RAPID DETECTION OFLISTERIA MONOCYTOGENESIN GROUND TURKEY BY IMMUNOMAGNETIC SEPARATION AND POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION

Prevalence of Pathogens in Poultry Meat: A Meta-Analysis of European Published Surveys

The objective of this study was to investigate and summarize the levels of incidence of Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus and Campylobacter spp. in poultry meat commercialized in Europe. After systematic review, incidence data and study characteristics were extracted from 78 studies conducted in 21 European countries. Pooled prevalence values from 203 extracted observations were estimated from random-effects meta-analysis models adjusted by pathogen, poultry type, sampling stage, cold preservation type, meat cutting type and packaging status. The results suggest that S. aureus is the main pathogen detected in poultry meat (38.5%; 95% CI: 25.4⁻53.4), followed by Campylobacter spp. (33.3%; 95% CI: 22.3⁻46.4%), while L. monocytogenes and Salmonella spp. present lower prevalence (19.3%; 95% CI: 14.4⁻25.3% and 7.10%; 95% CI: 4.60⁻10.8%, respectively). Despite the differences in prevalence, all pathogens were found in chicken and other poultry meats, at both end-processing step and retail level, in packed and unpacked products and in several meat cutting types. Prevalence data on cold preservation products also revealed that chilling and freezing can reduce the proliferation of pathogens but might not be able to inactivate them. The results of this meta-analysis highlight that further risk management strategies are needed to reduce pathogen incidence in poultry meat throughout the entire food chain across Europe, in particular for S. aureus and Campylobacter spp.

Relation between serotype distribution and antibiotic resistance profiles of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from ground turkey

The objectives of this study were to determine the serotype distribution of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from ground turkey using a multiplex PCR assay and to determine antimicrobial resistance profiles of the isolates using the disc diffusion method. Of 78 isolates, 35 (44.9%), 29 (37.2%), 7 (9.0%), and 7 (9.0%) were identified as serotypes 1/2a (or 3a), 4b (or 4d or 4e), 1/2b (or 3b), and 1/2c (or 3c), respectively. Overall, 63 isolates (80.8%) were resistant to penicillin G, and 53 (67.9%) were resistant to ampicillin. All 1/2c (or 3c) serotype isolates were resistant to penicillin G and ampicillin, and all 1/2b (or 3b) serotype isolates were resistant to penicillin G. In addition, 91.4% (32 of 35) of 1/2a (or 3a), 57.1% (4 of 7) of 1/2b (or 3b), and 37.9% (11 of 29) of 4b (or 4d or 4e) serotype isolates were resistant to ampicillin, and 85.7% (30 of 35) of 1/2a (or 3a) and 65.5% (19 of 29) of 4b (or 4d or 4e) serotype isolates were resistant to penicillin G. In conclusion, most of the L. monocytogenes isolates identified were serotype 1/2a (or 3a) and 4b (or 4d or 4e). Serotype 1/2c (or 3c) isolates were highly resistant to antibiotics compared with isolates of serotypes 1/2a (or 3a), 1/2b (or 3b), and 4b (or 4d or 4e). Increasing resistance of L. monocytogenes to ampicillin and penicillin is an especially serious concern for public health because of the common use of these antibiotics in treatment of human listeriosis cases.