Listeria: Biology, Pathogenesis, and Public Health Challenges

This monograph comprises six chapters that collectively offer a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of Listeria monocytogenes as a foodborne pathogen, with a focus on its epidemiology, environmental behavior, risk assessment, and public health impact across diverse food systems and geographical contexts. Chapter 1 presents an in-depth analysis of epidemiological trends and the public health burden of listeriosis, with a particular focus on the European Union (EU). Chapter 2 addresses microbiological challenge testing as a core approach for evaluating the behavior of L. monocytogenes in food matrices. Chapter 3 examines the environmental persistence of L. monocytogenes, with a particular focus on biofilm formation in food-processing environments. Chapter 4 provides an integrated overview of prevention and control strategies for L. monocytogenes in food systems. Chapter 5 explores the proteomic landscape of L. monocytogenes, focusing on its molecular adaptation to environmental and host-associated stresses. Finally, Chapter 6 expands the monograph into a One Health and field epidemiology perspective by examining the incidence and pathogenesis of Listeria species in dairy farms in Khartoum State, Sudan.