What is listeriosis?
Listeriosis is a disease caused byeating food contaminated withthe Listeria monocytogenes bacteria.
Where are Listeria bacteria found?
These bacteria are found insoil, food for horses and cattle, water, mud and silage. Theycanalso live indomestic and wild mammals, fowland people. The bacteria may pose a risk for illness if soiland manure used as fertilizer contaminate vegetables or if animals contaminate meats and dairyproducts.
Who gets listeriosis?
Anyone canget listeriosis;however, the disease is not common inchildren, young adults, and others withhealthy immune systems. Unbornbabies and newborns, pregnant women, persons who have weak immune systems (due to cancer, diabetes, ororgan transplant, for example), and the elderlyare the persons most likelyto get this disease.
What are the symptoms of listeriosis?
The disease may be mild or serious. Mild illness includes fever and muscle aches and sometimes nausea or diarrhea. In newborns and adults withweak immune systems, infection mayspread to the nervous systemor bloodstreamand cause sudden fever, intense headache, and stiff neck and confusion, loss ofbalance, and convulsions. Healthy childrenand adults maynot have anysymptoms. If a woman is infected while pregnant, she may not feelverysick, but mayhave a premature deliveryor even lose the babyas a result of infection. A babycanalso be infected during the last trimester ofpregnancyor during birth, and become illin the first three weeks of life.
How soon afterexposure do symptoms appear?
The symptoms generallyappear about 3 weeks after exposure but mayappear as soonas 3 days or as long as 70 days after exposure.
How is listeriosis spread?
Consuming rawor contaminated milk, soft cheeses, unwashed raw vegetables, undercooked poultry, and readytoeat meats (like cold cuts) cancause infection. Infectioncanalso be transmitted froma pregnant womanto her babyinthe wombor during birth. The organismenters the bodythroughthe mouth, but thentends to affect the centralnervous system. Healthypeople mayconsume contaminated foods without getting ill.
Forhow long can an infected person carry the bacteria?
Infected humans canshed the organismin stoolfor several months. Mothers of infected newborn infants mayshed the bacteria in vaginaldischarges and urine for 710 days after delivery. The bacteria are not easilypassed fromone personto another, however, so this disease is not considered to be verycontagious.
What isthe treatment for listeriosis?
Penicillinor ampicillinused alone or withother medications are used to treat listeriosis. Antibiotics may be givento infected pregnant womento prevent illness inthe baby.
How can listeriosis be prevented?
5. Practice properhandwashing to prevent the bacteria fromentering the mouth. Washknives, cutting boards, and kitchensurfaces after uncooked foods contactthem.
