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What is Listeriosis?
Listeriosis is food poisoning caused by eating foods contaminated with the
Listeria monocytogenes bacterium. It has been found in a variety of raw
foods, such as uncooked meats and vegetables, as well as in processed foods that
haven't been processed properly. Listeriosis affects mainly pregnant women,
newborns, and adults with impaired immune systems. Healthy adults and children
occasionally are infected with L. monocytogenes, but they rarely become
seriously ill.
What are the symptoms of Listeriosis?
A person with listeriosis has fever, muscle aches, and sometimes gastrintestinal
symptoms such as nausea or diarrhea. If infection spreads to the nervous system,
symptoms such as headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or
convulsions can occur. Infected pregnant women may experience only a mild,
flu-like illness; however, infections during pregnancy can lead to premature
delivery, infection of the newborn, or even stillbirth.
How is it treated?
An otherwise healthy person who is not pregnant generally does not need
treatment. Symptoms will usually go away within a few weeks. When infection
occurs during pregnancy, antibiotics given promptly to the pregnant woman can
often prevent infection of the fetus or newborn.
Babies with listeriosis receive the same antibiotics as adults, although a
combination of antibiotics is often used until your health professional is
certain of the diagnosis.
How can I prevent listeriosis?
- Thoroughly cook all food from animal sources such as beef, pork or poultry and
cook left-over foods or ready-to-eat foods until steaming hot before use.
- Wash raw vegetables thoroughly before eating.
- Keep uncooked meats separate from vegetables and from cooked foods and
ready-to-eat foods.
- Store foods safely. Cook, refrigerate, or freeze meat, poultry, eggs, fish, and
ready-to-eat foods within 2 hours. Make sure your refrigerator is set at 40 F or
colder.
- Wash hands, knives and cutting boards after handling uncooked foods.
- Avoid soft cheeses such as feta, Brie, Camembert, blue-veined, and Mexican-style
cheese.
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