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Pathogen Page

Listeria monocytogenes

I. General Information

1. NCBI Taxonomy ID:

2. Disease:

Listeriosis

3. Introduction

Listeria monocytogenes is a gram positive facultatively intracellular foodborne pathogen, which is often found in food and elsewhere in nature. Listeria can survive temperatures from below freezing to body temperature (Ramaswamy et al., 2007). Infection by L. monocytogenes causes the disease listeriosis. The manifestations of listeriosis include septicemia, meningitis (or meningoencephalitis), encephalitis, corneal ulcer, pneumonia, and intrauterine or cervical infections in pregnant women, which may result in spontaneous abortion (2nd/3rd trimester) or stillbirth (Wiki: L. monocytogenes).

4. Microbial Pathogenesis

L. monocytogenes may invade the gastrointestinal epithelium. Once the bacterium enters the host's monocytes, macrophages, or polymorphonuclear leukocytes, it becomes blood-borne (septicemic) and can grow. Its presence intracellularly in phagocytic cells also permits access to the brain and probably transplacental migration to the fetus in pregnant women. The pathogenesis of L. monocytogenes centers on its ability to survive and multiply in phagocytic host cells (Wiki: L. monocytogenes). Listeria is able to move from cell to cell via actin motility (Ramaswamy et al., 2007).

5. Host Ranges and Animal Models

Listeria can live in the intestines of humans, animals and birds without causing symptoms. Mice are used as a model of infection for listeria (Ramaswamy et al., 2007).

6. Host Protective Immunity

Infection is often controlled by cell mediated response. Infection is asymptomatic in most patients, and tends to be more severe in immunocompromised individuals (Ramaswamy et al., 2007).

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