Good counsel: Listeria monocytogenes bacteria

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Listeria monocytogenes is a very common bacteria that is found in soil, water and even on plants. An acute infection can be harmful to pregnant women and their unborn babies.

Listeria causes an illness called listeriosis. Pregnant women and their unborn babies, as well as older adults and people with weakened immune systems, are especially susceptible. One-third of all listeriosis cases occur during pregnancy and the illness can spread to the unborn fetus through the placenta. Sometimes this can cause premature birth, miscarriage, stillbirth or other serious complications for the unborn baby.

Listeria monocytogenes infects the digestive tract of animals and can then contaminate meat and dairy foods, especially unpasteurized products. Flu-like symptoms including muscle aches, fever and chills are common. More serious symptoms include stiff neck, convulsions or preterm uterine contractions.

Listeriosis in pregnancy can be prevented by avoiding certain foods that have a high possibility of being contaminated. These foods include soft cheeses such as Brie and Camembert, and blue-veined cheeses such as crumble blue cheese and Gorgonzola. In addition, pregnant women should avoid eating hot dogs, luncheon meat or deli meat unless it is cooked until it is steaming hot.

Refrigerated p Avoid any unpasteurized dairy products. To prevent the spread of food-borne illnesses, it is important wash your hands and counters often, cook foods to proper temperatures, refrigerate or freeze cooked food quickly and be careful not to cross-contaminate cooked and raw foods.

For more, talk to your healthcare provider or go to the Center for Disease Control Web site at www.cdc.gov/foodsafety or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Center for Food Safety at www.cfsan.fda.gov.

Jacqueline Nasso is a certified nurse midwife with Strong Health Midwifery Group.

Additional information:

Radiological Imaging of the Digestive Tract in Infants and
Live Webcast On Diagnosing & Treating Digestive Tract Disorders
Problems Affecting the Upper Digestive Tract - Morgan Stanley
Digestive Tract - Health - The New York Times
Gas in the digestive tract
Simulated Complete Digestive Tract , Simulab Corporation
Strange But Trewe - Knitted Digestive System
Glossary: Digestive tract
Viruses, Bacteria, and Parasites in the Digestive Tract
Digestive tract - Hutchinson encyclopedia article about digestive

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