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an epidemiological study of listeriosis in dairy cattle

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A large number <strong>of</strong> L. monocytogenes isolates were obta<strong>in</strong>ed from the<br />

environment <strong>an</strong>d <strong>an</strong>imals. It was impossible to exam<strong>in</strong>e all the isolates because <strong>of</strong> time<br />

<strong>an</strong>d f<strong>in</strong><strong>an</strong>cial constra<strong>in</strong>ts. However the limited results obta<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong> this <strong>study</strong> provide<br />

some <strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>formation. A total <strong>of</strong> 12 “stra<strong>in</strong>s” were identified but on <strong>in</strong>dividual<br />

farms this was limited to 5 or 6 different “stra<strong>in</strong>s”. The maximum number <strong>in</strong><br />

environmental samples was 4 <strong>an</strong>d <strong>in</strong> faecal samples it was 6. This diversity with<strong>in</strong> the<br />

stra<strong>in</strong>s <strong>of</strong> L. monocytogenes is <strong>in</strong> accord<strong>an</strong>ce with the results reported by other<br />

researchers (Boerl<strong>in</strong> <strong>an</strong>d Piffaretti 1991, Fenlon <strong>an</strong>d others 1996, Wiedm<strong>an</strong>n <strong>an</strong>d others<br />

1996).<br />

In <strong>in</strong>terpret<strong>in</strong>g the difference between the isolates made at different times care<br />

has to be taken because <strong>of</strong> the potential <strong>in</strong>fluence <strong>of</strong> the sampl<strong>in</strong>g procedure.<br />

Competition between the stra<strong>in</strong>s <strong>in</strong>variably takes place dur<strong>in</strong>g the enrichment procedure<br />

<strong>an</strong>d the selection <strong>of</strong> only 5 colonies from a plate me<strong>an</strong>s that only “stra<strong>in</strong>s” present at a<br />

prevalence <strong>of</strong> 50% will be detected.<br />

However, given these constra<strong>in</strong>ts the results suggest that the predom<strong>in</strong><strong>an</strong>t faecal<br />

isolates may vary with time. It is possible that the epidemic curves observed for L.<br />

monocytogenes are composite results from a large number <strong>of</strong> “stra<strong>in</strong>s” related epidemic<br />

curves. If this is the case then <strong>an</strong>y potential vacc<strong>in</strong>e aga<strong>in</strong>st L. monocytogenes <strong>in</strong>fection<br />

would need to <strong>in</strong>corporate immunogens from a number <strong>of</strong> different “stra<strong>in</strong>s”.<br />

The isolates from milk <strong>in</strong> the bulk t<strong>an</strong>k on three farms (farm A, B <strong>an</strong>d D)<br />

revealed that each farm had different patterns; the pattern 4 on farm A, 1 on farm B <strong>an</strong>d<br />

5 on farm D. Except for the pattern 4, this pattern 4 was not detected <strong>in</strong> <strong>an</strong>y other<br />

samples. Both pattern 1 <strong>an</strong>d 5 were also detected <strong>in</strong> the environmental <strong>an</strong>d faecal<br />

isolates on these farms. This may suggest that milk was contam<strong>in</strong>ated with the org<strong>an</strong>ism<br />

either by <strong>an</strong>imals excret<strong>in</strong>g it <strong>in</strong> milk or the org<strong>an</strong>ism got <strong>in</strong>to the t<strong>an</strong>k via<br />

environmental contam<strong>in</strong>ation where the refrigeration temperature allowed the org<strong>an</strong>ism<br />

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