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

Today we have a large number of options and possibilities when it comes to eating, 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 diseases that even have potential mortal.

This fact can trigger severe diseases in subjects or even generate outbreaks and pandemics, such as the listeriosis outbreak that was detected in August 2019 in Spain. Although it is not common, this disease can be dangerous and has come to cause different problems and even death.

But... what is listeriosis disease Why is it produced? How is it treated? Let's see it throughout this article.

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What is listeriosis?

Receives the name of listeriosis a rare disease caused by a bacterial infection, specifically by those 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, being able to cause premature births or even abortions. 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 found that usually causes gastrointestinal upset, headaches, diarrhea and high fevers, and it is even frequent that there are no symptoms.

However, when we talk about severe and invasive listeriosis, in addition to the previous symptomatic picture, it can lead to the appearance of complications such as sepsis, endocarditis, encephalitis and/or meningitis and pneumonia, often the product of bacteremia (passage of bacteria into the blood from an infected area), which have about 30% of mortality.

There is also sometimes skin or eye involvement, and it is possible that abscesses, arthritis and osteomyleitis appear.. It is also possible to find a picture that affects newborns, who after a few days of life begin to show symptoms of a cold.

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

Causes of this disease

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

This type of bacteria is frequently found in nature., usually in meat, rotting vegetables, sewage or even in the dirt. However, as a general rule, the bacteria enters the body orally, after the 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, usually temperatures above 75 degrees. It is a disease that is not contagious between humans, with the possible exception of vertical mother-child transmission. during pregnancy and/or childbirth, but it could be acquired through consumption and even handling food contaminated.

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.

In this sense the elderly and children are at great risk, as well as pregnant women (registering these almost a third of the cases). It is also an especially dangerous disease for those who suffer from immunosuppression or other chronic diseases.

People with HIV and few defenses can be in danger, 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 radiotherapy and chemotherapy are also populations at risk.

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applied treatments

listeriosis It is a disease that can have severe repercussions and even cause death.In addition, it is so unusual that there are no specialized treatments, but fortunately, despite all this, it can be treated.

In some cases, and especially in mild cases, the infection ends up disappearing 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 it differentially, as well as to monitor the condition of the subject. The application of psychological therapy may be required, especially when experiencing processes as painful as the death of a family member or an abortion.

Another relevant factor is prevention: it is advisable consume well-cooked foods at high temperatures, as well as pasteurize milk and avoid raw items. Carrying out psychoeducation in this sense can be useful, in order to learn both oneself and the environment about the process that is being experienced and how it can affect us.