Listeria monocytogenes infections

Listeria is spread by ingestion of foodstuffs such as paté and soft cheese, but typically presents with non gastro-intestinal disease, particularly meningitis in immunosuppressed individuals (including pregnant women). Listeria has been occasionally implicated in outbreaks of gastroenteritis, but in most patients this is mild and self-limiting and thus does not come to medical attention.

Herpes Simplex Virus type 2 Infection

1:25 males carry the herpes simplex type 2. Diagnosis can be made by identifying the virus from lesions by culture. Most individuals will have contracted their infection from an asymptomatic source partner. HSV1 can cause genital infections although they tend not to recur frequently. If troublesome, disease can be controlled with continous suppressive aciclovir therapy.

Fig 1: HSV-2 usually occurs in the genital area (shaded)

Source: Fig 1,