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The main goal of the project is to provide an avenue to allow implementation of proactive and cost-effective monitoring/prevention approaches to prevent/minimize food-borne listeriosis. The specific objectives are:
<OL> <LI> To index all L. monocytogenes strains that have been and are being isolated from Ontario's food chain in routine monitoring and surveillance programs in last 10 years, as well as Ontario's historical clinical isolates using MLVA analysis,
<LI> To identify predominant and persistent types and to assess potential risks associated with the predominant and persistent types,
<LI> To provide a database which can be used as a part of future routine monitoring and surveillance programs for systematic risk assessment, management and control.
Expected Benefits:
If successful, this will be the first comprehensive MLVA genotyping database for ~2400 L. monocytogenes strains collected from Ontario's food chain and clinical cases over last 10 years.
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It will provide the information on predominant and persistent types of L. monocytogenes and potential risks associated with them.
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It will provide criteria for creating an interactive web-based MLVA database for L. monocytogenes which can be used in future routine monitoring and control programs.
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The database will allow continued risk assessment, management and control and lead to real-time strain tracking in future.
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An MLVA database will allow to obtain accurate genotyping results directly from field samples without an isolate, or before a pure culture is isolated.
<P> For more information, please visit the <a href="http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/research/foodsafety/index.html" target="_blank">Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) Food Safety Research Program</a>.