We see this word quite a bit, usually in connection with food safety recalls, such as milk products and processed meat.<\/p>\n
Listeria is an unusually hardy form of bacteria. It can survive extreme temperature that kill other bacteria, which is the main reason these outbreaks are so common.<\/p>\n
Like many bacterial infections, listeriosis doesn\u2019t usually adversely affect healthy people.<\/p>\n
However, these infections are often life threatening for pregnant women and their developing fetuses or nursing infants, people older than 65, and people with weakened immune systems.<\/p>\n
Legally, injured victims with pre-existing conditions are entitled to maximum compensation, under the eggshell skull rule.<\/p>\n
Negligent actors shouldn\u2019t be able to avoid responsibility for their mistakes just because the victim is vulnerable to certain injuries.<\/p>\n
Also like most infections, the sooner doctors diagnose it and prescribe antibiotics, the better the outcome.<\/p>\n
By the time the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), or another federal agency, pressures companies to recall unsafe food products, thousands of people have already consumed tainted food.<\/p>\n
So, it\u2019s important to know the early symptoms of listeriosis, such as:<\/p>\n
Once the infection spreads to the nervous system, symptoms include neck stiffness, loss of balance, and convulsions.<\/p>\n
At this point, listeriosis is much harder to treat.<\/p>\n
Mothers should also be aware of the symptoms of listeriosis in their small infants. These infants often can\u2019t tolerate the strong antibiotics needed to treat advanced symptoms. Early symptoms include:<\/p>\n
Admittedly, many of these symptoms are rather generic. So, if you see them, it\u2019s usually best to err on the side of caution and have your baby tested.<\/p>\n
Testing is especially a good idea if you, or your baby, has certain risk factors.<\/p>\n
We mentioned some of them above. Others include people with HIV, kidney disease, any kind of cancer, liver disease, or take steroids.<\/p>\n
People with these listeriosis risk factors are also more likely to develop serious complications, like blood infections and meningitis.<\/p>\n
These complications often involve misdiagnosis issues.<\/p>\n
Many people don\u2019t connect listeria with meningitis or blood infections, especially if the FDA hasn\u2019t announced a problem.<\/p>\n
The FDA doesn\u2019t have the power to recall unsafe products.<\/p>\n
It can only pressure companies to voluntarily recall them, or at most, order companies to stop running commercials and otherwise market dangerous products.<\/p>\n
Moreover, the FDA depends heavily on user fees from the companies it regulates. So, these officials only issue recall-related orders as a last resort.<\/p>\n
When government bureaucrats don\u2019t protect people from bacterial infections or other health and safety hazards, a New York personal injury attorney<\/a> stands in the gap.<\/p>\n As mentioned, listeria is very hard to kill, so cleanliness is usually the easiest and best way to fight all kinds of viral and bacterial infections.<\/p>\n Wash your hands thoroughly with warm, soapy water before and after handling or preparing food.<\/p>\n Then, after cooking, use hot, soapy water to wash the utensils, cutting boards and other food preparation surfaces.<\/p>\n On a related note, before you eat or serve raw vegetables, don\u2019t just rinse them.<\/p>\n Instead, clean them thoroughly with a scrub brush or vegetable brush under plenty of running water.<\/p>\n People with pre-existing conditions should take extra precautions.<\/p>\n Avoid soft cheeses, like feta and queso, as well as cold milk products, like ice cream and frozen yogurt.<\/p>\n Also avoid packaged meats, like deli meats and hot dog wieners. Listeria outbreaks<\/a> are almost always connected to such foods.<\/p>\nPrevention<\/h2>\n