ARS | Publication request: Identification and Subtyping of Listeria monocytogenes

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: May 26, 2011
Publication Date: January 1, 2013
Citation: Ward, T.J. 2013. Identification and Subtyping of Listeria monocytogenes. In: de Fillipis, I., McKee L. editors. Molecular Typing in Bacterial Infections. New York, NY: Springer Science and Business Media. p. 27-38.

Technical Abstract: Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen capable of causing serious invasive illness in humans and other animals. The ability to rapidly identify this pathogen in food and clinical samples is critical to promoting food safety and public health. In addition, the ability to rapidly differentiate individual strains of L. monocytogenes is an essential part of detecting foodborne outbreaks, tracing sources of contamination, and developing more effective pathogen control programs. Significant technological advances and improved understanding of genetic and phenotypic diversity within Listeria have driven the development of a wide variety of novel DNA-based approaches for the identification and subtyping of L. monocytogenes. These novel methods have the potential to improve on the speed, sensitivity, and accuracy of standard methods for pathogen detection and subtyping, and also represent new tools that can be used to enhance our understanding of L. monocytogenes ecology and evolution. This chapter provides a description of current methods for identification and subtyping of L. monocytogenes, an update on Listeria diversity, and an overview of recent developments in DNA-based identification and subtyping technologies for L. monocytogenes.