Two Listeria monocytogenes Pseudo-outbreaks Caused by Contaminated Laboratory Culture Media

J Clin Microbiol. 2016 Mar;54(3):768-70. doi: 10.1128/JCM.02035-15. Epub 2015 Dec 23.

Abstract

Listeriosis is a serious foodborne infection that disproportionately affects elderly adults, pregnant women, newborns, and immunocompromised individuals. Diagnosis is made by culturing Listeria monocytogenes from sterile body fluids or from products of conception. This report describes the investigations of two listeriosis pseudo-outbreaks caused by contaminated laboratory media made from sheep blood.

MeSH terms

  • Culture Media
  • Disease Outbreaks*
  • Genome, Bacterial
  • Humans
  • Laboratories
  • Listeria monocytogenes / classification
  • Listeria monocytogenes / genetics*
  • Listeria monocytogenes / isolation & purification
  • Listeriosis / epidemiology*
  • Listeriosis / transmission*
  • Multilocus Sequence Typing
  • Phylogeny
  • United States / epidemiology

Substances

  • Culture Media