Listeria infections remained regular and 7 outbreaks have been investigated by the UK Well being Safety Company (UKHSA) in 2024.
There have been 179 circumstances of listeriosis reported in England and Wales in 2024, in comparison with 177 in 2023.
The most recent information present that whereas Listeria can infect folks of all ages, it poses a better threat to weak teams, with essentially the most circumstances in folks aged 80 and older. Of the 28 deaths amongst 142 non-pregnancy circumstances, 12 have been 80 years outdated and older.
General, the incidence of listeriosis was decrease in males than females with 79 males and 100 females contaminated. It was larger within the age teams, 60 to 69, 70 to 79, and 80 years and older. Being pregnant related infections accounted for 37 circumstances and a few resulted in stillbirth or miscarriage.
London had the very best incidence price with 35 circumstances, while the East of England had the bottom. The North East had the fewest circumstances with seven. Ten infections have been recorded in Wales. June and September have been the height months for listeriosis reporting in 2024.
Vanessa Wong, UKHSA guide in gastrointestinal infections, mentioned: “Listeriosis is a uncommon an infection and most of the people solely expertise delicate signs of gastroenteritis that often go inside a couple of days with out the necessity for therapy. Nevertheless, extreme listeriosis is extra prone to have an effect on the aged, very younger infants, pregnant ladies and people with a weakened immune system.
“The easiest way to forestall listeriosis is to apply good meals hygiene and keep away from high-risk meals in case you are in a weak group. Meals that carry a better threat of Listeria embrace: mushy cheeses, pâté, smoked fish, chilled sliced meats and different chilled ready-to-eat merchandise.”
Outbreak investigations
UKHSA investigated seven outbreaks throughout England and Wales, linked to merchandise together with smoked fish, chocolate and strawberry mousse, garlic sausage and pre-packed sandwiches. The largest outbreak had 19 circumstances from 2020 to 2024 and was traced to smoked fish. The supply of an outbreak with 9 circumstances from 2021 to 2024 stays unknown.
Within the fish outbreak, which additionally impacts Scotland, 4 folks have died, two of which had Listeria monocytogenes listed as a reason behind dying, together with different underlying well being circumstances. In December 2022, Lidl recalled Deluxe Oak Smoked Scottish Louch Trout and Lighthouse Bay Smoked Trout Trimmings, produced by St. James Smokehouse in Scotland. Product testing discovered Listeria that matched the outbreak pressure. All samples constructive for the outbreak pressure have been inside the permitted restrict of 100 colony forming models per gram (CFU/g).
Danger mitigation measures included updates to NHS steering to incorporate smoked fish as excessive threat for listeriosis amongst the weak inhabitants in addition to warning labels on sure smoked fish merchandise to tell shoppers they might pose a microbiological threat to weak teams.
5 folks have been sickened in two outbreaks linked to prepacked sandwiches. Contaminated chocolate or strawberry mousse led to 5 folks falling sick and garlic sausage was behind three infections.
Within the mousse outbreak, sufferers have been recognized from Might to December 2024. Two lived in Yorkshire and Humber and one every within the North West and West Midlands, plus one in Wales. The median age of circumstances was 87 and so they ranged from 68 to 89 years outdated. Three folks died, together with one the place Listeria monocytogenes was reported as the reason for dying.
The investigation discovered an affiliation with Cool Delight Desserts equipped to the NHS. Listeria monocytogenes was detected twice in meals and matched medical isolates: a chocolate and vanilla mousse and a strawberry and vanilla mousse each sampled in February 2025 at an NHS hospital within the South West. Ranges of Listeria have been under the regulatory threshold of 100 CFU/g.
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Listeria infections remained regular and 7 outbreaks have been investigated by the UK Well being Safety Company (UKHSA) in 2024.
There have been 179 circumstances of listeriosis reported in England and Wales in 2024, in comparison with 177 in 2023.
The most recent information present that whereas Listeria can infect folks of all ages, it poses a better threat to weak teams, with essentially the most circumstances in folks aged 80 and older. Of the 28 deaths amongst 142 non-pregnancy circumstances, 12 have been 80 years outdated and older.
General, the incidence of listeriosis was decrease in males than females with 79 males and 100 females contaminated. It was larger within the age teams, 60 to 69, 70 to 79, and 80 years and older. Being pregnant related infections accounted for 37 circumstances and a few resulted in stillbirth or miscarriage.
London had the very best incidence price with 35 circumstances, while the East of England had the bottom. The North East had the fewest circumstances with seven. Ten infections have been recorded in Wales. June and September have been the height months for listeriosis reporting in 2024.
Vanessa Wong, UKHSA guide in gastrointestinal infections, mentioned: “Listeriosis is a uncommon an infection and most of the people solely expertise delicate signs of gastroenteritis that often go inside a couple of days with out the necessity for therapy. Nevertheless, extreme listeriosis is extra prone to have an effect on the aged, very younger infants, pregnant ladies and people with a weakened immune system.
“The easiest way to forestall listeriosis is to apply good meals hygiene and keep away from high-risk meals in case you are in a weak group. Meals that carry a better threat of Listeria embrace: mushy cheeses, pâté, smoked fish, chilled sliced meats and different chilled ready-to-eat merchandise.”
Outbreak investigations
UKHSA investigated seven outbreaks throughout England and Wales, linked to merchandise together with smoked fish, chocolate and strawberry mousse, garlic sausage and pre-packed sandwiches. The largest outbreak had 19 circumstances from 2020 to 2024 and was traced to smoked fish. The supply of an outbreak with 9 circumstances from 2021 to 2024 stays unknown.
Within the fish outbreak, which additionally impacts Scotland, 4 folks have died, two of which had Listeria monocytogenes listed as a reason behind dying, together with different underlying well being circumstances. In December 2022, Lidl recalled Deluxe Oak Smoked Scottish Louch Trout and Lighthouse Bay Smoked Trout Trimmings, produced by St. James Smokehouse in Scotland. Product testing discovered Listeria that matched the outbreak pressure. All samples constructive for the outbreak pressure have been inside the permitted restrict of 100 colony forming models per gram (CFU/g).
Danger mitigation measures included updates to NHS steering to incorporate smoked fish as excessive threat for listeriosis amongst the weak inhabitants in addition to warning labels on sure smoked fish merchandise to tell shoppers they might pose a microbiological threat to weak teams.
5 folks have been sickened in two outbreaks linked to prepacked sandwiches. Contaminated chocolate or strawberry mousse led to 5 folks falling sick and garlic sausage was behind three infections.
Within the mousse outbreak, sufferers have been recognized from Might to December 2024. Two lived in Yorkshire and Humber and one every within the North West and West Midlands, plus one in Wales. The median age of circumstances was 87 and so they ranged from 68 to 89 years outdated. Three folks died, together with one the place Listeria monocytogenes was reported as the reason for dying.
The investigation discovered an affiliation with Cool Delight Desserts equipped to the NHS. Listeria monocytogenes was detected twice in meals and matched medical isolates: a chocolate and vanilla mousse and a strawberry and vanilla mousse each sampled in February 2025 at an NHS hospital within the South West. Ranges of Listeria have been under the regulatory threshold of 100 CFU/g.
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