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Impact
Listeriosis has emerged in recent decades as a sporadic and deadly illness
caused by eating foods contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes.
The disease affects primarily pregnant women, newborns, and adults with weakened
immune systems. In the United States, 2,500 people are estimated to become
seriously ill with listeriosis each year, and of these, 500 people die. In 1998,
a large outbreak of listeriosis, caused by contaminated hot dogs, resulted in 21
deaths in 22 states. The threat of listeriosis caused the largest meat recall
ever in the history of the USDA in the October 2002 when more than 27.4 million
pounds of chicken and turkey products were recalled, causing millions of dollars
in lost revenue and creating panic among consumers.
Symptoms
Symptoms of listeriosis include fever, muscle aches, and sometimes
gastrointestinal indicators such as nausea or diarrhea. If infection spreads to
the nervous system, symptoms such as headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of
balance, or convulsions can occur. Infected pregnant women may experience only a
mild, flu-like illness. Unfortunately, infections during pregnancy can lead to
miscarriage or stillbirth, premature delivery, or infection of the newborn.
SBRI's Role
SBRI researchers have helped to develop and expand a potentially significant
model for studying listeriosis and for better understanding how intracellular
pathogens cause disease. This model enables scientists to study how bacteria
thrive and unleash virulence factors once inside the cells they infect. With
this knowledge, more effective tools may be developed for preventing, detecting,
and combating infection. Efforts designed to tag and identify virulence genes
have been successful, helping researchers pinpoint when and where within the
infected host these genes are expressed. One such gene (prfA), believed to be
pivotal to the control and coordination of virulence, is the subject of intense
research efforts. Observing the unique functions of Listeria bacteria once
inside a cell, SBRI researchers are pioneering strategies for harnessing their
potential as vehicles for vaccines against other deadly agents such as malaria
and tuberculosis..
Other Websites
CDC
Listeriosis - Center for Disease Control and Prevention
The
National Food Safety Database - How to prevent food borne illness and
reports
Heathopedia
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