Comparison of a cultural method with ListerScreen plus Rapid'L.mono or PCR-ELISA methods for the enumeration of L-monocytogenes in naturally contaminated sewage sludge

Cultural methods used to count Listeria monocytogenes in sewage sludge are laborious and time consuming, and alternative methods are needed to reduce analysis time and improve detection limits. In this study, a survey of L. monocytogenes in sewage sludge is presented with a comparative study between a cultural method and immunomagnetic separation using a ListerScreen test followed by identification of L. monocytogenes with Rapid'L.mono agar or PCR-ELISA. These two alternative methods improved the detection of L. monocytogenes in different types of sludge, irrespective of their physical and chemical characteristics. The ListerScreen method coupled with detection of L. monocytogenes on Rapid'L.mono offers the advantage of being less sophisticated than the molecular method and allows isolation of the organism, which may be useful in epidemiological studies. However, ListerScreen coupled with PCR-ELISA proved best for high-sensitivity detection of L. monocytogenes in sewage samples. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.