Low virulence but potentially fatal outcome—Listeria ivanovii

doi:10.1016/j.ejim.2005.12.006

European Journal of Internal Medicine

Volume 17, Issue 4, July 2006, Pages 286-287

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejim.2005.12.006 Get rights and content

Abstract

Of the six known species of Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes is classified as the only human pathogen causing listeriosis, a highly fatal, opportunistic infection contracted via food. Listeria ivanovii is the only other pathogenic species of the genus and is considered to be specific to ruminants, except for extremely rare cases of infection in humans. We report here on a 64-year-old male patient with L. ivanovii who responded favorably to treatment with intravenous ampicillin.

Introduction

Of the six known species of Listeria, Listeria monocytogenes is classified as the only human pathogen causing listeriosis, a highly fatal, opportunistic infection caused by ingestion of contaminated food [1]. Clinical manifestations of invasive listeriosis are usually severe and include abortion, sepsis, and meningoencephalitis.

Listeria ivanovii is the only other pathogenic species of the genus and is considered to be specific to ruminants, except for extremely rare cases of infection in humans. The vast majority of reported isolations of this species are from abortions, stillbirths, and neonatal septicemias in sheep and cattle [1]. L. ivanovii was reported to be responsible for 8% of all animal listeriosis; L. monocytogenes accounted for the remainder [2].

To the best of our knowledge, only six cases of L. ivanovii infections in humans have been documented in the medical literature since it was first isolated in Bulgaria in 1955 [1], [2], [3]. The two most recent cases were both in patients with AIDS; details regarding the other cases are unavailable as they were either very old or non-English publications.

Section snippets

Case report

A 64-year-old man presented with complaints of groin pain and dark urine voiding. His physical examination was unremarkable. No hepatosplenomegaly or lymphadenopathy was noted.

Laboratory tests revealed abnormal liver findings including AST 226 U/l, ALT 296 U/l, GGT 434 U/l, LDH 1378 U/l, total bilirubin 1.1 mg/dl, and direct bilirubin 1 mg/dl. Complete blood count, urinolysis, coagulogram, and kidney function were all normal.

As part of the investigation, computed tomography of the abdomen was

Discussion

Listeria spp. are widespread in nature and many foods are contaminated with them. They have been recovered from raw vegetables, raw milk, fish, poultry, and meats. Thus, ingestion of Listeria must be an exceedingly common occurrence, and infection most likely begins following ingestion of the organism in contaminated food.

Listeria crosses the mucosal barrier of the intestine and, once in the bloodstream, may disseminate hematogenously to any site. The liver is thought to be the first target

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Bio-Plex suspension array immuno-detection of Listeria monocytogenes from cantaloupe and packaged salad using virulence protein inducing activated charcoal enrichment media
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Citation Excerpt :
Testing of 25 non-Listeria bacterial pathogens also failed to produce MFI values above the positive threshold which highlights the highly specific quality of the assay. L. ivanovii and non-pathogenic Listeria species are often found in various food matrices and are capable, although very rarely, of initiating human infection (Cummins et al., 1994; Guillet et al., 2010; Liu, 2013; Snapir et al., 2006; Rocourt et al., 1986). However, L. ivanovii is more commonly recognized as a potential source of infection in ruminants which can result in substantial economic loss in the livestock industry (Alexander et al., 1992; Chand and Sadana, 1999; Gill et al., 1997; Sergeant et al., 1991; Ramage et al., 1999).
Listeria monocytogenes, the causative agent of listeriosis in humans, is a Gram-positive bacterium that is contracted via the ingestion of contaminated foods. Two of the largest outbreaks of listeriosis occurred following consumption of tainted cantaloupe and packaged salads. Molecular methods and immuno-based techniques for detection of L. monocytogenes in these food matrices can be difficult due to the presence of assay inhibiting elements. In this study, we utilized a novel enrichment media containing activated charcoal as the key ingredient that induces hyperactive expression and secretion of L. monocytogenes virulence proteins. The Bio-Plex suspension array system, based on Luminex xMAP technology, was subsequently employed to specifically detect accumulated L. monocytogenes secreted and membrane bound proteins via paramagnetic microsphere-antibody complexes. Cantaloupe and packaged salad samples were treated with a dilution series of L. monocytogenes and incubated in activated charcoal media following a short pre-enrichment step in Buffered Listeria Enrichment Broth. Secreted L. monocytogenes lysteriolysin O was captured using magnetic microsphere-antibody conjugates and measured using the Bio-Ple×200 analyzer. As few as 10⁰ CFU/g of L. monocytogenes was detected from both spiked cantaloupe and packaged salad samples. In addition, antibody conjugated microspheres targeting a membrane protein present on both pathogenic and nonpathogenic Listeria species was used to identify as few as 10⁰ CFU/g of both pathogenic and nonpathogenic species in cantaloupe and packaged salad. This method presumptively identifies L. monocytogenes from cantaloupe and packaged salad in less than 24 h and non-pathogenic Listeria species within 22 h.
The mode of action of bacteriocin CHQS, a high antibacterial activity bacteriocin produced by Enterococcus faecalis TG2
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L. ivanovii had been considered to only infect ruminants. In recent years, although L. monocytogenes is the major cause of human listeriosis, a few medical cases proved that L. ivanovii can also cause bacteremia in immune compromised, debilitated patients (Snapir, Vaisbein, & Nassar, 2006; Guillet, Join-Lambert, Monnier, et al., 2010). L. ivanovii only has low virulence towards humans.
This study aims to examine the inhibitory effects of the bacteriocin CHQS, produced by Enterococcus faecalis TG2, and its mode of action against Listeria ivanovii DSMZ 20750^T, which is one of the pathogens sensitive to CHQS. The minimum inhibitory concentration, minimum bactericide concentration and time-inhibition curves were measured to confirm the strong effects of CHQS on L. ivanovii DSMZ 20750^T, and its antibacterial mode of action was studied by observing the changes in cell membrane permeability, integrity, and proton motive force. The minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericide concentration of CHQS were 26.74 ng/mL and 107.30 ng/mL, respectively, demonstrating that CHQS exhibited significantly strong and rapid antibacterial efficacy towards L. ivanovii DSMZ 20750^T. The results showed that CHQS led to the leakage of K⁺ and electrolytes, the massive release of ATP and UV-absorbing materials, and the collapse of the proton motive force. The micrographs of scanning electron and transmission electron microscopy demonstrate the severe cellular destruction and release of intracellular substances induced by bacteriocin CHQS. Collectively, this study reveals the antibacterial activity and mode of action of CHQS against L. ivanovii DSMZ 20750^T and demonstrates the mode of action of the inhibition by bacteriocins.
Prevalence and methodologies for detection, characterization and subtyping of Listeria monocytogenes and L. ivanovii in foods and environmental sources
2017, Food Science and Human Wellness
Listeria monocytogenes, one of the most important foodborne pathogens, can cause listeriosis, a lethal disease for humans. L. ivanovii, which is closely related to L. monocytogenes, is also widely distributed in nature and infects mainly warm-blooded ruminants, causing economic loss. Thus, there are high priority needs for methodologies for rapid, specific, cost-effective and accurate detection, characterization and subtyping of L. monocytogenes and L. ivanovii in foods and environmental sources. In this review, we (A) described L. monocytogenes and L. ivanovii, world-wide incidence of listeriosis, and prevalence of various L. monocytogenes strains in food and environmental sources; (B) comprehensively reviewed different types of traditional and newly developed methodologies, including culture-based, antigen/antibody-based, LOOP-mediated isothermal amplification, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry, DNA microarray, and genomic sequencing for detection and characterization of L. monocytogenes in foods and environmental sources; (C) comprehensively summarized different subtyping methodologies, including pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, multi-locus sequence typing, ribotyping, and phage-typing, and whole genomic sequencing etc. for subtyping of L. monocytogenes strains from food and environmental sources; and (D) described the applications of these methodologies in detection and subtyping of L. monocytogenes in foods and food processing facilities.
Investigation on prevalence of Listeria spp. and Listeria monocytogenes in animal-derived foods by multiplex PCR assay targeting novel genes
2017, Food Control
Chilled and frozen animal-derived food can be contaminated by Listeria spp., emerging foodborne pathogens in food industry. The objective of this study was to mine novel target genes by comparative genomics approach for multiplex PCR detection and differentiation of Listeria monocytogenes and other Listeria spp. in food. Multiplex PCR assay targeting the genetic markers LMOf2365_2721, AX25_00730, lin1814, int, lwe1673, and Oxidoreductase gene, resulted in the amplification of DNA fragments of 583 bp, 703 bp, 421 bp, 994 bp, 345 bp, and 201 bp from L. monocytogenes, Listeria ivanovii, Listeria innocua, Listeria seeligeri, Listeria welshimeri, and Listeria grayi, respectively. The detection limits of the multiplex assays were as low as 89 fg/μL genomic DNA and 910 CFU/mL of bacterial culture. The prevalence of Listeria spp. was determined using the developed multiplex PCR assay and standard microbiological method in a total of 200 food samples collected from different supermarkets and traditional agri-product markets in Nanjing, China. A total of 28 samples were found to be positive for the presence of Listeria, including 10.9% (6/55) of livestock meat samples, 22% (11/50) of poultry samples, 15% (6/40) of shellfish samples, 13.3% (4/30) of octopus samples and 4% (1/25) of freshwater fish samples. Of these, 13 isolates were classified as L. monocytogenes, 11 were classified as L. innocua, 2 were classified as L. ivanovii and 3 were classified as L. welshimeri. These results demonstrate that the multiplex PCR assay based on novel target genes is able to rapidly detect the Listeria spp. in 12 h with high accuracy and sensitivity, which may be used in the future for detection of Listeria spp. in animal-derived food products.
Genome analysis of Listeria ivanovii strain G770 that caused a deadly aortic prosthesis infection
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Magnetic bead based immuno-detection of Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria ivanovii from infant formula and leafy green vegetables using the Bio-Plex suspension array system
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Citation Excerpt :
There are currently 15 known species of Listeria of which only L. monocytogenes and Listeria ivanovii are generally considered pathogenic (den Bakker et al., 2014). L. monocytogenes triggers the majority of listeriosis in humans although human infection with L. ivanovii is not unprecedented (Guillet et al., 2010; Snapir et al., 2006). There are 13 serotypes of L. monocytogenes that have been identified so far and each has the potential for generating disease in human hosts.
Listeriosis, a disease contracted via the consumption of foods contaminated with pathogenic Listeria species, can produce severe symptoms and high mortality in susceptible people and animals. The development of molecular methods and immuno-based techniques for detection of pathogenic Listeria in foods has been challenging due to the presence of assay inhibiting food components. In this study, we utilize a macrophage cell culture system for the isolation and enrichment of Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria ivanovii from infant formula and leafy green vegetables for subsequent identification using the Luminex xMAP technique. Macrophage monolayers were exposed to infant formula, lettuce and celery contaminated with L. monocytogenes or L. ivanovii. Magnetic microspheres conjugated to Listeria specific antibody were used to capture Listeria from infected macrophages and then analyzed using the Bio-Plex 200 analyzer. As few as 10 CFU/mL or g of L. monocytogenes was detected in all foods tested. The detection limit for L. ivanovii was 10 CFU/mL in infant formula and 100 CFU/g in leafy greens. Microsphere bound Listeria obtained from infected macrophage lysates could also be isolated on selective media for subsequent confirmatory identification. This method presumptively identifies L. monocytogenes and L. ivanovii from infant formula, lettuce and celery in less than 28 h with confirmatory identifications completed in less than 48 h.

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European Journal of Internal Medicine

Abstract

Introduction

Section snippets

Case report

Discussion

References (6)

Listeria ivanovii infection in a patient with AIDS

J Infect

Listeria ivanovii infection

J Infect

Listeria species in raw and ready-to-eat foods from restaurants

J Food Prot

Cited by (48)

Bio-Plex suspension array immuno-detection of Listeria monocytogenes from cantaloupe and packaged salad using virulence protein inducing activated charcoal enrichment media

The mode of action of bacteriocin CHQS, a high antibacterial activity bacteriocin produced by Enterococcus faecalis TG2

Prevalence and methodologies for detection, characterization and subtyping of Listeria monocytogenes and L. ivanovii in foods and environmental sources

Investigation on prevalence of Listeria spp. and Listeria monocytogenes in animal-derived foods by multiplex PCR assay targeting novel genes

Genome analysis of Listeria ivanovii strain G770 that caused a deadly aortic prosthesis infection

Magnetic bead based immuno-detection of Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria ivanovii from infant formula and leafy green vegetables using the Bio-Plex suspension array system

Brief reportLow virulence but potentially fatal outcome—Listeria ivanovii

Abstract

Introduction

Section snippets

Case report

Discussion

J Infect

J Infect

J Food Prot

Brief report
Low virulence but potentially fatal outcome—Listeria ivanovii