Prevalence, Pathogenicity, Virulence, Antibiotic Resistance, and Phylogenetic Analysis of Biofilm-Producing Listeria monocytogenes Isolated from Different Ecological Niches in Egypt: Food, Humans, Animals, and Environment

Abstract

Serious outbreaks of foodborne disease have been caused by Listeria monocytogenes found in retail delicatessens and the severity of disease is significant, with high hospitalization and mortality rates. Little is understood about the formidable public health threat of L. monocytogenes in all four niches, humans, animals, food, and environment, in Egypt. This study analyzed the presence of L. monocytogenes collected from the four environmental niches and bioinformatics analysis was implemented to analyze and compare the data. PCR was used to detect virulence genes encoded by pathogenicity island (LIPI-1). prfA amino acid substation that causes constitutive expression of virulence was common in 77.7% of isolates. BLAST analysis did not match other isolates in the NCBI database, suggesting this may be a characteristic of the region associated with these isolates. A second group included the NH1 isolate originating in China, and BLAST analysis showed this prfA allele was shared with isolates from other global locations, such as Europe and North America. Identification of possible links and transmission pathways between the four niches helps to decrease the risk of disease in humans, to take more specific control measures in the context of disease prevention, to limit economic losses associated with food recalls, and highlights the need for treatment options.

Prevalence, virulence genes, and antimicrobial resistance profile of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from retail poultry shops in Beni-Suef city, Egypt

“…The prevalence of L. monocytogenes in the present study was slightly higher than the reports of 8.0% by Weber et al [ 28 ], 4.36% by Kalender [ 15 ], 8.0% by Abd El-Malek et al [ 16 ], 7.14% by Al-Ashmawy et al [ 29 ], 4.0% by Awadallah and Suelam [ 30 ], 4.2% by Shaker and Hassanien [ 31 ], and 7.5% by Osman et al [ 32 ]. On the contrary, Rahmat et al [ 33 ] detected the bacterial pathogen in 62.5% of poultry meat samples, and Carvalho et al [ 34 ] detected L .…”

Characterization and Genetic Diversity of Listeria monocytogenes Isolated from Cattle Abortions in Latvia, 2013–2018

“…The main virulence factors like prfA, hly, plcA, inlA, inlB involved in the pathogenesis of L. monocytogenes were observed in all the analyzed isolates. PrfA is a major transcriptional activator of L. monocytogenes virulence genes [47,48]. When L. monocytogenes enters a host cell, it is primarily located in single-membrane vacuoles.…”

Conditions of In Vitro Biofilm Formation by Serogroups of Listeria monocytogenes Isolated from Hass Avocados Sold at Markets in Mexico

“…Montero et al [ 25 ] and Vilchis-Rangel et al [ 38 ] reported similar percentages (20–40%) for LIPI-1 in L. monocytogenes isolates from orange juice, vegetables, and frozen vegetables. Moreover, several studies have reported LIPI-1 in 100% of L. monocytogenes isolates from duck, beef, pork, chicken, vegetables, fried rice, fish, goat meat, pasteurized milk, and yogurt [ 13 , 39 , 40 ]. The wide range of virulence-associated L. monocytogenes genes found in this study could be associated with food type, sources, mechanisms of contamination during food processing and marketing, epidemiological factors, countries, geographical differences, the genetic diversity of strains, and methodologies for the serotyping of L. monocytogenes in food.…”