| In 1929, it was first reported that Listeria monocytogenes could cause disease in humans. In 1980, there was an outbreak of the disease in Auckland, New Zealand resulting in 5 deaths and 22 perinatal cases. Investigators suggested that the consumption of raw seafood may have been a contributory factor. This evidence was epidemiological rather than microbiological. There are a number of different ways by which Listeria monocytogenes and other pathogenic organisms can enter into the seafood processing plants and contaminate fish and seafood products, the main ones being run off from agricultural farms, direct faecal contamination by animals (man inclusive), sewage and seafood contact surfaces. Quantitative ATP bioluminescence, RODAC and TVC was used to... |
