Persistent and transient Listeria monocytogenes strains from retail deli environments vary in their ability to adhere and form biofilms and rarely have inlA premature stop codons. 2015

Jingjin Wang, and Andrea J Ray, and Susan R Hammons, and Haley F Oliver
1 Department of Food Science, College of Agriculture, Purdue University , West Lafayette, Indiana.

Based on recent risk assessments, up to 83% of listeriosis cases from deli meat in the United States are predicted to be from ready-to-eat deli meats contaminated during processing at retail grocery stores. Listeria monocytogenes is known to use sanitizer tolerance and biofilm formation to survive, but interplay of these mechanisms along with virulence potential and persistence mechanisms specific to deli environments had yet to be elucidated. In this study, 442 isolates from food and nonfood contact surfaces in 30 retail delis over 9 months were tested for inlA premature stop codons (PMSCs); inlA encodes InlA, which is necessary to cause listeriosis. A total of 96 isolates, composed of 23 persistent and 73 transient strains, were tested for adhesion and biofilm-forming ability and sanitizer tolerance. Only 10/442 isolates had inlA PMSCs (p<0.001). Strains with PMSCs were not persistent, even in delis with other persistent strains. Most (7/10) PMSC-containing isolates were collected from food contact surfaces (p<0.001); 6/10 PMSC-containing isolates were found in moderate prevalence delis (p<0.05). Persistent strains had enhanced adhesion on day 1 of a 5-day adhesion-biofilm formation assay. However, there was no significant difference in sanitizer tolerance between persistent and transient strains. Results suggest that foods contaminated with persistent L. monocytogenes strains from the retail environment are (1) likely to have wild-type virulence potential and (2) may persist due to increased adhesion and biofilm formation capacity rather than sanitizer tolerance, thus posing a significant public health risk.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007196 Indiana State bounded on the north by Lake Michigan and Michigan, on the east by Ohio, on the south by Kentucky, and on the west by Illinois.
D008088 Listeriosis Infections with bacteria of the genus LISTERIA. Listeria Infections,Infections, Listeria,Infection, Listeria,Listeria Infection,Listerioses
D008089 Listeria monocytogenes A species of gram-positive, rod-shaped bacteria widely distributed in nature. It has been isolated from sewage, soil, silage, and from feces of healthy animals and man. Infection with this bacterium leads to encephalitis, meningitis, endocarditis, and abortion.
D008460 Meat The edible portions of any animal used for food including cattle, swine, goats/sheep, poultry, fish, shellfish, and game. Meats
D008461 Meat Products Articles of food which are derived by a process of manufacture from any portion of carcasses of any animal used for food (e.g., head cheese, sausage, scrapple). Meat Product,Product, Meat,Products, Meat
D008826 Microbial Sensitivity Tests Any tests that demonstrate the relative efficacy of different chemotherapeutic agents against specific microorganisms (i.e., bacteria, fungi, viruses). Bacterial Sensitivity Tests,Drug Sensitivity Assay, Microbial,Minimum Inhibitory Concentration,Antibacterial Susceptibility Breakpoint Determination,Antibiogram,Antimicrobial Susceptibility Breakpoint Determination,Bacterial Sensitivity Test,Breakpoint Determination, Antibacterial Susceptibility,Breakpoint Determination, Antimicrobial Susceptibility,Fungal Drug Sensitivity Tests,Fungus Drug Sensitivity Tests,Sensitivity Test, Bacterial,Sensitivity Tests, Bacterial,Test, Bacterial Sensitivity,Tests, Bacterial Sensitivity,Viral Drug Sensitivity Tests,Virus Drug Sensitivity Tests,Antibiograms,Concentration, Minimum Inhibitory,Concentrations, Minimum Inhibitory,Inhibitory Concentration, Minimum,Inhibitory Concentrations, Minimum,Microbial Sensitivity Test,Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations,Sensitivity Test, Microbial,Sensitivity Tests, Microbial,Test, Microbial Sensitivity,Tests, Microbial Sensitivity
D012147 Restaurants An establishment where meals are cooked, sold and served to customers. Restaurant
D003297 Cooking and Eating Utensils Tools used in COOKING or EATING such as cutlery, pots, pans, and dishes. Eating Utensils,Cooking Utensils,Cooking Utensil,Eating Utensil,Utensil, Cooking,Utensil, Eating,Utensils, Cooking,Utensils, Eating
D005517 Foodborne Diseases Acute illnesses, usually affecting the GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT, brought on by consuming contaminated food or beverages. Most of these diseases are infectious, caused by a variety of bacteria, viruses, or parasites that can be foodborne. Sometimes the diseases are caused by harmful toxins from the microbes or other chemicals present in the food. Especially in the latter case, the condition is often called food poisoning. Food Poisoning,Food-borne Disease,Food-borne Illness,Foodborne Disease,Foodborne Illness,Food-borne Diseases,Food-borne Illnesses,Foodborne Illnesses,Poisoning, Food,Disease, Food-borne,Disease, Foodborne,Food Poisonings,Food borne Disease,Food borne Diseases,Food borne Illness,Food borne Illnesses,Illness, Food-borne,Illness, Foodborne,Illnesses, Foodborne
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man

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