What is Listeria?
{{italictitle}} {{Taxobox | image =Listeria monocytogenes PHIL 2287 lores.jpg | image_caption = [[Scanning electron microscope|Scanning electron micrograph]] of ''Listeria monocytogenes''. | domain = [[Bacteria]] | divisio = [[Firmicutes]] | classis = [[Bacilli]] | ordo = [[Bacillales]] | familia = [[Listeriaceae]] | genus = '''''Listeria''''' | genus_authority = [[Harvey Pirie|Pirie]] 1940 | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = ''[[Listeria aquatica|L. aquatica]]''<br /> ''[[Listeria booriae|L. booriae]]''<br /> ''[[Listeria cornellensis|L. cornellensis]]''<br /> ''[[Listeria fleischmannii|L. fleischmannii]]''<br /> ''[[Listeria floridensis|L. floridensis]]''<br /> ''[[Listeria grandensis|L. grandensis]]''<br /> ''[[Listeria grayi|L. grayi]]''<br /> ''[[Listeria innocua|L. innocua]]''<br /> ''[[Listeria ivanovii|L. ivanovii]]''<br /> ''[[Listeria marthii|L. marthii]]''<br /> ''[[Listeria monocytogenes|L. monocytogenes]]''<br /> ''[[Listeria newyorkensis|L. newyorkensis]]''<br /> ''[[Listeria riparia|L. riparia]]''<br /> ''[[Listeria rocourtiae|L. rocourtiae]]''<br /> ''[[Listeria seeligeri|L. seeligeri]]''<br /> ''[[Listeria weihenstephanensis|L. weihenstephanensis]]''<br /> ''[[Listeria welshimeri|L. welshimeri]]'' }} '''''Listeria''''' is a [[genus]] of [[bacteria]] with about ten species. It is named after [[Joseph Lister]]. ''Listeria'' are very common, they occur almost everywhere. Two of the ten species are [[pathogen]]s: they can cause a disease called [[listeriosis]] in decaying food. In 2011, 21 people died from listeriosis by eating [[cantaloupe]]s from a [[Colorado]] farm. In 1998, [[hot dog]]s and possibly deli meats made by Bil Mar Foods, a subsidiary of [[Sara Lee]] Corp., also had listeria and killed 21 people. In 1985, listeria in Mexican-style [[soft cheese]] was linked to 52 deaths.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/21-deaths-now-linked-to-listeria-in-cantaloupe-new-deaths-reported-in-indiana-new-york/2011/10/07/gIQApgSTTL_story.html|title=21 deaths now linke