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Oral Transmission of Listeria monocytogenes in Mice via Ingestion of Contaminated Food
Published on: May 6, 2013
Canadian listeriosis reference service
Franco Pagotto1, Lai-King Ng, Clifford Clark
1Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Health Products and Food Branch, Ontario, Canada. Franco_Pagotto@hc-sc.gc.ca
Foodborne Pathogens and Disease
|April 11, 2006
Summary
The Canadian Listeriosis Reference Service (LRS) is building a molecular database of Listeria monocytogenes isolates to track foodborne illness. This effort aims to reduce listeriosis incidence through improved outbreak investigations and data sharing.
Area of Science:
- Food safety and public health microbiology.
- Molecular epidemiology of foodborne pathogens.
Background:
- Listeria monocytogenes is a significant concern in refrigerated foods due to its ability to grow at low temperatures.
- Listeriosis, primarily transmitted through contaminated food, disproportionately affects high-risk populations.
- The Canadian Listeriosis Reference Service (LRS) was established to address listeriosis through case investigation and isolate collection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a comprehensive molecular epidemiological database of Listeria monocytogenes isolates in Canada.
- To support outbreak investigations, research, and microbiological studies.
- To investigate and implement advanced molecular typing methods for Listeria monocytogenes characterization.
Main Methods:
- Establishing and storing Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) profiles for various Listeria monocytogenes strains (clinical, food, environmental, animal).
- Investigating and implementing diverse molecular typing techniques including Ribotyping, Multi-locus Sequence Typing (MLST), Variable Number of Tandem Repeats (VNTR), Multi-locus virulence sequence typing (MLVA), microarray-based technologies, and sequence-based typing schemes.
- Utilizing PFGE typing for active outbreak investigations.
Main Results:
- A national collection of Listeria monocytogenes isolates is being maintained.
- Molecular epidemiological data, including PFGE profiles, are being generated and stored.
- Various advanced molecular typing methods are under investigation for enhanced isolate characterization.
Conclusions:
- The development of a molecular epidemiological database and the application of advanced typing methods are crucial for understanding and controlling listeriosis.
- Effective data coordination and information exchange are expected to decrease the incidence of listeriosis in Canada.
- Efforts are underway to make human listeriosis a nationally notifiable disease in Canada.
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