Listeria: causes, treatments, and prevention

Following the health alert related to the listeria bacterium in France, the supermarket chain Carrefour Italia has also recalled its products in Italy. three products for «possible presence of Listeria Monocytogenes». In this case, those who purchased the recalled products are asked not to consume them and to return them to the point of sale where they were purchased.

In France, the bacterium was detected in as many as fifty pasteurized milk products from the Chavegrand company sold in large-scale retail outlets and have now been recalled. Twenty-one people have contracted the infection, and two have died. But what is listeria?

The bacterium Listeria cause food poisoning. In particular, it triggers a foodborne infection, listeriosis, which can also be serious, and which is caused by a bacterium known as Listeria MonocyTogenes. This is present in water, in plants, in vegetables and in vegetables, but in some animals such as cows and sheep. Listeriosis mainly affects women, eighteen times more than men. The Listeria monocytigenes It is a bacterium that, once inside the body, can trigger an infection known as listeriosisContamination occurs through theingestion of fresh foods where there is a high percentage of bacterial proliferation. In the West, Listeriosis is a growing public health problem. Although the cases, in fact, do not reach the numbers of other zoonoses such as salmonella, the infection manifests itself with much more serious symptoms and a more severe course, especially in the population most at risk, such as the elderly, newborns, immunocompromised people and pregnant women, where it can be fatal. What makes this bacterium so dangerous is its ability to withstand highly variable temperatures and conditionsIn fact, the listeria bacterium can proliferate from refrigeration temperatures, where it is slowed down, even up to 45ºC. For this reason, proliferation occurs in particular in fresh products ready to eat And in the products with a long shelf life in the refrigerator such as meat and cheese, but also pre-packaged vegetables.

Among the most risky foods are:

• Salmon and smoked fish
• Fresh cheeses, soft or with herbs
• Fresh meat products (cold meats in delicatessens, pâtés, hot dogs, tartare, etc.)
• Packaged vegetables
• milk and eggs unpasteurized

Symptoms

But how can we understand if we have a listeria infection? most obvious symptoms of listeria, which should absolutely not be underestimated, are:

• Threw up
• Diarrhea
• Abdominal cramps
• High fever
• Headache
• Shortness of breath
• Drowsiness with possible convulsions
• Excessive sweating
• Red dots on the skin
• Neck stiffness

Diagnosis

La diagnosis for listeriosis, for invasive forms, it is performed with theisolation of the bacterium. This happens with a blood culture or with a cultural examination which takes a sample of cerebrospinal fluid. The doctor will also evaluate the patient's history, assessing reported symptoms and any information that can rule out other pathologies.

Cure

The only effective therapy against listeria is the use of antibioticsIn particular, the most effective are those based on ampicillin, erythromycin, or penicillin G. Prescription, dosage, and method of administration should always be discussed with your doctor. They depend on the patient's condition and the severity of the infection.

When is listeria dangerous?

Healthy people in good health have no problems with listeria: the infection resolves quickly with proper treatment. The situation is different for the elderly, newborns, pregnant women, and immunocompromised individuals. In these cases, listeria can even be fatal, and mortality rates are much higher than those of salmonella, reaching up to 20 percent. Death occurs from sepsis, which is also caused by listeria.

Listeria in pregnancy

Prevention

Listeria prevention depends primarily on how we store and use food. But that's not all: these are the most important precautions.

• All foods that can spoil quickly should be stored in the refrigeratorAt temperatures below five degrees Celsius, the activity of the listeria bacteria is much slower and less effective. In any case, foods must be kept and stored at safe temperatures: remembering that listeria can reproduce even at low temperatures, between 2 and 4 degrees Celsius.
• Knives, cutting boards, and kitchen utensils that come into contact with vegetables and raw foods must be washed (even just rinsed) often and thoroughly. These are all potential breeding grounds for the listeria bacteria.
• Raw foods should be separated from cooked ones both during storage, using special containers, and during preparation.
• The so-called cold chain must not be broken. frozen products and refrigerated products must be transported in special cooler bags and not in normal plastic supermarket bags.
• Foods used on picnics must be carefully chosen and carefully stored until consumed.
• Choose pasteurized dairy products.

How to kill the listeria bacteria

The listeria bacteria is quickly killed by cooking food to 75 degrees. For fish and meat, the temperature must reach 70 degrees at the center of the food.

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• Food Poisoning: Remedies, Treatments, and Prevention
• Ten dangerous things in the kitchen
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