TABLE 3.
Characteristics of Listeria-positive soil samples according to region, altitude, and dominant soil characteristics
| Region(s) | Altitude (m) | No. of samples | No. (%) of samples positive for Listeria | Avg % moisture content (range) | Avg pH (range) | Dominant soil characteristic(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 0–500 | 60 | 30 (50.00) | 18.67 (3.00–37.00) | 7.53 (6.63–8.15) | Sand/humus; sand |
| B | 0–500 | 101 | 54 (53.47) | 28.45 (16.00–51.00) | 7.5 (6.71–8.36) | Sand/humus; humus/clay |
| C | 0–500 | 92 | 34 (36.96) | 16.40 (2.00–31.00) | 7.53 (5.55–8.82) | Sand/humus; humus |
| A | 500–1,000 | 62 | 18 (29.03) | 22.53 (6.00–46.00) | 7.24 (5.05–7.97) | Humus |
| A | ≥1,500 | 62 | 1 (1.61) | 56.00 | 6.30 | Humus |
| D to L | ≥1,500 | 90 | 3 (3.33) | 33.00 (13.00–45.00) | 5.84 (4.92–7.45) | Humus; sand |