Listeriosis cases are observed in conjunction with both common-source outbreaks and individual sporadic cases.
Unlike infection with other common foodborne pathogens, listeriosis is associated with a high case fatality rate of approximately 20-30%.
A wide range of foods such as milk, cheeses, processed meat and poultry and seafood have been implicated in causing listeriosis in humans.
However, despite the contamination rates of certain food with Listeria monocytogenes, listeriosis is a relatively rare disease compared with other common foodborne illnesses such as salmonellosis.
Many ‘ready to eat’ food or minimally processed food are presented with Listeriae and therefore prevention of illness from foodborne source is difficult.
The investigation of sporadic cases is often difficult , as the incubation time for food-borne listeriosis may be very long compared with that for other food-borne pathogens.
Foodborne illness listeriosis
