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Colonies of Listeria monocytogenes on blood agar. Cultivation 24 hours, 37°C (+ approximately 3 days in the fridge). Listeria monocytogenes is beta-hemolytic on sheep blood agar plates
but often produce only narrow zones of hemolysis that frequently do not extend much beyond the edge of the colonies.
Listeria monocytogenes is the causative agent of listeriosis. It is one of the most virulent foodborne pathogens, with 20 to 30 percent of clinical infections resulting in death. Responsible for approximately 2,500 illnesses and 500 deaths in the United States annually, listeriosis is the leading cause of death among foodborne bacterial pathogens, with fatality rates exceeding even Salmonella and Clostridium botulinum.
Due to its frequent pathogenicity, causing meningitis in newborns (acquired transvaginally), pregnant mothers are often advised not to eat soft cheeses, which may be contaminated with and permit growth of L. monocytogenes. It is the third most common cause of meningitis in newborns.
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