an epidemiological study of listeriosis in dairy cattle

in the UK and in 22 instances in the rest of the world (McLauchlin 1996). However L.
monocytogenes is now a well recognised food borne pathogen. Many sporadic and
epidemic cases of Listeriosis have been traced to food (Farber and Peterkins 1991,
Schuchat and others 1991, McLauchlin 1996) and the role of food in the occurrence of
Listeriosis has been established in a case control study (Pinner and others 1992,
Schuchat and others 1992). Some food borne outbreaks and sporadic cases of Listeriosis
are presented in the Table 1. 3.
Table 1. 3. Epidemic and sporadic cases of foodborne clinical Listeriosis in people.
Country Year No. of cases Implicated food
Outbreaks
Canada 1981 41 Coleslaw
USA 1983 49 Milk
USA 1985 142 Soft cheese
United Kingdom 1987-89 >350 Pate
Switzerland 1983-87 122 Soft cheese
Australia 1991 4 Smoked mussels
France 1992 279 Pork tongue
France 1995 17 Soft cheese
Sporadic cases
USA 1987 Raw milk
England 1988 Soft cheese
England 1988 Rennet
USA 1989 Sausage
Italy 1989 Fish
Finland 1989 Mushrooms
Italy 1994 Pickled olives
This table was extracted from a publication by McLauchlin (1996).
The table indicates that a variety of foods has been linked with disease but in the
majority of cases animal products have been implicated. Studies carried out to
determine the presence of L. monocytogenes on vegetables, in nature, in dairy products
39