Medical Care

Intravenous antibiotics must be started immediately when the diagnosis is suspected or confirmed.

Diagnosis is established by culture of the organism from blood, CSF, or other sterile body fluid.

Person-to-person transmission does not occur; therefore, isolation precautions are not necessary.

Surgical Care

There have been case reports of L monocytogenes –associated bone and joint infections, but information is scarce. A 2012 retrospective study of 43 patients found that osteoarticular listeriosis primarily involves prosthetic joints and occurs in immunocompromised patients. In cases of periprosthetic joint infection, optimal therapy includes surgical removal of the prosthetic joint.^[13]

Consultations

Listeriosis may be sporadic or may be part of a larger epidemic. The table below lists some of the most recent epidemics. Consultation with an infectious disease specialist or an epidemiologist is important when epidemic listeriosis is suspected.

Table. Epidemic Listeriosis (Open Table in a new window)

Year	Location	Source
2022	United States	Ice cream
2021	United States	Pre-packaged salads
2017	South Africa	Processed meat product (polony)
2014	United States	Prepackaged caramel apples
2011	United States	Cantaloupe
2007	Massachusetts	Milk
2003	United Kingdom	Sandwiches
2002^[14]	United States (nationwide)	Delicatessen turkey breast
August 1998 to January 1999	Multiple states in the United States	Hot dogs, deli meats
1997^[5]	Italy	Corn
1997^[15]	Sweden	Rainbow trout
1995^[16]	Switzerland	Soft cheese
1994^[17]	Illinois	Chocolate milk
1992^[18]	France	Rillettes (pork product)
1985^[19]	California	Mexican-style soft cheese
1983^[20]	New England	Unpasteurized milk
1981^[21]	Canada	Coleslaw

Prevention

The following are measures that can be used to prevent listeriosis:

Cook all raw food thoroughly.
Wash raw vegetables.
Avoid consumption of raw (unpasteurized) milk or milk products.
Wash hands, knives, and cutting boards after handling uncooked foods.
Pregnant or immunocompromised patients should avoid soft cheeses (eg, feta, Brie, Camembert, bleu). Cream cheese, yogurt, and cottage cheese are allowed.
Reheat leftover or ready-to-eat foods (eg, hot dogs) until steaming hot.
Avoid delicatessen foods unless they are thoroughly reheated.
Cook food to a safe internal temperature.

Medication

Khsim IEF, Mohanaraj-Anton A, Horte IB, Lamont RF, Khan KS, Jørgensen JS, et al. Listeriosis in pregnancy: An umbrella review of maternal exposure, treatment and neonatal complications. BJOG. 2022 Aug. 129 (9):1427-1433. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Rogalla D, Bomar PA. Listeria Monocytogenes. 2022 Jan. [QxMD MEDLINE Link]. [Full Text].
Mook P, O'Brien SJ, Gillespie IA. Concurrent conditions and human listeriosis, England, 1999-2009. Emerg Infect Dis. 2011 Jan. 17(1):38-43. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Ooi ST, Lorber B. Gastroenteritis due to Listeria monocytogenes. Clin Infect Dis. 2005 May 1. 40(9):1327-32. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Aureli P, Fiorucci GC, Caroli D, Marchiaro G, Novara O, Leone L, et al. An outbreak of febrile gastroenteritis associated with corn contaminated by Listeria monocytogenes. N Engl J Med. 2000 Apr 27. 342(17):1236-41. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Pappas G, Panagopoulou P, Christou L, Akritidis N. Category B potential bioterrorism agents: bacteria, viruses, toxins, and foodborne and waterborne pathogens. Infect Dis Clin North Am. 2006 Jun. 20(2):395-421, x. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Scallan E, Hoekstra RM, Angulo FJ, Tauxe RV, Widdowson MA, Roy SL, et al. Foodborne illness acquired in the United States--major pathogens. Emerg Infect Dis. 2011 Jan. 17 (1):7-15. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Mylonakis E, Paliou M, Hohmann EL, Calderwood SB, Wing EJ. Listeriosis during pregnancy: a case series and review of 222 cases. Medicine (Baltimore). 2002 Jul. 81(4):260-9. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Armstrong RW, Fung PC. Brainstem encephalitis (rhombencephalitis) due to Listeria monocytogenes: case report and review. Clin Infect Dis. 1993 May. 16(5):689-702. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Josephson SA, Pillai DR, Phillips JJ, Chou D. Neurolisteriosis presenting as cervical myelitis in an immunocompetent patient. Neurology. 2006 Apr 11. 66(7):1122-3. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Dee RR, Lorber B. Brain abscess due to Listeria monocytogenes: case report and literature review. Rev Infect Dis. 1986 Nov-Dec. 8(6):968-77. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Faidas A, Shepard DL, Lim J, Nelson JE, Baddour LM. Magnetic resonance imaging in listerial brain stem encephalitis. Clin Infect Dis. 1993 Jan. 16(1):186-7. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Charlier C, Leclercq A, Cazenave B, Desplaces N, Travier L, Cantinelli T, et al. Listeria monocytogenes-Associated Joint and Bone Infections: A Study of 43 Consecutive Cases. Clin Infect Dis. 2012 Jan. 54(2):240-8. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Gottlieb SL, Newbern EC, Griffin PM, Graves LM, Hoekstra RM, Baker NL, et al. Multistate outbreak of Listeriosis linked to turkey deli meat and subsequent changes in US regulatory policy. Clin Infect Dis. 2006 Jan 1. 42(1):29-36. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Ericsson H, Eklow A, Danielsson-Tham ML, Loncarevic S, Mentzing LO, et al. An outbreak of listeriosis suspected to have been caused by rainbow trout. J Clin Microbiol. 1997 Nov. 35(11):2904-7. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Büla CJ, Bille J, Glauser MP. An epidemic of food-borne listeriosis in western Switzerland: description of 57 cases involving adults. Clin Infect Dis. 1995 Jan. 20(1):66-72. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Dalton CB, Austin CC, Sobel J, Hayes PS, Bibb WF, Graves LM, et al. An outbreak of gastroenteritis and fever due to Listeria monocytogenes in milk. N Engl J Med. 1997 Jan 9. 336(2):100-5. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Goulet V, Rocourt J, Rebiere I, Jacquet C, Moyse C, Dehaumont P, et al. Listeriosis outbreak associated with the consumption of rillettes in France in 1993. J Infect Dis. 1998 Jan. 177(1):155-60. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Linnan MJ, Mascola L, Lou XD, Goulet V, May S, Salminen C, et al. Epidemic listeriosis associated with Mexican-style cheese. N Engl J Med. 1988 Sep 29. 319(13):823-8. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Schlech WF 3rd, Lavigne PM, Bortolussi RA, Allen AC, Haldane EV, Wort AJ, et al. Epidemic listeriosis--evidence for transmission by food. N Engl J Med. 1983 Jan 27. 308(4):203-6. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Evans JR, Allen AC, Stinson DA, Bortolussi R, Peddle LJ. Perinatal listeriosis: report of an outbreak. Pediatr Infect Dis. 1985 May-Jun. 4(3):237-41. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Lorber B. Listeriosis. Clin Infect Dis. 1997 Jan. 24(1):1-9; quiz 10-1. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Koopmans MM, Brouwer MC, Bijlsma MW, Bovenkerk S, Keijzers W, van der Ende A, et al. Listeria monocytogenes sequence type 6 and increased rate of unfavorable outcome in meningitis: epidemiologic cohort study. Clin Infect Dis. 2013 Jul. 57 (2):247-53. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Sheffield JS. Sepsis and septic shock in pregnancy. Crit Care Clin. 2004 Oct. 20(4):651-60; viii. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Mylonakis E, Hohmann EL, Calderwood SB. Central nervous system infection with Listeria monocytogenes. 33 years' experience at a general hospital and review of 776 episodes from the literature. Medicine (Baltimore). 1998 Sep. 77(5):313-36. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Cunha BA. Antibiotic Essentials. 7th ed. Royal Oak, MI: Physicians Press; 2008.
Armstrong D, Cohen J, eds. Listeria Monocytogenes. Infectious Diseases. London, UK: Mosby; 1999. 8.15.1-8.15.20.
Berenguer J, Solera J, Diaz MD, Moreno S, Lopez-Herce JA, Bouza E. Listeriosis in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus. Rev Infect Dis. 1991 Jan-Feb. 13(1):115-9. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Blatt SP, Zajac RA. Treatment of Listeria bacteremia with vancomycin. Rev Infect Dis. 1991 Jan-Feb. 13(1):181-2. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Broome CV. Listeriosis: Can we prevent it?. ASM News. 1993. 59:444-6.
Calubiran OV, Horiuchi J, Klein NC, Cunha BA. Listeria monocytogenes meningitis in a human immunodeficiency virus-positive patient undergoing hemodialysis. Heart Lung. 1990 Jan. 19(1):21-3. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Chang J, Powles R, Mehta J, Paton N, Treleaven J, Jameson B. Listeriosis in bone marrow transplant recipients: incidence, clinical features, and treatment. Clin Infect Dis. 1995 Nov. 21(5):1289-90. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Charpentier E, Gerbaud G, Jacquet C, Rocourt J, Courvalin P. Incidence of antibiotic resistance in Listeria species. J Infect Dis. 1995 Jul. 172(1):277-81. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Cherubin CE, Appleman MD, Heseltine PN, Khayr W, Stratton CW. Epidemiological spectrum and current treatment of listeriosis. Rev Infect Dis. 1991 Nov-Dec. 13(6):1108-14. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Cunha BA. Central nervous system infections in the compromised host: a diagnostic approach. Infect Dis Clin North Am. 2001 Jun. 15(2):567-90. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Cunha BA, Fatehpuria R, Eisenstein LE. Listeria monocytogenes encephalitis mimicking Herpes Simplex virus encephalitis: the differential diagnostic importance of cerebrospinal fluid lactic acid levels. Heart Lung. 2007 May-Jun. 36(3):226-31. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Cunha BA, Filozov A, Remé P. Listeria monocytogenes encephalitis mimicking West Nile encephalitis. Heart Lung. 2004 Jan-Feb. 33(1):61-4. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Decker CF, Simon GL, DiGioia RA, Tuazon CU. Listeria monocytogenes infections in patients with AIDS: report of five cases and review. Rev Infect Dis. 1991 May-Jun. 13(3):413-7. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Farber JM, Peterkin PI. Listeria monocytogenes, a food-borne pathogen. Microbiol Rev. 1991 Sep. 55(3):476-511. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Gellin BG, Broome CV, Bibb WF, Weaver RE, Gaventa S, Mascola L. The epidemiology of listeriosis in the United States--1986. Listeriosis Study Group. Am J Epidemiol. 1991 Feb 15. 133(4):392-401. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Gorbach SL, Bartlett JB, Blacklow NR, eds. Listeria Monocytogenes. Infectious Diseases. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders; 1998. 1750-5.
Gross E, Slauson S. Update on emerging infections: news from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Preliminary FoodNet Data on the incidence of infection with pathogens transmitted commonly through food--selected sites, United States, 2003. Ann Emerg Med. 2004 Nov. 44(5):532-6. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Hof H, Nichterlein T, Kretschmar M. Management of listeriosis. Clin Microbiol Rev. 1997 Apr. 10(2):345-57. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
John JF. Listeria Monocytogenes. Vinken PJ, Bruyn GW, eds. Handbook of ClinicalNeurology. New York, NY: Elsevier Science; 1988. Vol 8: 89-101.
Klein NC, Schoch PE, Cunha BA. Listeria. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 1991 May. 12(5):311-4. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Latcha S, Cunha BA. Listeria monocytogenes meningoencephalitis: the diagnostic importance of the CSF lactic acid. Heart Lung. 1994 Mar-Apr. 23(2):177-9. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Lorber B. Listeria Monocytogenes. Mandell GL, Bennett GE, Dolin R, eds. Principles and Practices of Infectious Diseases. 6th ed. Pennsylvania, PA: Churchill and Livingstone; 2005. 2478.
Pigrau C, Almirante B, Pahissa A, Gasser I, Martinez Vasquez JM. Clinical presentation and outcome in cases of listeriosis. Clin Infect Dis. 1993 Jul. 17(1):143-4. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Pinner RW, Schuchat A, Swaminathan B, Hayes PS, Deaver KA, Weaver RE, et al. Role of foods in sporadic listeriosis. II. Microbiologic and epidemiologic investigation. The Listeria Study Group. JAMA. 1992 Apr 15. 267(15):2046-50. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Riedo FX, Pinner RW, Tosca ML, Cartter ML, Graves LM, Reeves MW, et al. A point-source foodborne listeriosis outbreak: documented incubation period and possible mild illness. J Infect Dis. 1994 Sep. 170(3):693-6. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Schneider JI. Rapid infectious killers. Emerg Med Clin North Am. 2004 Nov. 22(4):1099-115. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Schuchat A, Robinson K, Wenger JD, Harrison LH, Farley M, Reingold AL, et al. Bacterial meningitis in the United States in 1995. Active Surveillance Team. N Engl J Med. 1997 Oct 2. 337(14):970-6. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Skogberg K, Syrjanen J, Jahkola M, Renkonen OV, Paavonen J, Ahonen J, et al. Clinical presentation and outcome of listeriosis in patients with and without immunosuppressive therapy. Clin Infect Dis. 1992 Apr. 14(4):815-21. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Spitzer PG, Hammer SM, Karchmer AW. Treatment of Listeria monocytogenes infection with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole: case report and review of the literature. Rev Infect Dis. 1986 May-Jun. 8(3):427-30. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Swaminathan B, Rocourt J, Bille J. Listeria. Murray PR, Baron EJ, Pfaller MA, Tenover FC, Yolken RH, eds. Manual of Clinical Microbiology. 6th ed. Washington, DC: ASM Press; 1995. 341-8.
Taege AJ. Listeriosis: recognizing it, treating it, preventing it. Cleve Clin J Med. 1999 Jun. 66(6):375-80. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Tappero JW, Schuchat A, Deaver KA. Reduction in the incidence of human listeriosis in the United States. Effectiveness of prevention efforts? The Listeriosis Study Group. JAMA. 1995 Apr 12. 273(14):1118-22. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Uldry PA, Kuntzer T, Bogousslavsky J, Regli F, Miklossy J, Bille J, et al. Early symptoms and outcome of Listeria monocytogenes rhombencephalitis: 14 adult cases. J Neurol. 1993. 240(4):235-42. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Walsh RD, Gurevich I, Cunha BA. Listeria: A potential cause of febrile transfusion reactions. J Hosp Infect. 1993. 18:81-82.
Lomonaco S, Nucera D, Filipello V. The evolution and epidemiology of Listeria monocytogenes in Europe and the United States. Infect Genet Evol. 2015 Oct. 35:172-83. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Nyarko EB, Donnelly CW. Listeria monocytogenes: Strain Heterogeneity, Methods, and Challenges of Subtyping. J Food Sci. 2015 Dec. 80 (12):M2868-78. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Leazer R, Perkins AM, Shomaker K, Fine B. A Meta-analysis of the Rates of Listeria monocytogenes and Enterococcus in Febrile Infants. Hosp Pediatr. 2016 Apr. 6 (4):187-95. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
Calame DG, Mueller-Ortiz SL, Wetsel RA. Innate and adaptive immunologic functions of complement in the host response to Listeria monocytogenes infection. Immunobiology. 2016 Dec. 221 (12):1407-1417. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].