Introduction: The purpose of this literature review is to gain a broader view of the foodborne pathogen known as Listeria and its characteristics. In this review I will discuss in detail the different types of Listeria species that can be isolated from various types of food samples and determining their overall resistance to antibiotics, the disease associated with each, and the incidence and epidemics around the world. I will then compare my overall results, due to the number of words I will not discuss the biochemical tests in this review. A wide variety of research and experiments have been conducted on this opportunistic foodborne pathogen in recent years. The title of this literature review has been studied by scientists, for example George Filiousis conducted an investigation of Listeria Monocytogenus in food samples and examined their resistance to antibiotics in an open food market in Greece, Chikindas and Ghandi also wrote scientific literature based exclusively on this pathogen. I have chosen this pathogen and related the species to research as I have gained interest in understanding the pathogen and the mechanisms on how it can be isolated from food samples and the impact of this pathogen on human health, I will focus in detail about all types of Listeria species such as Grayi. Seeligeri, welshmeri, Monocytogenus, Ivanovii, Innocua and Marthaii). Characterization of Listeria species: Listeria species belong to the Listeriaceae group and are Gram-positive, non-spore-forming, facultatively anaerobic rod-shaped bacteria that can cause a disease known as Listeriosis which is generally classified as rare but in some cases exceptionally fatal. The genus Listeria belongs strictly to a small subdivision of Clo...... middle of paper ...... http://jb.asm.org/content/193/23/6787.full) (accessed 13 ° November 2013).• (P. Cossart 19 October 2011 L.Monocytogenus infection in vivo available at ( http://www.pnas.org/content/108/49/19484.figures-only) accessed on 14 November 2013 ).• (FSAI 2011 issue 1 available at http://www.fsai.ie/search-results.html? searchString=listeria) (accessed 12 November 2013).• Perrin M, M. Bemer, C.Delamare .2003.Fatal case of Listeria innocua bacteremia.j.Clin.Microbiol.41(11):5308-5309• Lawley. R, 2013 Food Safety Watch “Listeria” website on the science of safe foods available at http://www.foodsafetywatch.org/factsheets/listeria/ (accessed November 16) • Graves LM, Helsel LO, Steigerwalt AG .2009. Listeria Marthaii Sp.nov.isolated from the natural environment of the Finger Lakes National Forest. Int J Syst evol Microbial 60(Pt. 6):1280-8. Doi: 10.1099/ijs.0.014118-0.( Accessed 20 November)