Listeria Infections

On this page

Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Symptoms
• Prevention and Risk Factors
• Treatments and Therapies

Learn More

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See, Play and Learn

• Videos and Tutorials

Research

• Statistics and Research
• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Find an Expert

For You

• Children
• Women
• Patient Handouts

Summary

Listeriosis is a foodborne illness caused by Listeria monocytogenes, bacteria found in soil and water. It can be in a variety of raw foods as well as in processed foods and foods made from unpasteurized milk. Listeria is unlike many other germs because it can grow even in the cold temperature of the refrigerator.

Symptoms include fever and chills, headache, upset stomach and vomiting. Treatment is with antibiotics.

Anyone can get the illness. But it is most likely to affect pregnant women and unborn babies, older adults, and people with weak immune systems. To reduce your risk

• Use precooked and ready-to-eat foods as soon as you can
• Avoid raw milk and raw milk products
• Heat ready-to-eat foods and leftovers until they are steaming hot
• Wash fresh fruits and vegetables
• Avoid rare meat and refrigerated smoked seafood

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Start Here

• Keep Listeria Out of Your Kitchen (Food and Drug Administration) Also in Spanish
• Listeria (Listeriosis) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Listeria Infection (Listeriosis) (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)

Symptoms

• Listeriosis: Definition and Symptoms (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish

Prevention and Risk Factors

• Prevention of Listeriosis (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
• Special Handling for Ready-to-Eat, Refrigerated Foods: Reducing the Risks of Foodborne Listeria (Food and Drug Administration) Also in Spanish

Treatments and Therapies

• Listeria (Listeriosis) Treatment and Outcomes (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Videos and Tutorials

• Enviromysteries: Inside Stories: Frankie's Story (Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Maryland Public Television)

Statistics and Research

• CDC Vital Signs: Recipe for Food Safety (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Listeria Infections (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Comparison of the in vitro activity of ampicillin and moxifloxacin...
• Article: Limited Colonization Undermined by Inadequate Early Immune Responses Defines the...
• Article: Identification of a major Listeria monocytogenes outbreak clone linked to...
• Listeria Infections -- see more articles

Find an Expert

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Also in Spanish
• Food and Drug Administration
• National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Children

• Listeria Infections (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Women

• Food Safety for Moms to Be: While You're Pregnant - Listeria (Food and Drug Administration) Also in Spanish
• Listeria and Pregnancy (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)
• Listeriosis and Pregnancy (Organization of Teratology Information Specialists) - PDF Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

• Listeriosis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish