LISTERIA

BY LEAH KAVANAGH
FULL NAME  The full name for Listeria is Listeria monocytogenes. The infection this bacteria may

OF BACTERIA  give you would be called listeriosis.

WHERE IS THE BACTERIA
FOUND?

Listeria is know to contaminate a wide range of food. You can find listeria in lots of
foo, but it's mainly a problem with; 
 Unpasteurized milk

 Dairy products made from unpasteurized milk

 Soft cheeses, like camembert and brie

 Chilled ready to eat foods like prepacked sandwiches, pate and deli meats.
LISTERIOSIS

 Listeriosis is the infection listeria causes, it usually goes away

on its own, although it can cause serious problems if you are
pregnant or have a weak immune system.
 In most people they don’t notice any symptoms when they
have listeriosis or it only causes mild symptoms for a few
days such as; high temperature, nausea, stiff neck, confusion,
aches and pains, chills, feeling or being sick and diarrhoea. 
 An estimated 1,600 people get listeriosis each year and about
260 die. 
WHY IS LISTERIA MORE SERIOUS FOR
PREGNANT WOMEN? 

 Listeriosis is rare in non-pregnant healthy adults, but the infection is up to 20 times

more common in pregnant women. 
 Most pregnant women notice no symptoms or problems from the infection;
however, the fetus is highly susceptible to this type of bacterium. Listeriosis can
spread into and across the placenta. Listeriosis is severe and can be often fatal for
the baby. 
 In some cases, the infection can lead to complications in the mothers such
as bacterial meningitis and septicemia.
  Doing research, I found no advantages of listeria.

ADVANTAGES Although I found many disadvantages.

AND  The disadvantages are the symptoms you face with

this illness. 
DISADVANTAGE  You may experience lots of unwanted symptoms and
S  OF LISTERIA in some cases death (young baby's or mothers
usually). 
WHAT  YOU CAN DO  TO AVOID LISTERIA

 Avoid cross contamination. Keep ready-to-eat foods separate. 

 Thoroughly wash your fruit and vegetables. 

 Make sure your fridge is working properly and is set to 5°C or below.

 Eat foods that are withing their use by date. 

 Cook or reheat foods until they are piping hot. 

 Wash knives, hands and cutting boards after handling uncooked foods. 

HOW IS LISTERIA
DIAGNOSED? 

 Listeria can be diagnosed by taking samples for example blood, urine,

spinal fluid or amniotic fluid which are tested for listeria bacteria in the
laboratory. 
 Further investigations will depend on the severity of the infection for
example x rays, MRI scans, lumbar puncture and an ultrasound of the
heart. 
  Many healthy adults and children with mild listeriosis only need
treatment of the symptoms, for example medicine to treat high
temperature etc. 
 More severe infections should be treated with antibiotics. 

TREATMENT   In pregnancy, listeria is treated with antibiotics. Doctors will

usually prescribe penicillin. If you are allergic to penicillin,
trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole may be used instead.
 The same antibiotics are given to babies born with listeriosis
RESISTANCE
OF LISTERIA

 Most strains of listeria exhibit

resistance to cefotaxime, cefepime,
Fosfomycin and oxacillin. 
 Recently antibiotic resistance among
listeria isolated foods and the
environment have increased,
particularly for those antibiotics
commonly used to treat listeriosis. 
FUN FACTS
 Listeria monocytogenes is one of
the most deadly food-borne
pathogens. It can flourish with or
without oxygen. It can even thrive
and reproduce at temperatures as
low as 0°C!!
 Listeria has been found in at least 42
species of wild and domesticated,
and 17 species of birds.
 Within the cell, the bacteria can
multiply and spread to neighboring
cells, safe from the immune system
  https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/listeriosis/

 https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/180370#tr

SOURCES  eatment
 https://www.food.gov.uk/safety-hygiene/listeria