Listeria monocytogenes Infection (Listeriosis)

Excerpt

Listeria monocytogenes is a gram-positive, facultative anaerobic, intracellular rod with widespread environmental distribution, commonly found in soil, water, and vegetation, and capable of transient colonization of the human and animal gastrointestinal tract. Human infection typically occurs through ingestion of contaminated foods, particularly raw or inadequately processed products. While infection in the general population is usually asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic, vulnerable hosts, including pregnant individuals, older adults, and immunocompromised patients, are at increased risk for invasive disease, such as antepartum and vertically transmitted infection and central nervous system involvement, which are associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Please see StatPearls' companion resources, "Bacterial Meningitis, Neonatal Meningitis, Bacterial Diarrhea, Vertical Transplacental Infections, and Antepartum Infections," for further information.