TY - JOUR AU - Pouillot, Régis AU - Klontz, Karl AU - Chen, Yi AU - Burall, Laurel AU - Macarisin, Dumitru AU - Doyle, Matthew AU - Bally, Kären AU - Strain, Errol AU - Datta, Atin AU - Hammack, Thomas AU - Van Doren, Jane T1 - Infectious Dose of Listeria monocytogenes in Outbreak Linked to Ice Cream, United States, 2015 T2 - Emerging Infectious Disease journal PY - 2016 VL - 22 IS - 12 SP - 2113 SN - 1080-6059 AB - The relationship between the number of ingested Listeria monocytogenes cells in food and the likelihood of developing listeriosis is not well understood. Data from an outbreak of listeriosis linked to milkshakes made from ice cream produced in 1 factory showed that contaminated products were distributed widely to the public without any reported cases, except for 4 cases of severe illness in persons who were highly susceptible. The ingestion of high doses of L. monocytogenes by these patients infected through milkshakes was unlikely if possible additional contamination associated with the preparation of the milkshake is ruled out. This outbreak illustrated that the vast majority of the population did not become ill after ingesting a low level of L. monocytogenes but raises the question of listeriosis cases in highly susceptible persons after distribution of low-level contaminated products that did not support the growth of this pathogen. KW - Listeria monocytogenes KW - dose-response KW - infectious dose KW - outbreak investigation KW - United States KW - bacteria KW - foodborne illness KW - ice cream KW - food safety DO - 10.3201/eid2212.160165 UR - https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/22/12/16-0165_article ER - End of Reference