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. 1996 Dec;117(3):437–442. doi: 10.1017/s0950268800059094

Listeria species in domestic environments.

R R Beumer 1, M C te Giffel 1, E Spoorenberg 1, F M Rombouts 1
PMCID: PMC2271640  PMID: 8972667

Abstract

Using a direct isolation method Listeria spp. were detected in 101 (47.4%) of 213 houses investigated. L. monocytogenes was present in 45 houses (21.1%). Listeria spp. occurred at all sampling sites. Dish-cloths (37%) and surface samples round the drain in the bathroom (27.2%) were most frequently contaminated. Highest numbers (c. 10(4) c.f.u./object) were found in dish-cloths and washing-up brushes. Lower levels (up to 10(3) c.f.u./object) were obtained from kitchen sinks, refrigerator vegetable compartment samples and tooth brushes. In total, 132 isolations of Listeria spp. were made from 871 samples. L. innocua (53%) and L. monocytogenes (41%) were the predominant species in the positive samples. Other Listeria spp. were found in only 6% of the positive samples.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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