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Listeria
A genus of aerobic to microaerophilic, motile, peritrichous bacteria containing small, coccoid, gram-positive rods; these organisms tend to produce chains of 3–5 cells and, in the rough state, elongated and filamentous forms. Cells 18–24 hours old may show a palisade arrangement with a few V or Y forms; the bacteria produce acid but no gas from glucose and are found in the feces of humans and other animals, on vegetation, and in silage and are parasitic on poikilothermic and warm-blooded animals, including humans. The type species is Listeria monocytogenes. | |
