Listeria Species Occurrence and Associated Risk Factors and Antibiogram of Listeria Monocytogenes in Milk and Milk Products in Ambo, Holeta, and Bako Towns, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia
Abstract Background Listeriosis is a severe foodborne disease of significant burden to public health caused by consuming food contaminated with Listeria species. The current study was aimed to estimate the prevalence and associated risk factors of Listeria species and assess the antibiogram of Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) isolated from milk and milk products from Holeta, Ambo, and Bako towns, Ethiopia. Methods A cross sectional study was employed and a systematic random sampling method was used to collect raw milk and milk products samples. A total of 482 samples (384 milk, 35 cottage cheeses, 30 bulk tank milk, and 33 curdle milk) were collected and isolation and identification of Listeria species were done using standard microbiological techniques. Antimicrobial susceptibility test for L. monocytogenes was performed using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion technique. Descriptive statistics was used to summarize the prevalence of Listeria while Chi-square test and logistic regression were used to determine the association between the prevalence of Listeria and the risk factors and the magnitude of association, respectively Results The isolation rate of Listeria species was 7.67% (37/482; 95% confidence interval (CI):5.46, 10.42). The overall prevalence of L. monocytogenes was 2.28%, (11/482; 95% CI: 1.14 - 4.04). The other species isolated were L. welshimeri 0.62% (3/482; 95% CI:0.13 - 1.81), L. seeligeri 1.04% (5/482; 95% CI:0.33 - 2.40), L. ivanovi 1.24%, (6/482;95% CI:0.45 - 2.68) and L. grayi 2.49% (12/482; 95% CI:5.46 - 10.42). Univariable logistic regression showed that study town, herd size, farm size, number of lactating cows, and management system were the factors significantly associated with for the isolation of Listeria species at farm level while intensive management system was independent predictor at cow level in the multivariable model (adjusted odds ratio = 3.38, P=0.046). L. monocytogenes isolates showed the highest resistance against oxacillin (100%), amoxicillin (90.91%), and vancomycine (81.82%). L. monocytogenes showed very high multi-drug resistance (MDR) [81.82%]. Conclusion The current study showed widespread of Listeria species MDR Listeria monocytogenes isolates in cow raw milk and milk products from Ambo, Holeta, and Bako towns, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia.