Whole Genome Sequencing as the Ultimate Genomic Subtyping Tool for the Identification and Control of Listeria monocytogenes in the RTE Food Chain

Brankica Lakićević; Vesna Janković; Ariane Pietzka; Werner Ruppitsch

doi:10.18485/meattech.2023.64.2.46

Brankica Lakićević Institute of meat hygiene and technology
Vesna Janković Institute of meat hygiene and technology
Ariane Pietzka bInstitute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene/National Reference Laboratory for Listeria Division for Public Health, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety
Werner Ruppitsch Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene Division for Public Health, Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18485/meattech.2023.64.2.46

Keywords: Listeria monocytogenes, WGS, food microbiology

Abstract

Listeria monocytogenes, a saprophytic facultative anaerobic Gram-positive pathogen, has been involved in numerous outbreaks worldwide along with high mortality rate. Food contamination related to listeriosis occurs during primary production or more commonly, in food production facilities. The use of advanced diagnostic technologies such as whole genome sequencing (WGS) support surveillance, foodborne outbreak investigation as well as pathogen source tracking in food industry. WGS can also be useful for determining traits such as different genetic markers including virulence and antimicrobial resistance associated genes, which can be of great benefit for enhancing public health protection and for effective food safety management system. This is a very affordable, fast and powerful tool for obtaining high quality genomic data which can also be used in the regulatory field to differentiate more and less pathogenic L. monocytogenes clones.