TY - JOUR
T1 - Changing pattern of human listeriosis, England and Wales, 2001-2004
AU - Gillespie, Iain A.
AU - McLauchlin, James
AU - Grant, Kathie A.
AU - Little, Christine L.
AU - Mithani, Vina
AU - Penman, Celia
AU - Lane, Christopher
AU - Regan, Martyn
PY - 2006
Y1 - 2006
N2 - Microbiologic and epidemiologic data on 1,933 cases of human listeriosis reported in England and Wales from 1990 to 2004 were reviewed. A substantial increase in incidence occurred from 2001 to 2004. Ten clusters (60 cases), likely to represent common-source outbreaks, were detected. However, these clusters did not account for the upsurge in incidence, which occurred sporadically, predominantly in patients ≥60 years of age with bacteremia and which was independent of sex; regional, seasonal, ethnic, or socioeconomic differences; underlying conditions; or Listeria monocytogenes subtype. The reasons for the increase are not known, but since multiple L. monocytogenes strains were responsible, this upsurge is unlikely to be due to a common-source outbreak. In the absence of risk factors for listeriosis in this emerging at-risk sector of the population, dietary advice on avoiding high-risk foods should be provided routinely to the elderly and immunocompromised, not just to pregnant women.
AB - Microbiologic and epidemiologic data on 1,933 cases of human listeriosis reported in England and Wales from 1990 to 2004 were reviewed. A substantial increase in incidence occurred from 2001 to 2004. Ten clusters (60 cases), likely to represent common-source outbreaks, were detected. However, these clusters did not account for the upsurge in incidence, which occurred sporadically, predominantly in patients ≥60 years of age with bacteremia and which was independent of sex; regional, seasonal, ethnic, or socioeconomic differences; underlying conditions; or Listeria monocytogenes subtype. The reasons for the increase are not known, but since multiple L. monocytogenes strains were responsible, this upsurge is unlikely to be due to a common-source outbreak. In the absence of risk factors for listeriosis in this emerging at-risk sector of the population, dietary advice on avoiding high-risk foods should be provided routinely to the elderly and immunocompromised, not just to pregnant women.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33749011722&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3201/eid1209.051657
DO - 10.3201/eid1209.051657
M3 - Article
C2 - 17073084
AN - SCOPUS:33749011722
SN - 1080-6040
VL - 12
SP - 1361
EP - 1366
JO - Emerging Infectious Diseases
JF - Emerging Infectious Diseases
IS - 9
ER -
