is an environmentally adapted saprophyte that can change into a human and animal bacterial pathogen with zoonotic potential through several regulatory systems. In this review, the focus is on the occurrence of and in different ecological niches, the detection methods, and their analytical limitations. It also highlights the occurrence of genotypes in the environment (soil, water, and wildlife), reflects on the molecular determinants of for the saprophytic lifestyle and the potential for antibiotic resistance. In particular, the strain-specific properties with which some genotypes circulate in wastewater, surface water, soil, wildlife, and agricultural environments are of particular interest for the continuously updating risk analysis.