Listeria ivanovii

Listeria ivanovii
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Bacteria
Division:	Firmicutes
Class:	Bacilli
Order:	Bacillales
Family:	Listeriaceae
Genus:	Listeria
Species:	L. ivanovii
Binomial name
Listeria ivanovii Seeliger et al.

Listeria ivanovii is a species of bacteria in the genus Listeria. The listeria are rod-shaped bacteria and become positively stained when subjected to Gram staining. Of the six bacteria species within the genus, L. ivanovii is one of the two pathogenic species (the other being L. monocytogenes). It behaves like Listeria monocytogenes, but is found almost exclusively in ruminants (mainly sheep). The species is named in honor of Bulgarian microbiologist Ivan Ivanov.

L. ivanovii can be distinguished from L. monocytogenes and other Listeria species by culturing it on sheep or horse blood agar, which will produce a wide, clear or double zone of haemolysis, producing a so-called positive Christie-Atkins-Munch-Petersen (CAMP) reaction with Rhodococcus equi but not with haemolytic Staphylococcus aureus.

Infection with L. ivanovii can lead to septicemic disease with enteritis, neonatal sepsis and even abortion. Pregnant ruminants are therefore most at risk.

In January 2007, a 55-year-old man was hospitalized in Paris, France. After examination he was thought to have listeriosis. Both blood and stool samples were taken. L. ivanovii was identified, thus characterizing the species as an enteric opportunistic human pathogen. As L. ivanovii is usually only found in ruminants and human infection is extremely rare, this infection can be seen as a form of zoonosis.

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