Nowadays we have a great number of options and possibilities when it comes to feeding ourselves, there being a great diversity of gastronomies and products within our reach.

However, not every product is fit for consumption: some foods can be contaminated with different bacteria and become toxic, to the point that they can generate serious diseases that even have a deadly potential.

This fact can trigger severe diseases in subjects or even generate outbreaks and pandemics, such as the outbreak of listeriosis that has been detected in August 2019 in Spain. Although it is not common, this disease can be dangerous and has even caused different problems and even death.

But… what is listeriosis disease? Why does it occur? How is it treated? Let’s look at it throughout this article.

What is listeriosis?

It is called listeriosis , a rare disease caused by a bacterial infection , specifically those of the genus “Listeria”.

It is a disease with a symptomatology that can be diverse in terms of type of symptoms and severity.

It is particularly dangerous in the case of pregnancy, which can lead to premature births or even miscarriages and fetal infections (which in some cases can endanger not only the fetus but also the mother).

Symptoms

As a rule, a mild form is found which usually causes gastrointestinal discomfort, headaches, diarrhea and high fevers , and often there are no symptoms at all.

However, severe and invasive listeriosis, in addition to the above symptom picture, can lead to complications such as septicemia, endocarditis, encephalitis and/or meningitis and pneumonia, often resulting from bacteremia (passage of bacteria into the blood from an infected area), which has about 30% mortality.

There is also sometimes skin or eye involvement, and abscesses, arthritis and osteomyelitis may appear . It is also possible to find a picture that affects newborns, who after a few days of life begin to show symptoms of colds

Symptoms usually appear during the first week after infection, but can occur from one day after infection to one or two months later.

Causes of this disease

The cause of listeriosis is, as we have mentioned, infection by bacilli of the genus “Listeria”, usually (although there are other variants that can cause the disease) of Listeria monocytogenes .

This type of bacteria is frequently found in nature , usually in meat, rotten vegetables, wastewater or even in the soil. However, the bacteria usually enter the body orally after eating contaminated meat or other food. Chicken, pork, beef, vegetables, turkey, milk (unpasteurized) or cheese are some of the foods that can become infected.

It is necessary to take into account that this type of bacteria is resistant to cold or even freezing, so this will not be a valid option. However, heat does kill the bacteria, usually at temperatures above 75 degrees . This is a disease that is not contagious between humans, with the possible exception of vertical mother-to-child transmission during pregnancy and/or delivery, but it could be acquired through consumption and even handling of contaminated food.

Are there any groups at risk?

Listeriosis is a bacterial disease that can be suffered by everyone, but there are sectors of the population for which this condition is more frequent and in which it is dangerous, and it is in these sectors that more deaths are recorded.

In this sense the elderly and children are at great risk , as well as pregnant women (recording these almost a third of the cases). It is also a particularly dangerous disease for those suffering from immunosuppression or other chronic diseases.

People with hiv and with few defences may be at risk , as well as those with conditions such as blood or endocrine disorders. Diabetics, people with liver or kidney problems, organ transplants or even people undergoing radiation and chemotherapy are also at risk.

Treatments applied

Listeriosis is a disease that can have severe repercussions and even cause death , and is so rare that there are no specialized treatments, but fortunately it can be treated.

In some cases and especially in mild cases the infection will eventually disappear on its own, but treatment is usually required. Since it is a bacterial infection, the treatment to be used is the use of antibiotics . These include amoxicillin, ampicillin or penicillin, or a combination of trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole.

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In case of complications or if the disease is very widespread, it will be necessary to treat each of the problems generated by it differently, as well as to monitor the state of the subject. The application of psychological therapy may be required, especially when processes as painful as the death of a family member or an abortion are experienced.

Another relevant factor is prevention: it is advisable to consume food that is well cooked at high temperatures, as well as to pasteurize milk and avoid raw elements . Psychoeducation in this sense may be useful, in order to learn both about the process that one is going through and how it may affect us.

Bibliographic references:

  • Armstrong, D. (1995). Listeria monocytogenes. In: Mandell, GL, et al. Principles and practice of infectious diseases, 4th ed.

  • Willey and Sons, New York 1995, pp. 1880-1885.
  • Granda, F. (2018). Listeria monocytogenes: transmission, forms and effective treatments. Elsevier.
  • Montañez, D., Camaño, I., Villar, O., García Burguillo, A. and O. Villar, A. García Burguillo, A., and Vallejo, P. (2011). Listeriosis during pregnancy: importance of early treatment. Clinical and research in Gynecology and Obstetrics, 38 (4).
  • Oteo, J. and alós, J. I. Listeria and listeriosis. SEIMC. Madrid.