The biggest source of human listeriosis infections is the consumption of contaminated ready-to-eat (RTE) foods, particularly deli meats and certain soft cheeses.
Listeria can contaminate a wide range of foods, but most infections are caused by eating chilled, ready-to-eat foods, such as:
Certain cheese products are being recalled due to a possible Listeria contamination, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Around 11,530 products from The Ambriola company, under names such as Boar's Head and Member's Mark, are being pulled from several states, including Texas.
Not everyone infected with Listeria will develop symptoms. Symptoms could include diarrhea, fever, muscle pain, joint pain, headache, stiff neck, backache, chills, sensitivity to bright light, and/or sore throat with fever and swollen glands. These symptoms can begin days to weeks after eating contaminated food.
It is important to note that while listeriosis can be a very severe illness, the number of cases reported in Australia each year is relatively rare, with around 60 total cases reported to health departments each year. The number of pregnant women infected with listeriosis each year is even lower.
Foods at higher risk of listeria contamination include:
The 2-hour/4-hour rule in Australia is a food safety guideline for potentially hazardous foods (like meat, dairy, cooked rice) held in the "temperature danger zone" (between 5°C and 60°C). If food is out for under 2 hours, it can be refrigerated or used. If out for 2 to 4 hours, it must be used immediately (cannot be refrigerated). If out for over 4 hours, it must be discarded to prevent bacteria growth.
Gastrointestinal symptoms usually appear within a few hours to 2 to 3 days but can sometimes appear 2 to 6 weeks after eating the contaminated food. In some cases, it may take up to 2 months for symptoms to appear. In healthy individuals, listeriosis typically causes mild symptoms which last for only a few days.
Symptoms of invasive illness
Can Listeria go away on its own? Yes, if you have a healthy immune system and aren't pregnant, you'll usually feel better in a couple of days without treatment. But if you're pregnant or have risk factors for serious illness, talk to a healthcare provider right away.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced a Class II recall of Happy Farms by Aldi Italian Style Shredded Cheese and Happy Farms by Aldi Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese due to potential metal fragments in raw materials from the suppliers.
In 2015, Niagara Bottling recalled 14 brands of spring water, including store brands like 7-11, Acadia, Acme, Best Yet, Big Y, Morning Fresh, Nature's Place, Pricerite, Shaws, Shoprite, Superchill, Wegman's, and Western Beef Blue, due to potential E. coli contamination from a spring source, affecting products made between June 10-18, 2015, with codes starting with 'A' or 'F'. Consumers were advised to check the production codes on bottles from these brands and avoid those from the affected period, though the company stated no E. coli was found in finished products.
Epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback data showed that meats sliced at deli counters, including Boar's Head brand liverwurst, were contaminated with Listeria and made people sick.
Listeria bacteria can be found in soil, water and animal waste, also called stool. People can get infected by eating the following: Raw vegetables that have been tainted from the soil or the manure used as fertilizer.
Common symptoms of listeriosis include fever, muscle aches, nausea, and diarrhea. If the infection spreads to the nervous system, other symptoms may develop, including headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions.
Melons are more likely than many other fruits to be contaminated with Listeria. This is because they have low acidity and can be kept in the refrigerator for a long time. Both these conditions support the growth of Listeria.
Listeria is a harmful germ that can be in food. It can cause serious illness and even death in older adults and people with weakened immune systems. The good news is that you can choose safer food options to prevent getting sick.. Listeria can grow at cold temperatures in refrigerators, but it is easily killed by heat.
If you eat listeria-contaminated food, you can see symptoms as early as the first day. Listeria is unusual in that it can stay in your body without causing illness for as long as 70 days. This longer period between ingestion and sickness may be especially true in pregnant women.
Not everyone infected with Listeria will develop symptoms. Symptoms could include diarrhea, fever, muscle pain, joint pain, headache, stiff neck, backache, chills, sensitivity to bright light, and/or sore throat with fever and swollen glands. These symptoms can begin days to weeks after eating contaminated food.
Every year in the United States, about 1 in 25,000 pregnant women are infected with Listeria. Listeria can spread to your baby during pregnancy cause harm, even if you do not feel very sick. Sadly, 1 in 4 pregnant women who get this illness lose their pregnancy or their baby shortly after birth.
The antimicrobial regimen should be the standard therapy for listeriosis, typically including IV ampicillin and gentamicin for 14 to 21 days for nonallergic patients. If blood culture is negative and symptoms resolve, antibiotic therapy may be discontinued.
Listeria is easily killed by heat, however, cooked foods can easily become re-contaminated through poor food handling after cooking. Unlike most other types of food poisoning bacteria, listeria can grow at refrigeration temperatures.
Safe Handling: If chicken is left out for more than 2 hours (or 1 hour in temperatures above 90°F), it's best to discard it. No - you're in the danger zone for bacteria growth. Toss it!
Avoiding temperature fluctuation is critical to egg safety. "A cold egg left out at room temperature can sweat, facilitating the growth of bacteria that could contaminate the egg," according to Australian Eggs. Refrigerated eggs should not be left out for more than two hours before cooking.
Bacteria grow most rapidly in the range of temperatures between 40 °F and 140 °F, doubling in number in as little as 20 minutes. This range of temperatures is often called the "Danger Zone."