Reservoirs of Listeria Species in Three Environmental Ecosystems

Linke, Kristina; Rückerl, Irene; Brugger, Katharina; Karpíšková, Renata; Walland, Julia Gianna Marlene; Muri-Klinger, Sonja; Tichy, Alexander; Wagner, Martin; Stessl, Beatrix

doi:10.1128/aem.01018-14

Cited by 155 publications

(165 citation statements)

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“…Numerous studies (8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21) have examined the ecology of foodborne pathogens in agricultural environments, and several (22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27) have used GIS and geospatial analysis. For example, Chapin et al (26) used GIS to organize and extract remotely sensed data to show that different species of Listeria occupy distinct ecological niches in agricultural and natural environments.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Validation of a Previously Developed Geospatial Model That Predicts the Prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in New York State Produce Fields

Weller

Shiwakoti

Bergholz

et al. 2016

Appl Environ Microbiol

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dTechnological advancements, particularly in the field of geographic information systems (GIS), have made it possible to predict the likelihood of foodborne pathogen contamination in produce production environments using geospatial models. Yet, few studies have examined the validity and robustness of such models. This study was performed to test and refine the rules associated with a previously developed geospatial model that predicts the prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in produce farms in New York State (NYS). Produce fields for each of four enrolled produce farms were categorized into areas of high or low predicted L. monocytogenes prevalence using rules based on a field's available water storage (AWS) and its proximity to water, impervious cover, and pastures. Drag swabs (n ‫؍‬ 1,056) were collected from plots assigned to each risk category. Logistic regression, which tested the ability of each rule to accurately predict the prevalence of L. monocytogenes, validated the rules based on water and pasture. Samples collected near water (odds ratio [OR], 3.0) and pasture (OR, 2.9) showed a significantly increased likelihood of L. monocytogenes isolation compared to that for samples collected far from water and pasture. Generalized linear mixed models identified additional land cover factors associated with an increased likelihood of L. monocytogenes isolation, such as proximity to wetlands. These findings validated a subset of previously developed rules that predict L. monocytogenes prevalence in produce production environments. This suggests that GIS and geospatial models can be used to accurately predict L. monocytogenes prevalence on farms and can be used prospectively to minimize the risk of preharvest contamination of produce.F resh produce presents a unique food safety challenge due to the absence of a kill step between harvest and consumption. An increase in recalls and reported outbreaks linked to fresh produce over the past decade (1-3) have been associated with consumer avoidance of products linked to outbreaks (4, 5). This trend can negatively affect growers and the produce industry (4-6). For example, following a 2011 listeriosis outbreak in the United States associated with fresh cantaloupe (7), cantaloupe consumption dropped 53% nationwide (6). The prevention of produce contamination in production environments is therefore a concern for growers, the produce industry, and public health professionals. To develop effective prevention strategies, it is important to understand the ecological processes and environmental factors that affect foodborne pathogen prevalence in produce production environments. Technological advancements, such as geographic information systems (GIS), have the potential to drastically improve our ability to examine these processes and to develop novel tools for ensuring the safety of fresh produce.Numerous studies (8-21) have examined the ecology of foodborne pathogens in agricultural environments, and several (22-27) have used GIS and geospatial analysis. For example, Chapin...

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mentioning

confidence: 99%

Validation of a Previously Developed Geospatial Model That Predicts the Prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in New York State Produce Fields

Weller

Shiwakoti

Bergholz

et al. 2016

Appl Environ Microbiol

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“…Both soil and decaying vegetation can serve as reservoirs of Listeria spp., and the bacteria have resilience under harsh or nutrient-scarce environmental conditions (46,47). Temperature has been shown to play an important role in Listeria survival in soil, and it has a competitive advantage at lower temperatures.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Cover Crop Species and Season on Population Dynamics of Escherichia coli and Listeria innocua in Soil

Reed-Jones

Marine

Everts

et al. 2016

Appl Environ Microbiol

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dCover crops provide several ecosystem services, but their impact on enteric bacterial survival remains unexplored. The influence of cover cropping on foodborne pathogen indicator bacteria was assessed in five cover crop/green manure systems: cereal rye, hairy vetch, crimson clover, hairy vetch-rye and crimson clover-rye mixtures, and bare ground. Cover crop plots were inoculated with Escherichia coli and Listeria innocua in the fall of 2013 and 2014 and tilled into the soil in the spring to form green manure. Soil samples were collected and the bacteria enumerated. Time was a factor for all bacterial populations studied in all fields (P < 0.001). E. coli levels declined when soil temperatures dipped to <5°C and were detected only sporadically the following spring. L. innocua diminished somewhat but persisted, independently of season. In an organic field, the cover crop was a factor for E. coli in year 1 (P ‫؍‬ 0.004) and for L. innocua in year 2 (P ‫؍‬ 0.011). In year 1, E. coli levels were highest in the rye and hairy vetch-rye plots. In year 2, L. innocua levels were higher in hairy vetch-rye (P ‫؍‬ 0.01) and hairy vetch (P ‫؍‬ 0.03) plots than in the rye plot. Bacterial populations grew (P < 0.05) or remained the same 4 weeks after green manure incorporation, although initial reductions in L. innocua numbers were observed after tilling (P < 0.05). Green manure type was a factor only for L. innocua abundance in a transitional field (P < 0.05). Overall, the impacts of cover crops/green manures on bacterial population dynamics in soil varied, being influenced by bacterial species, time from inoculation, soil temperature, rainfall, and tillage; this reveals the need for long-term studies. In agricultural environments, soil can serve as a reservoir and route of transmission for foodborne pathogens (1). Since fresh produce is often consumed raw without a "kill step" to inactivate human-pathogenic microorganisms, it is important to prevent the contamination of these foods during production (2). Growers may implement good agricultural practices (GAPs) to minimize the risk of produce contamination at the preharvest level (3), as this program focuses on on-farm risk factors, including animalbased fertilizers, irrigation water quality, farm worker training and hygiene, and wildlife exclusion. Outbreaks and contamination events, however, continue to occur, emphasizing the need to evaluate the role of other agricultural practices, which thus far have received less attention, on enteric pathogen dynamics on a farm.One such practice is cover cropping, the establishment of a crop, typically a small grain or legume, in between cultivations of a cash crop. In recent years, economic and environmental considerations have renewed interest in this old practice for improving crop productivity and soil health and maintaining the sustainability of agroecosystems (4). Cover cropping brings a variety of ecosystem services to agricultural systems, including seasonal protection of soil from erosion, weed suppression, soil improvement, a...

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“…It has been reported that the isolation frequency of Listeria from surface water was increased after heavy rainfalls, suggesting runoffs and washouts from surrounding surfaces to have a significant influence on the detection of Listeria in water [36,38,64]. Moreover, slope gradients have been reported to impact the detection of Listeria in water samples [35,37,67].…”

Section: Year-round Occurrence Of the Genus Listeriamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…L. monocytogenes has been isolated from different natural surroundings including soil [31,[33][34][35][36][37][38], vegetation [24,36,37], surface water [38][39][40][41][42][43][44] and wild animals [45][46][47][48]. In general, systematic studies concerning the occurrence of L. monocytogenes in soil and fresh water are rare.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Permanent colonization of creek sediments, creek water and limnic water plants by fourListeriaspecies in low population densities

Lang-Halter

Schober

Scherer

2016

Zeitschrift Für Naturforschung C

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During a 1-year longitudinal study, water, sediment and water plants from two creeks and one pond were sampled monthly and analyzed for the presence of Listeria species. A total of 90 % of 30 sediment samples, 84 % of 31 water plant samples and 67 % of 36 water samples were tested positive. Generally, most probable number counts ranged between 1 and 40 g were detected. Species differentiation based on FT-IR spectroscopy and multiplex PCR of a total of 1220 isolates revealed L. innocua (46 %), L. seeligeri (27 %), L. monocytogenes (25 %) and L. ivanovii (2 %). Titers and species compositions were similar during all seasons. While the species distributions in sediments and associated Ranunculus fluitans plants appeared to be similar in both creeks, RAPD typing did not provide conclusive evidence that the populations of these environments were connected. It is concluded that (i) the fresh-water sediments and water plants are year-round populated by Listeria, (ii) no clear preference for growth in habitats as different as sediments and water plants was found and (iii) the RAPD-based intraspecific biodiversity is high compared to the low population density.Keywords: biodiversity; fresh water; Listeria monocytogenes; Listeria spp.; sediment; water plants.Dedication: This work is dedicated to the memory of Professor Peter Böger. His continuous support and thoughtful guidance over many years encouraged the senior author to aim at an academic career in microbial ecology and evolutionary biology.

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Reservoirs of Listeria Species in Three Environmental Ecosystems

Cited by 155 publications

References 57 publications

Validation of a Previously Developed Geospatial Model That Predicts the Prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in New York State Produce Fields

Validation of a Previously Developed Geospatial Model That Predicts the Prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in New York State Produce Fields

Effects of Cover Crop Species and Season on Population Dynamics of Escherichia coli and Listeria innocua in Soil

Permanent colonization of creek sediments, creek water and limnic water plants by fourListeriaspecies in low population densities

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