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The Journal of Biological Chemistry Oct 2023Listeriosis, caused by infection with Listeria monocytogenes, is a severe disease with a high mortality rate. The L. monocytogenes virulence factor, internalin family...
Listeriosis, caused by infection with Listeria monocytogenes, is a severe disease with a high mortality rate. The L. monocytogenes virulence factor, internalin family protein InlA, which binds to the host receptor E-cadherin, is necessary to invade host cells. Here, we isolated two single-domain antibodies (VHs) that bind to InlA with picomolar affinities from an alpaca immune library using the phage display method. These InlA-specific VHs inhibited the binding of InlA to the extracellular domains of E-cadherin in vitro as shown by biophysical interaction analysis. Furthermore, we determined that the VHs inhibited the invasion of L. monocytogenes into host cells in culture. High-resolution X-ray structure analyses of the complexes of VHs with InlA revealed that the VHs bind to the same binding site as E-cadherin against InlA. We conclude that these VHs have the potential for use as drugs to treat listeriosis.
PubMed: 37716701
DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105254 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2023is a foodborne pathogen that can produce serious, even fatal, infections. Among other foods, it can be found in unpasteurized dairy and ready-to-eat products....
is a foodborne pathogen that can produce serious, even fatal, infections. Among other foods, it can be found in unpasteurized dairy and ready-to-eat products. Surveillance of is of great interest since sources of infection are difficult to determine due to the long incubation period, and because the symptoms of listeriosis are similar to other diseases. We performed a genomic study of isolated from fresh cheeses and clinical samples from Ecuador. Sixty-five isolates were evaluated and sequenced, 14 isolates from cheese samples and 20 from clinical listeriosis cases from the National Institute of National Institute of Public Health Research, and 31 isolates from artisanal cheese samples from 8 provinces. All isolates exhibited heterogeneous patterns of the presence of pathogenicity islands. All isolates exhibited at least 4 genes from LIPI-1, but all references (26 closed genomes available in the NCBI database) showed the complete island, which encompasses 5 genes but is present in only two Ecuadorian isolates. Most isolates lacked gene . Genes from LIPI-2 were absent in all isolates. LIPI-3 and LIPI-4 were present in only a few references and isolates. With respect to the stress survival islets, our samples either presented SSI-1 or SSI-F2365, except for one isolate that presented SSI-F2365 and also one gene from SSI-1. None of the samples presented SSI-2. The predominant ST (sequence type) was ST2 (84.62% 55/65), and the only ST found in food (93.33% 42/45) and clinical samples (65% 13/20). Isolates were not grouped according to their sampling origin, date, or place in a phylogenetic tree obtained from the core alignment. The presence of ST2 in food and clinical samples, with high genomic similarity, suggests a foodborne infection risk linked to the consumption of fresh cheeses in Ecuador.
PubMed: 38179446
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1278860 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2023According to the latest WHO estimates (2015) of the global burden of foodborne diseases, is responsible for one of the most serious foodborne infections and commonly... (Review)
Review
According to the latest WHO estimates (2015) of the global burden of foodborne diseases, is responsible for one of the most serious foodborne infections and commonly results in severe clinical outcomes. The 2013 French MONALISA prospective cohort identified that women born in Africa has a 3-fold increase in the risk of maternal neonatal listeriosis. One of the largest outbreaks occurred in South Africa in 2017-2018 with over 1,000 cases. Moreover, recent findings identified in human breast milk in Mali and Senegal with its relative abundance positively correlated with severe acute malnutrition. These observations suggest that the carriage of in Africa should be further explored, starting with the existing literature. For that purpose, we searched the peer-reviewed and grey literature published dating back to 1926 to date using six databases. Ultimately, 225 articles were included in this review. We highlighted that is detected in various sample types including environmental samples, food samples as well as animal and human samples. These studies were mostly conducted in five east African countries, four west African countries, four north African countries, and two Southern African countries. Moreover, only ≈ 0.2% of the genomes available on NCBI were obtained from African samples, contracted with its detection. The pangenome resulting from the African samples revealed three clusters including two from South-African strains as well as one consisting of the strains isolated from breast milk in Mali and Senegal and, a vaginal post-miscarriage sample. This suggests there was a clonal complex circulating in Mali and Senegal. As this clone has not been associated to infections, further studies should be conducted to confirm its circulation in the region and explore its association with foodborne infections. Moreover, it is apparent that more resources should be allocated to the detection of as only 15/54 countries have reported its detection in the literature. It seems paramount to map the presence and carriage of in all African countries to prevent listeriosis outbreaks and the related miscarriages and confirm its association with severe acute malnutrition.
PubMed: 38173673
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1213953 -
Enfermedades Infecciosas Y... Jan 2024Listeria monocytogenes infection is a severe disease affecting mainly aged people and patients with immune depression. The incidence of listeriosis seems to be...
INTRODUCTION
Listeria monocytogenes infection is a severe disease affecting mainly aged people and patients with immune depression. The incidence of listeriosis seems to be increasing. In the present study cases of listeriosis from two hospitals are analyzed with the aims of studying changes in its incidence, clinical forms of presentation and possible factors associated with mortality.
METHODS
Retrospective multicentric study of patients with culture-proven listeriosis in two university hospitals in Madrid between 1977 and 2021. Epidemiological and clinical variables, as well as factors for immune depression, complementary studies and treatments were registered. Factors associated with mortality were analyzed.
RESULTS
A total of 194 cases of listeriosis were analyzed. The incidence of listeriosis among in-patients increased through the study period, with a significant drop in the number of cases in 2020. The most common clinical presentations were isolated bacteriemia (37.1%) and central nervous system involvement (CNS) (36.6%). Symptoms of gastroenteritis occurred in 21% of cases. Other focal infections were present in 16.5% of patients, the most frequent were spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (8.2%), cholecystitis (2.1%), respiratory infection (1.5%) and vascular prothesis infection (1.5%). In-hospital mortality was 24.7%. Independent factors associated with mortality at admission were age (Odds Ratio [OR] 1.027, 95% confidence interval [IC95%] 1.003-1.056) and a diagnosis of a solid tumor (OR 3.525, IC95% 1.652-7.524).
CONCLUSIONS
This study confirms an increasing incidence of listeriosis in our millieu. The most common clinical presentations were isolated bacteriemia and central nervous system involvement. In-hospital mortality was associated with age and the diagnosis of a solid tumor.
Topics: Humans; Aged; Listeria monocytogenes; Retrospective Studies; Prognosis; Listeriosis; Bacteremia; Neoplasms
PubMed: 36646589
DOI: 10.1016/j.eimce.2023.01.002 -
Emerging Microbes & Infections Dec 2024The prevalence of listeriosis in China has been increasing in recent years. Listeriosis primarily spreads through contaminated food. However, the resilient causative...
The prevalence of listeriosis in China has been increasing in recent years. Listeriosis primarily spreads through contaminated food. However, the resilient causative organism, , and its extended incubation period pose challenges in identifying risk factors associated with food consumption and food-handling habits. This study aimed to identify the risk factors associated with food consumption and food-handling habits for listeriosis in China. A matched case-control study (1:1 ratio) was conducted, which enrolled all eligible cases of listeriosis between 1 January 2013 and 31 December 2022 in China. Basic information and possible risk factors associated with food consumption and food-handling habits were collected. Overall, 359 patients were enrolled, including 208 perinatal and 151 non-perinatal cases. Univariate and multivariable logistic analyzes were performed for the perinatal group. For the perinatal and non-perinatal groups, ice cream and Chinese cold dishes were the high-risk foods for listeriosis (odds ratio (OR) 2.09 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.23-3.55; OR 3.17 95% CI: 1.29-7.81), respectively; consumption of leftovers and pet ownership were the high-risk food-handling habits (OR 1.92 95% CI: 1.03-3.59; OR 3.00 95% CI: 1.11-8.11), respectively. In both groups, separation of raw and cooked foods was a protective factor (OR 0.27 95% CI: 0.14-0.51; OR 0.35 95% CI: 0.14-0.89), while refrigerator cleaning reduced the infection risk by 64.94-70.41% only in the perinatal group. The identification of high-risk foods and food-handling habits for listeriosis is important for improving food safety guidelines for vulnerable populations.
Topics: Pregnancy; Female; Humans; Case-Control Studies; Food Microbiology; Listeriosis; Listeria monocytogenes; Risk Factors; China; Habits
PubMed: 38341870
DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2024.2307520 -
Infectious Diseases and Therapy Jun 2024Listeriosis is a severe food-borne disease caused by Listeria monocytogenes infection. The data of listeriosis in Xi'an population are limited. The aim of this study is...
INTRODUCTION
Listeriosis is a severe food-borne disease caused by Listeria monocytogenes infection. The data of listeriosis in Xi'an population are limited. The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical features and fatality risk factors for listeriosis in three tertiary-care hospitals in Xi'an, China METHODS: The characteristics of demographic data, underlying diseases, clinical manifestations, laboratory indicators, cranial imaging examination, antibiotics therapeutic schemes, and clinical outcomes were collected between 2011 and 2023. Logistic regression analysis was performed.
RESULTS
Seventy-one etiologically confirmed listeriosis patients were enrolled, including 12 neonatal and 59 non-neonatal cases. The majority of neonatal listeriosis presented as preterm (50%) and fetal distress (75%). The main clinical manifestations of non-neonatal listeriosis included fever (88%), headache (32%), disorder of consciousness (25%), vomiting (17%), abdominal pain (12%), and convulsions (8%). The fatality rate in neonatal cases was higher than in non-neonatal listeriosis (42 vs. 17%). Although no deaths were reported in maternal listeriosis, only two of 23 patients had an uneventful obstetrical outcome. Five maternal listeriosis delivered culture-positive neonates, three of whom decreased within 1 week post-gestation due to severe complications. Twenty-eight cases were neurolisteriosis and 43 cases were bacteremia. Neurolisteriosis had a higher fatality rate compared with bacteremia listeriosis (36 vs. 12%). The main neuroradiological images were cerebral edema/hydrocephalus, intracranial infection, and cerebral hernia. Listeria monocytogenes showed extremely low resistance to ampicillin (two isolates) and penicillin (one isolate). The fatality risk factors were the involvement of the central nervous system, hyperbilirubinemia, and hyponatremia for all enrolled subjects. Hyperuricemia contributed to the elevation of fatality risk in non-neonatal listeriosis.
CONCLUSIONS
When the patients suffered with symptoms of fever and central nervous system infection, they should be alert to the possibility of listeriosis. Early administration of ampicillin- or penicillin-based therapy might be beneficial for recovery of listeriosis.
PubMed: 38733495
DOI: 10.1007/s40121-024-00986-3 -
Emerging Infectious Diseases Dec 2023Genomic data on the foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes from Central America are scarce. We analyzed 92 isolates collected during 2009-2019 from different regions...
Genomic data on the foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes from Central America are scarce. We analyzed 92 isolates collected during 2009-2019 from different regions in Costa Rica, compared those to publicly available genomes, and identified unrecognized outbreaks. Our findings suggest mandatory reporting of listeriosis in Costa Rica would improve pathogen surveillance.
Topics: Humans; Listeria monocytogenes; Foodborne Diseases; Costa Rica; Food Microbiology; Listeriosis; Disease Outbreaks
PubMed: 37987595
DOI: 10.3201/eid2912.230774 -
Journal of Veterinary Research Dec 2023is one of the most dangerous food-borne pathogens and is responsible for human listeriosis, a severe disease with a high mortality rate, especially among the elderly,...
is one of the most dangerous food-borne pathogens and is responsible for human listeriosis, a severe disease with a high mortality rate, especially among the elderly, pregnant women and newborns. Therefore, this bacterium has an important impact on food safety and public health. It is able to survive and even grow in a temperature range from -0.4°C to 45°C, a broad pH range from 4.6 to 9.5 and at a relatively low water activity (a < 0.90), and tolerates salt content up to 20%. It is also resistant to ultraviolet light, biocides and heavy metals and forms biofilm structures on a variety of surfaces in food-production environments. These features make it difficult to remove and allow it to persist for a long time, increasing the risk of contamination of food-production facilities and ultimately of food. In the present review, the key mechanisms of the pathogen's survival and stress adaptation have been presented. This information may grant better understanding of bacterial adaptation to food environmental conditions.
PubMed: 38130454
DOI: 10.2478/jvetres-2023-0068 -
Veterinary Medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) 2024Listeriosis is an important foodborne zoonotic disease affecting humans and animals in Ethiopia. This review aims to synthesize the epidemiology, prevalence,... (Review)
Review
Listeriosis is an important foodborne zoonotic disease affecting humans and animals in Ethiopia. This review aims to synthesize the epidemiology, prevalence, distribution, and antimicrobial resistance of Listeria species in the country. The literature reveals a widespread occurrence of Listeria infection in humans, animals, and food products, with an average prevalence of 21.6% for Listeria species and 6.9% for . Three sequence types (STs) of (2, 145, and 18) and twelve STs of (1489, 1619, 603, 537, 1010, 3186, 492, 3007, 1087, 474, 1008, and 637) were reported from milk and dairy products. Contamination rates ranged from 4.1% to 42.9% across livestock, dairy, slaughterhouses, and processing facilities, indicating faults in production practices. Sporadic human listeriosis outbreaks have occurred since 1967, causing meningitis, perinatal infections, and deaths, with recent studies showing isolation in up to 10.4% of febrile patients, confirming foodborne transmission. Non-pathogenic Listeria species were also common on farms and in facilities. Ovine listeriosis poses a threat to Ethiopia's sheep and goat industries, with over 40% seroprevalence in some herds. Comprehensive control measures across the food chain are needed to curb contamination and protect public health. Isolates from various foods show antibiotic resistance to first-line agents but susceptibility to others like gentamicin and cephalosporins. In conclusion, this review synthesizes evidence on Listeria distribution in Ethiopia's food system and disease burden, highlighting the need for improved food safety policies and awareness.
PubMed: 38601062
DOI: 10.2147/VMRR.S451837 -
Journal of Food Protection Jun 2024In recent years, there have been numerous recalls of frozen vegetable products due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination, which causes listeriosis. In pregnant women,...
In recent years, there have been numerous recalls of frozen vegetable products due to Listeria monocytogenes contamination, which causes listeriosis. In pregnant women, listeriosis can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, and other serious complications. Manufacturing guidelines are created with the intention that frozen vegetables will be cooked prior to consumption. However, consumers may prepare and eat frozen vegetables without prior cooking. Therefore, it is necessary to assess behaviors that could be risky for L. monocytogenes exposure. A 10-question online survey was distributed to women between the ages of 18-54 to investigate frozen vegetable consumption behaviors. The prevalence of uncooked frozen vegetable consumption, reading preparation instructions, and listeriosis knowledge was assessed. Data were analyzed using logistic and ordered logit regression. Of 1,001 complete responses, 531 (53%) indicated that they consumed frozen vegetables in the past week, and of those 35.6% (n = 189) indicated that they consumed frozen vegetables without prior heating. Women who had not heard of listeriosis and had not read preparation instructions had significantly higher odds of uncooked frozen vegetable consumption (Odds Ratio (OR): 2.30, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.48, 3.55; OR: 1.85, 95% CI: 1.13, 3.01, respectively). These results will guide future research on safe food handling practices for frozen vegetable products. The findings support the need for updating public health guidelines to include frozen vegetables as foods that are risky for listeriosis in pregnancy. Additionally, these findings have implications for future research to inform food policy governing labeling regulation on frozen vegetable products to reflect current consumer behavior.
PubMed: 38871223
DOI: 10.1016/j.jfp.2024.100315