this ‘‘New Microbiology’’ is generating novel concepts, including the discovery of several unsuspected RNA-based mechanisms to regulate gene expression. It is also highlighting the importance of the microbial social life and that of cell communication in microbial assemblies. The notions of persistence and dormancy are increasingly influencing the field of infection biology, which itself has been revolutionized since nearly three decades by live cell imaging. In this ‘‘New Microbiology’’, Listeria has been one of the champions and we anticipate that it will continue to be.