BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuListeriosisListerial infection; Granulomatosis infantisepticum; Fetal listeriosisListeriosis is an infection that can occur when a person eats food that has been contaminated with bacteria called Listeria monocytogenes (L monocytogenes). Causes The bacteria L monocytogenes is found in wild animals, domesticated animals, and in soil and water. These bacteria make many animals sick, leading to miscarriage and stillbirth in domestic animals.Vegetables, meats, and other foods can get infected with the bacteria if they come in contact with contaminated soil or manure. Raw milk or products made from raw milk may carry these bacteria.If you eat the contaminated products, you may get sick. The following people are at increased risk:Adults over age 50 Adults with a weakened immune system Developing fetuses Newborns Pregnancy The bacteria most often cause a gastrointestinal illness. In some cases, you can develop a blood infection (septicemia) or inflammation of the covering of the brain (meningitis). Infants and children often have meningitis.SepticemiaSepticemia is bacteria in the blood (bacteremia) that often occurs with severe infections. Also called sepsis, septicemia is a serious, life-threate...Read Article Now Book Mark Article MeningitisMeningitis is an infection of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. This covering is called the meninges.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Infection in early pregnancy may cause a miscarriage. The bacteria may cross the placenta and infect the developing baby. Infections in late pregnancy may lead to stillbirth or death of the infant within a few hours of birth. About one half of infants infected at or near birth will die.In adults, the disease may take many forms, depending on what organ or organ systems are infected. It may occur as:Heart infection (endocarditis) EndocarditisEndocarditis is inflammation of the inside lining of the heart chambers and heart valves (endocardium). It is caused by a bacterial or, rarely, a fu...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Brain or spinal fluid infection (meningitis) Lung infection (pneumonia) PneumoniaPneumonia is a breathing (respiratory) condition in which there is an infection of the lung. This article covers community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Blood infection (septicemia) Gastrointestinal infection (gastroenteritis, diarrhea) Or it may occur in a milder form as:Abscesses AbscessesAn abscess is a collection of pus in any part of the body. In most cases, the area around an abscess is swollen and inflamed.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Conjunctivitis ConjunctivitisThe conjunctiva is a clear layer of tissue lining the eyelids and covering the white of the eye. Conjunctivitis occurs when the conjunctiva becomes ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Skin lesionSkin lesionRashes involve changes in the color, feeling or texture of your skin.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Symptoms In infants, symptoms of listeriosis may be seen in the first few days of life and may include:Loss of appetite Lethargy LethargyFatigue is a feeling of weariness, tiredness, or lack of energy.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Jaundice JaundiceJaundice is a yellow color of the skin, mucus membranes, or eyes. The yellow coloring comes from bilirubin, a byproduct of old red blood cells. Jau...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Respiratory distress (usually pneumonia) RespiratoryThe words "respiratory" and "respiration" refer to the lungs and breathing.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Shock ShockShock is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body is not getting enough blood flow. Lack of blood flow means the cells and organs do n...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Skin rash Vomiting Exams and Tests Laboratory tests may be done to detect the bacteria in amniotic fluid, blood, feces, and urine. A spinal fluid (cerebrospinal fluid or CSF) culture will be performed if a spinal tap is performed.Spinal fluid (cerebrospinal fluid or CS...A cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture is a laboratory test to look for bacteria, fungi, and viruses in the fluid that moves in the space around the spi...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment Antibiotics (including ampicillin or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole) are prescribed to kill the bacteria. Outlook (Prognosis) Listeriosis in a fetus or infant is often fatal. Healthy older children and adults are more likely to survive. The illness is less serious if it only affects the gastrointestinal system. Brain or spinal infections have worse outcomes. Possible Complications Infants who survive listeriosis may have long-term brain and nervous system (neurologic) damage and delayed development. When to Contact a Medical Professional Contact your health care provider if you or your child develops symptoms of listeriosis. Prevention Foreign food products, such as nonpasteurized soft cheeses, have also led to outbreaks of listeriosis. Always cook food thoroughly.Wash your hands thoroughly after touching pets, farm animals, and handling animal feces.Pregnant women may want to visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website for information on food precautions: www.cdc.gov/listeria/prevention.html.Open ReferencesReferencesJohnson JE, Mylonakis E. Listeria monocytogenes. In: Bennett JE, Dolin R, Blaser MJ, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 206.Kollman TR, Mailman TL, Bortolussi R. Listeriosis. In: Wilson CB, Nizet V, Maldonado YA, Remington JS, Klein JO, eds. Remington and Klein's Infectious Diseases of the Fetus and Newborn Infant. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2016:chap 13.AllVideoImagesTogAntibodies - illustration Antigens are large molecules (usually proteins) on the surface of cells, viruses, fungi, bacteria, and some non-living substances such as toxins, chemicals, drugs, and foreign particles. The immune system recognizes antigens and produces antibodies that destroy substances containing antigens. AntibodiesillustrationAntibodies - illustration Antigens are large molecules (usually proteins) on the surface of cells, viruses, fungi, bacteria, and some non-living substances such as toxins, chemicals, drugs, and foreign particles. The immune system recognizes antigens and produces antibodies that destroy substances containing antigens. AntibodiesillustrationRelated Information Septicemia(Condition)Meningitis(Condition)Fatigue(Symptoms)Respiratory(Special Topic)Shock(Injury)Community-acquired pneumonia in adults(Condition)Endocarditis(Condition)Abscess(Condition)Rashes(Symptoms)Conjunctivitis or pink eye(Condition)Hepatitis - InDepth(In-Depth)Pneumonia - InDepth(In-Depth) Review Date: 8/26/2023 Reviewed By: Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Associate Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Associate in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
ListeriosisListerial infection; Granulomatosis infantisepticum; Fetal listeriosisListeriosis is an infection that can occur when a person eats food that has been contaminated with bacteria called Listeria monocytogenes (L monocytogenes). Causes The bacteria L monocytogenes is found in wild animals, domesticated animals, and in soil and water. These bacteria make many animals sick, leading to miscarriage and stillbirth in domestic animals.Vegetables, meats, and other foods can get infected with the bacteria if they come in contact with contaminated soil or manure. Raw milk or products made from raw milk may carry these bacteria.If you eat the contaminated products, you may get sick. The following people are at increased risk:Adults over age 50 Adults with a weakened immune system Developing fetuses Newborns Pregnancy The bacteria most often cause a gastrointestinal illness. In some cases, you can develop a blood infection (septicemia) or inflammation of the covering of the brain (meningitis). Infants and children often have meningitis.SepticemiaSepticemia is bacteria in the blood (bacteremia) that often occurs with severe infections. Also called sepsis, septicemia is a serious, life-threate...Read Article Now Book Mark Article MeningitisMeningitis is an infection of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. This covering is called the meninges.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Infection in early pregnancy may cause a miscarriage. The bacteria may cross the placenta and infect the developing baby. Infections in late pregnancy may lead to stillbirth or death of the infant within a few hours of birth. About one half of infants infected at or near birth will die.In adults, the disease may take many forms, depending on what organ or organ systems are infected. It may occur as:Heart infection (endocarditis) EndocarditisEndocarditis is inflammation of the inside lining of the heart chambers and heart valves (endocardium). It is caused by a bacterial or, rarely, a fu...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Brain or spinal fluid infection (meningitis) Lung infection (pneumonia) PneumoniaPneumonia is a breathing (respiratory) condition in which there is an infection of the lung. This article covers community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Blood infection (septicemia) Gastrointestinal infection (gastroenteritis, diarrhea) Or it may occur in a milder form as:Abscesses AbscessesAn abscess is a collection of pus in any part of the body. In most cases, the area around an abscess is swollen and inflamed.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Conjunctivitis ConjunctivitisThe conjunctiva is a clear layer of tissue lining the eyelids and covering the white of the eye. Conjunctivitis occurs when the conjunctiva becomes ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Skin lesionSkin lesionRashes involve changes in the color, feeling or texture of your skin.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Symptoms In infants, symptoms of listeriosis may be seen in the first few days of life and may include:Loss of appetite Lethargy LethargyFatigue is a feeling of weariness, tiredness, or lack of energy.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Jaundice JaundiceJaundice is a yellow color of the skin, mucus membranes, or eyes. The yellow coloring comes from bilirubin, a byproduct of old red blood cells. Jau...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Respiratory distress (usually pneumonia) RespiratoryThe words "respiratory" and "respiration" refer to the lungs and breathing.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Shock ShockShock is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body is not getting enough blood flow. Lack of blood flow means the cells and organs do n...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Skin rash Vomiting Exams and Tests Laboratory tests may be done to detect the bacteria in amniotic fluid, blood, feces, and urine. A spinal fluid (cerebrospinal fluid or CSF) culture will be performed if a spinal tap is performed.Spinal fluid (cerebrospinal fluid or CS...A cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture is a laboratory test to look for bacteria, fungi, and viruses in the fluid that moves in the space around the spi...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment Antibiotics (including ampicillin or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole) are prescribed to kill the bacteria. Outlook (Prognosis) Listeriosis in a fetus or infant is often fatal. Healthy older children and adults are more likely to survive. The illness is less serious if it only affects the gastrointestinal system. Brain or spinal infections have worse outcomes. Possible Complications Infants who survive listeriosis may have long-term brain and nervous system (neurologic) damage and delayed development. When to Contact a Medical Professional Contact your health care provider if you or your child develops symptoms of listeriosis. Prevention Foreign food products, such as nonpasteurized soft cheeses, have also led to outbreaks of listeriosis. Always cook food thoroughly.Wash your hands thoroughly after touching pets, farm animals, and handling animal feces.Pregnant women may want to visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website for information on food precautions: www.cdc.gov/listeria/prevention.html.Open ReferencesReferencesJohnson JE, Mylonakis E. Listeria monocytogenes. In: Bennett JE, Dolin R, Blaser MJ, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 206.Kollman TR, Mailman TL, Bortolussi R. Listeriosis. In: Wilson CB, Nizet V, Maldonado YA, Remington JS, Klein JO, eds. Remington and Klein's Infectious Diseases of the Fetus and Newborn Infant. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2016:chap 13.