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Updated: Aug 10, 2026

Oral Transmission of Listeria monocytogenes in Mice via Ingestion of Contaminated Food
Published on: May 6, 2013
Listeria species in domestic environments
R R Beumer1, M C te Giffel, E Spoorenberg
1Agricultural University, Laboratory of Food Microbiology, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
Using a direct isolation method Listeria spp. were detected in 101 (47.4%) of 213 houses investigated. L. monocytogenes was present in 45 houses (21.1%). Listeria spp. occurred at all sampling sites. Dish-cloths (37%) and surface samples round the drain in the bathroom (27.2%) were most frequently contaminated. Highest numbers (c. 10(4) c.f.u./object) were found in dish-cloths and washing-up brushes. Lower levels (up to 10(3) c.f.u./object) were obtained from kitchen sinks, refrigerator vegetable compartment samples and tooth brushes. In total, 132 isolations of Listeria spp. were made from 871 samples. L. innocua (53%) and L. monocytogenes (41%) were the predominant species in the positive samples. Other Listeria spp. were found in only 6% of the positive samples.
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