Prevalence and Antimicrobial Resistance of <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> Isolated from Dairy Products in Romania

<b>Background/Objectives:</b> <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> is a significant foodborne pathogen associated with dairy products, which can pose serious public health risks, particularly for vulnerable populations. This study aimed to assess the prevalence, serotype distributio...

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Main Authors: Filippos Georgios Nikolaou, Liora Mihaela Colobatiu, Laurentiu Mihai Ciupescu, Alexandra Tabaran, Ariana Raluca Hategan, Romolica Mihaiu, Radu Tanasuica, Magdalena Maria Poenaru, Marian Mihaiu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Antibiotics
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/14/5/482
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author Filippos Georgios Nikolaou
Liora Mihaela Colobatiu
Laurentiu Mihai Ciupescu
Alexandra Tabaran
Ariana Raluca Hategan
Romolica Mihaiu
Radu Tanasuica
Magdalena Maria Poenaru
Marian Mihaiu
author_facet Filippos Georgios Nikolaou
Liora Mihaela Colobatiu
Laurentiu Mihai Ciupescu
Alexandra Tabaran
Ariana Raluca Hategan
Romolica Mihaiu
Radu Tanasuica
Magdalena Maria Poenaru
Marian Mihaiu
author_sort Filippos Georgios Nikolaou
collection DOAJ
description <b>Background/Objectives:</b> <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> is a significant foodborne pathogen associated with dairy products, which can pose serious public health risks, particularly for vulnerable populations. This study aimed to assess the prevalence, serotype distribution, and antimicrobial resistance profiles of <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> isolated from dairy products collected in Romania over a three-year period (2021–2023). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive study addressing these issues within the country. <b>Methods</b>: A total of 10,306 dairy samples, including milk, cheeses, ice cream, yogurt, and other dairy-based products, were collected and analyzed using standard microbiological methods. Molecular serotyping was performed to identify the most common serogroups. The antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolates was also conducted. <b>Results</b>: The overall prevalence of <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> was 0.41% (43/10,306). The most frequently detected serogroup was IVb (74.41%), followed by IIa (23.25%) and IIb (2.32%). Ice cream was the most affected product, followed by fresh telemea made from cow milk. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed higher resistance rates for oxacillin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (13.95% each), while all isolates were susceptible to ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, and moxifloxacin. <b>Conclusions</b>: The findings emphasize the need for continuous monitoring of <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> in dairy products, particularly ice cream and fresh cheeses, due to their high contamination rates. The study’s results are valuable for comparative analysis with findings from other countries, helping to establish a broader understanding of <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> contamination trends and resistance profiles.
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spelling doaj-art-92c9b61932504450a46287d063a21e7c2025-08-20T01:56:24ZengMDPI AGAntibiotics2079-63822025-05-0114548210.3390/antibiotics14050482Prevalence and Antimicrobial Resistance of <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> Isolated from Dairy Products in RomaniaFilippos Georgios Nikolaou0Liora Mihaela Colobatiu1Laurentiu Mihai Ciupescu2Alexandra Tabaran3Ariana Raluca Hategan4Romolica Mihaiu5Radu Tanasuica6Magdalena Maria Poenaru7Marian Mihaiu8Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaFaculty of Pharmacy, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaInstitute of Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, 041293 Bucharest, RomaniaFaculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaNational Institute for Research and Development of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies, 400293 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaFaculty of Economic Sciences and Business Administration, Babes-Bolyai University, 400591 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaFaculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Bucharest, 011464 Bucharest, RomaniaFaculty of Horticulture, University of Craiova, 200585 Craiova, RomaniaFaculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania<b>Background/Objectives:</b> <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> is a significant foodborne pathogen associated with dairy products, which can pose serious public health risks, particularly for vulnerable populations. This study aimed to assess the prevalence, serotype distribution, and antimicrobial resistance profiles of <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> isolated from dairy products collected in Romania over a three-year period (2021–2023). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive study addressing these issues within the country. <b>Methods</b>: A total of 10,306 dairy samples, including milk, cheeses, ice cream, yogurt, and other dairy-based products, were collected and analyzed using standard microbiological methods. Molecular serotyping was performed to identify the most common serogroups. The antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolates was also conducted. <b>Results</b>: The overall prevalence of <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> was 0.41% (43/10,306). The most frequently detected serogroup was IVb (74.41%), followed by IIa (23.25%) and IIb (2.32%). Ice cream was the most affected product, followed by fresh telemea made from cow milk. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed higher resistance rates for oxacillin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (13.95% each), while all isolates were susceptible to ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, and moxifloxacin. <b>Conclusions</b>: The findings emphasize the need for continuous monitoring of <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> in dairy products, particularly ice cream and fresh cheeses, due to their high contamination rates. The study’s results are valuable for comparative analysis with findings from other countries, helping to establish a broader understanding of <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> contamination trends and resistance profiles.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/14/5/482<i>Listeria monocytogenes</i>dairy productsprevalenceantimicrobial resistanceserogroup distributionRomania
spellingShingle Filippos Georgios Nikolaou
Liora Mihaela Colobatiu
Laurentiu Mihai Ciupescu
Alexandra Tabaran
Ariana Raluca Hategan
Romolica Mihaiu
Radu Tanasuica
Magdalena Maria Poenaru
Marian Mihaiu
Prevalence and Antimicrobial Resistance of <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> Isolated from Dairy Products in Romania
Antibiotics
<i>Listeria monocytogenes</i>
dairy products
prevalence
antimicrobial resistance
serogroup distribution
Romania
title Prevalence and Antimicrobial Resistance of <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> Isolated from Dairy Products in Romania
title_full Prevalence and Antimicrobial Resistance of <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> Isolated from Dairy Products in Romania
title_fullStr Prevalence and Antimicrobial Resistance of <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> Isolated from Dairy Products in Romania
title_full_unstemmed Prevalence and Antimicrobial Resistance of <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> Isolated from Dairy Products in Romania
title_short Prevalence and Antimicrobial Resistance of <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> Isolated from Dairy Products in Romania
title_sort prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of i listeria monocytogenes i isolated from dairy products in romania
topic <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i>
dairy products
prevalence
antimicrobial resistance
serogroup distribution
Romania
url https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/14/5/482
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