What advice is the government giving to consumers in relation to Listeriosis?
Listeriosis is an illness caused by eating foods contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, bacteria found in soil and water. Food-producing animals can carry these bacteria in their intestines. As a result, the disease-causing bacteria may be spread to meat and dairy products. Ready-to-eat foods also can become contaminated within the processing plant, after processing, or along the route from plant to plate. Listeriosis causes flu-like symptoms, such as fever and chills. Sometimes people have an upset stomach. If the infection spreads to the nervous system, symptoms such as headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or convulsions can occur. Babies can be born with listeriosis if their mothers eat contaminated food during pregnancy. Although healthy people may consume contaminated foods without becoming ill, those at increased risk for infection–people over 60, newborns, and people with weakened immune systems–are more likely to get listeriosis after eating food contaminated
