Listeria monocytogenes Project
Listeria monocytogenes is a small gram positive, motile bacterium capable of growing in anaerobic and aerobic environments usually at temperatures ranging between -0.4°C and 50°C. L. monocytogenes is an opportunistic intracellular pathogen that has become a prominent cause of human foodborne infections worldwide. It causes listeriosis in humans, animals and birds. The disease is primarily transmitted through various foods like milk products, meat products, fish, egg products, fruits and vegetables. Listeriosis represents a public health problem since it is fatal in up to 30% of cases and 80% in immunosuppressed patients.
L. monocytogenes is usually susceptible to a wide range of antibiotics; however, there have been several reports of the emergence of multiple resistant strains in Nigeria. The prevalence of L. monocytogenes in food in combination with high mortality rate of listeriosis makes L. monocytogenes a very important and complex problem for microbiological risk assessment and risk management. The emergence of such resistant strains has highlighted the need for surveillance programs to monitor temporal and geographical shifts in resistance patterns and the associated phenotypes and genotypes.
This will provide an understanding in the diversity and the ease of dissemination of L. monocytogenes in Southwestern Nigeria.
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