Prevention of listeriosis

Listeriosis is a rare but very serious foodborne disease. The non-contamina tion of food products is the best prevention of listeriosis. In spite of no table efforts to improve the microbiologic quality of food products through surveillance and control of food contaminations, the prevention has still to be based upon the information of consumers. This information can take di fferent forms. When a food product is found to be contaminated,vith Listeri a monocytogenes, if the withdrawal of this product does not occur as early as to prevent its commercialisation, a consumers alert is necessary to avoi d any subsequent human case and to allow a rapid medical care of exposed pe rsons in case of occurrence of symptoms of the disease A specific informati on from health professionals to persons with risk factors of contracting li steriosis is a point of debate. Immunocompromised persons, for instance do not represent an easily defined group. On the other hand, pregnant women th at are specially at risk of developing listeriosis, with potentially life t hreatening consequencies for their foetus, represent a well identified popu lation. They are medically monitored, and because they feel concerned, most of them accept, during their pregnancy, to follow some simple rules that, sometimes, change their habits. At present, information is given to pregnan t women by different ways: documents, leaflets, posters. The health authori ties have decided to reinforce this information. They are also working on a special advisory meeting, specially target ed at foodborne diseases (inclu ding listeriosis), that could take place, for pregnant women, during the fi rst months of their pregnancy.