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CFSAN/Office of Food Safety, Defense, and Outreach
August 24, 2005
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While You're Pregnant
What Is Foodborne Illness? | Listeria | Methylmercury | Toxoplasma Listeria: Frequently Asked Questions "What is Listeria monocytogenes?" It's a harmful bacterium that can be found in refrigerated, ready-to-eat foods (meat, poultry, seafood, and dairy - unpasteurized milk and milk products or foods made with unpasteurized milk), and soil. Animals can carry this bacterium without appearing ill, and thus, it can be found in foods made from animals. L. monocytogenes is unusual because it can grow at refrigerator temperatures where most other foodborne bacteria do not. When eaten, it may cause listeriosis, an illness to which pregnant women and their unborn children are very susceptible. "How could I get listeriosis?" By eating ready-to-eat meats, poultry, seafood, and dairy products that are contaminated with L. monocytogenes. You can also get listeriosis by eating contaminated foods processed or packaged in unsanitary conditions or by eating vegetables that are contaminated from the soil or from manure used as fertilizer. "How could listeriosis affect me?" The symptoms can take a few days or even weeks to appear and may include fever, chills, muscle aches, diarrhea or upset stomach, headache, stiff neck, confusion, and loss of balance. In more serious cases, listeriosis could also lead to the mother's death. Most of the time, pregnant women who are infected with listeriosis don't feel sick. However, they can pass the infection to their unborn babies without even knowing it. That's why prevention of listeriosis is very important. In any case, if you experience any of the above symptoms, see your doctor or health-care provider immediately.
"How could listeriosis affect my baby?" During the first trimester of pregnancy, listeriosis may cause miscarriage. As the pregnancy progresses to third trimester, the mother is more at risk. Listeriosis can also lead to premature labor, the delivery of a low-birth-weight infant, or infant death. Fetuses who suffer a late infection may develop a wide range of health problems, including mental retardation, paralysis, seizures, blindness, or impairments of the brain, heart, or kidney. In newborns, L. monocytogenes can cause blood infections and meningitis.
"How can I prevent listeriosis?" The good news is that listeriosis can be prevented! Here's how... Time to Chill
Fridge TIPS
Refrigerator & Freezer Storage Chart (PDF | 21.2KB - also available as JPG | 149KB). To Eat or Not to Eat? Don't eat:
Note: See your doctor or health-care provider if you have questions about listeriosis. For information about food safety, call the FDA's Food Information Line at: 1-888-SAFE-FOOD. |