Listeriosis

What is listeriosis?
Listeriosis an illness that can result from eating foods (especially unpasteurized milk products) contaminated by the bacteria, Listeria monocytogenes. L. monocytogenes, is found widely in nature: in soil, in rotting vegetation, sewage, insects, fish, and birds, and in wild and domestic (tame) animals. Newborn infants and the elderly have the highest risk of becoming ill with listeriosis.

How do you get it?
You can get listeriosis by drinking raw (unpasteurized) milk or eating cheese made from it, or from consuming contaminated raw vegetables. You can also get it through direct exposure to the feces and fetuses from infected animals. Person-to person transmission can occur through sexual contact. A pregnant woman infected with the bacteria can also transmit the disease to her unborn child. This can result in the death of the fetus, premature birth of the child, or infection of the child after the child is born.

What are the symptoms of listeriosis?
The symptoms include sudden onset of fever, intense headache, nausea, and vomiting. If the disease progresses to infection of the brain and spinal cord (meningoencephalitis), it can produce delirium, shock, and coma.

When do the symptoms start?
The incubation period is highly variable. The symptoms may start in a few as 3 days or as many as 70 days after eating or drinking a product contaminated with the bacteria.

What is the treatment for listeriosis?
A doctor can prescribe a single medication or a combination of medications to treat listeriosis.

How can you keep from getting it?
Do not drink or eat unpasteurized dairy products such as raw milk or the soft cheeses made from it.

Avoid eating raw or undercooked meats.

Pregnant women should avoid exposure to anyone or anything infected with listeria. This includes avoiding contact with persons known to have listeriosis and avoiding exposure to any diseased farm animals or aborted animal fetuses.