Q. Can you explain Listeriosis?

Listeriosis is a food borne illness caused by a pathogenic bacterium called Listeria monocytogenes, which is food borne. Listeria monocytogenes is a gram-positive, motile, non-sporing and short rod organism as highlighted. It is aerobic and facultatively anaerobic in nature. This is a psychrotrophic organism i.e., potentially capable of growing at refrigeration temperatures as low as 0°C. It is the most heat- resistant organism among all the non-spore forming, vegetative food pathogens.

The comparatively rare disease, which is known as 'listeriosis', is spread through contamination of a variety of foodstuffs. Several major food commodities including milk and dairy products have been implicated in the transmission of disease. The disease spreads through milk from the infected cattle. Other food products include the raw meat and poultry products, fermented sausage, raw and pre-cooked chicken.Jt also spreads through the consumption of vegetables, salads and sea foods.