Resumen

VILLALOBOS DE B, Luz Bettina  y  MARTINEZ N, Rosa E. Isolation and Identification by Conventional and PCR Methods of Listeria monocytogenes in Fresh White Cheeses Commercialized in Cumaná, Venezuela.. Rev. Cient. (Maracaibo) [online]. 2007, vol.17, n.5, pp.529-536. ISSN 0798-2259.

The artisan venezuelan cheese is a food that does not have sanitary supervision during its elaboration and sale. This food has been associated with outbreaks of infections diseases in Venezuela and especially listeriosis in North America and Europe, thereby, it was investigated the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in this kind of cheese that is commercialized in municipal and public markets of Cumaná. Sixty samples of fresh white cheese were analyzed to determine its NaCL content and pH values. The isolation and biochemical characterization were carried out by FDA standars and API Listeria, and the molecular identification by PCR. The pH values were in the range 3.81-7.10, mean 5.87. The NaCl percentages were in the range, 0.58-7.60 mean 2.20. Ten samples of cheese were positive for Listeria spp by biochemical test and API Listeria PCR confirmation were identified 2 Listeria monocytogenes, 2 L. welshimeri- L. selligeri- L ivanovii group, 5 L. innocua and one L grayi. The L. monocytogenes strains were positive for listeriolisin gene (hly). These results show evidence of failures in the elaboration of this artisan cheese due to great dispersion of NaCl and pH values, and confirm the presence Listeria monocytogenes in this kind of food.

Palabras clave : Cheese; Listeria monocytogenes; PCR.