Download Listeria - Chilled Education

Listeria
Listeria is a bacterium that causes a serious infection called listeriosis. Around 300 deaths are caused
by Listeria infection each year in the UK, according to estimates from the Health Protection Agency.
Listeria bacteria are most commonly found in raw foods. Vegetables can be contaminated by soil and
water carrying bacteria. Listeria is also found in raw animal products, such as meat and cheese.
Babies can be born with Listeria if the mother eats contaminated food during pregnancy. The death
rate among newborns with Listeria is 25 to 50 percent.
WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO GET SERIOUSLY ILL FROM LISTERIA BACTERIA?
Healthy adults and children hardly ever become seriously ill from Listeria (listeriosis). However,
people at increased risk of illness from Listeria bacteria include:

Pregnant women – Pregnant women are 20 times more likely to get listeriosis than the
average healthy adult

Newborns

People with weak immune systems

People with cancer, diabetes, or kidney disease

People with AIDS – People with AIDS are 300 times more likely to get sick from Listeria than
people with normal immune systems

People who take gluticocorticosteroids such as cortisone

Elderly people
SYMPTOMS OF LISTERIA
Listeria symptoms appear anywhere between 3 and 70 days after infection, but usually around 21
days later. Typical symptoms include:

Fever

Muscle aches

Nausea or diarrhoea (less common)
If infection spreads to the central nervous system, symptoms can include:

Headache

Stiff neck

Confusion

Loss of balance

Convulsions
Symptoms for those with Weakened Immune Systems
If a patient has a weak immune system, Listeria bacteria can invade the central nervous system and
cause meningitis or a brain infection.
Symptoms for Pregnant Women and Newborns
Infected pregnant woman experience mild, flu-like symptoms. However, infection during pregnancy
can lead to miscarriage, infection of the newborn, or stillbirth. Symptoms usually appear in newborns
in the first week of life, but can also occur later on. A newborn’s Listeria symptoms are often subtle,
and include irritability, fever, and poor feeding.
Diagnosis of Listeriosis
Doctors can determine whether patients have listeriosis by taking a blood or spinal fluid sample.
Treatment of Listeriosis
Patients who present with symptoms of listeriosis can be treated with antibiotics.
Pregnant Women
If a pregnant woman takes antibiotics promptly after contracting Listeria, she can usually prevent the
spread of the Listeria bacteria to her child. Babies who have listeriosis usually take the same
antibiotics as adults.
HOW TO PREVENT LISTERIOSIS
People with Normal Immune Systems

Thoroughly cook raw food from animal sources, such as beef, pork, or poultry

Wash raw vegetables before eating them

Keep uncooked meats separate from other foods

Wash hands and cooking utensils after handling uncooked foods

Consume perishable and ready-to-eat foods as soon as possible

Keep chilled ready-to-eat food cold - make sure the fridge is set at 5°C or below and working
correctly

Foods taken out of chilled storage should be eaten within four hours – after that you should
throw the food away

Storage – follow instructions on the label - don’t use food after its ‘use by’ date – make sure
you check the label before serving

Use opened foods within two days, unless the manufacturer’s instructions state otherwise
People at High Risk (Pregnant women and people with weak immune systems)

In addition to the above rules avoid soft mould-ripened cheese, such as Camembert and Brie,
soft blue cheese, and all types of pâté, including vegetable.