The Most Common Foodborne Illnesses

Listeria

Listeriosis is a bacterial infection caused by eating food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Outbreaks of the bacterial illness in the 90s were linked to hot dogs and deli meat, but are more common now with soft cheeses, sprouts, and ice cream. Unlike some other foodborne diseases, listeria infects more than the intestinal tract, infecting the blood, brain, and other parts of the body. If exposed during pregnancy, it spreads to the baby through the placenta, most often resulting in the death of the fetus. Symptoms include fever, diarrhea, fatigue, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, and convulsions. Some prevention methods include avoiding cheeses other than those made with pasteurized milk, avoiding raw sprouts, and refrigerating cut melons.

Sources of contamination in 2018 include raw milk cheese sickening individuals in four states, packaged salads creating an outbreak spanning nine states, and ice cream that sickened individuals in four states, resulting in product recalls.

Get to know the next common foodborne illness now.