From April 1992 to September 1992, 280 samples of 10 different fresh vegetables, bought from four different market outlets in Kuala Lumpur were examined for the presence of Listeria spp. Most of the market produce were locally grown with the exception of carrots. The isolation procedure was based on the Food & Drug Administration method (modified) used for the detection of Listeria spp. Isolation media used were Listeria Selective medium and LiCl- phenylethanol-Moxalactam agars. The identification of isolates was by means of conventional biochemical tests and API Listeria identification system. Five out of the 280 samples showed Listeria contamination, Listeria monocytogenes was isolated in lettuce, sengkuang (Pachyrrhizus erosus) and selom Oenanthe javanica) and Listeria innocua was isolated from sengkuang (Pachyrrhizus erosus) and pegaga (Hydrocotyle asiatica).
Fermented fish and meat samples were purchased from supermarket and wet market for microbiological analysis of Listeria species and Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Listeria species were isolated from 17 (73.9%) of 23 samples of imported frozen beef, 10 (43.5%) of the 23 samples of local beef and 14 (56%) of the 25 samples of fermented fish from wet market. Listeria monocytogenes occurred in 15 (75%) of the frozen beef samples, 6 (30.4%) of the 23 samples of local meat and 3 (12%) of the 25 samples from fermented fish. Listeria species was not isolated from any of the 23 samples of imported frozen beef from supermarket and from the 5 samples of buffalo meat examined. This highlights the possibility of Listeria spp or L. monocytogenes to persist in meat and fermented fish in wet market and raises the problem of illness due to the handling and consumption of Listeria-contaminated meat or fermented fish are likely as evidence by the high contamination rates of samples sold at the wet market.
This study aimed to identify Listeria spp. and L. monocytogenes, characterize the isolates, and determine the antibiotic resistance profiles of the isolates Listeria spp. and L. monocytogenes in fresh produce, fertilizer, and environmental samples from vegetable farms (organic and conventional farms). A total of 386 samples (vegetables, soil, water, and fertilizer with manure) were examined. The identification of bacterial isolates was performed using PCR and characterized using ERIC-PCR and BOX-PCR. The discriminating power of the typing method was analyzed using Simpson's Index of Diversity. Thirty-four (n=34) Listeria isolates were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility test using the disc-diffusion technique. The PCR analysis revealed that Listeria spp. were present in 7.51% (29/386) of all the samples (vegetable, soil, fertilizer, and water). None of the samples examined were positive for the presence of L. monocytogenes. Percentages of 100% (15/15) and 73.30% (11/15) of the Listeria spp. isolated from vegetables, fertilizer, and soil from organic farm B had indistinguishable DNA fingerprints by using ERIC-PCR and BOX-PCR, respectively. Listeria spp. isolated from 86 samples of vegetable, fertilizer, and environment of organic farm A and conventional farm C had distinct DNA fingerprints. Simpson's Index of Diversity, D, of ERIC-PCR and BOX-PCR is 0.604 and 0.888, respectively. Antibiotic susceptibility test revealed that most of the Listeria spp. in this study were found to be resistant to ampicillin, rifampin, penicillin G, tetracycline, clindamycin, cephalothin, and ceftriaxone. The isolates had MAR index ranging between 0.31 and 0.85. In conclusion, hygienic measures at farm level are crucial to the reduction of Listeria transmission along the food chain.
Listeria spp. are ubiquitous in nature and can be found in various environmental niches such as soil, sewage, river water, plants, and foods, but the most frequently isolated species are Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria innocua. In this study, the presence of Listeria spp. in raw chicken meat and chicken-related products sold in local markets in Klang Valley, Malaysia was investigated. A total of 44 Listeria strains (42 L. innocua and 2 L. welshimeri) were isolated from 106 samples. Antibiotic susceptibility tests of the L. innocua strains revealed a high prevalence of resistance to clindamycin (92.9%), ceftriaxone (76.2%), ampicillin (73.8%), tetracycline (69%), and penicillin G (66.7%). Overall, 31 L. innocua and 1 L. welshimeri strain were multidrug resistant, i.e., nonsusceptible to at least one antimicrobial agent in three or more antibiotic classes. The majority of the L. innocua strains were placed into five AscI pulsogroups, and overall 26 distinct AscI pulsotypes were identified. The detection of multidrug-resistant Listeria strains from different food sources and locations warrants attention because these strains could serve as reservoirs for antimicrobial resistance genes and may facilitate the spread and emergence of other drug-resistant strains.
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.
The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence, characteristics and antimicrobial resistance of Listeria spp. isolated from bovine clinical mastitis in Iran. Listeria spp. were detected in 21/207 bovine mastitic milk samples from dairy farms in Iran, comprising L. monocytogenes (n=17), L. innocua (n=3) and L. ivanovii (n=1). L. monocytogenes isolates were grouped into serogroups '4b, 4d, 4e', '1/2a, 3a', '1/2b, 3b, 7' and '1/2c, 3c'; all harboured inlA, inlC and inlJ virulence genes. Listeria spp. were most frequently resistant to penicillin G (14/21 isolates, 66.7%) and tetracyclines (11/21 isolates, 52.4%).
The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Listeria, Salmonella, and Yersinia spp. isolated from duck and goose intestinal contents. A total of 471 samples, including 291 duck and 180 goose intestinal contents, were purchased from wet markets between November 2008 and July 2010. Listeria, Salmonella, and Yersinia spp. were isolated from 58 (12.3%), 107 (22.7%), and 80 (17%) of the samples, respectively. It was concluded that Listeria ivanovii, Salmonella Thompson, and Yersinia enterocolitica were the predominant serovars among Listeria, Salmonella, and Yersinia spp., respectively. Moreover, resistance to tetracycline was common in Listeria (48.3%) and Salmonella spp. (63.6%), whereas 51.3% of the Yersinia spp. isolates were resistant to cephalothin. Therefore, continued surveillance of the prevalence of the pathogens and also of emerging antibiotic resistance is needed to render possible the recognition of foods that may represent risks and also ensure the effective treatment of listeriosis, salmonellosis, and yersiniosis.