Causes
OR
Effects
OR
Effects
What germ causes Listeria?
Listeria monocytogenes
What sickness does Listeria monocytogenes cause and how long does it last?
Listeriosis
Intestinal (not invasive)- lasts about 1-3 days, rarely lasts more than a week
Invasive: Requires professional treatment can have long lasting health effects that can be fatal if not treated
What are steps for prevention?
Handle the food in safe ways like washing your hands, clean the food being used and the area your cooking at, keep raw food away from ready to eat foods, and make sure you cook your food fully.
When was the BIGGEST Listeria monocytogenes outbreak?
1060 confirmed cases
216 deaths recorded
Cause was contaminated "ready to eat" foods
most of the victims, over 40%, were babies under 28 days old
What is Listeria monocytogenes?
Listeria monocytogenes are known as a harmful type of bacteria that can live in soil, water, and animal intestines which can cause serious foodborne illness
Who is MOST likely to be affected by Listeria monocytogenes?
pregnant women, babies, and people with weaker immune systems
What symptoms does Listeria monocytogenes cause?
Mild: Diarrhea, Vomiting, Fever, Muscle Aches (these start within 24 hours of eating the contaminated food)
Severe: Fever and Chills, Fatigue, Headaches, Stiff Neck, Confusion, Loss of Balance, Seizures (These can start after weeks of eating the contaminated food)
What does Listeria monocytogenes need to thrive?
A cold temperature just below freezing, its able to grow on dry surface or foods
When was the most recent Listeria monocytogenes outbreak?
August 26 2026, issues is resolved and investigation is closed.
Cases: 15
Hospitalizations: 14
Deaths: 1
States: 4
How can Listeria monocytogenes spread at each of the "steps"
Farm
Processing
Transportation
Retail
Home
Farm: crops can pick it up from contaminated soil or manure, farm animals also carry it in their digestive system
Processing: can spread in food processing facilities and it can be hard to fully remove them, possible Cross contamination when packing
Transportation: Listeria multiples in cold temperatures which allows it to grow slowly when kept in cold storage and transport
Retail: Listeria spreads from "ready to eat" foods because they are cold and moist
Home: It can thrive and grow in home refrigerators, unwashed hands, cutting boards, or utensils also spread it to other foods from contaminated food
What is the MOST common way Listeria monocytogenes are transmitted?
When you eat deli meat that was improperly processed OR milk products that are unpasteurized.
How long does the implicated causes of Listeria monocytogenes last?
If its an intestinal illness it can last up to 1 to 3 days but if its a severe or invasive case it can last up to several weeks or even longer if the bloodstream or nervous system is affected.
How can you prevent it from spreading at these "steps"
Farm
Processing
Transportation
Retail
Home
Farm: Avoid using raw and untreated manure on crops, clean and sanitize harvesting tools and gear
Processing: Keep raw foods away from ready to eat foods
Transportation: Keep trailers cool and don't pack raw foods by ready to eat foods, keep the trailers clean and sanitized
Retail: Keep areas that possible food contamination could happen clean and sanitized, keep food rotated in on schedule
Home: Keep refrigerator clean and sanitized, reheat items like pre cooked foods
Whats the most common kind of illness caused by Listeria monocytogenes?
Listeriosis- rare but serious infection caused by infected food
What/who was Listeria monocytogenes named after?
Joseph Lister