李斯特菌病为散发性或流行性。食物污染是主要的感染途径。实施疾病预防控制中心 (Implementation of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) 关于预防李斯特菌病的政策推荐,可显著减少感染病例数。[37]World Health Organization. Foodborne disease outbreaks: guidelines for investigation and control. 2008 [internet publication].http://www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/foodborne_disease/outbreak_guidelines.pdf 严格洗手以及在处理未煮熟的食物之后充分洗涤所有炊具和表面。 因职业而处于污染风险的人群(例如兽医)尤其要这样。 预防李斯特菌病必须充分煮熟肉类、洗净蔬菜、避免食用未经巴氏法灭菌的牛奶及其制品。 高危人群(年龄较大患者、孕妇、免疫受损者)尤其需要预防措施,包括避免食用未煮熟的食物、剩下的食物、软乳酪。[1]Mylonakis E, Hofmann EL, Calderwood SB. Central nervous system infection with Listeria monocytogenes. 33 years' experience at a general hospital and review of 776 episodes from the literature. Medicine (Baltimore). 1998 Sep;77(5):313-36.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9772921?tool=bestpractice.com[2]Mylonakis E, Paliou M, Hofmann EL, et al. Listeriosis during pregnancy: a case series and review of 222 cases. Medicine (Baltimore). 2002 Jul;81(4):260-9.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12169881?tool=bestpractice.com[12]Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Listeria (listeriosis): prevention. Aug 2018 [internet publication].https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/prevention.html[13]Pinner RW, Schuchat A, Swaminathan B, et al. Role of foods in sporadic listeriosis. II. Microbiologic and epidemiologic investigation. The Listeria Study Group. JAMA. 1992 Apr 15;267(15):2046-50.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1552640?tool=bestpractice.com[34]Schwartz B, Hexter D, Broome CV, et al. Investigation of an outbreak of listeriosis: new hypotheses for the etiology of epidemic Listeria monocytogenes infections. J Infect Dis. 1989 Apr;159(4):680-5.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2494267?tool=bestpractice.com