A Rogue's Gallery of Foodborne Illness program overview antibiotic resistance biotechnology sustainable agriculture introduction campylobacter salmonella e. coli enterococcus shigella listeria Estimated to cause 2,500 cases annually in the United States. Approximately 500 people die each year.
Antibiotics are effective if given promptly.
The bacterium Listeria monocytogenes has recently been recognized as an important public health problem in the United States. While less widely know than other foodborne pathogens like Salmonella and E. coli , it is far more deadly. An estimated 2,500 people become seriously ill from Listeria each year in the United States with infections often leading to blood poisoning or meningitis. Most at risk from this pathogen are pregnant women, newborn children, and people with weakened immune systems. Listeria is found throughout nature, in animals, plants, water, and soil.