Genomic characterization of Listeria monocytogenes recovered from dairy facilities in British Columbia, Canada from 2007 to 2017

Abstract

Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen of concern in dairy processing facilities, with the potential to cause human illness and trigger regulatory actions if found in the product. Monitoring for Listeria spp. through environmental sampling is recommended to prevent establishment of these microorganisms in dairy processing environments, thereby reducing the risk of product contamination. To inform on L. monocytogenes diversity and transmission, we analyzed genome sequences of L. monocytogenes strains (n = 88) obtained through the British Columbia Dairy Inspection Program. Strains were recovered from five different dairy processing facilities over a 10 year period (2007–2017). Analysis of whole genome sequences (WGS) grouped the isolates into nine sequence types and 11 cgMLST types (CT). The majority of isolates (93%) belonged to lineage II. Within each CT, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) differences ranged from 0 to 237 between isolates. A highly similar (0–16 SNPs) cluster of over 60 isolates, collected over 9 years within one facility (#71), was identified suggesting a possible persistent population. Analyses of genome content revealed a low frequency of genes associated with stress tolerance, with the exception of widely disseminated cadmium resistance genes cadA1 and cadA2. The distribution of virulence genes and mutations within internalin genes varied across the isolates and facilities. Further studies are needed to elucidate their phenotypic effect on pathogenicity and stress response. These findings demonstrate the diversity of L. monocytogenes isolates across dairy facilities in the same region. Findings also showed the utility of using WGS to discern potential persistence events within a single facility over time.

Microbiological Assessment of Dairy Products Produced by Small-Scale Dairy Producers in Serbia

“…However, the contamination of products with L. monocytogenes can also originate from the dairy environment, with positive samples often detected on non-food contact surfaces, such as walls and floors, as well as on food contact surfaces [94]. The persistence of L. monocytogenes in dairy products and facilities has been documented [27,95], raising concerns about possible contamination along the dairy supply chain, especially in traditional dairy products. The contaminated kajmak samples from our study underline this concern, as these products are made from pasteurized milk, indicating post-pasteurization contamination.…”