What are listeriosis symptoms and signs?
Fever, muscle aches, and occasionally, nausea or diarrhea (or both) are the usual symptoms associated with listeriosis. These symptoms usually last up to one week and spontaneously resolve. However, in some people, the organisms can spread to the brain. The symptoms of meningitis (stiff neck, headache, and fever), altered mental status (confusion, reduced mental activity), balance problems, and seizures develop in brain infections. Brain abscesses may also occur and cause similar symptoms.
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Pregnant women who are otherwise healthy usually have only minor symptoms develop. However, Listeria organisms in pregnant females often cause miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, or cause infection and, potentially, death of the newborn. About 30% of all listeriosis infections reported in the U.S. occur in pregnant females.
Occasionally, localized skin infections may occur, especially in people who handle animals that are infected with Listeria. These skin infections rarely lead to further complications such as brain infection.
What are the risk factors for listeriosis?
The major risk factor for getting listeriosis is eating or drinking foods and liquids contaminated with Listeria bacteria. Foods and liquids that have been contaminated with animal feces or soil are the most frequently identified sources for these organisms. Drinking inadequately treated or non-pasteurized liquids is another source of infection.
Some individuals have an increased risk for getting listeriosis. In general, people with an altered or damaged immune system have a higher risk of getting listeriosis and its more severe complications. Specifically, people at higher risk include pregnant females, newborns, the elderly, diabetics, cancer patients, AIDS patients, patients with kidney diseases, and those patients undergoing any immune-suppression therapy.
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