Large-scale phenotypic and genomic analysis of <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> reveals diversity in the sensitivity to quaternary ammonium compounds but not to peracetic acid
Contamination of <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> within food processing environments is of great concern to the food industry due to challenges in eradicating the isolates once they become established and persistent in the environment. Genetic markers associated with increased tolerance to certain disinfectants have been identified, which alongside other biotic and abiotic factors can favor the persistence of <i>L. monocytogenes</i> in the food production environment. By employing a comprehensive large-scale phenotypic testing and genomic analysis, this study significantly enhances the understanding of the <i>L. monocytogenes</i> tolerance to quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) and the genetic determinants associated with the increased tolerance. We provide a global overview of the QAC genes prevalence among public <i>L. monocytogenes</i> sequences and their distribution among clonal complexes, isolation sources, and geographical locations. Additionally, our comprehensive screening of the peracetic acid (PAA) sensitivity shows that this disinfectant can be used in the food industry as the lack of variation in sensitivity indicates reliable effect and no apparent possibility for the emergence of tolerance.
Authors
- Lisbeth Truelstrup Hansen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0485-5252)
- TuAnh N. Huynh (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7313-6166)
- Taurai Tasara (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3377-8858)
- Corinne Amar (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1156-9505)
- Judit Szarvas (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0720-3017)
- Irena Zdovc
- Alexander Gmeiner (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1787-8368)
- Frank M. Aarestrup (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7116-2723)
- Pimlapas Leekitcharoenphon (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5674-0142)
- Ariane Pietzka (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2987-2905)
- C. Rota (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6375-9784)
- Claudia Guldimann (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9895-750X)
- Bojan Papić (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2484-9458)
- Patrizia Centorame (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9295-0107)
- Renáta Karpíšková (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5456-9943)
- Patrick Murigu Kamau Njage (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4364-5314)
- Sylvia Kleta
- Solveig Langsrud (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6415-017X)
- Roger Stephan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1002-4762)
- Trond Møretrø (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5176-1158)
- Sophia Kathariou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8920-9828)
- Franco Pagotto (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2303-3158)
- Francesco Pomilio (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6946-8603)
- Martin Laage Kragh (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4273-9359)
- Kathrin Rychli (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6147-577X)
- Mirena Ivanova (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0077-5207)
- Anders H. Okholm
- Stefanie Lüth (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6321-3869)
- Annette Fagerlund (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7146-4265)
- Andrea J. Etter (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0204-0239)
- Marina Torresi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4684-7886)
- Maria Elisabetta De Angelis
- Jovana Kovačević (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1254-4294)
- Paw Dalgaard (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9147-1232)
- Phillip Brown (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9213-6639)
- Even Heir
- Eurydice Aboagye (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1790-5298)
- Elif Seyda Tosun
- Natacha Friis Holmud
- Diego Gómez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6194-8346)
- Yinghua Xiao
Institutions
- University of Vermont (US)
- Health Canada (CA)
- Oregon State University (US)
- University of Wisconsin–Madison (US)
- North Carolina State University (US)
- University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna (AT)
- University of Ljubljana (SI)
- University of Zurich (CH)
- Masaryk University (CZ)
- Universidad de Zaragoza (ES)
- Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (DE)
- Public Health England (GB)
- Arla Foods (Denmark) (DK)
- Nofima (NO)
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Microbiology (CZ)
- University of Veterinary Medicine (HU)
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene (DE)
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise G. Caporale (IT)
- Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AT)
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (DE)
- Technical University of Denmark (DK)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Applied and Environmental Microbiology
- Published
- 2025-03-04
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.01829-24
- Citations
- 7
- Primary Topic
- Listeria monocytogenes in Food Safety
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 8.63
Funders
- Oregon State University
- Mejeribrugets ForskningsFond
- Foundation for Research Levy on Agricultural Products