In Vivo Virulence Characterization of Pregnancy-Associated Listeria monocytogenes Infections.

ABSTRACT: Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen that infects the placenta and can cause pregnancy complications. Listeriosis usually occurs as a sporadic infection, but large outbreaks are also reported. Virulence from clinical isolates is rarely analyzed due to the large number of animals required, but this knowledge could help guide the response to an outbreak. We implemented a DNA barcode system using signature tags that allowed us to efficiently assay variations in virulence across a large number of isolates. We tested 77 signature-tagged clones of clinical L. monocytogenes strains from 72 infected human placentas and 5 immunocompromised patients, all of which were isolated since 2000. These strains were tested for virulence in a modified competition assay in comparison to

SUBMITTER: Morrison HA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6204711 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature