Listeriosis: How to Treat this Disease, which can be Fatal

Listeriosis: How to Treat this Disease, which can be Fatal

This disease is particularly dangerous in pregnant women and most often requires taking antibiotics.

Each year, 350 to 400 cases of listeriosis are recorded in France.

And if it is not fatal every time, this disease caused by listeria bacteria, present in certain foods, remains the second leading cause of food-borne death in our country, according to the National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (Coves).

Antibiotics

If the initial symptoms can be mild, with, most often, digestive disorders such as gastroenteritis, fever and aches, complications can occur.

ANSES mentions a risk of requiring hospitalization in 20 to 30% of cases, with complications such as meningitis, encephalitis, or bacteremia…

When it is diagnosed, you must act quickly. It “can be treated with appropriate antibiotics”, notes health group Elsan on his website. “They must be taken for 2 to 3 weeks”, it is nevertheless specified.

“However, the progression can be fatal even in the event of appropriate and early treatment”, warns the Pasteur Institute his site.

The choice of treatment for listeriosis will depend on the severity of the infection and individual factors.

Elsan

The disease is particularly dangerous for pregnant women, and can cause miscarriages. Thus, “in case of listeriosis during pregnancy, it may be decided to give birth to the child earlier than expected, when possible, in order to isolate the child from his mother’s infection”.

Prevention as the first weapon

However, as they say, “prevention is better than cure”. Also, the WHO recommends:

  • Get into the habit of cleanliness
  • Separate raw foods from cooked foods
  • Cook food well
  • Keep food at the right temperature
  • Use water and safe products

With regard to people particularly at risk, the World Health Organization calls for:

  • avoid consuming dairy products made from unpasteurized milk, cold meats, or ready-to-eat meat products such as sausages, hams, pâtés, and cold-smoked marine products (such as smoked salmon)
  • read and strictly adhere to the shelf life and storage temperatures indicated on the product label

Note that “cooking food before consuming it is another very effective way to destroy bacteria”, specifies the WHO.