Listeria Gastroenteritis — Old Syndrome, New Pathogen

The evidence that Listeria monocytogenes can be a dangerous food-borne pathogen continues to accumulate. In this issue of the Journal, Dalton et al.1 provide evidence that this uncommon organism can be a cause of food poisoning. For most food-borne pathogens, such as salmonella and campylobacter species, gastrointestinal illness is the presenting and only symptom in the majority of cases. For L. monocytogenes, on the other hand, central nervous system infection and sepsis in the immunocompromised host have been the predominant clinical syndromes and were recognized long before transmission through food was suspected. The adult form of listeria meningoencephalitis bears a . . .