Individuals At Greatest Risk For Listeria Infection

In the United States, the CDC estimates about 2,500 persons become seriously ill with listeriosis, an infection of Listeria, each year. Of these, 500 die.

Those at increased risk are:

• Pregnant women – They are about 20 times more likely than other healthy adults to get listeriosis. About one-third of listeriosis cases happen during pregnancy.
• Newborns – Newborns rather than the pregnant women themselves suffer the serious effects of infection in pregnancy.
• Persons with weakened immune systems
• Persons with cancer, diabetes, or kidney disease
• Persons with AIDS – They are almost 300 times more likely to get listeriosis than people with normal immune systems.
• Persons who take glucocorticosteroid medications
• The elderly

Healthy adults and children occasionally get infected with Listeria, but they rarely become seriously ill.