Abstract
BackgroundListeriosis is a rare disease caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, the normal vehicle of which is food. The disease, which is largely confined to its risk groups of pregnant women, the elderly and immunocompromised individuals, has increased in incidence in recent years.In Portugal, listeriosis is not a notifiable infection and available data are scarce.The objective of this work was to collate the available information concerning listeriosis in Portugal by compiling a retrospective study of cases recorded over a decade.MethodsRequests for case data on clinically confirmed listeriosis, recorded over the previous decade, were replied to by 23 hospitals and a National Institute of Health delegation.Results35 cases of listeriosis were identified for the period between 1994 and 2003 inclusive, the mortality rate being greater than 17%. According to the data collected in this study for the year 2003, the incidence of this disease in Portugal was at least 1.4 cases per million inhabitants in that year.ConclusionThe study demonstrates, for the first time in the widely available literature, that despite their being no cases of listeriosis in Portugal recorded in official reports, the threat of L. monocytogenes to public health is of a similar dimension to that in other countries.
Highlights
Listeriosis is a rare disease caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, the normal vehicle of which is food
35 cases of listeriosis were identified for the period between 1994 and 2003 inclusive, the mortality rate being greater than 17%
The study demonstrates, for the first time in the widely available literature, that despite their being no cases of listeriosis in Portugal recorded in official reports, the threat of L. monocytogenes to public health is of a similar dimension to that in other countries
Summary
Listeriosis is a rare disease caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, the normal vehicle of which is food. The disease, which is largely confined to its risk groups of pregnant women, the elderly and immunocompromised individuals, has increased in incidence in recent years. Listeria monocytogenes is an ubiquitous bacterium responsible for cases and outbreaks of listeriosis in humans and animals, normally transmitted by consumption of contaminated foods or feeds [1]. In recent years several outbreaks of listeriosis have been described, associated with the consumption of a wide variety of foods, ranging from dairy products, to ready-to-eat deli meats [1]. Exposure to the bacterium is common [2], listeriosis is rare within the general population; incidence in Europe varies between 0.3 and 7.5 cases per million inhabitants with a mortality rate between 20 and 30% [3]. In a publication of (page number not for citation purposes)
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