Listeria infection

Listeriosis is a food-borne disease which is caused by listeria monocytogenes (bacteria). Listeria lives in the soil, water, and feces, and it can contaminate the food and transmit to you by ingestion.

 Listeria can live with refrigeration and even with freezing. Although listeriosis is a rare disease, it is fatal to some categories like pregnant women, immune-compromised people, and the elderly. 

Causes of listeriosis

Ingesting food contaminated with Listeria: vegetables, animal meat, unpasteurized milk, hot dog, soft cheese, deli meat, or refrigerated smoked seafood.

Epidemiology

In the United States, the number of cases of listeriosis ranges between 2 to 3 cases per million population per year.

In Canada, the annual incidence of listeriosis is about 4 cases per million population.

Because of the low immunity of both: neonates and old-aged people, they are more subjected to listeria infection. Neonatal infections include two types: early-onset disease (if the age of the infected neonate < 5 days) and late-onset disease (if the age of the infected neonate > 5days).

However, some immune-compromised children may suffer from postnatal infections­—less common than neonatal infections. 

Signs and symptoms of listeriosis

You may experience the signs and symptoms of listeriosis after a couple of days or after a longer period due to its long incubation period.

Symptoms of listeriosis

• Nausea

•  Diarrhea

•  Fever

• Achy muscles

• Headache, loss of balance, stiff neck, convulsions, confusion, or changes in alertness—if the infection reaches the nervous system.

In case you are pregnant, and you notice any of the previous symptoms, contact your doctor to avoid any serious complications: miscarriage, stillbirth, or a life-threatening infection to your baby after birth.

So, in case you notice any abnormal symptoms on your baby like little interest in feeding, fever, irritability, and vomiting, contact your doctor at once.

Diagnosis of listeriosis

The symptoms of listeriosis are similar to other gastric disorders; therefore, taking the full patient history is necessary for exact diagnosis.

The physician can confirm listeria infection by taking a blood sample from the patient and making a blood culture test.

If you are pregnant, a sample from the amniotic fluid or the placenta will confirm the diagnosis.

If the patient has CNS symptoms, a sample from the cerebrospinal fluid will confirm the diagnosis.

Also, CT scan and MRI on the brain is important in the diagnosis of listeriosis.

Treatment

Treatment depends on the severity of the infection. Patients with mild symptoms may not require treatment, while more serious infections require treatment with antibiotics.

Your doctor may prescribe ampicillin or penicillin G with an aminoglycoside like gentamicin.

Because listeriosis is a severe infection, the patient may require hospitalization. Newborn babies require hospitalization and administration of antibiotics until recovery.

To decrease the symptoms of listeriosis, try to drink plenty amount of water and fluids and try BRAT diet: banana, rice, applesauce, and toast.

Besides, anti-inflammatory drugs: Acetaminophen and NSAIDS may relieve the symptoms of the infection.

Prevention

All the preventive measures depend on killing listeria before getting infected. You can do this through:

• Washing your hands well; also you should clean the appliances and counters that you use with soapy hot water to kill any bacteria

• Washing of the vegetables under running water with a scrubbing

• Cooking your food well and keeping the uncooked poultry and meat away from other types of food

• Avoid consuming processed meat, deli meat, smoked fish, and pasteurized cheese

• Cleaning the refrigerator (using soap and warm water)

• Adjusting the temperature of your refrigerator, below 4.4˚C and freezer, below-17.8°C. Refrigeration and freezing cannot kill listeria; however, it can slow down its replication.

Recent listeria outbreak in Spain

A few months ago, the ministry of health of Spain reported a listeria outbreak. Pregnant women were the majority of the cases, who might suffer from stillbirth, miscarriage, premature delivery, or infection of the newborn baby.

They found the bacteria in the processed meat product, which had been withdrawn from sale to reduce future cases and public health risks.

So, if you are in Spain, or you are planning to travel to Spain, avoid eating any raw or contaminated food to prevent yourself from getting infected with listeria!