Pregnant women have a 20 times higher risk of listeriosis than the general population and account for a third of all confirmed cases. Three cases of listeriosis in pregnancy, reported during an outbreak in Canada caused by contaminated cheese, are a reminder of this uncommon but potentially lethal condition. 'As GPs it is up to us to give advice to prevent this foodborne infection (avoid undercooked meat, preprepared foods, leftovers and foods made from unpasteurised milk). We also have to maintain a high index of suspicion when dealing with febrile pregnant patients. Thankfully, listeriosis usually responds well to antibiotic therapy. '