Name: Listeria monocytogenes (Murray et al. 1926) Pirie 1940 (Approved Lists 1980)

Category: Species

Proposed as: comb. nov.

Etymology: N.L. n. monocytum, a blood cell, monocyte; Gr. v. gennaô, to produce; N.L. part. adj. monocytogenes, monocyte-producing

Gender: feminine

Type strains: ATCC 15313; CCUG 15526; CIP 82.110; DSM 20600; NCTC 10357; SLCC 53

See detailed strain information at

Conduct genome-based taxonomy at

16S rRNA gene: AJ515512 Analyse FASTA

Original publication: Pirie JHH. The genus Listerella Pirie. Science (Washington) 1940; 91:383.

IJSEM list: Skerman VBD, McGowan V, Sneath PHA. Approved lists of bacterial names. Int J Syst Bacteriol 1980; 30:225-420.

Nomenclatural status: validly published

Taxonomic status: correct name

Risk group: 2

• Notes:
  • Nomenclatural type of the genus Listeria Pirie 1940 (Approved Lists 1980). Publication: Pirie JHH. The genus Listerella Pirie. Science (Washington) 1940; 91:383.
  • However, this proposal was disapproved by the Judicial Comission [3, 4], and the type strain is still strain ATCC 15313. Publication: Wayne LG. Actions of the Judicial Commission of the International Committee on Systematic Bacteriology on requests for opinions published in 1983 and 1984. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 1986; 36:357-358.
  • See also: Publication: Kathariou S, Pine L. The type strain(s) of Listeria monocytogenes: a source of continuing difficulties. Int J Syst Bacteriol 1991; 41:328-330.
  • See also: Publication: Jones D. JUDICIAL COMMISSION OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE ON SYSTEMATIC BACTERIOLOGY: Minutes of the Meeting, 5 September 1986, Manchester, United Kingdom. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 1987; 37:85-87.
  • The type strain ATCC 15313 of Listeria monocytogenes is not typical of the species. This strain has an atypical antigenic structure, is nonhemolytic on sheep blood agar (but is hemolytic on rabbit blood agar), lacks motility, is nonpathogenic in mice, and shows limited cytopathogenic effects on Caco-2 monolayers [1, 2]. Moreover, there are important differences betwen the strain ATCC 15313 and the strain SLCC 53 (the strain SLCC 53 is unable to produce lecithinase, is nonhemolytic on rabbit or sheep blood agar, is motile, and shows no cytopathogenic effects on Caco-2 monolayers) [2]. In 1983, J. Dorothy and H.P.R. Seeliger [1] requested that strain ATCC 15313 be replaced by strain NCTC 7973 as the type strain. This request was prepared on behalf of and with the unanimous endorsement of the ICSB Subcommittee on the Taxonomy of Listeria. Publication: Jones D, Seeliger HPR. Designation of a new type strain for Listeria monocytogenes. Request for an opinion. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 1983; 33:429.
  • The type strain ATCC 15313 of Listeria monocytogenes is not typical of the species. This strain has an atypical antigenic structure, is nonhemolytic on sheep blood agar (but is hemolytic on rabbit blood agar), lacks motility, is nonpathogenic in mice, and shows limited cytopathogenic effects on Caco-2 monolayers [1, 2]. Moreover, there are important differences betwen the strain ATCC 15313 and the strain SLCC 53 (the strain SLCC 53 is unable to produce lecithinase, is nonhemolytic on rabbit or sheep blood agar, is motile, and shows no cytopathogenic effects on Caco-2 monolayers) [2]. In 1983, J. Dorothy and H.P.R. Seeliger [1] requested that strain ATCC 15313 be replaced by strain NCTC 7973 as the type strain. This request was prepared on behalf of and with the unanimous endorsement of the ICSB Subcommittee on the Taxonomy of Listeria. However, this proposal was disapproved by the Judicial Comission [3, 4], and the type strain is still strain ATCC 15313. Publication: Jones D, Seeliger HPR. Designation of a new type strain for Listeria monocytogenes. Request for an opinion. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 1983; 33:429.
  • The full TRBA 466 classification is: risk group = 2, note = "Z".

Parent taxon: Listeria Pirie 1940 (Approved Lists 1980)

Assigned by: Pirie JHH. The genus Listerella Pirie. Science (Washington) 1940; 91:383.

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