title: Prevalence and risk factors for contamination with Listeria monocytogenes of imported and exported meat and fish products in Switzerland, 1992-2000.
abstract: A total of 2053 import and 164 export samples from 425 production plants were examined over a 9-year period (1992-2000) for the presence of Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) in Switzerland. Overall, 282 samples (12.2%) and 85 plants (20.5%) harbored the pathogen. The highest isolation risk was for marinated fish (38%); the lowest was in cured- and dried-meat products. Unconditional fixed-effect logistic regression was used to identify the main hazards associated with the presence of L. monocytogenes. The plant-level model considered potential risk factors for a positive culture operating at the production-plant level by including a random effect of plant and year. Food category was the only significant factor; sampling site, country of origin and season were not significant. Marinated fish was a strong predictor for positive culture, whereas cooked- and cured-meat products were protective. Plant and year effects were significant. Control measures should be focused on specific food items in each production plant.
authors.affiliation: Microbiological and Chemical Laboratories, Swiss Federal Veterinary Office, CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jemmi
authors.forename: Son-Il
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Pak
authors.forename: Mo D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Salman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003132:Commerce; D005396:Fish Products / Q000382:microbiology*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005519:Food Preservation; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology*; D008461:Meat Products / Q000382:microbiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012703:Serotyping; D013557:Switzerland