Molecular Characterization and Antimicrobial Resistance Evaluation of <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> Strains from Food and Human Samples

<i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> is an important foodborne pathogen, markedly persistent even in harsh environments and responsible for high hospitalization and mortality rates. The aim of the present study was to detect the strains circulating in Sicily over a five-year period and characte...

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Main Authors: Annamaria Castello, Vincenzina Alio, Marina Torresi, Gabriella Centorotola, Alexandra Chiaverini, Francesco Pomilio, Ignazio Arrigo, Anna Giammanco, Teresa Fasciana, Marco Francesco Ortoffi, Antonietta Gattuso, Giuseppa Oliveri, Cinzia Cardamone, Antonella Costa
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Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Pathogens
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/14/3/294
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author Annamaria Castello
Vincenzina Alio
Marina Torresi
Gabriella Centorotola
Alexandra Chiaverini
Francesco Pomilio
Ignazio Arrigo
Anna Giammanco
Teresa Fasciana
Marco Francesco Ortoffi
Antonietta Gattuso
Giuseppa Oliveri
Cinzia Cardamone
Antonella Costa
author_facet Annamaria Castello
Vincenzina Alio
Marina Torresi
Gabriella Centorotola
Alexandra Chiaverini
Francesco Pomilio
Ignazio Arrigo
Anna Giammanco
Teresa Fasciana
Marco Francesco Ortoffi
Antonietta Gattuso
Giuseppa Oliveri
Cinzia Cardamone
Antonella Costa
author_sort Annamaria Castello
collection DOAJ
description <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> is an important foodborne pathogen, markedly persistent even in harsh environments and responsible for high hospitalization and mortality rates. The aim of the present study was to detect the strains circulating in Sicily over a five-year period and characterize their antimicrobial resistance profiles. The key element of this study was the sharing of data among various entities involved in food control and clinical surveillance of listeriosis in order to develop an integrated approach for this pathogen. A total of 128 isolates were analyzed, including 87 food-source strains and 41 clinical specimens. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was performed for sequence type (ST) and clonal complex (CC) identification through multilocus sequence typing (MLST) analysis. Antimicrobial resistance was assessed using the Kirby–Bauer method. The majority of strains belonged to serotype IVb (34/41 and 53/87 of clinical and food-source isolates, respectively) and were subtyped as CC2-ST2 (28/34 and 41/53 of clinical and food-source isolates respectively). Most of the isolates were susceptible to the main antimicrobials recommended for treatment of listeriosis. Resistance (R) and intermediate resistance (I) percentages worthy of attention were found against oxacillin (R: 85.9%) and clindamycin (I: 34.6%) in the food-source isolates and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (R: 29.23%) in the clinical isolates. Also, 7.7% of the food-source isolates were multidrug resistant. Our results highlight how the punctual comparison between food and clinical strains is an essential tool for effectively tracking and preventing foodborne outbreaks.
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spelling doaj-art-8bdeb534f8954e638816626d77dff6f72025-08-20T03:43:20ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172025-03-0114329410.3390/pathogens14030294Molecular Characterization and Antimicrobial Resistance Evaluation of <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> Strains from Food and Human SamplesAnnamaria Castello0Vincenzina Alio1Marina Torresi2Gabriella Centorotola3Alexandra Chiaverini4Francesco Pomilio5Ignazio Arrigo6Anna Giammanco7Teresa Fasciana8Marco Francesco Ortoffi9Antonietta Gattuso10Giuseppa Oliveri11Cinzia Cardamone12Antonella Costa13IZSSI—Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia “A. Mirri”, Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, ItalyIZSSI—Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia “A. Mirri”, Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, ItalyIZSAM—Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise G. Caporale, Via Campo Boario, 64100 Teramo, ItalyIZSAM—Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise G. Caporale, Via Campo Boario, 64100 Teramo, ItalyIZSAM—Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise G. Caporale, Via Campo Boario, 64100 Teramo, ItalyIZSAM—Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise G. Caporale, Via Campo Boario, 64100 Teramo, ItalyDipartimento di Promozione della Salute, Materno-Infantile, di Medicina Interna e Specialistica di Eccellenza “G. D’Alessandro”, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, ItalyDipartimento di Promozione della Salute, Materno-Infantile, di Medicina Interna e Specialistica di Eccellenza “G. D’Alessandro”, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, ItalyDipartimento di Promozione della Salute, Materno-Infantile, di Medicina Interna e Specialistica di Eccellenza “G. D’Alessandro”, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, ItalyDipartimento di Sicurezza Alimentare, Nutrizione e Sanità Pubblica Veterinaria—Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Roma, ItalyDipartimento di Sicurezza Alimentare, Nutrizione e Sanità Pubblica Veterinaria—Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Roma, ItalyIZSSI—Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia “A. Mirri”, Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, ItalyIZSSI—Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia “A. Mirri”, Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, ItalyIZSSI—Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia “A. Mirri”, Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, Italy<i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> is an important foodborne pathogen, markedly persistent even in harsh environments and responsible for high hospitalization and mortality rates. The aim of the present study was to detect the strains circulating in Sicily over a five-year period and characterize their antimicrobial resistance profiles. The key element of this study was the sharing of data among various entities involved in food control and clinical surveillance of listeriosis in order to develop an integrated approach for this pathogen. A total of 128 isolates were analyzed, including 87 food-source strains and 41 clinical specimens. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was performed for sequence type (ST) and clonal complex (CC) identification through multilocus sequence typing (MLST) analysis. Antimicrobial resistance was assessed using the Kirby–Bauer method. The majority of strains belonged to serotype IVb (34/41 and 53/87 of clinical and food-source isolates, respectively) and were subtyped as CC2-ST2 (28/34 and 41/53 of clinical and food-source isolates respectively). Most of the isolates were susceptible to the main antimicrobials recommended for treatment of listeriosis. Resistance (R) and intermediate resistance (I) percentages worthy of attention were found against oxacillin (R: 85.9%) and clindamycin (I: 34.6%) in the food-source isolates and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (R: 29.23%) in the clinical isolates. Also, 7.7% of the food-source isolates were multidrug resistant. Our results highlight how the punctual comparison between food and clinical strains is an essential tool for effectively tracking and preventing foodborne outbreaks.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/14/3/294<i>Listeria monocytogenes</i>foodfood production environmentantimicrobial resistanceserotypeMLST
spellingShingle Annamaria Castello
Vincenzina Alio
Marina Torresi
Gabriella Centorotola
Alexandra Chiaverini
Francesco Pomilio
Ignazio Arrigo
Anna Giammanco
Teresa Fasciana
Marco Francesco Ortoffi
Antonietta Gattuso
Giuseppa Oliveri
Cinzia Cardamone
Antonella Costa
Molecular Characterization and Antimicrobial Resistance Evaluation of <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> Strains from Food and Human Samples
Pathogens
<i>Listeria monocytogenes</i>
food
food production environment
antimicrobial resistance
serotype
MLST
title Molecular Characterization and Antimicrobial Resistance Evaluation of <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> Strains from Food and Human Samples
title_full Molecular Characterization and Antimicrobial Resistance Evaluation of <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> Strains from Food and Human Samples
title_fullStr Molecular Characterization and Antimicrobial Resistance Evaluation of <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> Strains from Food and Human Samples
title_full_unstemmed Molecular Characterization and Antimicrobial Resistance Evaluation of <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> Strains from Food and Human Samples
title_short Molecular Characterization and Antimicrobial Resistance Evaluation of <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> Strains from Food and Human Samples
title_sort molecular characterization and antimicrobial resistance evaluation of i listeria monocytogenes i strains from food and human samples
topic <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i>
food
food production environment
antimicrobial resistance
serotype
MLST
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/14/3/294
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