Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #182896
Title: LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES

Author
item Paoli, George
item BHUNIA, ARUN - PURDUE UNIVERSITY
item Bayles, Darrell

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/16/2005
Publication Date: 8/8/2005
Citation: Paoli, G., Bhunia, A., Bayles, D. 2005. Listeria monocytogenes. Foodborne Pathogens: Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews. Horizon Scientific Press, Norwich, UK. Chapter 15. p. 295-325.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-postive foodborne bacterial pathogen and the causative agent of human listeriosis. The organism has served as a model for the study of intracellular pathogensis for several decades and many aspects of the pathogenic process are well understood. Listeriae are acquired primarily through the consumption of contaminated ready-to-eat foods such as luncheon meats, deli salads, and frankfurters. Although L. monocytogenes infection is usually limited to individuals that are immunocompromised, the high mortality rate associated with human listeriosis makes L. monocytogenes the leading cause of death amongst foodborne bacterial pathogens. As a result, tremendous effort has been made at developing methods for the isolation, detection and control of L. monocytogenes in foods. Additional research in the area of genomics and proteomics has begun to be applied toward developing a better understanding of how L. monocytogenes responds to its environment. These efforts will allow a more complete understanding of the pathogenic process as well as more rational approaches to the development of detection and intervention strategies to control of the prevalence of L. monocytogenes in foods.