A Whole Genome Sequencing-Based Epidemiological Investigation of a Pregnancy-Related Invasive Listeriosis Case in Central Italy
Valeria Russini,
Martina Spaziante,
Bianca Maria Varcasia,
Elena Lavinia Diaconu,
Piermichele Paolillo,
Simonetta Picone,
Grazia Brunetti,
Daniela Mattia,
Angela De Carolis,
Francesco Vairo,
Teresa Bossù,
Stefano Bilei,
Maria Laura De Marchis
Affiliations
Valeria Russini
Food Microbiology Unit, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana “M. Aleandri”, 00178 Rome, Italy
Martina Spaziante
Regional Service Surveillance and Control for Infectious Diseases (SERESMI), National Institute for Infectious Diseases “Lazzaro Spallanzani” IRCCS, 00149 Rome, Italy
Bianca Maria Varcasia
Food Microbiology Unit, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana “M. Aleandri”, 00178 Rome, Italy
Elena Lavinia Diaconu
Department of General Diagnostics, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana “M. Aleandri”, 00178 Rome, Italy
Piermichele Paolillo
UO Neonatologia, Patologia Neonatale e Terapia Intensiva Neonatale (TIN), Policlinico Casilino General Hospital, 00169 Rome, Italy
Simonetta Picone
UO Neonatologia, Patologia Neonatale e Terapia Intensiva Neonatale (TIN), Policlinico Casilino General Hospital, 00169 Rome, Italy
Grazia Brunetti
Pathology-Microbiology Laboratory, Policlinico Casilino General Hospital, 00169 Rome, Italy
Daniela Mattia
Dipartimento di Prevenzione, Servizio Veterinario Area B—Igiene Alimenti di Origine Animale (SIOA), ASL Roma 6, 00072 Rome, Italy
Angela De Carolis
Dipartimento di Prevenzione, Servizio di Igiene degli Alimenti e della Nutrizione (SIAN), ASL Roma 6, 00044 Rome, Italy
Francesco Vairo
Regional Service Surveillance and Control for Infectious Diseases (SERESMI), National Institute for Infectious Diseases “Lazzaro Spallanzani” IRCCS, 00149 Rome, Italy
Teresa Bossù
Food Microbiology Unit, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana “M. Aleandri”, 00178 Rome, Italy
Stefano Bilei
Food Microbiology Unit, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana “M. Aleandri”, 00178 Rome, Italy
Maria Laura De Marchis
Food Microbiology Unit, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana “M. Aleandri”, 00178 Rome, Italy
Listeriosis is currently the fifth most common foodborne disease in Europe. Most cases are sporadic; however, outbreaks have also been reported. Compared to other foodborne infections, listeriosis has a modest incidence but can cause life-threatening complications, especially in elderly or immunocompromised people and pregnant women. In the latter case, the pathology can be the cause of premature birth or spontaneous abortion, especially if the fetus is affected during the first months of gestation. The causative agent of listeriosis, Listeria monocytogenes, is characterized by the innate ability to survive in the environment and in food, even in adverse conditions and for long periods. Ready-to-eat food represents the category most at risk for contracting listeriosis. This study presents the result of an investigation carried out on a case of maternal-fetal transmission of listeriosis which occurred in 2020 in central Italy and which was linked, with a retrospective approach, to other cases residing in the same city of the pregnant woman. Thanks to the use of next-generation sequencing methodologies, it was possible to identify an outbreak of infection, linked to the consumption of ready-to-eat sliced products sold in a supermarket in the investigated city.
