Abstract
In the present study, 100 L. monocytogenes isolates of serogroup IIa from food and food production environments in Poland were characterized towards the presence of virulence, resistance, and stress response genes using whole-genome sequencing (WGS). The strains were also molecularly typed and compared with multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) and core genome MLST analyses. The present isolates were grouped into 6 sublineages (SLs), with the most prevalent SL155 (33 isolates), SL121 (32 isolates), and SL8 (28 isolates) and classified into six clonal complexes, with the most prevalent CC155 (33 strains), CC121 (32 isolates), and CC8 (28 strains). Furthermore, the strains were grouped to eight sequence types, with the most prevalent ST155 (33 strains), ST121 (30 isolates), and ST8 (28; strains) followed by 60 cgMLST types (CTs). WGS data showed the presence of several virulence genes or putative molecular markers playing a role in pathogenesis of listeriosis and involved in survival of L. monocytogenes in adverse environmental conditions. Some of the present strains were molecularly closely related to L. monocytogenes previously isolated in Poland. The results of the study showed that food and food production environments may be a source of L. monocytogenes of serogroup IIa with pathogenic potential.
Highlights
Listeria monocytogenes is responsible for a foodborne disease in humans called listeriosis, which is characterized by a high mortality rate [1–4]
Analysis of whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data of the 100 L. monocytogenes isolates allowed to classify them into 6 clonal complexes (Figure 1)
Three main clonal complexes (CCs) identified covered the vast majority of the isolates, i.e., CC155 (33; 33.5%), CC121 (32; 32.0%), and CC8 (28; 28.0%), and they were originated from all sources tested
Summary
Listeria monocytogenes is responsible for a foodborne disease in humans called listeriosis, which is characterized by a high mortality rate [1–4]. Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) report, in 2020, a total of 1876 confirmed listeriosis cases in humans in the European. With the notification rate of 0.42 per 100,000 population, were noted [5]. 62 infections (0.16 notification rate) were identified in Poland. L. monocytogenes is widespread in the environment, including food production areas, and many different kinds of foods were linked to human infection [6,7]. L. monocytogenes is classified into four evolutionary lines (I, II, III, and IV) and four molecular serogroups (IIa, IIc, IIb, and IVb), which cover different serotypes (1/2a, 3a, 1/2c, 3c, 1/2b, 3b, 4b, 4d, and 4e) [8–10]. Several studies have indicated strains divergence regarding their ability to persist in the environment as well as their virulence potential [10]
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