Eurofins Biomnis code

LISBM

Specialty

Infectious

Clinical significance

Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium that is pathogenic for humans and animals, very widespread in the environment, and resistant in the external environment, particularly to cold. Listeriosis is a zoonosis and the main route of contamination is food. Infection follows the ingestion of contaminated food, particularly cheese, cold meats and minced meat. Listeriosis tends to affect immunocompromised individuals, people at risk such as the elderly, pregnant women and newborn babies. In adults, it leads to central nervous system damage (meningitis or meningoencephalitis) or septicaemia. In pregnant women, listeriosis is benign (fever or flu-like syndrome), but early in utero infection frequently leads to spontaneous abortion, premature delivery or severe neonatal infection. Biological diagnosis of Listeria monocytogenes infections is made from blood (blood cultures) and cerebrospinal fluid in cases of neuromeningeal syndrome. The standard diagnosis of listeriosis is bacteriological. Culture, isolation and identification of the bacteria are still essential. More recently, detection of Listeria monocytogenes DNA by real-time PCR can enable rapid diagnosis, and is of particular interest when antibiotic therapy has been started before the sample is taken, especially for a CSF sample. In pregnant women, in the event of any unexplained fever, blood cultures are the preferred method for isolating the bacteria. Listeriosis is a reportable disease.

Preanalytics

• 1 mL :
• CSF
•   Refrigerated

• A tube specifically for this analysis : No

Further information

The use of the S14UK transport bag is Mandatory.

Documents to download

• information note (N23-INTGB)

Methodology

Real-time PCR

Turnaround time

3 days