Genomic characterization of Listeria spp. isolated from wild deer and boars' tonsils.

This study highlights the need for monitoring Lm environmental contamination and the importance of tonsils as a possible Lm intra-host reservoir.Importance: Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) is a foodborne bacterial pathogen responsible for listeriosis. Whole genome sequencing has been extensively used in public health and food industries to characterize circulating Listeria isolates, but genomic data on isolates occurring in natural environments and wild animals is still scarce. Here, we show that wild animals carry pathogenic Listeria and that the same genotypes can be found at different time points in different host species. This work highlights the need of Listeria spp. monitoring of environmental contamination and the importance of tonsils as a possible Lm intra-host reservoir.
PMID: 33397708 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Source: Applied and Environmental Microbiology - January 4, 2021 Category: Microbiology Authors: Palacios-Gorba C, Moura A, Leclercq A, Gómez-Martín Á, Gomis J, Jiménez-Trigos E, Mocé ML, Lecuit M, Quereda JJ Tags: Appl Environ Microbiol Source Type: research