Listeria monocytogenes, a model in infection biology

Abstract

Listeria monocytogenes causes listeriosis, a systemic infection which manifests as bacteremia, often complicated by meningoencephalitis in immunocompromised individuals and the elderly, and fetal‐placental infection in pregnant women. It has emerged over the past decades as a major foodborne pathogen, responsible for numerous outbreaks in Western countries, and more recently in Africa. L. monocytogenes' pathogenic properties have been studied in detail, thanks to concomitant advances in biological sciences, in particular molecular biology, cell biology and immunology. L. monocytogenes has also been instrumental to basic advances in life sciences. L. monocytogenes therefore stands both a tool to understand biology and a model in infection biology. This review briefly summarises the clinical and some of the pathophysiological features of listeriosis. In the context of this special issue, it highlights some of the major discoveries made by Pascale Cossart in the fields of molecular and cellular microbiology since the mid‐eighties regarding the identification and characterisation of multiple bacterial and host factors critical to L. monocytogenes pathogenicity. It also briefly summarises some of the key findings from our laboratory on this topic over the past years.

Prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis and Listeria monocytogenes in Infertile Men and the Effect on Semen Parameters

“…Listeriamonocytogenes, an intracellular and opportunistic pathogen, enter the body through contaminated water and food and cause a systemic infection called listeriosis, which in turn causes meningoencephalitis in pregnant women, the elderly, and those with immunodeficiency (13). The clinical spectrum of listeriosis contains two specific targets; the placental-maternal unit and the central nervous system (15).…”

“…This bacterium is an intracellular and opportunistic pathogen that its role in human infections caused by food is well-studied. Over the past few decades, L. monocytogenes is considered as a pathogen that has caused numerous infections in Western countries and recently in African regions, which its pathogenic properties are studied along with simultaneous advances in biological sciences, particularly molecular biology (13). The identification of L. monocytogenes via molecular techniques dates back to the 1990s (14).…”

“…According to the previous studies, the semen analysis is the most reliable test to screen infertile males (1); the use of PCR is also recommended as it is highly sensitive and specific to C. trachomatis in infertile males and L. monocytogenes in females with recurrent abortion (13,(17)(18)(19). Detection of C. trachomatis in infertile males is associated with various challenges, but PCR can detect the bacteria in eight hours.…”

Emerging Evasion Mechanisms of Macrophage Defenses by Pathogenic Bacteria

“…Listeria monocytogenes is the etiologic agent of listeriosis, a foodborne infection whose clinical manifestations range from self-limiting enteritis in immunocompetent individuals to life-threatening sepsis and meningo-encephalitis in the elderly and newborns. Three decades of research established this facultative intracellular bacterium as a model to study cellular and infection microbiology (Impens and Dussurget, 2020 ; Lecuit, 2020 ). L. monocytogenes fascinating life cycle in macrophages, i.e., entry, phagosomal escape, replication, actin-based movement and spread, was first described by Tilney and Portnoy (Tilney and Portnoy, 1989 ).…”

Characterisation of Listeria monocytogenes isolates from cattle using a bovine caruncular epithelial cell model

“…infect the ruminant placenta is unclear. Most studies have focused on infection of humans and rodents, and distinct species differences in placental structures as well as interhemal barriers mean that making comparisons between ruminants and infection in other species is erroneous [ 4 ]. In the placenta, maternal and fetal tissues interact.…”