Native bacterial communities and Listeria monocytogenes survival in soils collected from the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada

Soil is an important reservoir for Listeria monocytogenes, a foodborne pathogen implicated in numerous produce-related outbreaks. Our objective was to (i) compare the survival of L. monocytogenes between three soils, (ii) compare the native bacterial communities across these soils, and (iii) investigate relationships between L. monocytogenes survival, native bacterial communities, and soil properties. Listeria spp. populations were monitored on PALCAM agar in three soils inoculated with L. monocytogenes (~5 x 106 CFU/g): conventionally farmed (CS), grassland transitioning to conventionally farmed (TS), and uncultivated grassland (GS). Bacterial diversity of the soils was analyzed using 16s rRNA targeted amplicon sequencing. A two-log reduction of Listeria spp. was observed in all soils within 10 days, but at a significantly lower rate in GS (Fisherâ s LSD; pThe accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author