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Pathogens
Listeria monocytogenes

Listeria monocytogenes

Susceptibilities

General susceptibility
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General Information

Aerobic gram positive bacilli

  • Important bacterial pathogen in neonates, pregnant women (most commonly in third trimester), elderly, and immunocompromised patients.
  • Foodborne illness associated with deli meat, soft cheeses, unpasteurized milk, and others.
  • Often occurs in outbreaks
  • Habitat of Listeria is the soil and decaying vegetable matter
  • Meningitis
  • Rhombencephalitis
  • FUO
  • Bacteremia
  • Septic abortion/miscarriage/stillbirth
  • Self-limited gastrointestinal illness with diarrhea
  • Reproductive Infectious Disease consultation recommended to assist in evaluation/management.
  • Notify Public Health ASAP
  • Infections in adults are thought to result from oral ingestion and subsequent intestinal mucosal penetration and systemic infection
  • Listeria crosses the placenta in maternal bacteremia and infects the fetus
    • This can lead to fetal death, preterm birth, and neonatal infection (sepsis, meningitis, death)