Listeria monocytogenes poses a significant threat to food safety worldwide, including in African countries. This bacterium is capable of causing severe infections, particularly in vulnerable populations. In this review, we provide an overview of the prevalence, transmission, and control measures of L. monocytogenes in the food chain across North Africa. Various factors contribute to the persistence and spread of this pathogen in food production and distribution systems, including environmental contamination, improper handling, and inadequate hygiene practices. Understanding the dynamics of L. monocytogenes in the North African food chain is crucial for implementing effective control strategies to mitigate the risk of contamination and protect public health. This review highlights the rise of virulence genes in L. monocytogenes from food production, especially milk production, over the past five years and their subsequent identification in human L. monocytogenes isolates from listeriosis cases. This underscores the persistent challenges that L. monocytogenes may pose to food safety and public health in North African countries.

Foodborne bacterial infections, particularly those caused by contaminated food sources, pose significant public health challenges and result in substantial economic losses. This review aims to provide insights into recent literature on the prevalence of Campylobacter spp. in North African food supply chains and their pathogenicity. Additionally, it seeks to summarize the available information on health-related issues and the current state of antibiotic resistance. The reviewed evidence highlights a gap in our understanding of the prevalence of Campylobacter spp. in North African food supplies. Molecular characterization efforts to identify the sources of Campylobacter spp. are limited, and there are few surveys that have specifically targeted this bacterium in the food supply. While qualitative data indicates either the presence or absence of Campylobacter spp., quantitative data on the actual amounts of these bacteria in chicken meat supplies across North African countries are notably lacking. Despite frequent reports of Campylobacter spp. in animal-derived foods, the literature reviewed emphasizes the ongoing challenge that Campylobacter spp. pose to food safety and public health in North Africa.