Surveillance for Listeria monocytogenes and listeriosis, 1995–2004

• Published in: Epidemiology and infection 2010-04, Vol.138 (4), p.559-572
• Main Authors: CLARK, C. G., FARBER, J., PAGOTTO, F., CIAMPA, N., DORÉ, K., NADON, C., BERNARD, K., NG, L.-K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Bacterial Typing Techniques; Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; Blood - microbiology; Canada - epidemiology; Cerebrospinal Fluid - microbiology; Child; Child, Preschool; Cluster Analysis; Disease; Disease Outbreaks; DNA Fingerprinting; Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; Epidemics; Epidemiology; Fatalities; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gastroenteritis; Genotype; Health surveillance; Hospitalization; Humans; Incidence; Infections; Infectious diseases; Laboratories; Listeria; Listeria monocytogenes; Listeria monocytogenes - classification; Listeria monocytogenes - genetics; Listeria monocytogenes - isolation & purification; listeriosis; Listeriosis - epidemiology; Listeriosis - microbiology; Male; Microbiology; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Mortality; Notifiable diseases; Pathogens; PFGE; Provinces; Public health; Reference services; Retrospective Studies; Serotyping; Statistics; Surveillance; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0950-2688; 1469-4409
• DOI: 10.1017/S0950268809990914

Canadian cases and outbreaks of illness caused by Listeria monocytogenes between 1995 and 2004 were assessed. Isolates (722 total) were characterized by serotyping, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was performed to provide a means of detecting case clusters. Rates of listeriosis remained fairly consistent during the period of study, and patient characteristics were similar to those seen in studies of other populations. Most isolates were obtained from blood and cerebrospinal fluid, although during some outbreak investigations isolates were also obtained from stools. Serotype 1/2a predominated in isolates from patients in Canada, followed by serotypes 4b and 1/2b. Outbreaks caused by L. monocytogenes that occurred during the period of study were caused by isolates with serotypes 1/2a and 4b. A retrospective analysis of PFGE data uncovered several clusters that might have represented undetected outbreaks, suggesting that comprehensive prospective PFGE analysis coupled with prompt epidemiological investigations might lead to improved outbreak detection and control.