Abstract
Listeriosis is a severe disease caused by the foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes, posing a significant risk to vulnerable populations such as the elderly, pregnant women, and newborns. While relatively uncommon, it has a high global mortality rate of 20–30%. Recent research indicates that smaller outbreaks of the more severe, invasive form of the disease occur more frequently than previously thought, despite the overall stable infection rates of L. monocytogenes over the past 10 years. The ability of L. monocytogenes to form biofilm structures on various surfaces in food production environments contributes to its persistence and challenges in eradication, potentially leading to contamination of food and food production facilities. To address these concerns, this review focuses on recent developments in epidemiology, risk evaluations, and molecular mechanisms of L. monocytogenes survival in adverse conditions and environmental adaptation. Additionally, it covers new insights into strain variability, pathogenicity, mutations, and host vulnerability, emphasizing the important events framework that elucidates the biochemical pathways from ingestion to infection. Understanding the adaptation approaches of L. monocytogenes to environmental stress factors is crucial for the development of effective and affordable pathogen control techniques in the food industry, ensuring the safety of food production.
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Abbreviations
- EFSA:
-
European Food Safety Authority
- ECDC:
-
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
- CDC:
-
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- WGS:
-
Whole genome sequencing
- PFGE:
-
Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis
- FDA:
-
Food and Drug Administration
- CFSAN:
-
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
- SNPs:
-
Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms
- wgMLST:
-
Whole genome multi-locus sequence typing
- FSIS:
-
Food Safety and Inspection Service
- EU:
-
European Union
- RTE:
-
Ready-to-eat
- WHO:
-
World health organization
- NGS:
-
Next-generation sequencing
- SSIs:
-
Stress survival islets
- GRAS:
-
Generally regarded as safe
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Rohilla, A., Kumar, V. & Ahire, J.J. Unveiling the persistent threat: recent insights into Listeria monocytogenes adaptation, biofilm formation, and pathogenicity in foodborne infections. J Food Sci Technol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-023-05918-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-023-05918-6