1
|
Tirloni E, Centorotola G, Pomilio F, Torresi M, Bernardi C, Stella S. Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat (RTE) delicatessen foods: Prevalence, genomic characterization of isolates and growth potential. Int J Food Microbiol 2024; 410:110515. [PMID: 38064894 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2023.110515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated Listeria monocytogenes prevalence and count in 132 ready-to-eat (RTE) delicatessen samples belonging to different categories (starters with/without mayonnaise pasta/rice-based courses, meat/fish-based main courses) produced by an Italian industry. Whole Genome Sequencing characterized the isolates to map the pathogen circulation. Moreover, the growth potential of L. monocytogenes in the most contaminated product was investigated by a challenge test. L. monocytogenes was detected in 23 samples, giving an estimated prevalence of 17.4 %. Starters with mayonnaise showed a very high prevalence (56.7 %), showing the role of the sauce in the diffusion of the pathogen within the plant. A total of 49 isolates were obtained; they belonged to two different serogroups, IIb and IIa, and were related to two clonal complexes (CCs) and sequence types (STs) (CC288-ST330 and CC121-ST717), suggesting the possible persistence and circulation of the pathogen within the plant. The results of the challenge test showed a limited ability to grow in the selected product thanks to the presence of lactic microflora.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- E Tirloni
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of Milan, via dell'Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy.
| | - G Centorotola
- IZSAM, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise G. Caporale, via Campo Boario, Teramo 64100, Italy
| | - F Pomilio
- IZSAM, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise G. Caporale, via Campo Boario, Teramo 64100, Italy
| | - M Torresi
- IZSAM, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise G. Caporale, via Campo Boario, Teramo 64100, Italy
| | - C Bernardi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of Milan, via dell'Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy
| | - S Stella
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of Milan, via dell'Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Centorotola G, Ziba MW, Cornacchia A, Chiaverini A, Torresi M, Guidi F, Cammà C, Bowa B, Mtonga S, Magambwa P, D’Alterio N, Scacchia M, Pomilio F, Muuka G. Listeria monocytogenes in ready to eat meat products from Zambia: phenotypical and genomic characterization of isolates. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1228726. [PMID: 37711697 PMCID: PMC10498467 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1228726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The contamination of ready to eat foods (RTE) products due to Listeria monocytogenes could compromise the products safety becoming a great risk for the consumers. The high presence of L. monocytogenes in RTE products has been described worldwide, but few data are available about these products from African countries. The aims of this study were to report the presence of L. monocytogenes in Zambian RTE products, providing genomic characterization and data on similarity with African circulating strains using whole genome sequencing (WGS). A total of 304 RTE products, produced by different Zambian manufacturers, were purchased at retail, from major supermarkets located in Lusaka, Zambia, comprising 130 dairy and 174 meat products. L. monocytogenes was detected only in 18 (10.3%) RTE meat products of the 174 samples tested. The MLST analysis grouped the 18 L. monocytogenes isolates in 7 clonal complexes (CCs): CC1 (n = 5), CC2 (n = 4), CC9 (n = 4), CC5 (n = 2), CC121 (n = 1), CC155 (n = 1), and CC3 (n = 1). According to the cgMLST results, several clusters were detected, in particular belonging to hyper-virulent clones CC1 and CC2. Regarding the virulence factors, a complete L. monocytogenes Pathogenicity Island 3 (LIPI-3) was present both in the CC1 and CC3, in addition to LIPI-1. Several resistance genes and mobile genetic elements were detected, including Stress Islands, the bcrABC cassette and Tn6188_qac transposon, plasmids and intact prophages. Despite being a first preliminary work with a limited number of samples and isolates, this study helped to increase existing knowledge on contaminated RTE products in Zambia, confirming the presence of hyper-virulent L. monocytogenes CCs, which could play an important role in human diseases, posing a public health concern for consumers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriella Centorotola
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise “G. Caporale”, Teramo, Italy
| | - Maureen Wakwamba Ziba
- Central Veterinary Research Institute, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Alessandra Cornacchia
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise “G. Caporale”, Teramo, Italy
| | - Alexandra Chiaverini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise “G. Caporale”, Teramo, Italy
| | - Marina Torresi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise “G. Caporale”, Teramo, Italy
| | - Fabrizia Guidi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise “G. Caporale”, Teramo, Italy
| | - Cesare Cammà
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise “G. Caporale”, Teramo, Italy
| | - Benson Bowa
- Central Veterinary Research Institute, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Samson Mtonga
- Central Veterinary Research Institute, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Phelly Magambwa
- Central Veterinary Research Institute, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Nicola D’Alterio
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise “G. Caporale”, Teramo, Italy
| | - Massimo Scacchia
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise “G. Caporale”, Teramo, Italy
| | - Francesco Pomilio
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise “G. Caporale”, Teramo, Italy
| | - Geoffrey Muuka
- Central Veterinary Research Institute, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Lusaka, Zambia
| |
Collapse
|