The death rate is very high. There are no special clinical signs to differentiate listerial meningitis from other types of meningitis. In adults, the disease may take many forms depending on what organ or organ systems are infected. It may occur as meningitis, pneumonia , septicemia, and endocarditis or in milder form as abscesses , skin lesion , and conjunctivitis . Avoidance of contact with wild and domestic animals during pregnancy is advisable.
Listeria is well controlled in American food products.
Foreign food products such as nonpasteurized soft cheeses have been implicated in outbreaks of listeriosis. Adequate cooking of foods, especially fowl, is always indicated. Treatment is aimed at eliminating the infection with antibiotics. The late infant onset form also has a high death rate. Healthy older children and adults have a very low death rate.