Prevalence, molecular characterization, genetic heterogeneity and antimicrobial resistance of Listeria monocytogenes associated with fish and fishery environment in Kerala, India

Thumbnail Image
Date
2019
Authors
Basha, K.A.
Kumar, N.R.
Das, V.
Reshmi, K.
Rao, B.M.
Lalitha, K.V.
Joseph, T.C.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Society for Applied Microbiology
Abstract
The prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in the retail fish markets of the Kerala, India was investigated by screening 227 samples comprising of marine finfish (n = 97) shellfish (n = 19), ready-to-cook fish products (n = 47), ready-to-eat fish products (n = 10), dried fish (n = 11) and retail ice (n = 43). The prevalence of L. monocytogenes and L. innocua was 2 7% and 17 2% respectively. Sample category wise, prevalence of L. monocytogenes was higher in marine finfish (1 8%) and retail ice (0 9%). All the L. monocytogenes isolates carried virulent genes namely inlA, inlC, inlJ, hlyA, iap, plcA, prfA genes and majority (82%) belonged to 1/2a, 3a serogroups. L. monocytogenes isolates were multidrug-resistant and showed resistance to ampicillin, penicillin, erythromycin, tetracycline and clindamycin. Enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus-polymerase chain reaction (ERIC-PCR) delineated 58% genetic heterogeneity among the L. monocytogenes strains. The study reports that genetic similarities of the isolates were interlinked to their serogroup and sample origin.
Description
Keywords
antimicrobial resistance, fishery products, Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes, retail ice, serogroups
Citation
doi:10.1111/lam.13205