Listeria monocytogenes from Marine Fish and the Seafood Market Environment in Northern Greece: Prevalence, Molecular Characterization, and Antibiotic Resistance
Source abstract
Abstract
The occurrence of Listeria monocytogenes in marine fish and fish market areas was investigated. Two hundred and eighty-eight samples (123 environmental samples—siphons, knives, cutting boards, floor, sinks, water, and ice—and 165 marine fish samples) were examined. Twenty-four isolates were characterized as Listeria monocytogenes (five from environmental samples (4.0%) and 19 from fish samples (11.5%)). The strains were further characterized according to their antibiotic resistance, pathogenicity, and biofilm formation ability. They were molecularly serotyped as IIc (n = 22) and IVb (n = 2) and possessed all the virulence genes tested (inlA, inlB, inlC, inlJ, actA, hlyA, iap, plcA, and prfA), except for two strains lacking the hlyA and iap genes, respectively. All strains showed strong (41.7%) or moderate biofilm-producing ability (58.3%) and almost all showed resistance to at least one antibiotic, with the highest rates being observed against clindamycin and vancomycin. The proteomic analysis by MALDI-TOF revealed two distinct clusters that involved strains from fish only and those from both fish and the environment. The presence of Listeria monocytogenes in the fish-market environment and marine fish, along with the pathogenicity and persistence characteristics of the seafood-related strains, emphasize the need for vigilance concerning the spread of this notorious foodborne pathogen.
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Research context
OpenAlex topics: Listeria monocytogenes in Food Safety · Essential Oils and Antimicrobial Activity · Food Safety and Hygiene
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
Laboratory of Animal Food Products Hygiene—Veterinary Public Health, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, 41222 Larissa, Greece
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