Moreover, the ubiquity
ofListeria monocytogenesin the environment, especially in soil and
plant matter,makes possible the presence of this Gram-positive bacterium in fruit and vegetables grown in close association with soil
(Beuchat and Ryu 1997; Brackett 1999a). Studies also supported that
E. coliO157:H7,Salmonellaspp., andL. monocytogeneswere able toIngestion of commercially
frozen strawberries has also been implicated as a cause of outbreaks
associated with hepatitis A virus,an organismspread in human feces
and contaminated berries via infected harvesters or contaminated
irrigation water (Dougherty and others 1965; Niu and others 1992;
CDC 1997; Hutin and others 1999; FDA 2001a; Knudsen and others 2001; Harris and others 2003; Flessa and others 2005). Enteric
bacteria such asSalmonellaandEscherichia coliO157:H7 have a
similar environmental reservoir asC. cayetanennsisand the hepatitis A virus (Knudsen and others 2001).