Listeria monocytogenes

Full Name: Listeria monocytogenes

Aliases: None

Crime family: Bacteria

Crime: Contaminates ready-to-eat foods like lunchmeat and soft cheeses, and causes miscarriage and death. It is the leading cause of death among foodborne bacterial pathogens, with fatality rates exceeding even Salmonella and Clostridium botulinum. Listeriosis can also lead to meningitis, and encephalitis.

Victims: It is one of the most virulent foodborne pathogens with up to 30 percent of clinical infections resulting in death. Pregnant women are at especially high risk of contracting listeriosis.

Last Known Whereabouts: Associated with such foods as milk, cheeses (particularly soft-ripened varieties), ice cream, raw vegetables, fermented raw-meat sausages, raw and cooked poultry, raw meats, and raw and smoked fish.