30 Jan 2018

With the outbreak of Listeriosis in South Africa not getting any better, the Ministry of Health and Wellness continues to place emphasis on the need for travellers to take necessary precautions such as eating hygienically.

The outbreak, which has already claimed lives, has been described by the World Health Organisation in its latest report as the largest-ever while on the other hand it is still difficult to determine the source of the food-borne listeriosis.

In an interview, Ms Elizabeth Sebetlela, a communications and public relations officer at the health and wellness ministry shares more on what listeriosis is, causes and symptoms.

She explained that Listeriosis is a bacterial infection most commonly caused by Listeria Monocytogens.

She said the disease is usually spread through ingestion of contaminated food, most frequently with raw or unpasteurised milk and soft cheese, but also vegetables, processed foods, ready to eat meat and smoked fish products.

Ms Sebetlela said Listeria (bacteria causing Listeriosis) can survive in normal temperatures associated with refrigeration (four degrees celcius) and the bacterium can also be transmitted from a pregnant woman to her unborn baby.

She noted that overall mortality rate is 20 to 30 per cent and of all pregnancy related cases, 70 per cent occur in immune-compromised patients.

Listeria has a preference for the brain tissue, especially the brain stem and the meninges and it usually causes cranial-nerve palsies, encephalitis,meningitis,meningo-encephalitis and abscesses.

She noted that mental status changes are common and seizures occur in at least 25 per cent of patients.

She noted that adults, immune-compromised, pregnant women and new borns were at a high risk of contracting the diseases.

Some of the symptoms of the disease include among others fever, muscle pain, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions.

Infections during pregnancy could also lead to miscarriage, still birth, premature delivery or life threatening infection of the newborn.

She said for prevention, it is recommended to adjust fridge temperatures below four degrees celcius and freezer temperatures below negative 18 degrees Celsius as listeria monocytogenes can grow in refrigerated foods that are contaminated.

She highlighted that there was no vaccine or pre-exposure prophylaxis for preventing infection and that  the main preventive measure is to practice basic hygiene, which includes washing raw vegetables and cooking raw food thoroughly as well as reheating leftover or ready-to-eat foods like hot dogs until steaming hot. ENDS