Definition of Listeria

Listeria: A group of bacteria capable of causing miscarriage (spontaneous abortion), stillbirth and premature birth and which can also cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and persons with a weakened immune system. Listeria contamination has been responsible for numerous recalls of food.

For example:

• In February, 1999. Kohler Mix Specialties, Inc., a White Bear Lake, Minnesota-based subsidiary of Michael Foods, Inc., recalled milk produced and sold under the Land O' Lakes brand name. The recall was due to possible contamination of the milk with Listeria monocytogenes.
• In January 2001 US makers of hot dogs, deli meats and other ready-to-eat meat and poultry were ordered by the government to begin testing their products to detect and prevent Listeria contamination.
• In September 2003 Kayem Foods Inc. of Chelsea, Mass. recalled 9,230 pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products because of possible contamination with listeria.

In these and other incidents, the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) has found that the food at issue might be contaminated with listeria monocytogenes, which "can cause miscarriages in addition to serious illnesses for the elderly, the very young and those with chronic ailments."

In April 2000 the entire genome of Listeria was sequenced by a consortium of European scientists in 10 laboratories and companies coordinated by the Institute Pasteur in Paris. This could hopefully lead to a vaccine against Listeria.

Listeria are named after the English surgeon and apostle of antisepsis, Joseph Lister (1827-1912). Disease caused by listeria bacteria is called listeriosis.