Listeriosis

1
Listeriosis

• Listeria monocytogenes

2
Facts

• 2,500 (1,100) seriously ill per year
• 500 (415) die per year
• Soil and water
• Gram-positive rod-shaped bacterium
• Parasitic
• Less common
• Highest hospitalization rate

3
Hardy

• Non-spore forming
• Grow 3C (37.5 F)
• Resist
• Freezing
• Drying
• Heat

4
Identification

• Human
• Blood
• Cerebrospinal fluid
• Food
• 24-48 hours
• 5-7 days

5
Reservoir

• 1-10 of humans may be intestinal carrier
• 37 mammalian species
• 17 species of birds
• Fish and shellfish

6
Onset

• gt1000 organisms
• Gastrointestinal
• lt 12 hours
• Phagocytic
• Brain
• transplacental migration
• Nervous
• Few days - 3 weeks

7
Influenza-like Symptoms

• Gastrointestinal
• Fever
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Muscle aches

• Nervous
• Headache
• Stiff neck
• Confusion
• Loss of balance
• Convulsions

Duration 5-10 days
8
Target Populations

• Pregnant women/fetus
• Immunocompromised
• Cancer patients - leukemic
• Elderly
• Normal people

9
Contamination

• Vegetables
• Soil or fertilizer
• Meats
• Ill animals
• Raw milk
• Before packaging (hot dogs)
• Soft Cheeses (brie, feta, queso)

10
Prevention

• Proper cooking Temperatures  
• Wash vegetables
• Proper storage
• Avoid unpasteurized (raw) milk
• Proper handwashing
• Sanitizer buckets for utensils and clothes

11
Outbreak

• California (1985)
• Mexican-style cheese (milk)
• 86 cases (58)
• 47 deaths
• Stillbirths
• Pinholes in pasteurizing unit
• Ohio (2000)
• 2 cases

12
Recalls

• John Morrell Co. (2002)
• 140,000 pounds of hot dogs
• Bosell Foods, Inc (1999)
• 350 pounds of sliced ham