Listeriosis: what it is, characteristics, symptoms, causes and treatment

Listeriosis is a disease caused by a bacterium present in some foods.

Nowadays we have a great number of options and possibilities when it comes to food, with a great diversity of cuisines and products within our reach.

However, not all products are suitable for consumption: some foods can be contaminated with different bacteria and become toxic, to the point of being able to generate serious illnesses that can even be potentially fatal.

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? What is it like? Let's see it throughout this article.

What is listeriosis?

It is called listeriosis an infrequent disease caused by a bacterial infectionspecifically by bacteria 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 especially dangerous in case of pregnancy, and can cause 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 general rule, a mild form is usually encountered, which usually causes gastrointestinal discomfort, headaches, diarrhea and high fevers.There are often no symptoms at all.

However, when we speak of severe and invasive listeriosis, in addition to the above symptoms, it can lead to the appearance of complications such as septicemia, endocarditis, encephalitis and/or meningitis and pneumonia, often due to bacteremia (passage of bacteria into the blood from an infected area), which have a mortality rate of about 30%.

There is also sometimes cutaneous or ocular involvement, and abscesses, Arthritis and osteomyelitis may occur.. It is also possible to find a picture that affects newborns, which after a few days of life begin to show cold symptoms.

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

Causes of this disease

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

This type of bacterium is frequently found in nature, usually in meat, vegetables, fruits and vegetables.usually in meat, rotten vegetables, sewage or even in soil. However, as a general rule the bacterium enters the body orally, after consumption of meat or other contaminated 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 resists cold or even freezing, so this will not be a valid option. However, heat does kill the bacteria, heat does kill the bacteria, usually at temperatures above 75 degrees Celsius.. It is a disease that is not contagious between humans, with the possible exception of vertical mother-to-child transmission during pregnancy and/or childbirth, but it could be acquired through consumption and even handling of contaminated food.

Are there risk groups?

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, being in them where more deaths are registered.

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

People with hiv and low defenses 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 subjects undergoing radio and chemotherapy are also at risk.

Treatments applied

Listeriosis is a disease that can have severe repercussions and even lead to death.It 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 eventually disappears on its own, but treatment is usually required. Since it is a bacterial infection, the treatment to be used is the use of antibiotics.. Amoxicillin, ampicillin or penicillin, or a combination of trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole stand out.

In case of complications or if the disease is widespread, it will be necessary to treat each of the problems generated by the disease differentially, as well as to monitor the patient's condition. Psychological therapy may be required, especially in the case of painful processes such as the death of a family member or an abortion.

Another relevant factor is that of prevention: it is advisable to to consume well-cooked food at high temperatures, as well as to pasteurize milk and avoid raw food.. Psychoeducation in this regard can be useful, in order to learn both oneself and one's environment about the process one is going through and how it can affect us.