Food Microbiology-II

Course title: Food Microbiology

II
Course code: MBIO-402
Presented By: Presented to:
Razia Sultana Urmi Maruf Abony
Id:181-025-031 Lecturer
Dept. of Microbiology Dept. of Microbiology
 PRESENTATION ON

European listeriosis outbreak (2015

–present)
 Introduction:
Foodborne listeriosis is one of the most serious and severe
foodborne diseases. It is caused by the bacteria Listeria
monocytogenes. It is a relatively rare disease with 0.1 to 10 cases
per 1 million people per year depending on the countries and
regions of the world. Although the number of cases of listeriosis is
small, the high rate of death associated with this infection makes it
a significant public health concern.

Listeriosis is a food-borne disease of public health importance that

has recently been involved in prolonged outbreaks. Despite its
relevance,listeriosis is under-reported in many European countries.
 Listeriosis
 Listeriosis is a series of diseases caused by the
bacteria L. monocytogenes, outbreaks of which occur
in all countries. There are two main types of
listeriosis: a non-invasive form and an invasive form.
 Noninvasive listeriosis (febrile listerial gastroenteritis) is a
mild form of the disease affecting mainly otherwise healthy
people. Symptoms include diarrhoea, fever, headache and
myalgia (muscle pain)

 Invasive listeriosis is a more severe form of the disease and

affects certain high risk groups of the population. These
include pregnant women, patients undergoing treatment for
cancer, AIDS and organ transplants, elderly people and
infants
 European listeriosis
 The national experiences with listeriosis surveillance
summarised in this issue suggest that across much of Europe,
rates of listeriosis may be increasing or remaining stable at
relatively high levels.

 In 2002, reported incidence of listeriosis in Europe ranged

from 0 to 7.5 cases per million inhabitants. The highest rates
were reported from countries that had statutory notification of
Listeria infections and surveillance through a national
reference laboratory.
 Syndromes
 The clinical syndromes of listeriosis include: febrile
gastroenteritis ,sepsis, central nervous system (CNS) involvement in
the form of encephalitis, meningoencephalitis and focal infections
such as pneumonia myo-endocarditis and septic arthritis, etc .
 Invasive listeriosis most commonly affects pregnant women,
neonates, elderly people and people with chronic conditions or
weakened immune response .
 Listeriosis has one of the highest case fatality rates among all food-
borne infections; when it affects the CNS, the mortality rate is above 
50% and neurological sequelae are present in more than 60% of
survivors.
 Listeriosis is also associated with fetal and neonatal death.
 Previous Outbreak
Worldwide, listeriosis is an emerging infection of public health
concern . In Europe, human listeriosis peaked in incidence during
the 1980s, showed a general decline during the 1990s and
stabilised in the 2000s . More recent data show an increasing trend
since 2008 . This increase seems to be related to the ageing of the
population and the increase in life expectancy of
immunocompromised patients, but also to changes in the ways
food is produced, stored, distributed and consumed around the
world . Although listeriosis is often a sporadic disease , large food-
borne outbreaks have occurred during the last decade in Europe
and the United States (US). In South Africa, an outbreak with
more than 1,024 laboratory-confirmed listeriosis cases, as at 2
May 2018, has been ongoing since the start of 2017, with a 28.6%
case fatality rate 
 Recent Outbreaks

In 2017, a total of ten L. monocytogenes outbreaks were

reported to the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA),
comprising a total of 39 cases
The recent outbreaks underscored the individual characteristics
of specific foods (melons vs all fruit; microenvironments in the
caramel apples) and raised questions about the current
understanding of infectivity of lower doses and the
susceptibility of specific individuals. Advances have been made
in these areas, but further research is clearly necessary to
control this pathogen.
 Causative food and agents:
Listeria monocytogenes is ubiquitous in the environment. The main
route of acquisition of Listeria is through the ingestion of contaminated
food products. Listeria has been isolated from raw meat, dairy products,
vegetables, fruit and seafood. Soft cheeses, unpasteurized milk and
unpasteurised pate are potential dangers; however, some outbreaks
involving post-pasteurized milk have been reported .

Food most often associated with listeriosis include:

• foods with a long shelf-life under refrigeration (L. monocytogenes can
grow to significant numbers in food at refrigeration temperatures
when given sufficient time); and
• foods that are consumed without further treatment, such as cooking,
which would otherwise kill  L. monocytogenes
 Risk Factors

The major risk factor for getting listeriosis is eating or drinking

foods and liquids contaminated with Listeria bacteria. Foods and
liquids contaminated with animal feces or soil are the most
frequently identified sources for these organisms. Drinking
inadequately treated or unpasteurized liquids, especially milk
products, is another source of infection.
 Diagnosis
 The initial diagnosis of listeriosis is made based on clinical
symptoms and detection of the bacteria in a smear from blood
 Various detection methods, including polymerase chain
reaction (PCR), are available for diagnosis of listeriosis in
humans.
 During pregnancy, blood and placenta cultures are the most
reliable ways to discover if symptoms are due to listeriosis.

 The diagnosis of listeriosis requires the isolation of the

causative bacteria from the blood and/or
the cerebrospinal fluid.
 Signs and symptoms
The symptoms vary with the infected person:

 High-risk people other than pregnant women: Symptoms can include

fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and
convulsions.
 Pregnant women: Pregnant women typically experience only a mild,
flu-like illness. However, infections during pregnancy can lead to
miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection of
the newborn.
 Previously healthy people: People who were previously healthy but
were exposed to a very large dose of Listeria can develop a non-invasive
illness (meaning that the bacteria have not spread into their blood stream
or other body sites). Symptoms can include diarrhea and fever.
 If an animal has eaten food contaminated with Listeria and does not
have any symptoms, most experts believe that no tests or treatment are
needed, even for people at high risk for listeriosis.
 Prevention
L. monocytogenes in food are killed by pasteurization and
cooking.In general, guidance on the prevention of listeriosis is
similar to guidance used to help prevent other foodborne
illnesses. This includes practicing safe food handling and
following the WHO Five Keys to Safer Food

1. Keep clean.
2. Separate raw and cooked.
3. Cook thoroughly.
4.Keep food at safe temperatures.
5. Use safe water and raw materials.
 Treatment
 Bacteremia should be treated for 2 weeks, meningitis for 3
weeks, and brain abscess for at least 6 weeks. Ampicillin
generally is considered antibiotic of choice; gentamicin is added
frequently for its synergistic effects. Overall mortality rate is
20–30%; of all pregnancy-related cases, 22% resulted in fetal
loss or neonatal death, but mothers usually survive. Listeriosis
can be treated if diagnosed early. Antibiotics are used to treat
severe symptoms such as meningitis. When infection occurs
during pregnancy, prompt administration of antibiotics prevents
infection of the foetus or newborn.
 Conclusion
 Listeriosis is an emergent public health problem in Europe
that calls for targeted action. Further prevention strategies are
urgently needed, including food safety education and
messaging for all at-risk groups.
THANK YOU