Listeria
What is listeriosis?
Listeriosis is a serious and rare bacterial infection caused by eating food contaminated by Listeria monocytogenes.
What are the symptoms associated with listeriosis infection?
- No symptoms at all
- Flu like symptoms such as chills, aches, headaches
- Gastrointestinal symptoms
- Dizziness, confusion, stiff neck or convulsions if affect your nervous system
How is listeriosis diagnosed?
If you have the symptoms mentioned above contact your doctor. He could do a blood test to diagnose listeriosis. Some of the symptoms appear 2 – 6 weeks after being infected.
What does it mean to my pregnancy if I have listeriosis infection?
- For healthy pregnant women, the infection does not cause any major harm unless she has immunocompromised.
- It could effect your baby leading to miscarriage, death inside the womb, premature labour that could be associated with blood infection, difficulty breathing and meningitis
How would I be managed if I have listeriosis during pregnancy?
Your doctor may prescribe you with antibiotics to help reduce the infection in you and your baby. Your baby’s growth and well being will be monitored closely.
How could I prevent listeriosis?
- Cook all meat, fish and poultry thoroughly
- Reheat all left overs till steaming hot to kill any bacteria
- Avoid unpasteurized milk or anything made out of it
- Avoid soft cheese such as Brie, feta, Camembert, blue-vein cheese. Other food such as cottage cheese, cream cheese, cheddar and parmesan cheese, yoghurt and butter milk are generally considered safe.
- Keep uncooked meat separately
- Wash counter, cooking boards thoroughly
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