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Abstract

Although the incidence of listeriosis is much lower in small ruminants, it has implications for food safety, herd health and appropriate antibiotic usage as well as zoonotic potential. Both have been reported to be robust pathogens and Listeria monocytogenes is generally recognized as the most common etiologic agent, but in ovine or caprine abortion it should be included as a significant differential diagnosis. This is a narrative one health review that summarizes status of the information published to date on the epidemiology and clinical signs of infection, resistance patterns found and diagnosis and prevention methods employed in small ruminant populations. While the emergence of antibiotic resistance is rarely the principal mechanism for disease-related adverse outcomes in ovine and caprine listeriosis, a more basic understanding of the determinants of resistance, virulence mechanisms and environmental persistence is needed. When delayed diagnosis, neurotropic pathogen characteristics, intracellular survival capacity, limited central nervous system penetration of antimicrobials and exposure to high bacterial doses through contaminated or incorrectly fermented silage usually accompany suboptimal therapy responses. In conclusion, effective management of ovine and caprine listeriosis requires a comprehensive One Health approach, integrating rapid diagnostics, strict silage hygiene, and targeted antimicrobial stewardship to mitigate risks across the animal-human-environment interface.

Article History

Received: May 16, 2026; Accepted: May 26, 2026; Published: June 30, 2026.

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