Written in WORLD the 2/7/2022 · 20:13 hs
The new outbreak of a bacterium set off alarms in the United Statesbecause there are at least twenty people hospitalized and one death.
Is about an outbreak of listeria that sent 22 people to the hospital in 10 states in the United States, who would have traveled to Florida a month before contracting the disease.
But… what is listeria and why is it causing concern?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), listeriosis is a serious infection caused by eating food contaminated with the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes.
Although it can be treated with antibiotics, it is particularly dangerous for pregnant women, who may lose the product; newborns, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems.
According to the Mayo Clinic, listeria bacteria can be found in soil, water, and animal feces, so people can become infected if they eat the following:
- Raw vegetables that come from contaminated soil or from contaminated manure used as fertilizer
- contaminated meat
- Unpasteurized milk or foods made with unpasteurized milk
- Certain processed foods, such as soft cheeses, hot dogs, and luncheon meats that have been contaminated after processing
What are the symptoms of listeria?
The Mayo Clinic points out that the symptoms of this disease can begin a few days after eating contaminated food, but it can take 30 days or more before the first signs and symptoms begin, which are:
- Headache
- Neck stiffness
- Confusion or changes in level of alertness
- Loss of balance
- seizures
- Fever