Who can get listeriosis?
Any person who contracts the listeria bacteria can become sick. Babies are at increased risk. Pregnant women can pass the infection onto the fetus in utero or during passage through the infected birth canal. Pregnant women are at higher risk than other healthy adults who come into contact with listeria. If a pregnant women develops listeriosis during the first 3 months of pregnancy, she may miscarry. Up to two weeks before a miscarriage, pregnant women may experience a mild flu-like illness with chills, headache, as well as muscular and joint pain. Listeriosis later on in the pregnancy can result in a stillbirth or the birth of an acutely-ill child. Symptoms of listeriosis: • fever • intense headache • nausea & vomiting • collapse & shock Symptoms usually appear within 2 to 30 days and up to 90 days after consuming contaminated food. Can listeriosis be avoided or treated? Yes. A pregnant woman could decrease her risk of contracting Listeria monocytogenes bacteria by following the sugge
