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This clinical entity has been recognised in outbreak settings. As routine examinationof specimens of faeces from patients with gastroenteritis for L. monocytogenes israrely, if ever, practiced it is likely that many cases of this condition go unrecognised.1.7 Surveillance in Ireland1.7.1 Clinical surveillanceIn Ireland, between 2000 and 2003 there was an average of 6.5 cases of listeriosis per annum (i.e. 0.17per 100,000 of the population per annum) (20, 39-40) . In 2000 there was one reported fatality when anadult patient died from L. monocytogenes meningitis (20) .Estimates for the United States place the number of cases annually at 1,850 with 425 listeriosisassociated deaths reported annually (41) . The estimated annual incidence of invasive foodbornelisteriosis is two to 15 cases per million (42) . A programme of enhanced surveillance for human listeriosisadministered through the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) has been in operation since2000. Listeriosis (i.e. L. monocytogenes infection) became a notifiable human infectious disease in Irelandon January 1st 2004 (43) .1.7.2 Food surveillanceThe microbiological testing of foods is conducted by a number of official agencies under servicecontract to the FSAI (Table 1).Table 1. Official Agency Involvement in Microbiological Testing of FoodsOfficial Agency Laboratories Samples Taken By: Sample TypeHealth Service Executive (HSE)Official Food MicrobiologyLaboratory (OFML)Dept of Agriculture and Food(DAF) 1Environmental health officers(EHOs) and in limited casesby other official agency staffVeterinary inspectors,agricultural officers, dairyproduce inspectors/officers, private veterinarypractitionersAll foods in retail andcatering premisesFoods of non-animal originat wholesale and productionlevelProducts of animal originDept of Communications, Sea fisheries officers Fishery products and live(DCMNR) 1-2Marine and Natural Resourcesbivalve molluscs1In addition, both DAF and DCMNR use approved private laboratories2DCMNR does not carry out any in-house analysisF O O D S A F E T Y A U T H O R I T Y O F I R E L A N D4