Listeriosis risk factors

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [2]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: João André Alves Silva, M.D. [3]

Overview

The ingestion of uncooked meats and vegetables, unpasteurized (raw) milk and cheeses, processed (or ready-to-eat) meats, and smoked seafood is a risk factor for listeriosis. Immunosuppressed patients, neonates, pregnant women, and elderly patients have higher risk of contracting listeriosis.

Risk Factors

Contaminated Food

• Uncooked meats and vegetables
• Unpasteurized (raw) milk and cheeses as well as other foods made from unpasteurized milk
• Cooked or processed foods, including certain soft cheeses
• Processed eady-to-eat meats, such as hot dogs and deli meats (contamination may occur after factory cooking but before packaging or even at the deli counter)
• Smoked seafood
• Mexican-style cheeses (such as queso fresco)

Shown below is a table summarizing low and high risk cheese types.

Higher Risk Cheese Type	Lower Risk Cheese type
Soft cheeses made from unpasteurized (raw) milk, such as: Queso fresco Blue-veined Feta Brie Camembert	Soft cheeses that are clearly labeled "made from pasteurized milk" Processed cheeses Cream cheese Mozzarella Hard cheeses

People at Risk

Pregnant Women

About one in seven (14%) cases of listeriosis occurs during pregnancy. Pregnant women are about 10 times more likely than the general population to be infected. Pregnant Hispanic women are about 24 times more likely than the general population to get listeriosis.

Older Adults

More than half (58%) of Listeria infections occur among adults older than 65 years of age. Adults 65 years and older are about 4 times more likely than the general population to be infected.

Immnosuppression

Immunosupressed individuals have a higher risk for infection due to underlying medical conditions such as cancer and immunosuppresive therapy (i.e., steroids, chemotherapy, radiation, Monoclonal antibodiessuch as Vedolizumab), liver or kidney disease, diabetes, alcoholism, and HIV/AIDS). AIDS patients are almost 300 times more likely to get listeriosis than people with normal immune systems.

Newborn Babies

Newborn babies suffer the most serious effects of listeriosis in pregnancy.