[Historical note: in homage to Lister]

Abstract

Joseph Lister, who disputes with Klebs the third place as the Father of Microbiology, was just about to remain without a bacteria immortalizing his ñame. Thanks to Seeliger, now Listeria is used for identifying the genus that Pirie had already named Listerella in 1927. Through a quick review of the history of Listeria monocytogenes, we get to know the principal facts in the lives of Pirie and Seeliger, investigators with absolutely different characters. We also review a brief history of the life of the great researcher Lister, whose profound human qualities are described.