Significance and Characteristics of Listeria monocytogenes in Poultry Products

Listeria monocytogenes is one of the most common foodborne pathogens. Poultry meat and products are of the main vehicles of pathogenic strains of L. monocytogenes for human. Poultry products are part of the regular diet of people and, due to nutrient content, more content of protein, and less content of fat, gain more attention. In comparison with red meat, poultry meat is more economical. So, it had a greater rate of consumption especially in barbecue form in which the growth of bacterium is favored. Subtyping of L. monocytogenes isolates is essential for epidemiological investigation and for identification of the source of contamination. In the following review, the main facet of presence of L. monocytogenes in poultry will be discussed. Most pathogenic serotypes of L. monocytogenes were detected in different products of poultry meat. Unfortunately, these isolated pathogens had sometimes resistance to commonly used antibiotics which were used for treatment of human infection.