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Complications of Listeria infection include: meningitis, sepsis, miscarriage, stillbirth, pneumonia, shock, endocarditis, abscess (localized infection) formation, and eye inflammation.

Complications of Listeria infection include: meningitis, sepsis, miscarriage, stillbirth, pneumonia, shock, endocarditis, abscess (localized infection) formation, and eye inflammation. A blood test is the most reliable way to find out if your symptoms are due to listeria. Listeria infections may create symptoms such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, difficulty breathing, and poor feeding. A woman can pass the bacteria to her baby during pregnancy.

It can be found practically everywhere – in the air, on the ground, in water, in soil and even on people. Listeria, as it is commonly called, is a pathogen that is far more pervasive than other potentially deadly pathogens, such as E.coli. Patients are often hospitalized for treatment and monitoring. People with AIDS are at 300 times more risk of serious illness from listeria than the general population. This bacteria can pass through the wall of the intestines, and from there they can get into the blood stream.

The risk of listeriosis can be reduced by taking these precautions:
  • Completely cook all meats and eggs.
  • Keep raw meat away from raw vegetables and prepared foods. After cutting raw meat, wash the cutting board with detergent before using it for vegetables.
  • Carefully wash raw vegetables before eating.
  • Follow the instructions on food labels. Observe food expiration dates and storage conditions.
The symptoms of listeria are very hard to identify because they are just like the flu - high emperature, headache, achy feeling, etc. Scientists are unsure, but they believe that this bacteria can cause upset stomach and intestinal problems just like other food-borne illnesses. Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium that can cause listeriosis. A woman can pass the bacteria to her baby during pregnancy. Pregnant women account for 27% of the cases and immunocompromised persons account for almost 70%.

The organism can spread to the blood stream and central nervous system. Listeriosis is treated with the antibiotics ampicillin (Omnipen) or sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (Bactrim, Septra). During pregnancy, listeriosis often causes miscarriage or stillbirth.
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