Listeria Monocytogenes & Listeriosis Complete Information

Listeria News: A Listeria outbreak has been associated with eating Rocky Ford cantaloupe grown in Colorado. People have been sickened in Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Nebraska. Four people have died and several others were hospitalized. Read more about the cantaloupe Listeria outbreak.

Attorney Fred Pritzker recently settled a listeriosis lawsuit for $6,425,000. He represents Listeria victims throughout the nation and has been interviewed and quoted by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Lawyers USA and others. He is a sought-after speaker on food safety and food litigation issues. To contact attorney Fred Pritzker, call 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or submit our online form for a free consultation.

Page content:

• What is Listeria monocytogenes?
• What is Listeriosis?
• How Does Listeria Get into Food?
• What are Listeria Symptoms?
• Further Listeria Information

What is Listeria Monocytogenes

Listeria monocytogenes is a is the name of a genus of a rod-shaped bacteria found in animal and human feces, on vegetation and in some livestock feed, as well as in some soil and water. As parasites, Listeria bacteria can live in animals and human beings.

One type of Listeria bacteria, Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes), can cause an illness called listeriosis. L. monocytogenes bacteria have been found in at least 37 species of mammal, 17 bird species and some types of fish and shellfish. A hardy bacterium, it is remarkably resistant to freezing, drying, and, to some extent, heating.

What is Listeriosis?

Listeriosis is the infection caused by consuming food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The disease affects primarily persons of advanced age, pregnant women, newborns, and adults with weakened immune systems. However, persons without these risk factors can also rarely be affected.

Complications of listeriosis include the following:

• Listeria Meningitis
• Listeria Septicemia
• Pneumonia
• Hydrocephalus
• Encephalitis
• Seizures
• Blindness
• Brain Stem Damage
• Cranial Nerve Palsies
• Cervical Cord Compression
• Miscarriage
• Stillbirth

How Does Listeria Get into Food?

Because animals may carry it in their intestines without becoming sick, Listeria sometimes spreads to meat and dairy products. Although Listeria bacteria are killed through cooking and other heating methods used to produce ready-to-eat foods such as pasteurization, some ready-to-eat foods become contaminated after processing. This kind of contamination can take place in the processing plant or on the road from the processor to your plate.

Listeria outbreaks are most commonly associated with ready-to-eat meat foods, including hot dogs, luncheon meats, cold cuts, fermented or dry sausage, and other deli-style meat and poultry. Soft cheeses are another common source of Listeria outbreaks.

Listeria Symptoms and Death

Initial symptoms of listeriosis are usually flu-like. Because most people are resistant to the illness and contamination is relatively rare, listeriosis is uncommon. However, certain populations are much more susceptible to infection, and of the 1,000 to 2,500 people who are infected each year in the U.S, 25 percent die as a result of the infection.

Listeria Bacteria : What Is Listeria Bacteria | What Are The Symptoms Of Listeria | Where Is Listeria Found

What Is Listeria Bacteria

Listeriosois an infection that is caused by the harmful bacteria, Listeria monocytogenes. It is a serious harmful infection and primarily affects older adults, pregnant women, newborns, and adults with weakened immune systems, like Lupus and Aids. However, persons without these risk factors can also be affected.

Listeriosis affects around 2,500 people each year and pregnant women are 20 times more likely to become infected with the condition. If you have AIDS, you are approximately 300 times more likely to become infected with listeriosis. However, this harmful bacteria can be prevented.

What Are The Symptoms Of Listeria

If you have food poisoning or listeriosis, your symptoms that are similar to that of a cold or flu. You might experience a fever, nausea, muscle aches, diarrhea, a stiff neck, confusion, or a headache. Some severer cases have had convulsions and loss of balance.

If you get an listeria infection while you are pregnant, there is an increased chance of miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery and your baby may become infected as well.

Newborns are usually the ones that will suffer the most from the condition. Not something any parent wants to have to experience.

Where Is Listeria Found

The harmful bacteria that causes listeriosis can be found in soil, water, vegetables, uncooked meats, dairy products, soft cheeses and juices.

When foods and drinks are pasteurized and cooked, the harmful bacteria is killed. However, hot dogs and lunch meats can still carry the bacteria even after they have been cooked.

* If you are pregnant, do not eat these food to safeguard your child or children.

What Should I Do To Prevent Listeria Bacteria

It is important to follow general sanitary rules and keep a clean food preparation area while cooking and preparing foods, to avoid a listeria infection, and lower the chance of getting food poisoning.

Wash your hands properly before, during and after meal preparation.

Clean all foods before eating or cooking them.

Make sure all of your cooking utensils are clean.

Do not eat unpasteurized foods or juices.

Do not eat hot dogs or lunch meats unless they are heated until they are STEAMING HOT.

Do not eat refrigerated, smoked seafood.

Do not eat refrigerated meat spreads. Canned spreads are generally okay.

Do not drink unpasteurized milk.

Cook foods thoroughly before consuming.

Wash vegetables thoroughly before eating or cooking.

Eat ready-to-eat foods as soon as possible.

Use separate cutting boards for seafood’s, meats, poultry and vegetables.

Wash all surfaces and hands after handling hot dogs, lunch meats and deli meats seafood’s, poultry, and raw meats.

What Should I Do To Prevent Listeria Bacteria? The same things that you should be doing every day to fight salmonella and other harmful bacteria. We hope that we have given you a kick start in the right direction.