Difference between revisions of "Listeria species - Overview"

From WikiVet English
Jump to navigation Jump to search
(Created page with '===Overview=== *6 species *Saprophytes in soil *''L. monocytogenes'' and ''L. ivanovii'' are pathogens *Carried by sheep and goats and shed in faeces and milk especially during …')
(28 intermediate revisions by 3 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{OpenPagesTop}}
+
===Overview===
{{Taxobox
 
|name              =''Listeria''
 
|phylum            =Firmicutes
 
|class              =Bacilli
 
|order              =Bacillales
 
|family            =Listeriaceae
 
|genus              =Listeria
 
}}
 
  
[[File:listeria 2.jpg|right|thumb|250px|<small><center>Electron micrograph of ''Listeria monocytogenes''. (Marco Tolo 2006, Wikimedia commons)</center></small>]]
+
*6 species
[[File:listeria 3.jpg|right|thumb|250px|<small><center>''Listeria monocytogenes'' grown on Bio-Rad RAPID'L.Mono® Agar. (James Folsom 2003, Wikimedia commons)</center></small>]]
+
*Saprophytes in soil
==Overview==
+
*''L. monocytogenes'' and ''L. ivanovii'' are pathogens
+
*Carried by sheep and goats and shed in faeces and milk especially during stress
There are 6 species of ''Listeria'' bacteria. They are known as saprophytes in soil. [[Listeria monocytogenes|''L.monocytogenes'']] and [[Listeria ivanovii|''L.ivanovii'']] are pathogens carried by sheep and goats and shed in faeces and milk especially during stress. They can cause septicaemia, encephalitis, abortion and endophthalmitis in ruminants. Outbreaks of [[Listeriosis|Listeriosis]] often linked to silage feeding.
+
*Can cause septicaemia, encephalitis, abortion and endophthalmitis in ruminants
 +
*Outbreaks of listeriosis often linked to silage feeding
 +
*Occurs in North and East Europe and North America
  
==Characteristics==
+
===Characteristics===
  
''Listeria'' are intracellular pathogens. They are Gram positive rods with catalase positive and oxidase negative activity. They are facultative anaerobes and have tumbling motility.
+
*Small Gram positive rods
[[Listeria monocytogenes|''L.monocytogenes'']] is haemolytic on blood agar due to a cytolytic protein, '''listeriolysin''', and grows at range of pH values and temperatures. [[Listeria ivanovii|''L.ivanovii'']] produces a strong haemolytic zone. ''Listeria'' produces small, smooth, transparent colonies after 24 hours incubation. They are able to grow on non-enriched media.
+
*Catalase positive, oxidase negative
 +
*Tumbling motility
 +
*Facultative anaerobes
 +
*Intracellular pathogens
 +
*''L. monocytogenes'' is haemolytic on blood agar due to a cytolytic protein, listeriolysin; grows at range of pH values and temperatures
 +
*''L. ivanovii'' produces strong haemolytic zone
 +
*Small, smooth, transparent colonies after 24 hours incubation
 +
*Grow on non-enriched media
  
==Pathogenesis and pathogenicity==
+
===Pathogenesis and pathogenicity===
  
''Listeria'' cause infection by ingestion of contaminated feed. The bacteria penetrate M cells in intestinal Peyer's patches and spread to tissues via blood and lymph. Transplacental transmission can also occur in pregnant animals.
+
*Infection by ingestion of contaminated feed
The bacteria may gain entry via breaks in oral or nasal mucosa and migrate in cranial nerves to cause neural signs. This can cause the formation of microabscesses and perivascular lymphocytic cuffs in the brainstem.
+
*Bacteria penetrate M cells in intestinal Peyer's patches
[[Listeria monocytogenes|''L.monocytogenes'']] can replicate within phagocytic and non-phagocytic cells, and pass between cells without being exposed to the immune system.
+
*Spread to tissues via blood and lymph
Surface proteins known as '''internalins''' allow adherence and uptake of the bacteria into cells. Listeriolysin produced by virulent strains destroys membranes of phagocytic vacuoles, releasing the bacteria into the cytoplasm. In the cytoplasm, ''Listeria'' are motile.
+
*Transplacental transmission in pregnant animals
The bacteria can then induce formation of pseudopod projections in the cytoplasmic membrane, which are taken up with the bacteria into adjacent cells.
+
*Bacteria may gain entry via breaks in oral or nasal mucosa, migrate in cranial nerves to cause neural signs
A cell-mediated immune response is required for protection.
+
*Causes formation of microabscesses and perivascular lymphocytic cuffs in brainstem
 +
*''L. monocytogenes'' can replicate within phagocytic and non-phagocytic cell, and pass between cells without being exposed to the immune system
 +
*Surface proteins known as internalins allow adherence and uptake of the bacteria into cells
 +
*Listeriolysin produced by virulent strains destroys membranes of phagocytic vacuoles, releasing the bacteria into the cytoplasm
 +
*Listeria are motile in the cytoplasm
 +
*Bacteria induce formation of pseudopod projections in the cytoplasmic membrane, which are taken up with the bacteria into adjacent cells
 +
*Cell-mediated immune response required for protection
  
==Diagnosis==
+
===Diagnosis===
  
Specimens for diagnosis should include; CSF in neural cases, cotyledons in abortion and liver, spleen and blood in septicaemia. Immunofluorescence using monoclonal antibodies can be used. Histology of brain demonstrates microabscesses and lymphocytic cuffing in the brainstem. Smears of cotyledons can be diagnostic in abortion. High protein and cell counts in CSF can be taken in neural cases and isolation on blood and MacConkey agar in septicaemia.
+
*Specimens should include CSF in neural cases, cotyledons in abortion, liver, spleen and blood in septicaemia
 +
*Immunofluorescence using monoclonal antibodies
 +
*Histology of brain demonstrates microabscesses and lymphocytic cuffing in brainstem
 +
*Smears of cotyledons
 +
*High protein and cell counts in CSF
 +
*Isolation on blood and MacConkey agar
  
<big>'''[[:Category:Listeria_species|See here for a list of ''Listeria'' species]]'''</big>
+
===Treatment and control===
  
 +
*Ampicillin or amoxycillin in early stages of septicaemic listeriosis
 +
*Sub-conjuntival antibiotics and corticosteroids for ocular listeriosis
 +
*Avoid poor quality silage and discontinue silage-feeding in an outbreak
  
{{review}}
 
  
{{OpenPages}}
+
Causes abortions in cattle and sheep last third of pregnancy. Foetal membranes often retained leading to metritis. The placenta is covered by purulent exudate and there are focal pinpoint yellow lesions in foetal liver.
  
[[Category:Listeria_species|A]]
+
[[Category:Bacteria]][[Category:Gram_positive_bacteria]][[Category:Rods]]
 
+
[[Category:To_Do_-_Bacteria]]
 
+
[[Category:To_Do_-_AimeeHicks]]
[[Category:Expert_Review]]
 

Revision as of 07:48, 7 July 2010

Overview

  • 6 species
  • Saprophytes in soil
  • L. monocytogenes and L. ivanovii are pathogens
  • Carried by sheep and goats and shed in faeces and milk especially during stress
  • Can cause septicaemia, encephalitis, abortion and endophthalmitis in ruminants
  • Outbreaks of listeriosis often linked to silage feeding
  • Occurs in North and East Europe and North America

Characteristics

  • Small Gram positive rods
  • Catalase positive, oxidase negative
  • Tumbling motility
  • Facultative anaerobes
  • Intracellular pathogens
  • L. monocytogenes is haemolytic on blood agar due to a cytolytic protein, listeriolysin; grows at range of pH values and temperatures
  • L. ivanovii produces strong haemolytic zone
  • Small, smooth, transparent colonies after 24 hours incubation
  • Grow on non-enriched media

Pathogenesis and pathogenicity

  • Infection by ingestion of contaminated feed
  • Bacteria penetrate M cells in intestinal Peyer's patches
  • Spread to tissues via blood and lymph
  • Transplacental transmission in pregnant animals
  • Bacteria may gain entry via breaks in oral or nasal mucosa, migrate in cranial nerves to cause neural signs
  • Causes formation of microabscesses and perivascular lymphocytic cuffs in brainstem
  • L. monocytogenes can replicate within phagocytic and non-phagocytic cell, and pass between cells without being exposed to the immune system
  • Surface proteins known as internalins allow adherence and uptake of the bacteria into cells
  • Listeriolysin produced by virulent strains destroys membranes of phagocytic vacuoles, releasing the bacteria into the cytoplasm
  • Listeria are motile in the cytoplasm
  • Bacteria induce formation of pseudopod projections in the cytoplasmic membrane, which are taken up with the bacteria into adjacent cells
  • Cell-mediated immune response required for protection

Diagnosis

  • Specimens should include CSF in neural cases, cotyledons in abortion, liver, spleen and blood in septicaemia
  • Immunofluorescence using monoclonal antibodies
  • Histology of brain demonstrates microabscesses and lymphocytic cuffing in brainstem
  • Smears of cotyledons
  • High protein and cell counts in CSF
  • Isolation on blood and MacConkey agar

Treatment and control

  • Ampicillin or amoxycillin in early stages of septicaemic listeriosis
  • Sub-conjuntival antibiotics and corticosteroids for ocular listeriosis
  • Avoid poor quality silage and discontinue silage-feeding in an outbreak


Causes abortions in cattle and sheep last third of pregnancy. Foetal membranes often retained leading to metritis. The placenta is covered by purulent exudate and there are focal pinpoint yellow lesions in foetal liver.