Distribution and Characteristics of <i>Listeria</i> spp. in Pigs and Pork Production Chains in Germany
<i>Listeria</i> (<i>L</i>.) <i>monocytogenes</i> is a foodborne pathogen that can cause disease, mainly in elderly, pregnant or immunocompromised persons through consumption of contaminated food, including pork products. It is widespread in the environment and can...
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MDPI AG
2022-02-01
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| Series: | Microorganisms |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/10/3/512 |
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| author | Verena Oswaldi Stefanie Lüth Janine Dzierzon Diana Meemken Stefan Schwarz Andrea T. Feßler Benjamin Félix Susann Langforth |
| author_facet | Verena Oswaldi Stefanie Lüth Janine Dzierzon Diana Meemken Stefan Schwarz Andrea T. Feßler Benjamin Félix Susann Langforth |
| author_sort | Verena Oswaldi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Listeria</i> (<i>L</i>.) <i>monocytogenes</i> is a foodborne pathogen that can cause disease, mainly in elderly, pregnant or immunocompromised persons through consumption of contaminated food, including pork products. It is widespread in the environment and can also be found in asymptomatic carrier animals, for example, in different tissues of pigs. To learn more about their nature, 16 <i>Listeria</i> spp. isolates found in tonsils and intestinal content of pigs and 13 isolates from the slaughterhouse environment were characterized using next-generation sequencing (NGS). A wide distribution of clonal complexes was observed in pigs, as well as in the pork production chain, suggesting multiple sources of entry. Hypervirulent clones were found in pig tonsils, showing the potential risk of pigs as source of isolates causing human disease. The presence of closely related isolates along the production chain suggests a cross-contamination in the slaughterhouse or recontamination from the same source, strengthening the importance of efficient cleaning and disinfection procedures. The phenotypical antimicrobial resistance status of <i>L. monocytogenes</i> isolates was examined via broth microdilution and revealed a low resistance level. Nevertheless, genotypical resistance data suggested multiple resistances in some non-pathogenic <i>L. innocua</i> isolates from pig samples, which might pose a risk of spreading resistances to pathogenic species. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:16:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2a695209f5bc446b9500398206d1d737 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2607 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:16:11Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Microorganisms |
| spelling | doaj.art-2a695209f5bc446b9500398206d1d7372023-11-30T21:35:19ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072022-02-0110351210.3390/microorganisms10030512Distribution and Characteristics of <i>Listeria</i> spp. in Pigs and Pork Production Chains in GermanyVerena Oswaldi0Stefanie Lüth1Janine Dzierzon2Diana Meemken3Stefan Schwarz4Andrea T. Feßler5Benjamin Félix6Susann Langforth7Institute of Food Safety and Food Hygiene, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Königsweg 67, 14163 Berlin, GermanyDepartment Biological Safety, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Diedersdorfer Weg1, 12277 Berlin, GermanyInstitute of Food Safety and Food Hygiene, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Königsweg 67, 14163 Berlin, GermanyInstitute of Food Safety and Food Hygiene, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Königsweg 67, 14163 Berlin, GermanyVeterinary Centre for Resistance Research (TZR), Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 8, 14163 Berlin, GermanyVeterinary Centre for Resistance Research (TZR), Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 8, 14163 Berlin, GermanySalmonella and Listeria Unit, Laboratory for Food Safety, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), University of Paris-Est, 14, rue Pierre et Marie Curie, CEDEX, 94706 Maisons-Alfort, FranceInstitute of Food Safety and Food Hygiene, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Königsweg 67, 14163 Berlin, Germany<i>Listeria</i> (<i>L</i>.) <i>monocytogenes</i> is a foodborne pathogen that can cause disease, mainly in elderly, pregnant or immunocompromised persons through consumption of contaminated food, including pork products. It is widespread in the environment and can also be found in asymptomatic carrier animals, for example, in different tissues of pigs. To learn more about their nature, 16 <i>Listeria</i> spp. isolates found in tonsils and intestinal content of pigs and 13 isolates from the slaughterhouse environment were characterized using next-generation sequencing (NGS). A wide distribution of clonal complexes was observed in pigs, as well as in the pork production chain, suggesting multiple sources of entry. Hypervirulent clones were found in pig tonsils, showing the potential risk of pigs as source of isolates causing human disease. The presence of closely related isolates along the production chain suggests a cross-contamination in the slaughterhouse or recontamination from the same source, strengthening the importance of efficient cleaning and disinfection procedures. The phenotypical antimicrobial resistance status of <i>L. monocytogenes</i> isolates was examined via broth microdilution and revealed a low resistance level. Nevertheless, genotypical resistance data suggested multiple resistances in some non-pathogenic <i>L. innocua</i> isolates from pig samples, which might pose a risk of spreading resistances to pathogenic species.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/10/3/512<i>Listeria monocytogenes</i><i>Listeria innocua</i><i>Listeria welshimeri</i>pork productionfood safetynext-generation sequencing |
| spellingShingle | Verena Oswaldi Stefanie Lüth Janine Dzierzon Diana Meemken Stefan Schwarz Andrea T. Feßler Benjamin Félix Susann Langforth Distribution and Characteristics of <i>Listeria</i> spp. in Pigs and Pork Production Chains in Germany Microorganisms <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> <i>Listeria innocua</i> <i>Listeria welshimeri</i> pork production food safety next-generation sequencing |
| title | Distribution and Characteristics of <i>Listeria</i> spp. in Pigs and Pork Production Chains in Germany |
| title_full | Distribution and Characteristics of <i>Listeria</i> spp. in Pigs and Pork Production Chains in Germany |
| title_fullStr | Distribution and Characteristics of <i>Listeria</i> spp. in Pigs and Pork Production Chains in Germany |
| title_full_unstemmed | Distribution and Characteristics of <i>Listeria</i> spp. in Pigs and Pork Production Chains in Germany |
| title_short | Distribution and Characteristics of <i>Listeria</i> spp. in Pigs and Pork Production Chains in Germany |
| title_sort | distribution and characteristics of i listeria i spp in pigs and pork production chains in germany |
| topic | <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> <i>Listeria innocua</i> <i>Listeria welshimeri</i> pork production food safety next-generation sequencing |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/10/3/512 |
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