According to the US CDC Listeria bacteria can cause an infection called listeriosis. Signs and symptoms of listeriosis depend on the person infected, and the body part affected. Listeria are most likely to harm pregnant people, newborns, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems. Other people can be infected with Listeria, but they rarely become seriously ill.
Invasive illness
“Invasive” means bacteria have spread beyond the intestines (gut). Invasive listeriosis happens when Listeria spreads beyond the intestines.
Symptoms of invasive illness usually start within 2 weeks after eating food contaminated with Listeria.
Symptoms of invasive illness
People who are pregnant
Symptoms typically include
- Fever
- Flu-like symptoms, such as muscle aches and fatigue
People who are not pregnant
Symptoms typically include
- Fever
- Flu-like symptoms, such as muscle aches and fatigue
- Headache
- Stiff neck
- Confusion
- Loss of balance
- Seizures
Severity of invasive illness
People who are pregnant
- Symptoms in pregnant people are usually mild. Some pregnant people never have symptoms.
- However, infection during pregnancy usually leads to
- miscarriage,
- stillbirth,
- premature delivery, or
- life-threatening infection of the newborn.
People who are not pregnant
- Symptoms in non-pregnant people can be severe.
- Almost 1 in 6 non-pregnant people with invasive listeriosis die.
Intestinal illness
Listeria can also cause an intestinal illness. This kind of illness is rarely diagnosed because laboratories do not regularly test patient samples for Listeria.
Symptoms of intestinal illness usually start within 24 hours after eating food contaminated with Listeria and usually last 1–3 days.
Symptoms of intestinal illness
Symptoms typically include:
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
Severity of intestinal illness
- Symptoms are usually mild.
- However, some people with intestinal illness develop invasive illness.
Listeria infection is the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness in the United States.
CDC estimates that each year in the United States:
- 1,600 people are infected with Listeria, and
- 260 people die from the infection.Click Here to Contact Attorney RK now!