A foodborne bacterial illness – Listeria

Listeria infection is a foodborne bacterial illness that can be very serious for pregnant women, people older than 65 and people with weakened immune systems. It’s most commonly caused by eating improperly processed deli meats and unpasteurized milk products.

Healthy people rarely become ill from listeria infection, but the disease can be fatal to unborn babies, newborns and people with weakened immune systems. Prompt antibiotic treatment can help curb the effects of listeria infection.

Listeria bacteria can survive refrigeration and even freezing. So people who are at higher risk of serious infections should avoid eating the types of food most likely to contain listeria bacteria.

Prevention

To prevent a listeria infection, follow simple food safety guidelines:

• Keep things clean.Wash your hands thoroughly with warm, soapy water before and after handling or preparing food. After cooking, use hot, soapy water to wash the utensils, cutting boards and other food preparation surfaces.
• Scrub raw vegetables.Clean raw vegetables with a scrub brush or vegetable brush under plenty of running water.
• Cook your food thoroughly.Use a food thermometer to make sure your meat, poultry and egg dishes are cooked to a safe temperature.

Precautions for people particularly at risk

If you have a weak immune system, take additional precautions with these types of foods:

• Soft cheeses and Mexican-style cheeses.Don’t eat soft cheeses unless it’s clear from the packaging that the product was made using pasteurized milk.
• Hot dogs and deli meats.Avoid these unless they’re reheated until steaming hot. Keep fluid from hot dog packages away from other foods, utensils and food preparation surfaces. Wash your hands after handling these products.
• Meat spreads.Don’t eat refrigerated meat spreads. Canned or shelf-stable — meaning they can be safely stored at room temperature — meat spreads are acceptable. Refrigerate after opening.
• Smoked seafood.These products can be labeled as nova style, lox, kippered or jerky. It’s OK to eat them in cooked dishes. Canned or shelf-stable smoked seafood is acceptable.
• Raw or lightly cooked sprouts.Cook sprouts of any kind thoroughly.