Understanding Listeria: Symptoms, Causes, and Prevention in 2024
What is Listeria?
Listeriosis is a serious infection usually caused by eating contaminated fod with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. An estimated 1,600 people get listeriosis each year, and about 260 die. The infection is most likely to sicken pregnant women and their newborns, adults aged 65 or older, and people with weakened immune systems(as per the definition published in cdc.gov).
What are the symptoms of Listeria?
Symptoms of listeria usually started within 2 weeks after eating the contaminated food with listeria.
Symptoms of listeria in pregnancy
Listeria affect hardly in pregnant women and their newborns in this case symptoms include:
- Flu like symptoms such as muscles, aches and fatigue
- fever
Symptoms of listeria other than pregnancy
- Flu like symptoms such as muscles, aches and fatigue
- Headache
- Stiff neck
- Confusion
- Loss of balance
- Seizures
- Fever
How the Listeria treated?
Listeriosis is usually diagnosed when a bacterial culture (a type of laboratory test) grows Listeria from a body tissue or fluid, such as blood, spinal fluid, or the placenta.