Temporal Factors Associated with an Increased Prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in Spinach Fields in New York State

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weller, Daniel; Wiedmann, Martin

    2015-01-01

    While rain and irrigation events have been associated with an increased prevalence of foodborne pathogens in produce production environments, quantitative data are needed to determine the effects of various spatial and temporal factors on the risk of produce contamination following these events. This study was performed to quantify these effects and to determine the impact of rain and irrigation events on the detection frequency and diversity of Listeria species (including L. monocytogenes) and L. monocytogenes in produce fields. Two spinach fields, with high and low predicted risks of L. monocytogenes isolation, were sampled 24, 48, 72, and 144 to 192 h following irrigation and rain events. Predicted risk was a function of the field's proximity to water and roads. Factors were evaluated for their association with Listeria species and L. monocytogenes isolation by using generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs). In total, 1,492 (1,092 soil, 334 leaf, 14 fecal, and 52 water) samples were collected. According to the GLMM, the likelihood of Listeria species and L. monocytogenes isolation from soil samples was highest during the 24 h immediately following an event (odds ratios [ORs] of 7.7 and 25, respectively). Additionally, Listeria species and L. monocytogenes isolates associated with irrigation events showed significantly lower sigB allele type diversity than did isolates associated with precipitation events (P = monocytogenes contamination. Small changes in management practices (e.g., not irrigating fields before harvest) may therefore reduce the risk of L. monocytogenes contamination of fresh produce. PMID:26116668

  10. Review of Prosthetic Joint Infection from Listeria monocytogenes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bader, Gilbert; Al-Tarawneh, Mohammed; Myers, James

    2016-12-01

    Prosthetic joint infection from Listeria monocytogenes is rare. We decided to shed light on this illness and review the reported cases to better understand its characteristics. We conducted a comprehensive review of the English literature using PubMed. We also included one case that we had managed. We found 25 cases of prosthetic joint infection from L. monocytogenes reported individually and a retrospective study of 43 cases of joint and bone listerial infection, including 34 with prosthetic joint infection, conducted in France. We have described their clinical and para-clinical features and tried to elaborate on the pathophysiology, treatment, and prevention. Prosthetic joint infection from L. monocytogenes is mainly late. Systemic inflammation may be absent. Although rare, it must be suspected in patients at high risk for both prosthetic joint and listerial infections. In addition, those patients must be instructed on appropriate preventive measures.

  11. Animal models for oral transmission of Listeria monocytogenes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sarah E F D'Orazio

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Listeria monocytogenes has been recognized as a food borne pathogen in humans since the 1980s, but we still understand very little about oral transmission of L. monocytogenes or the host factors that determine susceptibility to gastrointestinal infection, due to the lack of an appropriate small animal model of oral listeriosis. Early feeding trials suggested that many animals were highly resistant to oral infection, and the more reproducible intravenous or intraperitoneal routes of inoculation soon came to be favored. There are a fair number of previously published studies using an oral infection route, but the work varies widely in terms of bacterial strain choice, the methods used for oral transmission, and various manipulations used to enhance infectivity. This mini review will summarize the published literature using oral routes of L. monocytogenes infection and will highlight recent technological advances that have made oral infection a more attractive model system.

  12. OrfX, a Nucleomodulin Required for Listeria monocytogenes Virulence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrzej Prokop

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterial pathogen causing severe foodborne infections in humans and animals. Listeria can enter into host cells and survive and multiply therein, due to an arsenal of virulence determinants encoded in different loci on the chromosome. Several key Listeria virulence genes are clustered in Listeria pathogenicity island 1. This important locus also contains orfX (lmo0206, a gene of unknown function. Here, we found that OrfX is a small, secreted protein whose expression is positively regulated by PrfA, the major transcriptional activator of Listeria virulence genes. We provide evidence that OrfX is a virulence factor that dampens the oxidative response of infected macrophages, which contributes to intracellular survival of bacteria. OrfX is targeted to the nucleus and interacts with the regulatory protein RybP. We show that in macrophages, the expression of OrfX decreases the level of RybP, which controls cellular infection. Collectively, these data reveal that Listeria targets RybP and evades macrophage oxidative stress for efficient infection. Altogether, OrfX is after LntA, the second virulence factor acting directly in the nucleus.

  13. Influence of temperature on alkali stress adaptation in Listeria monocytogenes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Listeria monocytogenes cells may induce alkali stress adaptation when exposed to sublethal concentrations of alkaline cleaners and sanitizers that may be frequently used in the food processing environment. In the present study, the effect of temperature on the induction and the stability of such alk...

  14. Bacteriophage biocontrol of Listeria monocytogenes on soft ripened white mold and red-smear cheeses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guenther, Susanne; Loessner, Martin J

    2011-03-01

    Soft-ripened cheeses belong to the type of food most often contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, and they have been implicated in several outbreaks of listeriosis. Bacteriophages represent an attractive way to combat foodborne pathogens without affecting other properties of the food. We used the broad host range, virulent Listeria phage A511 for control of L. monocytogenes during the production and ripening phases of both types of soft-ripened cheeses, white mold (Camembert-type) cheese, as well as washed-rind cheese with a red-smear surface (Limburger-type). The surfaces of young, unripened cheese were inoculated with 10(1)-10(3) cfu/cm(2)L. monocytogenes strains Scott A (serovar 4b) or CNL 10(3)/2005 (serovar 1/2a). Phage was applied at defined time points thereafter, in single or repeated treatments, at 3 × 10(8) or 1 × 10(9) pfu/cm(2). With Scott A (10(3) cfu/cm(2)) and a single dose of A511 (3 × 10(8) pfu/cm(2)) on camembert-type cheese, viable counts dropped 2.5 logs at the end of the 21 day ripening period. Repeated phage application did not further inhibit the bacteria, whereas a single higher dose (1 × 10(9) pfu/cm(2)) was found to be more effective. On red-smear cheese ripened for 22 days, Listeria counts were down by more than 3 logs. Repeated application of A511 further delayed re-growth of Listeria, but did not affect bacterial counts after 22 days. With lower initial Listeria contamination (10(1)-10(2) cfu/cm(2)), viable counts dropped below the limit of detection, corresponding to more than 6 logs reduction compared to the control. Our data clearly demonstrate the potential of bacteriophage for biocontrol of L. monocytogenes in soft cheese.

  15. Diversity Assessment of Heat Resistance of Listeria monocytogenes Strains in a Continuous-Flow Heating System

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Veen, van der S.; Wagendorp, A.; Abee, T.; Wells-Bennik, M.H.J.

    2009-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen that has the ability to survive relatively high temperatures compared with other nonsporulating foodborne pathogens. This study was performed to determine whether L. monocytogenes strains with relatively high heat resistances are adequately inactivated

  16. Morphological Change and Decreasing Transfer Rate of Biofilm-Featured Listeria monocytogenes EGDe.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Yuejia; Wang, Chinling

    2017-03-01

    Listeria monocytogenes , a lethal foodborne pathogen, has the ability to resist the hostile food processing environment and thus frequently contaminates ready-to-eat foods during processing. It is commonly accepted that the tendency of L. monocytogenes ' to generate biofilms on various surfaces enhances its resistance to the harshness of the food processing environment. However, the role of biofilm formation in the transferability of L. monocytogenes EGDe remains controversial. We examined the growth of Listeria biofilms on stainless steel surfaces and their effect on the transferability of L. monocytogenes EGDe. The experiments were a factorial 2 × 2 design with at least three biological replicates. Through scanning electron microscopy, a mature biofilm with intensive aggregates of cells was observed on the surface of stainless steel after 3 or 5 days of incubation, depending on the initial level of inoculation. During biofilm development, L. monocytogenes EGDe carried out binary fission vigorously before a mature biofilm was formed and subsequently changed its cellular morphology from rod shaped to sphere shaped. Furthermore, static biofilm, which was formed after 3 days of incubation at 25°C, significantly inhibited the transfer rate of L. monocytogenes EGDe from stainless steel blades to 15 bologna slices. During 7 days of storage at 4°C, however, bacterial growth rate was not significantly impacted by whether bacteria were transferred from biofilm and the initial concentrations of transferred bacteria on the slice. In conclusion, this study is the first to report a distinct change in morphology of L. monocytogenes EGDe at the late stage of biofilm formation. More importantly, once food is contaminated by L. monocytogenes EGDe, contamination proceeds independently of biofilm development and the initial level of contamination when food is stored at 4°C, even if contamination with L. monocytogenes EGDe was initially undetectable before storage.

  17. Patogénesis de Listeria monocytogenes, microorganismo zoonotico emergente

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kirvis Torres

    2005-05-01

    Full Text Available Listeria monocytogenes además de ser un paradigma para la investigación inmunológica se ha convertidoen sistema modelo apropiado para el análisis de los mecanismos moleculares del parasitismo intracelularde otras bacterias. Investigadores en el área de la inmunología se interesaron en este microorganismocuando se reconoció el riesgo que representaba para la salud pública y la seguridad en la industria dealimentos. Desde mediados de los años 80’s se ha investigado la biología molecular de los marcadores devirulencia de este microorganismo, la biología celular de las interacciones de los marcadores de virulenciacon los receptores de la célula hospedero, el citoesqueleto, las vías de transducción de señales y losmecanismos de inmunidad mediada por células del hospedero. El propósito de esta revisión es describiralgunas características taxonómicas y filogenéticas de Listeria monocytogenes , la incidencia humana yanimal de varios serotipos, la fisiopatología de la infección , modelos animales y de cultivo celular utilizadospara estudios de virulencia, las poblaciones de riesgo, manifestaciones clínicas de listeriosis humana yanimal, el tratamiento, la organización genética y evolución de los determinantes de virulencia, losmecanismos empleados para interactuar con la célula hospedera, y los mecanismos para escapar de losprocesos de muerte celular y pasar de una célula infectada a otra. La información recopilada resulta degran importancia para el personal de salud, industria, consumidores y población de riesgo; razón por lacual Listeria monocytogenes es un patógeno que representa una amenaza para la salud pública mundial.

  18. Low prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in cull sows and pork.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wesley, Irene V; Larsen, Steven; Hurd, H Scott; McKean, James D; Griffith, Ronald; Rivera, Fernando; Nannapaneni, Ramakrishna; Cox, Mandy; Johnson, Michael; Wagner, Dean; de Martino, Mary

    2008-03-01

    The goal of this study was to determine the prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in sows slaughtered at a single Midwestern plant on two occasions (trial 1, n = 179 sows; trial 2, n = 160 sows). Fecal samples collected antemortem (trial 1) as well as animal tissues, and carcass swabs collected at the abattoir (trials 1 and 2) were analyzed. Eight isolates of L. monocytogenes were recovered from five samples that represented 0.18% of the total samples (n = 2,775). In trial 1, L. monocytogenes was detected in a tonsil sample (0.6%; 1 positive of 181 tonsils), in a carcass (0.6%; 1 positive of 179 carcasses), which was sampled prior to the organic rinse, and in two chopped meat block samples (1.2%; 2 positive of 165 samples). In trial 2, L. monocytogenes was only detected in a single chopped meat block sample (0.15%; 1 positive of 688 total samples). These data indicate the low prevalence of L. monocytogenes in the cull sow.

  19. Prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility of Listeria monocytogenes on chicken carcasses in Bandung, Indonesia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugiri, Yoni Darmawan; Gölz, Greta; Meeyam, Tongkorn; Baumann, Maximilian P O; Kleer, Josef; Chaisowwong, Warangkhana; Alter, Thomas

    2014-08-01

    This study was conducted to determine the prevalence and quantify the number of Listeria monocytogenes in fresh chicken carcasses sold in traditional markets and supermarkets in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia, and to determine the antimicrobial resistance patterns of the isolated L. monocytogenes strains. The overall prevalence of L. monocytogenes in chicken carcasses was 15.8% (29/184). When comparing samples from traditional markets and supermarkets, no significant difference in the L. monocytogenes prevalence was detectable (15.2 versus 16.3%). Of the samples, 97.3% had L. monocytogenes counts study were grouped into the molecular serogroup IIb, comprising the serovars 1/2b, 3b, and 7.

  20. A case of bovine raw milk contamination with Listeria monocytogenes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hunt Karen

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract During routine sampling of bulk raw milk on a dairy farm, the pathogenic bacteria Listeria monocytogenes was found to be a contaminant, at numbers L. monocytogenes, indicating a possible case of excretion of the L. monocytogenes directly into the milk. Milk samples were collected from the individual cows and analysed, resulting in the identification of L. monocytogenes excretion (at 280 cfu/ml from one of the 4 mammary quarters of one dairy cow out of 180. When the infected cow was isolated from the herd, no L. monocytogenes was detected from the remaining herd. The pulsed-field gel electrophoresis pattern of the strain from the individual cow was indistinguishable from that originally isolated from the bulk milk. The infected cow did not show any clinical signs of disease, nor did the appearance of the milk have any physical abnormalities. Antibiotic treatment of the infected mammary quarter was found to be ineffective. This study shows that there can be risks associated with direct contamination of raw milk with L. monocytogenes.

  1. Inhibition of sortase A by chalcone prevents Listeria monocytogenes infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Hongen; Chen, Yutao; Zhang, Bing; Niu, Xiaodi; Song, Meng; Luo, Zhaoqing; Lu, Gejin; Liu, Bowen; Zhao, Xiaoran; Wang, Jianfeng; Deng, Xuming

    2016-04-15

    The critical role of sortase A in gram-positive bacterial pathogenicity makes this protein a good potential target for antimicrobial therapy. In this study, we report for the first time the crystal structure of Listeria monocytogenes sortase A and identify the active sites that mediate its transpeptidase activity. We also used a sortase A (SrtA) enzyme activity inhibition assay, simulation, and isothermal titration calorimetry analysis to discover that chalcone, an agent with little anti-L. monocytogenes activity, could significantly inhibit sortase A activity with an IC50 of 28.41 ± 5.34 μM by occupying the active site of SrtA. The addition of chalcone to a co-culture of L. monocytogenes and Caco-2 cells significantly inhibited bacterial entry into the cells and L. monocytogenes-mediated cytotoxicity. Additionally, chalcone treatment decreased the mortality of infected mice, the bacterial burden in target organs, and the pathological damage to L. monocytogenes-infected mice. In conclusion, these findings suggest that chalcone is a promising candidate for the development of treatment against L. monocytogenes infection. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Comparison of the growth of Listeria monocytogenes in unirradiated and irradiated cook-chill roast beef and gravy at refrigeration temperatures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grant, I.R.; Nixon, C.R.; Patterson, M.F.

    1993-01-01

    Specific growth rates of two strains of Listeria monocytogenes in unirradiated and irradiated (2 kGy) roast beef and gravy stored at 5° and 10°C were found to be similar. However, exponential growth of L. monocytogenes after irradiation was preceded by an extended lag period of 6–9 d at 5°C and 3–4 d at 10°C, compared with lag periods of 1–2 d and <0.1 d in unirradiated beef and gravy stored similarly

  3. Silver as antibacterial towards Listeria monocytogenes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Simone eBelluco

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Listeria monocytogenes is a serious foodborne pathogen that can contaminate food during processing and can grow during food shelf-life. New types of safe and effective food contact materials embedding antimicrobial agents, like silver, can play an important role in the food industry. The present work aimed at evaluating the in vitro growth kinetics of different strains of L. monocytogenes in the presence of silver, both in its ionic and nano form. The antimicrobial effect was determined by assaying the number of culturable bacterial cells, which formed colonies after incubation in the presence of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs or silver nitrate (AgNO3. Ionic release experiments were performed in parallel. A different reduction of bacterial viability between silver ionic and nano forms was observed, with a time delayed effect exerted by AgNPs. An association between antimicrobial activity and ions concentration was shown by both silver chemical forms, suggesting the major role of ions in the antimicrobial mode of action.

  4. Exendin-4 improves resistance to Listeria monocytogenes infection in diabetic db/db mice

    OpenAIRE

    Liu, Hsien Yueh; Chung, Chih-Yao; Yang, Wen-Chin; Liang, Chih-Lung; Wang, Chi-Young; Chang, Chih-Yu; Chang, Cicero Lee-Tian

    2012-01-01

    The incidence of diabetes mellitus is increasing among companion animals. This disease has similar characteristics in both humans and animals. Diabetes is frequently identified as an independent risk factor for infections associated with increased mortality. In the present study, homozygous diabetic (db/db) mice were infected with Listeria (L.) monocytogenes and then treated with the anti-diabetic drug exendin-4, a glucagon-like peptide 1 analogue. In aged db/db mice, decreased CD11b+ macroph...

  5. The Efficiency of UVC Radiation in the Inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes on Beef-Agar Food Models

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christian James

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study is to evaluate the eff ect of meat content and surface smoothness on the deactivation of Listeria monocytogenes in beef-agar food models achieved by shortwave ultraviolet (UVC light. Food models with various meat contents were made using chopped beef slices and agar solution. Prepared models together with a Listeria selective agar (LSA plate and a slice of cooked beef were inoculated with L. monocytogenes and then exposed to UVC light. Population of Listeria reduced to below the level of detection on the LSA plates. As the content of beef in the beef-agar models increased, more L. monocytogenes cells survived. Survival was greatest on the treated cooked slice of beef. To bett er understand the effect of surface irregularities, a white light interferometer was used to analyse the surface smoothness of beef-agar media and LSA plates. No correlation was observed between the surface roughness of seven out of nine types of produced beef-agar media and the degree of inactivation resulting from UVC radiation at the given dose, whereas, less bacterial cells were killed as beef content of the food models increased. The findings of the current study show that the chemical composition of the treated sample also plays an important role in pathogen resistance and survival, meaning that two samples with similar surface irregularities but diff erent chemical composition might produce very diff erent inactivation results when exposed to UVC light.

  6. Survival of Bactericidal Antibiotic Treatment by a Persister Subpopulation of Listeria monocytogenes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Knudsen, Gitte Maegaard; Ng, Yin; Gram, Lone

    2013-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes can cause the serious infection listeriosis, which despite antibiotic treatment has a high mortality. Understanding the response of L. monocytogenes to antibiotic exposure is therefore important to ensure treatment success. Some bacteria survive antibiotic treatment...... by formation of persisters, which are a dormant antibiotic-tolerant subpopulation. The purpose of this study was to determine whether L. monocytogenes can form persisters and how bacterial physiology affects the number of persisters in the population. A stationary-phase culture of L. monocytogenes was adjusted...... that eradication of persisters is possible. Our study adds L. monocytogenes to the list of bacterial species capable of surviving bactericidal antibiotics in a dormant stage, and this persister phenomenon should be borne in mind when developing treatment regimens....

  7. Variations in virulence between different electrophoretic types of Listeria monocytogenes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nørrung, Birgit; Andersen, Jens Kirk

    2000-01-01

    A total of 245 strains of Listeria monocytogenes, representing 33 different electrophoretic types (ETs), were examined quantitatively for haemolytic activity. No significant difference was observed in the mean haemolytic activity between different ETs. Eighty four out of 91 strains examined were...... compared with 3.64 among food isolates). The explanation for this may be that more virulent strains are more prone to cause human infection. It is, however, also possible that strains oft. monocytogenes may become more virulent while multiplying in a living organism compared with multiplying in foods....

  8. Rapid identification and classification of Listeria spp. and serotype assignment of Listeria monocytogenes using fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy and artificial neural network analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    The use of Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) in conjunction with Artificial Neural Network software, NeuroDeveloper™ was examined for the rapid identification and classification of Listeria species and serotyping of Listeria monocytogenes. A spectral library was created for 245 strains...

  9. Comparison of three Listeria monocytogenes strains in a guinea-pig model simulating food-borne exposure

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Roldgaard, Bent; Andersen, Jens Bo; Hansen, Tina Beck

    2009-01-01

    Three different Listeria monocytogenes strains, LO28 (a laboratory strain with truncated InlA), 4446 (a clinical isolate) and 7291 (a food isolate), were compared in a guinea-pig model designed to mimic food-borne exposure. The objectives were (1) to verify the applicability of the animal model...... for distinguishing between Listeria with different virulence properties and (2) to explore whether it was possible to reduce the required number of animals by dosing with mixed cultures instead of monocultures. Consistent with in vitro observations of infectivity in Caco-2 cells, faecal densities and presence...... of Listeria strains gave similar results as dosage with a mixture of the three strains; thus, the mixed infection approach was a feasible way to reduce the number of animals needed for determination of listerial virulence....

  10. Occurrence of Listeria monocytogenes in cheese and ice cream produced in the State of Paraná, Brazil Ocorrência de Listeria monocytogenes em queijos e sorvetes produzidos no Estado do Paraná, Brasil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wanda Moscalewski Abrahão

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available The occurrence of Listeria monocytogenes in Brazilian ice cream and in some soft and semi-soft cheeses produced and sold in the State of Paraná, Brazil was evaluated. Ninety samples of cheese and sixty samples of ice creams were analyzed following the guidelines outlined by the official institutes, AOAC and FDA. In the ice cream samples no isolation of Listeria spp. was found. The percentage of these ninety samples of cheeses positive for Listeria spp. was 12.20%. Listeria monocytogenes was detected in six (6.70% of the same samples. The presence of Listeria innocua was five (5.50% in the samples analyzed was also observed. According to the results of the work it is possible to presume that there is a potential health risk to the brazilian population, heightened by aging and the increase in immunodepressed. These results indicate the need for the implementation of monitoring of these microorganisms as much by producers as by health inspectors. The results also show that the VIP (visual immunoprecipitation assay is a viable triage method of contaminated samples for the liberation of products for commercialization, as it is quick, reliable and does not require additional equipment other than that normally found in production labs, while presenting reliable results.A ocorrência de Listeria monocytogenes em sorvetes e alguns tipos de queijos macios e semi-macios produzidos e vendidos no Estado do Paraná Brasil foram avaliados. Noventa amostras de queijo e sessenta amostras de sorvete foram analisadas seguindo os protocolos da AOAC e FDA. Nas amostras de sorvete, não ocorreu o isolamento de Listeria spp. Foi detectada Listeria spp em 12,20% de amostras de queijo, das quais 6 (6,70% foram positivas para Listeria monocytogenes. Foi também observada a presença de Listeria innocua em 5 amostras (5,50% das mesmas amostras. Pelos resultados deste trabalho pode-se pressupor que existe um risco potencial à saúde da população brasileira com o

  11. Effect of benzalkonium chloride on viability and energy metabolism in exponential- and stationary-growth-phase cells of Listeria monocytogenes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Luppens, S.B.I.; Abee, T.; Oosterom, J.

    2001-01-01

    The difference in killing exponential- and stationary-phase cells of Listeria monocytogenes by benzalkonium chloride (BAC) was investigated by plate counting and linked to relevant bioenergetic parameters. At a low concentration of BAC (8 mg liter-1), a similar reduction in viable cell numbers was

  12. LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES IN THE CONTEXT OF THE NEW COMMUNITY REGULATIONS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Bragagnolo

    2008-02-01

    Full Text Available In recent years in the countries of the European Union have occurred profound and radical changes regarding the safety and hygiene of foodstuffs. The aim of this work is to highlight the significant changes made by the recent legislation in the control of Listeria monocytogenes.

  13. Use of a novel medium, the Polymyxin Ceftazidime Oxford Medium, for isolation of Listeria monocytogenes from raw or non-pasteurized foods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martínez-Gonzáles, N E; Martínez-Chávez, L; Cabrera-Díaz, E; Martínez-Cárdenas, C; Gutiérrez-González, P; Castillo, A

    2016-05-01

    Polymyxin Ceftazidime Oxford Medium (PCOM), a novel selective and differential plating medium for Listeria monocytogenes was compared with Modified Oxford Agar (MOX) for efficacy to isolate L. monocytogenes and other Listeria spp. naturally present in non-pasteurized Mexican-style cheese (n = 50), non-pasteurized fresh squeezed orange juice (n = 50), raw beef chunks (n = 36), and fresh cabbage (n = 125). Samples were collected from retail markets and farms in Mexico and tested following the US Department of Agriculture enrichment technique. Listeria spp. were isolated from 23.4% of analyzed samples, and from those, 75.0% corresponded to raw beef chunks, 38.0% to non-pasteurized Mexican-style cheese, and 30.0% to fresh squeezed orange juice. No Listeria spp. were isolated from fresh cabbage samples. L. monocytogenes was recovered from 15.3% of food samples analyzed. Non-pasteurized Mexican-style cheese showed the highest proportion of L. monocytogenes positive samples (36.0%), followed by orange juice (26.0%) and raw beef (25.0%). The frequency of isolation of Listeria spp. and L. monocytogenes was not different (P > 0.05) between PCOM and MOX. The advantages of using PCOM when comparing to MOX, include the easier way to identify Listeria species, the lower cost per plate and the availability of its ingredients for Latin-American countries. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Diversity assessment of Listeria monocytogenes biofilm formation: Impact of growth condition, serotype and strain origin

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kadam, S.R.; Besten, den H.M.W.; Veen, van der S.; Zwietering, M.H.; Moezelaar, R.; Abee, T.

    2013-01-01

    The foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes has the ability to produce biofilms in food-processing environments and then contaminate food products, which is a major concern for food safety. The biofilm forming behavior of 143 L. monocytogenes strains was determined in four different media that

  15. Isolation and characterization of an atypical Listeria monocytogenes associated with a canine urinary tract infection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Listeria monocytogenes, a well-described cause of encephalitis and abortion in ruminants and of food-borne illness in humans, is rarely associated with disease in companion animals. A case of urinary tract infection associated with an atypical, weakly hemolytic L. monocytogenes strain is described i...

  16. Enrichment dynamics of Listeria monocytogenes and the associated microbiome from naturally contaminated ice cream linked to a listeriosis outbreak.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ottesen, Andrea; Ramachandran, Padmini; Reed, Elizabeth; White, James R; Hasan, Nur; Subramanian, Poorani; Ryan, Gina; Jarvis, Karen; Grim, Christopher; Daquiqan, Ninalynn; Hanes, Darcy; Allard, Marc; Colwell, Rita; Brown, Eric; Chen, Yi

    2016-11-16

    Microbiota that co-enrich during efforts to recover pathogens from foodborne outbreaks interfere with efficient detection and recovery. Here, dynamics of co-enriching microbiota during recovery of Listeria monocytogenes from naturally contaminated ice cream samples linked to an outbreak are described for three different initial enrichment formulations used by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the International Organization of Standardization (ISO), and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Enrichment cultures were analyzed using DNA extraction and sequencing from samples taken every 4 h throughout 48 h of enrichment. Resphera Insight and CosmosID analysis tools were employed for high-resolution profiling of 16S rRNA amplicons and whole genome shotgun data, respectively. During enrichment, other bacterial taxa were identified, including Anoxybacillus, Geobacillus, Serratia, Pseudomonas, Erwinia, and Streptococcus spp. Surprisingly, incidence of L. monocytogenes was proportionally greater at hour 0 than when tested 4, 8, and 12 h later with all three enrichment schemes. The corresponding increase in Anoxybacillus and Geobacillus spp.indicated these taxa co-enriched in competition with L. monocytogenes during early enrichment hours. L. monocytogenes became dominant after 24 h in all three enrichments. DNA sequences obtained from shotgun metagenomic data of Listeria monocytogenes at 48 h were assembled to produce a consensus draft genome which appeared to have a similar tracking utility to pure culture isolates of L. monocytogenes. All three methods performed equally well for enrichment of Listeria monocytogenes. The observation of potential competitive exclusion of L. mono by Anoxybacillus and Geobacillus in early enrichment hours provided novel information that may be used to further optimize enrichment formulations. Application of Resphera Insight for high-resolution analysis of 16S amplicon sequences accurately identified L. monocytogenes

  17. Detection of Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat foods sampled from a catering service in Apulia, Italy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caggiano, Giuseppina; De Giglio, Osvalda; Lovero, Grazia; Rutigliano, Serafina; Diella, Giusy; Balbino, Stella; Napoli, Christian; Montagna, Maria Teresa

    2015-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes is currently considered a relevant emerging food-borne pathogen. In particular, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) illustrates its widespread presence in different foods. In the present article, L. monocytogenes prevalence was estimated in cooked ready-to-eat foods sampled from a catering service in a Apulia city, southern Italy. The study was carried out from January to June 2014 in according to Regulation (EC) No. 852/2004, and ISO 11290-1:1996/Amd.1:2004 methods. Listeria spp. was isolated in 8.3% of the samples: L. monocytogenes was identified with the highest prevalence in potato gateau (66.6%), followed by rice dishes (11.1%), Listeria innocua was isolated from potato purea (11.1%) and cooked vegetables (11.1%). These preliminary results confirm the diffusion of the microorganism in ready-to-eat products; therefore, strategies aimed at protecting the consumers should be adopted. First of all, correct hygiene procedures should be followed and then microbiological tests should be implemented in order to early detect Listeria spp. (not only LM) contamination in cooked foods.

  18. Depletion of proton motive force by nisin in Listeria monocytogenes cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruno, M E; Kaiser, A; Montville, T J

    1992-07-01

    The basal proton motive force (PMF) levels and the influence of the bacteriocin nisin on the PMF were determined in Listeria monocytogenes Scott A. In the absence of nisin, the interconversion of the pH gradient (Z delta pH) and the membrane potential (delta psi) led to the maintenance of a fairly constant PMF at -160 mV over the external pH range 5.5 to 7.0. The addition of nisin at concentrations of greater than or equal to 5 micrograms/ml completely dissipated PMF in cells at external pH values of 5.5 and 7.0. With 1 microgram of nisin per ml, delta pH was completely dissipated but delta psi decreased only slightly. The action of nisin on PMF in L. monocytogenes Scott A was both time and concentration dependent. Valinomycin depleted only delta pH, whereas nigericin and carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone depleted only delta psi, under conditions in which nisin depleted both. Four other L. monocytogenes strains had basal PMF parameters similar to those of strain Scott A. Nisin (2.5 micrograms/ml) also completely dissipated PMF in these strains.

  19. Listeria monocytogenes contamination in dairy plants: evaluation of Listeria monocytogenes environmental contamination in two cheese-making plants using sheeps milk

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michela Ibba

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Listeria monocytogenes harbouring niches established in the processing plant support post-process contamination of dairy products made from pasteurised or thermised milk. The present study investigated L. monocytogenes environmental contamination in two sheep’s milk cheese-making plants. Persistence of contamination in the area at higher risk was also investigated. During a one-year survey 7 samplings were carried out in each dairy plant, along the production lines of Pecorino Romano and ricotta salata cheese. A total of 613 environmental samples collected from food contact and non-food contact surfaces were analysed according to ISO 11290-1:2005 standard method. Identification of the isolated strains was carried out by polymerase chain reaction. L. monocytogenes prevalence was 23.2% in dairy A and 13.1% in dairy B, respectively. The higher prevalence rate was found in the following areas: salting, products washing, packaging, ricotta salata storage and Pecorino Romano ripening rooms. L. monocytogenes was never found in the cheese-making area. The probability of observing samples positive for the presence of L. monocytogenes was asso- ciated with dairy plant, sampling area and the period of cheese-making (P<0.001. The greater persistence of contamination over time was observed in the washing, salting, and Pecorino Romano ripening areas. The control of persistent environmental contamination relies on the identification of L. monocytogenes niches within the processing environment and the prevention of harborage sites formation. The importance of strict cleaning and sanitising procedure in controlling L. monocytogenes environmental contamination is confirmed by the lower level of contamination observed after these procedures were correctly implemented.

  20. Important vectors for Listeria monocytogenes transmission at farm dairies manufacturing fresh sheep and goat cheese from raw milk.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schoder, Dagmar; Melzner, Daniela; Schmalwieser, Alois; Zangana, Abdoulla; Winter, Petra; Wagner, Martin

    2011-06-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the transmission routs of Listeria spp. in dairy farms manufacturing fresh cheese made from ovine and caprine raw milk and to evaluate the impact of Listeria monocytogenes mastitis on raw milk contamination. Overall, 5,799 samples, including 835 environmental samples, 230 milk and milk product samples, and 4,734 aseptic half-udder foremilk samples were collected from 53 dairy farms in the dairy intensive area of Lower Austria. Farms were selected for the study because raw milk was processed to cheese that was sold directly to consumers. A total of 153 samples were positive for Listeria spp., yielding an overall prevalence of 2.6%; L. monocytogenes was found in 0.9% of the samples. Bulk tank milk, cheese, and half-udder samples were negative for Listeria spp. Because none of the sheep and goats tested positive from udder samples, L. monocytogenes mastitis was excluded as a significant source of raw milk contamination. L. monocytogenes was detected at 30.2% of all inspected farms. Swab samples from working boots and fecal samples had a significantly higher overall prevalence (P < 0.001) of L. monocytogenes (15.7 and 13.0%, respectively) than did swab samples from the milk processing environment (7.9%). A significant correlation was found between the prevalence of L. monocytogenes in the animal and in the milk processing environment and the silage feeding practices. Isolation of L. monocytogenes was three to seven times more likely from farms where silage was fed to animals throughout the year than from farms where silage was not fed to the animals.

  1. RNA- and protein-mediated control of Listeria monocytogenes virulence gene expression

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lebreton, Alice; Cossart, Pascale

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT The model opportunistic pathogen Listeria monocytogenes has been the object of extensive research, aiming at understanding its ability to colonize diverse environmental niches and animal hosts. Bacterial transcriptomes in various conditions reflect this efficient adaptability. We review here our current knowledge of the mechanisms allowing L. monocytogenes to respond to environmental changes and trigger pathogenicity, with a special focus on RNA-mediated control of gene expression. We highlight how these studies have brought novel concepts in prokaryotic gene regulation, such as the ‘excludon’ where the 5′-UTR of a messenger also acts as an antisense regulator of an operon transcribed in opposite orientation, or the notion that riboswitches can regulate non-coding RNAs to integrate complex metabolic stimuli into regulatory networks. Overall, the Listeria model exemplifies that fine RNA tuners act together with master regulatory proteins to orchestrate appropriate transcriptional programmes. PMID:27217337

  2. Spatial and Temporal Factors Associated with an Increased Prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in Spinach Fields in New York State.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weller, Daniel; Wiedmann, Martin; Strawn, Laura K

    2015-09-01

    While rain and irrigation events have been associated with an increased prevalence of foodborne pathogens in produce production environments, quantitative data are needed to determine the effects of various spatial and temporal factors on the risk of produce contamination following these events. This study was performed to quantify these effects and to determine the impact of rain and irrigation events on the detection frequency and diversity of Listeria species (including L. monocytogenes) and L. monocytogenes in produce fields. Two spinach fields, with high and low predicted risks of L. monocytogenes isolation, were sampled 24, 48, 72, and 144 to 192 h following irrigation and rain events. Predicted risk was a function of the field's proximity to water and roads. Factors were evaluated for their association with Listeria species and L. monocytogenes isolation by using generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs). In total, 1,492 (1,092 soil, 334 leaf, 14 fecal, and 52 water) samples were collected. According to the GLMM, the likelihood of Listeria species and L. monocytogenes isolation from soil samples was highest during the 24 h immediately following an event (odds ratios [ORs] of 7.7 and 25, respectively). Additionally, Listeria species and L. monocytogenes isolates associated with irrigation events showed significantly lower sigB allele type diversity than did isolates associated with precipitation events (P = <0.001), suggesting that irrigation water may be a point source of L. monocytogenes contamination. Small changes in management practices (e.g., not irrigating fields before harvest) may therefore reduce the risk of L. monocytogenes contamination of fresh produce. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  3. InlB-mediated Listeria monocytogenes internalization requires a balanced phospholipase D activity maintained through phospho-cofilin

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Han, Xuelin; Yu, Rentao; Ji, Lei; Zhen, Dongyu; Tao, Sha; Li, Shuai; Sun, Yansong; Huang, Liuyu; Feng, Zhe; Li, Xianping; Han, Gaige; Schmidt, Martina; Han, Li

    Internalization of Listeria monocytogenes into non-phagocytic cells is tightly controlled by host cell actin dynamics and cell membrane alterations. However, knowledge about the impact of phosphatidylcholine cleavage driven by host cell phospholipase D (PLD) on Listeria internalization into

  4. Isolation and biochemical and molecular characterization of Listeria monocytogenes in food

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Helel, Salma

    2008-01-01

    monocytogenes is a Gram-positive bacteria, saprophytic, non-spore. This is an extremely resistant seeds to environmental conditions outside, especially since the cold psychrotrophic. It can contaminate raw vegetables, cooked meals ready for consumption or foods to be stored in the refrigerator, such as cheese or meat. It is the bacteria responsible for listeriosis. It threatens first unborn children, infants, pregnant women, the elderly and people whose immune system is weakened. Strains of Listeria spp isolated from foods (seafood, meat, meat) were first identified at the stage of the genus by classical tests (Gram staining, catalase test, oxidase test and mobility) and stage of the test case by hemolysis, CAMP test and the gallery Api Listeria. Biochemical characterization allowed after a numerical analysis, to assign 100% of isolates to the genus Listeria. Molecular characterization was performed by PCR amplification of genes coding for protein p60 (iap), the listeriolysine O (hly), the Phosphatidylinositol Phospholipase C (PI-PLC plca) Phosphatidylcholine Phospholipase C (plcB). The result showed an amplification of the iap gene of 100% of the hly gene, plca, plcB of 31.81%. This characterization represents an identification of the collection on the genetic level and shows that 31.81% of isolates, is likely to express the genes responsible for virulence factors of L. monocytogenes, to produce listeriolysine O, phospholipase C and Lecithinase. The molecular identification was performed by microarray technique and identified isolates L. September monocytogenes (five original clinical isolates and two food-borne), fourteen L. innocua (of food) and a strain not identified by DNA chip.. (Author)

  5. Novel Biocontrol Methods for Listeria monocytogenes Biofilms in Food Production Facilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gray, Jessica A; Chandry, P Scott; Kaur, Mandeep; Kocharunchitt, Chawalit; Bowman, John P; Fox, Edward M

    2018-01-01

    High mortality and hospitalization rates have seen Listeria monocytogenes as a foodborne pathogen of public health importance for many years and of particular concern for high-risk population groups. Food manufactures face an ongoing challenge in preventing the entry of L. monocytogenes into food production environments (FPEs) due to its ubiquitous nature. In addition to this, the capacity of L. monocytogenes strains to colonize FPEs can lead to repeated identification of L. monocytogenes in FPE surveillance. The contamination of food products requiring product recall presents large economic burden to industry and is further exacerbated by damage to the brand. Poor equipment design, facility layout, and worn or damaged equipment can result in Listeria hotspots and biofilms where traditional cleaning and disinfecting procedures may be inadequate. Novel biocontrol methods may offer FPEs effective means to help improve control of L. monocytogenes and decrease cross contamination of food. Bacteriophages have been used as a medical treatment for many years for their ability to infect and lyse specific bacteria. Endolysins, the hydrolytic enzymes of bacteriophages responsible for breaking the cell wall of Gram-positive bacteria, are being explored as a biocontrol method for food preservation and in nanotechnology and medical applications. Antibacterial proteins known as bacteriocins have been used as alternatives to antibiotics for biopreservation and food product shelf life extension. Essential oils are natural antimicrobials formed by plants and have been used as food additives and preservatives for many years and more recently as a method to prevent food spoilage by microorganisms. Competitive exclusion occurs naturally among bacteria in the environment. However, intentionally selecting and applying bacteria to effect competitive exclusion of food borne pathogens has potential as a biocontrol application. This review discusses these novel biocontrol methods and their

  6. 2-deoxy-D-glucose-induced metabolic stress enhances resistance to Listeria monocytogenes infection in mice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, E. S.; Bates, R. A.; Koebel, D. A.; Fuchs, B. B.; Sonnenfeld, G.

    1998-01-01

    Exposure to different forms of psychological and physiological stress can elicit a host stress response, which alters normal parameters of neuroendocrine homeostasis. The present study evaluated the influence of the metabolic stressor 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG; a glucose analog, which when administered to rodents, induces acute periods of metabolic stress) on the capacity of mice to resist infection with the facultative intracellular bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes. Female BDF1 mice were injected with 2-DG (500 mg/kg b. wt.) once every 48 h prior to, concurrent with, or after the onset of a sublethal dose of virulent L. monocytogenes. Kinetics of bacterial growth in mice were not altered if 2-DG was applied concurrently or after the start of the infection. In contrast, mice exposed to 2-DG prior to infection demonstrated an enhanced resistance to the listeria challenge. The enhanced bacterial clearance in vivo could not be explained by 2-DG exerting a toxic effect on the listeria, based on the results of two experiments. First, 2-DG did not inhibit listeria replication in trypticase soy broth. Second, replication of L. monocytogenes was not inhibited in bone marrow-derived macrophage cultures exposed to 2-DG. Production of neopterin and lysozyme, indicators of macrophage activation, were enhanced following exposure to 2-DG, which correlated with the increased resistance to L. monocytogenes. These results support the contention that the host response to 2-DG-induced metabolic stress can influence the capacity of the immune system to resist infection by certain classes of microbial pathogens.

  7. LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES RISK EVALUATION IN READY TO EAT DELI PRODUCTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T Civera

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Listeria monocytogenes has become one of the major concerns for food safety. Its ability to survive and replicate at low temperature, pH and high salt concentration, makes the bacterium a threat, mostly for RTE products. For these reasons, the present research was aimed at detecting the ability of growth of L. monocytogenes in RTE products retrieved from one deli store. Samples were analysed for L. monocytogenes detection, then inoculated with the pathogen (105cell/ml and stored at refrigeration temperature for the duration of their shelf-life (15-60 days. In all the products L. monocytogenes was not detected before experimental contamination. The challenge test evidenced that experimentally inoculated L. monocytogenes was not able to multiply for the duration of the entire shelf-life. These results indicated that the tested products could be considered as foods which are not able to support the growth of L. monocytogenes, as indicated by E.C. Regulation 2073/05. However, in order to guarantee consumer’s safety, it needs to be emphasized the need of a correct application of the GMPs, required for lowering the risk of initial contamination.

  8. Rapid detection of Listeria monocytogenes in raw milk and soft cheese by a redox potential measurement based method combined with real-time PCR.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erdősi, Orsolya; Szakmár, Katalin; Reichart, Olivér; Szili, Zsuzsanna; László, Noémi; Székely Körmöczy, Péter; Laczay, Péter

    2014-09-01

    The incidence of outbreaks of foodborne listeriosis has indicated the need for a reliable and rapid detection of the microbe in different foodstuffs. A method combining redox potential measurement and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was developed to detect Listeria monocytogenes in artificially contaminated raw milk and soft cheese. Food samples of 25 g or 25 ml were homogenised in 225 ml of Listeria Enrichment Broth (LEB) with Oxford supplement, and the redox potential measurement technique was applied. For Listeria species the measuring time was maximum 34 h. The absence of L. monocytogenes could reliably be proven by the redox potential measurement method, but Listeria innocua and Bacillus subtilis could not be differentiated from L. monocytogenes on the basis of the redox curves. The presence of L. monocytogenes had to be confirmed by real-time PCR. The combination of these two methods proved to detect < 10 cfu/g of L. monocytogenes in a cost- and time-effective manner. This method can potentially be used as an alternative to the standard nutrient method for the rapid detection of L. monocytogenes in food.

  9. The challenge of setting risk-based microbiological criteria for Listeria monocytogenes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Jens Kirk; Nørrung, Birgit

    2011-01-01

    After more than 20 years of work with discussing the setting of microbiological criteria for Listeria monocytogenes in foods, Codex Alimentarius on Food Hygiene has finalised a proposal that was recently adopted by the Codex Alimentarius Commission. The effort of developing procedures for making...... the microbiological criteria risk-based to the greatest extent possible has challenged scientists and managers during this long time period. Yet, the establishment of microbiological criteria for L. monocytogenes is still being discussed and several approaches are possible. Setting of microbiological criteria...

  10. Phenotypic and Genotypic Characteristics of Listeria monocytogenes Isolated From Dairy and Meat Products

    OpenAIRE

    Bahador; Sadeghi Kalani; Valian; Irajian; Lotfollahi

    2015-01-01

    Background Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen and a serious threat to the public health in the world. Consumption of traditional foods such as dairy and meat products can be a major reason for relative abundance and isolation of these bacteria. Objectives The purpose of this study was to determine the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of L. monocytogenes strains isolated from dairy and meat products. ...

  11. Microbiological criteria for Listeria monocytogenes in foods under special consideration of risk assessment approaches

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nørrung, Birgit

    2000-01-01

    This paper shortly summarizes data related to risk assessment of Listeria monocytogenes. From available data on risk assessment, it is concluded that the levels of L. monocytogenes consumed is an important factor affecting the incidence of listeriosis. Foods that do not support the growth of L....... monocytogenes are unlikely to be a source of listeriosis, whereas foods that support the growth to high levels, should be the target of risk management efforts. Based on current epidemiological information from several countries, a concentration of L. monocytogenes not exceeding 100/g of food at the time...... of L. monocytogenes in the food during prevailing storage and distribution conditions is needed....

  12. Listeria monocytogenes response regulators important for stress tolerance and pathogenesis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kallipolitis, B H; Ingmer, H

    2001-01-01

    Environmental sensing by two-component signal transduction systems is likely to play a role for growth and survival of Listeria monocytogenes both during transmission in food products and within a host organism. Two-component systems typically consist of a membrane-associated sensor histidine...... kinase and a gene regulatory protein, the response regulator (RR). We have identified seven putative RR genes in L. monocytogenes LO28 by PCR using degenerate oligonucleotide primers. By insertional inactivation we obtained data suggesting that three of the putative RRs contribute to the pathogenicity...... of L. monocytogenes in mice. Strikingly, the mutants that were attenuated in virulence also had a decreased ability to grow in the presence of various stress conditions potentially encountered in an infection process. Thus, our data point to a connection between the ability of the putative two...

  13. Listeria monocytogenes serovar 4a is a possible evolutionary intermediate between L. monocytogenes serovars 1/2a and 4b and L. innocua.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Jianshun; Jiang, Lingli; Chen, Xueyan; Luo, Xiaokai; Chen, Yang; Yu, Ying; Tian, Guoming; Liu, Dongyou; Fang, Weihuan

    2009-03-01

    The genus Listeria consists of six closely related species and forms three phylogenetic groups: L. monocytogenes- L. innocua, L. ivanovii-L. seeligeri-L. welshimeri, and L. grayi. In this report, we attempted to examine the evolutionary relationship in the L. monocytogenes-L. innocua group by probing the nucleotide sequences of 23S rRNA and 16S rRNA, and the gene clusters lmo0029-lmo0042, ascBdapE, rplS-infC, and prs-ldh in L. monocytogenes serovars 1/2a, 4a, and 4b, and L. innocua. Additionally, we assessed the status of L. monocytogenes-specific inlA and inlB genes and 10 L. innocua-specific genes in these species/serovars, together with phenotypic characterization by using in vivo and in vitro procedures. The results indicate that L. monocytogenes serovar 4a strains are genetically similar to L. innocua in the lmo0035-lmo0042, ascB-dapE, and rplS-infC regions and also possess L. innocua-specific genes lin0372 and lin1073. Furthermore, both L. monocytogenes serovar 4a and L. innocua exhibit impaired intercellular spread ability and negligible pathogenicity in mouse model. On the other hand, despite resembling L. monocytogenes serovars 1/2a and 4b in having a nearly identical virulence gene cluster, and inlA and inlB genes, these serovar 4a strains differ from serovars 1/2a and 4b by harboring notably altered actA and plcB genes, displaying strong phospholipase activity and subdued in vivo and in vitro virulence. Thus, by possessing many genes common to L. monocytogenes serovars 1/2a and 4b, and sharing many similar gene deletions with L. innocua, L. monocytogenes serovar 4a represents a possible evolutionary intermediate between L. monocytogenes serovars 1/2a and 4b and L. innocua.

  14. Activity of daptomycin against Listeria monocytogenes isolates from cerebrospinal fluid

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Spanjaard, Lodewijk; Vandenbroucke-Grauls, Christina M. J. E.

    2008-01-01

    We tested the activity of daptomycin against 76 Listeria monocytogenes isolates from cerebrospinal fluid by broth dilution and Etest methods. For the broth dilution method, the MIC range was 1.0 to 8.0 and the MIC at which 90% of the isolates tested were inhibited (MIC(90)) was 4.0 mg/liter. For the

  15. Biocontrole de Listeria monocytogenes por Pediococcus acidilactici em couve minimamente processada Biocontrol of Listeria monocytogenes by Pediococcus acidilactici in fresh-cut kale

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wanessa Altimiras Costa

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Este estudo avaliou um sistema de biocontrole para inibição de Listeria monocytogenes em couve minimamente processada, objetivando sua segurança durante estocagem sob refrigeração e em condições de abuso de temperatura. O potencial inibitório de bactérias láticas tolerantes ao sal e psicrotróficas contaminantes naturais da couve e Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus delbrueckii ATCC 9649 e Lactobacillus casei CCT 1465 foram avaliadas contra L. monocytogenes. O isolado de couve identificado como P. acidilactici CCA3 inibiu L. monocytogenes a 10 e 15 °C em ágar MRS e foi selecionado como possível agente de biocontrole. O número de L. monocytogenes na couve minimamente processada aumentou 3,7 e 4,7 ciclos logarítmicos a 5 e 10 °C, respectivamente, após 20 dias de armazenamento e 4,6 ciclos logarítmicos após oito dias a 15 °C. Entretanto, quando 10(8 UFC.g-1 de P. acidilactici CCA3 foram inoculados no produto processado, o crescimento de L. monocytogenes reduziu 2,3 ciclos logarítmicos sob temperatura abusiva de 15 °C. A acidez titulável e as características sensoriais da couve não foram alteradas pela presença de CCA3 ao longo do período de vida útil. Estes resultados sugerem o potencial de aplicação dos bioconservantes na couve minimamente processada, que necessitam estar associados à refrigeração e sanitização para garantir segurança.This study evaluated a biological control system for the inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes in minimally processed kale focusing on its freshness under refrigeration and extreme temperatures. The inhibitory potential of salt and cold tolerant lactic bacteria from natural microflora of kale, Lactobacillus delbrueckii ATCC 9649, Lactobacillus plantarum, and Lactobacillus casei CCT 1465 strains were evaluated against L. monocytogenes. Pediococcus acidilactici CCA3 isolated from kale exhibited a large inhibition zone of L. monocytogenes at 10 and 15 °C in MRS agar and was

  16. Draft Genome Sequences of Historical Listeria monocytogenes from Human Listeriosis, 1933

    Science.gov (United States)

    We report here the draft genome sequences of two Listeria monocytogenes strains from some of the earliest reported cases of human listeriosis in North America. The strains were isolated in 1933 from patients in Massachusetts and Connecticut, USA, and belong to the widely disseminated hypervirulent c...

  17. Inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes in raw fruits by enterocin AS-48.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molinos, Antonio Cobo; Abriouel, Hikmate; Ben Omar, Nabil; Lucas, Rosario; Valdivia, Eva; Gálvez, Antonio

    2008-12-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of enterocin AS-48 on Listeria monocytogenes CECT 4032 in fruits and fruit juice. Fruits were contaminated with a L. monocytogenes cell suspension, washed with enterocin AS-48 (25 microg/ml) or with sterile distilled water as control, and stored at different temperatures (-20, 6, 15, 22 degrees C). Washing treatments significantly inhibited or completely inactivated L. monocytogenes in strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries stored at 15 and 22 degrees C for up to 2 days and in blackberries and strawberries at 6 degrees C for up to 7 days. Washing treatments with enterocin AS-48 also reduced viable counts in sliced melon, watermelon, pear, and kiwi but did not avoid proliferation of survivors during storage at 15 and 22 degrees C. Added enterocin (25 microg/ml) completely inactivated L. monocytogenes in watermelon juice within 24 h. To enhance the antilisterial activity of treatments, enterocin AS-48 was tested in combination with other antimicrobial substances on sliced melon stored at 22 degrees C. The combinations of enterocin AS-48 and trisodium trimetaphosphate, sodium lactate, lactic acid, polyphosphoric acid, carvacrol, hydrocinnamic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, n-propyl p-hydroxybenzoate, or 2-nitropropanol showed increased antilisterial activities compared with each antimicrobial tested separately. Washing treatments with enterocin AS-48 in combination with 12 mM carvacrol, as well as with 100 mM n-propyl p-hydroxybenzoate, avoided regrowth of Listeria during storage at 22 degrees C. Results from this study indicate that enterocin AS-48 alone or in combination with other preservatives could serve as an additional hurdle against L. monocytogenes in fruits and fruit juices.

  18. Listeria monocytogenes in RTE foods marketed in Italy: prevalence and automated EcoRI ribotyping of the isolates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meloni, Domenico; Galluzzo, Pietro; Mureddu, Anna; Piras, Francesca; Griffiths, Mansel; Mazzette, Rina

    2009-02-15

    The aims of the present study were: (a) to investigate the prevalence and the enumeration of Listeria monocytogenes in 200 samples of ready to eat (RTE) foods of animal and vegetal origin collected from different outlets and processing plants in Sardinia; (b) to characterize the isolates by phenotypical and molecular methods; (c) to analyze a subset of 42 L. monocytogenes by automated EcoRI ribotyping in order to predict the strain's potential virulence for humans. The strains were isolated from: smoked fish products, cooked marinated products, meat products and pre-packaged mixed vegetable salads. Of the samples tested, 22% were positive for Listeria spp. The prevalence of L. monocytogenes was 9.5%, while the level of L. monocytogenes in the positive samples was 93%), belonging to 17 different DuPont Identification Library Codes (DUP-IDs) clones. The Simpson's numerical index of discrimination was 0.911. Cluster analysis pointed out a high similarity among strains isolated from meat, fish, and vegetables of different origin. These results confirmed the existence of a widespread population of L. monocytogenes, characterized by highly related strains existing in different geographical areas. 65% of these strains belonged to lineage II (serotypes 1/2a and 1/2c), subtypes known to be associated with sporadic human listeriosis outbreaks. The remaining 35% of the isolates (serotypes 1/2b, 3b and 4b) were allocated to lineage I and belong to distinct clonal groups (DUP-ID 1038 and 1042), which again have been associated with several outbreaks of human listeriosis. Neither atypical profiles nor lineage III strains were found. EcoRI ribotyping was confirmed as a rapid and reliable method for L. monocytogenes typing, providing useful data for epidemiologic and clonality surveys of L. monocytogenes strains isolated from RTE foods.

  19. Behaviour of Listeria monocytogenes in artisanal raw milk Pecorino Umbro cheese: a microbiological challenge test

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roberta Ortenzi

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available In the present study, a microbiological challenge test in artificially contaminated raw milk Pecorino Umbro cheese during cheese-making was carried out. Raw ewe milk was contaminated by a suspension of particular Listeria monocytogenes strains. The number of L. monocytogenes and L. monocytogenes dynamic growth were evaluated during cheese-making and storage. A significant decrease of the viable count of L. monocytogenes was observed during ripening and L. monocytogenes viable count was below the limit of quantification during storage. The results show that the product is unable to support the growth of the pathogen.

  20. Incorporation of Listeria monocytogenes strains in raw milk biofilms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weiler, Christiane; Ifland, Andrea; Naumann, Annette; Kleta, Sylvia; Noll, Matthias

    2013-02-01

    Biofilms develop successively on devices of milk production without sufficient cleaning and originate from the microbial community of raw milk. The established biofilm matrices enable incorporation of pathogens like Listeria monocytogenes, which can cause a continuous contamination of food processing plants. L. monocytogenes is frequently found in raw milk and non-pasteurized raw milk products and as part of a biofilm community in milk meters and bulk milk tanks. The aim of this study was to analyze whether different L. monocytogenes strains are interacting with the microbial community of raw milk in terms of biofilm formation in the same manner, and to identify at which stage of biofilm formation a selected L. monocytogenes strain settles best. Bacterial community structure and composition of biofilms were analyzed by a cloning and sequencing approach and terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis (T-RFLP) based on the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. The chemical composition of biofilms was analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), while settled L. monocytogenes cells were quantified by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Addition of individual L. monocytogenes strains to raw milk caused significant shifts in the biofilm biomass, in the chemical as well as in the bacterial community composition. Biofilm formation and attachment of L. monocytogenes cells were not serotype but strain specific. However, the added L. monocytogenes strains were not abundant since mainly members of the genera Citrobacter and Lactococcus dominated the bacterial biofilm community. Overall, added L. monocytogenes strains led to a highly competitive interaction with the raw milk community and triggered alterations in biofilm formation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Listeria monocytogenes as a vector for anti-cancer therapies.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Tangney, Mark

    2012-01-31

    The intracellular pathogen Listeria monocytogenes represents a promising therapeutic vector for the delivery of DNA, RNA or protein to cancer cells or to prime immune responses against tumour-specific antigens. A number of biological properties make L. monocytogenes a promising platform for development as a vector for either gene therapy or as an anti-cancer vaccine vector. L. monocytogenes is particularly efficient in mediating internalization into host cells. Once inside cells, the bacterium produces specific virulence factors which lyse the vaculolar membrane and allow escape into the cytoplasm. Once in the cytosol, L. monocytogenes is capable of actin-based motility and cell-to-cell spread without an extracellular phase. The cytoplasmic location of L. monocytogenes is significant as this potentiates entry of antigens into the MHC Class I antigen processing pathway leading to priming of specific CD8(+) T cell responses. The cytoplasmic location is also beneficial for the delivery of DNA (bactofection) by L. monocytogenes whilst cell-to-cell spread may facilitate access of the vector to cells throughout the tumour. Several preclinical studies have demonstrated the ability of L. monocytogenes for intracellular gene or protein delivery in vitro and in vivo, and this vector has also displayed safety and efficacy in clinical trial. Here, we review the features of the L. monocytogenes host-pathogen interaction that make this bacterium such an attractive candidate with which to induce appropriate therapeutic responses. We focus primarily upon work that has led to attenuation of the pathogen, demonstrated DNA, RNA or protein delivery to tumour cells as well as research that shows the efficacy of L. monocytogenes as a vector for tumour-specific vaccine delivery.

  2. Sensitivity of Listeria monocytogenes to irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tarjan, Veronika

    1990-01-01

    Irradiation of Listeria monocytogenes (L.m.) was carried out in culture media and pork meat paste at room temperature with 60 Co radiation source of 6.6 kGy h -1 dose rate. The employed doses were 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 kGy. One strain out of 3 survived as high as 4 kGy irradiation. Radiation with 2 kGy resulted 7 log cycles reduction of cell count. After lower irradiation doses the L.m. count decreased in proportion to increasing doses. It has been concluded that L.m. compared with Gram-negative pathogens, are less sensitive to irradiation. (author) 6 refs.; 4 figs

  3. Crystal Structure of the Substrate-Binding Domain from Listeria monocytogenes Bile-Resistance Determinant BilE

    OpenAIRE

    Stephanie J. Ruiz; Gea K. Schuurman-Wolters; Bert Poolman

    2016-01-01

    BilE has been reported as a bile resistance determinant that plays an important role in colonization of the gastrointestinal tract by Listeria monocytogenes, the causative agent of listeriosis. The mechanism(s) by which BilE mediates bile resistance are unknown. BilE shares significant sequence similarity with ATP-binding cassette (ABC) importers that contribute to virulence and stress responses by importing quaternary ammonium compounds that act as compatible solutes. Assays using related co...

  4. Modelling and predicting the simultaneous growth of Listeria monocytogenes and spoilage micro-organisms in cold-smoked salmon

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gimenez, B.; Dalgaard, Paw

    2004-01-01

    Aims: To evaluate and model the simultaneous growth of Listeria monocytogenes and spoilage micro-organisms in cold-smoked salmon.Methods and Results: Growth kinetics of L. monocytogenes, lactic acid bacteria (LAB), Enterobacteriaceae, enterococci and Photobacterium phosphoreum were determined...

  5. Real-time PCR detection of Listeria monocytogenes in infant formula and lettuce following macrophage-based isolation and enrichment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Day, J B; Basavanna, U

    2015-01-01

    To develop a rapid detection procedure for Listeria monocytogenes in infant formula and lettuce using a macrophage-based enrichment protocol and real-time PCR. A macrophage cell culture system was employed for the isolation and enrichment of L. monocytogenes from infant formula and lettuce for subsequent identification using real-time PCR. Macrophage monolayers were exposed to infant formula and lettuce contaminated with a serial dilution series of L. monocytogenes. As few as approx. 10 CFU ml(-1) or g(-1) of L. monocytogenes were detected in infant formula and lettuce after 16 h postinfection by real-time PCR. Internal positive PCR controls were utilized to eliminate the possibility of false-negative results. Co-inoculation with Listeria innocua did not reduce the L. monocytogenes detection sensitivity. Intracellular L. monocytogenes could also be isolated on Listeria selective media from infected macrophage lysates for subsequent confirmation. The detection method is highly sensitive and specific for L. monocytogenes in infant formula and lettuce and establishes a rapid identification time of 20 and 48 h for presumptive and confirmatory identification, respectively. The method is a promising alternative to many currently used q-PCR detection methods which employ traditional selective media for enrichment of contaminated food samples. Macrophage enrichment of L. monocytogenes eliminates PCR inhibitory food elements and contaminating food microflora which produce cleaner samples that increase the rapidity and sensitivity of detection. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  6. Evaluation of Listeria monocytogenes survival and infectivity in non-traditional agricultural waters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Introduction: Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) is an enteric bacterium that can be found in environmental reservoirs. Restricted water availability for agriculture has increased interest in surface and reuse water sources which could potentially transmit Lm. Purpose: Persistence and infectivity of Lm re...

  7. Internalization of Listeria monocytogenes in cantaloupes during dump tank washing and hydrocooling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Recent listeriosis outbreaks and recalls associated with cantaloupes urge for studies to understand the mechanisms of cantaloupe contamination by Listeria monocytogenes. Postharvest practices such as washing and hydrocooling were suggested to facilitate the contamination of fresh fruits by human pat...

  8. Stochastic modelling of Listeria monocytogenes single cell growth in cottage cheese with mesophilic lactic acid bacteria from aroma producing cultures

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Østergaard, Nina Bjerre; Christiansen, Lasse Engbo; Dalgaard, Paw

    2015-01-01

    . 2014. Modelling the effect of lactic acid bacteria from starter- and aroma culture on growth of Listeria monocytogenes in cottage cheese. International Journal of Food Microbiology. 188, 15-25]. Growth of L. monocytogenes single cells, using lag time distributions corresponding to three different......A stochastic model was developed for simultaneous growth of low numbers of Listeria monocytogenes and populations of lactic acid bacteria from the aroma producing cultures applied in cottage cheese. During more than two years, different batches of cottage cheese with aroma culture were analysed...

  9. In vitro detection of pathogenic Listeria monocytogenes from food sources by conventional, molecular and cell culture method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J.A. Khan

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Among current in vitro methods for identification of pathogenic Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes rely on growth in culture media, followed by isolation, and biochemical and serological identification. Now PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction has been used for the rapid, sensitive and specific detection of pathogenic L. monocytogenes. The pathogenicity of the organism is highly correlated with haemolytic factor known as listeriolysin O (LLO. A total of 400 samples from meat and 250 samples from raw milk and their products were collected from various local dairy farms, dairy units and butcheries in Bareilly, India. Pure isolates of L. monocytogenes obtained after enrichment in Buffered Listeria enrichment broth (BLEB followed by plating onto Listeria oxford agar. The DNA extracted from pure isolates and used for the detection of bacterial pathogen. The oligonucleotide primer pairs (F: CGGAGGTTCCGCAAAAGATG; R: CCTCCAGAGTGATCGATGTT complementary to the nucleotide sequence of the hlyA gene selected for detection of L. monocytogenes using polymerase chain reaction (PCR. PCR products of 234 bp generated with DNA from all of L. monocytogenes isolates. The highest occurrence of haemolytic L. monocytogenes isolates from various meat samples was in raw chicken (6.0%, followed by fish meat (4.0%, and then beef (2.5%. Among various milk and milk products, curd (2.0% showed the highest prevalence, followed by raw milk (1.3%. The cytotoxic effects of haemolytic L. monocytogenes isolates were screened on vero cell lines. The cell lines with cell free culture supernatant (CFCS examined at 1 min, 10 min, 30 min, and 60 min. The significant changes in vero cells were observed at 30 min with both 30 µL and 50 µL of volume. We conclude that application of PCR approaches can provide critical information on distribution of haemolytic strains of L. monocytogenes in food processing environments. Vero cell cytotoxicity assay (in vitro resulted positive in twenty four

  10. Impact of dilution ratios on Listeria monocytogenes growth during University of Vermont medium enrichment of deli meats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Lei; Yan, Zhinong; Ryser, Elliot T

    2007-11-01

    In the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) method for Listeria detection, a 25-g composite food sample is enriched in 225 ml of University of Vermont medium (UVM), giving a detection limit of 0.04 CFU/g. However, in a recent large-scale four-state deli meat survey for L. monocytogenes, 125-g samples enriched in 1,125 ml of UVM were requested to increase the detection limit to 0.008 CFU/g. To circumvent problems associated with large volumes of UVM, the impact on L. monocytogenes growth of lower dilution ratios used for enrichment and most-probable-number (MPN) detection was compared with the results obtained using the conventional 1:10 dilution. In this study, 125-g samples of cured turkey, uncured turkey, ham, and roast beef were inoculated with a six-strain L. monocytogenes cocktail to contain approximately 1 x 10(3) CFU/g. This cocktail was then diluted 1:3, 1:5, or 1:10 in UVM, homogenized, enriched at 30 degrees C, and periodically plated on modified Oxford agar to determine generation times during 24 h of incubation. The same enrichment protocol was also assessed in a three-tube MPN assay using 125-g samples inoculated with L. monocytogenes to contain approximately 1 CFU/g. The effects of two homogenization methods, stomaching and pulsifying, on Listeria growth were compared using oven-roasted turkey breast diluted 1:3, 1:5, and 1:10 in UVM. Overall, the growth rates, generation times, and MPN values for each of the four selected deli meats were similar (P > 0.05) using UVM enrichment ratios of 1:3, 1:5, and 1:10, with no significant (P > 0.05) differences in L. monocytogenes growth rate or generation time between experiments using pulsifying and stomaching. These findings indicate that lower volumes of UVM can be used in the USDA procedure when examining deli meats without compromising Listeria recovery.

  11. Effect of eugenol on growth and listeriolysin o production by Listeria monocytogenes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cristina Tostes Filgueiras

    2006-05-01

    Full Text Available The inhibitory effect of eugenol, a naturally occurring compound mainly present in the essential oil fraction of cloves, was studied on the growth and listeriolysin O (LLO production by Listeria monocytogenes. Potassium efflux from cells promoted by eugenol was also determined after 24 h incubation in phosphate buffered saline. Eugenol promoted a delay on the growth of L. monocytogenes at concentrations of 100, 300 and 500 µg mL-1and above 800 µg mL-1 the effect was bactericidal. Production of LLO by L. monocytogenes in the presence of eugenol was reduced 80-100%. An accumulation of external K+ was observed above 300 µg mL-1 of eugenol which indicated that the cell membrane was affected. The results showed the effectiveness of eugenol in controlling growth and LLO production of L. monocytogenes cells.O efeito inibitório do eugenol, o principal constituinte do óleo essencial de cravo, foi avaliado sobre o crescimento e produção de listeriolisina O (LLO por Listeria monocytogenes. O efluxo de íons potássio das células também foi determinado após 24 h de incubação em solução tampão, contendo eugenol. Concentrações de 100, 300 e 500 µg mL-1 de eugenol promoveram a inibição do crescimento de L. monocytogenes e, em concentrações acima de 800 µg mL-1, constatou-se um efeito bactericida. O crescimento de L. monocytogenes na presença de eugenol resultou na inibição de 80 a 100% da produção de LLO. O efluxo de K+ promovido pelo eugenol indicou que a membrana celular foi afetada. Estes resultados indicam a efetividade do eugenol para o controle do crescimento e da produção de LLO por L. monocytogenes.

  12. Self-contained chlorine dioxide generation and delivery pods for controlling Listeria monocytogenes in model floor drains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen that has been associated with poultry products. This organism is ubiquitous in nature and has been found to enter poultry further processing plants on incoming raw product. Once in the plant, L. monocytogenes can become a long term persistent colonize...

  13. Growth of Listeria monocytogenes in Camembert and other soft cheeses at refrigeration temperatures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Back, J P; Langford, S A; Kroll, R G

    1993-08-01

    Listeria monocytogenes survived and, under most conditions, multiplied when inoculated directly into the cheese milk of laboratory made Camembert cheeses. The rate and extent of growth was reduced at lower storage temperatures. Significantly higher rates of growth occurred at the surface compared with the centre of the cheeses, and these were probably associated with increased pH and proteolysis at the cheese surface due to the mould ripening process. Similar results were obtained with Camenbert cheeses surface inoculated after manufacture. There was also temperature-dependent growth of List. monocytogenes on a range of inoculated commercially manufactured soft cheeses. Significant growth occurred in Cambazola, French and English Brie, blue and white Lymeswold, French Camembert and Brie with garlic. Little if any growth occurred in blue and white Stilton, Mycella, Chaume and full fat soft cheese with garlic and herbs at the temperatures examined.

  14. Phenotypic and Genotypic Characteristics of Listeria monocytogenes Isolated From Dairy and Meat Products

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bahador

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Background Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen and a serious threat to the public health in the world. Consumption of traditional foods such as dairy and meat products can be a major reason for relative abundance and isolation of these bacteria. Objectives The purpose of this study was to determine the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of L. monocytogenes strains isolated from dairy and meat products. Materials and Methods A total of 317 dairy products and meat-processed samples were collected. Antibiotic susceptibility test was performed on each sample by the disk diffusion method (Kirby Bauer. Five reference loci were used for typing of L. monocytogenes strains by MLVA (Multiple Locus VNTR Analysis Technique. Results A total of 24 L. monocytogenes isolates were collected from the dairy and meat products. Resistance of isolated L. monocytogenes strains to penicillin G were 54.54% (from dairy products and 46.15% (from processed meat. Genetic relatedness of isolates were assessed by MLVA. Out of 13 different types, type 2 with 6 strains and type 3 with 4 strains, were the most common types. Conclusions MLVA analysis showed that samples obtained from different sources could have similar genetic profile. As a result, administration of penicillin in patients with listeriosis (especially pregnant women and antibiotic susceptibility test are recommended. The fast and accurate methods such as MLVA for tracking of pollution sources of L. monocytogenes are recommended during outbreaks.

  15. Morphological change and decreasing transfer rate of biofilm-featured Listeria monocytogenes EGDe

    Science.gov (United States)

    Listeria monocytogenes, a lethal foodborne pathogen, has the ability to resist the hostile food-processing environment and, thus, frequently contaminates ready-to-eat foods during processing. It is commonly accepted that L. monocytogenes’ tendency to generate biofilms on various surfaces enhances it...

  16. Sensitive enumeration of Listeria monocytogenes and other Listeria species in various naturally contaminated matrices using a membrane filtration method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barre, Léna; Brasseur, Emilie; Doux, Camille; Lombard, Bertrand; Besse, Nathalie Gnanou

    2015-06-01

    For the enumeration of Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) in food, a sensitive enumeration method has been recently developed. This method is based on a membrane filtration of the food suspension followed by transfer of the filter on a selective medium to enumerate L. monocytogenes. An evaluation of this method was performed with several categories of foods naturally contaminated with L. monocytogenes. The results obtained with this technique were compared with those obtained from the modified reference EN ISO 11290-2 method for the enumeration of L. monocytogenes in food, and are found to provide more precise results. In most cases, the filtration method enabled to examine a greater quantity of food thus greatly improving the sensitivity of the enumeration. However, it was hardly applicable to some food categories because of filtration problems and background microbiota interference. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Characterization of Listeria monocytogenes isolates from cattle and ground beef by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis Caracterización de aislamientos de Listeria monocytogenes obtenidos de ganado y de carne molida de vacuno por electroforesis de campo pulsado

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claudia Foerster

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available The aims of this study were to determine the occurrence of Listeria monocytogenes in cattle feces and ground beef, to characterize these strains by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and to compare them to three listeria strains found in humans. Cattle from different origins (n = 250 and ground beef obtained from supermarkets (n = 40 were sampled. The results show low occurrence in cattle feces (0.4 % but a higher presence in ground beef (37 %. An important part of the ground beef strains (80 % had > 95 % similarity with a strain isolated from a human sporadic case and the ATCC 19115 used as control. The strain isolated from cattle feces had 93 % similarity to clone 009, previously associated with a listeriosis outbreak related to cheese. Cattle and ground beef can harbor virulent L. monocytogenes strains. Further studies in animals and animal products are needed to improve listeriosis control.Los objetivos de este estudio fueron determinar la presencia de Listeria monocytogenes en el ganado y en la carne molida de vacuno comercializada en Chile, caracterizar los aislados mediante electroforesis de campo pulsado y compararlos con los obtenidos en tres cepas que han producido listeriosis en humanos, en ese país. Se tomaron muestras de heces de bovinos (n = 250 y de carne molida obtenida en supermercados (n = 40. Se encontró una baja incidencia de este patógeno en las heces de bovinos (0,4 %; un solo animal, pero mayores porcentajes en la carne molida (37 %. Gran parte de las cepas encontradas en la carne molida (80 % mostraron una similitud mayor del 95 % con un caso esporádico de listeriosis y con la cepa de referencia ATCC 19115. La cepa aislada de bovino tuvo un 93 % de similitud con el clon 009, responsable de un brote asociado al consumo de queso, ocurrido en 2008. Se concluye que el ganado y la carne molida pueden albergar cepas virulentas de L. monocytogenes. Se necesita un mayor número de estudios en animales y en los productos que se

  18. Recuperación de listeria monocytogenes dañada subletalmente por efecto de la congelación

    OpenAIRE

    Blanco Gutiérrez, María del Mar

    1995-01-01

    Se han estudiado distintos aspectos relacionados con la influencia que ejerce la congelación sobre la viabilidad y el daño celular sobre las listerias en general y l. Monocytogenes, asi como distintas cuestiones con relación a la detección de listerias a partir de muestras que han sufrido un proceso de congelación. Respecto a la primera parte, hemos observado que la resistencia de l. Monocytogenes a los efectos letales y subletales de la congelación (-20 c) se ve influenciada por la concentra...

  19. Elongated cells of Listeria monocytogenes in biofilms in the presence of sucrose and bacteriocin-producing Leuconostoc mesenteroides A11

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Regiane Priscilla Ratti

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen which may survive in biofilms and persist in food processing plants. In this study, the ability of Leuconostoc mesenteroides (bac+ and bac- to inhibit biofilm formation by L. monocytogenes ATCC 19115 was studied with stainless steel coupons immersed in BHI broth and BHI broth plus sucrose in combination with the Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB. Adhered cells were collected with swabs and enumerated on selective agars (Oxford for listeria and MRS for leuconostoc. Leuconostoc mesenteroides bac+ in co-culture with L. monocytogenes was effective to inhibit biofilm formation by listeria for up to 3 hours of incubation, but at 24 hours, biofilm was present in all conditions tested, as confirmed by observations of stainless steel coupons under Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM. It was also observed that in the presence of L. mesenteroides bac+ in BHI plus sucrose, a high number of elongated cells of L. monocytogenes was present, which may indicate an adaptation response of the pathogen to stress conditions with important implications for food safety.

  20. Novel Biocontrol Methods for Listeria monocytogenes Biofilms in Food Production Facilities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jessica A. Gray

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available High mortality and hospitalization rates have seen Listeria monocytogenes as a foodborne pathogen of public health importance for many years and of particular concern for high-risk population groups. Food manufactures face an ongoing challenge in preventing the entry of L. monocytogenes into food production environments (FPEs due to its ubiquitous nature. In addition to this, the capacity of L. monocytogenes strains to colonize FPEs can lead to repeated identification of L. monocytogenes in FPE surveillance. The contamination of food products requiring product recall presents large economic burden to industry and is further exacerbated by damage to the brand. Poor equipment design, facility layout, and worn or damaged equipment can result in Listeria hotspots and biofilms where traditional cleaning and disinfecting procedures may be inadequate. Novel biocontrol methods may offer FPEs effective means to help improve control of L. monocytogenes and decrease cross contamination of food. Bacteriophages have been used as a medical treatment for many years for their ability to infect and lyse specific bacteria. Endolysins, the hydrolytic enzymes of bacteriophages responsible for breaking the cell wall of Gram-positive bacteria, are being explored as a biocontrol method for food preservation and in nanotechnology and medical applications. Antibacterial proteins known as bacteriocins have been used as alternatives to antibiotics for biopreservation and food product shelf life extension. Essential oils are natural antimicrobials formed by plants and have been used as food additives and preservatives for many years and more recently as a method to prevent food spoilage by microorganisms. Competitive exclusion occurs naturally among bacteria in the environment. However, intentionally selecting and applying bacteria to effect competitive exclusion of food borne pathogens has potential as a biocontrol application. This review discusses these novel biocontrol

  1. Novel Biocontrol Methods for Listeria monocytogenes Biofilms in Food Production Facilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gray, Jessica A.; Chandry, P. Scott; Kaur, Mandeep; Kocharunchitt, Chawalit; Bowman, John P.; Fox, Edward M.

    2018-01-01

    High mortality and hospitalization rates have seen Listeria monocytogenes as a foodborne pathogen of public health importance for many years and of particular concern for high-risk population groups. Food manufactures face an ongoing challenge in preventing the entry of L. monocytogenes into food production environments (FPEs) due to its ubiquitous nature. In addition to this, the capacity of L. monocytogenes strains to colonize FPEs can lead to repeated identification of L. monocytogenes in FPE surveillance. The contamination of food products requiring product recall presents large economic burden to industry and is further exacerbated by damage to the brand. Poor equipment design, facility layout, and worn or damaged equipment can result in Listeria hotspots and biofilms where traditional cleaning and disinfecting procedures may be inadequate. Novel biocontrol methods may offer FPEs effective means to help improve control of L. monocytogenes and decrease cross contamination of food. Bacteriophages have been used as a medical treatment for many years for their ability to infect and lyse specific bacteria. Endolysins, the hydrolytic enzymes of bacteriophages responsible for breaking the cell wall of Gram-positive bacteria, are being explored as a biocontrol method for food preservation and in nanotechnology and medical applications. Antibacterial proteins known as bacteriocins have been used as alternatives to antibiotics for biopreservation and food product shelf life extension. Essential oils are natural antimicrobials formed by plants and have been used as food additives and preservatives for many years and more recently as a method to prevent food spoilage by microorganisms. Competitive exclusion occurs naturally among bacteria in the environment. However, intentionally selecting and applying bacteria to effect competitive exclusion of food borne pathogens has potential as a biocontrol application. This review discusses these novel biocontrol methods and their

  2. Detection of Listeria monocytogenes from selective enrichment broth using MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jadhav, Snehal; Sevior, Danielle; Bhave, Mrinal; Palombo, Enzo A

    2014-01-31

    Conventional methods used for primary detection of Listeria monocytogenes from foods and subsequent confirmation of presumptive positive samples involve prolonged incubation and biochemical testing which generally require four to five days to obtain a result. In the current study, a simple and rapid proteomics-based MALDI-TOF MS approach was developed to detect L. monocytogenes directly from selective enrichment broths. Milk samples spiked with single species and multiple species cultures were incubated in a selective enrichment broth for 24h, followed by an additional 6h secondary enrichment. As few as 1 colony-forming unit (cfu) of L. monocytogenes per mL of initial selective broth culture could be detected within 30h. On applying the same approach to solid foods previously implicated in listeriosis, namely chicken pâté, cantaloupe and Camembert cheese, detection was achieved within the same time interval at inoculation levels of 10cfu/mL. Unlike the routine application of MALDI-TOF MS for identification of bacteria from solid media, this study proposes a cost-effective and time-saving detection scheme for direct identification of L. monocytogenes from broth cultures.This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Trends in Microbial Proteomics. Globally, foodborne diseases are major causes of illness and fatalities in humans. Hence, there is a continual need for reliable and rapid means for pathogen detection from food samples. Recent applications of MALDI-TOF MS for diagnostic microbiology focused on detection of microbes from clinical specimens. However, the current study has emphasized its use as a tool for detecting the major foodborne pathogen, Listeria monocytogenes, directly from selective enrichment broths. This proof-of-concept study proposes a detection scheme that is more rapid and simple compared to conventional methods of Listeria detection. Very low levels of the pathogen could be identified from different food samples post-enrichment in

  3. Inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes in milk by pulsed electric field.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reina, L D; Jin, Z T; Zhang, Q H; Yousef, A E

    1998-09-01

    Pasteurized whole, 2%, and skim milk were inoculated with Listeria monocytogenes Scott A and treated with high-voltage pulsed electric field (PEF). The effects of milk composition (fat content) and PEF parameters (electric field strength, treatment time, and treatment temperature) on the inactivation of the bacterium were studied. No significant differences were observed in the inactivation of L. monocytogenes Scott A in three types of milk by PEF treatment. With treatment at 25 degrees C, 1- to 3-log reductions of L. monocytogenes were observed. PEF lethal effect was a function of field strength and treatment time. Higher field strength or longer treatment time resulted in a greater reduction of viable cells. A 4-log reduction of the bacterium was obtained by increasing the treatment temperature to 50 degrees C. Results indicate that the use of a high-voltage PEF is a promising technology for inactivation of foodborne pathogens.

  4. Modeling and predicting the growth boundary of Listeria monocytogenes in lightly preserved seafood

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mejlholm, Ole; Dalgaard, Paw

    2007-01-01

    The antimicrobial effect of diacetate and lactate against Listeria monocytogenes was evaluated in challenge tests with vacuum-packaged or modified atmosphere packaged (MAP) cold-smoked salmon, marinated salmon, cold-smoked Greenland halibut, marinated Greenland halibut, and gravad salmon. MAP col...... characteristics required to prevent the growth of L. monocytogenes, thereby making it possible to identify critical control points, and is useful for compliance with the new European Union regulation on ready-to-eat foods (EC 2073/2005)....

  5. Adhesion to the host cell surface is sufficient to mediate Listeria monocytogenes entry into epithelial cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ortega, Fabian E.; Rengarajan, Michelle; Chavez, Natalie; Radhakrishnan, Prathima; Gloerich, Martijn; Bianchini, Julie; Siemers, Kathleen; Luckett, William S.; Lauer, Peter; Nelson, W. James; Theriot, Julie A.

    2017-01-01

    The intestinal epithelium is the first physiological barrier breached by the Gram-positive facultative pathogen Listeria monocytogenes during an in vivo infection. Listeria monocytogenes binds to the epithelial host cell receptor E-cadherin, which mediates a physical link between the bacterium and filamentous actin (F-actin). However, the importance of anchoring the bacterium to F-actin through E-cadherin for bacterial invasion has not been tested directly in epithelial cells. Here we demonstrate that depleting αE-catenin, which indirectly links E-cadherin to F-actin, did not decrease L. monocytogenes invasion of epithelial cells in tissue culture. Instead, invasion increased due to increased bacterial adhesion to epithelial monolayers with compromised cell–cell junctions. Furthermore, expression of a mutant E-cadherin lacking the intracellular domain was sufficient for efficient L. monocytogenes invasion of epithelial cells. Importantly, direct biotin-mediated binding of bacteria to surface lipids in the plasma membrane of host epithelial cells was sufficient for uptake. Our results indicate that the only requirement for L. monocytogenes invasion of epithelial cells is adhesion to the host cell surface, and that E-cadherin–mediated coupling of the bacterium to F-actin is not required. PMID:28877987

  6. Chitinase Expression in Listeria monocytogenes Is Influenced by lmo0327, Which Encodes an InternalinLike Protein

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Paspaliari, Dafni Katerina; Kastbjerg, Vicky Gaedt; Ingmer, Hanne

    2017-01-01

    The chitinolytic system of Listeria monocytogenes thus far comprises two chitinases, ChiA and ChiB, and a lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase, Lmo2467. The role of the system in the bacterium appears to be pleiotropic, as besides mediating hydrolysis of chitin, the second most ubiquitous...... chitinase activities enabling them to utilize chitin as the sole source of carbon and nitrogen. Interestingly, several bacterial chitinases may also be involved in host pathogenesis. For example, in the important food borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes, the chitinases ChiA and ChiB, and the lytic...... ChiA and ChiB in the culture supernatants of the mutant strain. Our results provide new information regarding the function of the lmo0325-lmo0327 locus in L. monocytogenes and link it to the expression of chitinolytic activity.Importance: Many bacteria from terrestrial and marine environments express...

  7. Solar irradiance limits the long-term survival of Listeria monocytogenes in seawater.

    Science.gov (United States)

    NicAogáin, K; Magill, D; O'Donoghue, B; Conneely, A; Bennett, C; O'Byrne, C P

    2018-03-01

    Seafood has often been implicated in outbreaks of food-borne illness caused by Listeria monocytogenes but the source of contamination is usually not known. In this study we investigated the possibility that this pathogen could survive in seawater for an extended time period. Freshly collected seawater samples were inoculated with 1 × 10 8  CFU per ml of L. monocytogenes EGD-e and survival was monitored by plate counting for up to 25 days. When incubated in the dark, either at ambient temperatures (4-14°C) or at 16°C, >10 4  CFU per ml survivors were present after 25 days. However, when the seawater cell suspensions were exposed to ambient light (solar irradiation) and temperatures, L. monocytogenes lost viability rapidly and no survivors could be detected after the 80 h time point. Both UV-A and visible light in the blue region of the spectrum (470 nm) were found to contribute to this effect. The stress inducible sigma factor σ B was found to play a role in survival of L. monocytogenes in seawater. Together these data demonstrate that solar irradiation is a critical determinant of L. monocytogenes survival in marine environments. The data further suggest the possibility of controlling this food-borne pathogen in food-processing environments using visible light. Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne bacterial pathogen capable of causing the life-threatening infection, listeriosis. In seafood the route of contamination from the environment is often not well understood as this pathogen is not generally thought to survive well in seawater. Here we provide evidence that L. monocytogenes is capable of surviving for long periods of time in seawater when light is excluded. Sunlight is demonstrated to have a significant effect on the survival of this pathogen in seawater, and both visible (470 nm) and UV-A light are shown to contribute to this effect. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  8. Restraining reactive oxygen species in Listeria monocytogenes promotes the apoptosis of glial cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Sen; Li, Yixuan; Chen, Guowei; Zhang, Jingchen; Xu, Fei; Wu, Man

    2017-07-01

    Listeria monocytogenes is a facultative anaerobic foodborne pathogen that can traverse the blood-brain barrier and cause brain infection. L. monocytogenes infection induces host cell apoptosis in several cell types. In this study, we investigated the apoptosis of human glioma cell line U251 invaded by L. monocytogenes and evaluated the function of bacterial reactive oxygen species (ROS) during infection. Bacterial ROS level was reduced by carrying out treatment with N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) and diphenyleneiodonium chloride (DPI). After infection, the apoptosis of U251 cells was examined by flow cytometry assay and propidium iodide staining. DPI and NAC efficiently decreased ROS level in L. monocytogenes without affecting bacterial growth. Moreover, the apoptosis of glial cells was enhanced upon invasion of DPI- and NAC-pretreated L. monocytogenes. Results indicate that the apoptosis of glial cells can be induced by L. monocytogenes, and that the inhibition of bacterial ROS increases the apoptosis of host cells.

  9. Listeria monocytogenes meningitis in the elderly: epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic findings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pagliano, Pasquale; Ascione, Tiziana; Boccia, Giovanni; De Caro, Francesco; Esposito, Silvano

    2016-06-01

    Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive bacillus and facultative intracellular bacterium whose transmission occurs mainly through the consumption of contaminated food, L. monocytogenes invades the host cells using various protein and can escape to the human T-cell immune system by cell-to-cell spreading. If the infection is not controlled at the stage in which the bacterium is in the liver, for instance, due to a severe immunodepression, a secondary bacteraemia can be developed and L. monocytogenes reaches the preferred sites transgressing the blood-brain barrier or the placental barrier. Individuals with T-cell dysfunction, such as pregnant women, the elderly, and those receiving immunosuppressive therapy are at the highest risk of contracting the disease. Average life expectancy throughout developed countries has rapidly increased during the latter half of the 20th century and geriatric infectious diseases have become an increasingly important issue. L. monocytogenes meningitis in young previously healthy adults has been reported only in anecdotal observations. Differently, L. monocytogenes is the third most common cause of bacterial meningitis in the elderly population, after Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis. Patients with L. monocytogenes meningitis presented with signs and symptoms that were similar to those of the general population with community-acquired bacterial meningitis, but reported a longer prodromal phase. According to literature data, the prevalence of the classic triad of fever, neck stiffness, and altered mental status is 43%, and almost all patients present with at least 2 of the 4 classic symptoms of headache, fever, neck stiffness, and altered mental status. On the basis of our published data, in patients aged over 50 years, diagnosing L. monocytogenes meningitis was more challenging than pneumococcal meningitis, as demonstrated by the lower percentage of cases receiving a correct diagnosis within 48 hours from the onset

  10. Petiveria alliacea L. extract protects mice against Listeria monocytogenes infection--effects on bone marrow progenitor cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quadros, M R; Souza Brito, A R; Queiroz, M L

    1999-02-01

    In this study we have investigated the effects of Petiveria alliacea on the hematopoietic response of mice infected with Listeria monocytogenes. Our results demonstrate a protective effect of the crude extract of P. alliacea since the survival of the treated/infected was higher than that in the infected group. Moreover, the number of granulocyte/macrophage colonies (CFU-GM) and the serum colony stimulating activity levels were increased in the treated/infected mice in relation to the infected group. These results suggest an immunomodulation of Petiveria alliacea extract on hematopoiesis, which may be responsible, at least in part, for the increased resistance of mice to Listeria monocytogenes infection.

  11. An Internalin A Probe-Based Genosensor for Listeria monocytogenes Detection and Differentiation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura Bifulco

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Internalin A (InlA, a protein required for Listeria monocytogenes virulence, is encoded by the inlA gene, which is only found in pathogenic strains of this genus. One of the best ways to detect and confirm the pathogenicity of the strain is the detection of one of the virulence factors produced by the microorganism. This paper focuses on the design of an electrochemical genosensor used to detect the inlA gene in Listeria strains without labelling the target DNA. The electrochemical sensor was obtained by immobilising an inlA gene probe (single-stranded oligonucleotide on the surfaces of screen-printed gold electrodes (Au-SPEs by means of a mercaptan-activated self-assembled monolayer (SAM. The hybridisation reaction occurring on the electrode surface was electrochemically transduced by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV using methylene blue (MB as an indicator. The covalently immobilised single-stranded DNA was able to selectively hybridise to its complementary DNA sequences in solution to form double-stranded DNA on the gold surface. A significant decrease of the peak current of the voltammogram (DPV upon hybridisation of immobilised ssDNA was recorded. Whole DNA samples of L. monocytogenes strains could be discriminated from other nonpathogenic Listeria species DNA with the inlA gene DNA probe genosensor.

  12. Culture Negative Listeria monocytogenes Meningitis Resulting in Hydrocephalus and Severe Neurological Sequelae in a Previously Healthy Immunocompetent Man with Penicillin Allergy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shahin Gaini

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available A previously healthy 74-year-old Caucasian man with penicillin allergy was admitted with evolving headache, confusion, fever, and neck stiffness. Treatment for bacterial meningitis with dexamethasone and monotherapy ceftriaxone was started. The cerebrospinal fluid showed negative microscopy for bacteria, no bacterial growth, and negative polymerase chain reaction for bacterial DNA. The patient developed hydrocephalus on a second CT scan of the brain on the 5th day of admission. An external ventricular catheter was inserted and Listeria monocytogenes grew in the cerebrospinal fluid from the catheter. The patient had severe neurological sequelae. This case report emphasises the importance of covering empirically for Listeria monocytogenes in all patients with penicillin allergy with suspected bacterial meningitis. The case also shows that it is possible to have significant infection and inflammation even with negative microscopy, negative cultures, and negative broad range polymerase chain reaction in cases of Listeria meningitis. Follow-up spinal taps can be necessary to detect the presence of Listeria monocytogenes.

  13. Prevalence and populations of Listeria monocytogenes in meat products retailed in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ristori, Christiane Asturiano; Rowlands, Ruth Estela Gravato; Martins, Cecília Geraldes; Barbosa, Maria Luisa; Yoshida, Júlia T U; Franco, Bernadette D G de Melo

    2014-12-01

    This study evaluated the prevalence of the populations and serotypes of Listeria monocytogenes in 552 refrigerated samples of ground beef, chicken leg, hot dog, and pork sausage collected in supermarkets in the city of Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil, between May 2008 and July 2009. The supermarkets were selected after stratification by geographical region and by random draw. Tests for presence and enumeration of L. monocytogenes were based on ISO 11290-1:1996/Amd.1:2004 and ISO 11290-2:1998 methods, respectively. Listeria spp. were detected in 469 (85.0%) of the studied meat products. The most frequently isolated species was L. innocua (64.1%), followed by L. monocytogenes (48.7%), L. welshimeri (13.4%), L. seeligeri (7.1%), L. ivanovii (0.2%), and L. grayi subspecies murrayi (0.2%). L. monocytogenes was detected in 269 (48.7%) samples, with highest prevalence in ground beef (59.4%) followed by chicken legs (58.0%), pork sausages (39.8%), and hot dogs (37.7%). The populations were Prevalence of serotypes varied according to the type of meat product. These data are relevant for estimating the risks of listeriosis associated with consumption of meat products in Sao Paulo, and for establishing science-based intervention strategies aimed at reducing these risks, especially for pregnant women and immunocompromised individuals.

  14. A Dual Microscopy-Based Assay To Assess Listeria monocytogenes Cellular Entry and Vacuolar Escape.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quereda, Juan J; Pizarro-Cerdá, Javier; Balestrino, Damien; Bobard, Alexandre; Danckaert, Anne; Aulner, Nathalie; Shorte, Spencer; Enninga, Jost; Cossart, Pascale

    2016-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive bacterium and a facultative intracellular pathogen that invades mammalian cells, disrupts its internalization vacuole, and proliferates in the host cell cytoplasm. Here, we describe a novel image-based microscopy assay that allows discrimination between cellular entry and vacuolar escape, enabling high-content screening to identify factors specifically involved in these two steps. We first generated L. monocytogenes and Listeria innocua strains expressing a β-lactamase covalently attached to the bacterial cell wall. These strains were then incubated with HeLa cells containing the Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) probe CCF4 in their cytoplasm. The CCF4 probe was cleaved by the bacterial surface β-lactamase only in cells inoculated with L. monocytogenes but not those inoculated with L. innocua, thereby demonstrating bacterial access to the host cytoplasm. Subsequently, we performed differential immunofluorescence staining to distinguish extracellular versus total bacterial populations in samples that were also analyzed by the FRET-based assay. With this two-step analysis, bacterial entry can be distinguished from vacuolar rupture in a single experiment. Our novel approach represents a powerful tool for identifying factors that determine the intracellular niche of L. monocytogenes. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  15. Deciphering the landscape of host barriers to Listeria monocytogenes infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Ting; Abel, Sören; Abel Zur Wiesch, Pia; Sasabe, Jumpei; Davis, Brigid M; Higgins, Darren E; Waldor, Matthew K

    2017-06-13

    Listeria monocytogenes is a common food-borne pathogen that can disseminate from the intestine and infect multiple organs. Here, we used sequence tag-based analysis of microbial populations (STAMP) to investigate L monocytogenes population dynamics during infection. We created a genetically barcoded library of murinized L monocytogenes and then used deep sequencing to track the pathogen's dissemination routes and quantify its founding population ( N b ) sizes in different organs. We found that the pathogen disseminates from the gastrointestinal tract to distal sites through multiple independent routes and that N b sizes vary greatly among tissues, indicative of diverse host barriers to infection. Unexpectedly, comparative analyses of sequence tags revealed that fecally excreted organisms are largely derived from the very small number of L. monocytogenes cells that colonize the gallbladder. Immune depletion studies suggest that distinct innate immune cells restrict the pathogen's capacity to establish replicative niches in the spleen and liver. Finally, studies in germ-free mice suggest that the microbiota plays a critical role in the development of the splenic, but not the hepatic, barriers that prevent L. monocytogenes from seeding these organs. Collectively, these observations illustrate the potency of the STAMP approach to decipher the impact of host factors on population dynamics of pathogens during infection.

  16. Enhanced biofilm formation in dual-species culture of Listeria monocytogenes and Ralstonia insidiosa

    Science.gov (United States)

    In the environment, many microorganisms coexist in communities as biofilms. The objective of this study was to investigate the interactions between Listeria monocytogenes and Ralstonia insidiosa in dual species biofilms. Biofilm development was measured using crystal violet in 96-well microtiter pla...

  17. Listeria monocytogenes contamination of the environment and surfaces of the equipment in the meat processing facilities in republic of Macedonia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dean Jankuloski

    2007-11-01

    Full Text Available Listeria monocytogenes contamination of the environment and surfaces of the equipment was examined in seven meat processing facilities. Up to date prevalence of this foodborn pathogen in meat processing facilities facilities in Republic of Macedonia was unknown. Biofilms are composed from food spoilage microorganisms and food born pathogens. They are located on the surfaces of the equipment that come in contact with food and in facilities environment. Microorganisms in biofilm presenting micro eco system and are source of dissemination and contamination of food born pathogens in final meat products. During the preparation of this study we have covered a 7 meat processing facilities and we took a total of 39 swabs from surfaces that come in direct or indirect contact with food. Listeria monocytogenes was discovered in 10 (25,64% swabs (locations. Prevalence of other Listeria spp. compared with total number of taken samples was 15 (38,46% Listeria innocua, 3 (7,69% Listeria welshimeri and 1 (2,65% isolate Listeria seeligeri.

  18. Characteristics of the biologically active 35-kDa metalloprotease virulence factor from Listeria monocytogenes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Coffey, A; van den Burg, B; Veltman, R; Abee, T

    Listeria monocytogenes, a facultative intracellular pathogen, synthesizes an extracellular protease which is responsible for the maturation of phosphatidylcholine phospholipase C (lecithinase), a virulence factor involved in cell-to-cell spread. This work describes the environmental parameters

  19. Prevalence and characteristics of Listeria monocytogenes in bovine colostrum in Japan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hasegawa, Megumi; Iwabuchi, Eriko; Yamamoto, Shiori; Esaki, Hidetake; Kobayashi, Kazuhiko; Ito, Masahiko; Hirai, Katsuya

    2013-02-01

    This study was conducted to determine the prevalence and characteristics of Listeria monocytogenes in bovine colostrum in Japan. We collected bovine colostrum samples from 210 dams from 21 dairy farms in Hokkaido prefecture (Japan) between March and June 2009. L. monocytogenes was detected in samples from 6 (28.6%) of the 21 farms. Of the 210 samples, 16 (7.6%) were positive for L. monocytogenes. We recovered 80 L. monocytogenes isolates; 44 (55%) isolates were classified as serotype 1/2b and 36 (45%) were classified as serotype 4b. The isolates were susceptible to penicillin, ampicillin, amoxicillin, gentamicin, kanamycin, streptomycin, erythromycin, vancomycin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) characterization of the 80 isolates revealed six PFGE types. Two PFGE types corresponded to human listeriosis cases. Most L. monocytogenes isolates possessed virulence-associated genes (actA, hly, iap, inlA, inlC, mpl, plcA, plcB, opuCA, prfA, and clpC). One PFGE type isolate possessed an epidemic clone II marker. Our findings suggest that isolates from bovine colostrum have the potential to cause human and animal listeriosis. This is the first study on the prevalence and characteristics of L. monocytogenes isolated from bovine colostrum obtained from dairy farms. Our results have important implications for improving public health and elucidating the epidemiology of L. monocytogenes in bovine colostrum.

  20. Leucocins 4010 from Leuconostoc carnosum cause a matrix related decrease in intracellular pH of Listeria monocytogenes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fang, Weihuan; Budde, Birgitte Bjørn; Siegumfeldt, Henrik

    2006-01-01

    A mixed culture of single cells of Listeria monocytogenes and the bacteriocin producing Leuconostoc carnosum 4010 showed growth inhibition of L. monocytogenes, although the intracellular pH (pHi) of L. monocytogenes followed by fluorescence ratio imaging microscopy was not affected. Furthermore, L...

  1. Prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in traditional ice cream, Yazd, IRAN (1394 and compared to other studies in different parts of Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Negar Hamidian

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available 1-Mortazavi S, Gods rohani M, Juyande H. milk and dairy products technology. The University Ferdowsi Mashhad; 1996. p. 266. 2-Azadnia P, Ghasemi M, Abbasi M, Taarof N, Jashni M. Microbial Quality of Traditional Ice Cream Produced by Small-Scale Manufacturers in Khormoj and Its Comparison with the Iranian National Standard. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances 2011;10(6:742-4. 3- Ziabari Mirnezami H. What do you know about milk (Milk chemical technology: Tehran University; 1996. 4-Movassagh MH, Movassagh A, Mahmoodi H, Servatkhah F, Sourorbakhsh MR. Microbiological contamination of the traditional chocolate Ice cream sold in the Northwest Region of Iran. Global Veterinaria 2011;6(3:269-71. 5-Karim G, Razavilar V, Akhonndzade A. survey contamination of traditional ice cream to bacteria causing the infection and food poisoning[persian]. Tehran University Faculty of Veterinary 1374;50:71-8. 6-Kanbakan U, Con A, Ayar A. Determination of microbiological contamination sources during ice cream production in Denizli, Turkey. Food Control 2004;15(6:463-70. 7- Fallah AA, Saei-Dehkordi SS, Rahnama M, Tahmasby H, Mahzounieh M. Prevalence and antimicrobial resistance patterns of  Listeria  species isolated from poultry products marketed in Iran. Food Control 2012;28(2:327-32. 8-Farber J, Peterkin P. Listeria monocytogenes, a food-borne pathogen. Microbiological reviews 1991;55(3:476. 9-Navratilova P, Schlegelova J, Sustackova A, Napravnikova E, Lukasova J, Klimova E. Prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in milk, meat and foodstuff of animal origin and the phenotype of antibiotic resistance of isolated strains. Veterinarni Medicina-UZPI 2004;49. 10-Williams SK, Roof S, Boyle EA, Burson D, Thippareddi H, Geornaras I, et al. Molecular ecology of Listeria monocytogenes and other Listeria species in small and very small ready-to-eat meat processing plants. J Food Prot 2011;74(1:63-77. 11-Halter E, Neuhaus K, Scherer S. Listeria weihenstephanensis sp. nov

  2. Evaluation of DNA extraction methods for PCR-based detection of Listeria monocytogenes from vegetables.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vojkovska, H; Kubikova, I; Kralik, P

    2015-03-01

    Epidemiological data indicate that raw vegetables are associated with outbreaks of Listeria monocytogenes. Therefore, there is a demand for the availability of rapid and sensitive methods, such as PCR assays, for the detection and accurate discrimination of L. monocytogenes. However, the efficiency of PCR methods can be negatively affected by inhibitory compounds commonly found in vegetable matrices that may cause false-negative results. Therefore, the sample processing and DNA isolation steps must be carefully evaluated prior to the introduction of such methods into routine practice. In this study, we compared the ability of three column-based and four magnetic bead-based commercial DNA isolation kits to extract DNA of the model micro-organism L. monocytogenes from raw vegetables. The DNA isolation efficiency of all isolation kits was determined using a triplex real-time qPCR assay designed to specifically detect L. monocytogenes. The kit with best performance, the PowerSoil(™) Microbial DNA Isolation Kit, is suitable for the extraction of amplifiable DNA from L. monocytogenes cells in vegetable with efficiencies ranging between 29.6 and 70.3%. Coupled with the triplex real-time qPCR assay, this DNA isolation kit is applicable to the samples with bacterial loads of 10(3) bacterial cells per gram of L. monocytogenes. Several recent outbreaks of Listeria monocytogenes have been associated with the consumption of fruits and vegetables. Real-time PCR assays allow fast detection and accurate quantification of microbes. However, the success of real-time PCR is dependent on the success with which template DNA can be extracted. The results of this study suggest that the PowerSoil(™) Microbial DNA Isolation Kit can be used for the extraction of amplifiable DNA from L. monocytogenes cells in vegetable with efficiencies ranging between 29.6 and 70.3%. This method is applicable to samples with bacterial loads of 10(3) bacterial cells per gram of L. monocytogenes. © 2014

  3. The Arsenic Resistance-Associated Listeria Genomic Island LGI2 Exhibits Sequence and Integration Site Diversity and a Propensity for Three Listeria monocytogenes Clones with Enhanced Virulence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Sangmi; Ward, Todd J; Jima, Dereje D; Parsons, Cameron; Kathariou, Sophia

    2017-11-01

    In the foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes , arsenic resistance is encountered primarily in serotype 4b clones considered to have enhanced virulence and is associated with an arsenic resistance gene cluster within a 35-kb chromosomal region, Listeria genomic island 2 (LGI2). LGI2 was first identified in strain Scott A and includes genes putatively involved in arsenic and cadmium resistance, DNA integration, conjugation, and pathogenicity. However, the genomic localization and sequence content of LGI2 remain poorly characterized. Here we investigated 85 arsenic-resistant L. monocytogenes strains, mostly of serotype 4b. All but one of the 70 serotype 4b strains belonged to clonal complex 1 (CC1), CC2, and CC4, three major clones associated with enhanced virulence. PCR analysis suggested that 53 strains (62.4%) harbored an island highly similar to LGI2 of Scott A, frequently (42/53) in the same location as Scott A ( LMOf2365_2257 homolog). Random-primed PCR and whole-genome sequencing revealed seven novel insertion sites, mostly internal to chromosomal coding sequences, among strains harboring LGI2 outside the LMOf2365_2257 homolog. Interestingly, many CC1 strains harbored a noticeably diversified LGI2 (LGI2-1) in a unique location ( LMOf2365_0902 homolog) and with a novel additional gene. With few exceptions, the tested LGI2 genes were not detected in arsenic-resistant strains of serogroup 1/2, which instead often harbored a Tn 554 -associated arsenic resistance determinant not encountered in serotype 4b. These findings indicate that in L. monocytogenes , LGI2 has a propensity for certain serotype 4b clones, exhibits content diversity, and is highly promiscuous, suggesting an ability to mobilize various accessory genes into diverse chromosomal loci. IMPORTANCE Listeria monocytogenes is widely distributed in the environment and causes listeriosis, a foodborne disease with high mortality and morbidity. Arsenic and other heavy metals can powerfully shape the

  4. Factors associated with Listeria monocytogenes contamination of cold-smoked pork products produced in Latvia and Lithuania.

    OpenAIRE

    Berzins,-A; Horman,-A; Lunden,-J; Korkeala,-H

    2007-01-01

    A total of 312 samples of sliced, vacuum packaged, cold-smoked pork from 15 meat processing plants in Latvia and Lithuania, obtained over a 15-month period from 2003 until 2004, were analyzed for the presence of Listeria monocytogenes at the end of their shelf-life. Overall, 120 samples (38%) tested positive for L. monocytogenes. Despite the long storing period, the levels of L. monocytogenes in cold-smoked pork products were low. Manufacturing processes were studied at seven meat processing ...

  5. Evaluation of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification method for the detection of Listeria monocytogenes in dairy food

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erica Tirloni

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Objective of the present study was to test the performances of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP-based method for the detection of Listeria monocytogenes, with particular focus on the dairy products. The specificity of the method was evaluated on 42 different Listeria spp. strains from collections, food and environmental samples. 100% (32 of 32 of the L. monocytogenes strains were correctly recognised, and none of other 10 Listeria spp. strains was misidentified. The sensitivity was evaluated on four L. monocytogenes strains from different sources. The instrument was able to detect 10-400 CFU/mL. The ability to detect low initial numbers of L. monocytogenes (0.3- 0.7 Log CFU/g was also evaluated, in duplicate, in pasteurised milk (whole and skimmed and dairy samples (fresh ricotta, crescenza, mascarpone, mozzarella, cottage cheese, cream cheese, taleggio, gorgonzola. The analysis was performed after 18, 24 and 48 h of incubation, and was coupled with the count of L. monocytogenes in the broth. Microbial loads were insufficient to achieve a positive result after 18 and 24 h in most of the samples; after 48 h, all the products, except taleggio and one gorgonzola sample, were identified as positive; the sensitivity of the method when applied to contaminated dairy foods was about 5 Log CFU/g. The LAMP method tested can be considered a very useful tool, as it is a costeffective and easy-functioning method. The preliminary data obtained should be confirmed with a validation process taking into account different food typologies.

  6. Inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes by piscicolin 126 in milk and Camembert cheese manufactured with a thermophilic starter.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wan, J; Harmark, K; Davidson, B E; Hillier, A J; Gordon, J B; Wilcock, A; Hickey, M W; Coventry, M J

    1997-03-01

    The effect of bacteriocin, piscicolin 126, on the growth of Listeria monocytogenes and cheese starter bacteria was investigated in milk and in Camembert cheese manufactured from milk challenged with 10(2) cfu ml(-1) L. monocytogenes. In milk incubated at 30 degrees C, piscicolin 126 added in the range of 512-2,048 AU ml(-1) effectively inhibited growth of L. monocytogenes for more than 20 d when challenged with approximately 10(2) cfu ml(-1) L. monocytogenes. At higher challenge levels (10(4) and 10(6) cfu ml(-1)), piscicolin 126 reduced the viable count of L. monocytogenes by 4-5 log units immediately after addition of the bacteriocin; however, growth of Listeria occurred within 24 h. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of piscicolin 126 against lactic acid cheese starter bacteria was generally greater than 204,800 AU ml(-1) , and the viable count and acid production of these starter cultures in milk were not affected by the addition of 2,048 AU ml(-1) piscicolin 126. Camembert cheeses made from milk challenged with L. monocytogenes and with added piscicolin 126 showed a viable count of L. monocytogenes 3-4 log units lower than those without piscicolin 126. Inactivation of piscicolin 126 by proteolytic enzymes from cheese starter bacteria and mould together with the emergence of piscicolin 126-resistant isolates was responsible for the recovery of L. monocytogenes in the cheeses during ripening.

  7. Rapid detection of Listeria monocytogenes in foods, by a combination of PCR and DNA probe.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ingianni, A; Floris, M; Palomba, P; Madeddu, M A; Quartuccio, M; Pompei, R

    2001-10-01

    Listeria monocytogenes is a frequent contaminant of water and foods. Its rapid detection is needed before some foods can be prepared for marketing. In this work L. monocytogenes has been searched for in foods, by a combination of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and a DNA probe. Both PCR and the probe were prepared for recognizing a specific region of the internalin gene, which is responsible for the production of one of the most important pathogenic factors of Listeria. The combined use of PCR and the DNA probe was used for the detection of L. monocytogenes in over 180 environmental and food samples. Several detection methods were compared in this study, namely conventional culture methods; direct PCR; PCR after an enrichment step; a DNA probe alone; a DNA probe after enrichment and another commercially available gene-probe. Finally PCR and the DNA probe were used in series on all the samples collected. When the DNA probe was associated with the PCR, specific and accurate detection of listeria in the samples could be obtained in about a working-day. The present molecular method showed some advantages in terms of rapidity and specificity in comparison to the other aforementioned tests. In addition, it resulted as being easy to handle, even for non-specialized personnel in small diagnostic microbiology laboratories. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

  8. Antibacterial efficacy of Nisin, Pediocin 34 and Enterocin FH99 against Listeria monocytogenes and cross resistance of its bacteriocin resistant variants to common food preservatives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaur, G; Singh, T P; Malik, R K

    2013-01-01

    Antilisterial efficiency of three bacteriocins, viz, Nisin, Pediocin 34 and Enterocin FH99 was tested individually and in combination against Listeria mononcytogenes ATCC 53135. A greater antibacterial effect was observed when the bacteriocins were combined in pairs, indicating that the use of more than one LAB bacteriocin in combination have a higher antibacterial action than when used individually. Variants of Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 53135 resistant to Nisin, Pediocin 34 and Enterocin FH99 were developed. Bacteriocin cross-resistance of wild type and their corresponding resistant variants were assessed and results showed that resistance to a bacteriocin may extend to other bacteriocins within the same class. Resistance to Pediocin 34 conferred cross resistance to Enterocin FH 99 but not to Nisin. Similarly resistance to Enterocin FH99 conferred cross resistance to Pediocin 34 but not to Nisin. Also, the sensitivity of Nisin, Pediocin 34 and Enterocin FH99 resistant variants of Listeria monocytogenes to low pH, salt, sodium nitrite, and potassium sorbate was assayed in broth and compared to the parental wild-type strain. The Nisin, Pediocin 34 and Enterocin FH99 resistant variants did not have intrinsic resistance to low pH, sodium chloride, potassium sorbate, or sodium nitrite. In no case were the bacteriocin resistant Listeria monocytogenes variants examined were more resistant to inhibitors than the parental strains.

  9. Antibacterial efficacy of Nisin, Pediocin 34 and Enterocin FH99 against Listeria monocytogenes and cross resistance of its bacteriocin resistant variants to common food preservatives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. Kaur

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Antilisterial efficiency of three bacteriocins, viz, Nisin, Pediocin 34 and Enterocin FH99 was tested individually and in combination against Listeria mononcytogenes ATCC 53135. A greater antibacterial effect was observed when the bacteriocins were combined in pairs, indicating that the use of more than one LAB bacteriocin in combination have a higher antibacterial action than when used individually. Variants of Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 53135 resistant to Nisin, Pediocin 34 and Enterocin FH99 were developed. Bacteriocin cross-resistance of wild type and their corresponding resistant variants were assessed and results showed that resistance to a bacteriocin may extend to other bacteriocins within the same class. Resistance to Pediocin 34 conferred cross resistance to Enterocin FH 99 but not to Nisin. Similarly resistance to Enterocin FH99 conferred cross resistance to Pediocin 34 but not to Nisin. Also, the sensitivity of Nisin, Pediocin 34 and Enterocin FH99 resistant variants of Listeria monocytogenes to low pH, salt, sodium nitrite, and potassium sorbate was assayed in broth and compared to the parental wild-type strain. The Nisin, Pediocin 34 and Enterocin FH99 resistant variants did not have intrinsic resistance to low pH, sodium chloride, potassium sorbate, or sodium nitrite. In no case were the bacteriocin resistant Listeria monocytogenes variants examined were more resistant to inhibitors than the parental strains.

  10. Differentiation of different mixed Listeria strains and also acid-injured, heat-injured, and repaired cells of Listeria monocytogenes using fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nyarko, Esmond; Donnelly, Catherine

    2015-03-01

    Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy was used to differentiate mixed strains of Listeria monocytogenes and mixed strains of L. monocytogenes and Listeria innocua. FT-IR spectroscopy was also applied to investigate the hypothesis that heat-injured and acid-injured cells would return to their original physiological integrity following repair. Thin smears of cells on infrared slides were prepared from cultures for mixed strains of L. monocytogenes, mixed strains of L. monocytogenes and L. innocua, and each individual strain. Heat-injured and acid-injured cells were prepared by exposing harvested cells of L. monocytogenes strain R2-764 to a temperature of 56 ± 0.2°C for 10 min or lactic acid at pH 3 for 60 min, respectively. Cellular repair involved incubating aliquots of acid-injured and heat-injured cells separately in Trypticase soy broth supplemented with 0.6% yeast extract for 22 to 24 h; bacterial thin smears on infrared slides were prepared for each treatment. Spectral collection was done using 250 scans at a resolution of 4 cm(-1) in the mid-infrared wavelength region. Application of multivariate discriminant analysis to the wavelength region from 1,800 to 900 cm(-1) separated the individual L. monocytogenes strains. Mixed strains of L. monocytogenes and L. monocytogenes cocultured with L. innocua were successfully differentiated from the individual strains when the discriminant analysis was applied. Different mixed strains of L. monocytogenes were also successfully separated when the discriminant analysis was applied. A data set for injury and repair analysis resulted in the separation of acid-injured, heat-injured, and intact cells; repaired cells clustered closer to intact cells when the discriminant analysis (1,800 to 600 cm(-1)) was applied. FT-IR spectroscopy can be used for the rapid source tracking of L. monocytogenes strains because it can differentiate between different mixed strains and individual strains of the pathogen.

  11. Genotyping of Listeria monocytogenes isolates from poultry carcasses using high resolution melting (HRM) analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakaridis, Ioannis; Ganopoulos, Ioannis; Madesis, Panagiotis; Tsaftaris, Athanasios; Argiriou, Anagnostis

    2014-01-02

    An outbreak situation of human listeriosis requires a fast and accurate protocol for typing Listeria monocytogenes . Existing techniques are either characterized by low discriminatory power or are laborious and require several days to give a final result. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) coupled with high resolution melting (HRM) analysis was investigated in this study as an alternative tool for a rapid and precise genotyping of L. monocytogenes isolates. Fifty-five isolates of L. monocytogenes isolated from poultry carcasses and the environment of four slaughterhouses were typed by HRM analysis using two specific markers, internalin B and ssrA genes. The analysis of genotype confidence percentage of L. monocytogenes isolates produced by HRM analysis generated dendrograms with two major groups and several subgroups. Furthermore, the analysis of the HRM curves revealed that all L. monocytogenes isolates could easily be distinguished. In conclusion, HRM was proven to be a fast and powerful tool for genotyping isolates of L. monocytogenes .

  12. Packaging properties and control of Listeria monocytogenes in bologna by cellulosic films incorporated with pediocin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paula Judith Pérez Espitia

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen, able to survive and proliferate at refrigeration temperatures. As a result, ready-to-eat meat products have been associated with major outbreaks. Producing meat products involves lethal preservation treatments, e.g. thermal treatments. Listeria contamination, however, may be introduced when products are sliced and packaged at retail businesses or delicatessens. In Brazil, sliced bologna is very popular at retail markets. After slicing, however, bologna has a short shelf-life. The aim of this work was to study the effects of pediocin incorporation on the load at break, water vapor permeability rate and structure, by microscopic analysis, of antimicrobial cellulosic packaging. The potential application of the developed packaging for the preservation of bologna and inhibition of Listeria biofilm formation was also studied. Cellulosic antimicrobial packaging films were produced with cellulose acetate and acetone. Pediocin (commercially available concentrate ALTA TM 2341 was incorporated at 30, 40 and 50 % w/w. The load at break of films was studied using the Universal Testing Machine (Instron at 10 °C and 25 °C. The water vapor permeability was determined by gravimetric method. A scanning electron microscope was used to study the developed packaging structure. Antimicrobial activity of films against Listeria innoucua and L. monocytogenes was tested both in vitro and in bologna samples. Results showed that values of load at break decreased with increasing concentrations of pediocin at 10 °C and 25 °C. Regarding water vapor permeability, only the control and 50 % pediocin films presented statistical difference, with the 50 % pediocin film being more permeable. In vitro tests showed antimicrobial activity against L. innocua. Cellulosic film with 50 % pediocin reduced L. monocytogenes growth on sliced bologna by 1.2 log cycles after 9 days and prevented biofilm formation on packaging and bologna

  13. A large outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infection with short incubation period in a tertiary care hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnsen, Bjørn Odd; Lingaas, Egil; Torfoss, Dag; Strøm, Erik H; Nordøy, Ingvild

    2010-12-01

    Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen with a high mortality rate. We report a large, nosocomial outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infection. Patients with L. monocytogenes isolated from a sterile site, or from faeces when diarrhoea and fever were present, were included. Clinical data were collected from the patient records. The incubation period was calculated as the time between exposure and start of symptoms. Seventeen patients (11 women, median age 64 years) were infected of whom 15 patients were at increased risk for listeriosis. Eleven patients received empiric antibiotic treatment, eight of them with cephalosporins. Three patients died with a resulting mortality rate of 18%. The source of the outbreak was a Camembert cheese made from pasteurised milk containing up to 360 million colony forming units per portion. The median incubation period was 3-4 days. The incubation period in this outbreak was significantly shorter than previously reported, a fact that may be due to the high number of ingested bacteria. Furthermore, food restrictions in hospitals seem warranted, as do treatment with antibiotics effective against L. monocytogenes in at-risk populations. Copyright © 2010 The British Infection Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Occurrence of Listeria monocytogenes in Ready-to-Eat Meat Products and Meat Processing Plants in Spain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Diego Gómez

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this work was to study the occurrence of Listeria monocytogenes in several types of ready-to-eat (RTE meat products and in the environment of meat processing plants. A total of 129 samples of RTE meat products and 110 samples from work surfaces and equipment were analyzed. L. monocytogenes was detected in 6 out of 35 cooked products (17.14%, 21 out of 57 raw-cured products (36.84%, and 9 out of 37 dry-cured, salted products (24.32%. The number of sample units that exceeded the food safety limit of 100 cfu/g decreased from the manufacture date to half shelf life, and then it was further reduced at the end of shelf life. L. monocytogenes was detected in 25 out of 110 (22.72% food contact surfaces. The number of positive and negative results from both food and environmental samples were cross-tabulated and the calculated Cohen’s kappa coefficient (κ was 0.3233, indicating a fair agreement in terms of Listeria contamination. L. monocytogenes was recovered after cleaning and disinfection procedures in four plants, highlighting the importance of thorough cleaning and disinfection.

  15. Comparative Genomics Reveals the Diversity of Restriction-Modification Systems and DNA Methylation Sites in Listeria monocytogenes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Poyin; den Bakker, Henk C; Korlach, Jonas; Kong, Nguyet; Storey, Dylan B; Paxinos, Ellen E; Ashby, Meredith; Clark, Tyson; Luong, Khai; Wiedmann, Martin; Weimer, Bart C

    2017-02-01

    Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterial pathogen that is found in a wide variety of anthropogenic and natural environments. Genome sequencing technologies are rapidly becoming a powerful tool in facilitating our understanding of how genotype, classification phenotypes, and virulence phenotypes interact to predict the health risks of individual bacterial isolates. Currently, 57 closed L. monocytogenes genomes are publicly available, representing three of the four phylogenetic lineages, and they suggest that L. monocytogenes has high genomic synteny. This study contributes an additional 15 closed L. monocytogenes genomes that were used to determine the associations between the genome and methylome with host invasion magnitude. In contrast to previous findings, large chromosomal inversions and rearrangements were detected in five isolates at the chromosome terminus and within rRNA genes, including a previously undescribed inversion within rRNA-encoding regions. Each isolate's epigenome contained highly diverse methyltransferase recognition sites, even within the same serotype and methylation pattern. Eleven strains contained a single chromosomally encoded methyltransferase, one strain contained two methylation systems (one system on a plasmid), and three strains exhibited no methylation, despite the occurrence of methyltransferase genes. In three isolates a new, unknown DNA modification was observed in addition to diverse methylation patterns, accompanied by a novel methylation system. Neither chromosome rearrangement nor strain-specific patterns of epigenome modification observed within virulence genes were correlated with serotype designation, clonal complex, or in vitro infectivity. These data suggest that genome diversity is larger than previously considered in L. monocytogenes and that as more genomes are sequenced, additional structure and methylation novelty will be observed in this organism. Listeria monocytogenes is the causative agent of listeriosis, a disease

  16. Influence of sublethal concentrations of common disinfectants on expression of virulence genes in Listeria monocytogenes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kastbjerg, Vicky Gaedt; Larsen, M. H.; Gram, Lone

    2010-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne human pathogen that causes listeriosis, a relatively rare infection with a high fatality rate. The regulation of virulence gene expression is influenced by several environmental factors, and the aim of the present study was to determine how disinfectants use......, such as antibiotic resistance....... by Northern blot analysis. Eleven disinfectants representing four different groups of active components were evaluated in this study. Disinfectants with the same active ingredients had a similar effect on gene expression. Peroxy and chlorine compounds reduced the expression of the virulence genes...

  17. Prevalence and quantification of Listeria monocytogenes in chicken offal at the retail level in Malaysia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuan, C H; Goh, S G; Loo, Y Y; Chang, W S; Lye, Y L; Puspanadan, S; Tang, J Y H; Nakaguchi, Y; Nishibuchi, M; Mahyudin, N A; Radu, S

    2013-06-01

    A total of 216 chicken offal samples (chicken liver = 72; chicken heart = 72; chicken gizzard = 72) from wet markets and hypermarkets in Selangor, Malaysia, were examined for the presence and density of Listeria monocytogenes by using a combination of the most probable number and PCR method. The prevalence of L. monocytogenes in 216 chicken offal samples examined was 26.39%, and among the positive samples, the chicken gizzard showed the highest percentage at 33.33% compared with chicken liver (25.00%) and chicken heart (20.83%). The microbial load of L. monocytogenes in chicken offal samples ranged from Malaysia.

  18. Prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in poultry production in France.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chemaly, Marianne; Toquin, Marie-Therese; Le Nôtre, Yolene; Fravalo, Philippe

    2008-10-01

    This study aimed to update and create a data set from laying hens and broilers regarding contamination by Listeria monocytogenes. Two hundred laying-hen flocks were sampled, with 88 flocks reared in cages and 112 reared on the floor. One hundred forty-five broiler flocks were sampled, with 85 conventional and 60 free-range flocks. A total of 774 and 725 samples were analyzed from laying hens and broilers, respectively. L. monocytogenes was detected in 31 of 200 flocks, yielding an estimated prevalence of 15.5% in laying-hen flocks. Among positive flocks, there appeared a significant (P = 0.004) difference between caged and floor-reared hens, with a higher detection in dust samples from floor-reared hens. In positive caged hen flocks, significant (P = 0.028) differences between dust and fecal samples appeared, with a higher detection in feces than in dust samples. In broiler flocks, L. monocytogenes was isolated in 46 of 145 flocks, yielding an estimated prevalence of 32% (28% in conventional flocks versus 37% in the free-range flocks). L. monocytogenes was isolated in samples taken from conventional flocks with a lower frequency than in free-range flocks (13 versus 18%, respectively). The serotyping of L. monocytogenes strains showed that the majority belonged to type 1/2a in laying-hen flocks (74.3%) and in broiler flocks (40.5%). A significant difference (P = 0.007) between laying hens and broilers was shown for serogroup 4 and for serovar 1/2b (P = 0.007); these serogroups were more prevalent in broilers (40%) than in laying hens (5.7%).

  19. Determining If Phylogenetic Relatedness of Listeria Monocytogenes Isolates Corresponds to Persistence in Poultry Processing Plants Using Whole-Genome Sequencing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Introduction: Controlling Listeria monocytogenes on ready-to-eat meat and poultry products and in food processing facilities is challenging. Surveys have found that some L. monocytogenes types are more persistent in processing facilities than others, but the reason is unknown. It is possible persist...

  20. Triclosan-Induced Aminoglycoside-Tolerant Listeria monocytogenes Isolates Can Appear as Small-Colony Variants

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kastbjerg, Vicky Gaedt; Hein-Kristensen, Line; Gram, Lone

    2014-01-01

    Exposure of the human food-borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes to sublethal concentrations of triclosan can cause resistance to several aminoglycosides. Aminoglycoside-resistant isolates exhibit two colony morphologies: normal-size and pinpoint colonies. The purposes of the present study were...... to characterize the small colonies of L. monocytogenes and to determine if specific genetic changes could explain the triclosan-induced aminoglycoside resistance in both pinpoint and normal-size isolates. Isolates from the pinpoint colonies grew poorly under aerated conditions, but growth was restored by addition......I and that exposure to triclosan can cause resistance to antibiotics that enters the cell via active transport. Further studies are needed to elucidate if L. monocytogenes pinpoint isolates could have any clinical impact, e.g., in persistent infections....

  1. Effect of starter cultures on survival of Listeria monocytogenes in Čajna sausage

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bošković, M.; Tadić, V.; Đorđević, J.; Glišić, M.; Lakićević, B.; Dimitrijević, M.; Baltić, M. Ž.

    2017-09-01

    The aim of the study was to evaluate the survival of Listeria monocytogenes during the production of Čajna sausage with short maturation time. Sausage batter was inoculated with three different serotypes 4b and serotype 1/2a of L. monocytogenes. Control sausages were without any starter culture added; the second batch was inoculated with strains of Lactobacillus sakei, Staphylococcus carnosus and Staphylococcus xylosus, and the third batch was inoculated with strains of Debaryomyces hansenii, Lactobacillus sakei, Pediococcus acidilactici, Pediococcus pentosaceus, Staphylococcus carnosus and Staphylococcus xylosus. After 18 days of ripening, L. monocytogenes was not detected in any of the sausages, but during this fermentation and drying, the numbers of this pathogen was lower in the sausages inoculated with starter cultures.

  2. Radiation sensitivities of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from chicken meat and their growth at refrigeration temperatures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harsojo; Banati, D.; Ito, H.

    1997-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes were isolated in 5 lots, more than one cell in each 25-g sample of 10 lots of chicken meat, which was obtained from several different areas in Japan. From taxonomic study, the psychrotrophic type of 3 isolates grew well at 4°C on Trypticase soy agar slant, whereas 2 isolates grew poorly. Cells of all isolates were sensitive to γ-irradiation in phosphate buffer, and the D 10 values obtained were 0.16 to 0.18 kGy under aerobic irradiation conditions similar to the values of salmonellae. In the chicken meat sample, the D 10 value obtained was 0.42 kGy the same value as in phosphate buffer under anaerobic irradiation conditions, and the necessary dose for inactivation of L. monocytogenes was estimated to be 2 kGy in raw chicken meat below 10 -4 CFU (colony forming unit) per gram. In the storage study of chicken meat which was inoculated with about 3×10 3 CFU per gram of L. monocytogenes, the psychrotrophic type of the isolates grew quickly at 7 to 10°C storage. However, a dose of 1 kGy was also effective to suppress the growth of L. monocytogenes at refrigeration temperatures below 10°C

  3. Listeria monocytogenes serotype prevalence and biodiversity in diverse food products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hadjilouka, Agni; Andritsos, Nikolaos D; Paramithiotis, Spiros; Mataragas, Marios; Drosinos, Eleftherios H

    2014-12-01

    The aim of this study was to assess serotype prevalence and biodiversity of Listeria monocytogenes strains isolated from diverse food products, i.e., minced pork, fruits, and vegetables. Three hundred twenty-six samples previously purchased from supermarkets and street markets within the Athens area were studied for L. monocytogenes prevalence. A total of 121 strains were isolated from the 36 samples that were positive for L. monocytogenes. Serotyping was performed with multiplex PCR, and biodiversity was assessed with random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) PCR analysis using M13, UBC155, and HLWL85 as primers and with repetitive element palindromic (rep) PCR analysis using (GTG)5 as the primer. The majority (17 of 22) of the contaminated minced pork samples contained strains identified as serotype 1/2a, either alone or in combination with strains belonging to serotypes 1/2b, 4a, 4c, or 4ab. However, all L. monocytogenes isolates from fruits and vegetables belonged to serotype 4b. Rep-PCR provided better differentiation of the isolates than did RAPD PCR and resulted in discrimination of the isolates into a larger number of unique profiles. Complete differentiation was achieved only with the combination of these subtyping techniques.

  4. Occurrence and antimicrobial resistance patterns of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from vegetables

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vanessa de Vasconcelos Byrne

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Although the consumption of fresh and minimally processed vegetables is considered healthy, outbreaks related to the contamination of these products are frequently reported. Among the food-borne pathogens that contaminate vegetables is Listeria monocytogenes, a ubiquitous organism that exhibits the ability to survive and multiply at refrigerated temperatures. This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of L. monocytogenes in vegetables as well as the antimicrobial resistance of isolates. The results showed that 3.03% of samples were contaminated with L. monocytogenes, comprising 2.22% of raw vegetables and 5.56% of ready-to-eat vegetables. Multiplex PCR confirmed the virulence potential of the isolates. Antimicrobial resistance profiling showed that 50% of the isolates were susceptible to the antibiotics used. The resistance of one isolate to penicillin G, a commonly employed therapeutic agent, and the presence of serotype 4b, a serotype commonly associated with food-borne outbreaks, could be potential health hazards for consumers.

  5. Genes that are involved in high hydrostatic pressure treatments in a Listeria monocytogenes Scott A ctsR deletion mutant

    Science.gov (United States)

    Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne pathogen of significant threat to public health. High Hydrostatic Pressure (HHP) treatment can be used to control L. monocytogenes in food. The CtsR (class three stress gene repressor) protein negatively regulates the expression of class III heat shock genes....

  6. Inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes by Lactobacillus bavaricus MN in beef systems at refrigeration temperatures.

    OpenAIRE

    Winkowski, K; Crandall, A D; Montville, T J

    1993-01-01

    The ability of Lactobacillus bavaricus, a meat isolate, to inhibit the growth of three Listeria monocytogenes strains was examined in three beef systems: beef cubes, beef cubes in gravy, and beef cubes in gravy containing glucose. The beef was minimally heat treated, inoculated with L. bavaricus at 10(5) or 10(3) CFU/g and L. monocytogenes at 10(2) CFU/g, vacuum sealed, and stored at 4 or 10 degrees C. The meat samples were monitored for microbial growth, pH, and bacteriocin production. The p...

  7. Listeria monocytogenes alters mast cell phenotype, mediator and osteopontin secretion in a listeriolysin-dependent manner.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Catherine E Jobbings

    Full Text Available Whilst mast cells participate in the immune defence against the intracellular bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, there is conflicting evidence regarding the ability of L. monocytogenes to infect mast cells. It is known that the pore-forming toxin listeriolysin (LLO is important for mast cell activation, degranulation and the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Mast cells, however, are a potential source of a wide range of cytokines, chemokines and other mediators including osteopontin, which contributes to the clearing of L. monocytogenes infections in vivo, although its source is unknown. We therefore aimed to resolve the controversy of mast cell infection by L. monocytogenes and investigated the extent of mediator release in response to the bacterium. In this paper we show that the infection of bone marrow-derived mast cells by L. monocytogenes is inefficient and LLO-independent. LLO, however, is required for calcium-independent mast cell degranulation as well as for the transient and selective downregulation of cell surface CD117 (c-kit on mast cells. We demonstrate that in addition to the key pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6, mast cells release a wide range of other mediators in response to L. monocytogenes. Osteopontin, IL-2, IL-4, IL-13 and granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF, and chemokines including CCL2, CCL3, CCL4 and CCL5 are released in a MyD88-dependent manner. The wide range of mediators released by mast cells in response to L. monocytogenes may play an important role in the recruitment and activation of a variety of immune cells in vivo. The cocktail of mediators, however, is unlikely to skew the immune response to a particular effector response. We propose that mast cells provide a hitherto unreported source of osteopontin, and may provide an important role in co-ordinating the immune response during Listeria infection.

  8. Isolation of a bacteriocin-producing Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis and application to control Listeria monocytogenes in Moroccan jben.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benkerroum, N; Oubel, H; Zahar, M; Dlia, S; Filali-Maltouf, A

    2000-12-01

    Use of a bacteriocin-producing lactococcal strain to control Listeria monocytogenes in jben. A Lactococcus lactis strain isolated from lben was shown, by the spot technique, to produce a bacteriocin different from nisin. Inhibitory activity of the bacteriocin-producing strain against Listeria monocytogenes was investigated in jben, made from cow's milk fermented with the producer organism and contaminated with 104 or 107 cfu ml-1. Listeria counts were monitored during manufacture, and during conservation at room and at refrigeration temperatures. Results showed that the pathogen was reduced by 2.7 logarithmic units after 30 h of jben processing when the initial inoculum of 107 cfu ml(-1) was used. For the initial inoculum of 104 cfu ml(-1), the bacterium was completely eliminated at 24 h. Furthermore, the use of the bacteriocin-producing starter culture extended the shelf-life of jben by 5 days. In situ production of the lactococcal bacteriocin is an efficient biological means of controlling L. monocytogenes in jben and of allowing shelf-life extension. The proposed technology will essentially benefit minimally processed dairy products and those made with raw milk.

  9. Suppression of Listeria monocytogenes by the Native Micro-Flora in Teewurst Sausage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Austin-Watson, Clytrice; Grant, Ar'Quette; Brice, Michline

    2013-10-21

    Modern consumers are interested in the use of non-chemical methods to control pathogens when heat sterilization is not an option. Such is the case with teewurst sausage, a raw spreadable sausage and a popular German commodity. Although Listeria was not found in teewurst, the optimal microbial growing conditions of teewurst coupled with the ubiquity of L. monocytogenes in nature, makes the possibility of contamination of products very possible. This pilot study was conducted to examine teewurst's native micro-flora's ability to suppress the outgrowth of L. monocytogenes at 10 °C using standard plate counts and PCR-DGGE. Traditional plating methods showed L. monocytogenes growth significantly decreased when in competition with the teewurst's native micro-flora ( p flora of the teewurst suppressed the overall growth of L. monocytogenes by an average of two logs, under these conditions. Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE) amplicons with unique banding patterns were extracted from DGGE gel for identification. Brochothrix thermosphacta and Lactobacillus curvatus were identified as a part of the teewurst's native micro-flora. Although the native micro-flora did not decrease L. monocytogenes to below limits of detection, it was enough of a decrease to warrant further investigation.

  10. Diffusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Rhombencephalitis due to Listeria monocytogenes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hatipoglu, H.G.; Onbasioglu Gurbuz, M.; Sakman, B.; Yuksel, E. [Dept. of Radiology, Ankara Numune Education and Research Hospital, Ankara (Turkey)

    2007-04-15

    We present diffusion-weighted imaging findings of a case of rhombencephalitis due to Listeria monocytogenes. It is a rare, life-threatening disorder. The diagnosis is difficult by clinical findings only. In this report, we aim to draw attention to the role of conventional and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging findings. To our knowledge, this is the first case report in the literature with apparent diffusion coefficient values of diseased brain parenchyma.

  11. Efecto de tiempo y temperatura de cocción en chorizo inoculados artificialmente con Listeria monocytogenes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana K. Carrascal-Camacho

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Effect of cooking time and temperature on sausages artificially inoculated with Listeria monocytogenes. Objective. To find whetherthe cooking times traditionally used by consumers are enough to inactivate Listeria monocytogenes artificially inoculated into sausages.Materials and methods. A survey asking about sausage cooking habits was completed with 50 housewives. We analyzed 60 samples ofsausages previously inoculated with 103 CFU g-1 from a pool of 5 strains of L. monocytogenes, then the cooking procedures described inthe survey were applied to the samples, and counting was done immediately after. Additionally, a complementary test was carried out byinoculating 20 samples of sausages with 103 CFU g-1 and exposing them to 72 oC and 73 oC for 30 seg. Results. The survey showed that15 minute boiling and 5 minute frying are the most frequent ways of preparing sausages by consumers. We established that the time andcooking conditions used in our assay had a statistically significant effect (p: 0.016 on the inoculated samples. In the complementary assay,statistical data (p: 0.0001 indicated that internal temperatures of 73 oC are enough to inactivate the pathogen at an industrial scale.Conclusion. Cooking by 15 minute boiling and 5 minute frying are enough to inactive concentrations of 103 g-1 of Listeria monocytogenesartificially inoculated into sausages.

  12. HrcA and DnaK are important for static and continuous flow biofilm formation and disinfectant resistance in Listeria monocytogenes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Veen, van der S.; Abee, T.

    2010-01-01

    The food-borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes is able to form biofilms in food processing environments. Since biofilms are generally difficult to eradicate during clean-up procedures, they pose a major risk for the food industry. Stress resistance mechanisms involved in L. monocytogenes biofilm

  13. How the study of Listeria monocytogenes has led to new concepts in biology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rolhion, Nathalie; Cossart, Pascale

    2017-06-01

    The opportunistic intracellular bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes has in 30 years emerged as an exceptional bacterial model system in infection biology. Research on this bacterium has provided considerable insight into how pathogenic bacteria adapt to mammalian hosts, invade eukaryotic cells, move intracellularly, interfere with host cell functions and disseminate within tissues. It also contributed to unveil features of normal host cell pathways and unsuspected functions of previously known cellular proteins. This review provides an updated overview of our knowledge on this pathogen. In many examples, findings on L. monocytogenes provided the basis for new concepts in bacterial regulation, cell biology and infection processes.

  14. Host resistance of CD18 knockout mice against systemic infection with Listeria monocytogenes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Huaizhu; Prince, Joseph E.; Brayton, Cory F.; Shah, Chirayu; Zeve, Daniel; Gregory, Stephen H.; Smith, C. Wayne; Ballantyne, Christie M.

    2003-01-01

    Mice with targeted mutations of CD18, the common beta2 subunit of CD11/CD18 integrins, have leukocytosis, impaired transendothelial neutrophil emigration, and reduced host defense to Streptococcus pneumoniae, a gram-positive extracellular bacterium. Previous studies using blocking monoclonal antibodies suggested roles for CD18 and CD11b in hepatic neutrophil recruitment and host innate response to Listeria monocytogenes, a gram-positive intracellular bacterium. We induced systemic listeriosis in CD18 knockout (CD18-ko) and wild-type (WT) mice by tail vein injection with Listeria. By 14 days postinjection (dpi), 8 of 10 WT mice died, compared with 2 of 10 CD18-ko mice (P Listeria organisms in livers and spleens were similar in both groups at 20 min postinfection. By 3, 5, and 7 dpi, however, numbers of Listeria organisms were significantly lower in livers and spleens of CD18-ko mice than in WT mice. Histopathology showed that following Listeria infection, CD18-ko mice had milder inflammatory and necrotizing lesions in both spleens and livers than did WT mice. Cytokine assays indicated that baseline interleukin-1beta and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) levels were higher in CD18-ko mice than in WT mice and that CD18-ko splenocytes produced higher levels of interleukin-1beta and G-CSF than WT splenocytes under the same amount of Listeria stimulation. These findings show that CD18 is not an absolute requirement for antilisterial innate immunity or hepatic neutrophil recruitment. We propose that the absence of CD18 in the mice results in the priming of innate immunity, as evidenced by elevated cytokine expression, and neutrophilic leukocytosis, which augments antilisterial defense.

  15. Single cell swimming dynamics of Listeria monocytogenes using a nanoporous microfluidic platform

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wright, Evan [University of Guelph, Canada; Neethirajan, Suresh [University of Guelph; Warriner, Keith [University of Guelph; Retterer, Scott T [ORNL; Srijanto, Bernadeta R [ORNL

    2014-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes remains a significant foodborne pathogen due to its virulence and ability to become established in food processing facilities. The pathogen is characterized by its ability to grow over a wide temperature range and withstand a broad range of stresses. The following reports on the chemotaxis and motility of the L. monocytogenes when exposed to relatively small concentrations of acetic acid. Using the developed nanoporous microfluidic device to precisely modulate the cellular environment, we exposed the individual Listeria cells to acetic acid and, in real time and with high resolution, observed how the cells reacted to the change in their surroundings. Our results showed that concentrations of acetic acid below 10 mM had very little, if any, effect on the motility. However, when exposed to 100 mM acetic acid, the cells exhibited a sharp drop in velocity and displayed a more random pattern of motion. These results indicate that at appropriate concentrations, acetic acid has the ability to disable the flagellum of the cells, thus impairing their motility. This drop in motility has numerous effects on the cell; its main effects being the obstruction of the cell's ability to properly form biofilms and a reduction in the overall infectivity of the cells. Since these characteristics are especially useful in controlling the proliferation of L. monocytogenes, acetic acid shows potential for application in the food industry as an active compound in designing a food packaging environment and as an antimicrobial agent.

  16. Listeria monocytogenes following orthotopic liver transplantation: Central nervous system involvement and review of the literature

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    2007-01-01

    Listeria monocytogene is a well-recognized cause of bacteremia in immunocompromised individuals, including solid organ transplant recipients, but has been rarely reported following orthotopic liver transplantation. We describe a case of listeria meningitis that occurred within a week after liver transplantation. The patient developed a severe headache that mimicked tacrolimus encephalopathy, and was subsequently diagnosed with listeria meningitis by cerebrospinal fluid culture. The infection was successfully treated with three-week course of intravenous ampicillin. Recurrent hepatitis C followed and was successfully treated with interferon alfa and ribavirin. Fourteen cases of listeriosis after orthotopic liver transplantation have been reported in the English literature. Most reported cases were successfully treated with intravenous ampicillin. There were four cases of listeria meningitis, and the mortality of them was 50%.Early detection and treatment of listeria meningitis are the key to obtaining a better prognosis.

  17. Listeriolysin S: A bacteriocin from epidemic Listeria monocytogenes strains that targets the gut microbiota.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quereda, Juan J; Meza-Torres, Jazmín; Cossart, Pascale; Pizarro-Cerdá, Javier

    2017-07-04

    Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive food-borne pathogen that in humans may traverse the intestinal, placental and blood/brain barriers, causing gastroenteritis, abortions and meningitis. Crossing of these barriers is dependent on the bacterial ability to enter host cells, and several L. monocytogenes surface and secreted virulence factors are known to facilitate entry and the intracellular lifecycle. The study of L. monocytogenes strains associated to human listeriosis epidemics has revealed the presence of novel virulence factors. One such factor is Listeriolysin S, a thiazole/oxazole modified microcin that displays bactericidal activity and modifies the host microbiota during infection. Our recent results therefore highlight the interaction of L. monocytogenes with gut microbes as a crucial step in epidemic listeriosis. In this article, we will discuss novel implications for this family of toxins in the pathogenesis of diverse medically relevant microorganisms.

  18. Prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat seafood marketed in Thessaloniki (Northern Greece

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N. Soultos

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Aim: In the current study, a contribution to the knowledge on the prevalence and level of contamination of Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat (RTE seafood marketed in Thessaloniki (Northern Greece was provided; the serovar identity of the L. monocytogenes isolates was also determined. Materials and Methods: A total of 132 RTE seafood samples consisting of 74 smoked fish products, 18 salted fish products, 16 dried fish products, 9 raw marinated fish products, 10 cooked marinated cephalopods and 5 surimi crab stick products were analyzed. L. monocytogenes were isolated and enumerated based on ISO 11290-1/A1 and ISO 11290-2/A1 protocols, respectively, and identified using a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR system utilizing genus and species specific primers. For the identification of serotypes a second multiplex PCR assay was used which clusters L. monocytogenes strains into four major serogroups. Results: Of the samples examined, 11 (8.3% proved positive for Listeria spp. with 8 (6.1% yielding L. monocytogenes. Only in one sample of smoked mackerel the level of L. monocytogenes exceeded the legal safety limit of 100 cfu/g set out in Commission Regulation (EC No. 1441/2007. Serotyping showed higher percentages of isolates belonging to PCR serogroup 3:1/2b, 3b, 7 (46.7% and serogroup 1:1/2a, 3a (40% followed by serogroup 4:4b, 4d, 4e (13.3%. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that L. monocytogenes can be isolated from processed RTE seafood products at retail in Thessaloniki (Northern Greece in low concentrations. However, the presence of this human pathogen in RTE seafood should not be overlooked, but it should be considered as having significance public health implications, particularly among the persons who are at greater risk. Therefore, RTE seafood should be produced under appropriate hygienic and technological conditions since the product does not undergo any treatment before consumption.

  19. Evaluation of the Thermo Scientific SureTect Listeria monocytogenes Assay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cloke, Jonathan; Leon-Velarde, Carlos; Larson, Nathan; Dave, Keron; Evans, Katharine; Crabtree, David; Hughes, Annette; Hopper, Craig; Simpson, Helen; Withey, Sophie; Oleksiuk, Milena; Holopainen, Jani; Wickstrand, Nina; Kauppinen, Mikko

    2014-01-01

    The Thermo Scientific SureTect Listeria monocytogenes Assay is a new real-time PCR assay for the detection of Listeria monocytogenes in food and environmental samples. This assay was validated using the AOAC Research Institute (AOAC-RI) Performance Tested Methods program in comparison to the reference method detailed in International Organization for Standardization 11290-1:1996, including Amendment 1:2004 with the following foods and food contact surfaces: smoked salmon, processed cheese, fresh bagged spinach, fresh cantaloupe, cooked prawns (chilled product), cooked sliced turkey meat (chilled product), ice cream, pork frankfurters, salami, ground raw beef meat (12% fat), plastic, and stainless steel. All matrixes were tested by Thermo Fisher Scientific, Microbiology Division, Basingstoke, UK. In addition, three matrixes (pork frankfurters, bagged lettuce, and stainless steel) were analyzed independently as part of the AOAC-RI controlled laboratory study by the University of Guelph, Canada. Using probability of detection (POD) statistical analysis, a significant difference was demonstrated between the candidate and reference methods for salami, cooked sliced turkey and ice cream in favor of the SureTect assay. For all other matrixes, no significant difference by POD was seen between the two methods during the study. Inclusivity and exclusivity testing was also conducted with 53 and 30 isolates, respectively, which demonstrated that the SureTect assay was able to detect all serotypes of L. monocytogenes. None of the exclusivity isolates analyzed were detected by the SureTect assay. Ruggedness testing was conducted to evaluate the performance of the assay with specific method deviations outside the recommended parameters open to variation, i.e., enrichment time and temperature and lysis temperature, which demonstrated that the assay gave reliable performance. Accelerated stability testing was also conducted, validating the assay shelf life.

  20. Effect of high pressure processing on reduction of Listeria monocytogenes in packaged Queso Fresco

    Science.gov (United States)

    The effect of high hydrostatic pressure processing (HPP) on the survival of a five-strain rifampicin-resistant cocktail of Listeria monocytogenes in Queso Fresco (QF) was evaluated as a post-packaging intervention. QF was made using pasteurized, homogenized milk, was starter-free and was not pressed...

  1. Flagellar motility is critical for Listeria monocytogenes biofilm formation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lemon, Katherine P; Higgins, Darren E; Kolter, Roberto

    2007-06-01

    The food-borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes attaches to environmental surfaces and forms biofilms that can be a source of food contamination, yet little is known about the molecular mechanisms of its biofilm development. We observed that nonmotile mutants were defective in biofilm formation. To investigate how flagella might function during biofilm formation, we compared the wild type with flagellum-minus and paralyzed-flagellum mutants. Both nonmotile mutants were defective in biofilm development, presumably at an early stage, as they were also defective in attachment to glass during the first few hours of surface exposure. This attachment defect could be significantly overcome by providing exogenous movement toward the surface via centrifugation. However, this centrifugation did not restore mature biofilm formation. Our results indicate that it is flagellum-mediated motility that is critical for both initial surface attachment and subsequent biofilm formation. Also, any role for L. monocytogenes flagella as adhesins on abiotic surfaces appears to be either minimal or motility dependent under the conditions we examined.

  2. The quorum sensing luxS gene is induced in Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM in response to Listeria monocytogenes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Moslehi Jenabian, Saloomeh; Vogensen, Finn Kvist; Jespersen, Lene

    2011-01-01

    The luxS gene involved in quorum sensing has been shown to control different behaviour of probiotic lactobacilli. In this study we investigated if luxS in Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM was up-regulated in response to Listeria monocytogenes EGD-e. The two bacterial strains were grown in mono......-killed cells of L. monocytogenes have no effect on luxS transcription. The luxS gene involved in quorum sensing has been shown to control different behaviour of probiotic lactobacilli. In this study we investigated if luxS in Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM was up-regulated in response to Listeria monocytogenes...

  3. Listeria monocytogenes Infection in Hairy Cell Leukemia: A Case Report and Literature Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    James C. Barton

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Listeria monocytogenes infections have been described in patients with diverse types of malignancy, especially leukemia. We report the case of a 65-year-old man with previously untreated hairy cell leukemia characterized by CD5 positivity and trisomy 12 (3% of blood lymphocytes who developed bacteremia due to L. monocytogenes serotype 1/2b. We summarize clinical features and treatment of this patient and five previously reported patients with hairy cell leukemia who also had L. monocytogenes infections. All six patients were men. Their mean age at infection diagnosis was 70 y. Three men had undergone splenectomy 4–11 y before they developed L. monocytogenes infection. The central nervous system was the primary site of infection in four men. Bacteremia alone occurred in two other men. At diagnosis of infection, one man was receiving antileukemia chemotherapy and another man was receiving treatment for Kaposi’s sarcoma. Two other patients had other comorbid conditions. All six men recovered from their infections.

  4. Listeria monocytogenes has a functional chitinolytic system and an active lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Paspaliari, Dafni Katerina; Loose, Jennifer S. M.; Larsen, Marianne Halberg

    2015-01-01

    Chitinases and chitin-active lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) are most commonly associated with chitin metabolism, but are also reported as virulence factors in pathogenic bacteria. Listeria monocytogenes, a well-known virulent bacterium, possesses two chitinases (ChiA and ChiB) and a ......Chitinases and chitin-active lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) are most commonly associated with chitin metabolism, but are also reported as virulence factors in pathogenic bacteria. Listeria monocytogenes, a well-known virulent bacterium, possesses two chitinases (ChiA and Chi...... but different product profiles depending on the substrate. In LPMO-chitinase synergy experiments, CBP21 is able to boost the activity of both ChiA and ChiB more than LmLPMO10. Product analysis of the synergy assays revealed that the chitinases were unable to efficiently hydrolyse the LPMO products...... (chitooligosaccharide aldonic acids) with a degree of polymerization below four (ChiA and SmChiC) or three (ChiB). Gene transcription and protein expression analysis showed that LmLPMO10 is neither highly transcribed, nor abundantly secreted during the growth of L. monocytogenes in a chitin-containing medium...

  5. Listeria monocytogenes differential transcriptome analysis reveals temperature-dependent Agr regulation and suggests overlaps with other regulons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garmyn, Dominique; Augagneur, Yoann; Gal, Laurent; Vivant, Anne-Laure; Piveteau, Pascal

    2012-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes is a ubiquitous, opportunistic pathogenic organism. Environmental adaptation requires constant regulation of gene expression. Among transcriptional regulators, AgrA is part of an auto-induction system. Temperature is an environmental cue critical for in vivo adaptation. In order to investigate how temperature may affect AgrA-dependent transcription, we compared the transcriptomes of the parental strain L. monocytogenes EGD-e and its ΔagrA mutant at the saprophytic temperature of 25°C and in vivo temperature of 37°C. Variations of transcriptome were higher at 37°C than at 25°C. Results suggested that AgrA may be involved in the regulation of nitrogen transport, amino acids, purine and pyrimidine biosynthetic pathways and phage-related functions. Deregulations resulted in a growth advantage at 37°C, but affected salt tolerance. Finally, our results suggest overlaps with PrfA, σB, σH and CodY regulons. These overlaps may suggest that through AgrA, Listeria monocytogenes integrates information on its biotic environment.

  6. Survival of Listeria monocytogenes in mozzarella cheese and ice cream exposed to gamma irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hashisaka, A.E.; Weagant, S.D.; Dong, F.M.

    1989-01-01

    The survival of Listeria monocytogenes preinoculated into ice cream and mozzarella cheese prior to gamma-irradiation treatment was determined. Samples were maintained at -78 degrees C and exposed to targeted doses of 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32 kGy of gamma-irradiation. The calculated D10 values were 1.4 kGy for mozzarella cheese and 2.0 kGy for ice cream. The effective level of irradiation (12D) for inactivating L. monocytogenes was 16.8 kGy for mozzarella cheese and 24.4 kGy for ice cream

  7. Sviluppo e validazione di un antigene-capture ELISA basato su anticorpi monoclonali specifici per Listeria monocytogenes negli alimenti

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rossella Lelli

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available È stato standardizzato e validato un dosaggio immunoenzimatico capture ELISA per l’identificazione di Listeria monocytogenes negli alimenti. Il dosaggio è stato messo a punto analizzando campioni di prodotti carnei, ittici e lattiero-caseari, pasta di semola e di farina di grano. Il metodo è risultato specifico al 100% per Listeria spp., con limite di rivelazione di 6,6 × 10(3 cfu/ml. Il metodo L. monocytogenes capture ELISA è stato confrontato con il metodo ufficiale ISO 11290-1:1996 per l’isolamento e l’identificazione di L. monocytogenes in matrici alimentari ottenendo un indice di concordanza significativo. Il dosaggio è stato validato in base alle indicazioni della norma ISO 16140:2003 relativamente ai metodi di analisi qualitativi. Il dosaggio è risultato accurato, specifico, sensibile, selettivo, riproducibile e rapido da eseguire, consentendo nello screening degli alimenti la riduzione di tempi e costi dell’indagine microbiologica.

  8. Visualization of gold and platinum nanoparticles interacting with Salmonella enteritidis and Listeria monocytogenes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sawosz, Ewa; Chwalibog, André; Szeliga, Jacek

    2010-01-01

    -Au and nano-Pt respectively), with Salmonella Enteritidis (Gram-negative) and Listeria monocytogenes (Gram-positive), to reveal possibilities of constructing bacteria-nanoparticle vehicles. Methods: Hydrocolloids of nano-Au or nano-Pt were added to two bacteria suspensions in the following order: nano...... as a vehicle to deliver nano-Pt to specific points in the body....

  9. Differential gene expression and filamentation of Listeria monocytogenes 08-5923 exposed to sodium lactate and sodium diacetate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Xiaoji; Basu, Urmila; Miller, Petr; McMullen, Lynn M

    2017-05-01

    This study reports the gene expression and filamentation in Listeria monocytogenes 08-5923 following exposure to food preservatives sodium lactate (NaL) and sodium diacetate (SD). L. monocytogenes 08-5923 was challenged with a mixture of NaL/SD, NaL or sodium acetate at 37 °C in tryptic soy broth. In the initial study, L. monocytogenes 08-5923 was exposed to NaL/SD for 24 h. The transcriptome was investigated by RNA sequencing. A stress response network was discovered in L. monocytogenes 08-5923, which is mediated by genes encoding two-component systems (hisJ, lisK, OmpR family gene, resE) and RNA polymerase factors (sigC, sigH). NaL/SD resulted in the down-regulation of genes in glycolysis (pykA, eno, fbaA, pgm) and up-regulation of genes in DNA repair (radC), cell division (ftsE) and cell structure synthesis (flagella synthesis: flgK, fliF, fliD). Filamentation was monitored by flow cytometry. NaL/SD mixture resulted in filamentation in L. monocytogenes 08-5923. Longer exposure was required to induce filamentation in L. monocytogenes for SD (24 h) than for NaL (8 h) when cells were exposed to individual salt. The quantitative real time PCR analysis revealed the down-regulation of ftsE in filamented cells of Listeria exposed to NaL or sodium acetate. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Effect of enterocin AS-48 in combination with biocides on planktonic and sessile Listeria monocytogenes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gómez, Natacha Caballero; Abriouel, Hikmate; Grande, M A José; Pulido, Rubén Pérez; Gálvez, Antonio

    2012-05-01

    Enterocin AS-48 was tested on a cocktail of Listeria monocytogenes strains in planktonic and sessile states, singly or in combination with biocides benzalkonium chloride, cetrimide, hexadecylpyridinium chloride, didecyldimethylammonium bromide, triclosan, poly-(hexamethylen guanidinium) hydrochloride, chlorhexidine, hexachlorophene, and the commercial sanitizers P3 oxonia and P3 topax 66. Combinations of sub-inhibitory bacteriocin concentrations and biocide concentrations 4 to 10-fold lower than their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) completely inhibited growth of the planktonic listeriae. Inactivation of Listeria in biofilms formed on polystyrene microtiter plates required concentrations of enterocin AS-48 greater than 50 μg/ml, and biocide concentrations ten to 100-fold higher. In combination with enterocin AS-48 (25 or 50 μg/ml), microbial inactivation increased remarkably for all biocides except P3 oxonia and P3 topax 66 solutions. Polystyrene microtiter plates conditioned with enterocin solutions (0.5-25 μg/ml) decreased the adherence and biofilm formation of the L. monocytogenes cell cocktail, avoiding biofilm formation for at least 24 h at a bacteriocin concentration of 25 μg/ml. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Spontaneous Loss of Virulence in Natural Populations of Listeria monocytogenes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maury, Mylène M; Chenal-Francisque, Viviane; Bracq-Dieye, Hélène; Han, Lei; Leclercq, Alexandre; Vales, Guillaume; Moura, Alexandra; Gouin, Edith; Scortti, Mariela; Disson, Olivier; Vázquez-Boland, José A; Lecuit, Marc

    2017-11-01

    The pathogenesis of Listeria monocytogenes depends on the ability of this bacterium to escape from the phagosome of the host cells via the action of the pore-forming toxin listeriolysin O (LLO). Expression of the LLO-encoding gene ( hly ) requires the transcriptional activator PrfA, and both hly and prfA genes are essential for L. monocytogenes virulence. Here, we used the hemolytic activity of LLO as a phenotypic marker to screen for spontaneous virulence-attenuating mutations in L. monocytogenes Sixty nonhemolytic isolates were identified among a collection of 57,820 confirmed L. monocytogenes strains isolated from a variety of sources (0.1%). In most cases (56/60; 93.3%), the nonhemolytic phenotype resulted from nonsense, missense, or frameshift mutations in prfA Five strains carried hly mutations leading to a single amino acid substitution (G299V) or a premature stop codon causing strong virulence attenuation in mice. In one strain, both hly and gshF (encoding a glutathione synthase required for full PrfA activity) were missing due to genomic rearrangements likely caused by a transposable element. The PrfA/LLO loss-of-function (PrfA - /LLO - ) mutants belonged to phylogenetically diverse clades of L. monocytogenes , and most were identified among nonclinical strains (57/60). Consistent with the rare occurrence of loss-of-virulence mutations, we show that prfA and hly are under purifying selection. Although occurring at a low frequency, PrfA - /LLO - mutational events in L. monocytogenes lead to niche restriction and open an evolutionary path for obligate saprophytism in this facultative intracellular pathogen. Copyright © 2017 Maury et al.

  12. Comparison of Listeria monocytogenes recoveries from spiked mung bean sprouts by the enrichment methods of three regulatory agencies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cauchon, Kaitlin E; Hitchins, Anthony D; Smiley, R Derike

    2017-09-01

    Three selective enrichment methods, the United States Food and Drug Administration's (FDA method), the United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety Inspection Service's (USDA method), and the EN ISO 11290-1 standard method, were assessed for their suitability for recovery of Listeria monocytogenes from spiked mung bean sprouts. Three parameters were evaluated; the enrichment L. monocytogenes population from singly-spiked sprouts, the enrichment L. monocytogenes population from doubly-spiked (L. monocytogenes and Listeria innocua) sprouts, and the population differential resulting from the enrichment of doubly-spiked sprouts. Considerable L. monocytogenes inter-strain variation was observed. The mean enrichment L. monocytogenes populations for singly-spiked sprouts were 6.1 ± 1.2, 4.9 ± 1.2, and 6.9 ± 2.3 log CFU/mL for the FDA, USDA, and EN ISO 11290-1 methods, respectively. The mean L. monocytogenes populations for doubly-spiked sprouts were 4.7 ± 1.1, 5.5 ± 1.3, and 4.6 ± 1.4 log CFU/mL for the FDA, USDA, and ISO 11290-1 enrichment methods, respectively. The corresponding mean population differentials were 2.8 ± 1.1, 3.3 ± 1.3, and 3.6 ± 1.4 Δlog CFU/mL for the same three enrichment methods, respectively. The presence of L. innocua and resident microorganisms on the sprouts negatively impacted final levels of L. monocytogenes with all three enrichment methods. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  13. An ecological perspective of Listeria monocytogenes biofilms in food processing facilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valderrama, Wladir B; Cutter, Catherine N

    2013-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes can enter the food chain at virtually any point. However, food processing environments seem to be of particular importance. From an ecological point of view, food processing facilities are microbial habitats that are constantly disturbed by cleaning and sanitizing procedures. Although L. monocytogenes is considered ubiquitous in nature, it is important to recognize that not all L. monocytogenes strains appear to be equally distributed; the distribution of the organism seems to be related to certain habitats. Currently, no direct evidence exists that L. monocytogenes-associated biofilms have played a role in food contamination or foodborne outbreaks, likely because biofilm isolation and identification are not part of an outbreak investigation, or the definition of biofilm is unclear. Because L. monocytogenes is known to colonize surfaces, we suggest that contamination patterns may be studied in the context of how biofilm formation is influenced by the environment within food processing facilities. In this review, direct and indirect epidemiological and phenotypic evidence of lineage-related biofilm formation capacity to specific ecological niches will be discussed. A critical view on the development of the biofilm concept, focused on the practical implications, strengths, and weaknesses of the current definitions also is discussed. The idea that biofilm formation may be an alternative surrogate for microbial fitness is proposed. Furthermore, current research on the influence of environmental factors on biofilm formation is discussed.

  14. Prevalence and quantification of Listeria monocytogenes in beef offal at retail level in Selangor, Malaysia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuan, Chee Hao; Wong, Woan Chwen; Pui, Chai Fung; Mahyudin, Nor Ainy; Tang, John Yew Huat; Nishibuchi, Mitsuaki; Radu, Son

    2013-12-01

    A total of 63 beef offal samples (beef liver = 16; beef lung = 14; beef intestine = 9; beef tripe = 15; beef spleen = 9) from three wet markets (A, B, and C) in Selangor, Malaysia were examined for the prevalence and microbial load of Listeria monocytogenes. A combination of the most probable number and polymerase chain reaction (MPN-PCR) method was employed in this study. It was found that L. monocytogenes detected in 33.33% of the beef offal samples. The prevalence of L. monocytogenes in beef offal purchased from wet markets A, B, and C were 22.73%, 37.50% and 41.18% respectively. The density of L. monocytogenes in all the samples ranged from 2,400 MPN/g. The findings in this study indicate that beef offal can be a potential vehicle of foodborne listeriosis.

  15. The role of defeathering in the contamination of turkey skin by Salmonella species and Listeria monocytogenes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clouser, C S; Doores, S; Mast, M G; Knabel, S J

    1995-04-01

    This study was undertaken to determine whether the incidence of either Salmonella spp. or Listeria monocytogenes on turkeys at three commercial processors could be related to the type of defeathering system: 1) conventional, 58 C common bath scald; 2) kosher, 7 C common bath scald; or 3) steam-spray, 62 C nonimmersion scald. Flocks were sampled before defeathering, after defeathering, and after chill at each facility. The incidence of Salmonella-positive turkeys significantly increased subsequent to conventional defeathering (10 positive out of 14) as compared with before defeathering (3/14). The number of Salmonella-positive carcasses following kosher (0/14) and steam-spray (2/14) defeathering were similar to the number of Salmonella-positive carcasses found prior to defeathering (1/14 and 3/14, respectively). The incidence of Salmonella-positive carcasses following chill was slightly lower, but not significantly different than the number of Salmonella-positive carcasses found immediately following defeathering at all processors (8/14, 0/14, 1/14 for conventional, kosher, and steam-spray processors, respectively). Although L. monocytogenes was detected on turkeys sampled before chilling (2/10, kosher) and after chilling (8/14, kosher; 1/14, conventional), no L. monocytogenes was detected on turkeys at any of the processors prior to the evisceration process. Flocks with high aerobic plate counts prior to processing were more likely to contain Salmonella-positive birds throughout processing. Aerobic plate counts of all flocks were similar after chill whether or not Salmonella spp. and L. monocytogenes were detected.

  16. The use of Listeria monocytogenes as a DNA delivery vector for cancer gene therapy.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Tangney, Mark

    2012-01-31

    Listeria monocytogenes is an intracellular pathogen that lyses the phagosomal vacuole of infected cells, proliferates in the host cell cytoplasm and can actively enter adjacent cells. The pathogen is therefore well suited to exploitation as a vector for the delivery of DNA to target cells as the lifecycle favors cellular targeting with vector amplification and the potential for cell-to-cell spread. We have recently demonstrated DNA transfer by L. monocytogenes in growing tumors in murine models. Our approach exploited an ampicillin sensitive stain of L. monocytogenes which can be lysed through systemic administration of ampicillin to facilitate release of plasmid DNA for expression by infected mammalian cells. Here, we discuss the implications of this technology and the potential for future improvements of the system.

  17. Antibacterial activity of bacteriocin-like substance P34 on Listeria monocytogenes in chicken sausage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Voltaire Sant'Anna

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available The antimicrobial activity of the bacteriocin-like substance (BLS P34 against Listeria monocytogenes was investigated in chicken sausage. The BLS was applied to chicken sausages (256 AU g-1 previously inoculated with a suspension of 10² cfu g-1 of L. monocytogenes. BLS P34 inhibited the indicator microorganism in situ in all incubation times for up to 10 days at 5 °C. The effectiveness of BLS P34 was increased when it was added in combination with nisin. The bacteriocin was also tested in natural eatable natural bovine wrapping (salty semi-dried tripe against the same indicator microorganism, also showing inhibitory capability in vitro. BLS P34 showed potential to control L. monocytogenes in refrigerated meat products.

  18. Identification of Surface Protein Biomarkers of Listeria monocytogenes via Bioinformatics and Antibody-Based Protein Detection Tools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Cathy X. Y.; Brooks, Brian W.; Huang, Hongsheng; Pagotto, Franco

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT The Gram-positive bacterium Listeria monocytogenes causes a significant percentage of the fatalities among foodborne illnesses in humans. Surface proteins specifically expressed in a wide range of L. monocytogenes serotypes under selective enrichment culture conditions could serve as potential biomarkers for detection and isolation of this pathogen via antibody-based methods. Our study aimed to identify such biomarkers. Interrogation of the L. monocytogenes serotype 4b strain F2365 genome identified 130 putative or known surface proteins. The homologues of four surface proteins, LMOf2365_0578, LMOf2365_0581, LMOf2365_0639, and LMOf2365_2117, were assessed as biomarkers due to the presence of conserved regions among strains of L. monocytogenes which are variable among other Listeria species. Rabbit polyclonal antibodies against the four recombinant proteins revealed the expression of only LMOf2365_0639 on the surface of serotype 4b strain LI0521 cells despite PCR detection of mRNA transcripts for all four proteins in the organism. Three of 35 monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to LMOf2365_0639, MAbs M3643, M3644, and M3651, specifically recognized 42 (91.3%) of 46 L. monocytogenes lineage I and II isolates grown in nonselective brain heart infusion medium. While M3644 and M3651 reacted with 14 to 15 (82.4 to 88.2%) of 17 L. monocytogenes lineage I and II isolates, M3643 reacted with 22 (91.7%) of 24 lineage I, II, and III isolates grown in selective enrichment media (UVM1, modified Fraser, Palcam, and UVM2 media). The three MAbs exhibited only weak reactivities (the optical densities at 414 nm were close to the cutoff value) to some other Listeria species grown in selective enrichment media. Collectively, the data indicate the potential of LMOf2365_0639 as a surface biomarker of L. monocytogenes, with the aid of specific MAbs, for pathogen detection, identification, and isolation in clinical, environmental, and food samples. IMPORTANCE L. monocytogenes is

  19. Carbon dioxide and nisin act synergistically on Listeria monocytogenes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nilsson, Lilian; Chen, Y.H.; Chikindas, M.L.

    2000-01-01

    This paper examines the synergistic action of carbon dioxide and nisin on Listeria monocytogenes Scott A wild-type and nisin-resistant (Nis(r)) cells grown in broth at 4 degrees C. Carbon dioxide extended the lag phase and decreased the specific growth rate of both strains, but to a greater degree...... for cultures in CO2. This synergism between nisin and CO2 was examined mechanistically by following the leakage of carboxyfluorescein (CF) from listerial liposomes. Carbon dioxide enhanced nisin-induced CF leakage, indicating that the synergistic action of CO2 and nisin occurs at the cytoplasmic membrane...

  20. Genotypic and virulence characteristics of Listeria monocytogenes recovered from food items in Lebanon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haidar-Ahmad, Nathaline; Kissoyan, Kohar Annie B; Fadlallah, Sukayna M; El-Hajj, Rima; Saleh, Majd; Ghosn, Nada; Matar, Ghassan M

    2016-08-02

    Listeria monocytogenes is the agent of listeriosis, a life threatening foodborne disease for immunocompromised patients and pregnant women. This bacterium is not routinely screened for in Lebanon and there is lack of data about the prevalent strains and their potential pathogenicity. To that purpose, this study was undertaken to characterize L. monocytogenes from various food products, by assessing the in vitro biofilm forming ability, detecting their virulence potential, and characterizing them at the strain level. Fifty-nine isolates were obtained from the Lebanese Agriculture Research Institute (LARI). They were collected in 2012-2013 from local and imported food products in the Lebanese market. Biofilm formation was measured using the Microtiter Plate Assay. PCR amplification was performed for three main virulence genes; hly, actA, and inlB. Pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and BIONUMERICS analysis were carried out. Lebanese isolates from cheese and raw meat showed higher biofilm formation than imported and Lebanese seafood isolates. A total of 100% of the isolates were PCR positive for hly and actA genes and 98.3% for inlB gene. PFGE analysis demonstrated the prevalence of 13 different subtypes with 100% similarity. Detected subtypes were grouped into 6 clusters of 90% genomic similarity. Clustered subtypes were particular to the country of origin. This study highlights the presence of L. monocytogenes in the Lebanese food market with high pathogenic potential and stresses the importance of enhanced surveillance and the implementation of strict regulations on local and imported food. Future investigations may be conducted on a larger food selection.

  1. Suppression of Listeria monocytogenes by the Native Micro-Flora in Teewurst Sausage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michline Brice

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Modern consumers are interested in the use of non-chemical methods to control pathogens when heat sterilization is not an option. Such is the case with teewurst sausage, a raw spreadable sausage and a popular German commodity. Although Listeria was not found in teewurst, the optimal microbial growing conditions of teewurst coupled with the ubiquity of L. monocytogenes in nature, makes the possibility of contamination of products very possible. This pilot study was conducted to examine teewurst’s native micro-flora’s ability to suppress the outgrowth of L. monocytogenes at 10 °C using standard plate counts and PCR-DGGE. Traditional plating methods showed L. monocytogenes growth significantly decreased when in competition with the teewurst’s native micro-flora (p < 0.05. The native micro-flora of the teewurst suppressed the overall growth of L. monocytogenes by an average of two logs, under these conditions. Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE amplicons with unique banding patterns were extracted from DGGE gel for identification. Brochothrix thermosphacta and Lactobacillus curvatus were identified as a part of the teewurst’s native micro-flora. Although the native micro-flora did not decrease L. monocytogenes to below limits of detection, it was enough of a decrease to warrant further investigation.

  2. RNAi screen reveals host cell kinases specifically involved in Listeria monocytogenes spread from cell to cell.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ryan Chong

    Full Text Available Intracellular bacterial pathogens, such as Listeria monocytogenes and Rickettsia conorii display actin-based motility in the cytosol of infected cells and spread from cell to cell through the formation of membrane protrusions at the cell cortex. Whereas the mechanisms supporting cytosolic actin-based motility are fairly well understood, it is unclear whether specific host factors may be required for supporting the formation and resolution of membrane protrusions. To address this gap in knowledge, we have developed high-throughput fluorescence microscopy and computer-assisted image analysis procedures to quantify pathogen spread in human epithelial cells. We used the approach to screen a siRNA library covering the human kinome and identified 7 candidate kinases whose depletion led to severe spreading defects in cells infected with L. monocytogenes. We conducted systematic validation procedures with redundant silencing reagents and confirmed the involvement of the serine/threonine kinases, CSNK1A1 and CSNK2B. We conducted secondary assays showing that, in contrast with the situation observed in CSNK2B-depleted cells, L. monocytogenes formed wild-type cytosolic tails and displayed wild-type actin-based motility in the cytosol of CSNK1A1-depleted cells. Furthermore, we developed a protrusion formation assay and showed that the spreading defect observed in CSNK1A1-depleted cells correlated with the formation of protrusion that did not resolve into double-membrane vacuoles. Moreover, we developed sending and receiving cell-specific RNAi procedures and showed that CSNK1A was required in the sending cells, but was dispensable in the receiving cells, for protrusion resolution. Finally, we showed that the observed defects were specific to Listeria monocytogenes, as Rickettsia conorii displayed wild-type cell-to-cell spread in CSNK1A1- and CSNK2B-depleted cells. We conclude that, in addition to the specific host factors supporting cytosolic actin

  3. Comparative genomics of human and non-human Listeria monocytogenes sequence type 121 strains.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kathrin Rychli

    Full Text Available The food-borne pathogen Listeria (L. monocytogenes is able to survive for months and even years in food production environments. Strains belonging to sequence type (ST121 are particularly found to be abundant and to persist in food and food production environments. To elucidate genetic determinants characteristic for L. monocytogenes ST121, we sequenced the genomes of 14 ST121 strains and compared them with currently available L. monocytogenes ST121 genomes. In total, we analyzed 70 ST121 genomes deriving from 16 different countries, different years of isolation, and different origins-including food, animal and human ST121 isolates. All ST121 genomes show a high degree of conservation sharing at least 99.7% average nucleotide identity. The main differences between the strains were found in prophage content and prophage conservation. We also detected distinct highly conserved subtypes of prophages inserted at the same genomic locus. While some of the prophages showed more than 99.9% similarity between strains from different sources and years, other prophages showed a higher level of diversity. 81.4% of the strains harbored virtually identical plasmids. 97.1% of the ST121 strains contain a truncated internalin A (inlA gene. Only one of the seven human ST121 isolates encodes a full-length inlA gene, illustrating the need of better understanding their survival and virulence mechanisms.

  4. Inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes by disinfectants and bacteriophages in suspension and stainless steel carrier tests

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Chaitiemwong, N.; Hazeleger, W.C.; Beumer, R.R.

    2014-01-01

    To simulate food contact surfaces with pits or cracks, stainless steel plates with grooves (depths between 0.2 and 5 mm) were constructed. These plates were artificially contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes in clean conditions, with organic soiling, or after 14 days of biofilm formation after

  5. Occurrence and antimicrobial resistance patterns of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from vegetables.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Vasconcelos Byrne, Vanessa; Hofer, Ernesto; Vallim, Deyse Christina; de Castro Almeida, Rogeria Comastri

    2016-01-01

    Although the consumption of fresh and minimally processed vegetables is considered healthy, outbreaks related to the contamination of these products are frequently reported. Among the food-borne pathogens that contaminate vegetables is Listeria monocytogenes, a ubiquitous organism that exhibits the ability to survive and multiply at refrigerated temperatures. This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of L. monocytogenes in vegetables as well as the antimicrobial resistance of isolates. The results showed that 3.03% of samples were contaminated with L. monocytogenes, comprising 2.22% of raw vegetables and 5.56% of ready-to-eat vegetables. Multiplex PCR confirmed the virulence potential of the isolates. Antimicrobial resistance profiling showed that 50% of the isolates were susceptible to the antibiotics used. The resistance of one isolate to penicillin G, a commonly employed therapeutic agent, and the presence of serotype 4b, a serotype commonly associated with food-borne outbreaks, could be potential health hazards for consumers. Copyright © 2016 Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

  6. Inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes by propionic acid-based ingredients in cured deli-style Turkey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glass, Kathleen A; McDonnell, Lindsey M; Von Tayson, Roxanne; Wanless, Brandon; Badvela, Mani

    2013-12-01

    Listeria monocytogenes growth can be controlled on ready-to-eat meats through the incorporation of antimicrobial ingredients into the formulation or by postlethality kill steps. However, alternate approaches are needed to provide options that reduce sodium content but maintain protection against pathogen growth in meats after slicing. The objective of this study was to determine the inhibition of L. monocytogenes by propionic acid-based ingredients in high-moisture, cured turkey stored at 4 or 7°C. Six formulations of sliced, cured (120 ppm of NaNO2 ), deli-style turkey were tested, including control without antimicrobials, 3.2% lactate-diacetate blend (LD), 0.4% of a liquid propionate-benzoate-containing ingredient, or 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5% of a liquid propionate-containing ingredient. Products were inoculated with 5 log CFU L. monocytogenes per 100-g package (3 log CFU/ml rinsate), vacuum-sealed, and stored at 4 or 7°C for up to 12 weeks; and populations were enumerated by plating on modified Oxford agar. As expected, the control without antimicrobials supported rapid growth, with >2 log average per ml rinsate increase within 4 weeks of storage at 4°C, whereas growth was observed at 6 weeks for the LD treatment. For both replicate trials, all treatments that contained liquid propionate or propionate-benzoate limited L. monocytogenes growth to an increase of 1-log increase) was observed in individual samples for all propionate-containing treatments at weeks 10, 11, and 12. As expected, L. monocytogenes grew more rapidly when products were stored at 7°C, but trends in relative inhibition were similar to those observed at 4°C. These results verify that propionate-based ingredients inhibit growth of L. monocytogenes on sliced, high-moisture, cured turkey and can be considered as an alternative to reduce sodium-based salts while maintaining food safety.

  7. Prevalence and risk factors for Listeria monocytogenes in broiler flocks in Shiraz, southern Iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hosseinzadeh, Saeid; Shekarforoush, Seyed Shahram; Ansari-Lari, Maryam; EsalatPanah-Fard Jahromi, Mehdi; Berizi, Enayat; Abdollahi, Mostafa

    2012-06-01

    Listeria monocytogenes has been identified as an important foodborne pathogen in recent years. In humans, it most commonly affects pregnant women, neonates, children, elderly people, and persons with a suppressed immune system. It could contaminate both raw and cooked meat and poultry products. Studies regarding prevalence and risk factors of L. monocytogenes in broilers flocks are limited. Therefore, the present study was conducted to determine the prevalence and risk factors for L. monocytogenes in poultry flocks in Shiraz, southern Iran. During August to September 2009, in total, 100 broiler flocks were selected at slaughter, and 21 specimens were collected from cloacal samples from each flock. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed on the samples enriched in buffered Listeria enrichment broth (BLEB), using specific primers. Furthermore, enriched samples in BLEB and/or BLEB treated with 5% KOH were subcultured on Palcam medium. Data about farm and flocks were collected using a structured questionnaire. The prevalence of L. monocytogenes was 7% (95% CI, 2-12%) and 1% using PCR and culture, respectively. Results showed that using antibiotics during rearing period was dramatically reduced the rate of isolation (odds ratio [OR]=0.07, p=0.03), whereas house capacity of more than 10,000 birds (OR=24.03, p=0.04) and number of houses (OR=2, p=0.02) significantly increased the prevalence. The correlation between poor management of large poultry flocks and increasing the risk of contamination was more likely due to the recontamination of cooked poultry/undercooking or cross-contamination of other ready-to-eat foods.

  8. Listeria monocytogenes in five Sardinian swine slaughterhouses: prevalence, serotype, and genotype characterization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meloni, Domenico; Piras, Francesca; Mureddu, Anna; Fois, Federica; Consolati, Simonetta Gianna; Lamon, Sonia; Mazzette, Rina

    2013-11-01

    In a 3-year study (2008 to 2011) to estimate the prevalence and the contamination sources of Listeria monocytogenes in pork meat in Sardinia, Italy, 211 samples were collected from five Sardinian swine slaughterhouses: 171 samples from slaughtered pigs and 40 from the slaughterhouse environment. Fifty L. monocytogenes isolates were characterized by PCR-based serotyping, presence of virulence-associated genes, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis restriction analysis. The overall prevalence of L. monocytogenes was 33% in swine carcasses, 7% in cecal material, 23% on meat contact surfaces, and 25% on noncontact surfaces. Only two serotypes were detected: 1/2c (78%) and 1/2a (22%). In all, based on the presence of virulence-associated genes, eight pathogenic profiles were detected. Only 42% of all isolates carried the full complement of virulence-associated genes and were allotted to profile 1. Six pulsed-field gel electrophoresis profiles persisted in the slaughterhouses; restriction profiles appeared to be specific to each plant.

  9. An outbreak of febrile gastroenteritis associated with corn contaminated by Listeria monocytogenes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aureli, P; Fiorucci, G C; Caroli, D; Marchiaro, G; Novara, O; Leone, L; Salmaso, S

    2000-04-27

    On May 21, 1997, numerous cases of febrile gastrointestinal illness were reported among the students and staff of two primary schools in northern Italy, all of whom had eaten at cafeterias served by the same caterer. We interviewed people who ate at the cafeterias about symptoms and foods consumed on May 20. There were no samples of foods left at the cafeterias, but we tested routine samples taken on May 20 by the caterer and environmental specimens at the catering plant. The hospitalized patients were tested for common enteropathogens and toxins. Of the 2189 persons interviewed (82 percent of those exposed), 1566 (72 percent) reported symptoms; of these, 292 (19 percent) were hospitalized. Among samples obtained from hospitalized patients, all but two of the stool specimens and all blood specimens were negative for common enteropathogens. Listeria monocytogenes was isolated from one blood specimen and from 123 of the 141 stool specimens. Consumption of a cold salad of corn and tuna was associated with the development of symptoms (relative risk, 6.19; 95 percent confidence interval, 4.81 to 7.98; Pcaterer's sample of the salad and from environmental specimens collected from the catering plant. All listeria isolates were serotype 4b and were found to be identical on DNA analysis. Experimental contamination of sterile samples of the implicated foods showed that L. monocytogenes grew on corn when kept for at least 10 hours at 25 degrees C. Food-borne infection with L. monocytogenes can cause febrile illness with gastroenteritis in immunocompetent persons.

  10. Antimicrobial activity of chitosan coatings and films against Listeria monocytogenes on black radish.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jovanović, Gordana D; Klaus, Anita S; Nikšić, Miomir P

    2016-01-01

    The antibacterial activity of chitosan coatings prepared with acetic or lactic acid, as well as of composite chitosan-gelatin films prepared with essential oils, was evaluated in fresh shredded black radish samples inoculated with Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 19115 and L. monocytogenes ATCC 19112 during seven days of storage at 4°C. The chitosan coating prepared with acetic acid showed the most effective antibacterial activity. All tested formulations of chitosan films exhibited strong antimicrobial activity on the growth of L. monocytogenes on black radish, although a higher inhibition of pathogens was achieved at higher concentrations of chitosan. The antimicrobial effect of chitosan films was even more pronounced with the addition of essential oils. Chitosan-gelatin films with thyme essential oils showed the most effective antimicrobial activity. A reduction of 2.4log10CFU/g for L. monocytogenes ATCC 19115 and 2.1log10CFU/g for L. monocytogenes ATCC 19112 was achieved in the presence of 1% chitosan film containing 0.2% of thyme essential oil after 24h of storage. Copyright © 2016 Asociación Argentina de Microbiología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  11. Encefalitis del tallo cerebral y mielitis por Listeria monocytogenes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aracelly Castro

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available La romboencefalitis por Listeria monocytogenes es una presentación poco común de la listeriosis del sistema nervioso central; sin embargo, es la presentación más común en personas inmunocompetentes. Aun más rara es la combinación de romboencefalitis con mielitis causada por L. monocytogenes; no obstante, en este artículo se reporta un caso de encefalitis del tallo y mielitis grave en un paciente sin compromiso del sistema inmunitario. Se presenta un paciente de 21 años de edad, sin deficiencias del sistema inmunitario, que consumió productos lácteos no pasteurizados y, posteriormente, presentó un cuadro de cefalea, vómito, deterioro de su estado general y, finalmente, alteración del estado de conciencia y muerte. Consultó al Instituto Neurológico de Colombia y se hizo diagnóstico de encefalitis del tallo y mielitis por L. monocytogenes. Se discuten las diferencias entre el caso presentado y los reportados en la literatura científica. Ante un paciente con signos de compromiso del tallo cerebral, de posible origen infeccioso, es prudente iniciar tratamiento antibiótico para L. monocytogenes y, en caso de poca respuesta, escalar rápidamente en dicho tratamiento. También lo es extender el estudio radiológico hacia la columna vertebral, con el fin de descartar compromiso de la médula espinal.   doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.7705/biomedica.v33i3.1482

  12. Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni effect on the hemolytic potential of Listeria monocytogenes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sansano, S; Rivas, A; Pina-Pérez, M C; Martinez, A; Rodrigo, D

    2017-06-05

    The effect of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni on the hemolytic potential of Listeria monocytogenes was studied by means of the assessment of the Listeriolysin O (LLO) production. The three factors under study, stevia concentration in the range [0-2.5] % (w/v), incubation temperature (10 and 37°C), and exposure time (0-65h) significantly affected (p≤0.05) the hemolytic activity of L. monocytogenes. Results showed that at the lower incubation temperature the hemolytic potential of the bacterium was significantly reduced, from 100% at 37°C to 8% at 10°C (after 65h of incubation) in unsupplemented substrate (0% stevia). Irrespective of the temperature, 10 or 37°C, supplementation of the medium with stevia at 2.5 % (w/v) reduced the bacterium's hemolytic activity by a maximum of 100%. Furthermore, the time of exposure to 2.5 % (w/v) stevia concentration was also a significant factor reducing the hemolytic capability of L. monocytogenes. The possibility of reducing the pathogenic potential of L. monocytogenes (hemolysis) by exposure to stevia should be confirmed in real food matrices, opening a research niche with a valuable future impact on food safety. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. The virulence regulator PrfA promotes biofilm formation by Listeria monocytogenes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lemon, Katherine P; Freitag, Nancy E; Kolter, Roberto

    2010-08-01

    Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne facultative intracellular pathogen. It is widespread in the environment and has several distinct life-styles. The key transcriptional activator PrfA positively regulates L. monocytogenes virulence genes to mediate the transition from extracellular, flagellum-propelled cell to intracellular pathogen. Here we report the first evidence that PrfA also has a significant positive impact on extracellular biofilm formation. Mutants lacking prfA were defective in surface-adhered biofilm formation. The DeltaprfA mutant exhibited wild-type flagellar motility, and its biofilm defect occurred after initial surface adhesion. We also observed that mutations that led to the constitutive expression of PrfA-dependent virulence genes had a minimal impact on biofilm formation. Furthermore, biofilm development was enhanced in a mutant encoding a PrfA protein variant unable to fully transition from the extracellular form to the virulent, intracellular activity conformation. These results indicate that PrfA positively regulates biofilm formation and suggest that PrfA has a global role in modulating the life-style of L. monocytogenes. The requirement of PrfA for optimal biofilm formation may provide selective pressure to maintain this critical virulence regulator when L. monocytogenes is outside host cells in the environment.

  14. The Metalloprotease of Listeria monocytogenes Is Activated by Intramolecular Autocatalysis▿ †

    OpenAIRE

    Bitar, Alan Pavinski; Cao, Min; Marquis, Hélène

    2007-01-01

    The metalloprotease (Mpl) of Listeria monocytogenes is a thermolysin-like protease that mediates the maturation of a broad-range phospholipase C, whose function contributes to the ability of this food-borne bacterial pathogen to survive intracellularly. Mpl is made as a proprotein that undergoes maturation by proteolytic cleavage of a large N-terminal prodomain. In this study, we identified the N terminus of mature Mpl and generated Mpl catalytic mutants to investigate the mechanism of Mpl ma...

  15. Virulence factors and resistance to antimicrobials in Listeria monocytogenes serotype 1/2c isolated from food.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gelbíčová, T; Pantůček, R; Karpíšková, R

    2016-08-01

    The aim of this study was to assess the potential risk posed to the human population by the presence of Listeria monocytogenes serotype 1/2c in food based on the characterization of virulence factors of Listeria involved in the invasion of host cells and sensitivity to antimicrobial agents. In addition to sequencing of the inlA and inlB genes, the presence of genes lapB, aut, fbpA, ami, vip and llsX was tested. A premature stop codon (PMSC) in the inlA gene was detected in all tested strains of serotype 1/2c and, concurrently, two novel PMSC mutation types were identified. However, neither PMSC in the inlB gene nor deletion of the lapB, aut, fbpA, ami and vip genes were found in any of the strains. The presence of the llsX gene was not confirmed. Even though all L. monocytogenes strains showed sensitivity to the tested antimicrobials on the basis of their phenotype, sequencing revealed the presence of IS1542 insertion in the inlA gene, indicating the possibility of sharing of mobile genetic elements associated with antimicrobial resistance among strains. Other than the presence of PMSCs in the inlA gene, no PMSC in inlB or deletion of other factors linked to the invasiveness of listeria were detected. Tested strains showed sensitivity to antibiotics used in the therapy of listeriosis. Strains of L. monocytogenes serotype 1/2c typically carry a PMSC in the inlA gene, but these strains still represent a potential threat to public health. The possibility of transfer of IS1542, associated with resistance to vancomycin, between enterococci and Listeria spp. was revealed. © 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  16. Recombinant Expression of a Genome-encoded N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine Amidase that Synergistically Lyses Listeria monocytogenes Biofilms with a Protease

    Science.gov (United States)

    Listeria monocytogenes plays a significant role in human food-borne disease caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium and although incidence is low it is a leading cause of life-threatening, bacterial food-borne disease in humans. L. monocytogenes serotypes 1/2a and 4b can form mixed-cu...

  17. Determinaci?n de Listeria monocytogenes en quesos blancos artesanales expendidos en la plaza de mercado de C?queza, Cundinamarca

    OpenAIRE

    Baquero Acu?a, Deissy Milena; Bernal Gonz?lez, Astrid Marcela; Campuzano, Silvia

    2006-01-01

    Las intoxicaciones alimentar?as son un problema de salud p?blica, ya que estas se presentan en cualquier tipo de poblaci?n aumentando la prevalencia en personas inmunosuprimidas, mujeres embarazadas y personas de edad avanzada. Seg?n los datos obtenidos, el 80% de las muestras positivas para Listeria spp presentaron Listeria monocytogenes y el 20% Listeria innocua, indicando una prevalencia de la especie pat?gena para los humanos, aumentando el riesgo en la poblaci?n de padecer enfermedades g...

  18. How Listeria monocytogenes organizes its surface for virulence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carvalho, Filipe; Sousa, Sandra; Cabanes, Didier

    2014-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive pathogen responsible for the manifestation of human listeriosis, an opportunistic foodborne disease with an associated high mortality rate. The key to the pathogenesis of listeriosis is the capacity of this bacterium to trigger its internalization by non-phagocytic cells and to survive and even replicate within phagocytes. The arsenal of virulence proteins deployed by L. monocytogenes to successfully promote the invasion and infection of host cells has been progressively unveiled over the past decades. A large majority of them is located at the cell envelope, which provides an interface for the establishment of close interactions between these bacterial factors and their host targets. Along the multistep pathways carrying these virulence proteins from the inner side of the cytoplasmic membrane to their cell envelope destination, a multiplicity of auxiliary proteins must act on the immature polypeptides to ensure that they not only maturate into fully functional effectors but also are placed or guided to their correct position in the bacterial surface. As the major scaffold for surface proteins, the cell wall and its metabolism are critical elements in listerial virulence. Conversely, the crucial physical support and protection provided by this structure make it an ideal target for the host immune system. Therefore, mechanisms involving fine modifications of cell envelope components are activated by L. monocytogenes to render it less recognizable by the innate immunity sensors or more resistant to the activity of antimicrobial effectors. This review provides a state-of-the-art compilation of the mechanisms used by L. monocytogenes to organize its surface for virulence, with special focus on those proteins that work “behind the frontline”, either supporting virulence effectors or ensuring the survival of the bacterium within its host. PMID:24809022

  19. Modeling the high pressure inactivation kinetics of Listeria monocytogenes on RTE cooked meat products

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hereu, A.; Dalgaard, Paw; Garriga, M.

    2012-01-01

    High pressure (HP) inactivation curves of Listeria monocytogenes CTC1034 (ca. 107CFU/g) on sliced RTE cooked meat products (ham and mortadella) were obtained at pressures from 300 to 800MPa. A clear tail shape was observed at pressures above 450MPa and the log-linear with tail primary model...... provided the best fit to the HP-inactivation kinetics. The relationships between the primary kinetic parameters (log kmax and log Nres) and pressure treatments were described by a polynomial secondary model. To estimate HP-inactivation of L. monocytogenes in log (N/N0) over time, a one-step global fitting...

  20. Prevalence and contamination levels of listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat foods in Tokyo, Japan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shimojima, Yukako; Ida, Miki; Nakama, Akiko; Nishino, Yukari; Fukui, Rie; Kuroda, Sumiyo; Hirai, Akihiko; Kai, Akemi; Sadamasu, Kenji

    2016-08-01

    We surveyed prevalence and contamination levels of Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat foods between 2000 and 2012 in Tokyo. L. monocytogenes was isolated from 52 (1.7%) out of 2,980 samples. Comparing the prevalence in the study period, 2.2% were positive in the former period (2000-2005) and 1.2% in the latter (2006-2012). Using the most probable number (MPN) technique, 32 samples were contaminated with fewer than 0.3 L. monocytogenes/g, 10 samples with 0.3-1.0/g and 4 samples with more than 1.0/g (the maximum was 2.3/g). The most common serovar was 1/2a, followed by 1/2b, 4b and 1/2c. We revealed that ready-to-eat foods in Tokyo were contaminated with L. monocytogenes, although the contamination levels were low.

  1. Prevalence and quantification of Listeria monocytogenes in beef offal at retail level in Selangor, Malaysia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuan, Chee Hao; Wong, Woan Chwen; Pui, Chai Fung; Mahyudin, Nor Ainy; Tang, John Yew Huat; Nishibuchi, Mitsuaki; Radu, Son

    2013-01-01

    A total of 63 beef offal samples (beef liver = 16; beef lung = 14; beef intestine = 9; beef tripe = 15; beef spleen = 9) from three wet markets (A, B, and C) in Selangor, Malaysia were examined for the prevalence and microbial load of Listeria monocytogenes. A combination of the most probable number and polymerase chain reaction (MPN-PCR) method was employed in this study. It was found that L. monocytogenes detected in 33.33% of the beef offal samples. The prevalence of L. monocytogenes in beef offal purchased from wet markets A, B, and C were 22.73%, 37.50% and 41.18% respectively. The density of L. monocytogenes in all the samples ranged from 2,400 MPN/g. The findings in this study indicate that beef offal can be a potential vehicle of foodborne listeriosis. PMID:24688507

  2. Prevalence and quantification of Listeria monocytogenes in beef offal at retail level in Selangor, Malaysia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chee Hao Kuan

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available A total of 63 beef offal samples (beef liver = 16; beef lung = 14; beef intestine = 9; beef tripe = 15; beef spleen = 9 from three wet markets (A, B, and C in Selangor, Malaysia were examined for the prevalence and microbial load of Listeria monocytogenes. A combination of the most probable number and polymerase chain reaction (MPN-PCR method was employed in this study. It was found that L. monocytogenes detected in 33.33% of the beef offal samples. The prevalence of L. monocytogenes in beef offal purchased from wet markets A, B, and C were 22.73%, 37.50% and 41.18% respectively. The density of L. monocytogenes in all the samples ranged from 2,400 MPN/g. The findings in this study indicate that beef offal can be a potential vehicle of foodborne listeriosis.

  3. Listeria monocytogenes and Shigella flexneri Activate the NLRP1B Inflammasome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neiman-Zenevich, Jana; Stuart, Sarah; Abdel-Nour, Mena; Girardin, Stephen E; Mogridge, Jeremy

    2017-11-01

    Activation of the innate immune receptor NLRP1B leads to the formation of an inflammasome, which induces autoproteolytic processing of pro-caspase-1, and ultimately to the release of inflammatory cytokines and to the execution of pyroptosis. One of the signals to which NLRP1B responds is metabolic stress that occurs in cells deprived of glucose or treated with metabolic inhibitors. NLRP1B might therefore sense microbial infection, as intracellular pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes and Shigella flexneri cause metabolic stress as a result of nutrient scavenging and host cell damage. Here we addressed whether these pathogens activate the NLRP1B inflammasome. We found that Listeria infection activated the NLRP1B inflammasome in a reconstituted fibroblast model. Activation of NLRP1B by Listeria was diminished in an NLRP1B mutant shown previously to be defective at detecting energy stress and was dependent on the expression of listeriolysin O (LLO), a protein required for vacuolar escape. Infections of either Listeria or Shigella activated NLRP1B in the RAW264.7 murine macrophage line, which expresses endogenous NLRP1B. We conclude that NLRP1B senses cellular infection by distinct invasive pathogens. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

  4. Crystal Structure of the Substrate-Binding Domain from Listeria monocytogenes Bile-Resistance Determinant BilE

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ruiz, Stephanie J.; Schuurman-Wolters, Gea K.; Poolman, Bert

    2016-01-01

    BilE has been reported as a bile resistance determinant that plays an important role in colonization of the gastrointestinal tract by Listeria monocytogenes, the causative agent of listeriosis. The mechanism(s) by which BilE mediates bile resistance are unknown. BilE shares significant sequence

  5. Listeria monocytogenes HAZARD MANAGEMENT IN A TYPICAL PRODUCT: THE CIAUSCOLO

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S Fisichella

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the present study is to investigate operative procedures that allow to minimize Listeria monocytogenes (L. m. hazard in the main traditional sausage of the internal areas of Marche (Italy: the Ciauscolo, that has received the quality trademark PGI. It is made from lean cuts of well mature pork that is finely minced, adding fat which give the salami his characteristic softness and flavour. It is characterized by having a very little maturing period that determine high aw levels and, for this peculiarity, it allows L. m development.

  6. Internalization of Listeria monocytogenes in cantaloupes during dump tank washing and hydrocooling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macarisin, Dumitru; Wooten, Anna; De Jesus, Antonio; Hur, Minji; Bae, Seonjae; Patel, Jitendra; Evans, Peter; Brown, Eric; Hammack, Thomas; Chen, Yi

    2017-09-18

    Recent listeriosis outbreaks and recalls associated with cantaloupes urge for studies to understand the mechanisms of cantaloupe contamination by Listeria monocytogenes. Postharvest practices such as washing and hydrocooling were suggested to facilitate the contamination of fresh fruits by human pathogens. This study assessed the potential of L. monocytogenes internalization into cantaloupes during dump tank washing and immersion-type hydrocooling in water contaminated with L. monocytogenes. The effect of cantaloupe cultivar, water temperature, and harvesting technique on L. monocytogenes internalization was also evaluated. Full slip (cantaloupe without any residual stem) Western and Eastern cultivar cantaloupes were pre-warmed to 42°C (to imitate peak-high field temperatures of freshly harvested cantaloupes) and then immersed in water at 6°C and 18°C containing 4 and 6logCFU/ml of L. monocytogenes. Clipped (cantaloupe with short stem residues obtained by clipping the stem at harvest) Western and Eastern cantaloupes were pre-warmed to 42°C and then immersed in water at 6°C containing 6logCFU/ml of L. monocytogenes. Additionally, full slip and clipped Western cantaloupes were equilibrated to 18°C and then immersed in water at 18°C containing 6logCFU/ml of L. monocytogenes (isothermal immersion without temperature differential). Water containing L. monocytogenes infiltrated both full slip and clipped cantaloupes through the stems/stem scars and was then distributed along the vascular system in hypodermal mesocarp reaching the calyx area of the fruit. The current study demonstrated that, under experimental conditions, L. monocytogenes can internalize into cantaloupes during immersion in water contaminated by L. monocytogenes, both in the presence and absence of temperature differential, and that temperature differential moderately enhanced the internalization of L. monocytogenes. The incidence and levels of L. monocytogenes internalized in the middle

  7. Control of Listeria monocytogenes in goat's milk and goat's jben by the bacteriocinogenic Enterococcus faecium F58 strain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Achemchem, Fouad; Abrini, Jamal; Martínez-Bueno, Manuel; Valdivia, Eva; Maqueda, Mercedes

    2006-10-01

    The bacteriocinogenic Enterococcus faecium F58 strain, a natural goat's jben cheese isolate, lacks decarboxylase activity involved in most biogenic amine formation. It was also sensitive to 13 antibiotics assayed and free of virulence and vancomycin resistance genes. The F58 strain reached the stationary phase after 12 h of growth in sterile goat's milk, and the production of enterocin F-58 (Ent L50) was first detected after 48 h (400 AU/ml), thereafter remaining stable up to 5 days. The effectiveness of the F58 strain in controlling Listeria monocytogenes serovar 4b in reduced fat and whole goat's milk, and in goat's jben has been examined. Coculture experiments of F58-L. monocytogenes in both types of milk demonstrated that listeriae were not eliminated, although reductions by 1 to 4 log units were found. Nevertheless, when the F58 strain was previously inoculated in whole milk and left to grow for 12 h before contamination, the pathogen was completely eliminated after 130 h of coculture. Production of jben cheese contaminated with L. monocytogenes prior to packaging, using preparations of F58-producer strain, caused a significant decrease in the number of viable listeriae, which were undetectable after 1 week of cheese storage at 22 degrees C. Altogether, results from this study suggest that E. faecium F58 strain may be used as an adjunct culture in cheese to control contamination and growth of L. monocytogenes by in situ enterocin production, thus providing an additional hurdle to enhance control of this pathogen.

  8. Cloning and Expression of Listeria monocytogenes Listeriolysin O in Lactobacillus plantarum

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Masoumeh Hayati

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: The protein listeriolysin O (LLO encoded by hly gene, is one of the most important virulence factors of Listeria monocytogenes. This highly potent immunogenic cholesterol binding toxin has hemolytic activity, responsible for phagosomal membrane disruption and bacterial escape to the cytoplasm and facilitating the stimulation of CD8+ T cells and Th1 response. Recently pathobiotechnological vaccination using probiotic bacteria have been proposed. One of these strategies is expression of LLO in non-pathogenic bacteria such as lactic acid bacteria as delivery strains. Objectives: Our aim in this study was cloning of hly gene in a Lactobacillus species via pNZ8110, an inducible expression vector which is specific for Lactococcus species. Materials and Methods: hly gene was amplified by PCR and cloned into pNZ8110 by restriction enzymes cutting and ligation method. After transformation and propagation in E. coli MC1061 intermediate host, it was successfully electrotransformed into Lactobacillus plantarum. Results: Gel electrophoresis of colony PCR, extracted plasmids and restriction analysis along with sequencing confirmed the transformation. After induction using supernatant of nisin producer Lactococcus lactis NZ9700 strain, Expression of LLO was confirmed by SDS PAGE and western blot. Conclusion: Here, we have employed a nonpathogenic probiotic strain; Lactobacillus plantarum for the first time to express hly gene of Listeria monocytogenes in order to propose a new vaccine candidate.

  9. Growth potential of Listeria monocytogenes in sliced turkey bresaola packed in modified atmosphere

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena Dalzini

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available According to EC Regulation No 2073/2005, for food business operators that produce ready-to-eat (RTE product, it is crucial to be able to demonstrate if the product supports the growth of Listeria monocytogenes. The objective of the study was therefore to evaluate the behaviour of L. monocytogenes in sliced RTE turkey bresaola (made by cured turkey breast 4.5% NaCl, 1% sodium lactate, sodium nitrite 150 ppm and flavouring during the shelf life of the product, simulating a contamination during the slicing operation. Considering a shelf life of 90 days, as defined by manufacturer, the packages of sliced bresaola were stored at 5°C for 7 days and at 8°C for the remaining storage time (83 days. L. monocytogenes count decreased during storage test from 1.43/1.98 log cfu/g in the three batches tested to 1.03 log cfu/g in one batch and to undetectable levels in the other two batches. The results show that the investigated product is unable to support the growth of L. monocytogenes.

  10. Directed evolution and targeted mutagenesis to murinize Listeria monocytogenes internalin A for enhanced infectivity in the murine oral infection model.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Monk, Ian R

    2010-01-01

    Internalin A (InlA) is a critical virulence factor which mediates the initiation of Listeria monocytogenes infection by the oral route in permissive hosts. The interaction of InlA with the host cell ligand E-cadherin efficiently stimulates L. monocytogenes entry into human enterocytes, but has only a limited interaction with murine cells.

  11. Modeling the growth of Listeria monocytogenes in mold-ripened cheeses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lobacz, Adriana; Kowalik, Jaroslaw; Tarczynska, Anna

    2013-06-01

    This study presents possible applications of predictive microbiology to model the safety of mold-ripened cheeses with respect to bacteria of the species Listeria monocytogenes during (1) the ripening of Camembert cheese, (2) cold storage of Camembert cheese at temperatures ranging from 3 to 15°C, and (3) cold storage of blue cheese at temperatures ranging from 3 to 15°C. The primary models used in this study, such as the Baranyi model and modified Gompertz function, were fitted to growth curves. The Baranyi model yielded the most accurate goodness of fit and the growth rates generated by this model were used for secondary modeling (Ratkowsky simple square root and polynomial models). The polynomial model more accurately predicted the influence of temperature on the growth rate, reaching the adjusted coefficients of multiple determination 0.97 and 0.92 for Camembert and blue cheese, respectively. The observed growth rates of L. monocytogenes in mold-ripened cheeses were compared with simulations run with the Pathogen Modeling Program (PMP 7.0, USDA, Wyndmoor, PA) and ComBase Predictor (Institute of Food Research, Norwich, UK). However, the latter predictions proved to be consistently overestimated and contained a significant error level. In addition, a validation process using independent data generated in dairy products from the ComBase database (www.combase.cc) was performed. In conclusion, it was found that L. monocytogenes grows much faster in Camembert than in blue cheese. Both the Baranyi and Gompertz models described this phenomenon accurately, although the Baranyi model contained a smaller error. Secondary modeling and further validation of the generated models highlighted the issue of usability and applicability of predictive models in the food processing industry by elaborating models targeted at a specific product or a group of similar products. Copyright © 2013 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Survival of bioluminescent Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157:H7 in soft cheeses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramsaran, H; Chen, J; Brunke, B; Hill, A; Griffiths, M W

    1998-07-01

    Pasteurized and raw milks that had been inoculated at 10(4) cfu/ml with bioluminescent strains of Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157:H7 were used in the manufacture of Camembert and Feta cheeses with or without nisin-producing starter culture. Survival of both organisms was determined during the manufacture and storage of Camembert and Feta cheeses at 2 +/- 1 degree C for 65 and 75 d, respectively. Bacterial bioluminescence was used as an indicator to enumerate the colonies plated on selective Listeria agar and on MacConkey agar. Escherichia coli O157:H7 survived the manufacturing process of both cheeses and was present at the end of the storage period in greater numbers than in the initial inoculum. At the end of 75 d of storage, E. coli O157:H7 was found in the brine of Feta cheese. The counts of L. monocytogenes increased as the pH of the Camembert cheese increased, and there were significant differences between the counts from samples taken from the inside and the counts from samples obtained near the surface of the cheese. The Feta cheese that contained nisin was the only cheese in which L. monocytogenes was at the level of the initial inoculum after 75 d of storage.

  13. Antimicrobial behavior of phage endolysin PlyP100 and its synergy with nisin to control Listeria monocytogenes in Queso Fresco.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ibarra-Sánchez, Luis A; Van Tassell, Maxwell L; Miller, Michael J

    2018-06-01

    Hispanic-style fresh cheeses, such as Queso Fresco (QF), have been linked to numerous listeriosis outbreaks in the United States. In this work, we have studied the antilisterial behavior and effectiveness of the Listeria phage endolysin PlyP100 in QF, as well as the potential synergy between PlyP100 and nisin. PlyP100 showed similar bacterial reduction regardless of varying L. monocytogenes inoculum size in QF, and when the inoculation size was 1 Log CFU/g, no pathogen recovery after cheese enrichment was observed. PlyP100 was stable in QF for up to 28 days of cold storage exhibiting similar antilisterial activity regardless of when contamination with L. monocytogenes occurred. PlyP100 alone exhibited a strong listeriostatic effect in QF, on the contrary, nisin alone was not effective to control the pathogen in QF during cold storage. The combination of nisin and PlyP100 showed a strong synergy in QF with non-enumerable levels of L. monocytogenes after 4 weeks of refrigerated storage. Moreover, L. monocytogenes isolates from cheeses treated with nisin, PlyP100, and their combination did not develop resistance to nisin or PlyP100. Our results support the use of PlyP100 combined with nisin as an efficient L. monocytogenes control measure in QF. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Combined action of S-carvone and mild heat treatment on Listeria monocytogenes Scott A

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Karatzas, A.K.; Bennik, M.H.J.; Smid, E.J.; Kets, E.P.W.

    2000-01-01

    The combined action of the plant-derived volatile, S-carvone, and mild heat treatment on the food-borne pathogen, Listeria monocytogenes, was evaluated. The viability of exponential phase cultures grown at 8 °C could be reduced by 1.3 log units after exposure to S-carvone (5 mmol 1-1) for 30 min at

  15. Survival of Listeria monocytogenes on a conveyor belt material with or without antimicrobial additives

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Chaitiemwong, N.; Hazeleger, W.C.; Beumer, R.R.

    2010-01-01

    Survival of Listeria monocytogenes on a conveyor belt material with or without antimicrobial additives, in the absence or presence of food debris from meat, fish and vegetables and at temperatures of 10, 25 and 37 °C was investigated. The pathogen survived best at 10 °C, and better at 25 °C than at

  16. Analysing and modelling the growth behaviour of Listeria monocytogenes on RTE cooked meat products after a high pressure treatment at 400 MPa

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hereu, A.; Dalgaard, Paw; Garriga, M.

    2014-01-01

    Various predictive models are available for high pressure inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes in food, but currently available models do not consider the growth kinetics of surviving cells during the subsequent storage of products. Therefore, we characterised the growth of L. monocytogenes in ...

  17. ASSESSMENT OF ACTION OF DISINFECTANTS AGAINST LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES BIOFILMS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T. K. CABEÇA

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available

    The purpose of this study was to assess the action of various disinfectants used in food industry against biofilm cells of Listeria monocytogenes formed on stainless steel surfaces during 24, 72 and 120 hours. Numbers of viable biofilm cells decreased after treatment with all the tested disinfectants (iodine, biguanide, quaternary ammonium compounds, peracetic acid and sodium hypochlorite. Sodium hypochlorite was the most effective disinfectant against the biofilm cells, while biguanide and iodine were the least. Scanning electron microscopy observations demonstrated attached cells on stainless steel surfaces after treatment with all the disinfectants. These observations showed that microorganisms were not completely removed from stainless steel surfaces after treatment with the disinfectants, however, the attachment did not means the viability of remaining cells. The biofilm age in hours (24, 72 and 120 had no apparent influence on resistance of microbiological cells to the disinfectants under study. In conclusion biofilm cells of L. monocytogenes can withstand disinfectants action.

  18. Epidemiologia molecular de Listeria monocytogenes isoladas de diferentes fontes no Brasil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrea Micke Moreno

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Listeria monocytogenes é um importante patógeno de origem alimentar que afeta principalmente grávidas, neonatos, idosos e indivíduos imunocomprometidos, e pode causar abortamento, septicemia e meningite. Dos 13 grupos capsulares descritos, os sorotipos 4b, 1/2b e 1/2a são os mais relacionados à infecção humana. Por esta razão, a sorotipagem possui valor limitado como ferramenta epidemiológica e, dessa forma, métodos mais discriminatórios são necessários para melhorar o conhecimento sobre a contaminação e a infecção por L. monocytogenes. O objetivo deste estudo foi caracterizar a diversidade genética de isolados de L. monocytogenes da indústria de processamento de carne suína no Estado de São Paulo, Brasil, e compará-los a isolados de casos de infecção humana através do ERIC-PCR e AFLP com uma única enzima. Os sorotipos 1/2c e 4b foram frequentes em carne suína e ambientes de abatedouros e mercados, enquanto os sorotipos 4b e 1/2a foram observados nos isolados de humanos. ERIC-PCR e AFLP resultaram em 34 e 31 perfis distintos, respectivamente, com uma tendência a separar de acordo com o sorogrupo e a origem do isolado. Os perfis genéticos de ambiente dos abatedouros e mercados sugerem a possibilidade de diferentes origens de contaminação por Listeria nos ambientes estudados, porém, em alguns casos, é possível que ocorra a persistência de cepas clonais causando contaminação contínua.

  19. Changes in gene expression during adaptation of Listeria monocytogenes to the soil environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piveteau, Pascal; Depret, Géraldine; Pivato, Barbara; Garmyn, Dominique; Hartmann, Alain

    2011-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes is a ubiquitous opportunistic pathogen responsible for listeriosis. In order to study the processes underlying its ability to adapt to the soil environment, whole-genome arrays were used to analyse transcriptome modifications 15 minutes, 30 minutes and 18 h after inoculation of L. monocytogenes EGD-e in soil extracts. Growth was observed within the first day of incubation and large numbers were still detected in soil extract and soil microcosms one year after the start of the experiment. Major transcriptional reprofiling was observed. Nutrient acquisition mechanisms (phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent phosphotransferase systems and ABC transporters) and enzymes involved in catabolism of specific carbohydrates (β-glucosidases; chitinases) were prevalent. This is consistent with the overrepresentation of the CodY regulon that suggests that in a nutrient depleted environment, L. monocytogenes recruits its extensive repertoire of transporters to acquire a range of substrates for energy production.

  20. Efficacy of chlorine dioxide against Listeria monocytogenes in brine chilling solutions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valderrama, W B; Mills, E W; Cutter, C N

    2009-11-01

    Chilled brine solutions are used by the food industry to rapidly cool ready-to-eat meat products after cooking and before packaging. Chlorine dioxide (ClO(2)) was investigated as an antimicrobial additive to eliminate Listeria monocytogenes. Several experiments were performed using brine solutions made of sodium chloride (NaCl) and calcium chloride (CaCl(2)) inoculated with L. monocytogenes and/or treated with 3 ppm of ClO(2). First, 10 and 20% CaCl(2) and NaCl solutions (pH 7.0) were inoculated with a five-strain cocktail of L. monocytogenes to obtain approximately 7 log CFU/ml and incubated 8 h at 0 degrees C. The results demonstrated that L. monocytogenes survived in 10% CaCl(2), 10 and 20% NaCl, and pure water. L. monocytogenes levels were reduced approximately 1.2 log CFU/ml in 20% CaCl(2). Second, inoculated ( approximately 7 log CFU/ml) brine solutions (10 and 20% NaCl and 10% CaCl(2)) treated with 3 ppm of ClO(2) resulted in a approximately 4-log reduction of the pathogen within 90 s. The same was not observed in a solution of 20% CaCl(2); further investigation demonstrated that high levels of divalent cations interfere with the disinfectant. Spent brine solutions from hot dog and ham chilling were treated with ClO(2) at concentrations of 3 or 30 ppm. At these concentrations, ClO(2) did not reduce L. monocytogenes. Removal of divalent cations and organic material in brine solutions prior to disinfection with ClO(2) should be investigated to improve the efficacy of the compound against L. monocytogenes. The information from this study may be useful to processing establishments and researchers who are investigating antimicrobials in chilling brine solutions.

  1. Rapid colorimetric sensing platform for the detection of Listeria monocytogenes foodborne pathogen.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alhogail, Sahar; Suaifan, Ghadeer A R Y; Zourob, Mohammed

    2016-12-15

    Listeria monocytogenes is a serious cause of human foodborne infections worldwide, which needs spending billions of dollars for inspection of bacterial contamination in food every year. Therefore, there is an urgent need for rapid, in-field and cost effective detection techniques. In this study, rapid, low-cost and simple colorimetric assay was developed using magnetic nanoparticles for the detection of listeria bacteria. The protease from the listeria bacteria was detected using D-amino acid substrate. D-amino acid substrate was linked to the carboxylic acid on the magnetic nanoparticles using EDC/NHS chemistry. The cysteine residue at the C-terminal of the substrate was used for the self-assembled monolayer formation on the gold sensor surface, which in turn the black magnetic nanobeads will mask the golden color. The color will change from black to golden color upon the cleavage of the specific peptide sequence by the Listeria protease. The sensor was tested with serial dilutions of Listeria bacteria. It was found that the appearance of the gold surface area is proportional to the bacterial concentrations in CFU/ml. The lowest detection limit of the developed sensor for Listeria was found to be 2.17×10(2) colony forming unit/ml (CFU/ml). The specificity of the biosensor was tested against four different foodborne associated bacteria (Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Shigella flexnerii and Staphylococcus aureus). Finally, the sensor was tested with artificially spiked whole milk and ground meat spiked with listeria. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Extracting additional risk managers information from a risk assessment of Listeria monocytogenes in deli meats

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Pérez-Rodríguez, F.; Asselt, van E.D.; García-Gimeno, R.M.; Zurera, G.; Zwietering, M.H.

    2007-01-01

    The risk assessment study of Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat foods conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is an example of an extensive quantitative microbiological risk assessment that could be used by risk analysts and other scientists to obtain information and by managers and

  3. In vitro and in vivo invasiveness of different pulsed-field get electrophoresis types of Listeria monocytogenes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Charlotte Nexmann; Nørrung, Birgit; Sommer, Helle Mølgaard

    2002-01-01

    The virulence of different pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) types of Listeria monocytogenes was examined by monitoring their ability to invade Caco-2 cells. Strains belonging to seven different PFGE types originating from both foods and humans were included. No significant differences...

  4. Kinetics of biofilm formation and desiccation survival of Listeria monocytogenes in single and dual species biofilms with Pseudomonas fluorescens, Serratia proteamaculans or Shewanella baltica on food-grade stainless steel surfaces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daneshvar Alavi, Hessam Edin; Truelstrup Hansen, Lisbeth

    2013-01-01

    This study investigated the dynamics of static biofilm formation (100% RH, 15 °C, 48-72 h) and desiccation survival (43% RH, 15 °C, 21 days) of Listeria monocytogenes, in dual species biofilms with the common spoilage bacteria, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Serratia proteamaculans and Shewanella baltica, on the surface of food grade stainless steel. The Gram-negative bacteria reduced the maximum biofilm population of L. monocytogenes in dual species biofilms and increased its inactivation during desiccation. However, due to the higher desiccation resistance of Listeria relative to P. fluorescens and S. baltica, the pathogen survived in greater final numbers. In contrast, S. proteamaculans outcompeted the pathogen during the biofilm formation and exhibited similar desiccation survival, causing the N21 days of Serratia to be ca 3 Log10(CFU cm(-2)) greater than that of Listeria in the dual species biofilm. Microscopy revealed biofilm morphologies with variable amounts of exopolymeric substance and the presence of separate microcolonies. Under these simulated food plant conditions, the fate of L. monocytogenes during formation of mixed biofilms and desiccation depended on the implicit characteristics of the co-cultured bacterium.

  5. Highly specific fiber optic immunosensor coupled with immunomagnetic separation for detection of low levels of Listeria monocytogenes and L. ivanovii

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-01

    Background Immunomagnetic separation (IMS) and immunoassays are widely used for pathogen detection. However, novel technology platforms with highly selective antibodies are essential to improve detection sensitivity, specificity and performance. In this study, monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against Internalin A (InlA) and p30 were generated and used on paramagnetic beads of varying diameters for concentration, as well as on fiber-optic sensor for detection. Results Anti-InlA MAb-2D12 (IgG2a subclass) was specific for Listeria monocytogenes and L. ivanovii, and p30-specific MAb-3F8 (IgM) was specific for the genus Listeria. At all bacterial concentrations (103–108 CFU/mL) tested in the IMS assay; the 1-μm diameter MyOne beads had significantly higher capture efficiency (P Listeria antibody (9 %). Furthermore, capture efficiency for MyOne-2D12 was highly specific for L. monocytogenes and L. ivanovii. Subsequently, we captured L. monocytogenes by MyOne-2D12 and MyOne-3F8 from hotdogs inoculated with mono- or co-cultures of L. monocytogenes and L. innocua (10–40 CFU/g), enriched for 18 h and detected by fiber-optic sensor and confirmed by plating, light-scattering, and qPCR assays. The detection limit for L. monocytogenes and L. ivanovii by the fiber-optic immunosensor was 3 × 102 CFU/mL using MAb-2D12 as capture and reporter antibody. Selective media plating, light-scattering, and qPCR assays confirmed the IMS and fiber-optic results. Conclusions IMS coupled with a fiber-optic sensor using anti-InlA MAb is highly specific for L. monocytogenes and L. ivanovii and enabled detection of these pathogens at low levels from buffer or food. PMID:23176167

  6. The frequency of Listeria monocytogenes strains recovered from clinical and non-clinical samples using phenotypic methods and confirmed by PCR

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    abazar pournajaf

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Background: Listeria monocytogenes is a facultative intracellular pathogen that causes listeriosis which has extensive clinical manifestations. Infections with L. monocytogenes are a serious threat to immunocompromised persons. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of L. monocytogenes strains recovered from clinical and non-clinical samples using phenotypic methods and confirmed by PCR. Materials and Methods: In this study, 617 specimens were analyzed. All specimens were cultured in the specific PALCAM agar. Colonies were initially identified by routine biochemical tests. Finally, PCR assays using primers specific for inlA gene were performed. Results: In all, 46 (8.2% L. monocytogenes isolates were recovered from 617 specimens. Fourteen (8.2% strains, including 4 (7.5%, 2 (5.7%, 5 (14.2% and 3 (8.5% isolates were obtained from placental tissue, urine, vaginal and rectal swabs, respectively. In addition, 9 (7.4% strains of L. monocytogenes which were isolated from 107 different dairy products originated from cheese 5 (7.1%, cream 2 (10% and kashk 2 (11.7%, respectively. Among 11 (5.2% strains isolated from 210 different meat products, 5 (5.5%, 4 (7.2% and 2 (3% strains belonged to sausage, meat and poultry extracts, respectively. Finally, 12 (9.2% Listeria strains were recovered from 130 animal specimens that included 6 (10%, 4 (8% and 2 (10% strains from goat, sheep and cattle, respectively. Furthermore, all Listeria isolates (100% were found to be carriers of  inlA gene in PCR assay. Conclusion: The present study showed that the clinical and non-clinical specimens were contaminated with L. monocytogenes. So, it seems necessary to use a simple and standard technique such as PCR for rapid detection of this organism from various sources.

  7. Evaluation of Listeria Monocytogenes Based Vaccines for HER-2/neu in Mouse Transgenic Models of Breast Cancer

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Singh, Reshma

    2006-01-01

    ...% of all breast cancers. Five Listeria monocytogenes vaccines have been made consisting of fragments of HER-2/neu that are capable of stopping the growth of transplantable tumors in wild type FVB/N mice and can cause...

  8. Listeria monocytogenes presence during fermentation, drying and storage of Petrovská klobása sausage

    Science.gov (United States)

    Janković, V.; Mitrović, R.; Lakićević, B.; Velebit, B.; Baltić, T.

    2017-09-01

    The majority of human listeriosis cases appear to be caused by consumption of ready-to-eat (RTE) foods contaminated at the time of consumption with high levels of Listeria monocytogenes. Although strategies to prevent growth of L. monocytogenes in RTE products are critical for reducing the incidence of human listeriosis, this pathogen is highly difficult to control in fermented sausage processing environments due to its high tolerance to low pH and high salt concentration. The aims of the present study were to investigate the occurrence, presence and elimination of L. monocytogenes in Petrovská klobása sausage during processing, fermentation, drying and storage. L. monocytogenes, which was detected at the beginning of the production cycle, disappeared before day 30. The pathogen decline was much faster in those sausages which were dried in controlled, industrial conditions than in those dried applying the traditional, household technique.

  9. Inhibitory effect of liposome-entrapped lemongrass oil on the growth of Listeria monocytogenes in cheese.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cui, H Y; Wu, J; Lin, L

    2016-08-01

    Listeria monocytogenes infection in dairy products is of mounting public concern. To inhibit bacterial growth, we engineered stimuli-responsive liposomes containing lemongrass oil for this study. The controlled release of liposome-entrapped lemongrass oil is triggered by listerolysin O, secreted by L. monocytogenes. We investigated the antibiotic activities of lemongrass oil liposomes against L. monocytogenes in cheese. We also assessed their possible effects on the quality of the cheese. Liposomes containing lemongrass oil (5.0mg/mL) presented the optimal polydispersity index (0.246), zeta-potential (-58.9mV) and entrapment efficiency (25.7%). The liposomes displayed satisfactory antibiotic activity against L. monocytogenes in cheese over the storage period at 4°C. We observed no effects on the physical and sensory properties of the cheese after the liposome treatment. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Desiccation of adhering and biofilm Listeria monocytogenes on stainless steel: Survival and transfer to salmon products

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Lisbeth Truelstrup; Vogel, Birte Fonnesbech

    2011-01-01

    The foodborne bacterial pathogen, Listeria monocytogenes, commonly contaminates foods during processing, where the microorganisms are potentially subjected to low relative humidity (RH) conditions for extended periods of time. The objective of this study was to examine survival during desiccation...... (43% RH and 15°C) of biofilm L. monocytogenes N53-1 cells on stainless steel coupons and to assess subsequent transfer to salmon products. Formation of static biofilm (2days at 100% RH and 15°C) prior to desiccation for 23days significantly (P...

  11. Synergistic effect of high pressure processing and Lactobacillus casei antimicrobial activity against pressure resistant Listeria monocytogenes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chung, Hyun-Jung; Yousef, Ahmed E

    2010-09-30

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate combinations of high pressure processing (HPP) and Lactobacillus casei antimicrobial activity against Listeria monocytogenes strains with variation in pressure resistance in culture and in a food model. In culture, combination of HPP (350 MPa, for 1-20 min) and Lb. casei cell extract (CE, 32 CEAU/ml) showed a significant synergistic bactericidal effect (P5 log(10)CFU/ml. Synergy between CE and HPP was most evident in the pressure-resistant strain, OSY-8578. Similar result was observed in meat products where high pressure (500 MPa for 1 min), and high-activity CE (100 CEAU/g) caused >5 log reduction in the viability of L. monocytogenes Scott A. The combination treatment resulted in the absence of peaks associated with cellular components in DSC thermogram suggesting that the presence of CE may have caused a considerable damage to cellular components during the high pressure treatment. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Importance of SigB for Listeria monocytogenes static and continuous flow biofilm formation and disinfectant resistance

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Veen, van der S.; Abee, T.

    2010-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne pathogen that is able to form biofilms in food processing facilities. Biofilms are generally more resistant to antimicrobial agents, making it difficult to eradicate them during cleanup procedures. So far, little is known about the function of stress resistance

  13. Microbial diversity and structure are drivers of the biological barrier effect against Listeria monocytogenes in soil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vivant, Anne-Laure; Garmyn, Dominique; Maron, Pierre-Alain; Nowak, Virginie; Piveteau, Pascal

    2013-01-01

    Understanding the ecology of pathogenic organisms is important in order to monitor their transmission in the environment and the related health hazards. We investigated the relationship between soil microbial diversity and the barrier effect against Listeria monocytogenes invasion. By using a dilution-to-extinction approach, we analysed the consequence of eroding microbial diversity on L. monocytogenes population dynamics under standardised conditions of abiotic parameters and microbial abundance in soil microcosms. We demonstrated that highly diverse soil microbial communities act as a biological barrier against L. monocytogenes invasion and that phylogenetic composition of the community also has to be considered. This suggests that erosion of diversity may have damaging effects regarding circulation of pathogenic microorganisms in the environment.

  14. Growth of Listeria monocytogenes on a RTE-meat matrix enhances cell invasiveness to mouse J774A.1 macrophages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Chen-Si; Wang, Chinling; Tsai, Hsiang-Jung; Chou, Chung-Hsi

    2010-11-15

    It remains unclear whether the growth of Listeria monocytogenes on a ready-to-eat (RTE) meat matrix has an impact on the bacterium's pathogenic abilities. In this study, we investigated the impact of environments on virulence by growing L. monocytogenes (F2365 strain) on brain heart infusion agar (BHI), tryptic soy agar (TSA), and RTE turkey meat matrices. Bacteria cultured from these media were harvested and used to infect mouse macrophage cell line J774A.1 with different MOIs to examine their invasion ability. At MOI=10 and 50, the numbers of bacteria recovered from cells infected with turkey-meat-grown Listeria were significantly higher than those from the two nutrient-rich growth media. Additionally, MOI played a role in determining L. monocytogenes recovery rates, since significant differences were found amongst all three groups at low MOI, while no significant differences were found between BHI and TSA groups at high MOI. These results indicate that environmental changes affect the ability of L. monocytogenes to invade and survive intracellularly while grown on RTE-meat matrix. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Gamma irradiation as a means to eliminate Listeria monocytogenes from frozen chicken meat

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kamat, A.S.; Nair, M.P.

    1995-01-01

    Cells of Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 35152 were sensitive to gamma irradiation in phosphate buffer, pH 7.00 (D 10 , dose required for 10% survival—0.15 kGy) at 0–5°C. The cells showed higher radiation survival when irradiated under frozen condition, with a D 10 of 0.3 kGy. The protection offered by shrimp/chicken/kheema homogenates (100 g litre−1) was evidenced by even higher D 10 values (0.5 kGy) at both 0–5°C and cryogenic temperature. Boneless chicken meat samples were artificially inoculated with L monocytogenes ATCC 35152 cells at low (5 × 10 3 ) colony-forming unit (cfu) g −1 and high (5 × 10 6 cfu g −1 ) concentrations and irradiated at 1, 3, 4, 6 kGy doses under cryogenic conditions. The efficacy of the radiation process was evaluated by detecting L monocytogenes during storage at 2–4°C in the irradiated samples. These studies, when repeated with three other serotypes of L monocytogenes, clearly suggested the need for a dose of 3 kGy for elimination of 10 3 cfu cells of L monocytogenes g −1 from air-packed frozen chicken meat. (author)

  16. RAPID DNA EXTRACTION AND PCR VALIDATION FOR DIRECT DETECTION OF Listeria monocytogenes IN RAW MILK

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edith Burbano

    2006-05-01

    Full Text Available Objective. The aim of this study was to validate a method for detecting L. monocytogenes in raw milk.Materials and methods. The extraction procedure carried out using a chaotropic agent like NaI, toreduce fat in the sample to 0.2% w/v, which is the lowest limit for detection in the Gerber method, toavoid the polymerization. The raw milk samples were analyzed by using the traditional gold standardmethod for L. monocytogenes. Detection PCR was done on the specificity of primers that recognize theListeria genus by amplifying a specific fragment of about 938bp of the 16S rDNA. Several primer setswere use: L1 (CTCCATAAAGGTGACCCT, U1 (CAGCMGCCGCGGTAATWC, LF (CAAACGTTAACAACGCAGTAand LR (TCCAGAGTGATCGATGTTAA that recognize the hlyA gene of L. monocytogenes, amplifying a 750bpfragment. Results. The DNA of 39 strains evidenced high specificity of the technique since all the strainsof L. monocytogenes amplified the fragments 938bp and 750bp, specifically for genus and species,respectively. The detection limit of the PCR was 101 CFU/ml. T he PCR reproducibility showed a Kappa of0.85; the specificity and sensitivity of 100% were found, predictive positive and negative values were of100% respectively. Conclusions. These results demonstrate that is possible to detect of Listeria spp. byusing any of the three methods since they share the same sensitivity and specificity. One hundred percentof the predictive value for PCR (alternative method provides high reliability, and allows the detection ofthe positive samples. The extraction procedure combined with a PCR method can reduce in 15 days thetime of identification of L. monocytogenes in raw milk. This PCR technique could be adapted and validatedto be use for other types of food such as poultry, meat products and cheeses

  17. Serovar 4b complex predominates among Listeria monocytogenes isolates from imported aquatic products in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Jianshun; Chen, Qiaomiao; Jiang, Jianjun; Hu, Hongxia; Ye, Jiangbo; Fang, Weihuan

    2010-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes, the causative organism of listeriosis, is primarily transmitted to humans through contaminated food. In this study, we examined 1275 batches of aquatic products imported from 29 countries and found that 36 batches from 8 countries were contaminated by Listeria (2.8%), with L. monocytogenes accounting for 2.6% (33/1275) and L. innocua for 0.2% (3/1275). Of the 23 selected L. monocytogenes isolates (from the 33 identified), 15 (65.2%) were of serovar 4b complex (4b, 4d, or 4e), three (13.0%) of 1/2a or 3a, four (17.4%) of 1/2b or 3b, and one (4.4%) of 1/2c or 3c. Notably, four of the 23 isolates belonged to epidemic clone I (ECI) and another four were associated with epidemic clone II (ECII), two highly clonal 4b clusters responsible for most of the documented listeriosis outbreaks. In the multilocus sequence typing scheme based on the concatenated genes gyrB-dapE-hisJ-sigB-ribC-purM-betL-gap-tuf, serovar 4b complex isolates from imported aquatic products exhibited significant genetic diversity. While the four ECI isolates were genetically related to those from Chinese diseased animals, both lacking one proline-rich repeat of ActA, the four ECII isolates were located between 1/2b or 3b strains. As the L. monocytogenes isolates from imported aquatic products possessed a nearly complete set of major infection-related genes, they demonstrated virulence potential in mouse model.

  18. Evaluation of the performance of quantitative detection of the Listeria monocytogenes prfA locus with droplet digital PCR.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Witte, Anna Kristina; Fister, Susanne; Mester, Patrick; Schoder, Dagmar; Rossmanith, Peter

    2016-11-01

    Fast and reliable pathogen detection is an important issue for human health. Since conventional microbiological methods are rather slow, there is growing interest in detection and quantification using molecular methods. The droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) is a relatively new PCR method for absolute and accurate quantification without external standards. Using the Listeria monocytogenes specific prfA assay, we focused on the questions of whether the assay was directly transferable to ddPCR and whether ddPCR was suitable for samples derived from heterogeneous matrices, such as foodstuffs that often included inhibitors and a non-target bacterial background flora. Although the prfA assay showed suboptimal cluster formation, use of ddPCR for quantification of L. monocytogenes from pure bacterial cultures, artificially contaminated cheese, and naturally contaminated foodstuff was satisfactory over a relatively broad dynamic range. Moreover, results demonstrated the outstanding detection limit of one copy. However, while poorer DNA quality, such as resulting from longer storage, can impair ddPCR, internal amplification control (IAC) of prfA by ddPCR, that is integrated in the genome of L. monocytogenes ΔprfA, showed even slightly better quantification over a broader dynamic range. Graphical Abstract Evaluating the absolute quantification potential of ddPCR targeting Listeria monocytogenes prfA.

  19. TetR-dependent gene regulation in intracellular Listeria monocytogenes demonstrates the spatiotemporal surface distribution of ActA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmitter, Sibylle; Fieseler, Lars; Klumpp, Jochen; Bertram, Ralph; Loessner, Martin J

    2017-08-01

    To enable specific and tightly controlled gene expression both in vitro and during the intracellular lifecycle of the pathogen Listeria monocytogenes, a TetR-dependent genetic induction system was developed. Highest concentration of cytoplasmic TetR and best repression of tetO-controlled genes was obtained by tetR expression from the synthetic promoter Pt 17 . Anhydrotetracycline (ATc) as inducer permitted concentration-dependent, fine-tuned expression of genes under control of the tetO operator and a suitable promoter. The actin-polymerizing ActA protein represents a major virulence factor of L. monocytogenes, required for actin-based motility and cell-to-cell spread in infected host cells. To be able to observe its spatial and temporal distribution on intracellular L. monocytogenes cells, conditional mutants featuring actA placed under TetR control were used to infect PtK2 epithelial cells. Following induction at different time intervals, the subsequent recruitment of actin by L. monocytogenes could be monitored. We found that cells displayed functional ActA after approximately 15 min, while formation of polarized actin tail was complete after 90-120 min. At this point, intracellular motility of the induced mutants was indistinguishable from wild-type bacteria. Interestingly, de novo ActA synthesis in intracellular Listeria also demonstrated the temporal, asymmetric redistribution of the membrane-anchored proteins from the lateral walls toward the cell poles. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. Antimicrobial effect of blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) extracts against the growth of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella Enteritidis

    Science.gov (United States)

    We studied the antimicrobial effects of berry extracts obtained from four cultivars (Elliott, Darrow, Bluecrop and Duke) of blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) on the growth of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella Enteritidis. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal conc...

  1. Modeling and Validation of the Ecological Behavior of Wild-Type Listeria monocytogenes and Stress-Resistant Variants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Metselaar, Karin I; Abee, Tjakko; Zwietering, Marcel H; den Besten, Heidy M W

    2016-09-01

    Listeria monocytogenes exhibits a heterogeneous response upon stress exposure which can be partially attributed to the presence of stable stress-resistant variants. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the presence of stress-resistant variants of Listeria monocytogenes and their corresponding trade-offs on population composition under different environmental conditions. A set of stress robustness and growth parameters of the wild type (WT) and an rpsU deletion variant was obtained and used to model their growth behavior under combined mild stress conditions and to model their kinetics under single- and mixed-strain conditions in a simulated food chain. Growth predictions for the WT and the rpsU deletion variant matched the experimental data generally well, although some deviations from the predictions were observed. The data highlighted the influence of the environmental conditions on the ratio between the WT and variant. Prediction of performance in the simulated food chain proved to be challenging. The trend of faster growth and lower stress robustness for the WT than for the rpsU variant in the different steps of the chain was confirmed, but especially for the inactivation steps and the time needed to resume growth after an inactivation step, the experimental data deviated from the model predictions. This report provides insights into the conditions which can select for stress-resistant variants in industrial settings and discusses their potential persistence in food processing environments. Listeria monocytogenes exhibits a heterogeneous stress response which can partially be attributed to the presence of genetic variants. These stress-resistant variants survive better under severe conditions but have, on the other hand, a reduced growth rate. To date, the ecological behavior and potential impact of the presence of stress-resistant variants is not fully understood. In this study, we quantitatively assessed growth and inactivation behavior of wild-type L

  2. Sporadic case of listeriosis associated with the consumption of a Listeria monocytogenes-contaminated 'Camembert' cheese.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilot, P; Hermans, C; Yde, M; Gigi, J; Janssens, M; Genicot, A; André, P; Wauters, G

    1997-09-01

    Listeria monocytogenes is an intracellular gram-positive organism responsible for severe infections in both humans and animals. Whereas the food-borne transmission of listeriosis was demonstrated in several outbreaks, most cases of listeriosis occur sporadically and are rarely linked with consumption of contaminated foods. In this paper a case of septicaemia with L. monocytogenes in a 73-year-old immunocompromised man is described. Evidence for the association of this case of listeriosis with the consumption of a contaminated 'Camembert' cheese is provided by serotyping, esterase typing, DNA macrorestriction patterns analysis and level of virulence of the isolated strains for mice.

  3. Use of multi-locus sequencing typing as identification method for the food-borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes: a review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sonia Lamon

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Listeria monocytogenes is an ubiquitous, intracellular pathogen which has been implicated within the past decade as the causative organism in several outbreaks of foodborne diseases. In this review, a new approach to molecular typing primarily designed for global epidemiology has been described: multi-locus sequencing typing (MLST. This approach is novel, in that it uses data that allow the unambiguous characterization of bacterial strains via the Internet. Our aim is to present the currently available selection of references on L. monocytogenes MLST detection methods and to discuss its use as gold standard to L. monocytogenes subtyping method.

  4. Antimicrobial activity of some of the south-Indian spices against serotypes of Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes and Aeromonas hydrophila Atividade antimicrobiana de condimentos do sul da India sobre Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes e Aeromonas hydrophila

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M.N. Indu

    2006-06-01

    Full Text Available Antibacterial activity of extracts of Allium sativum (garlic, Myristica fragrans (nutmeg, Zingiber officinale (ginger, Allium cepa (onion and Piper nigrum (pepper has been evaluated against 20 different serogroups of Escherichia coli, 8 serotypes of Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes and Aeromonas hydrophila. Garlic extract showed excellent antibacterial activity against all the test organisms, except L. monocytogenes. Nutmeg showed good anti-listerial activity, although activity against E. coli and Salmonella were serotype dependent. Both garlic and nutmeg extracts were effective against A. hydrophila. Extracts of ginger showed inhibitory activity against two serogroups of E. coli: as O8 (enterotoxigenic E. coli and O88 only. Extracts of onion and pepper did not show any antibacterial activity against the test organisms.Avaliou-se a atividade antimicrobiana de extratos de alho (Allium sativum, noz-moscada (Mysritica frangrans, gengibre (Zingiber officinale cebola (Allium cepa e pimenta do reino (Piper nigrum sobre 20 sorotipos de Escherichia coli, 8 sorotipos de Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes e Aeromonas hydrophila. O alho apresentou atividade antimicrobiana excelente sobre todos os microrganismos testados, excepto L. monocytogenes. A noz-moscada apresentou boa atividade antilisteria, emboara atividade sobre E. coli e Salmonella tenha sido sorotipo-dependente. Tanto alho como noz-moscada foram eficientes contra A. hydrophila. O extrato de gengibre apresentou atividade inibitória sobre dois sorotipos de E. coli: 08 (enterotoxigenico e 088. Os extratos de cebola e pimenta do reino não apresentaram nenhuma atividade contra os microrganismos testados.

  5. Biofilm formation by Listeria monocytogenes on stainless steel surface and biotransfer potential

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maíra Maciel Mattos de Oliveira

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available An experimental model was proposed to study biofilm formation by Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 19117 on AISI 304 (#4 stainless steel surface and biotransfer potential during this process. In this model, biofilm formation was conducted on the surface of stainless steel coupons, set on a stainless steel base with 4 divisions, each one supporting 21 coupons. Trypic Soy Broth was used as bacterial growth substrate, with incubation at 37 ºC and stirring of 50 rpm. The number of adhered cells was determined after 3, 48, 96, 144, 192 and 240 hours of biofilm formation and biotransfer potential from 96 hours. Stainless steel coupons were submitted to Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM after 3, 144 and 240 hours. Based on the number of adhered cells and SEM, it was observed that L. monocytogenes adhered rapidly to the stainless steel surface, with mature biofilm being formed after 240 hours. The biotransfer potential of bacterium to substrate occurred at all the stages analyzed. The rapid capacity of adhesion to surface, combined with biotransfer potential throughout the biofilm formation stages, make L. monocytogenes a potential risk to the food industry. Both the experimental model developed and the methodology used were efficient in the study of biofilm formation by L. monocytogenes on stainless steel surface and biotransfer potential.

  6. Biofilm formation by Listeria monocytogenes on stainless steel surface and biotransfer potential.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Oliveira, Maíra Maciel Mattos; Brugnera, Danilo Florisvaldo; Alves, Eduardo; Piccoli, Roberta Hilsdorf

    2010-01-01

    An experimental model was proposed to study biofilm formation by Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 19117 on AISI 304 (#4) stainless steel surface and biotransfer potential during this process. In this model, biofilm formation was conducted on the surface of stainless steel coupons, set on a stainless steel base with 4 divisions, each one supporting 21 coupons. Trypic Soy Broth was used as bacterial growth substrate, with incubation at 37 °C and stirring of 50 rpm. The number of adhered cells was determined after 3, 48, 96, 144, 192 and 240 hours of biofilm formation and biotransfer potential from 96 hours. Stainless steel coupons were submitted to Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) after 3, 144 and 240 hours. Based on the number of adhered cells and SEM, it was observed that L. monocytogenes adhered rapidly to the stainless steel surface, with mature biofilm being formed after 240 hours. The biotransfer potential of bacterium to substrate occurred at all the stages analyzed. The rapid capacity of adhesion to surface, combined with biotransfer potential throughout the biofilm formation stages, make L. monocytogenes a potential risk to the food industry. Both the experimental model developed and the methodology used were efficient in the study of biofilm formation by L. monocytogenes on stainless steel surface and biotransfer potential.

  7. Formulacio?n de mezclas de aceites esenciales como inhibidores de Listeria monocytogenes

    OpenAIRE

    Cazar R., Mari?a-Elena

    2013-01-01

    Las enfermedades causadas por el consumo de alimentos contaminados tienen un alto impacto econo?mico y en la salud pu?blica. Las contaminaciones de alimentos causadas por pato?genos como Campylobacter y Salmonella son las ma?s comu?nmente reportadas. No obstante, pato?genos como Listeria monocytogenes pueden adaptarse, sobrevivir y crecer en un amplio rango de condiciones ambientales, causando patologi?as con elevadas tasas de hospitalizacio?n y mortalidad (Gandhi y Chikindas,2007). Las in...

  8. BIOCHEMICAL AND MOLECULAR CHARACTERISTICS OF LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES ISOLATES FROM A PROSTHETIC MITRAL HEART VALVE-BEARING PATIENT´S BLOOD CULTURES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nilma Cintra Lea

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Background: In Brazil, listeriosis is not a notifiable disease; thus, the incidence of Brazilian cases remains unknown. Listeria monocytogenes is not always included in automated systems, and its detection depends on the high skill level of microbiology laboratory professionals. This paper describes the characteristics of L. monocytogenes isolates fortuitously obtained from an endocarditis case in Recife, PE, Brazil. Methods: Six bacterial isolates obtained from six blood cultures from a 28-year-old male bearing a prosthetic mitral heart valve were analyzed by PCR using primers specific of L. monocytogenes to confirm a presumptive identification, determine the serotype and presence of the virulence genes (inlA, inlB, inlC, inlJ, hly, plcA, actA, prfA in an attempt to determine the Listeria genotype by PCR-ribotyping. Results: The samples were identified as L. monocytogenes 4b. All investigated virulence genes were amplified by PCR, and the identity of the amplified segments was confirmed by sequencing. A deletion of 105 base pairs was detected in the actA gene. All of the samples generated the same PCR-ribotype pattern, clustered into a single ribotype, and were considered a single strain. Conclusion: L. monocytogenes infection should be considered in endocarditis differential diagnoses, especially among high-risk groups, due to its high pathogenicity and the environmental ubiquity.

  9. Listeria monocytogenes inhibition by defatted mustard meal-based edible films.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Hahn-Bit; Noh, Bong Soo; Min, Sea C

    2012-02-01

    An antimicrobial edible film was developed from defatted mustard meal (Sinapis alba) (DMM), a byproduct from the bio-fuel industry, without incorporating external antimicrobials and its antimicrobial activity against Listeria monocytogenes and physical properties were investigated. The DMM colloidal solution consisting of 184 g water, 14 g DMM, and 2g glycerol was homogenized and incubated at 37°C for 0.2, 0.5, 24 or 48 h to prepare a film-forming solution. The pH of a portion of the film-forming solution (pH 5.5) was adjusted to 2.0 or 4.0. Films were formed by drying the film-forming solutions at 23°C for 48 h. The film-forming solution incubated for 48 h inhibited L. monocytogenes in broth and on agar media. Antimicrobial effects of the film prepared from the 48 h-incubated solution increased with decrease in pH of the solution from 5.5 to 2.0. The film from the film forming solution incubated for 48 h (pH 2.0) initially inhibited more than 4.0 log CFU/g of L. monocytogenes inoculated on film-coated salmon. The film-coating retarded the growth of L. monocytogenes in smoked salmon at 5, 10, and 15°C and the antimicrobial effect during storage was more noticeable when the coating was applied before inoculation than when it was applied after inoculation. The tensile strength, percentage elongation, solubility in watercxu, and water vapor permeability of the anti microbial film were 2.44 ± 0.19 MPa, 6.40 ± 1.13%, 3.19 ± 0.90%, and 3.18 ± 0.63 gmm/kPa hm(2), respectively. The antimicrobial DMM films have demonstrated a potential to be applied to foods as wraps or coatings to control the growth of L. monocytogenes. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. The high prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes peritonitis in cirrhotic patients of an Egyptian Medical Center.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El Sayed Zaki, Maysaa; El Shabrawy, Walaa Othman; El-Eshmawy, Mervat M; Aly Eletreby, Shahera

    2011-09-01

    Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is a potentially lethal complication of cirrhosis. It is probably the most characteristic infectious complication of cirrhosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the bacterial and fungal causes of SBP in Egyptian population. Furthermore to predict the occurrence of rare pathogen like Listeria monocytogenes in those patients. The study included 100 patients with end stage liver disease associated with ascites. Patients were suspected to have SBP. The ascitic fluids were subjected to full cytological and microbiological study. The peritoneal fluid cytological study revealed that 50 samples had cell counts >250 cells/mm(3). 37 samples had growth and 13 samples had no growth (CNNA). The distribution of isolated pathogens was Gram positive cocci 48.8% followed by L. monocytogenes 24.4%, Gram negative bacilli 12.2% and Mycobacterium tuberculosis 7.3. The cells counts associated with listeria culture were 475 cells/mm(3) with sensitivity 70% and specificity 68%. The study highlights the prevalence of microorganisms in Egyptian patients with liver cirrhosis associated with ascites. It reflects the occurrence of L. monocytogenes as an important pathogen of such clinical situation. Other rare pathogens like M. tuberculosis are not uncommon in those patients. Copyright © 2011 King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Comparative genomics and transcriptomics of lineages I, II, and III strains of Listeria monocytogenes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hain Torsten

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne pathogen that causes infections with a high-mortality rate and has served as an invaluable model for intracellular parasitism. Here, we report complete genome sequences for two L. monocytogenes strains belonging to serotype 4a (L99 and 4b (CLIP80459, and transcriptomes of representative strains from lineages I, II, and III, thereby permitting in-depth comparison of genome- and transcriptome -based data from three lineages of L. monocytogenes. Lineage III, represented by the 4a L99 genome is known to contain strains less virulent for humans. Results The genome analysis of the weakly pathogenic L99 serotype 4a provides extensive evidence of virulence gene decay, including loss of several important surface proteins. The 4b CLIP80459 genome, unlike the previously sequenced 4b F2365 genome harbours an intact inlB invasion gene. These lineage I strains are characterized by the lack of prophage genes, as they share only a single prophage locus with other L. monocytogenes genomes 1/2a EGD-e and 4a L99. Comparative transcriptome analysis during intracellular growth uncovered adaptive expression level differences in lineages I, II and III of Listeria, notable amongst which was a strong intracellular induction of flagellar genes in strain 4a L99 compared to the other lineages. Furthermore, extensive differences between strains are manifest at levels of metabolic flux control and phosphorylated sugar uptake. Intriguingly, prophage gene expression was found to be a hallmark of intracellular gene expression. Deletion mutants in the single shared prophage locus of lineage II strain EGD-e 1/2a, the lma operon, revealed severe attenuation of virulence in a murine infection model. Conclusion Comparative genomics and transcriptome analysis of L. monocytogenes strains from three lineages implicate prophage genes in intracellular adaptation and indicate that gene loss and decay may have led to the emergence

  12. Pilot-scale continuous ultrasonic cleaning equipment reduces Listeria monocytogenes levels on conveyor belts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tolvanen, Riina; Lundén, Janne; Hörman, Ari; Korkeala, Hannu

    2009-02-01

    Ultrasonic cleaning of a conveyor belt was studied by building a pilot-scale conveyor with an ultrasonic cleaning bath. A piece of the stainless steel conveyor belt was contaminated with meat-based soil and Listeria monocytogenes strains (V1, V3, and B9) and incubated for 72 h to allow bacteria to attach to the conveyor belt surfaces. The effect of ultrasound with a potassium hydroxide-based cleaning detergent was determined by using the cleaning bath at 45 and 50 degrees C for 30 s with and without ultrasound. The detachment of L. monocytogenes from the conveyor belt caused by the ultrasonic treatment was significantly greater at 45 degrees C (independent samples t test, P conveyor belt is effective even with short treatment times.

  13. Dual-species biofilm of Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli on stainless steel surface.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Grandi, Aline Zago; Pinto, Uelinton Manoel; Destro, Maria Teresa

    2018-04-12

    Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive bacterium commonly associated with foodborne diseases. Due its ability to survive under adverse environmental conditions and to form biofilm, this bacterium is a major concern for the food industry, since it can compromise sanitation procedures and increase the risk of post-processing contamination. Little is known about the interaction between L. monocytogenes and Gram-negative bacteria on biofilm formation. Thus, in order to evaluate this interaction, Escherichia coli and L. monocytogenes were tested for their ability to form biofilms together or in monoculture. We also aimed to evaluate the ability of L. monocytogenes 1/2a and its isogenic mutant strain (ΔprfA ΔsigB) to form biofilm in the presence of E. coli. We assessed the importance of the virulence regulators, PrfA and σ B , in this process since they are involved in many aspects of L. monocytogenes pathogenicity. Biofilm formation was assessed using stainless steel AISI 304 #4 slides immersed into brain heart infusion broth, reconstituted powder milk and E. coli preconditioned medium at 25 °C. Our results indicated that a higher amount of biofilm was formed by the wild type strain of L. monocytogenes than by its isogenic mutant, indicating that prfA and sigB are important for biofilm development, especially maturation under our experimental conditions. The presence of E. coli or its metabolites in preconditioned medium did not influence biofilm formation by L. monocytogenes. Our results confirm the possibility of concomitant biofilm formation by L. monocytogenes and E. coli, two bacteria of major significance in the food industry.

  14. Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis characterization of Listeria monocytogenes isolates from cheese manufacturing plants in São Paulo, Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barancelli, Giovana V; Camargo, Tarsila M; Gagliardi, Natália G; Porto, Ernani; Souza, Roberto A; Campioni, Fabio; Falcão, Juliana P; Hofer, Ernesto; Cruz, Adriano G; Oliveira, Carlos A F

    2014-03-03

    This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of Listeria monocytogenes in cheese and in the environment of three small-scale dairy plants (A, B, C) located in the Northern region state of São Paulo, Brazil, and to characterize the isolates using conventional serotyping and PFGE. A total of 393 samples were collected and analyzed from October 2008 to September 2009. From these, 136 came from dairy plant A, where only L. seeligeri was isolated. In dairy plant B, 136 samples were analyzed, and L. innocua, L. seeligeri and L. welshimeri were isolated together with L. monocytogenes. In dairy plant C, 121 samples were analyzed, and L. monocytogenes and L. innocua were isolated. Cheese from dairy plants B and C were contaminated with Listeria spp, with L. innocua being found in Minas frescal cheese from both dairy plants, and L. innocua and L. monocytogenes in Prato cheese from dairy plant C. A total of 85 L. monocytogenes isolates were classified in 3 serotypes: 1/2b, 1/2c, and 4b, with predominance of serotype 4b in both dairy plants. The 85 isolates found in the dairy plants were characterized by genomic macrorestriction using ApaI and AscI with Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE). Macrorestriction yielded 30 different pulsotypes. The presence of indistinguishable profiles repeatedly isolated during a 12-month period indicated the persistence of L. monocytogenes in dairy plants B and C, which were more than 100 km away from each other. Brine used in dairy plant C contained more than one L. monocytogenes lineage. The routes of contamination were identified in plants B and C, and highlighted the importance of using molecular techniques and serotyping to track L. monocytogenes sources of contamination, distribution, and routes of contamination in dairy plants, and to develop improved control strategies for L. monocytogenes in dairy plants and dairy products. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. [Survey of the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in meat products sold in retail].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Langiano, E; Lanni, L; Atrei, P; De Vito, E

    2007-01-01

    The present study evaluates the presence of Listeria spp and particularly of L. monocytogenes in bovine, pork and poultry meats sold by retail in supermarkets and butchers in the city of Cassino. The sensibility to the antibiotics mostly used in the veterinary practice has been tested on the isolated strains. The different species of Listeria have shown a considerable variation of isolation based on the meat's typology and on the different store's provenance. Moreover our results show greater degree of contamination than the data currently available the Italian literature. In our study poultry meat is the most contaminated one. We can assert that omissions and poor caring errors in the manipulation and conservation of meat expose the customer to an even higher risk of infection.

  16. Depletion of proton motive force by nisin in Listeria monocytogenes cells.

    OpenAIRE

    Bruno, M E; Kaiser, A; Montville, T J

    1992-01-01

    The basal proton motive force (PMF) levels and the influence of the bacteriocin nisin on the PMF were determined in Listeria monocytogenes Scott A. In the absence of nisin, the interconversion of the pH gradient (Z delta pH) and the membrane potential (delta psi) led to the maintenance of a fairly constant PMF at -160 mV over the external pH range 5.5 to 7.0. The addition of nisin at concentrations of greater than or equal to 5 micrograms/ml completely dissipated PMF in cells at external pH v...

  17. Glycerol metabolism induces Listeria monocytogenes biofilm formation at the air-liquid interface.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crespo Tapia, Natalia; den Besten, Heidy M W; Abee, Tjakko

    2018-05-20

    Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne pathogen that can grow as a biofilm on surfaces. Biofilm formation in food-processing environments is a big concern for food safety, as it can cause product contamination through the food-processing line. Although motile aerobic bacteria have been described to form biofilms at the air-liquid interface of cell cultures, to our knowledge, this type of biofilm has not been described in L. monocytogenes before. In this study we report L. monocytogenes biofilm formation at the air-liquid interface of aerobically grown cultures, and that this phenotype is specifically induced when the media is supplemented with glycerol as a carbon and energy source. Planktonic growth, metabolic activity assays and HPLC measurements of glycerol consumption over time showed that glycerol utilization in L. monocytogenes is restricted to growth under aerobic conditions. Gene expression analysis showed that genes encoding the glycerol transporter GlpF, the glycerol kinase GlpK and the glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase GlpD were upregulated in the presence of oxygen, and downregulated in absence of oxygen. Additionally, motility assays revealed the induction of aerotaxis in the presence of glycerol. Our results demonstrate that the formation of biofilms at the air-liquid interface is dependent on glycerol-induced aerotaxis towards the surface of the culture, where L. monocytogenes has access to higher concentrations of oxygen, and is therefore able to utilize this compound as a carbon source. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. A role for host cell exocytosis in InlB-mediated internalisation of Listeria monocytogenes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Ngo, Hoan; Bhalla, Manmeet; Chen, Da-Yuan; Ireton, Keith

    2017-11-01

    The bacterial surface protein InlB mediates internalisation of Listeria monocytogenes into human cells through interaction with the host receptor tyrosine kinase, Met. InlB-mediated entry requires localised polymerisation of the host actin cytoskeleton. Apart from actin polymerisation, roles for other host processes in Listeria entry are unknown. Here, we demonstrate that exocytosis in the human cell promotes InlB-dependent internalisation. Using a probe consisting of VAMP3 with an exofacial green fluorescent protein tag, focal exocytosis was detected during InlB-mediated entry. Exocytosis was dependent on Met tyrosine kinase activity and the GTPase RalA. Depletion of SNARE proteins by small interfering RNA demonstrated an important role for exocytosis in Listeria internalisation. Depletion of SNARE proteins failed to affect actin filaments during internalisation, suggesting that actin polymerisation and exocytosis are separable host responses. SNARE proteins were required for delivery of the human GTPase Dynamin 2, which promotes InlB-mediated entry. Our results identify exocytosis as a novel host process exploited by Listeria for infection. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  19. Viable but non-culturable Listeria monocytogenes on parsley leaves and absence of recovery to a culturable state.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dreux, N; Albagnac, C; Federighi, M; Carlin, F; Morris, C E; Nguyen-the, C

    2007-10-01

    To investigate the presence of viable but non-culturable Listeria monocytogenes during survival on parsley leaves under low relative humidity (RH) and to evaluate the ability of L. monocytogenes to recover from VBNC to culturable state under satured humidity. Under low RH (47-69%) on parsley leaves, the initial number of L. monocytogenes populations counted on non selective media (10(9) L. monocytogenes per leaf on TSA) was reduced by 6 log10 scales in 15 days, whereas number of viable L. monocytogenes counted under the microscope was reduced by 3-4 log10 scales, indicating the presence of VBNC cells. This was demonstrated on three L. monocytogenes strains (EGDe, Bug 1995 and LmP60). Changing from low to 100% RH permitted an increase of the culturable counts of L. monocytogenes and this growth was observed only when residual culturable cells were present. Moreover, VBNC L. monocytogenes inoculated on parsley leaves did not become culturable after incubation under 100% RH. Dry conditions induced VBNC L. monocytogenes on parsley leaves but these VBNC were likely unable to recover culturability after transfer to satured humidity. Enumeration on culture media presumably under-estimates the number of viable L. monocytogenes on fresh produce after exposure to low RH.

  20. Infectious Dose of Listeria monocytogenes in Outbreak Linked to Ice Cream, United States, 2015.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pouillot, Régis; Klontz, Karl C; Chen, Yi; Burall, Laurel S; Macarisin, Dumitru; Doyle, Matthew; Bally, Kären M; Strain, Errol; Datta, Atin R; Hammack, Thomas S; Van Doren, Jane M

    2016-12-01

    The relationship between the number of ingested Listeria monocytogenes cells in food and the likelihood of developing listeriosis is not well understood. Data from an outbreak of listeriosis linked to milkshakes made from ice cream produced in 1 factory showed that contaminated products were distributed widely to the public without any reported cases, except for 4 cases of severe illness in persons who were highly susceptible. The ingestion of high doses of L. monocytogenes by these patients infected through milkshakes was unlikely if possible additional contamination associated with the preparation of the milkshake is ruled out. This outbreak illustrated that the vast majority of the population did not become ill after ingesting a low level of L. monocytogenes but raises the question of listeriosis cases in highly susceptible persons after distribution of low-level contaminated products that did not support the growth of this pathogen.

  1. Mechanistic studies of the agmatine deiminase from Listeria monocytogenes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soares, Charles A; Knuckley, Bryan

    2016-06-01

    Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive food-borne pathogen that is capable of living within extreme environments (i.e. low temperatures and pH). This ability to survive in such conditions may arise, at least in part, from agmatine catabolism via the agmatine deiminase system (AgDS). This catabolic pathway utilizes an agmatine deiminase (AgD) to hydrolyse agmatine into N-carbamoylputrescine (NCP), with concomitant release of ammonia, which increases the pH, thus mitigating the ill effects of the acidic environment. Given the potential significance of this pathway for cell survival, we set out to study the catalytic mechanism of the AgD encoded by L. monocytogenes In the present paper, we describe the catalytic mechanism employed by this enzyme based on pH profiles, pKa measurements of the active site cysteine and solvent isotope effects (SIE). In addition, we report inhibition of this enzyme by two novel AgD inhibitors, i.e. N-(4-aminobutyl)-2-fluoro-ethanimidamide (ABFA) and N-(4-aminobutyl)-2-chloro-ethanimidamide (ABCA). In contrast with other orthologues, L. monocytogenes AgD does not use the reverse protonation or substrate-assisted mechanism, which requires an active site cysteine with a high pKa and has been commonly seen in other members of the guanidinium-modifying enzyme (GME) superfamily. Instead, the L. monocytogenes AgD has a low pKa cysteine in the active site leading to an alternative mechanism of catalysis. This is the first time that this mechanism has been observed in the GME superfamily and is significant because it explains why previously developed mechanism-based inactivators of AgDs are ineffective against this orthologue. © 2016 The Author(s). published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

  2. Local Outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes Serotype 4b Sequence Type 6 Due to Contaminated Meat Pâté.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Althaus, Denise; Jermini, Marco; Giannini, Petra; Martinetti, Gladys; Reinholz, Danuta; Nüesch-Inderbinen, Magdalena; Lehner, Angelika; Stephan, Roger

    2017-04-01

    In January and February 2016, five cases of confirmed and two cases of probable infection due to Listeria monocytogenes serotype 4b, sequence type (ST) 6 belonging to a single pulsed-field gel electrophoresis pulsotype pattern were registered in a region of southern Switzerland. L. monocytogenes was detected in blood samples (four cases) and pleural fluid (one case). Furthermore, L. monocytogenes 4b ST6 was detected in a stool sample of an asymptomatic person exposed to a common food. Forthwith, the food safety authority and a local gourmet meat producer reported L. monocytogenes contamination of meat pâté. Analysis of further food and environmental samples from the premises of the producer yielded isolates matching the clinical strains and confirmed the presence of L. monocytogenes 4b ST6 in the mincing machine as the cause of the food contamination.

  3. Inhibition effect of tea tree oil on Listeria monocytogenes growth and exotoxin proteins listeriolysin O and p60 secretion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Z; Meng, R; Zhao, X; Shi, C; Zhang, X; Zhang, Y; Guo, N

    2016-12-01

    Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) is a Gram-positive bacterium that causes infections in humans. In this study, the effects of tea tree oil (TTO) at subinhibitory concentrations on L. monocytogenes growth and two important exotoxin proteins secreted by L. monocytogenes were researched. Treatment with half of minimal inhibitory concentration of TTO demonstrated very little or no reduction in numbers of viable ATCC 19115 cells. Listeriolysin O (LLO) and p60, were investigated. A listeriolysin assay was used to investigate the hemolytic activities of L. monocytogenes exposed to TTO, and the secretion of LLO and p60 was detected by immunoblot analysis. Additionally, real-time RT-PCR was used to analyse the influence of TTO on the transcription of LLO and p60 encoded genes hly and iap respectively. According to our experimental results, we propose that TTO could be used as a promising natural compound against L. monocytogenes and its virulence factors. This is the first report on the influence of subinhibitory concentrations of tea tree oil (TTO) on the secretion of listeriolysin O (LLO) and p60, the critical virulence factors involved in Listeria pathogenesis. The results showed that TTO at 0·25 mg ml -1 reduced the secretion of LLO and p60 to 10 and 34·9% respectively, in addtion, the transcription of hly and iap was reduced to 10 and 4·3% at 0·5 mg ml -1 respectively. We propose that TTO could be used as a promising antimicrobial compound and virulence inhibitor against L. monocytogenes. © 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  4. Genotypic profile of Listeria monocytogenes isolated in refrigerated chickens in southern Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karla Sequeira Mendonça

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT: Listeria monocytogenes is of notable concern to the food industry, due to its ubiquitous nature and ability to grow in adverse conditions. This study aimed to determine the genotypic profile of L. monocytogenes strains isolated from refrigerated chickens marketed in the southern part of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The strains of L. monocytogenes isolated were characterized by serotyping and Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE. Three different serotypes (1/2a, 1/2b and 4e were evaluated by PFGE, and the macrorestriction patterns utilizing enzymes AscI and ApaI, revealed five different pulsotypes. The presence of such varied genotypic profiles demonstrates the prevalence of L. monocytogenes contamination of chicken processing environments, which combined with ineffective cleaning procedures, allowing the survival, adaptation and proliferation of these pathogens, not only in the processing environment, but also in local grocery stores.

  5. Biofilm formation by Listeria monocytogenes on stainless steel surface and biotransfer potential

    OpenAIRE

    Oliveira,Maíra Maciel Mattos de; Brugnera,Danilo Florisvaldo; Alves,Eduardo; Piccoli,Roberta Hilsdorf

    2010-01-01

    An experimental model was proposed to study biofilm formation by Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 19117 on AISI 304 (#4) stainless steel surface and biotransfer potential during this process. In this model, biofilm formation was conducted on the surface of stainless steel coupons, set on a stainless steel base with 4 divisions, each one supporting 21 coupons. Trypic Soy Broth was used as bacterial growth substrate, with incubation at 37 ?C and stirring of 50 rpm. The number of adhered cells was de...

  6. Listeria monocytogenes source distribution analysis indicates regional heterogeneity and ecological niche preference among serotype 4b clones

    Science.gov (United States)

    Human illness due to the foodborne bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes frequently involves certain widely disseminated clonal complexes (CCs), primarily of serotype 4b. CC1, CC2 and CC6, previously also designated epidemic clone (EC) I, Ia and II, respectively, have been frequently implicate...

  7. Collection of Listeria monocytogenes Isolates from Milk, Dairy Products and Food Processing Environments in Slovakia for the Purposes of European Molecular Database

    OpenAIRE

    Kubicová Z.; Filipová M.; Jurovčíková J.; Cabanová L

    2017-01-01

    The molecular typing of Listeria monocytogenes isolates is an important tool for monitoring the spread of the strains in food chains, providing evidence for epidemiological investigations and for the detection of out-breaks. The demand of European typing data centralization, collection and sharing stimulated the generation of “EURL L. monocytogenes Database (EURL Lm DB)” in 2012 led by the European Union Reference Laboratory (EURL) for L. monocytogenes (ANSES Maisons-Alfort Laboratory for Foo...

  8. Prevalence and Persistence of Listeria monocytogenes in Ready-to-Eat Tilapia Sashimi Processing Plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Bang-Yuan; Wang, Chung-Yi; Wang, Chia-Lan; Fan, Yang-Chi; Weng, I-Ting; Chou, Chung-Hsi

    2016-11-01

    A 2-year study was performed at two ready-to-eat tilapia sashimi processing plants (A and B) to identify possible routes of contamination with Listeria monocytogenes during processing. Samples were collected from the aquaculture environments, transportation tanks, processing plants, and final products. Seventy-nine L. monocytogenes isolates were found in the processing environments and final products; 3.96% (50 of 1,264 samples) and 3.86% (29 of 752 samples) of the samples from plants A and B, respectively, were positive for L. monocytogenes . No L. monocytogenes was detected in the aquaculture environments or transportation tanks. The predominant L. monocytogenes serotypes were 1/2b (55.70%) and 4b (37.97%); serotypes 3b and 4e were detected at much lower percentages. At both plants, most processing sections were contaminated with L. monocytogenes before the start of processing, which indicated that the cleaning and sanitizing methods did not achieve adequate pathogen removal. Eleven seropulsotypes were revealed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and serotyping. Analysis of seropulsotype distribution revealed that the contamination was disseminated by the processing work; the same seropulsotypes were repeatedly found along the work flow line and in the final products. Specific seropulsotypes were persistently found during different sampling periods, which suggests that the sanitation procedures or equipment used at these plants were inadequate. Plant staff should improve the sanitation procedures and equipment to reduce the risk of L. monocytogenes cross-contamination and ensure the safety of ready-to-eat tilapia products.

  9. Listeria monocytogenes in Food-Processing Facilities, Food Contamination, and Human Listeriosis: The Brazilian Scenario.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Camargo, Anderson Carlos; Woodward, Joshua John; Call, Douglas Ruben; Nero, Luís Augusto

    2017-11-01

    Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen that contaminates food-processing environments and persists within biofilms on equipment, utensils, floors, and drains, ultimately reaching final products by cross-contamination. This pathogen grows even under high salt conditions or refrigeration temperatures, remaining viable in various food products until the end of their shelf life. While the estimated incidence of listeriosis is lower than other enteric illnesses, infections caused by L. monocytogenes are more likely to lead to hospitalizations and fatalities. Despite the description of L. monocytogenes occurrence in Brazilian food-processing facilities and foods, there is a lack of consistent data regarding listeriosis cases and outbreaks directly associated with food consumption. Listeriosis requires rapid treatment with antibiotics and most drugs suitable for Gram-positive bacteria are effective against L. monocytogenes. Only a minority of clinical antibiotic-resistant L. monocytogenes strains have been described so far; whereas many strains recovered from food-processing facilities and foods exhibited resistance to antimicrobials not suitable against listeriosis. L. monocytogenes control in food industries is a challenge, demanding proper cleaning and application of sanitization procedures to eliminate this foodborne pathogen from the food-processing environment and ensure food safety. This review focuses on presenting the L. monocytogenes distribution in food-processing environment, food contamination, and control in the food industry, as well as the consequences of listeriosis to human health, providing a comparison of the current Brazilian situation with the international scenario.

  10. Prevalence and serotype distribution of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from foods in Montevideo-Uruguay

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Valeria Braga

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT The aim of this work was to study the prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in foods obtained in retail shops and food industries located in Montevideo-Uruguay, and to identify the serogroups of the obtained isolates. Three-thousand one-hundred and seventy-five food samples (frozen, deli meats, ready-to-eat and cheese were analyzed. The obtained isolates were serogrouped by multiplex PCR and serotyped by conventional procedure. Genetic comparisons were performed using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis on a sub-set of isolates belonging to the same serotype successively recovered from the same establishment. L. monocytogenes was isolated from 11.2% of samples. The highest prevalence was observed in frozen foods (38%, followed by cheese (10%. 1/2b and 4b were the most frequently identified serotypes. In six of 236 analyzed establishments we successively recovered L. monocytogenes isolates belonging to the same serotype. Most of them corresponded to serotype 1/2b. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis profiles suggest that at least 33% of L. monocytogenes 1/2b isolates are genetically related and that may remain viable for prolonged periods. The observed prevalence of L. monocytogenes was lower than reported in neighboring countries. Our findings highlight the role that frozen foods may play in the spread of this pathogen, and the relevance of serotypes 1/2b and 4b.

  11. Control of Listeria monocytogenes in turkey deli loaves using organic acids as formulation ingredients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lloyd, T; Alvarado, C Z; Brashears, M M; Thompson, L D; McKee, S R; Berrang, M

    2009-10-01

    The growth of Listeria monocytogenes in further-processed meat products has become a major concern and an important food safety issue. The meat and poultry industries have incorporated interventions such as organic acids in marinades to inhibit the growth of L. monocytogenes. In this study, organic acids were utilized in the raw product and as a postcook dip to determine their inhibitory effect on the growth of L. monocytogenes in turkey deli loaves. The turkey deli loaves were processed, cooked, cooled, inoculated with streptomycin-resistant L. monocytogenes, and then dipped. Treatments were potassium lactate (PL) in the raw product with sodium lactate (SL), sodium diacetate (SD) dip, PL with SL/PL/SD dip, SL with SL/SD dip, and SL with SL/PL/SD dip. There was also a positive (inoculated) and negative (noninoculated) control, which was dipped in distilled water. Days 0, 7, 14, 21, 28, 42, and 56 were sampled for L. monocytogenes. There were no differences (P>0.05) among the organic acid treatments in the turkey deli loaves at any time points; therefore, all of the treatments increased the lag phase of L. monocytogenes, extending the shelf-life of the product. However, there was a difference between the treatments and the positive control at d 7, 14, 21, 28, 42, and 56. The growth of L. monocytogenes increased immediately in the positive control, whereas the negative control appeared to have no growth. These organic acids can provide meat processors with a useful method for extending the lag phase of L. monocytogenes in ready-to-eat meat and poultry products.

  12. ANTILISTERIAL ACTYVITY OF LACTIC ACID BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM GILTHEAD BREAMS AND SEA BASSES FILLETS PACKAGED MAP AGAINST PRIMITIVE STRAINS OF LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Barile

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available Listeria monocytogenes is the causative agent of listeriosis typically caused by ready-to-eat processed food that have a refrigerated shelf-life, but lightly preserved fish products also belong to a high-risk category. Aim of the work was to evaluate antimicrobial activity linked bacteriocin-producing of LAB isolated from gilthead breams and sea basses fillets packaged in modified atmospheres. Fifty-five LAB strains were screened against 21 strains of Listeria monocytogenes, 1 Listeria innocua held in the culture collection of Department of Zootechnical Sciences and Food Ispection (SIA and submitted to antagonistic activity using the spot on lawn and the agar well diffusion assay. Lactococcus lactis sub. lactis Sa31 was able to produce bacteriocin in agar and different broth medium. The bacteriocin man31 showed sensitivity to trypsin, pronase E and papain, inactivation at temperatures ≥ 100°C, bactericidal mode of action and antilisterial act, rapidly. The bacteriocin man31 caused a reduction of L. monocytogenes ½ c growth about log10 > 3 UFC/ml, when was applied on indicator strain at 20,480 AU/ml concentration, in vitro.

  13. Prevalence and Level of Listeria monocytogenes in Ice Cream Linked to a Listeriosis Outbreak in the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Y I; Burall, Laurel S; Macarisin, Dumitru; Pouillot, Régis; Strain, Errol; DE Jesus, Antonio J; Laasri, Anna; Wang, Hua; Ali, Laila; Tatavarthy, Aparna; Zhang, Guodong; Hu, Lijun; Day, James; Kang, Jihun; Sahu, Surasri; Srinivasan, Devayani; Klontz, Karl; Parish, Mickey; Evans, Peter S; Brown, Eric W; Hammack, Thomas S; Zink, Donald L; Datta, Atin R

    2016-11-01

    A most-probable-number (MPN) method was used to enumerate Listeria monocytogenes in 2,320 commercial ice cream scoops manufactured on a production line that was implicated in a 2015 listeriosis outbreak in the United States. The analyzed samples were collected from seven lots produced in November 2014, December 2014, January 2015, and March 2015. L. monocytogenes was detected in 99% (2,307 of 2,320) of the tested samples (lower limit of detection, 0.03 MPN/g), 92% of which were contaminated at ice cream products linked to a listeriosis outbreak provided a unique data set for further understanding the risk associated with L. monocytogenes contamination for highly susceptible populations.

  14. Rapid identification and source-tracking of Listeria monocytogenes using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jadhav, Snehal; Gulati, Vandana; Fox, Edward M; Karpe, Avinash; Beale, David J; Sevior, Danielle; Bhave, Mrinal; Palombo, Enzo A

    2015-06-02

    Listeria monocytogenes is an important foodborne pathogen responsible for the sometimes fatal disease listeriosis. Public health concerns and stringent regulations associated with the presence of this pathogen in food and food processing environments underline the need for rapid and reliable detection and subtyping techniques. In the current study, the application of matrix assisted laser desorption/ionisation-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) as a single identification and source-tracking tool for a collection of L. monocytogenes isolates, obtained predominantly from dairy sources within Australia, was explored. The isolates were cultured on different growth media and analysed using MALDI-TOF MS at two incubation times (24 and 48 h). Whilst reliable genus-level identification was achieved from most media, identification at the species level was found to be dependent on culture conditions. Successful speciation was highest for isolates cultured on the chromogenic Agar Listeria Ottaviani Agosti agar (ALOA, 91% of isolates) and non-selective horse blood agar (HBA, 89%) for 24h. Chemometric statistical analysis of the MALDI-TOF MS data enabled source-tracking of L. monocytogenes isolates obtained from four different dairy sources. Strain-level discrimination was also observed to be influenced by culture conditions. In addition, t-test/analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to identify potential biomarker peaks that differentiated the isolates according to their source of isolation. Source-tracking using MALDI-TOF MS was compared and correlated with the gold standard pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) technique. The discriminatory index and the congruence between both techniques were compared using the Simpsons Diversity Index and adjusted Rand and Wallace coefficients. Overall, MALDI-TOF MS based source-tracking (using data obtained by culturing the isolates on HBA) and PFGE demonstrated good congruence with a Wallace coefficient of 0.71 and

  15. Inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes by pomegranate (Punica granatum) peel extract in meat paté at different temperatures

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hayrapetyan, H.; Hazeleger, W.C.; Beumer, R.R.

    2012-01-01

    Natural antimicrobials are being more and more considered as alternative approach for controlling growth of microorganisms in food. The objective of this study was to evaluate the pomegranate extract’s (PE) potential to be used as a natural preservative in ready to eat meats. Listeria monocytogenes

  16. Biochemical and molecular characteristics of Listeria monocytogenes isolates from a prosthetic mitral heart valve-bearing patient´s blood cultures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nilma Cintra Leal

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Background: In Brazil, listeriosis is not a notifiable disease; thus, the incidence of Brazilian cases remains unknown. Listeria monocytogenes is not always included in automated systems, and its detection depends on the high skill level of microbiology laboratory professionals. This paper describes the characteristics of L. monocytogenes isolates fortuitously obtained from an endocarditis case in Recife, PE, Brazil. Methods: Six bacterial isolates obtained from six blood cultures from a 28-year-old male bearing a prosthetic mitral heart valve were analyzed by PCR using primers specific of L. monocytogenes to confirm a presumptive identification, determine the serotype and presence of the virulence genes (inlA, inlB, inlC, inlJ, hly, plcA, actA, prfA in an attempt to determine the Listeria genotype by PCR-ribotyping. Results: The samples were identified as L. monocytogenes 4b. All investigated virulence genes were amplified by PCR, and the identity of the amplified segments was confirmed by sequencing. A deletion of 105 base pairs was detected in the actA gene. All of the samples generated the same PCR-ribotype pattern, clustered into a single ribotype, and were considered a single strain. Conclusion: L. monocytogenes infection should be considered in endocarditis differential diagnoses, especially among high-risk groups, due to its high pathogenicity and the environmental ubiquity.

  17. Quantification of Listeria monocytogenes in minimally processed leafy vegetables using a combined method based on enrichment and 16S rRNA real-time PCR.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aparecida de Oliveira, Maria; Abeid Ribeiro, Eliana Guimarães; Morato Bergamini, Alzira Maria; Pereira De Martinis, Elaine Cristina

    2010-02-01

    Modern lifestyle markedly changed eating habits worldwide, with an increasing demand for ready-to-eat foods, such as minimally processed fruits and leafy greens. Packaging and storage conditions of those products may favor the growth of psychrotrophic bacteria, including the pathogen Listeria monocytogenes. In this work, minimally processed leafy vegetables samples (n = 162) from retail market from Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil, were tested for the presence or absence of Listeria spp. by the immunoassay Listeria Rapid Test, Oxoid. Two L. monocytogenes positive and six artificially contaminated samples of minimally processed leafy vegetables were evaluated by the Most Probable Number (MPN) with detection by classical culture method and also culture method combined with real-time PCR (RTi-PCR) for 16S rRNA genes of L. monocytogenes. Positive MPN enrichment tubes were analyzed by RTi-PCR with primers specific for L. monocytogenes using the commercial preparation ABSOLUTE QPCR SYBR Green Mix (ABgene, UK). Real-time PCR assay presented good exclusivity and inclusivity results and no statistical significant difference was found in comparison with the conventional culture method (p < 0.05). Moreover, RTi-PCR was fast and easy to perform, with MPN results obtained in ca. 48 h for RTi-PCR in comparison to 7 days for conventional method.

  18. Bifidobacterium breve IPLA20005 affects in vitro the expression of hly and luxS genes, related to the virulence of Listeria monocytogenes Lm23.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rios-Covian, David; Nogacka, Alicja; Salazar, Nuria; Hernández-Barranco, A M; Cuesta, Isabel; Gueimonde, Miguel; de Los Reyes Gavilán, Clara G

    2018-03-01

    Mechanistic features that characterize the interaction and inhibition of the food-borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes by members of the genus Bifidobacterium still remain unclear. In the present work, we tried to shed light on the influence that co-cultivation of L. monocytogenes with Bifidobacterium breve may exert on both microorganisms and on virulence of the pathogen. Production of acetate and lactate was measured by gas chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography, respectively; bacterial counts were obtained by plate count; gene expression was determined by RT-qPCR; and haemolytic activity was analyzed against goat erythrocytes. We found slightly but significantly lower final counts of Listeria and Bifidobacterium (p monocytogenes cells from cocultures than in those from monocultures. In contrast, the hly and luxS genes, which code for the cytolysin listeriolysin O and participate in biofilm formation, respectively, were overexpressed when L. monocytogenes was grown in coculture. This indicates that the presence of Bifidobacterium is able to modify the gene expression and haemolytic activity of L. monocytogenes when both microorganisms grow together.

  19. Efficacy of ultraviolet light exposure against survival of Listeria monocytogenes on conveyor belts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morey, Amit; McKee, Shelly R; Dickson, James S; Singh, Manpreet

    2010-06-01

    Listeria monocytogenes has been repeatedly isolated from foods and food-processing facilities including food contact surfaces such as conveyor belts (CB). CBs are often difficult to clean and require rigorous sanitation programs for decontamination. Ultraviolet (UV) light has exhibited microbicidal properties on food contact surfaces and this study was conducted to determine the efficacy of UV against L. monocytogenes on CB made of different materials. A four-strain cocktail of L. monocytogenes (serotypes 3A, 4A, 4B, and 4C) was made to give a suspension of approximately 10(7) CFU/mL. CBs made from four different types of materials, (1) Ropanyl DM 8/2 A2 + 04 (belt 1), (2) Volta FRMW-3.0 (belt 2), (3) Volta FRMB-3.0 (belt 3), and (4) Ropanyl DM (belt 4), were inoculated with 1 mL of the four-strain cocktail (approximately 10(7) CFU/mL) of the bacterial suspension. CBs were treated with UV light (254 nm) for 1 and 3 sec at 5.53 and 5.95 mW/cm(2). Three replications of the experiments were conducted. Two-way analysis of variance of survival populations of L. monocytogenes showed that bacterial counts were significantly reduced (p belt types irrespective of UV light intensities and times of exposure. L. monocytogenes populations were reduced (p belts 1, 2, and 3 after exposure to 5.95 mW/cm(2) UV light intensity for 3 sec. L. monocytogenes-inoculated CBs that were exposed to 5.53 mW/cm(2) showed higher (p Belt 4 showed survival populations of L. monocytogenes ranging from 1.42 to 1.73 log(10) CFU/cm(2) after UV light treatment for 1 and 3 sec. UV light can be effectively used to reduce L. monocytogenes contamination on CBs.

  20. Listeria monocytogenes isolates from food and food environment harbouring tetM and ermB resistance genes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haubert, L; Mendonça, M; Lopes, G V; de Itapema Cardoso, M R; da Silva, W P

    2016-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen that has become an important cause of human and animal diseases worldwide. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the serotypes, virulence potential, antimicrobial resistance profile, and genetic relationships of 50 L. monocytogenes isolates from food and food environment in southern Brazil. In this study, the majority of L. monocytogenes isolates belonged to the serotypes 1/2b (42%) and 4b (26%), which are the main serotypes associated with human listeriosis. In addition, all isolates harboured internalin genes (inlA, inlC, inlJ), indicating a virulence potential. The isolates were sensitive to most of the antimicrobial compounds analysed, and five isolates (10%) were multi-resistant. Two isolates harboured antimicrobial resistance genes (tetM and ermB) and in one of them, the gene was present in the plasmid. Moreover, according to the pulsed field gel electrophoresis assay, two multi-resistant isolates were a single clone isolated from food and the processing plant. The isolates were susceptible to the most frequently used antibiotics for listeriosis treatment. However, the presence of multidrug-resistant isolates and antimicrobial resistance genes including in the plasmid could even be transferred between bacterial species, suggesting a potential health risk to consumers and a potential risk of spreading multi-resistance genes to other bacteria. Listeria monocytogenes is an important agent of foodborne diseases. The results of this study suggest a potential capacity of L. monocytogenes isolates from food and food environment to cause human infections. Antimicrobial multi-resistance profiles were detected in 10%, and two isolates harboured tetM and ermB resistance genes. Moreover, the present research can help to build up a better knowledge about antimicrobial resistance of L. monocytogenes. Additionally, we found one isolate carrying tetM resistance gene in a plasmid, that suggests a possible transmission

  1. Short-term genome evolution of Listeria monocytogenes in a non-controlled environment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ivy Reid A

    2008-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background While increasing data on bacterial evolution in controlled environments are available, our understanding of bacterial genome evolution in natural environments is limited. We thus performed full genome analyses on four Listeria monocytogenes, including human and food isolates from both a 1988 case of sporadic listeriosis and a 2000 listeriosis outbreak, which had been linked to contaminated food from a single processing facility. All four isolates had been shown to have identical subtypes, suggesting that a specific L. monocytogenes strain persisted in this processing plant over at least 12 years. While a genome sequence for the 1988 food isolate has been reported, we sequenced the genomes of the 1988 human isolate as well as a human and a food isolate from the 2000 outbreak to allow for comparative genome analyses. Results The two L. monocytogenes isolates from 1988 and the two isolates from 2000 had highly similar genome backbone sequences with very few single nucleotide (nt polymorphisms (1 – 8 SNPs/isolate; confirmed by re-sequencing. While no genome rearrangements were identified in the backbone genome of the four isolates, a 42 kb prophage inserted in the chromosomal comK gene showed evidence for major genome rearrangements. The human-food isolate pair from each 1988 and 2000 had identical prophage sequence; however, there were significant differences in the prophage sequences between the 1988 and 2000 isolates. Diversification of this prophage appears to have been caused by multiple homologous recombination events or possibly prophage replacement. In addition, only the 2000 human isolate contained a plasmid, suggesting plasmid loss or acquisition events. Surprisingly, besides the polymorphisms found in the comK prophage, a single SNP in the tRNA Thr-4 prophage represents the only SNP that differentiates the 1988 isolates from the 2000 isolates. Conclusion Our data support the hypothesis that the 2000 human listeriosis

  2. Mechanism of Nisin, Pediocin 34, and Enterocin FH99 Resistance in Listeria monocytogenes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaur, Gurpreet; Singh, Tejinder Pal; Malik, Ravinder Kumar; Bhardwaj, Arun

    2012-03-01

    Nisin-, pediocin 34-, and enterocin FH99-resistant variants of Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 53135 were developed. In an attempt to clarify the possible mechanisms underlying bacteriocin resistance in L. monocytogenes ATCC 53135, sensitivity of the resistant strains of L. monocytogenes ATCC 53135 to nisin, pediocin 34, and enterocin FH99 in the absence and presence of different divalent cations was assessed, and the results showed that the addition of divalent cations significantly reduced the inhibitory activity of nisin, pediocin 34, and enterocin FH99 against resistant variants of L. monocytogenes ATCC 53135. The addition of EDTA, however, restored this activity suggesting that the divalent cations seem to affect the initial electrostatic interaction between the positively charged bacteriocin and the negatively charged phospholipids of the membrane. Nisin-, pediocin 34-, and enterocin-resistant variants of L. monocytogenes ATCC 53135 were more resistant to lysozyme as compared to the wild-type strain both in the presence as well as absence of nisin, pediocin 34, and enterocin FH99. Ultra structural profiles of bacteriocin-sensitive L. monocytogenes and its bacteriocin-resistant counterparts revealed that the cells of wild-type strain of L. monocytogenes were maximally in pairs or short chains, whereas, its nisin-, pediocin 34-, and enterocin FH99-resistant variants tend to form aggregates. Results indicated that without a cell wall, the acquired nisin, pediocin 34, and enterocin FH99 resistance of the variants was lost. Although the bacteriocin-resistant variants appeared to lose their acquired resistance toward nisin, pediocin 34, and enterocin FH99, the protoplasts of the resistant variants appeared to be more resistant to bacteriocins than the protoplasts of their wild-type counterparts.

  3. Genotypes Associated with Listeria monocytogenes Isolates Displaying Impaired or Enhanced Tolerances to Cold, Salt, Acid, or Desiccation Stress

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hingston, Patricia A.; Chen, Jessica; Dhillon, Bhavjinder K

    2017-01-01

    elements. A whole genome single-nucleotide-variants phylogeny revealed sporadic distribution of tolerant isolates and closely related sensitive and tolerant isolates, highlighting that minor genetic differences can influence the stress tolerance of L. monocytogenes. Specifically, a number of cold......The human pathogen Listeria monocytogenes is a large concern in the food industry where its continuous detection in food products has caused a string of recalls in North America and Europe. Most recognized for its ability to grow in foods during refrigerated storage, L. monocytogenes can also...... tolerate several other food-related stresses with some strains possessing higher levels of tolerances than others. The objective of this study was to use a combination of phenotypic analyses and whole genome sequencing to elucidate potential relationships between L. monocytogenes genotypes and food...

  4. Ultrasonic cleaning of conveyor belt materials using Listeria monocytogenes as a model organism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tolvanén, Riina; Lunden, Janne; Korkeala, Hannu; Wirtanen, Gun

    2007-03-01

    Persistent Listeria monocytogenes contamination of food industry equipment is a difficult problem to solve. Ultrasonic cleaning offers new possibilities for cleaning conveyors and other equipment that are not easy to clean. Ultrasonic cleaning was tested on three conveyor belt materials: polypropylene, acetal, and stainless steel (cold-rolled, AISI 304). Cleaning efficiency was tested at two temperatures (30 and 45 degrees C) and two cleaning times (30 and 60 s) with two cleaning detergents (KOH, and NaOH combined with KOH). Conveyor belt materials were soiled with milk-based soil and L. monocytogenes strains V1, V3, and B9, and then incubated for 72 h to attach bacteria to surfaces. Ultrasonic cleaning treatments reduced L. monocytogenes counts on stainless steel 4.61 to 5.90 log units; on acetal, 3.37 to 5.55 log units; and on polypropylene, 2.31 to 4.40 log units. The logarithmic reduction differences were statistically analyzed by analysis of variance using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software. The logarithmic reduction was significantly greater in stainless steel than in plastic materials (P conveyor belt materials.

  5. Enhanced biofilm formation in dual-species culture of Listeria monocytogenes and Ralstonia insidiosa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yunfeng Xu

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available In the natural environments microorganisms coexist in communities as biofilms. Since foodborne pathogens have varying abilities to form biofilms, investigation of bacterial interactions in biofilm formation may enhance our understanding of the persistence of these foodborne pathogens in the environment. Thus the objective of this study was to investigate the interactions between Listeria monocytogenes and Ralstonia insidiosa in dual species biofilms. Biofilm development after 24 h was measured using crystal violet in 96-well microtiter plate. Scanning electron microscopy and cell enumeration were employed after growth on stainless steel coupons. When compared with their single species counterparts, the dual species biofilms exhibited a significant increase in biofilm biomass. The number of L. monocytogenes in co-culture biofilms on stainless steel also increased significantly. However, there was no effect on the biofilm formation of L. monocytogenes when cultured with R. insidiosa separated by a semi-permeable membrane-linked compartment or cultured in R. insidiosa cell-free supernatant, indicating that direct cell-cell contact is critical for this interaction.

  6. Mixed species biofilms of Listeria monocytogenes and Lactobacillus plantarum show enhanced resistance to benzalkonium chloride and peracetic acid

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Veen, van der S.; Abee, T.

    2011-01-01

    We investigated the formation of single and mixed species biofilms of Listeria monocytogenes strains EGD-e and LR-991, with Lactobacillus plantarum WCFS1 as secondary species, and their resistance to the disinfectants benzalkonium chloride and peracetic acid. Modulation of growth, biofilm formation,

  7. Listeria monocytogenes switches from dissemination to persistence by adopting a vacuolar lifestyle in epithelial cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitchell, Gabriel

    2017-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes causes listeriosis, a foodborne disease that poses serious risks to fetuses, newborns and immunocompromised adults. This intracellular bacterial pathogen proliferates in the host cytosol and exploits the host actin polymerization machinery to spread from cell-to-cell and disseminate in the host. Here, we report that during several days of infection in human hepatocytes or trophoblast cells, L. monocytogenes switches from this active motile lifestyle to a stage of persistence in vacuoles. Upon intercellular spread, bacteria gradually stopped producing the actin-nucleating protein ActA and became trapped in lysosome-like vacuoles termed Listeria-Containing Vacuoles (LisCVs). Subpopulations of bacteria resisted degradation in LisCVs and entered a slow/non-replicative state. During the subculture of host cells harboring LisCVs, bacteria showed a capacity to cycle between the vacuolar and the actin-based motility stages. When ActA was absent, such as in ΔactA mutants, vacuolar bacteria parasitized host cells in the so-called “viable but non-culturable” state (VBNC), preventing their detection by conventional colony counting methods. The exposure of infected cells to high doses of gentamicin did not trigger the formation of LisCVs, but selected for vacuolar and VBNC bacteria. Together, these results reveal the ability of L. monocytogenes to enter a persistent state in a subset of epithelial cells, which may favor the asymptomatic carriage of this pathogen, lengthen the incubation period of listeriosis, and promote bacterial survival during antibiotic therapy. PMID:29190284

  8. Listeria monocytogenes and ready-to-eat seafood in Spain: study of prevalence and temperatures at retail.

    Science.gov (United States)

    González, David; Vitas, Ana Isabel; Díez-Leturia, María; García-Jalón, Isabel

    2013-12-01

    The aim of this study was to obtain data from refrigerated ready-to-eat seafood products at retail in Spain (young eels, crabstick and smoked salmon), regarding prevalence and levels of Listeria monocytogenes, storage temperatures and the impact of transport conditions (type of bag) on the temperature of the product. The one-year surveillance period was carried out according to the EC Regulation No. 2073/2005, taking 5 units/batch and analyzing 250 samples following ISO 11290-1/A1 and ISO 11290-2/A methodologies. Low prevalence of L. monocytogenes was observed in surimi products, while 4.8% of smoked salmon samples were positive for Listeria with low levels (<10 cfu/g) and uneven pathogen distribution. A single company was responsible for 80% of the positive lots. All purchased products showed values higher than 4 °C at retail and an average increase of 2.5 °C or up to 6.2 °C was recorded when isothermal or plastic shopping bags were used for transport, respectively. To avoid noncompliance of the Food Safety Objective for L. monocytogenes in seafood RTE products more efforts from all stakeholders are needed, with special attention so as to improve control and maintenance of refrigerators at retail and to enhance consumer education regarding food safety practices. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. The effect of ozone and open air factor on surface-attached and biofilm environmental Listeria monocytogenes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nicholas, R; Dunton, P; Tatham, A; Fielding, L

    2013-08-01

    The effects of gaseous ozone and open air factor (OAF) on environmental Listeria monocytogenes attached to three common food contact surfaces were investigated. Listeria monocytogenes on different food contact surfaces was treated with ozone and OAF. Microbiological counts, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were performed. Ozone at 10 ppm gave <1-log reduction when L. monocytogenes was attached to stainless steel, while 45 ppm gave a log reduction of 3.41. OAF gave better log reductions than 10 ppm ozone, but lower log reductions than 45 ppm. Significant differences were found between surfaces. Biofilm organisms were significantly more resistant than those surface attached on stainless steel. SEM and AFM demonstrated different membrane and cell surface modifications following ozone or OAF treatment. The strain used demonstrated higher resistance to ozone than previous studies. This may be due to the fact that it was isolated from a food manufacturing premises that used oxidizing disinfectants. OAF was more effective at reducing the levels of the organism than an ozone concentration of 10 ppm. Pathogen management strategies must account for resistance of environmental strains when validating cleaning and disinfection. OAF has shown potential for surface decontamination compared with ozone. SEM and AFM are valuable tools for determining mechanisms of action of antimicrobial agents. © 2013 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  10. Multifaceted Activity of Listeriolysin O, the Cholesterol-Dependent Cytolysin of Listeria monocytogenes

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    The cholesterol-dependent cytolysins (CDCs) are a large family of pore-forming toxins that are produced by numerous Gram-positive bacterial pathogens. These toxins are released in the extracellular environment as water-soluble monomers or dimers that bind to cholesterol-rich membranes and assemble into large pore complexes. Depending upon their concentration, the nature of the host cell and membrane (cytoplasmic or intracellular) they target, the CDCs can elicit many different cellular responses. Among the CDCs, listeriolysin O (LLO), which is a major virulence factor of the facultative intracellular pathogen Listeria monocytogenes, is involved in several stages of the intracellular lifecycle of the bacterium and displays unique characteristics. It has long been known that following L. monocytogenes internalization into host cells, LLO disrupts the internalization vacuole, enabling the bacterium to replicate into the host cell cytosol. LLO is then used by cytosolic bacteria to spread from cell to cell, avoiding bacterial exposure to the extracellular environment. Although LLO is continuously produced during the intracellular lifecycle of L. monocytogenes, several processes limit its toxicity to ensure the survival of infected cells. It was previously thought that LLO activity was limited to mediating vacuolar escape during bacterial entry and cell to cell spreading. This concept has been challenged by compelling evidence suggesting that LLO secreted by extracellular L. monocytogenes perforates the host cell plasma membrane, triggering important host cell responses. This chapter provides an overview of the well-established intracellular activity of LLO and the multiple roles attributed to LLO secreted by extracellular L. monocytogenes. PMID:24798012

  11. Survival of Listeria monocytogenes in low acid italian sausage produced under brazilian conditions Sobrevivência de Listeria monocytogenes em salame tipo italiano de baixa acidez, produzido sob condições brasileiras de fabricação

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roberto Degenhardt

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available Dry sausages have been considered ready-to-eat products with low risk of causing listeriosis due to the hurdles created during the manufacturing process such as low pH and a w, high salt concentration and presence of lactic acid bacteria (LAB. However, several studies have detected survival of Listeria monocytogenes in these products and also shown that process parameters, LAB and L. monocytogenes strains directly influence the results. In this work, survival of the pathogen in sausages prepared with three different formulations (one standard formulation, one formulation added of Lactobacillus plantarum and one added of 2% sodium lactate, using the manufacturing process usually employed in Brazil, was evaluated. Naturally contaminated sausages presented a small increase in the counts of L. monocytogenes in the first days of the process, followed by a gradual decrease until the end of the process. In experimentally contaminated samples containing L. plantarum, the reduction of counts of L. monocytogenes during processing was considerable, but there wasn´t significant differences between the treatments.Salames têm sido considerados produtos prontos para o consumo com baixo risco de provocar listeriose devido aos obstáculos criados no processo de fabricação e suas características de pH e atividade água baixos, alta concentração de sal e presença de bactérias lácticas. Entretanto, a sobrevivência de Listeria monocytogenes nesta classe de produtos é verificada e estudos de processo visando à redução da contaminação por este patógeno, têm demonstrado que particularidades como variação dos parâmetros de processo, cepas de bactérias lácticas e de L. monocytogenes influenciam diretamente os resultados. Neste estudo três formulações foram avaliadas (uma padrão, uma com inoculação da cultura Lactobacillus plantarum e outra com adição 2% de lactato de sódio empregando parâmetros de processo comumente praticados no Brasil

  12. Listeria monocytogenes Prevalence and Characteristics in Retail Raw Foods in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Shi; Wu, Qingping; Zhang, Jumei; Chen, Moutong; Yan, Ze An; Hu, Huijuan

    2015-01-01

    The prevalence and levels of Listeria monocytogenes in retail raw foods covering most provincial capitals in China were studied with testing of 1036 samples of vegetables, edible mushrooms, raw meat, aquatic products and quick-frozen products from September 2012 to January 2014. The total prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes was 20.0% (207/1036), and the most probable number (MPN) values of 65.7% of the positive samples ranged from 0.3 to 110 MPN/g. Geographical differences were observed in this survey, and the results of both qualitative and quantitative methods indicated that the levels in the samples from North China were higher than those in the samples from South China. A total of 248 isolates were analyzed, of which approximately half belonged to molecular serogroup 1/2a-3a (45.2%), followed by 1/2b-3b-7 (30.6%), 1/2c-3c (16.1%), 4b-4d-4e (5.2%) and 4a-4c (2.8%). Most of the isolates carried hly (100%), inlB (98.8%), inlA (99.6%), inlC (98.0%) and inlJ (99.2%), and 44.8% of the isolates were llsX-positive. Seventeen epidemic clones (ECs) were detected, with 7 strains belonging to ECI (2.8%) and 10 belonging to ECIII (4.03%). Resistance to clindamycin (46.8%) was commonly observed, and 59 strains (23.8%) were susceptible to all 14 tested antibiotics, whereas 84 (33.9%) showed an intermediate level of resistance or were resistant to two or more antibiotics, including 7 multi-resistant strains that exhibited resistance to more than 10 antibiotics. The data obtained in the present study provides useful information for assessment of the possible risk posed to Chinese consumers, and this information will have a significant public health impact in China. Furthermore, the presence of virulence markers, epidemic clones, as well as the antibiotic resistance amongst the isolates strongly implies that many of these strains might be capable of causing listeriosis, and more accurate treatment of human listeriosis with effective antibiotics should be considered. This

  13. Listeria monocytogenes Prevalence and Characteristics in Retail Raw Foods in China.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shi Wu

    Full Text Available The prevalence and levels of Listeria monocytogenes in retail raw foods covering most provincial capitals in China were studied with testing of 1036 samples of vegetables, edible mushrooms, raw meat, aquatic products and quick-frozen products from September 2012 to January 2014. The total prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes was 20.0% (207/1036, and the most probable number (MPN values of 65.7% of the positive samples ranged from 0.3 to 110 MPN/g. Geographical differences were observed in this survey, and the results of both qualitative and quantitative methods indicated that the levels in the samples from North China were higher than those in the samples from South China. A total of 248 isolates were analyzed, of which approximately half belonged to molecular serogroup 1/2a-3a (45.2%, followed by 1/2b-3b-7 (30.6%, 1/2c-3c (16.1%, 4b-4d-4e (5.2% and 4a-4c (2.8%. Most of the isolates carried hly (100%, inlB (98.8%, inlA (99.6%, inlC (98.0% and inlJ (99.2%, and 44.8% of the isolates were llsX-positive. Seventeen epidemic clones (ECs were detected, with 7 strains belonging to ECI (2.8% and 10 belonging to ECIII (4.03%. Resistance to clindamycin (46.8% was commonly observed, and 59 strains (23.8% were susceptible to all 14 tested antibiotics, whereas 84 (33.9% showed an intermediate level of resistance or were resistant to two or more antibiotics, including 7 multi-resistant strains that exhibited resistance to more than 10 antibiotics. The data obtained in the present study provides useful information for assessment of the possible risk posed to Chinese consumers, and this information will have a significant public health impact in China. Furthermore, the presence of virulence markers, epidemic clones, as well as the antibiotic resistance amongst the isolates strongly implies that many of these strains might be capable of causing listeriosis, and more accurate treatment of human listeriosis with effective antibiotics should be considered. This

  14. Listeria monocytogenes Prevalence and Characteristics in Retail Raw Foods in China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Shi; Wu, Qingping; Zhang, Jumei; Chen, Moutong; Yan, Ze′an; Hu, Huijuan

    2015-01-01

    The prevalence and levels of Listeria monocytogenes in retail raw foods covering most provincial capitals in China were studied with testing of 1036 samples of vegetables, edible mushrooms, raw meat, aquatic products and quick-frozen products from September 2012 to January 2014. The total prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes was 20.0% (207/1036), and the most probable number (MPN) values of 65.7% of the positive samples ranged from 0.3 to 110 MPN/g. Geographical differences were observed in this survey, and the results of both qualitative and quantitative methods indicated that the levels in the samples from North China were higher than those in the samples from South China. A total of 248 isolates were analyzed, of which approximately half belonged to molecular serogroup 1/2a-3a (45.2%), followed by 1/2b-3b-7 (30.6%), 1/2c-3c (16.1%), 4b-4d-4e (5.2%) and 4a-4c (2.8%). Most of the isolates carried hly (100%), inlB (98.8%), inlA (99.6%), inlC (98.0%) and inlJ (99.2%), and 44.8% of the isolates were llsX-positive. Seventeen epidemic clones (ECs) were detected, with 7 strains belonging to ECI (2.8%) and 10 belonging to ECIII (4.03%). Resistance to clindamycin (46.8%) was commonly observed, and 59 strains (23.8%) were susceptible to all 14 tested antibiotics, whereas 84 (33.9%) showed an intermediate level of resistance or were resistant to two or more antibiotics, including 7 multi-resistant strains that exhibited resistance to more than 10 antibiotics. The data obtained in the present study provides useful information for assessment of the possible risk posed to Chinese consumers, and this information will have a significant public health impact in China. Furthermore, the presence of virulence markers, epidemic clones, as well as the antibiotic resistance amongst the isolates strongly implies that many of these strains might be capable of causing listeriosis, and more accurate treatment of human listeriosis with effective antibiotics should be considered. This

  15. Lineage specific recombination rates and microevolution in Listeria monocytogenes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nightingale Kendra K

    2008-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The bacterium Listeria monocytogenes is a saprotroph as well as an opportunistic human foodborne pathogen, which has previously been shown to consist of at least two widespread lineages (termed lineages I and II and an uncommon lineage (lineage III. While some L. monocytogenes strains show evidence for considerable diversification by homologous recombination, our understanding of the contribution of recombination to L. monocytogenes evolution is still limited. We therefore used STRUCTURE and ClonalFrame, two programs that model the effect of recombination, to make inferences about the population structure and different aspects of the recombination process in L. monocytogenes. Analyses were performed using sequences for seven loci (including the house-keeping genes gap, prs, purM and ribC, the stress response gene sigB, and the virulence genes actA and inlA for 195 L. monocytogenes isolates. Results Sequence analyses with ClonalFrame and the Sawyer's test showed that recombination is more prevalent in lineage II than lineage I and is most frequent in two house-keeping genes (ribC and purM and the two virulence genes (actA and inlA. The relative occurrence of recombination versus point mutation is about six times higher in lineage II than in lineage I, which causes a higher genetic variability in lineage II. Unlike lineage I, lineage II represents a genetically heterogeneous population with a relatively high proportion (30% average of genetic material imported from external sources. Phylograms, constructed with correcting for recombination, as well as Tajima's D data suggest that both lineages I and II have suffered a population bottleneck. Conclusion Our study shows that evolutionary lineages within a single bacterial species can differ considerably in the relative contributions of recombination to genetic diversification. Accounting for recombination in phylogenetic studies is critical, and new evolutionary models that

  16. Peritonitis with Listeria monocytogenes in a patient on automated peritoneal dialysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Poulsen, Hanna Bjarkhamar; Á Steig, Torkil; Björkman, Jonas T

    2018-01-01

    We present a case where Listeria monocytogenesserotype 1/2a was determined to be the causative agent of peritonitis in a patient on automated peritoneal dialysis. The patient, a 53-year-old Caucasian woman from the Faroe Islands was admitted to the National Hospital reporting of constant abdominal...... pain and a fever. Peritoneal cultures were positive for growth of L. monocytogenes. The patient was successfully treated with oral amoxicillin for 2 weeks and intraperitoneal vancomycin for 3 weeks. To date, the patient has not been readmitted due to peritonitis. The Faroese salmon was the suspected...

  17. Epidemiologia molecular de Listeria monocytogenes isoladas de diferentes fontes no Brasil

    OpenAIRE

    Andrea Micke Moreno; Renata Paixão; Luisa Zanolli Moreno; Débora Dirani Sena de Gobbi; Daniele Cristine Raimundo; Thais Sebastiana Porfida Ferreira; Ernesto Hofer; Maria Helena Matte; Marina Moreno

    2013-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes é um importante patógeno de origem alimentar que afeta principalmente grávidas, neonatos, idosos e indivíduos imunocomprometidos, e pode causar abortamento, septicemia e meningite. Dos 13 grupos capsulares descritos, os sorotipos 4b, 1/2b e 1/2a são os mais relacionados à infecção humana. Por esta razão, a sorotipagem possui valor limitado como ferramenta epidemiológica e, dessa forma, métodos mais discriminatórios são necessários para melhorar o conhecimento sobre a co...

  18. Modelling the growth of Listeria monocytogenes in fresh green coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) water.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walter, Eduardo H M; Kabuki, Dirce Y; Esper, Luciana M R; Sant'Ana, Anderson S; Kuaye, Arnaldo Y

    2009-09-01

    The behaviour of Listeria monocytogenes in the fresh coconut water stored at 4 degrees C, 10 degrees C and 35 degrees C was studied. The coconut water was aseptically extracted from green coconuts (Cocos nucifera L.) and samples were inoculated in triplicate with a mixture of 5 strains of L. monocytogenes with a mean population of approximately 3 log(10) CFU/mL. The kinetic parameters of the bacteria were estimated from the Baranyi model, and compared with predictions of the Pathogen Modelling Program so as to predict its behaviour in the beverage. The results demonstrated that fresh green coconut water was a beverage propitious for the survival and growth of L. monocytogenes and that refrigeration at 10 degrees C or 4 degrees C retarded, but did not inhibit, growth of this bacterium. Temperature abuse at 35 degrees C considerably reduced the lagtimes. The study shows that L. monocytogenes growth in fresh green coconut water is controlled for several days by storage at low temperature, mainly at 4 degrees C. Thus, for risk population this product should only be drunk directly from the coconut or despite the sensorial alterations should be consumed pasteurized.

  19. Prevalence and molecular characteristics of Listeria monocytogenes in cooked products and its comparison with isolates from listeriosis cases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Hong; Luo, Lijuan; Zhang, Zhengdong; Deng, Jianping; Wang, Yan; Miao, Yimao; Zhang, Ling; Chen, Xi; Liu, Xiang; Sun, Songsong; Xiao, Bo; Li, Qun; Ye, Changyun

    2018-02-01

    This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and molecular characteristics of Listeria monocytogenes in cooked products in Zigong City, China. The overall occurrence of the L. monocytogenes in the ready-to-eat (RTE) shops and mutton restaurants surveyed was 16.2% (141/873). An occurrence of 13.5% was observed in RTE pork, 6.5% in RTE vegetables, and more than 24.0% in either cooked mutton or cooked haggis. Serotype 1/2b (45.4%), 1/2a (33.3%), and 1/2c (14.2%) were the predominant types. By comparing the clonal complexes (CCs) based on multilocus sequence typing (MLST) of the L. monocytogenes from cooked foods in Zigong City and 33 listeriosis cases from different districts of China, CC87, CC9, CC8, and CC3 were showed to be prevalent in cooked products and CC87 and CC3 were the first two frequent types in the 33 clinic-source strains. All CC87 stains harbored the newly reported Listeria pathogenicity island 4 (LIPI-4) gene fragment ptsA, and all CC3 strains possessed the Listeria pathogenicity island 3 (LIPI-3) gene fragment llsX. These may increase the occurrence of the strains belonging to CC87 and CC3 in listeriosis cases in China and also underline the risk of infection owing to the consumption of the cooked products from Zigong. ST619 (serotype 1/2b) harbored both llsX and ptsA, indicating a potential hypervirulent sequence type in Zigong.

  20. Prevalence and phylogenetic characterization of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from processed meat marketed in Egypt

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yasmin Mohamed

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Because of its high case fatality rate, listeriosis locates among the most frequent causes of death due to food-borne illness. In this study, a total of 150 processed meat samples were collected from Giza Governorate, Egypt. Phenotypic and genotypic identification of Listeria monocytogenes was performed using PCR incorporating listeriolysin O virulence gene hlyA followed by DNA sequence analysis. L. monocytogenes was confirmed in 4% of each of beef burger, minced meat, and luncheon samples. Phylogenetic analysis showed that all the six Egyptian isolates have high homology with Colombian isolate (EF030606, except one Egyptian isolate which showed high homology with Indian isolate (EU840690. The public health significance of these pathogens as well as recommended sanitary measures were discussed.

  1. Listeria monocytogenes: monitoramento desse perigo biológico na cadeia produtiva de frangos do sul do Rio Grande do Sul Listeria monocytogenes: assessing this microbiological hazard in a poultry productive chain in southern Rio Grande do Sul

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Élen Silveira Nalério

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available Listeria monocytogenes é uma bactéria patogênica que se tornou um grande desafio para as indústrias de alimentos, entre elas a de frangos, assim como para os órgãos de vigilância sanitária. Apesar da produção de frangos estar em expansão na região sul do Rio Grande do Sul, não há relatos sobre esse patógeno, dessa forma, objetivou-se avaliar a prevalência de L. monocytogenes e de seus sorotipos nos diversos segmentos dessa cadeia produtiva. Nos aviários isolou-se L. monocytogenes em 2,9% (1/35 das amostras de swabs cloacais, não se isolando o microrganismo em amostras provenientes das camas de aviários. No abatedouro, 11,7% (15/128 das amostras apresentaram contaminação por L. monocytogenes e nos frangos resfriados procedentes do comércio, a prevalência foi de 33,3% (15/45.Observou-se que 51,6% (16/31 das cepas de L. monocytogenes pertenciam ao sorotipo 1/2b; 22,5% (7/31 ao sorotipo 4e; 16,1% (5/31 ao sorotipo 1/2a; 6,4% (2/31 ao sorotipo 4b; e 3,2% (1/31 ao sorotipo 1/2c. Há disseminação de L. monocytogenes na cadeia produtiva de frangos da região sul do Rio Grande do Sul e a presença de sorotipos prevalentes em casos/surtos de listeriose traz preocupação à saúde pública.Listeria monocytogenes is a pathogenic bacterium which has become a huge challenge to the food industries, including the poultry industry, and to the health surveillance agencies. Although poultry production is in expansion in southern of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, there are not reports about this pathogen thus this study aimed at assessing the prevalence of L monocytogenes and its serotypes in the several segments of this productive chain. In the broilers flocks L. monocytogenes were isolated in 2.9% (1/35 from cloacal swabs samples. This microorganism was not isolated from broiler houses samples. In the abattoir, 11% of the samples presented L. monocytogenes contamination, and in the chilled chicken from retailers its prevalence was 33.3% (15

  2. High-throughput genome sequencing of two Listeria monocytogenes clinical isolates during a large foodborne outbreak

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Trout-Yakel Keri M

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background A large, multi-province outbreak of listeriosis associated with ready-to-eat meat products contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes serotype 1/2a occurred in Canada in 2008. Subtyping of outbreak-associated isolates using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE revealed two similar but distinct AscI PFGE patterns. High-throughput pyrosequencing of two L. monocytogenes isolates was used to rapidly provide the genome sequence of the primary outbreak strain and to investigate the extent of genetic diversity associated with a change of a single restriction enzyme fragment during PFGE. Results The chromosomes were collinear, but differences included 28 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs and three indels, including a 33 kbp prophage that accounted for the observed difference in AscI PFGE patterns. The distribution of these traits was assessed within further clinical, environmental and food isolates associated with the outbreak, and this comparison indicated that three distinct, but highly related strains may have been involved in this nationwide outbreak. Notably, these two isolates were found to harbor a 50 kbp putative mobile genomic island encoding translocation and efflux functions that has not been observed in other Listeria genomes. Conclusions High-throughput genome sequencing provided a more detailed real-time assessment of genetic traits characteristic of the outbreak strains than could be achieved with routine subtyping methods. This study confirms that the latest generation of DNA sequencing technologies can be applied during high priority public health events, and laboratories need to prepare for this inevitability and assess how to properly analyze and interpret whole genome sequences in the context of molecular epidemiology.

  3. A putative ABC transporter is involved in negative regulation of biofilm formation by Listeria monocytogenes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zhu, Xinna; Long, Fei; Chen, Yonghui

    2008-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes may persist for long periods in food processing environments. In some instances, this may be due to aggregation or biofilm formation. To investigate the mechanism controlling biofilm formation in the food-borne pathogen L. monocytogenes, we characterized LM-49, a mutant...... with enhanced ability of biofilm-formation generated via transposon Tn917 mutagenesis of L. monocytogenes 4b G. In this mutant, a Tn917 insertion has disrupted the coding region of the gene encoding a putative ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporter permease identical to Lmof2365_1771 (a putative ABC...... the same amount of biofilm biomass as the wild-type strain. Furthermore, transcription of the downstream lm.G_1770 was not influenced by the upstream Tn917 insertion, and the presence of Tn917 has no effect on biofilm formation. These results suggest that lm.G_1771 was solely responsible for the negative...

  4. Genome Sequencing Identifies Two Nearly Unchanged Strains of Persistent Listeria monocytogenes Isolated at Two Different Fish Processing Plants Sampled 6 Years Apart

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Holch, Anne; Webb, Kristen; Lukjancenko, Oksana

    2013-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne human-pathogenic bacterium that can cause infections with a high mortality rate. It has a remarkable ability to persist in food processing facilities. Here we report the genome sequences for two L. monocytogenes strains (N53-1 and La111) that were isolated 6...... that has been isolated as a persistent subtype in several European countries. The purpose of this study was to use genome analyses to identify genes or proteins that could contribute to persistence. In a genome comparison, the two persistent strains were extremely similar and collectively differed from...... are required to determine if the absence of these genes promotes persistence. While the genome comparison did not point to a clear physiological explanation of the persistent phenotype, the remarkable similarity between the two strains indicates that subtypes with specific traits are selected for in the food...

  5. Growth, viability and architecture of biofilms of Listeria monocytogenes formed on abiotic surfaces

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fernanda Barbosa dos Reis-Teixeira

    Full Text Available Abstract The pathogenic bacterium Listeria monocytogenes can persist in food processing plants for many years, even when appropriate hygienic measures are in place, with potential for contaminating ready-to-eat products and, its ability to form biofilms on abiotic surfaces certainly contributes for the environmental persistence. In this research, L. monocytogenes was grown in biofilms up 8 days attached to stainless steel and glass surfaces, contributing for advancing the knowledge on architecture of mature biofilms, since many literature studies carried out on this topic considered only early stages of cell adhesion. In this study, biofilm populations of two strains of L. monocytogenes (serotypes 1/2a and 4b on stainless steel coupons and glass were examined using regular fluorescence microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy and classic culture method. The biofilms formed were not very dense and microscopic observations revealed uneven biofilm structures, with presence of exopolymeric matrix surrounding single cells, small aggregates and microcolonies, in a honeycomb-like arrangement. Moreover, planktonic population of L. monocytogenes (present in broth media covering the abiotic surface remained stable throughout the incubation time, which indicates an efficient dispersal mechanism, since the culture medium was replaced daily. In conclusion, even if these strains of L. monocytogenes were not able to form thick multilayer biofilms, it was noticeable their high persistence on abiotic surfaces, reinforcing the need to focus on measures to avoid biofilm formation, instead of trying to eradicate mature biofilms.

  6. Growth, viability and architecture of biofilms of Listeria monocytogenes formed on abiotic surfaces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reis-Teixeira, Fernanda Barbosa Dos; Alves, Virgínia Farias; de Martinis, Elaine Cristina Pereira

    The pathogenic bacterium Listeria monocytogenes can persist in food processing plants for many years, even when appropriate hygienic measures are in place, with potential for contaminating ready-to-eat products and, its ability to form biofilms on abiotic surfaces certainly contributes for the environmental persistence. In this research, L. monocytogenes was grown in biofilms up 8 days attached to stainless steel and glass surfaces, contributing for advancing the knowledge on architecture of mature biofilms, since many literature studies carried out on this topic considered only early stages of cell adhesion. In this study, biofilm populations of two strains of L. monocytogenes (serotypes 1/2a and 4b) on stainless steel coupons and glass were examined using regular fluorescence microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy and classic culture method. The biofilms formed were not very dense and microscopic observations revealed uneven biofilm structures, with presence of exopolymeric matrix surrounding single cells, small aggregates and microcolonies, in a honeycomb-like arrangement. Moreover, planktonic population of L. monocytogenes (present in broth media covering the abiotic surface) remained stable throughout the incubation time, which indicates an efficient dispersal mechanism, since the culture medium was replaced daily. In conclusion, even if these strains of L. monocytogenes were not able to form thick multilayer biofilms, it was noticeable their high persistence on abiotic surfaces, reinforcing the need to focus on measures to avoid biofilm formation, instead of trying to eradicate mature biofilms. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda.

  7. Virulencia de cepas de Listeria monocytogenes procedentes de cabras y sus derivados

    OpenAIRE

    Guicela Ramírez Bernal; Alma Virginia Lara Sagahón; Carlos Gerardo García Tovar; Efrén Díaz Aparicio; Víctor Rubén Tenorio Gutiérrez

    2014-01-01

    Se evaluó la virulencia de cepas de Listeria monocytogenes todas de serotipo 4b procedentes de cabras y sus derivados. Se observaron niveles de virulencia variables cuando se comparó la virulencia relativa (porcentaje de letalidad) en ratones BALB/c inoculados vía intravenosa o intragástrica y su capacidad para infectar macrófagos J774A.1, y células epiteliales Caco-2. Dos cepas obtenidas de alimento de cabras produjeron 100 % de letalidad por ambas vías de inoculación y no mostraron diferenc...

  8. Illuminating the landscape of host–pathogen interactions with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cossart, Pascale

    2011-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes has, in 25 y, become a model in infection biology. Through the analysis of both its saprophytic life and infectious process, new concepts in microbiology, cell biology, and pathogenesis have been discovered. This review will update our knowledge on this intracellular pathogen and highlight the most recent breakthroughs. Promising areas of investigation such as the increasingly recognized relevance for the infectious process, of RNA-mediated regulations in the bacterium, and the role of bacterially controlled posttranslational and epigenetic modifications in the host will also be discussed. PMID:22114192

  9. Detection of Listeria in raw milk in Syria

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Al-Mariri, A.; Abou-Younes, A.

    2010-01-01

    The 66 milk collected from all province of Syria, were examined for the presence of Listeria sp. using a several technique, and L. monocytogenes serotypes associated with human listeriosis were also identified in the product. The PCR based method identified 117 strains of Listeria, L. monocytogenes, L. innocua, L. ivanovii, L. gravi, and L. welshimeri. The API Listeria system identified 94% of the isolates whereas FTIR identification was 98% for all Listeria species. (author)

  10. Prevalence, and virulence determination of Listeria monocytogenes strains isolated from clinical and non-clinical samples by multiplex polymerase chain reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pournajaf, Abazar; Rajabnia, Ramazan; Sedighi, Mansour; Kassani, Aziz; Moqarabzadeh, Vahid; Lotfollahi, Lida; Ardebilli, Abdollah; Emadi, Behzad; Irajian, Gholamreza

    2016-01-01

    This study aimed to determine the prevalence, and virulence factors of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from various samples by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (MPCR). A total of 617 isolates were obtained and MPCR was employed for detection of the inlA, inlC, and inlJ genes. L. monocytogenes was detected in 46 (7.45%) of the 617 specimens. inlA, inlC, and inlJ were detected in 100%, 76.26%, and 71% isolates, respectively. This study validated MPCR in the analysis and rapid detection of L. monocytogenes. The role of the genes in pathogenesis of the strains can also be affirmed.

  11. Listeria spp. E Listeria monocytogenes NA PRODUÇÃO DE SALSICHAS TIPO HOT DOG E HÁBITOS DE CONSUMO

    OpenAIRE

    CESAR, Alessandra Paro Rodrigues

    2008-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes é uma bactéria Gram-positiva, anaeróbia facultativa, que se multiplica sob temperatura de refrigeração e pode causar listeriose em humanos e outros animais. Amplamente distribuída no ambiente, tem sido isolada de alimentos de origem animal e vegetal associados a surtos de elevada letalidade em diversos países, representando, portanto um patógeno importante para a saúde pública. Produtos prontos para consumo, como embutidos cozidos, entre os quais as salsichas, estão ass...

  12. A Microplate Growth Inhibition Assay for Screening Bacteriocins against Listeria monocytogenes to Differentiate Their Mode-of-Action

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paul Priyesh Vijayakumar

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Lactic acid bacteria (LAB have historically been used in food fermentations to preserve foods and are generally-recognized-as-safe (GRAS by the FDA for use as food ingredients. In addition to lactic acid; some strains also produce bacteriocins that have been proposed for use as food preservatives. In this study we examined the inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes 39-2 by neutralized and non-neutralized bacteriocin preparations (Bac+ preps produced by Lactobacillus curvatus FS47; Lb. curvatus Beef3; Pediococcus acidilactici Bac3; Lactococcus lactis FLS1; Enterococcus faecium FS56-1; and Enterococcus thailandicus FS92. Activity differences between non-neutralized and neutralized Bac+ preps in agar spot assays could not readily be attributed to acid because a bacteriocin-negative control strain was not inhibitory to Listeria in these assays. When neutralized and non-neutralized Bac+ preps were used in microplate growth inhibition assays against L. monocytogenes 39-2 we observed some differences attributed to acid inhibition. A microplate growth inhibition assay was used to compare inhibitory reactions of wild-type and bacteriocin-resistant variants of L. monocytogenes to differentiate bacteriocins with different modes-of-action (MOA whereby curvaticins FS47 and Beef3, and pediocin Bac3 were categorized to be in MOA1; enterocins FS92 and FS56-1 in MOA2; and lacticin FLS1 in MOA3. The microplate bacteriocin MOA assay establishes a platform to evaluate the best combination of bacteriocin preparations for use in food applications as biopreservatives against L. monocytogenes.

  13. A Microplate Growth Inhibition Assay for Screening Bacteriocins against Listeria monocytogenes to Differentiate Their Mode-of-Action.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vijayakumar, Paul Priyesh; Muriana, Peter M

    2015-06-11

    Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have historically been used in food fermentations to preserve foods and are generally-recognized-as-safe (GRAS) by the FDA for use as food ingredients. In addition to lactic acid; some strains also produce bacteriocins that have been proposed for use as food preservatives. In this study we examined the inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes 39-2 by neutralized and non-neutralized bacteriocin preparations (Bac+ preps) produced by Lactobacillus curvatus FS47; Lb. curvatus Beef3; Pediococcus acidilactici Bac3; Lactococcus lactis FLS1; Enterococcus faecium FS56-1; and Enterococcus thailandicus FS92. Activity differences between non-neutralized and neutralized Bac+ preps in agar spot assays could not readily be attributed to acid because a bacteriocin-negative control strain was not inhibitory to Listeria in these assays. When neutralized and non-neutralized Bac+ preps were used in microplate growth inhibition assays against L. monocytogenes 39-2 we observed some differences attributed to acid inhibition. A microplate growth inhibition assay was used to compare inhibitory reactions of wild-type and bacteriocin-resistant variants of L. monocytogenes to differentiate bacteriocins with different modes-of-action (MOA) whereby curvaticins FS47 and Beef3, and pediocin Bac3 were categorized to be in MOA1; enterocins FS92 and FS56-1 in MOA2; and lacticin FLS1 in MOA3. The microplate bacteriocin MOA assay establishes a platform to evaluate the best combination of bacteriocin preparations for use in food applications as biopreservatives against L. monocytogenes.

  14. Receptor binding proteins of Listeria monocytogenes bacteriophages A118 and P35 recognize serovar-specific teichoic acids

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bielmann, Regula; Habann, Matthias; Eugster, Marcel R. [Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, 8092 Zurich (Switzerland); Lurz, Rudi [Max-Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, 14195 Berlin (Germany); Calendar, Richard [Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-3202 (United States); Klumpp, Jochen, E-mail: jochen.klumpp@hest.ethz.ch [Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, 8092 Zurich (Switzerland); Loessner, Martin J. [Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, 8092 Zurich (Switzerland)

    2015-03-15

    Adsorption of a bacteriophage to the host requires recognition of a cell wall-associated receptor by a receptor binding protein (RBP). This recognition is specific, and high affinity binding is essential for efficient virus attachment. The molecular details of phage adsorption to the Gram-positive cell are poorly understood. We present the first description of receptor binding proteins and a tail tip structure for the siphovirus group infecting Listeria monocytogenes. The host-range determining factors in two phages, A118 and P35 specific for L. monocytogenes serovar 1/2 have been determined. Two proteins were identified as RBPs in phage A118. Rhamnose residues in wall teichoic acids represent the binding ligands for both proteins. In phage P35, protein gp16 could be identified as RBP and the role of both rhamnose and N-acetylglucosamine in phage adsorption was confirmed. Immunogold-labeling and transmission electron microscopy allowed the creation of a topological model of the A118 phage tail. - Highlights: • We present the first description of receptor binding proteins and a tail tip structure for the Siphovirus group infecting Listeria monocytogenes. • The host-range determining factors in two phages, A118 and P35 specific for L. monocytogenes serovar 1/2 have been determined. • Rhamnose residues in wall teichoic acids represent the binding ligands for both receptor binding proteins in phage A118. • Rhamnose and N-acetylglucosamine are required for adsorption of phage P35. • We preset a topological model of the A118 phage tail.

  15. Initial adhesion of Listeria monocytogenes to solid surfaces under liquid flow

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Szlavik, Julie; Soares Paiva, Dionísio; Mørk, Nils

    2012-01-01

    .001) was observed but not of interactions between surface-shear stress. No correlation between surface hydrophobicity and IAR was observed. Addition of 5% NaCl during propagation resulted in a decrease in IAR whilst propagation in low nutrient media caused an increase indicating a general change in surface......Some strains of the food borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes persist in food processing environments. The exact reason behind this phenomenon is not known, but strain differences in the ability to adhere to solid surfaces could offer an explanation. In the present work, initial adhesion of nine...... strains of L. monocytogenes was investigated under liquid flow at two levels of shear stress on six different surfaces using a flow chamber set-up with microscopy measurements. The surfaces tested were glass and PVC, and glass coated with beef extract, casein, and homogenised and unhomogenised milk...

  16. Identification of a Peptide-Pheromone that Enhances Listeria monocytogenes Escape from Host Cell Vacuoles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xayarath, Bobbi; Alonzo, Francis; Freitag, Nancy E.

    2015-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive facultative intracellular bacterial pathogen that invades mammalian cells and escapes from membrane-bound vacuoles to replicate within the host cell cytosol. Gene products required for intracellular bacterial growth and bacterial spread to adjacent cells are regulated by a transcriptional activator known as PrfA. PrfA becomes activated following L. monocytogenes entry into host cells, however the signal that stimulates PrfA activation has not yet been defined. Here we provide evidence for L. monocytogenes secretion of a small peptide pheromone, pPplA, which enhances the escape of L. monocytogenes from host cell vacuoles and may facilitate PrfA activation. The pPplA pheromone is generated via the proteolytic processing of the PplA lipoprotein secretion signal peptide. While the PplA lipoprotein is dispensable for pathogenesis, bacteria lacking the pPplA pheromone are significantly attenuated for virulence in mice and have a reduced efficiency of bacterial escape from the vacuoles of nonprofessional phagocytic cells. Mutational activation of PrfA restores virulence and eliminates the need for pPplA-dependent signaling. Experimental evidence suggests that the pPplA peptide may help signal to L. monocytogenes its presence within the confines of the host cell vacuole, stimulating the expression of gene products that contribute to vacuole escape and facilitating PrfA activation to promote bacterial growth within the cytosol. PMID:25822753

  17. Listeria monocytogenes incidence changes and diversity in some Brazilian dairy industries and retail products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oxaran, Virginie; Lee, Sarah Hwa In; Chaul, Luíza Toubas; Corassin, Carlos Humberto; Barancelli, Giovana Verginia; Alves, Virgínia Farias; de Oliveira, Carlos Augusto Fernandes; Gram, Lone; De Martinis, Elaine Cristina Pereira

    2017-12-01

    Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a severe foodborne disease. In Brazil, despite very few reported cases of listeriosis, the pathogen has been repeatedly isolated from dairies. This has led the government to implement specific legislation to reduce the hazard. Here, we determined the incidence of L. monocytogenes in five dairies and retail products in the Southeast and Midwest regions of Brazil over eight months. Of 437 samples, three samples (0.7%) from retail and only one sample (0.2%) from the dairies were positive for L. monocytogenes. Thus, the contamination rate was significantly reduced as compared to previous studies. MultiLocus Sequence Typing (MLST) was used to determine if contamination was caused by new or persistent clones leading to the first MLST profile of L. monocytogenes from the Brazilian dairy industry. The processing environment isolate is of concern being a sequence-type (ST) 2, belonging to the lineage I responsible for the majority of listeriosis outbreaks. Also, ST3 and ST8 found in commercialized cheese have previously been reported in outbreaks. Despite the lower incidence, dairy products still pose a potential health risk and the occurrence of L. monocytogenes in dairies and retail products emphasize the need for continuous surveillance of this pathogen in the Brazilian dairy industry. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Efficacy of household washing treatments for the control of Listeria monocytogenes on salad vegetables.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nastou, Aikaterini; Rhoades, Jonathan; Smirniotis, Petros; Makri, Ioanna; Kontominas, Michael; Likotrafiti, Eleni

    2012-10-15

    The efficacy of household decontamination methods at reducing Listeria monocytogenes on fresh lettuce (Lactuca sativa), cucumber (Cucumis sativus) and parsley (Petroselinum sativum) was studied. Inoculated vegetable pieces were immersed in washing solutions and surviving L. monocytogenes enumerated. Parameters investigated were storage temperature prior to washing, dipping water temperature, agitation, acetic acid concentration and immersion time. The results indicated that the storage temperature significantly affects the efficacy of dipping vegetables in water for the control of L. monocytogenes, as the reduction in count was greatest when products had been stored at cooler temperatures. Decontamination with acetic acid (up to 2.0% v/v) was shown to have some effect in most cases, but the highest observed decrease in count was 2.6 log cfu/g. Experiments investigating the effect of exposure time to acetic acid (0.5% and 1.0% v/v, up to 30 min immersion) indicated that immersing the vegetables for more than 10 min is of minimal benefit. The most significant factor affecting washing and decontamination efficacy was the vegetable itself: L. monocytogenes colonizing cucumber epidermis was far more resistant to removal by washing and to acid treatment than that on the leafy vegetables, and L. monocytogenes on parsley was the most susceptible. This shows that published decontamination experiments (often performed with lettuce) cannot necessarily be extrapolated to other vegetables. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Listeria monocytogenes Growth Kinetics in Milkshakes Made from Naturally and Artificially Contaminated Ice Cream

    OpenAIRE

    Salazar, Joelle K.; Bathija, Vriddi M.; Carstens, Christina K.; Narula, Sartaj S.; Shazer, Arlette; Stewart, Diana; Tortorello, Mary Lou

    2018-01-01

    This study assessed the growth of Listeria monocytogenes in milkshakes made using the process-contaminated ice cream associated with a listeriosis outbreak in comparison to milkshakes made with artificially contaminated ice cream. For all temperatures, growth kinetics including growth rates, lag phases, maximum populations, and population increases were determined for the naturally and artificially derived contaminants at 5, 10, 15, and 25°C storage for 144 h. The artificially inoculated L. m...

  20. Lactobacillus plantarum inhibits growth of Listeria monocytogenes in an in vitro continuous flow gut model, but promotes invasion of L. monocytogenes in the gut of gnotobiotic rats

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bernbom, Nete; Licht, Tine Rask; Saadbye, Peter

    2006-01-01

    The ability of the pediocin AcH producing Lactobacillus plantarum DDEN 11007 and its non-producing plasmid-cured isogenic variant, DDEN 12305 to prevent the persistence and growth of Listeria monocytogenes EP2 in two gastrointestinal (GI) tract models was examined. In vitro studies conducted...... in a two-stage continuous flow system showed that L. plantarum DDEN 11007 inhibited L. monocytogenes EP2 under these conditions, while less effect was seen of the non-bacteriocin producing variant. The inhibitory effect was more pronounced at pH 5 than at pH 7. No effect on persistence of L. monocytogenes...... in the GI tract was seen in gnotobiotic rats colonized with either the pediocin AcH producing or the non-bacteriocin producing variant of L. plantarum when compared to rats inoculated with L. monocytogenes EP2 alone. Surprisingly, inoculation of the gnotobiotic animals with either of the L. plantarum...

  1. Prevalence and characterization of Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella and Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli isolated from small Mexican retail markets of queso fresco.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soto Beltran, Marcela; Gerba, Charles P; Porto Fett, Anna; Luchansky, John B; Chaidez, Cristobal

    2015-01-01

    Queso fresco (QF) is a handmade cheese consumed and produced in Latin America. In Mexico, QF production is associated with a microbiological risk. The aim of the study was to determine the incidence and characterization of Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., and Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in QF from retail markets of the north-western State of Sinaloa, Mexico, and to assess the effect of physicochemical parameters on Listeria presence. A total of 75 QF samples were obtained. L. monocytogenes, E. coli, and coliforms were detected in 9.3, 94, and 100%, respectively. Salmonella was not detected. STEC isolates showed virulence genes. Microbial loads were above the maximum values recommended by the Official Mexican Standards. Physicochemical parameters such as water activity (aw), moisture content, pH, and salinity played a role in Listeria prevalence in QF. Rigorous control in QF made in Culiacan, Mexico is needed to reduce the risk of foodborne pathogens.

  2. Listeriolysin O Regulates the Expression of Optineurin, an Autophagy Adaptor That Inhibits the Growth of Listeria monocytogenes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Puri, Madhu; La Pietra, Luigi; Mraheil, Mobarak Abu; Lucas, Rudolf; Chakraborty, Trinad; Pillich, Helena

    2017-09-05

    Autophagy, a well-established defense mechanism, enables the elimination of intracellular pathogens including Listeria monocytogenes . Host cell recognition results in ubiquitination of L . monocytogenes and interaction with autophagy adaptors p62/SQSTM1 and NDP52, which target bacteria to autophagosomes by binding to microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3). Although studies have indicated that L . monocytogenes induces autophagy, the significance of this process in the infectious cycle and the mechanisms involved remain poorly understood. Here, we examined the role of the autophagy adaptor optineurin (OPTN), the phosphorylation of which by the TANK binding kinase 1 (TBK1) enhances its affinity for LC3 and promotes autophagosomal degradation, during L . monocytogenes infection. In LC3- and OPTN-depleted host cells, intracellular replicating L . monocytogenes increased, an effect not seen with a mutant lacking the pore-forming toxin listeriolysin O (LLO). LLO induced the production of OPTN. In host cells expressing an inactive TBK1, bacterial replication was also inhibited. Our studies have uncovered an OPTN-dependent pathway in which L . monocytogenes uses LLO to restrict bacterial growth. Hence, manipulation of autophagy by L . monocytogenes , either through induction or evasion, represents a key event in its intracellular life style and could lead to either cytosolic growth or persistence in intracellular vacuolar structures.

  3. Interaction of graphene family materials with Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella enterica

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kurantowicz, Natalia; Sawosz, Ewa; Jaworski, Sławomir; Kutwin, Marta; Strojny, Barbara; Wierzbicki, Mateusz; Szeliga, Jacek; Hotowy, Anna; Lipińska, Ludwika; Koziński, Rafał; Jagiełło, Joanna; Chwalibog, André

    2015-01-01

    Graphene family materials have unique properties, which make them valuable for a range of applications. The antibacterial properties of graphene have been reported; however, findings have been contradictory. This study reports on the antimicrobial proprieties of three different graphene materials (pristine graphene (pG), graphene oxide (GO), and reduced graphene oxide (rGO)) against the food-borne bacterial pathogens Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella enterica. A high concentration (250 μg/mL) of all the analyzed graphenes completely inhibited the growth of both pathogens, despite their difference in bacterial cell wall structure. At a lower concentration (25 μg/mL), similar effects were only observed with GO, as growth inhibition decreased with pG and rGO at the lower concentration. Interaction of the nanoparticles with the pathogenic bacteria was found to differ depending on the form of graphene. Microscopic imaging demonstrated that bacteria were arranged at the edges of pG and rGO, while with GO, they adhered to the nanoparticle surface. GO was found to have the highest antibacterial activity.

  4. Listeria monocytogenes persistence and transfer to cantaloupes in the packing environment is affected by equipment surface type and cleanliness

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cantaloupes have frequently been contaminated with bacterial pathogens and caused several high profile outbreaks over the years. In 2011, Rocky Ford cantaloupes contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes sickened 147 people and resulted in 33 fatalities, making it the deadliest foodborne outbreak in t...

  5. Apoptotic death of Listeria monocytogenes-infected human macrophages induced by lactoferricin B, a bovine lactoferrin-derived peptide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Longhi, C; Conte, M P; Ranaldi, S; Penta, M; Valenti, P; Tinari, A; Superti, F; Seganti, L

    2005-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes, an intracellular facultative food-borne pathogen, was reported to induce apoptosis in vitro and in vivo in a variety of cell types with the exception of murine macrophages. These cells represent the predominant compartment of bacterial multiplication and die as a result of necrosis. In this study we showed that human non-activated and IFN-gamma-activated macrophagic-like (THP-1) cells infected with L. monocytogenes, mainly die by necrosis rather than by an apoptotic process. Two natural products derived from bovine milk, lactoferrin and its derivative peptide lactoferricin B, are capable of regulating the fate of infected human macrophages. Bovine lactoferrin treatment of macrophages protects them from L. monocytogenes-induced death whereas lactoferricin B, its derivative peptide, determines a shifting of the equilibrium from necrosis to apoptosis.

  6. The Influence of the Toxin/Antitoxin mazEF on Growth and Survival of Listeria monocytogenes under Stress

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Curtis, Thomas; Takeuchi, Ippei; Gram, Lone

    2017-01-01

    A major factor in the resilience of Listeria monocytogenes is the alternative sigma factor B (σB). Type II Toxin/Antitoxin (TA) systems are also known to have a role in the bacterial stress response upon activation via the ClpP or Lon proteases. Directly upstream of the σB operon in L....... monocytogenes is the TA system mazEF, which can cleave mRNA at UACMU sites. In this study, we showed that the mazEF TA locus does not affect the level of persister formation during treatment with antibiotics in lethal doses, but exerts different effects according to the sub-inhibitory stress added. Growth...... it is not analogous to the system of S. aureus, suggesting a novel mode of action for MazEF in L. monocytogenes....

  7. Different transcriptional responses from slow and fast growth rate strains of Listeria monocytogenes adapted to low temperature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ninoska eCordero

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Listeria monocytogenes has become one of the principal foodborne pathogens worldwide. The capacity of this bacterium to grow at low temperatures has opened an interesting field of study in terms of the identification and classification of new strains of L. monocytogenes with different growth capacities at low temperatures. We determined the growth rate at 8 ºC of 110 strains of L. monocytogenes isolated from different food matrices. We identified a group of slow and fast strains according to their growth rate at 8 °C and performed a global transcriptomic assay in strains previously adapted to low temperature. We then identified shared and specific transcriptional mechanisms, metabolic and cellular processes of both groups; bacterial motility was the principal process capable of differentiating the adaptation capacity of L. monocytogenes strains with different ranges of tolerance to low temperatures. Strains belonging to the fast group were less motile, which may allow these strains to achieve a greater rate of proliferation at low temperature.

  8. Use Carum copticum essential oil for controlling the Listeria monocytogenes growth in fish model system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Soghra Rabiey

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available This study was conducted to evaluate the antibacterial effect of Carum copticum essential oil (Ajowan EO against Listeria monocytogenes in fish model system. Ajowan EO chemical composition was determined by gas chromatography/mass spectral analysis and the highest concentration of Carum copticum essential oil without any significant changes on sensory properties of kutum fish (Rutilus frisii kutum was assigned. Then the inhibitory effect of Ajowan EO at different concentrations in presence of salt and smoke component was tested on L. monocytogenes growth in fish peptone broth (FPB, kutum broth and cold smoked kutum broth at 4 ºC for 12 days. Ajowan EO completely decreased the number of L. monocytogenes in FPB after 12 days of storage, however, antimicrobial effect of EO significantly reduced in kutum and cold smoked kutum broth. Addition of 4% NaCl and smoke component improved the anti-listerial activity of Ajowan EO in all fish model broths.

  9. Genomic presence of gadD1 glutamate decarboxylase correlates with the organization of ascB-dapE internalin cluster in Listeria monocytogenes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Jianshun; Fang, Chun; Zheng, Tianlun; Zhu, Ningyu; Bei, Yijiang; Fang, Weihuan

    2012-02-01

    The ability to survive and proliferate in acidic environments is a prerequisite for the infection of Listeria monocytogenes. The glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) system is responsible for acid resistance, and three GAD homologs have been identified in L. monocytogenes: gadD1, gadD2, and gadD3. To examine whether GAD genes are specific to lineage, serovar, or certain subpopulation, we performed a systematic investigation on the prevalence of GAD genes in 164 L. monocytogenes. In contrast to gadD2 and gadD3 conserved in all L. monocytogenes strains, gadD1 was identified in 36.6% (60/164) of L. monocytogenes strains, including all serovar 1/2c and 68.5% (37/54) of serovar 1/2a strains, as well as a small fraction of serovar 1/2b (3.4%, 1/29) and lineage III (13.8%, 4/29) strains. All serovar 4b and lineage IV strains lacked this gene. According to the ascB-dapE structure, L. monocytogenes strains were classified into four subpopulations, carrying inlC2DE, inlGC2DE, inlGHE, or no internalin cluster, respectively. All L. monocytogenes strains with inlGC2DE or inlGHE pattern harbored gadD1, whereas those bearing inlC2DE or no internalin cluster between ascB and dapE lacked gadD1. In addition, other five non-monocytogenes Listeria species lacking ascB-dapE internalin cluster were gadD1-negative. Overall, the presence of gadD1 is not fully dependent on lineages or serovars but correlates with ascB-dapE internalin profiles, suggesting gadD1 might have co-evolved with the ascB-dapE internalin cluster in the primitive L. monocytogenes before divergence of serovars.

  10. Efflux pump-mediated benzalkonium chloride resistance in Listeria monocytogenes isolated from retail food.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Xiaobing; Yu, Tao; Liang, Yu; Ji, Shengdong; Guo, Xiaowei; Ma, Jianmin; Zhou, Lijun

    2016-01-18

    In this study, efflux pump-mediated benzalkonium chloride (BC) resistance, including plasmid-encoded (Qac protein family and BcrABC) and chromosome-borne efflux pumps, was investigated in Listeria monocytogenes from retail food in China. Among the 59 L. monocytogenes strains, 13 (22.0%) strains were resistant to BC. The PCR results showed that bcrABC was harbored by 2 of 13 BC resistant strains. However, none of the qac genes were detected among the 59 strains. The bcrABC was absent in both of the plasmid cured strains, indicating that this BC resistance determinant was plasmid-encoded in the two bcrABC-positive strains. In the presence of reserpine, most of the bcrABC-negative strains had decreases in the MICs of BC, suggesting the existence of other efflux pumps and their role in BC resistance. After exposed to reserpine, the reduction in BC MICs was observed in the two cured strains, indicating that efflux pumps located on chromosome was also involved in BC resistance. Our findings suggest that food products may act as reservoirs for BC resistant isolates of L. monocytogenes and plasmid- and chromosome-encoded efflux pumps could mediate the BC resistance of L. monocytogenes, which is especially relevant to the adaption of this organism in food-related environments with frequent BC use. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Collection of Listeria monocytogenes Isolates from Milk, Dairy Products and Food Processing Environments in Slovakia for the Purposes of European Molecular Database

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kubicová Z.

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The molecular typing of Listeria monocytogenes isolates is an important tool for monitoring the spread of the strains in food chains, providing evidence for epidemiological investigations and for the detection of out-breaks. The demand of European typing data centralization, collection and sharing stimulated the generation of “EURL L. monocytogenes Database (EURL Lm DB” in 2012 led by the European Union Reference Laboratory (EURL for L. monocytogenes (ANSES Maisons-Alfort Laboratory for Food Safety, France in close collaboration with Applied Maths. This database includes the typing results and epidemiological information on strains isolated from food, environmental or animal samples and it is in connection with human strains database TESSy (The European Surveillance System led by the ECDC (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. In total 147 L. monocytogenes isolates were examined by PFGE (pulsed field gel electrophoresis in 2014—2015 in VFI Dolny Kubin from different sources. Nearly half (68 of the 147 isolates in the national Slovak database came from milk or dairy products samples and the related manufacturing environment. In this work, 68 isolates associated with milk were selected and divided into 27 clusters (95 % similarity level after combined comparison analysis (AscI and ApaI by BioNumerics 6.6 software. Eight clusters included three or more similar PFGE profiles.

  12. Prevalence, identification by a DNA microarray-based assay of human and food isolates Listeria spp. from Tunisia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hmaïed, F; Helel, S; Le Berre, V; François, J-M; Leclercq, A; Lecuit, M; Smaoui, H; Kechrid, A; Boudabous, A; Barkallah, I

    2014-02-01

    We aimed at evaluating the prevalence of Listeria species isolated from food samples and characterizing food and human cases isolates. Between 2005 and 2007, one hundred food samples collected in the markets of Tunis were analysed in our study. Five strains of Listeria monocytogenes responsible for human listeriosis isolated in hospital of Tunis were included. Multiplex PCR serogrouping and pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) applying the enzyme AscI and ApaI were used for the characterization of isolates of L. monocytogenes. We have developed a rapid microarray-based assay to a reliable discrimination of species within the Listeria genus. The prevalence of Listeria spp. in food samples was estimated at 14% by using classical biochemical identification. Two samples were assigned to L. monocytogenes and 12 to L. innocua. DNA microarray allowed unambiguous identification of Listeria species. Our results obtained by microarray-based assay were in accordance with the biochemical identification. The two food L. monocytogenes isolates were assigned to the PCR serogroup IIa (serovar 1/2a). Whereas human L. monocytogenes isolates were of PCR serogroup IVb, (serovars 4b). These isolates present a high similarity in PFGE. Food L. monocytogenes isolates were classified into two different pulsotypes. These pulsotypes were different from that of the five strains responsible for the human cases. We confirmed the presence of Listeria spp. in variety of food samples in Tunis. Increased food and clinical surveillance must be taken into consideration in Tunisia to identify putative infections sources. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  13. Standardization of PCR technique for detecting Listeria monocytogenes in chicken, beef and pork/Estandarización de la técnica PCR para diagnosticar Listeria monocytogenes en carne de pollo, res y cerdo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Asael E. de la Rosa-Zariñana

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to standardize the PCR technique for detecting Listeria monocytogenes (Lm in chicken, beef and pork. The sensitivity and speci city of PCR and the level of concordance with the microbiological method were evaluated. PCR was standardized using a total of 60 samples of chicken, beef and pork (20 samples per meat type. Sensitivity and speci city were calculated using the 2 x 2 table and the level of accordance by the Kappa index. The minimum detectable DNA concentration was 3.0 ng μL−1. The PCR showed 100% sensitivity and speci city, and 80, 91 and 100% concordance between the methods was obtained for detecting Lm in chicken, beef and pork samples respectively, with 89.4% similarity between the methods for the three types of meat.

  14. THE BACTERICIDAL ACTIVITY OF NORMAL GUINEA PIG SERUM AGAINST LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES AND ITS INHIBITION BY A LISTERIAL CELL EXTRACT,

    Science.gov (United States)

    Normal guinea pig serum contains bactericidins active against Listeria monocytogenes. The listeriocidal activity of the serum did not increase after...factor. Lysozyme was not implicated in the bactericidal system. It was suggested that the bactericidal activity of guinea pig serum might be due either to

  15. Inactivation of Salmonella enterica and Listeria monocytogenes in cantaloupe puree by high hydrostatic pressure with/without added ascorbic acid

    Science.gov (United States)

    The objective of this research was to evaluate and develop a method for inactivation of Salmonella enterica and Listeria monocytogenes in cantaloupe puree (CP) by high hydrostatic pressure (HHP). Cantaloupe being the most netted varieties of melons presents a greater risk of pathogen transmission. ...

  16. Effect of humidity and temperature on the survival of Listeria monocytogenes on surfaces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Redfern, J; Verran, J

    2017-04-01

    Listeria monocytogenes is a pathogenic bacterium, with human disease and infection linked to dairy products, seafood, ready-to-eat meat and raw & undercooked meats. Stainless steel is the most common food preparation surface and therefore, it is important to understand how food storage conditions such as surface materials, temperature and relative humidity can affect survival of L. monocytogenes. In this study, survival of L. monocytogenes on stainless steel was investigated at three temperatures (4, 10 and 21°C), each approx. 11, 50 and 85% humidity. Results indicate that the lower the temperature, the more cells were recovered in all three humidity environments, while medium humidity enhances survival, irrespective of temperature. Lower humidity decreases recovery at all temperatures. These data support the guidance noted above that humidity control is important, and that lower humidity environments are less likely to support retention of viable L. monocytogenes on a stainless steel surface. Understanding survival of potential food-borne pathogens is essential for the safe production and preparation of food. While it has long been 'common knowledge' that relative humidity can affect the growth and survival of micro-organisms, this study systematically describes the survival of L. monocytogenes on stainless steel under varying humidity and temperatures for the first time. The outcomes from this paper will allow those involved with food manufacture and preparation to make informed judgement on environmental conditions relating to humidity control, which is lacking in the food standards guidelines. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  17. Survival of Listeria monocytogenes in Soil Requires AgrA-Mediated Regulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vivant, Anne-Laure; Garmyn, Dominique; Gal, Laurent; Hartmann, Alain; Piveteau, Pascal

    2015-08-01

    In a recent paper, we demonstrated that inactivation of the Agr system affects the patterns of survival of Listeria monocytogenes (A.-L. Vivant, D. Garmyn, L. Gal, and P. Piveteau, Front Cell Infect Microbiol 4:160, http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2014.00160). In this study, we investigated whether the Agr-mediated response is triggered during adaptation in soil, and we compared survival patterns in a set of 10 soils. The fate of the parental strain L. monocytogenes L9 (a rifampin-resistant mutant of L. monocytogenes EGD-e) and that of a ΔagrA deletion mutant were compared in a collection of 10 soil microcosms. The ΔagrA mutant displayed significantly reduced survival in these biotic soil microcosms, and differential transcriptome analyses showed large alterations of the transcriptome when AgrA was not functional, while the variations in the transcriptomes between the wild type and the ΔagrA deletion mutant were modest under abiotic conditions. Indeed, in biotic soil environments, 578 protein-coding genes and an extensive repertoire of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) were differentially transcribed. The transcription of genes coding for proteins involved in cell envelope and cellular processes, including the phosphotransferase system and ABC transporters, and proteins involved in resistance to antimicrobial peptides was affected. Under sterilized soil conditions, the differences were limited to 86 genes and 29 ncRNAs. These results suggest that the response regulator AgrA of the Agr communication system plays important roles during the saprophytic life of L. monocytogenes in soil. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  18. Prevalence, and virulence determination of Listeria monocytogenes strains isolated from clinical and non-clinical samples by multiplex polymerase chain reaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abazar Pournajaf

    Full Text Available Abstract INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to determine the prevalence, and virulence factors of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from various samples by multiplex polymerase chain reaction (MPCR. METHODS: A total of 617 isolates were obtained and MPCR was employed for detection of the inlA, inlC, and inlJ genes. RESULTS: L. monocytogenes was detected in 46 (7.45% of the 617 specimens. inlA, inlC, and inlJ were detected in 100%, 76.26%, and 71% isolates, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study validated MPCR in the analysis and rapid detection of L. monocytogenes. The role of the genes in pathogenesis of the strains can also be affirmed.

  19. The role of Listeria monocytogenes cell wall surface anchor protein LapB in virulence, adherence, and intracellular replication

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lmof2365_2117 is a Listeria monocytogenes putative cell wall surface anchor protein with a conserved domain found in collagen binding proteins. We constructed a deletion mutation in lmof2365_2117 in serotype 4b strain F2365, evaluated its virulence, and determined its ability to adhere and invade co...

  20. The microbiological safety of ready-to-eat specialty meats from markets and specialty food shops: a UK wide study with a focus on Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gormley, F J; Little, C L; Grant, K A; de Pinna, E; McLauchlin, J

    2010-04-01

    From 2359 specialty meats (continental sausages, cured/fermented, dried meats) sampled from markets and specialty food shops, 98.9% of samples were of satisfactory or acceptable microbiological quality. However, 16 (0.7%) were unsatisfactory as a result of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus or Listeria spp. contamination (>or=10(2) CFU/g), and nine (0.4%) were unacceptable due to presence of Salmonella spp. or Listeria monocytogenes (>10(2) CFU/g). Meats with unacceptable levels of L. monocytogenes were within shelf life (range: 8-143 days remaining). Nine different subtypes of L. monocytogenes were detected with sero/AFLP type 1/2c VII predominating (37%), although this subtype was not overrepresented in any particular meat type (P > 0.05). Ninety-six percent of continental sausages and cured/fermented products were stored at potential for L. monocytogenes to be present at levels hazardous to health at the point of sale.

  1. Monitoring occurrence and persistence of Listeria monocytogenes in foods and food processing environments in the Republic of Ireland

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dara eLeong

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Although rates of listeriosis are low in comparison to other foodborne pathogenic illnesses, listeriosis poses a significant risk to human health as the invasive form can have a mortality rate as high as 30%. Food processors, especially those who produce ready-to-eat products, need to be vigilant against Listeria monocytogenes, the causative pathogen of listeriosis, and as such, the occurrence of L. monocytogenes in food and in the food processing environment needs to be carefully monitored. To examine the prevalence and patterns of contamination in food processing facilities in Ireland, 48 food processors submitted 8 samples every 2 months from March 2013 to March 2014 to be analyzed for L. monocytogenes. No positive samples were detected for 38% of the processing facilities tested. Isolates found at the remaining 62% of facilities were characterized by serotyping and Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE. A general L. monocytogenes prevalence of 4.6% was seen in all samples analyzed with similar rates seen in food and environmental samples. Differences in prevalence were seen across different food processors, food sectors, sampling months etc. and PFGE analysis allowed for the examination of contamination patterns and for the identification of several persistent strains. Seven of the food processing facilities tested showed contamination with persistent strains and evidence of bacterial transfer from the processing environment to food (the same pulsotype found in both was seen in four of the food processing facilities tested.

  2. Monitoring occurrence and persistence of Listeria monocytogenes in foods and food processing environments in the Republic of Ireland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leong, Dara; Alvarez-Ordóñez, Avelino; Jordan, Kieran

    2014-01-01

    Although rates of listeriosis are low in comparison to other foodborne pathogenic illness, listeriosis poses a significant risk to human health as the invasive form can have a mortality rate as high as 30%. Food processors, especially those who produce ready-to-eat (RTE) products, need to be vigilant against Listeria monocytogenes, the causative pathogen of listeriosis, and as such, the occurrence of L. monocytogenes in food and in the food processing environment needs to be carefully monitored. To examine the prevalence and patterns of contamination in food processing facilities in Ireland, 48 food processors submitted 8 samples every 2 months from March 2013 to March 2014 to be analyzed for L. monocytogenes. No positive samples were detected at 38% of the processing facilities tested. Isolates found at the remaining 62% of facilities were characterized by serotyping and Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE). A general L. monocytogenes prevalence of 4.6% was seen in all samples analyzed with similar rates seen in food and environmental samples. Differences in prevalence were seen across different food processors, food sectors, sampling months etc. and PFGE analysis allowed for the examination of contamination patterns and for the identification of several persistent strains. Seven of the food processing facilities tested showed contamination with persistent strains and evidence of bacterial transfer from the processing environment to food (the same pulsotype found in both) was seen in four of the food processing facilities tested.

  3. KdpE and a putative RsbQ homologue contribute to growth of Listeria monocytogenes at high osmolarity and low temperature

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Brøndsted, Lone; Kallipolitis, Birgitte H; Ingmer, Hanne

    2003-01-01

    The kdp locus of Listeria monocytogenes encodes products with homology to structural proteins of a high-affinity potassium uptake system and to a two-component signal transduction system commonly involved in controlling gene expression. We have investigated the role of kdpE, encoding the transcri......The kdp locus of Listeria monocytogenes encodes products with homology to structural proteins of a high-affinity potassium uptake system and to a two-component signal transduction system commonly involved in controlling gene expression. We have investigated the role of kdpE, encoding...... the transcriptional response regulator, as well as of the downstream gene, orfX, in adaptation of L. monocytogenes EGD to NaCl and low temperature. When grown in chemically defined medium the addition of NaCl to 2% decreased the growth rate of a mutant with an insertional inactivated kdpE, while mutants carrying in......-frame deletions of either kdpE or orfX were unaffected by high osmolarity. Transcriptional analysis of kdpE and orfX revealed that their products are encoded by the same transcript. Thus, our data indicate that the absence of both KdpE and OrfX influences growth under osmotic pressure. Interestingly, Orf...

  4. How a routine checking of Escherichia coli in retailed food of animal origin can protect consumers against exposition to Campylobacter spp. and Listeria monocytogenes?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Trajković-Pavlović Ljiljana

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Background/Aim. According to the literature that has been published over the last two decades Campylobacter spp i Listeria monocitogens can be identified as causes of numerous diseases derived by consuming food of animal origin. The purpose of this paper was to find out how established national microbiological criteria of the Republic of Serbia on food safety in retailed food of animal origin could contribute to consumer's protection against exposition to foodborne pathogens such as Campylobacter spp. and Listeria monocytogenes. Methods. During a routine microbiological safety control of randomly selected 60 samples of fresh poultry meat, 30 samples of other fresh meat readymade for grilling, 30 samples of sausage products, 37 samples of heattreated meat, 39 samples of toppings for fast food of animal origin and 31 samples of dairy products a national food safety criteria (Escherichia coli, aerobic plate count, Salmonella spp., coagulasa positive Staphylococcus, Proteus spp., sulphitoreducting Clostridia were applied and, as well as, testing to Campylobacter spp. and Listeria monocitogens. In determination of Campylobacter spp. and Listeria monocytogenes, food quality control methods of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO were applied, while in determination of the other above motioned bacteria, national provisions on microbiological methods were applied who are adjusted to the FAO ones. Results. Related to the national criteria on microbiological food safety, 88 (38.8% samples, out of the total 227 tested, were rejected. When to these results, the results of laboratory tests on Listeria monocytogens were added, a terminal number of rejected samples were not changed. When to these results, the results of Campylobacter spp. testing were added, 91 (40.1% out of the 227 samples were unsatisfied. Results of logistic regression model with occurrence of Escherichia coli as dependent variable indicated that Escherichia coli was 4.5 times likely

  5. How a routine checking of Escherichia coli in retailed food of animal origin can protect consumers against exposition to Campylobacter spp. and Listeria monocytogenes?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trajković-Pavlović, Ljiljana; Novaković, Budimka; Martinov-Cvejin, Mirjana; Gusman, Vera; Bijelović, Sanja; Dragnić, Natasa; Balać, Dragana

    2010-08-01

    According to the literature that has been published over the last two decades Campylobacter spp i Listeria monocitogens can be identified as causes of numerous diseases derived by consuming food of animal origin. The purpose of this paper was to find out how established national microbiological criteria of the Republic of Serbia on food safety in retailed food of animal origin could contribute to consumer's protection against exposition to foodborne pathogens such as Campylobacter spp. and Listeria monocytogenes. During a routine microbiological safety control of randomly selected 60 samples of fresh poultry meat, 30 samples of other fresh meat readymade for grilling, 30 samples of sausage products, 37 samples of heat-treated meat, 39 samples of toppings for fast food of animal origin and 31 samples of dairy products a national food safety criteria (Escherichia coli, aerobic plate count, Salmonella spp., coagulasa positive Staphylococcus, Proteus spp., sulphito-reducting Clostridia) were applied and, as well as, testing to Campylobacter spp. and Listeria monocitogens. In determination of Campylobacter spp. and Listeria monocytogenes, food quality control methods of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) were applied, while in determination of the other above motioned bacteria, national provisions on microbiological methods were applied who are adjusted to the FAO ones. Related to the national criteria on microbiological food safety, 88 (38.8%) samples, out of the total 227 tested, were rejected. When to these results, the results of laboratory tests on Listeria monocytogens were added, a terminal number of rejected samples were not changed. When to these results, the results of Campylobacter spp. testing were added, 91 (40.1%) out of the 227 samples were unsatisfied. Results of logistic regression model with occurrence of Escherichia coli as dependent variable indicated that Escherichia coli was 4.5 times likely to occur among samples with Campylobacter spp

  6. Listeria monocytogenes Growth Kinetics in Milkshakes Made from Naturally and Artificially Contaminated Ice Cream

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joelle K. Salazar

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available This study assessed the growth of Listeria monocytogenes in milkshakes made using the process-contaminated ice cream associated with a listeriosis outbreak in comparison to milkshakes made with artificially contaminated ice cream. For all temperatures, growth kinetics including growth rates, lag phases, maximum populations, and population increases were determined for the naturally and artificially derived contaminants at 5, 10, 15, and 25°C storage for 144 h. The artificially inoculated L. monocytogenes presented lower growth rates and shorter lag phases than the naturally contaminated populations at all temperatures except for 5°C, where the reverse was observed. At 25°C, lag phases of the naturally and artificially contaminated L. monocytogenes were 11.6 and 7.8 h, respectively. The highest increase in population was observed for the artificially inoculated pathogen at 15°C after 96 h (6.16 log CFU/mL of storage. Growth models for both contamination states in milkshakes were determined. In addition, this study evaluated the antimicrobial effectiveness of flavoring agents, including strawberry, chocolate and mint, on the growth of the pathogen in milkshakes during 10°C storage. All flavor additions resulted in decreased growth rates of L. monocytogenes for both contamination states. The addition of chocolate and mint flavoring also resulted in significantly longer lag phases for both contamination states. This study provides insight into the differences in growth between naturally and artificially contaminated L. monocytogenes in a food product.

  7. Listeria monocytogenes Growth Kinetics in Milkshakes Made from Naturally and Artificially Contaminated Ice Cream.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salazar, Joelle K; Bathija, Vriddi M; Carstens, Christina K; Narula, Sartaj S; Shazer, Arlette; Stewart, Diana; Tortorello, Mary Lou

    2018-01-01

    This study assessed the growth of Listeria monocytogenes in milkshakes made using the process-contaminated ice cream associated with a listeriosis outbreak in comparison to milkshakes made with artificially contaminated ice cream. For all temperatures, growth kinetics including growth rates, lag phases, maximum populations, and population increases were determined for the naturally and artificially derived contaminants at 5, 10, 15, and 25°C storage for 144 h. The artificially inoculated L. monocytogenes presented lower growth rates and shorter lag phases than the naturally contaminated populations at all temperatures except for 5°C, where the reverse was observed. At 25°C, lag phases of the naturally and artificially contaminated L. monocytogenes were 11.6 and 7.8 h, respectively. The highest increase in population was observed for the artificially inoculated pathogen at 15°C after 96 h (6.16 log CFU/mL) of storage. Growth models for both contamination states in milkshakes were determined. In addition, this study evaluated the antimicrobial effectiveness of flavoring agents, including strawberry, chocolate and mint, on the growth of the pathogen in milkshakes during 10°C storage. All flavor additions resulted in decreased growth rates of L. monocytogenes for both contamination states. The addition of chocolate and mint flavoring also resulted in significantly longer lag phases for both contamination states. This study provides insight into the differences in growth between naturally and artificially contaminated L. monocytogenes in a food product.

  8. Diverse genomic location and sequence content of a Listeria monocytogenes chromosomal island harboring heavy metal resistance and other genes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Listeria monocytogenes remains a major foodborne pathogen with three serotype 4b clonal groups (ECI, ECII, ECIa) repeatedly implicated in human listeriosis. For reasons that are unknown, many of these strains are also resistant to heavy metals, i.e. cadmium and arsenic. The acquisition and fitness i...

  9. Induction and stability of oxidative stress adaptation in Listeria monocytogenes EGD (Bug600) and F1057 in sublethal concentrations of H2O2 and NaOH

    Science.gov (United States)

    Food processing and food handling environments may contain residual levels of sanitizers or cleaners which may trigger oxidative stress adaptation in Listeria monocytogenes. The aim of this study was to determine the induction and stability of oxidative stress adaptation in L. monocytogenes EGD (Bug...

  10. Outbreak of febrile gastroenteritis caused by Listeria monocytogenes 1/2a in sliced cold beef ham, Italy, May 2016

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maurella, Cristiana; Gallina, Silvia; Ru, Giuseppe; Adriano, Daniela; Bellio, Alberto; Bianchi, Daniela Manila; Chiavacci, Laura; Crescio, Maria Ines; Croce, Margherita; D'Errico, Valeria; Dupont, Maria Franca; Marra, Alessandro; Natangelo, Ubaldo; Pomilio, Francesco; Romano, Angelo; Stanzione, Stefano; Zaccaria, Teresa; Zuccon, Fabio; Caramelli, Maria; Decastelli, Lucia

    2018-01-01

    In May 2016, two separate clusters of febrile gastroenteritis caused by Listeria monocytogenes were detected by the local health authority in Piedmont, in northern Italy. We carried out epidemiological, microbiological and traceback investigations to identify the source. The people affected were students and staff members from two different schools in two different villages located in the Province of Turin; five of them were hospitalised. The epidemiological investigation identified a cooked beef ham served at the school canteens as the source of the food-borne outbreak. L. monocytogenes was isolated from the food, the stools of the hospitalised pupils and the environment of the factory producing the cooked beef ham. All isolates except one were serotype 1/2a, shared an indistinguishable PFGE pattern and were 100% identical by whole genome sequencing (WGS). By combining a classical epidemiological approach with both molecular subtyping and WGS techniques, we were able to identify and confirm a Listeria gastroenteritis outbreak associated with consumption of sliced cold beef ham. PMID:29536831

  11. Analysis of the role of betL in contributing to the growth and survival of Listeria monocytogenes LO28.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sleator, R D; Gahan CGM; O'Driscoll, B; Hill, C

    2000-09-25

    Survival of the food-borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes in environments of elevated osmolarity and reduced temperature is attributed, at least in part, to the accumulation of the trimethylammonium compound glycine betaine. Previously we identified betL, a gene encoding the secondary glycine betaine transporter BetL, which we linked to the salt tolerance of Listeria. In this report, we demonstrate that betL, preceded by a consensus sigmaB-dependent promoter, is regulated by osmotic up-shock, at least in part at the level of transcription. Using allelic exchange mutagenesis we constructed an in-frame deletion in betL, and used this mutant to determine the role of BetL in contributing to the growth and survival of L. monocytogenes, both in a high risk food (Camembert cheese) and animal model. Our results indicate that while BetL plays an important role in glycine betaine mediated osmoprotection, mutating the gene does not significantly effect either the cryotolerance or virulence of the organism.

  12. Detection of antimicrobial sensitiveness of isolates of Listeria monocytogenes from food chain using Vitek 2 Compact Biomerieux

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jankuloski Dean

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Sensitivity of 26 Listeria monocytogenes isolates toward 18 antimicrobial substances used in veterinary and human medicine was examined using the automated VITEK 2 Compact system bioMerieux. The obtained results indicate that L. monocytogenes strains isolated from food and food processing environment had resistance to several or more antimicrobial substances that are commonly used in the treatment in animals and humans. Results showed resistance of all 26 (100% isolates toward Benzylpenicilin, Ampicilin/Sublactam, Oxacillin, Imipenem and Fosfomycine. Also 7 of the isolates (26.9% were resistant to Clindamiycin, 3 (11.5% to Quinupristion/Dalfopristin and 1 strain to Teicoplanin, Vancomycin, Tetracycline and Fusic acid, respectively.

  13. Current Knowledge on Listeria monocytogenes Biofilms in Food-Related Environments: Incidence, Resistance to Biocides, Ecology and Biocontrol

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pedro Rodríguez-López

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Although many efforts have been made to control Listeria monocytogenes in the food industry, growing pervasiveness amongst the population over the last decades has made this bacterium considered to be one of the most hazardous foodborne pathogens. Its outstanding biocide tolerance capacity and ability to promiscuously associate with other bacterial species forming multispecies communities have permitted this microorganism to survive and persist within the industrial environment. This review is designed to give the reader an overall picture of the current state-of-the-art in L. monocytogenes sessile communities in terms of food safety and legislation, ecological aspects and biocontrol strategies.

  14. Spontaneous Bacterial Peritonitis Caused by Infection with Listeria monocytogenes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael Vincent F. Tablang

    2008-11-01

    Full Text Available Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis is a severe and life-threatening complication in patients with ascites caused by advanced liver disease. The organisms most commonly involved are coliform bacteria and third-generation cephalosporins are the empiric antibiotics of choice. This is an uncommon case of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis caused by Listeria monocytogenes in a female patient with liver cirrhosis from autoimmune hepatitis. She did not improve with ceftriaxone and her course was complicated by hepatic encephalopathy, seizures and multi-organ failure. This case emphasizes that a high index of suspicion should be maintained for timely diagnosis and treatment. Listerial peritonitis should be suspected in patients with end-stage liver disease and inadequate response to conventional antibiotics within 48–72 h. Ampicillin/sulbactam should be initiated while awaiting results of ascitic fluid or blood culture.

  15. Phloretin Attenuates Listeria monocytogenes Virulence Both In vitro and In vivo by Simultaneously Targeting Listeriolysin O and Sortase A.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jianfeng; Liu, Bowen; Teng, Zihao; Zhou, Xuan; Wang, Xiyan; Zhang, Bing; Lu, Gejin; Niu, Xiaodi; Yang, Yongjun; Deng, Xuming

    2017-01-01

    The critical roles of sortase A (SrtA) and listeriolysin O (LLO) in Listeria monocytogenes pathogenicity render these two virulence factors as ideal targets for the development of anti-virulence agents against L. monocytogenes infection. Additionally, the structures of SrtA and LLO are highly conserved among the members of sortase enzyme family and cholesterol dependent toxin family. Here, phloretin, a natural polyphenolic compound derived from apples and pears that has little anti- L. monocytogenes activity, was identified to simultaneously inhibit LLO expression and neutralize SrtA catalytic activity. Phloretin neutralized SrtA activity by causing a conformational change in the protein's active pocket, which prevented engagement with its substrate. Treatment with phloretin simultaneously reduced L. monocytogenes invasion into host cells and blocked the escape of vacuole-entrapped L. monocytogenes into cytoplasm. Further, L. monocytogenes -infected mice that received phloretin showed lower mortality, decreased bacterial burden and reduced pathological injury. Our results demonstrate that phloretin is a promising anti-infective therapeutic for infections caused by L. monocytogenes due to its simultaneous targeting of SrtA and LLO, which may result in fewer side effects than those caused by other antibiotics.

  16. Thermal Inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella during Water and Steam Blanching of Vegetables.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ceylan, Erdogan; McMahon, Wendy; Garren, Donna M

    2017-09-01

    Thermal inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella was evaluated on peas, spinach, broccoli, potatoes, and carrots that were treated with hot water and steam. One gram-positive bacterium, L. monocytogenes, and one gram-negative bacterium, Salmonella, were selected as pertinent human pathogens for evaluation. Samples were inoculated with a composite of five strains each of L. monocytogenes and Salmonella to achieve approximately 10 8 to 10 9 CFU/g. Inoculated samples were treated with hot water at 85 and 87.8°C and with steam at 85 and 96.7°C for up to 3.5 min. A greater than 5-log reduction of L. monocytogenes and Salmonella was achieved on all products within 0.5 min by hot water blanching at 85 and 87.8°C. Steam blanching at 85°C reduced Salmonella populations by greater than 5 log on spinach and peas within 2 min and on carrots and broccoli within 3.5 min. Populations of Salmonella were reduced by more than 5 log within 1 min on carrot, spinach, and broccoli and within 2 min on peas by steam blanching at 96.7°C. Steam blanching at 85°C reduced L. monocytogenes populations by more than 5 log on carrots and spinach within 2 min and on broccoli and peas within 3.5 min. L. monocytogenes populations were reduced more than 5 log within 1 min on carrot, spinach, peas and broccoli by steam blanching at 96.7°C. Longer treatment times and higher temperatures were required for steam-blanched samples than for samples blanched with hot water. Results suggest that hot water and steam blanching practices commonly used by the frozen vegetable industry will achieve the desired 5-log lethality of L. monocytogenes and Salmonella and will enhance microbiological safety prior to freezing.

  17. Small molecules targeting LapB protein prevent Listeria attachment to catfish muscle.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Akgul

    Full Text Available Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive foodborne pathogen and the causative agent of listeriosis. L. monocytogenes lapB gene encodes a cell wall surface anchor protein, and mutation of this gene causes Listeria attenuation in mice. In this work, the potential role of Listeria LapB protein in catfish fillet attachment was investigated. To achieve this, boron-based small molecules designed to interfere with the active site of the L. monocytogenes LapB protein were developed, and their ability to prevent L. monocytogenes attachment to fish fillet was tested. Results indicated that seven out of nine different small molecules were effective in reducing the Listeria attachment to catfish fillets. Of these, three small molecules (SM3, SM5, and SM7 were highly effective in blocking Listeria attachment to catfish fillets. This study suggests an alternative strategy for reduction of L. monocytogenes contamination in fresh and frozen fish products.

  18. Listeria Monocytogenes Persistence in Ready-to-Eat Sausages and in Processing Plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mureddu, Anna; Mazza, Roberta; Fois, Federica; Meloni, Domenico; Bacciu, Roberto; Piras, Francesca; Mazzette, Rina

    2014-01-21

    Listeria monocytogenes is of major concern in the fermented meat products and is able to persist in their processing environments. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the virulence profile and the persistence capacity of L. monocytogenes strains isolated in Sardinian fermented sausages processing plants. Food (ground meat, sausages at the end of acidification and ripening stage) and environmental samples (a total of n. 385), collected from 4 meat processing plants located in Sardinia (Italy), were examined to detect L. monocytogenes presence. All the L. monocytogenes isolates were identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. A subset of strains was also characterised by multiplex PCR-based serogrouping, using the lmo0737 , lmo1118 , ORF2819 and ORF2110 genes. Three different multiplex PCRs were used to obtain the virulence profiles by the rrn , hlyA , actA , prfA , inlA , inlB , iap , plcA , plcB and mpl marker genes. Furthermore, in vitro biofilm forming ability and resistance to disinfectants were carried out on microtiter plate. The overall prevalence was 31.5% in food, and 68.5% in environmental samples. The prevalent serotype resulted 1/2c (43%), followed by 1/2a (40%), 4b (8.6%), and 1/2b (8.6%). The amplification products of the virulence genes were found in all the isolates with the following prevalence: 77.1% hlyA ; 100% rrn ; 100% prfA ; 97.1% iap ; 65.7% inlB ; 88.6% inlA ; 100% plcA ; 100% plcB and 74.3% mpl . As for biofilm forming ability, 37.1% of the strains were positive and resulted weak producer, but all the isolates were sensible to disinfectants showing a reduction of L. monocytogenes growth after each incubation time. More appropriate technologies and application of measures of hygienic control should be implemented to prevent the L. monocytogenes growth and cross-contamination in salsiccia sarda processing plants.

  19. Listeria monocytogenes persistence in ready-to-eat sausages and in processing plants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna Mureddu

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Listeria monocytogenes is of major concern in the fermented meat products and is able to persist in their processing environments. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the virulence profile and the persistence capacity of L. monocytogenes strains isolated in Sardinian fermented sausages processing plants. Food (ground meat, sausages at the end of acidification and ripening stage and environmental samples (a total of n. 385, collected from 4 meat processing plants located in Sardinia (Italy, were examined to detect L. monocytogenes presence. All the L. monocytogenes isolates were identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR method. A subset of strains was also characterised by multiplex PCR-based serogrouping, using the lmo0737, lmo1118, ORF2819 and ORF2110 genes. Three different multiplex PCRs were used to obtain the virulence profiles by the rrn, hlyA, actA, prfA, inlA, inlB, iap, plcA, plcB and mpl marker genes. Furthermore, in vitro biofilm forming ability and resistance to disinfectants were carried out on microtiter plate. The overall prevalence was 31.5% in food, and 68.5% in environmental samples. The prevalent serotype resulted 1/2c (43%, followed by 1/2a (40%, 4b (8.6%, and 1/2b (8.6%. The amplification products of the virulence genes were found in all the isolates with the following prevalence: 77.1% hlyA; 100% rrn; 100% prfA; 97.1% iap; 65.7% inlB; 88.6% inlA; 100% plcA; 100% plcB and 74.3% mpl. As for biofilm forming ability, 37.1% of the strains were positive and resulted weak producer, but all the isolates were sensible to disinfectants showing a reduction of L. monocytogenes growth after each incubation time. More appropriate technologies and application of measures of hygienic control should be implemented to prevent the L. monocytogenes growth and crosscontamination in salsiccia sarda processing plants.

  20. Phenotypic and Genotypic Analysis of Antimicrobial Resistance among Listeria monocytogenes Isolated from Australian Food Production Chains

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Annaleise Wilson

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available The current global crisis of antimicrobial resistance (AMR among important human bacterial pathogens has been amplified by an increased resistance prevalence. In recent years, a number of studies have reported higher resistance levels among Listeria monocytogenes isolates, which may have implications for treatment of listeriosis infection where resistance to key treatment antimicrobials is noted. This study examined the genotypic and phenotypic AMR patterns of 100 L. monocytogenes isolates originating from food production supplies in Australia and examined this in the context of global population trends. Low levels of resistance were noted to ciprofloxacin (2% and erythromycin (1%; however, no resistance was observed to penicillin G or tetracycline. Resistance to ciprofloxacin was associated with a mutation in the fepR gene in one isolate; however, no genetic basis for resistance in the other isolate was identified. Resistance to erythromycin was correlated with the presence of the ermB resistance gene. Both resistant isolates belonged to clonal complex 1 (CC1, and analysis of these in the context of global CC1 isolates suggested that they were more similar to isolates from India rather than the other CC1 isolates included in this study. This study provides baseline AMR data for L. monocytogenes isolated in Australia, identifies key genetic markers underlying this resistance, and highlights the need for global molecular surveillance of resistance patterns to maintain control over the potential dissemination of AMR isolates.