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Listeriosis (Listeria monocytogenes infection) Facts


    Listeriosis is a disease caused by a Gram-positive bacterium called Listeria, which invade and replicate within human cells.
    Most people who are infected have few or no symptoms; If symptoms are present, they are usually of fever, muscle pain, nausea or diarrhea. Some people may develop more severe symptoms such as meningitis, mental changes, brain abscesses or death.

    Although most people disease, people with risk factors such as shifts or depressed immune response (eg pregnant women and their fetuses or neonates, cancer patients, AIDS patients, diabetics and alcoholics) are self-limiting at higher risk for getting the disease and some rather serious illness ,
    Listeriosis is usually by the discovery that a person associated with an outbreak of Listeria-contaminated food or water or as a person who identified associated with the source of an outbreak of listeriosis known diagnosed. The final diagnosis is made when Listeria bacteria isolated from the patient's blood, cerebrospinal fluid, or other body fluid.
    Most normal people to clear spontaneously, the infection and require no treatment. In contrast, people should be treated with IV antibiotics with risk factors quickly.
    People are exposed to Listeria bacteria when they ingest contaminated food or liquid. Foods that are not cooked or liquids that are not treated or pasteurized are often the sources of infection. Pregnant females can transmit Listeria organisms to their fetus or newborn babies.
    Cooking food, treatment or pasteurization of liquids, and the avoidance of food and liquid with animal or human waste can be avoided to prevent infection.
    The prognosis for most Listeria infections is very good, even though people have contaminated food or liquid is consumed; but the prognosis rapidly. in patients with risk factors, if they do not quickly diagnosed and treated
    US government authorities are responsible for the maintenance of safe food and fluids for the US population and can enforce rules to ensure contaminated products are reported, is removed, retrieved and production and sales halted until the processing complies with acceptable safety standards.