Listeriosis risk factors

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Overview

Pregnant women, neonates, elderly persons, patients with impaired cell-mediated immunity, and transplant recepients on immunosuppressants are at a higher risk for Listeria infection than healthy children or adults and are more likely to develop serious illness such as life-threatening bacteremia and meningoencephalitis.

Risk Factors

Pregnant Women

About one in seven (14%) cases of Listeria infection occurs during pregnancy. Infection during pregnancy can cause fetal loss (miscarriage or stillbirth), preterm labor, and illness or death in newborn infants. Pregnant women are about 10 times more likely than the general population to get Listeria infection. Pregnant Hispanic women are about 24 times more likely than the general population to get Listeria infection.

Older Adults

More than half (58%) of Listeria infections occur among adults 65 and older. Adults 65 years and older are about 4 times more likely than the general population to get Listeria infection.

People with Weakened Immune Systems

Individuals within this group also have a higher risk for Listeria infection due to underlying medical conditions such as cancer and immunosuppresive therapy (i.e., steroids, chemotherapy, radiation), liver or kidney disease, diabetes, alcoholism, and HIV/AIDS. AIDS patients are almost 300 times more likely to get listeriosis than people with normal immune systems.

Newborn Babies

Newborn babies suffer the most serious effects of Listeria infection in pregnancy.