Determination of Listeria monocytogenes by electrochemical sensor systems

Listeria monocytogenes is a gram positive, small rood shape, facultative anaerobe, intracellular food borne pathogen. It first described in 1926. Since the series of outbreaks in 1980?s, it is apparent that L. monocytogenes cause an extremely serious, invasive and life threatening food borne disease. It can cause a rare but serious disease called listeriosis with high fatality rates (20?30%) compared with other food borne microbial pathogens. Conventional culture methods for the detection and identification of L. monocytogenes have primarily relied on time-consuming enrichment steps, followed by biochemical identification and require up to one week. As a result more rapid tests were developed based on immuno assays or molecular techniques. Over the last two decade, a great deal of research has focused on the development of biological sensors for the detection of microorganisms, allowing rapid and real-time identification. In this study aimed to develop an electrochemical biosensor for the detection of L. monocytogenes. For this purpose, immuno analyses based and DNA based electrochemical biosensors systems were developed. As a result of the studies, DNA based sensor system were more successful than immüno analyses based sensor system.Keywords: Listeria monocytogenes, Listeriosis, Electrochemical Biosensors DNA Sensors, Rapid Detection Methods