Listeria characteristics

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

## Overview[edit | edit source]

## Listeria monocytogenes[edit | edit source]

Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium commonly found in soil, stream water, sewage, plants, and food.[1] Each bacterium is Gram-positive and rod-shaped. Listeria are known to be the bacteria responsible for listeriosis, a rare but lethal food-borne infection that has a devastating mortality rate of 25%[2](Salmonella, in comparison, has a less than 1% mortality rate[3]). They are incredibly hardy and able to grow in temperatures ranging from 4°C (39°F), the temperature of a refrigerator, to 37°C (99°F), the body's internal temperature[1]. Furthermore, listerosis's deadliness can be partially attributed to the infection's ability to spread to the nervous system and cause meningitis.[1] Finally, Listeria has a particularly high occurrence rate in newborns because of its ability to infect the fetus by penetrating the endothelial layer of the placenta.[2]

## References[edit | edit source]

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Southwick, F.S. "More About Listeria". University of Florida Medical School. doi:. Check `|doi=` value (help). Retrieved 7 March 2007. Unknown parameter `|coauthors=` ignored (help)
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Todar's Online Textbook of Bacteriology". Listeria monocytogenes and Listeriosis. Kenneth Todar University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Biology. 2003. doi:. Check `|doi=` value (help). Retrieved 2007-03-07.
3. ↑ "Statistics about Salmonella food poisoning". WrongDiagnosis.com. 27 February 2007. doi:. Check `|doi=` value (help). Retrieved 2007-03-07.

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