608 Modern Food Microbiology
Table 25–5 Some of the Suspected and Proven Foodborne Listeriosis Outbreaks and Cases
Year
Source
Cases/Deaths
Location
1953
Raw milk
2/1
Germany
1959
Fresh meat/poultry
∗
4/2
Sweden
1960–1961
Various/unknown
81/?
Germany
1966
Milk/products
279/109
Germany
1979
Vegetables/milk?
†
23/3
Boston
1980
Shellfish
22/6
New Zealand
1981
Cole slaw
41/18
Canada
1983
Pasteurized milk
†
49/14
Boston
1983–1987
Vacherin Mont D’Or
122/34
Switzerland
1985
Mexican-style cheese
142/48
California
1986–1987
Vegetables?
†
36/16
Philadelphia
1987–1989
P ˆ
at ´
e
366/63
United Kingdom
1987
Soft cheese
1
United Kingdom
1988
Goats’ milk cheese
1
United Kingdom
1988
Cooked-chld-chick.
1
United Kingdom
1988
Cooked-chld-chick.
2
United Kingdom
1988
Turkey franks
1
Oklahoma
1989
Pork sausage
1
Italy
1988
Alfalfa tablets
1
Canada
1989
Salted mushrooms
1
Finland
1989
Shrimp
9/1
United States (Conn.)
1989
Pork sausage
1
Italy
1990
Raw milk
1
Vermont
1990
Pork sausage
1
Italy
1990
P ˆ
at ´
e
11/6
Australia
1991
Smoked mussels
3/0
Australia
1992
Smoked mussels
4/2
New Zealand
1992
Goat meat (from Calif.)
1
Canada
1992
Pork tongue in jelly
279/85
France
1993
Pork rillettes
39/0
France
1994
Chocolate milk
52/0
USA
1994
Pickled olives
1
Italy
1995
Brie cheese
17/0
France
1998–1999
Wieners
ca. 101/ca. 21
United States
1999–2000
Pork tongue in jelly
26/7
France
2000–2001
Homemade Mexican-style cheese
12/0
United States
2002
Deli turkey meat
46/7
10 USA states
∗ Suspected.
† Epidemiologically linked; organisms not found.
In an extensive review of this organism in the general processing environment, Tompkin
124 noted
that foodborne listeriosis accounted for only ca. 0.02% of all foodborne illnesses in the United States.
On the other hand, this disease accounted for ca. 28% of all deaths from foodborne illnesses. Foods that
have been involved in human cases typically contain >1,000 cfu/g or ml; and outbreak strains typically
have become established in the processing environment resulting in contamination of multiple lots of
foods.
124
Table 25–5 Some of the Suspected and Proven Foodborne Listeriosis Outbreaks and Cases
Year
Source
Cases/Deaths
Location
1953
Raw milk
2/1
Germany
1959
Fresh meat/poultry
∗
4/2
Sweden
1960–1961
Various/unknown
81/?
Germany
1966
Milk/products
279/109
Germany
1979
Vegetables/milk?
†
23/3
Boston
1980
Shellfish
22/6
New Zealand
1981
Cole slaw
41/18
Canada
1983
Pasteurized milk
†
49/14
Boston
1983–1987
Vacherin Mont D’Or
122/34
Switzerland
1985
Mexican-style cheese
142/48
California
1986–1987
Vegetables?
†
36/16
Philadelphia
1987–1989
P ˆ
at ´
e
366/63
United Kingdom
1987
Soft cheese
1
United Kingdom
1988
Goats’ milk cheese
1
United Kingdom
1988
Cooked-chld-chick.
1
United Kingdom
1988
Cooked-chld-chick.
2
United Kingdom
1988
Turkey franks
1
Oklahoma
1989
Pork sausage
1
Italy
1988
Alfalfa tablets
1
Canada
1989
Salted mushrooms
1
Finland
1989
Shrimp
9/1
United States (Conn.)
1989
Pork sausage
1
Italy
1990
Raw milk
1
Vermont
1990
Pork sausage
1
Italy
1990
P ˆ
at ´
e
11/6
Australia
1991
Smoked mussels
3/0
Australia
1992
Smoked mussels
4/2
New Zealand
1992
Goat meat (from Calif.)
1
Canada
1992
Pork tongue in jelly
279/85
France
1993
Pork rillettes
39/0
France
1994
Chocolate milk
52/0
USA
1994
Pickled olives
1
Italy
1995
Brie cheese
17/0
France
1998–1999
Wieners
ca. 101/ca. 21
United States
1999–2000
Pork tongue in jelly
26/7
France
2000–2001
Homemade Mexican-style cheese
12/0
United States
2002
Deli turkey meat
46/7
10 USA states
∗ Suspected.
† Epidemiologically linked; organisms not found.
In an extensive review of this organism in the general processing environment, Tompkin
124 noted
that foodborne listeriosis accounted for only ca. 0.02% of all foodborne illnesses in the United States.
On the other hand, this disease accounted for ca. 28% of all deaths from foodborne illnesses. Foods that
have been involved in human cases typically contain >1,000 cfu/g or ml; and outbreak strains typically
have become established in the processing environment resulting in contamination of multiple lots of
foods.
124