Yesterday, the Ministry of Health and Families of the Junta de Andalucía alerted about an outbreak of listeriosis that had affected 37 people from Seville and Huelva, due to the consumption of a brand of meatloaf «The Mechá«. Andalusian hospitals have treated several people with this disease in recent weeks, although two months ago a epidemiological situation of listeriosis in Spain. There has been an increase in hospitalizations for this disease, which normally causes gastroenteritis, but can lead to sepsis, meningitis or death in newborns and people with a weak immune system.
🔴 HEALTH ALERT@AndaluciaBoard decrees health alert in #Seville on a shredded meat product following an outbreak of #listeriosis
In the event of any health emergency on this matter, notify ☎️061 @saludand #Governance @Ayto_Sevilla
+ https://t.co/5zvdNsK6Tm pic.twitter.com/oJvYzs2Uvh– Seville Emergencies (@EmergenciasSev) August 15
What is listeriosis?
Listeriosis is a disease caused by a b that contaminates raw food and that when consumed causes symptoms such as fever, headaches or diarrhea. Normally they are not serious, but groups such as children, pregnant women or people with a weak immune system.
The bacterium (listeria monocytogenes) is found in soil and water, but is also common in animals such as poultry or cattle. We can even find it in raw milk or in foods made from raw milk, or food processing areas. It is a bacterium that grows even in cold temperatures and is only killed by cooking and pasteurization processes.
People with invasive listeriosis (when the bacteria spreads beyond the intestine) show different symptoms, depending on whether or not you are pregnant. In women, the symptoms are usually those of a common flu, but it must be borne in mind that becoming infected during pregnancy can have fatal effects for the baby.
Most people with this invasive version need hospital care, as up to 1 in 5 people may die. To find out if we have listeriosis, a bacterial culture is performed and it is treated with administration of Antibiotics.
It can be avoided?
Experts recommend washing your hands well after having contact with animals and cooking food very well, with high temperatures. On the other hand, listeriosis can affect anyone, since it is food poisoning, but it is usually more prone in the groups mentioned above. In addition, it should be noted that a pregnant woman can transmit the disease to the fetus, and this could lead to an abortion or stillbirth.
Go to the doctor to make sure that this is not your case, and never self-medicate.