How Listeria monocytogenes crosses host cell barriers

Abstract

Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterial pathogen that causes listeriosis, a severe food-borne illness that can cause severe complications and mortality in immunocompromised or pregnant people. Listeria is able to cross several host barriers to cause severe disease, including the intestinal barrier, the blood-brain barrier, and the placental barrier. This is mediated by a diverse range of bacterial factors. In this review, I outline the key host barriers encountered by Listeria during host infection and the mechanisms by which Listeria crosses each barrier.