Fortunately, typical cooking temperatures and the pasteurization process do kill this bacteria.
Fortunately, typical cooking temperatures and the pasteurization process do kill this bacteria.
A blood test is the most reliable way to find out if your symptoms are due to listeria.
The organism can spread to the blood stream and central nervous system.
A woman can pass the bacteria to her baby during pregnancy.
Listeria infections may create symptoms such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, difficulty breathing, and poor feeding. The symptoms of listeria are very hard to identify because they are just like the flu - high emperature, headache, achy feeling, etc. The pervasive nature of Listeria is a special concern to meat processors because of the various ways it can get into a plant, such as on the hooves, carcass and intestines of livestock animals. Scientists are unsure, but they believe that this bacteria can cause upset stomach and intestinal problems just like other food-borne illnesses. Listeria, as it is commonly called, is a pathogen that is far more pervasive than other potentially deadly pathogens, such as E.coli.
The risk of listeriosis can be reduced by taking these precautions:
- Follow the instructions on food labels. Observe food expiration dates and storage conditions.
- Keep raw meat away from raw vegetables and prepared foods. After cutting raw meat, wash the cutting board with detergent before using it for vegetables.
- Carefully wash raw vegetables before eating.
- Completely cook all meats and eggs.
Pregnant women account for 27% of the cases and immunocompromised persons account for almost 70%. High risk persons should: avoid soft cheeses, such as Mexican cheese, feta, Brie, Camembert, and blue cheese. In the 1980s, the United States government began taking measures to decrease the occurrence of listeriosis.