Population Genetic Structure of Listeria monocytogenes Strains Isolated from the Pig and Pork Meat Production Chain in France

Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) is one of the main causative agents for foodborne infections in Europe in terms of severity of the illness and fatality rate (EFSA-ECDC, 2015). In France, listeriosis causes less than 0.1 % of foodborne illnesses, but has the highest rate of mortality (20-30 % ) and hospitalizations (98.9 %) among foodborne infections (Goulet et al., 2013; Van Cauteren et al., 2017). Meat products—and more specifically pork meat—are regularly reported as contaminated, with a prevalence of up to 12 % in raw products (Roussel et al., 2010; Kerouanton et al., 2011). Understanding the origin of these contaminations remains an important public health issue.