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Listeria monocytogenes, is a pathogenic bacterium that poses a serious threat to human health.
It is widely found in nature, can be spread through a variety of routes, and is capable of contaminating a wide range of foods. After being infected with Listeria monocytogenes, humans may develop serious diseases such as meningitis, sepsis, and endocarditis.
Especially in pregnant women, fetuses, infants, the elderly, and immunocompromised people, the consequences of Listeria infection are more serious, and can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, and even neonatal death.
The "killer" in the refrigerator: afraid of heat and not afraid of cold
A distinctive feature of Listeria monocytogenes is its cold hardiness, which allows it to survive in temperatures ranging from 0-45°C, especially in the refrigerator, and even in a frozen environment of -20°C for a year.
This makes refrigerators a common hiding place for Listeria monocytogenes, which is not only hardy, but also resistant to dry and high-salt environments, which make it extremely difficult to eradicate in everyday homes.
Although Listeria monocytogenes is tenacious, it is not heat-tolerant. Through pasteurization, cooking and other methods, it can effectively kill Listeria monocytogenes.
Common cooking methods in the home, such as boiling and grilling, can effectively prevent listeria infection.
Foods that are easily contaminated with listeria
Listeria monocytogenes is widespread in nature and can be found in soil, water, and healthy animals.
A wide range of foods can be contaminated, especially meat and its products, dairy products (especially raw milk and soft cheeses), aquatic products, ready-to-eat foods and vegetables.
In China, cooked meat products and ready-to-eat raw meat products are high-risk foods for Listeria monocytogenes contamination, so the national testing standards for these foods are very strict.
For example, unpasteurized raw milk and soft cheeses can easily become breeding grounds for listeria due to the fact that they are not processed at high temperatures during processing. Aquatic products are also susceptible to contamination if hygiene is not taken into account during the treatment process.
Ready-to-eat foods, such as cooked meats, are high-risk because they are usually no longer processed at high temperatures and are eaten directly, giving listeria a chance.
In order to avoid listeria infection, it is recommended that you choose products that have been carefully processed when buying food and heat them well before eating. At the same time, keep your kitchen and refrigerator clean to prevent the growth of listeria.
People at high risk of listeria infection
Listeria monocytogenes generally does not cause serious consequences in healthy adults, but it poses a great threat to pregnant women, fetuses, infants, the elderly, and immunocompromised people. These populations have weakened immune systems and are susceptible to infections.
In healthy adults, listeria infections generally do not cause severe symptoms, even if they carry the germs.
However, for pregnant women, the probability of infection with Listeria monocytogenes is 20 times higher than that of the general population. Once infected, it can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, or serious infection in the newborn.
Insidiosis and symptoms of listeria infection
The early symptoms of listeria infection are subtle and usually manifest as cold-like symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, and diarrhea.
These symptoms are easy to ignore, especially for pregnant women, and the symptoms after infection can be just a mild fever and muscle aches, just like the common cold. As a result, many pregnant women do not associate these symptoms with Listeria infection.
Listeria infections have a long incubation period, which can be as long as several weeks for the nervous system and circulatory system, and up to two months for placental invasion and fetal invasion.
Due to the long incubation period, in many cases, when there is fetal arrest, miscarriage and neonatal death, the patient does not even think that these problems may be related to the "cold" of a few weeks ago.
Ways to prevent and manage Listeria infection
In the face of listeria monocytogenes, prevention is the most critical. Following the World Health Organization's "Five Keys to Food Safety" can effectively reduce the risk of infection.
These five points include: separate raw and cooked, keep it clean, cook thoroughly, safe temperature and safe ingredients.
Regular cleaning and disinfection of the refrigerator is also very important, and leftovers in the refrigerator cannot be eaten directly and must be heated thoroughly.
For high-risk groups, such as pregnant women, the elderly, and immunocompromised people, the following points need to be paid special attention to:
Avoid raw milk and unpasteurized dairy products: Don't drink unpasteurized raw milk and don't eat soft cheeses that haven't been heat-treated.
Avoid raw and semi-raw foods: Avoid cooked foods such as cold meats, hams and braised meats that have not been thoroughly heated, and avoid raw aquatic products.
Seek medical attention promptly: If you have fever, diarrhea or cold-like symptoms, you should seek medical attention and inform your doctor of your recent diet so that you can conduct reasonable testing and treatment.
Through these measures, you can effectively prevent Listeria monocytogenes infection and protect the health of yourself and your family.
Remember, the cleanliness of the refrigerator and the proper handling of food are the keys to preventing the growth of Listeria monocytogenes, and everyone must pay attention to ensure that the family diet is safe.
Listeria monocytogenes is dangerous, but as long as we take the right precautions, the risk can be minimized.
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