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Invading slugs ( A rion vulgaris) can be vectors for L isteria monocytogenes
Author(s) -
Gismervik K.,
Aspholm M.,
Rørvik L.M.,
Bruheim T.,
Andersen A.,
Skaar I.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of applied microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.889
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2672
pISSN - 1364-5072
DOI - 10.1111/jam.12750
Subject(s) - food science , biology , chemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , computational biology
Aims Listeriosis is a frequent silage‐associated disease in ruminants. The slugs A rion vulgaris are invaders in gardens, vegetable crops and meadows for silage production. Field and laboratory studies were conducted to clarify whether slugs could host L isteria monocytogenes and thereby constitute a threat to animal feed safety. Methods and Results Selective culture of L. monocytogenes from 79 pooled slug samples (710 slugs) resulted in 43% positive, 16% with mean L. monocytogenes values of 405 CFU g −1 slug tissues. Of 62 individual slugs cultured, 11% also tested positive from surface/mucus. Multilocus sequence typing analysis of 36 isolates from different slug pools identified 20 sequence types belonging to L. monocytogenes lineages I and II . Slugs fed ≅4·0 × 10 5 CFU L. monocytogenes , excreted viable L. monocytogenes in faeces for up to 22 days. Excretion of L. monocytogenes decreased with time, although there were indications of a short enrichment period during the first 24 h. Conclusions Arion vulgaris may act as a vector for L. monocytogenes . Significance and Impact of the Study Highly slug‐contaminated grass silage may pose a potential threat to animal feed safety.