Exposure to Broad-Spectrum Visible Light Causes Major Transcriptomic Changes in Listeria monocytogenes EGDe.

Listeria monocytogenes, the causative agent of the serious foodborne disease listeriosis, can rapidly adapt to a wide range of environmental stresses, including visible light. This study shows that exposure of the L. monocytogenes EGDe strain to low-intensity, broad-spectrum visible light inhibited bacterial growth and caused altered multicellular behavior during growth on semisolid agar compared to when the bacteria were grown in complete darkness. These light-dependent changes were observed regardless of the presence of the blue light receptor (Lmo0799) and the stressosome regulator sigma B (SigB), which have been suggested to be important for the ability of L. monocytogenes to respond to blue light. A genome-wide transcriptional analysis revealed that exposure of L. monocytogenes EGDe to broad-spectrum visible light caused altered expression of 2,409 genes belonging to 18 metabolic pathways compared to bacteria grown in darkness. The light-dependent differentially expressed genes are involved in functions such as glycan metabolism, cell wall synthesis, chemotaxis, flagellar synthesis, and resistance to oxidative stress. Exposure to light conferred reduced bacterial motility in semisolid agar, which correlates well with the light-dependent reduction in transcript levels of flagellar and chemotaxis genes. Similar light-induced reduction in growth and motility was also observed in two different L. monocytogenes food isolates, suggesting that these responses are typical for L. monocytogenes Together, the results show that even relatively small doses of broad-spectrum visible light cause genome-wide transcriptional changes, reduced growth, and motility in L. monocytogenesIMPORTANCE Despite major efforts to control L. monocytogenes, this pathogen remains a major problem for the food industry, where it poses a continuous risk of food contamination. The ability of L. monocytogenes to sense and adapt to different stressors in the environment enables it to persist in many different niches, including food production facilities and in food products. The present study shows that exposure of L. monocytogenes to low-intensity broad-spectrum visible light reduces its growth and motility and alters its multicellular behavior. Light exposure also caused genome-wide changes in transcript levels, affecting multiple metabolic pathways, which are likely to influence the bacterial physiology and lifestyle. In practical terms, the data presented in this study suggest that broad-spectrum visible light is an important environmental variable to consider as a strategy to improve food safety by reducing L. monocytogenes contamination in food production environments.

National outbreak of Yersinia enterocolitica infections in military and civilian populations associated with consumption of mixed salad, Norway, 2014.

In May 2014, a cluster of Yersinia enterocolitica (YE) O9 infections was reported from a military base in northern Norway. Concurrently, an increase in YE infections in civilians was observed in the Norwegian Surveillance System for Communicable Diseases. We investigated to ascertain the extent of the outbreak and identify the source in order to implement control measures. A case was defined as a person with laboratory-confirmed YE O9 infection with the outbreak multilocus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA)-profile (5-6-9-8-9-9). We conducted a case-control study in the military setting and calculated odds ratios (OR) using logistic regression. Traceback investigations were conducted to identify common suppliers and products in commercial kitchens frequented by cases. By 28 May, we identified 133 cases, of which 117 were linked to four military bases and 16 were civilians from geographically dispersed counties. Among foods consumed by cases, multivariable analysis pointed to mixed salad as a potential source of illness (OR 10.26; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.85-123.57). The four military bases and cafeterias visited by 14/16 civilian cases received iceberg lettuce or radicchio rosso from the same supplier. Secondary transmission cannot be eliminated as a source of infection in the military camps. The most likely source of the outbreak was salad mix containing imported radicchio rosso, due to its long shelf life. This outbreak is a reminder that fresh produce should not be discounted as a vehicle in prolonged outbreaks and that improvements are still required in the production and processing of fresh salad products.