--- title: The Economic Impact of Listeria Infections date: 2012-07-12T16:17:00-07:00 author: admin canonical_url: "https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/listeria/the-economic-impact-of-listeria-infections" section: Resource Library --- [Foodborne Illnesses](/foodborne-illnesses) / [Listeria](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/listeria) / # The Economic Impact of Listeria Infections ### The overall cost estimates for *Listeria* infections in the U.S. run from $228 to $7.6 billion yearly. The USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) published its first comprehensive cost estimates for sixteen foodborne bacterial pathogens in 1989. Five years later, it was estimated that, in 1993, there were 1,795 to 1,860 *Listeria* infections that required hospitalization, with 295-360 of these cases involving pregnant women. Based on these estimates, the medical costs that *Listeria* infections had caused each year were said to run from $61.7 to $64.8 million, including those individuals who ultimately died as a result of their infections. For these same acute cases, productivity costs were estimated to run from $125.8 to $154.4 million a year. The productivity costs associated with *Listeria*-related chronic illness were estimated to be an additional $38 million a year. In sum, “\[e\]stimates of total costs for the 1,795 to 1,860 cases of listeriosis range from $232.7 million to $264.4 million annually.” In 2000, USDA updated the cost-estimates for four pathogens: *Campylobacter*, *Salmonella*, *E. coli* O157:H7, and *Listeria monocytogenes*. The 2000 estimates were based on the CDC’s then newly-released estimates of annual foodborne illnesses and put the total cost in the United States for these four pathogens at $6.5 billion a year. For *Listeria* specifically, it was estimated that costs amounted to $2.3 billion per year, based on 2,493 cases, which involved 2,298 hospitalizations and 499 deaths. More recently, in 2007, it was estimated that the worldwide cost of all foodborne disease was $1.4 trillion per year. ![](https://s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/aboutlisteriacom-images/outbreaks/image10.jpeg)In 2015, the USDA updated their report on the economic burden of foodborne illnesses in the United States. Their results showed a total economic burden of over $15.5 billion dollars, with 90% of that burden coming from *Salmonella, Toxoplasma gondii, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter,* and norovirus. This report used mean incidence data of 1,591 cases a year, with 1,455 hospitalizations and 255 deaths. The economic burden translated to $138,211,033 in medical costs, $48,410,168 in loss of productivity, and $2,647,823,002 in deaths. When looking at the variability in incidence, cases could span 560 to 3,200 per year, which would translate to a true economic burden ranging from $228 million to $7.6 billion annually. Cost is also measured in Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALYs), or impact of health states on a person’s ability to participate in life activities. For *Listeria*, the impact on QALYs is a loss 9,400 years, placing it as fourth highest impact behind non-typhoidal *Salmonella, Campylobacter* spp., and *Toxoplasma gondii*, respectively. [ Next: Preventing Listeria Infection › ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/listeria/listeria-prevention) ### More information about Listeria [August 23, 2023 ###### Listeria outbreak: Three die after drinking contaminated milkshakes Three people have died, and three others are in hospital after drinking milkshakes contaminated with listeria bacteria in the US state of Washington, health officials say. Marler Clark, the Listeria ... ](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/listeria-outbreak-three-die-after-drinking-contaminated-milkshakes) [July 12, 2023 ###### 2011 Listeria outbreaks linked to cantaloupes: A history A total of 148 persons infected with any of the five outbreak-associated strains of Listeria monocytogenes were reported to the CDC from 28 states. The number of infected persons identified ... ](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/2011-listeria-outbreak-linked-to-cantaloupes-a-history) [March 26, 2023 ###### Listeria linked to yogurt prompts recall Clio Snacks of Piscataway, New Jersey, is voluntarily recalling 581 cases of its Strawberry Granola & Greek Yogurt Parfait Bar due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism which ... ](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/listeria-linked-to-yogurt-prompts-recall) [November 20, 2022 ###### Enoki Mushrooms recalled again As of November 15, 2022, two people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria have been reported from two states. Sick people’s samples were collected from October 5, 2022, to October 8, 2022. ... ](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/enoki-mushrooms-recalled-again) [1. View all ](/news_events/outbreaks?illness=listeria&year=all) ## All Listeria Resources [###### Listeria Food Poisoning ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/listeria/about-listeria) [###### The Incidence of Listeria Infections ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/listeria/the-incidence-of-listeria-infections) [###### The Prevalence of Listeria in Food and the Environment ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/listeria/listeria-prevalence) [###### Transmission of and Infection with Listeria ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/listeria/transmission-of-and-infection-with-listeria) [###### Who is Most at Risk of Becoming Ill with Listeria? ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/listeria/who-is-most-at-risk-for-becoming-ill-with-listeria) [###### What Are the Symptoms of Listeria Infection? ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/listeria/listeria-symptoms-risks) [###### Complications of Listeria Infection ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/listeria/complications-of-listeria-infection) [###### How is Listeria Infection Diagnosed? ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/listeria/listeria-diagnosis) [###### Treatment for Listeria Infection ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/listeria/listeria-treatment) [###### Antimicrobial Resistance in Bacteria ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/listeria/antimicrobial-resistance-in-bacteria) [###### The Economic Impact of Listeria Infections ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/listeria/the-economic-impact-of-listeria-infections) [###### Preventing Listeria Infection ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/listeria/listeria-prevention) [###### Listeria References ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/listeria/listeria-references) ### Other foodborne illnesses [E. coli](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli) [Salmonella](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/salmonella) [Hepatitis A](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/hepatitis-a) [Reactive Arthritis](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/reactive-arthritis) [Guillain-Barre Syndrome](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/guillain-barre-syndrome) [Irritable Bowel Syndrome](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/irritable-bowel-syndrome) [Norovirus](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/norovirus) [Botulism](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/botulism) [Campylobacter](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/campylobacter) [Shigella](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/shigella) [Cyclospora](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/cyclospora) [Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/hemolytic-uremic-syndrome)