Transkei baby latest listeriosis case

NEW cases of listeriosis continue to be diagnosed every week in the Eastern Cape.

In the latest case, a three-month-old girl from Libode was diagnosed with the illness.

Listeriosis is caused by the bacteria listeria monocytogenes and is found in soil, water and also raw milk and other dairy products and can only be destroyed by cooking.

The symptoms of listeriosis include nausea, diarrhoea and infections of the blood and brain.

Pregnant women, the elderly, babies and people who live with compromised immune systems are most at risk.

According to the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD), mild listeriosis does not require treatment but severe cases will require antibiotics.

In its latest report, the NICD confirmed 658 cases in South Africa since January 1, with 60 deaths noted.

Regulations published in the Government Gazette on December 15 made listeriosis a Category 1 Notifiable Medical Condition.

This would require immediate reporting by the most rapid means available to the Department of Health. Most of the cases have been diagnosed in Gauteng.

According to the latest NICD update, the strains of the bacteria isolated in the Eastern Cape cases is very closely related to those found in all nine other provinces.

“This finding supports the current working hypothesis of a single source of food contamination causing the outbreak.

“In other words [we are looking for] a single, widely consumed food product, or multiple food products produced at a single facility.”

Eastern Cape health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said the baby from Libode had been diagnosed after falling ill and suffering diarrhoea, vomiting, acute gastroenteritis and sepsis.