Published in Scientific Works. C Series. Veterinary Medicine, Vol. LVIII ISSUE 3
Written by Marius Eduard Caplan, Lorena Andreea Mateescu, Alina Maria Holban
Listeria monocytogenes is an emerging bacterial foodborne pathogen responsible for listeriosis outbreaks. Frequently, listeriosis is transmitted through cured or processed meat, poultry, fish, seafood, dairy products, vegetables. This illness is characterized by septicaemia, meningitis, encephalitis and abortive disease (stillbirth or premature birth of the fetus). Listeria monocytogenes isolates from raw and processed meat were studied for the production of cell associated (adherence to HEp-2 cells) and enzymatic virulence factors, i.e.: pore forming toxins (hemolysine, lecithinase, lipase) and exoenzymes (gelatinase, amylase, caseinase, esculinase, DNase). The majority of the tested strains revealed adherece to HEp-2 cells with a predominant diffuse-aggregative pattern, as well as hemolysine, esculinase, caseinase and lipase. All L. monocytogenes strains harbored the hlyA gene. The presence of different virulence features in L. monocytogenes strains isolated from food products may explain the implication of these strains in the occurrence of severe illness.
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Listeria monocytogenes
