Listeria: Relationship with humans

What is Listeria?

Listeria is a bacteria that can cause a food borne disease called Listeriosis

How does some one get infected with Listeriosis?

Infection of Listeria occurs when one eats food that is contaminated with Listeria

Who does Listeriosis affect the most?

Listeriosis affects mainly people with a weakened immune system.

“The overt form of the disease has a mortality greater than 25%”

“Salmonella, in comparison, has a mortality rate estimated at less than 1%”

• pregnant women
• newborns
• adults with weakened immune systems
• elderly

General symptoms

• cramps
• diarrhea
• headache
• mild flu-like illness (e.g., chills, fatigue, muscle and joint pain)
• nausea
• persistent fever
• vomiting

Effects during pregnancy

• If the mother is infected before the first 3 months of the pregnancy, there is a chance of miscarriage
• If the mother is infected after the first 3 months, the baby may experience
  • acute illness
  • premature birth
  • stillbirth
  • low birth weight
  • meningitis

   

References:

Listeriosis – Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, Diagnosis – Infection – Body & Health. (n.d.). Site Map – Body & Health. Retrieved April 18, 2013, from http://bodyandhealth.canada.com/channel_condition_info_details.asp?channel_id=1020&disease_id=346&relation_id=70907

Salmonella Food Poisoning – Symptoms, Causes, Treatments – Better Medicine. (n.d.). Local Health – Health and Medical Information You Can Trust – LocalHealth.com – Better Medicine. Retrieved April 18, 2013, from http://www.localhealth.com/article/salmonella-food-poisoning

Encephalitis., & infections., a. p. (n.d.). Listeria. Online Textbook of Bacteriology. Retrieved April 18, 2013, from http://textbookofbacteriology.net/Listeria.html