Listeria monocytogenes food monitoring data and incidence of human listeriosis in Hungary, 2004

The monitoring of Listeria monocytogenes in food is essential for the prevention of the incidence of listeriosis cases in humans. Food samples were monitored for contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, and the incidence of human listeriosis was evaluated according to the data obtained in Hungary in the year 2004. Of the food samples tested, the bacterium was most often detectable in milk and dairy products, as 72.1% of all L. monocytogenes strains were isolated from these samples. The food samples most commonly yielded strains of serotype 1/2a (45.1%) and 4b (27.0%). In 2004, 3 perinatal and 14 nonperinatal human listeriosis cases were diagnosed in Hungary. These disease cases were most often caused by strains belonging to serotype 4b (52.8%) and serotype 1/2a (23.5%). On the basis of the antibiotic sensitivity test results of strains isolated from the disease cases, penicillin and aminoglycoside antibiotics or a combination thereof were found to be effective.