Neonatal meningitis: Laboratory Identification

Listeria motility

  • Listeria monocytogenes is optimally motile at 25C; and is non-motile at 35-37C.
  • Motility may be directly assessed by observing bacterial cells with a tumbling motion in a direct mount preparation.
  • In soft motility agar, the identification can be made by observing for a thin, umbrella-like lateral extension of growth from the stab line (see photograph).

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