Epidemic Listeriosis — Evidence for Transmission by Food

The bacterium Listeria monocytogenes is a motile, gram-positive coccobacillus that can frequently be isolated from soil, water, and vegetation. It is a common cause of meningoencephalitis and abortion in ruminants, but it is infrequently identified as a human pathogen. In adults, L. monocytogenes is an uncommon cause of bacterial meningitis and a rare cause of sepsis, endocarditis, peritonitis, or focal abscess. In neonates, it is the third most common cause of bacterial meningitis after Escherichia coli and Streptococcus agalactiae. In addition, perinatal infections can cause abortion, stillbirth, and a devastating septic illness termed "granulomatosis infantisepticum."The mode of acquisition . . .