Listeria monocytogenes sequence type 6 South Africa · 2017 to 2018

Listeriosis outbreak linked to polony, South Africa, 2017 to 2018

WHO reported that South Africa's National Institute for Communicable Diseases recorded 1,024 laboratory-confirmed cases from 1 January 2017 to 24 April 2018, with 200 deaths among 700 patients with known outcomes. Sequence type 6 accounted for 91 percent of sequenced strains. On 4 March 2018 the Ministry of Health announced polony as the likely source and started a nationwide recall. Products were exported to 15 African countries. Food Safety News reported final figures of 1,060 cases and 216 deaths when the Health Minister declared the outbreak over in September 2018.^1,2,3

Counts as reported on 24 April 2018.² Food vehicle: Polony, a ready-to-eat processed meat product.

Timeline

1. 1 January 2017Start of the outbreak period used by NICD and WHO.¹
2. December 2017Listeriosis made a notifiable condition in South Africa.¹
3. 4 March 2018Ministry of Health announced polony as the likely source and initiated a nationwide recall.²
4. 28 March 2018WHO Disease Outbreak News reported 978 laboratory-confirmed cases and 183 deaths among 674 patients with known outcomes.¹
5. 2 May 2018WHO update reported 1,024 cases and 200 deaths among 700 with known outcomes.²
6. 4 September 2018Food Safety News reported that Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said the outbreak of listeriosis is over.³

Sources

1. World Health Organization, Listeriosis, South Africa (Disease Outbreak News) (28 March 2018)
2. World Health Organization, Listeriosis, South Africa (Disease Outbreak News, update) (2 May 2018)
3. Food Safety News, South Africa declares end to largest ever Listeria outbreak (4 September 2018)