listeriosis

noun lis·te·ri·o·sis \ li-ˌstir-ē-ˈō-səs \

Updated on: 10 Apr 2018

Definition of listeriosis

plural listerioses play \li-ˌstir-ē-ˈō-ˌsēz\

: a serious encephalitic disease of a wide variety of animals that is caused by a bacterium (Listeria monocytogenes) and that in animals is often fatal but in humans is usually not fatal

Recent Examples of listeriosis from the Web

Doctors in South Africa were not required to report cases of listeriosis to the Ministry of Health until last December.

— emily baumgaertner, New York Times, "Bologna Blamed in Worst Listeria Outbreak in History," 30 Mar. 2018
Symptoms of listeriosis include fever, muscle pain and a stiff neck.

— Time, "What's Behind the Deadliest Outbreak of Listeriosis," 15 Mar. 2018
The listeriosis outbreak in South Africa was believed to be the largest ever of the disease linked to food poisoning, the United Nations health agency said in January.

— Bloomberg.com, "Tiger Falls as Factory Blamed for Outbreak That Killed 180," 5 Mar. 2018
An estimated 1,600 people get listeriosis each year, and about 260 die, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

— kevin mccoy, USA TODAY, "Panera Bread recalls cream cheese products over listeria concern," 29 Jan. 2018
Listeria causes listeriosis, which infects 1,600 people each year, 260 fatally, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

— david j. neal, miamiherald, "Listeria causes the second coast-to-coast biscuit recall in a month," 12 Jan. 2018
Common symptoms of listeriosis include fever and muscle aches, often preceded by diarrhea.

— CBS News, "Panera Bread recalls cream cheese over listeria fears," 29 Jan. 2018
The bacteria causes the infection listeriosis, which primarily affects adults.

— matthew martinez, star-telegram, "Listeria recall: Bad meatballs sold at this big-box retailer pose 'high' health risk," 25 Jan. 2018
Symptoms from listeriosis include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, loss of balance and diarrhea.

— maria clark, NOLA.com, "3,400 pounds of Member's Mark meatballs are being recalled over listeria concerns," 25 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'listeriosis.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of listeriosis

New Latin, from Listeria, from Joseph Lister

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1941

See Words from the same year

Medical Dictionary

listeriosis

noun lis·te·ri·o·sis \ (ˌ)lis-ˌtir-ē-ˈō-səs \

variants: also listerellosis play \ˌlis-tə-rə-ˈlō-səs\

medical Definition of listeriosis

plural listerioses also -loses play \-ˌsēz\

: a serious disease of animals and humans that is caused by a bacterium of the genus Listeria (L. monocytogenes), that in animals causes severe encephalitis accompanied by disordered movements and is often fatal, that is contracted by humans especially from contaminated food (as processed meats or unpasteurized milk or cheese), that in otherwise healthy people typically takes the form of a mild flulike illness or has no noticeable symptoms, that in neonates, the elderly, and the immunocompromised often causes serious sometimes fatal illness with symptoms including meningitis and sepsis, and that in pregnant women usually causes only mild illness in the mother but often results in miscarriage, stillbirth, or premature birth — see circling disease