Objective. To perform a comparative analysis of clinical and food isolates of Listeria monocytogenes collected in the European part of Russia in 2018–2019. Materials and Methods. We used multilocus sequencing (MLST), supplemented by virulence loci, including fragments of internalin genes (MvLST, Multi-virulent-locus sequence typing), followed by phylogenetic analysis. Results. The main diagnoses for clinical isolates were prenatal and neonatal listeriosis and meningitis. Clinical isolates predominantly belonged to phylogenetic line II with the predominance of ST7, which was also the most abundant in food isolates. The second most common occurrence in food isolates was ST121, widely distributed in Europe. Isolates of phylogenetic line I in the group of clinical cultures in three cases were represented by ST6, detected during outbreaks of listeriosis in Europe 2015–2018 and South Africa in 2017–2018. Only in one isolate from food belonged to the phylogenetic lineage I. In general, the diversity of food isolate genotypes was significantly higher than clinical isolates. The analysis of virulence loci revealed a new internalin A allele and a new internalin genes profile (IP) in isolate ST7 from food. Conclusions. L. monocytogenes of the most common ST7 is autochthonous in Russia; cases of listeriosis caused by the ST6 bacterium are most likely imported. Based on the analysis of the diversity of ST and IP of L. monocytogenes identified in Russia, a rapid diagnosis scheme for epidemiological investigation is proposed.

Introduction. Listeriosis is a foodborne infection, especially dangerous for people in at-risk groups. Susceptibility to listeria infection is determined by a complex of reasons: environmental factors, host immune status, and pathogen virulence. The susceptibility to listeriosis can also be aggravated by previous infections, especially viral infections, which demonstrate a steadily increasing number of identified pathogens.The aim of our study was to present molecular and genetic characterization of pathogens causing sporadic invasive listeriosis in a megalopolis, primarily during the peak of influenza and ARVI incidence.Materials and methods. Listeria monocytogenes isolates were collected from 18 hospitalized patients at hospitals in Moscow, from November 2018 to October 2019. The first comparison group was represented by isolates from food products and fish preserves. The second comparison group included previously examined environmental isolates. The clinical isolates were examined by using multilocus sequence typing techniques, including the standard MLST scheme extended by loci of internalin genes. Isolates of the autochthonous genotype (ST7) were compared through whole-genome sequencing and subsequent analysis of the core genome (cgMLST).Results. In cases of invasive listeriosis, 44% of isolates were isolated from patients with listeriosis; 27% of isolates were obtained from patients with meningitis. L. monocytogenes of phylogenetic lineage II prevailed in these groups of cases that occurred when the epidemic threshold for influenza was crossed during the 2018/2019 season. Listeria pneumonia identified in the senior age group occurred during the season of autumn ARVI and was primarily caused by L. monocytogenes of phylogenetic lineage I. The examination of genomes of ST7 isolates demonstrated identity between the core genomes of bacteria isolated from the mother-infant pair. Out of ST7 food isolates most closely related to the clinical ones was the isolate from meat (23 locus differences, the common deletion in the MFS transporter locus). Analyzing invasive listeriosis, the comparison between the list of the identified genotypes and the data from European countries showed that each country had its own specific range of genotypes, though ST7 was detected in all the examined samples.Conclusions. Along with the monitoring of food manufacturing and storage, timely vaccination against seasonal respiratory infections and use of personal protective equipment in public spaces can reduce the risk of listeriosis incidence in at-risk groups.

Invasive listeriosis is relatively rare, but is one of the deadliest food-borne infections, affecting pregnant women, their fetuses and newborn infants, the elderly and immunocompromised people. The aim of this study was to research the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on invasive listeriosis in the metropolis. Loci and whole-genome sequencing with subsequent bioinformatic analysis were used for the study of clinical and food Listeria monocytogenes isolates revealed in 2018–2022. The results indicate the crucial change in the spectrum of the L. monocytogenes sequence types (ST) causing invasive listeriosis during the COVID-19 pandemic, with slight changes in the ST spectrum of the food isolates. An increase in sensitivity to previously non-human L. monocytogenes genotypes, namely ST8, 20, 21, 37, 391, and 425, was observed. L. monocytogenes of ST20 and 425 carried plasmids with virulence factors (VF), in addition to the 42 VF identified in the genomes with the vip gene exclusion in the genomes of ST7, 8, 21, and 37. Perinatal listeriosis cases were associated with the new hypervirulent L. monocytogenes of ST1, 4, and 219 compiled with old ST6. These data indicate the need for the more stringent control of food products for high-risk groups.

Федеральное государственное бюджетное образовательное учреждение высшего образования «Первый Московский государственный медицинский университет имени И.М.Сеченова» Министерства здравоохранения Российской Федерации: 119991, Москва, ул. Трубецкая, 8, стр. 2; 2-Федеральное государственное бюджетное учреждение «Научно-исследовательский институт пульмонологии Федерального медико-биологического агентства»: 115682, Москва, Ореховый бульвар, 28; 3-Федеральное бюджетное учреждение здравоохранения «Центр гигиены и эпидемиологии в городе Москве»: 123317, Москва, Красногвардейский бульвар, 17, стр. 1 Информация об авторах Груздева Ольга Александровна-к. м. н., доцент кафедры эпидемиологии Института послевузовского образования Федерального государственного бюджетного образовательного учреждения высшего образования «Первый Московский государственный медицинский университет имени И.М.Сеченова» Министерства здравоохранения Российской Федерации, главный врач Филиала Федерального бюджетного учреждения здравоохранения «Центр гигиены и эпидемиологии в городе Москве» в Центральном административном округе г. Москвы; тел.:

The COVID-19 outbreak represents a global public health emergency. National governments have gradually introduced restrictive measures. Using respiratory protective equipment (face masks) and gloves was essential practice without specific infection control measures or guidelines. This study aimed to assess hygiene indicators when using gloves by transport workers in Russia during the COVID-19 pandemic and to develop integral indicators and recommendations for wearing gloves for workers for whom this is a mandatory requirement. For this purpose, 1103 transport workers were surveyed using a questionnaire. We investigated the hygiene aspects of gloves and evaluated the bacterial contamination of the contact side of the gloves based on the wash results. We assessed the socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents, the duration of the work shift, the frequency of use of types of gloves, skin manifestations, the degree of comfort, and bacterial growth. We carried out the ranking according to comfort, the absence of adverse dermatological reactions when wearing gloves, and bacterial contamination of the inner surface of the gloves. It has been identified that it is necessary to use a comprehensive assessment of gloves to create a register of protective equipment, taking into account the frequency with which it was worn, the severity of the skin condition, comfort, and bacterial contamination.