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. 2024 Mar;73(3):001800.
doi: 10.1099/jmm.0.001800.

Listeria monocytogenes: the silent assassin

Emily T Fotopoulou  1   2   3 , Claire Jenkins  1   2 , Anaïs Painset  1 , Corinne Amar  1
Affiliations

Listeria monocytogenes: the silent assassin

Emily T Fotopoulou et al. J Med Microbiol. 2024 Mar.

Abstract

Listeriosis is a foodborne infection in humans caused by Listeria monocytogenes. Consumption of contaminated food can lead to severe infection in vulnerable patients, that can be fatal. Clinical manifestations include sepsis and meningitis, and in pregnancy-associated infection, miscarriage and stillbirth. Diagnosis is confirmed by culture and identification of the pathogen from blood, cerebrospinal fluid, vaginal swab, placenta or amniotic fluid. Treatment regimens recommend amoxicillin, ampicillin or an aminoglycoside. Virulence factors mediate bacterial adhesion and invasion of gut epithelial cells. Other factors mediate biofilm formation and tolerance to low temperatures and high salt concentrations facilitating persistence and survival in the environment.

Keywords: Listeria monocytogenes; clinical outcomes; epidemiology; microbiology; virulence factors.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

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