The evolution and epidemiology of Listeria monocytogenes in Europe and the United States

Ongoing outbreak of invasive listeriosis due to serotype 1/2a Listeria monocytogenes, Ancona province, Italy, January 2015 to February 2016

“…In particular, a statistically significant increase was reported in Austria, Denmark, Hungary, Italy, France, Spain, and Sweden from 2005 to 2009 [10]. In the past 30 years, outbreaks of listeriosis have been mostly linked to serotype 1/2a and 4b clones [8]. A shift to serotype 1/2a has been observed in Europe and North America in the last decade [8].…”

“…The incidence of listeriosis has been rising since the early 2000s in several European countries, mainly in immunocompromised patients older than 65 years [7][8][9]. In particular, a statistically significant increase was reported in Austria, Denmark, Hungary, Italy, France, Spain, and Sweden from 2005 to 2009 [10].…”

“…In the past 30 years, outbreaks of listeriosis have been mostly linked to serotype 1/2a and 4b clones [8]. A shift to serotype 1/2a has been observed in Europe and North America in the last decade [8]. In Italy, surveillance of invasive listeriosis has found an increase in serotype 1/2a isolates over the same period, mainly in the central and northern regions (about 80% of cases) [10][11][12][13][14].…”

“…The present data suggest an ongoing outbreak of listeriosis due to serotype 1/2a L. monocytogenes in AV2 that most probably started in 2015, since the strain was already present in the area in 2015. As in other European countries, most cases were associated with an underlying condition and involved elderly people [8,9]. Local authorities are working with the Italian national public health institute (the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome) and the regional Istituto Zooprofilattico Umbria and Marche to identify the sources of food contamination.…”

Detection of <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i> in Foods and Characterization by PFGE

“…monocytogenes continues to be an important food safety concern [1]. The etiological agent of listeriosis is L. monocytogenes, a gram-positive bacterium that contaminates meat, dairy products, unwashed raw vegetables, cabbage, and ready-to-eat food [2]- [4]. In immune-compromised individuals, L. monocytogenes causes meningitis, encephalitis, abortion in pregnant women and neonatal infections [5].…”