Health and well-being

What you need to know about Listeriosis

With South Africa currently dealing with an outbreak of Listeriosis, PSM takes a closer look at what you need to know about the disease. The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention describes Listeriosis as a serious but treatable and preventable disease caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. It is found in soil, water and vegetation. Animal products and fresh produce such as fruits and vegetables can be contaminated from these sources.

Although anyone can get Listeriosis, those at high risk of developing the disease include newborn babies, the elderly, pregnant women, persons with weak immunity such as HIV, diabetes, cancer, chronic liver or kidney disease patients.

The age groups that are most affected are neonates – those in the first 28 days of life - and the age group 15 – 49 years. These two groups make up 70 percent of all cases.

Infection with listeria may result in:

• Flu-like illness with diarrhoea including fever, general body pains, vomiting and weakness.

• Infection of the blood stream, which is called septicemia.

• Meningoencephalitis (infection of the brain).

To keep Listeriosis at bay, the Department of Health has advised all South Africans to practice basic food hygiene principles as outlined by the World Health Organisation which are:

• Keep clean. Wash your hands before handling food and often during food preparation.

• If you are handling or storing raw food, don’t touch already cooked food unless you have thoroughly washed your hands and food preparation utensils. In other words, separate raw from cooked food.

• Cook food thoroughly. Never eat half cooked or uncooked food, especially meat products. Food that does not usually need cooking before eating needs to be thoroughly washed with clean running water. Families with no source of clean running water need to boil their water before domestic use.

• Keep food at safe temperatures. Food that should be kept cold should be refrigerated and food to be served hot should be served hot.

• Use safe water for domestic use at all times and use pasteurised milk products. In situations where pasteurisation is not possible, boil the milk prior to use.

By mid-January more than 750 cases of Listeriosis had been reported in South Africa, with the disease causing at least 67 deaths.

Members of the public can call the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) Emergency Operations Centre during working hours on 011 386 2000. Health workers can call the NICD Hotline for Clinical Emergencies after hours on 082 883 9920.