History and epidemiology of listeriosis

Listeriae are used as a tool by different specialities in biomedical research. There are now at least four major fields of interest in Listeria: (1) the role in medical microbiology: Listeria monocytogenes causes severe diseases of men and animals and is difficult to treat; (2) the role in food microbiology: Listeria is a food-borne pathogen and is found in various food items; (3) the role in cell biology: L. monocytogenes is a facultative intracellular parasite having an intense cross-talk and interactions with the host cell; (4) the role in immunology: basic knowledge on cell-mediated immunity has been acquired through the model of listeriosis. This paper presents information on the past and the actual situation in research on Listeria and listeriosis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]