Listeriosis

李斯特菌病

Evidence-backed information EN 5/7 applicable sections · ZH 5/7 applicable sections Updated Oct 23, 2026

Listeriosis is a serious foodborne bacterial disease caused by Listeria monocytogenes and is among the most severe such illnesses globally ^[1]^[2]. Although relatively rare, with 0.1 to 10 cases per million people annually depending on region, its high associated mortality makes it a major public health concern ^[1]^[3]. Outbreaks have been documented in all countries and the bacterium can persist and multiply at refrigeration temperatures ^[1].

Read the full clinical and epidemiological profile 6

Definition

Listeriosis is a group of diseases caused by the Gram-positive facultative intracellular bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, acquired principally through contaminated food ^[1]^[2]^[3]. It encompasses non-invasive and invasive forms, the latter being more severe and affecting higher-risk populations ^[1].

Clinical features

Non-invasive listeriosis presents as mild febrile gastroenteritis with diarrhoea, fever, headache and muscle pain, typically after a short incubation of a few days ^[1]. Invasive disease is more severe and can manifest as bacteraemia, meningitis or meningoencephalitis, and in pregnancy as miscarriage or neonatal sepsis ^[2]^[4]. In at-risk groups such as the elderly, immunocompromised, and pregnant women, adverse outcomes including abortion, neonatal death, septicaemia and meningitis have been described ^[3].

Epidemiology

Listeriosis occurs worldwide with outbreaks reported in all countries and incidence ranging from 0.1 to 10 cases per million persons per year by region ^[1]. It is a relatively rare disease but carries a high mortality, estimated at about 24%, and is found mainly among pregnant women, their fetuses, and immunocompromised persons ^[1]^[3]. In Western countries, invasive listeriosis is a leading foodborne cause of hospital admissions ^[4].

Transmission

The main route of infection is consumption of food contaminated with high numbers of L. monocytogenes, including ready-to-eat meats, dairy products, prepared salads, and fresh produce ^[1]. The organism is ubiquitous in soil, water and animal intestines and can multiply during refrigerated storage and distribution ^[1]. Human-to-human transmission can occur, notably from pregnant women to unborn babies, and the bacterium can invade cells and spread cell-to-cell ^[1]^[5].

Prevention

L. monocytogenes in food is killed by pasteurization and thorough cooking, and general food-safety practices such as the WHO Five Keys to Safer Food are recommended ^[1]. Persons in high-risk groups should respect shelf-life and storage-temperature labels on ready-to-eat foods to prevent bacterial multiplication to dangerous levels ^[1]. Cooking before consumption is a highly effective means of eliminating the bacterium ^[1].

References

1 World Health Organization. Listeriosis [Internet]. cited 3 Sept 2026. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/listeriosis
2 Disson O et al. Listeriosis. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2025 Oct 2. PMID: 41038831. doi: 10.1038/s41572-025-00654-x. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41038831/
3 Farber JM et al. Listeria monocytogenes, a food-borne pathogen. Microbiol Rev. 1991 Sep. PMID: 1943998. doi: 10.1128/mr.55.3.476-511.1991. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1943998/
4 Koopmans MM et al. Human Listeriosis. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2023 Mar 23. PMID: 36475874. doi: 10.1128/cmr.00060-19. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36475874/
5 Posfay-Barbe KM et al. Listeriosis. Semin Fetal Neonatal Med. 2009 Aug. PMID: 19231307. doi: 10.1016/j.siny.2009.01.006. PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19231307/