How is Listeria transmitted?

Listeria can be spread to people by several different methods. Eating food contaminated with the bacteria, such as through raw (unpasteurized) milk or contaminated vegetables, is often a source for cases. The bacteria may be passed from mother to fetus during pregnancy or directly to the newborn at the time of birth.

What disease can you get from lunch meat?

Deli meats, also called lunch meat or cold cuts, can have Listeria bacteria. Always follow food safety steps to prevent getting sick from Listeria in deli meats, even when there are no ongoing outbreaks.

What causes Listeria?

Listeriosis is usually caused by eating food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. If infection occurs during pregnancy, Listeria bacteria can spread to the baby through the placenta.

What happens when you get Listeria?

Listeriosis can cause mild, flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, muscle aches, and diarrhea or upset stomach. You also may have a stiff neck, headache, confusion, or loss of balance. Symptoms may appear as late as 2 months after you have eaten something with Listeria. Many pregnant women do not have any symptoms.

What foods are associated with listeria?

Foods Linked to U.S. Outbreaks of Listeriosis Past listeriosis outbreaks in the U.S. have been linked to raw, unpasteurized milks and cheeses, ice cream, raw or processed vegetables, raw or processed fruits, raw or undercooked poultry, sausages, hot dogs, deli meats, and raw or smoked fish and other seafood.

Can Listeria be cooked out?

Listeria is destroyed by cooking. Foods are safely cooked when they are heated to a safe minimum internal temperature.

What are the first signs of listeria?

If you develop a listeria infection, you might have: Fever. Chills. Muscle aches. If the listeria infection spreads to your nervous system, signs and symptoms can include:

• Headache.
• Stiff neck.
• Confusion or changes in alertness.
• Loss of balance.
• Convulsions.

What can I eat instead of deli meat?

Instead of using ham or other processed meats on sandwiches, wraps and in salads try:

• BBQ chicken with skin removed.
• canned tuna or salmon.
• boiled eggs.
• hummus.
• cheese.
• leftover home-cooked meat such as slices of roast.
• home cooked rissoles.

Is fresh cut deli meat bad for you?

Lunch meats, including deli cold cuts, bologna, and ham, make the unhealthy list because they contain lots of sodium and sometimes fat as well as some preservatives like nitrites.

Can you get Listeria from eggs?

CDC, several states, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigated a multistate outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes infections linked to hard-boiled eggs produced by Almark Foods of Gainesville, Georgia. Do not eat, sell, or serve any recalled hard-boiled egg products.

How do you treat Listeria?

For more serious cases of listeriosis, antibiotics are the most common treatment choice; ampicillin can be used alone or in conjunction with another antibiotic (often gentamicin). If septicemia or meningitis occur, the individual will be given intravenous antibiotics and require up to 6 weeks of care and treatment.

Can you catch Listeria from another person?

Are Listeria Infections Contagious? Listeriosis doesn’t pass from person to person. People become infected by ingesting contaminated food or fluids. However, a pregnant woman can pass the infection to her unborn baby.

Can you get listeria from lettuce?

If you eat contaminated raw (uncooked) leafy greens, such as in a salad, you might get sick. Leafy greens and other vegetable row crops are a major source of E. coli O157 infections. Other harmful germs found on leafy greens include norovirus, Salmonella, Listeria, and Cyclospora.

How do you flush food poisoning out of your system?

Drink water, broth, or an electrolyte solution, which will replace the minerals that you lose with vomiting and diarrhea. Eat when you feel ready, but start with small amounts of bland, nonfatty foods such as toast, rice, and crackers. Get plenty of rest.

How long does listeria stay in your system?

Most healthy patients who are exposed to listeria and develop symptoms will not require any sort of treatment. Their immune system will eradicate the bacteria, and symptoms will tend to go away within three days, though they may last as long as one week.