LISTERIOSIS

Wisconsin Division of Public Health Disease Surveillance Manual (EpiNet, February 2005)

I. IDENTIFICATION

A. CLINICAL DESCRIPTION: A bacterial disease usually manifested as meningoencephalitis and/or septicemia in newborns and adults and abortion in pregnant women. Onset of meningoencephalitis may be subacute but is usually sudden and accompanied by fever, intense headache, nausea, and vomiting. Delirium and coma may appear early, and occasionally there is collapse and shock. The immunocompetent host who acquires infection may exhibit only an acute, mild, febrile illness, sometimes with influenza-like symptoms.

B. REPORTING CRITERIA: Clinical diagnosis with laboratory confirmation.

C. LABORATORY CRITERIA FOR CONFIRMATION:

· Isolation of Listeria monocytogenes from CSF, blood, amniotic fluid, placenta, meconium, lochia, gastri c w ashings and other sites of infection.

D. WISCONSIN CASE DEFINITION: A clinically compatible illness that is laboratory confirmed.

II. ACTIONS REQUIRED / PREVENTION MEASURES

A. WISCONSIN DISEASE SURVEILLANCE CATEGORY II: Report to the patient's local health officer on an Acute and Communicable Disease Case Report (DPH 4151) or other means within 72 hours of the identification of a case or suspected case.

B. EPIDEMIOLOGY REPORTS REQUESTED:

• Acute and Communicable Diseases Case Report (DPH 4151).
• Listeriosis Worksheet (CDES 106)

C. PUBLIC HEALTH INTERVENTIONS:

• Cluster investigation of more than one case occur in close geographic or temporal setting.
• Pregnant women and immunocompromised individuals should be instructed to eat only properly cooked meats and pasteurized dairy products and that they should avoid potentially infective materials such as aborted animal fetuses on farms.
  

III. CONTACTS FOR CONSULTATION

A. BCDP / COMMUNICABLE DISEASE EPIDEMIOLOGY UNIT: (608) 267-7422 or (608) 267-9009.

B. REGIONAL STAFF: See Epinet Introduction: “REGIONAL STAFF CONTACTS”.

C. WSLH / BACTERIOLOGY: (608) 263-3421.

IV. RELATED REFERENCES

1. "Listeriosis" DPH Disease Fact Sheet Series: View a list of all current Communicable Disease Fact Sheets

2. Heymann DL, ed. LISTERIOSIS. In: Control of Communicable Diseases Manual. 18 th ed. Washington , DC : American Public Health Association, 2004: 309-312.

3. Pickering LK, ed. Listeria monocytogenes Infections (Listeriosis). In: Red Book: 2003 Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases. 26 th ed. Elk Grove Village , IL : American Academy of Pediatrics, 2003:405-406.

 

V. DISEASE TRENDS