Abstract:
Listeria monocytogenes is an important pathogen of public health significance. Isolation and characterization of L. monocytogenes was attempted from the different components of pork production system in the west coast region of India. A total of 501 samples were collected from pig rearing environment (n=146), sick and healthy pigs (n=199), slaughter house environment (n=62), raw pork (n=37) and pork products (n=57). Listeria spp. were isolated from 31 (6.18 percent) samples. The isolates were further subjected to biochemical and genotypic characterization. Out of 31 isolates, 11(2.19 percent) isolates were confirmed as L. monocytogenes, 8 (1.59 percent) as L. innocua, 6 (1.19 percent) as L. seeligeri, 3 (0.59 percent) as L. ivanovii and 3 (0.59 percent) as L. welshimeri. Multiplex PCR based serotyping revealed 10 L. monocytogenes isolates to be of serovar group 4b, 4d, 4c, while, one isolate was of serovar group 1/2b, 3b, 7. PFGE analysis revealed clonality of the strains prevalent in pork production chain and were similar with strains prevalent in India.
