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Cause:
Bacterium Listeria
monocytogenes.
Illness and treatment:
Diarrhea occurs
but is not detected with standard stool culture methods.
Complications include septicemia or meningitis, which cause
fever, headache, vomiting, delirium, or coma. Severe
infections are treated with antibiotics.
Sources:
Listeria
occur in soil, water, and the intestines of animals and
humans. Transmission is mainly through food, such as
unpasteurized milk, cheese made from unpasteurized milk,
processed meats, deli salads, fruits and vegetables. Food
can be contaminated during or after processing.
Additional risks:
Unlike most foodborne
pathogens, Listeria can multiply in refrigerated
foods. Illness may be severe for newborns, the elderly, and
persons with weakened immune systems. Pregnant women with
listeriosis may have few symptoms but have fetal loss or
premature birth.
Prevention:
If pregnant or
immunocompromised, avoid soft cheeses made with
unpasteurized milk, processed ready-to-eat foods, and smoked
fish. Also thoroughly cook all foods from animal sources,
wash raw produce thoroughly and heat leftovers, hot dogs and
deli meats until steaming before eating.
Recent Washington trends:
Each year there are 11 to 25 reports with 0 to 5 deaths.
2008:
29 cases were reported in
2008 (0.4 cases/100,000 population), including 13 in persons
over the age of 50 (0.6/100,000) and 6 newborn infants.
Three deaths were reported. Consumption of unpasteurized
dairy products was reported by 25% of adult cases including
mothers of infants infected prenatally.
Purpose of Reporting and
Surveillance
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To identify sources of transmission (e.g., a
commercial product) and to prevent further disease
transmission from such sources.
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To collect data that will help investigate
an outbreak should cases be part of an outbreak.
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To better characterize the epidemiology of
this organism.
Legal Reporting Requirements
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Health care providers: immediately notifiable to local
health jurisdiction.
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Hospitals:
immediately notifiable to local health jurisdiction.
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Laboratories: notifiable to local health
jurisdiction within 2 work days; specimen submission is not
required.
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Local health jurisdiction: notifiable to the
Washington State Department of Health (DOH) Communicable
Disease Epidemiology Section (CDES) within 7 days of case
investigation completion or summary information required
within 21 days.
Last
update
November 2009 |
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