Listeriosis (Listeria monocytogenes)
The 1997 case definition appearing on this page was previously published in the 1990 MMWR Recommendations and Reports titled Case Definitions for Public Health Surveillance [MMWR 1990;39(RR13)] (available at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00025629.htm). Thus, the 1990 and 1997 versions of the case definition are identical.
Infection caused by Listeria monocytogenes, which may produce any of several clinical syndromes, including stillbirth, listeriosis of the newborn, meningitis, bacteremia, or localized infections
Isolation of L. monocytogenes from a normally sterile site (e.g., blood or cerebrospinal fluid or, less commonly, joint, pleural, or pericardial fluid)
Confirmed: a clinically compatible case that is laboratory confirmed