Currently important pathogenic Listeria species affecting animals and birds (review)

Listeriosis is one of the most severe gastrointestinal diseases in the world. Listeria affect different groups of animals and birds. The pathogen has been detected in meat, milk, fish and fish products. The disease shows spring and autumn seasonality. It has been reliably established that Listeria monocytogenes is ubiquitous in the environment. Listeria monocytogenes is a facultative intracellular pathogen. Infection with Listeria monocytogenes causes an invasive disease in animals and humans, which is transmitted via the fecal-oral route from an animal to a human, from a mother to a fetus. The pathogenesis of Listeria infection has been well studied. The gastrointestinal tract is the site of the pathogenic Listeria species transit and spread. The infection incubation period is 20–30 days in animals and humans. The clinical course in different animal species, including birds, has a number of specific features. Listeria can cross the intestinal, placental and blood-brain barriers. The manifestations of listeriosis include encephalitis, meningitis, gastritis, meningoencephalitis, mastitis, abortions, endometritis, etc. Pathogenic Listeria species show hemolytic activity which non-pathogenic species (except Listeria seeligeri ) lack. The review presents the up-to-date information on the classification of Listeria , the pathogenicity factors of Listeria monocytogenes as the major pathogen, the mechanisms of Listeria infection development in different animal species.