Population Genetic Structure of Listeria monocytogenes Strains Isolated From the Pig and Pork Production Chain in France

Listeria monocytogenes is an ubiquitous pathogenic bacterium, transmissible to humans through the consumption of contaminated food. The pork production sector has been hit hard by a series of L. monocytogenes-related food poisoning outbreaks in France. An overview of the diversity of strains circulating at all levels of the pork production chain, from pig farming (PF) to finished food products (FFP), is needed to identify the contamination routes and improve food safety. Until now, no typing data has been available on strains isolated across the entire pig and pork production chain. Here, we analyzed the population genetic structure of 687 L. monocytogenes strains isolated over the last 20 years in virtually all the French départements from three compartments of this production sector: PF, the food processing environment (FPE), and FFP. The genetic structure was described based on Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) clonal complexes (CCs). The CCs were obtained by mapping the PFGE profiles of the strains. The distribution of CCs was compared firstly between the three compartments and then with CCs obtained from 1106 strains isolated from other food production sectors in France. The predominant CCs of pig and pork strains were not equally distributed among the three compartments: the CC37, CC59, and CC77 strains, rarely found in FPE and FFP, were prevalent in PF. The two most prevalent CCs in the FPE and FFP compartments, CC9 and CC121, were rarely or never detected in PF. No CC was exclusively associated with the pork sector. Three CCs (CC5, CC6, and CC2) were considered ubiquitous, because they were observed in comparable proportions in all food production sectors. The two most prevalent CCs in all sectors were CC9 and CC121, but their distribution was disparate. CC9 was associated with meat products and food products combining several food categories, whereas CC121 was not associated with any given sector. Based on these results, CC121 is likely able to colonize a larger diversity of food products than CC9. Both CCs being associated with the food production suggests, that certain processing steps, such as slaughtering or stabilization treatments, favor their settlement and the recontamination of the food produced

Detection of Listeria monocytogenes in raw and pasteurized liquid whole eggs and characterization by PFGE.

International audienceListeria monocytogenes has been recognized as a human pathogen for decades and is known to be an important foodborne pathogen. There have been no documented foodborne L. monocytogenes illnesses due to the consumption of eggs or egg products, even though the bacterium has been isolated from faeces, body fluid, and oviducts of asymptomatic laying hens. In order to describe L. monocytogenes contamination of egg products, 144 liquid whole egg samples were collected from 3 different egg-breaking plants during 3 sampling periods. L. monocytogenes detection was performed on raw samples stored at 2 degrees C for two days (D+2) and on pasteurized samples stored at 2 degrees C at D+2 and at shelf-life date (SLD). L. monocytogenes was detected in 25 of the 144 raw egg samples collected, in 4 of the 144 pasteurized egg samples at D+2 and in 2 of the 144 ones analysed at SLD. Contamination of raw egg products appeared to be season dependant and was higher during summer and winter than during autumn. One hundred and ninety-six L. monocytogenes isolates were collected and serotyped; 3 serovars were demonstrated. The dominant serovar was L. monocytogenes 1/2a which was presented by 94.4% of the isolates. Typing of 196 L. monocytogenes isolates was carried out by macrorestriction of the genomic DNA with ApaI and AscI enzymes followed by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). A large diversity was observed with 21 genotypes of L. monocytogenes, even for a given manufacturer. Nevertheless, most of the egg product samples were contaminated by one genotype, except for five samples which were contaminated by two or three distinct genotypes. The genotypes seem to be specific to each manufacturer. No cluster of L. monocytogenes was found to recur in the different plants over successive seasons

Use of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis to characterize the heterogeneity and clonality of Salmonella serotype Enteritidis, Typhimurium and Infantis isolates obtained from whole liquid eggs.

RA2007ACL09-RIVInternational audienceSalmonella is a well-documented pathogen known to occur in a wide range of foods, especially poultry products. The most frequently reported food-sources of human infection are eggs and egg products. In this study, in order to describe Salmonella contamination of egg products, 144 liquid egg samples were collected from 3 different egg-breaking plants during the 3 sampling periods. Salmonella detection was performed on raw samples stored at 2 degrees C for 2 days (D+2) and on pasteurised samples stored at 2 degrees C at D+2 and at shelf-life date. Salmonella was detected in 130 of the 144 raw egg samples collected and in 11 of the 288 pasteurised egg samples analysed. 740 Salmonella isolates were collected and serotyped: 14 serovars were demonstrated. A great diversity, particularly during summer, was noted. The dominant serovars were S. Enteritidis, S. Typhimurium and S. Infantis, mainly found in whole raw egg products. Typing of 325 isolates of S. Enteritidis, 54 isolates of S. Typhimurium and 58 isolates of S. Infantis was carried out by macrorestriction of the genomic DNA with XbaI and SpeI enzymes followed by pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The Salmonella Enteritidis isolates could be grouped into 3 clusters. Cluster 1 was predominant at all 3 egg-breaking companies during the different sampling periods. This cluster seemed to be adapted to the egg-breaking plants. Cluster 2 was linked to plant 1 and cluster 3 to plant 3. Two main clusters of Salmonella Typhimurium were demonstrated. Cluster A was mainly found at plant 2 during autumn. Plant 3 was contaminated by all the Salmonella Typhimurium genotypes but in a more sporadic manner during the three seasons studied. Plant 1 seemed to be less contaminated by Salmonella Typhimurium than the others. Three clusters and 2 genotypes of Salmonella Infantis were shown. The main cluster, cluster alpha, consisted of 75% of the S. Infantis isolates and was mainly found during summer at plants 1 and 3. Plant 2 seemed to be less contaminated by S. Infantis. In this study, molecular typing demonstrated that, although certain clusters were common to all three companies, specific clusters, notably of S. Enteritidis were present at each plant

MiRNA Analysis by Quantitative PCR in Preterm Human Breast Milk Reveals Daily Fluctuations of hsa-miR-16-5p.

Human breast milk is an extremely dynamic fluid containing many biologically-active components which change throughout the feeding period and throughout the day. We designed a miRNA assay on minimized amounts of raw milk obtained from mothers of preterm infants. We investigated changes in miRNA expression within month 2 of lactation and then over the course of 24 hours.Analyses were performed on pooled breast milk, made by combining samples collected at different clock times from the same mother donor, along with time series collected over 24 hours from four unsynchronized mothers. Whole milk, lipids or skim milk fractions were processed and analyzed by qPCR. We measured hsa-miR-16-5p, hsa-miR-21-5p, hsa-miR-146-5p, and hsa-let-7a, d and g (all -5p). Stability of miRNA endogenous controls was evaluated using RefFinder, a web tool integrating geNorm, Normfinder, BestKeeper and the comparative ΔΔCt method.MiR-21 and miR-16 were stably expressed in whole milk collected within month 2 of lactation from four mothers. Analysis of lipids and skim milk revealed that miR-146b and let-7d were better references in both fractions. Time series (5H-23H) allowed the identification of a set of three endogenous reference genes (hsa-let-7d, hsa-let-7g and miR-146b) to normalize raw quantification cycle (Cq) data. We identified a daily oscillation of miR-16-5p.Our assay allows exploring miRNA levels of breast milk from mother with preterm baby collected in time series over 48-72 hours

Reliable ELISAs showing differences between resistant and susceptible lines in hens orally inoculated with Salmonella Enteritidis

Reliable ELISAs were investigated with the aim to select hen lines resistant to Salmonella Enteritidis and producing high levels of antibodies. In the first experiment, the relation between the humoral response and the bacteriological results was assessed on hens from the Y11 resistant line and the L2 susceptible line, orally inoculated with 10$^8$ CFU S. Enteritidis per animal. Anti- lipopolysaccharide (LPS) IgG titres were higher but the liver and spleen were less contaminated in hens from the Y11 line than in hens from the L2 line ($p = 0.013$, 0.031 and 0.026 respectively). In the second experiment, the hens were inoculated orally with $1.7 \times 10^8$ CFU S. Enteritidis per animal in order to select the ELISA methods showing the more significant differences. ELISAs were based on LPS, flagella, LPS from rough (LPS-R) and smooth strains (LPS-S) and detected IgG and IgM antibodies from sera and yolks. No between-line host response variation was observed in the yolk, with LPS-S and R antigens nor with anti-LPS IgM in the sera. Otherwise, significant differences were encountered between hen lines with the ELISAs performed on the sera detecting anti-LPS IgG, anti-flagella IgG or IgM ($p = 0.017$, 0.017 and $p < 0.001$ respectively). When comparing the kinetics of the selected ELISAs, the IgG antibodies against LPS detected between-line variations as early as 1 to 4 weeks pi, whereas with IgG against flagella, the differences were only detected at 1 and 2 weeks pi and with IgM against flagella, the differences were significant at 1, 2, 4 and 8 weeks pi. In conclusion, resistant hen lines producing higher levels of antibodies than the susceptible hen lines may be selected with these ELISAs.Méthodes ELISA permettant de différencier des lignées de poules résistante et sensible à Salmonella Enteritidis inoculées par voie orale. Des méthodes ELISA ont été recherchées pour sélectionner les lignées de poules résistantes à Salmonella Enteritidis produisant des taux élevés d'anticorps. Dans la première expérience, la relation entre la réponse sérologique et les résultats bactériologiques a été évaluée sur les poules des lignées résistante Y11 et sensible L2, inoculées par voie orale avec 10$^8$ UFC S. Enteritidis par animal. Les titres en anticorps IgG anti- lipopolysaccharidiques (LPS) étaient supérieurs mais les foies et rates étaient moins contaminés chez les poules de la lignée Y11 que chez les poules de la lignée L2 ($p = 0.013$, 0.031 et 0.026 respectivement). Dans la seconde expérience, les deux lignées de poules ont été inoculées par voie orale avec $1.7 \times 10^8$ UFC S. Enteritidis par animal afin de sélectionner les méthodes ELISA les plus discriminantes. Les ELISA utilisaient comme antigènes des LPS, flagelles, LPS des souches rough (LPS-R) et smooth (LPS-S), et détectaient des anticorps IgG et IgM dans le sérum et le vitellus. Aucune différence significative n'a été observée à partir du vitellus, ou avec les antigènes LPS-S et R, ainsi qu'avec les IgM anti-LPS dans le sérum. En revanche, les tests ELISA réalisés sur les sérums et basés sur le dépistage des IgG anti-LPS, des IgG ou IgM anti-flagellaires permettent de montrer une différence significative entre les deux lignées ($p = 0.017$, 0.017 et $p < 0.001$ respectivement). La comparaison des cinétiques obtenues avec les tests ELISAs retenus a montré que les IgG anti-LPS permettaient de détecter des différences entre lignées dès 1 semaine jusqu'à 4 semaines après inoculation, alors qu'avec les IgG anti-flagellaires les différences apparaissaient seulement à 1 et 2 semaines, et avec les IgM anti-flagellaires les différences étaient significatives à 1, 2, 4 et 8 semaines après inoculation. En conclusion, les lignées de poules résistantes et produisant des taux d'anticorps plus élevés que les lignées de poules sensibles peuvent être sélectionnées avec ces tests ELISA

Table_1.XLSX

<p>Listeria monocytogenes is an ubiquitous pathogenic bacterium, transmissible to humans through the consumption of contaminated food. The pork production sector has been hit hard by a series of L. monocytogenes-related food poisoning outbreaks in France. An overview of the diversity of strains circulating at all levels of the pork production chain, from pig farming (PF) to finished food products (FFP), is needed to identify the contamination routes and improve food safety. Until now, no typing data has been available on strains isolated across the entire pig and pork production chain. Here, we analyzed the population genetic structure of 687 L. monocytogenes strains isolated over the last 20 years in virtually all the French départements from three compartments of this production sector: PF, the food processing environment (FPE), and FFP. The genetic structure was described based on Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) clonal complexes (CCs). The CCs were obtained by mapping the PFGE profiles of the strains. The distribution of CCs was compared firstly between the three compartments and then with CCs obtained from 1106 strains isolated from other food production sectors in France. The predominant CCs of pig and pork strains were not equally distributed among the three compartments: the CC37, CC59, and CC77 strains, rarely found in FPE and FFP, were prevalent in PF. The two most prevalent CCs in the FPE and FFP compartments, CC9 and CC121, were rarely or never detected in PF. No CC was exclusively associated with the pork sector. Three CCs (CC5, CC6, and CC2) were considered ubiquitous, because they were observed in comparable proportions in all food production sectors. The two most prevalent CCs in all sectors were CC9 and CC121, but their distribution was disparate. CC9 was associated with meat products and food products combining several food categories, whereas CC121 was not associated with any given sector. Based on these results, CC121 is likely able to colonize a larger diversity of food products than CC9. Both CCs being associated with the food production suggests, that certain processing steps, such as slaughtering or stabilization treatments, favor their settlement and the recontamination of the food produced.</p

Reliable ELISAs showing differences between resistant and susceptible lines in hens orally inoculated with Salmonella Enteritidis

Reliable ELISAs were investigated with the aim to select hen lines resistant to Salmonella Enteritidis and producing high levels of antibodies. In the first experiment, the relation between the humoral response and the bacteriological results was assessed on hens from the Y11 resistant line and the L2 susceptible line, orally inoculated with 10$^8$ CFU S. Enteritidis per animal. Anti- lipopolysaccharide (LPS) IgG titres were higher but the liver and spleen were less contaminated in hens from the Y11 line than in hens from the L2 line ($p = 0.013$, 0.031 and 0.026 respectively). In the second experiment, the hens were inoculated orally with $1.7 \times 10^8$ CFU S. Enteritidis per animal in order to select the ELISA methods showing the more significant differences. ELISAs were based on LPS, flagella, LPS from rough (LPS-R) and smooth strains (LPS-S) and detected IgG and IgM antibodies from sera and yolks. No between-line host response variation was observed in the yolk, with LPS-S and R antigens nor with anti-LPS IgM in the sera. Otherwise, significant differences were encountered between hen lines with the ELISAs performed on the sera detecting anti-LPS IgG, anti-flagella IgG or IgM ($p = 0.017$, 0.017 and $p < 0.001$ respectively). When comparing the kinetics of the selected ELISAs, the IgG antibodies against LPS detected between-line variations as early as 1 to 4 weeks pi, whereas with IgG against flagella, the differences were only detected at 1 and 2 weeks pi and with IgM against flagella, the differences were significant at 1, 2, 4 and 8 weeks pi. In conclusion, resistant hen lines producing higher levels of antibodies than the susceptible hen lines may be selected with these ELISAs.Méthodes ELISA permettant de différencier des lignées de poules résistante et sensible à Salmonella Enteritidis inoculées par voie orale. Des méthodes ELISA ont été recherchées pour sélectionner les lignées de poules résistantes à Salmonella Enteritidis produisant des taux élevés d'anticorps. Dans la première expérience, la relation entre la réponse sérologique et les résultats bactériologiques a été évaluée sur les poules des lignées résistante Y11 et sensible L2, inoculées par voie orale avec 10$^8$ UFC S. Enteritidis par animal. Les titres en anticorps IgG anti- lipopolysaccharidiques (LPS) étaient supérieurs mais les foies et rates étaient moins contaminés chez les poules de la lignée Y11 que chez les poules de la lignée L2 ($p = 0.013$, 0.031 et 0.026 respectivement). Dans la seconde expérience, les deux lignées de poules ont été inoculées par voie orale avec $1.7 \times 10^8$ UFC S. Enteritidis par animal afin de sélectionner les méthodes ELISA les plus discriminantes. Les ELISA utilisaient comme antigènes des LPS, flagelles, LPS des souches rough (LPS-R) et smooth (LPS-S), et détectaient des anticorps IgG et IgM dans le sérum et le vitellus. Aucune différence significative n'a été observée à partir du vitellus, ou avec les antigènes LPS-S et R, ainsi qu'avec les IgM anti-LPS dans le sérum. En revanche, les tests ELISA réalisés sur les sérums et basés sur le dépistage des IgG anti-LPS, des IgG ou IgM anti-flagellaires permettent de montrer une différence significative entre les deux lignées ($p = 0.017$, 0.017 et $p < 0.001$ respectivement). La comparaison des cinétiques obtenues avec les tests ELISAs retenus a montré que les IgG anti-LPS permettaient de détecter des différences entre lignées dès 1 semaine jusqu'à 4 semaines après inoculation, alors qu'avec les IgG anti-flagellaires les différences apparaissaient seulement à 1 et 2 semaines, et avec les IgM anti-flagellaires les différences étaient significatives à 1, 2, 4 et 8 semaines après inoculation. En conclusion, les lignées de poules résistantes et produisant des taux d'anticorps plus élevés que les lignées de poules sensibles peuvent être sélectionnées avec ces tests ELISA

Breast milk samples collected for testing daily miRNA fluctuations.

<p>Breast milk samples collected for testing daily miRNA fluctuations.</p

MiRNA levels measured in lipids and skim milk fractions at different lactation periods.

<p>Cq values by box-and-whisker plots (1–99 percentile) of endogenous references (let-7a, let-7g, let-7d, miR-16, miR-146b and miR-21) measured <b>A)</b> in lipids and <b>B)</b> in skim milk.</p