Listeriosis

Bacteria - Listeria monocytogenes

Symptoms - Fever, muscle aches, nausea, diarrhea.  Listeria can also spread to the nervous system which can cause symptoms such as stiff neck, headaches, general confusion, and cause problems with the body's equilibrium.

Sources - The bacteria that causes listeriosis, Listeria monocytogenes, is found in the soil and water.  Soil can become contaminated from manure based fertilizers.  Vegetables in turn can become contaminated, and foods from animal origin can also become contaminated through infected animals.  Although thorough cooking kills the virus, it is important to understand that foods can become contaminated after the cooking process, i.e. deli meats.

Incubation Period - Symptoms can develop anywhere from 3-70 days after exposure to Listeria monocytogenes.  On average, symptoms develop 3 weeks after exposure.

Duration of Illness - Depends on the promptness of treatment.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2500 people become seriously ill with listeriosis each year, of which 500 people will die.

Treatment - Prompt antibiotic treatment is necessary.

Prevention - To reduce your risk of infection, you should always thoroughly wash rinse and sanitize food prep surfaces when changing the type of food that is being prepped.  Furthermore, thorough and frequent handwashing is a must.  Fully cooking all foods and thoroughly washing all vegetables will also help to reduce your chances of infection.  Food workers who are found to be infected shall not be allowed to work until they are no longer a risk.  Even after treatment, an individual can shed the bacteria in their stool for several months.

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