Serious Diseases We Can Get From Animals

Listeriosis

Listeriosis is a serious disease caused by the bacterium known as Listeria monocytogenes. Any warm-blooded animal can get it, but animals with weak immune systems are more susceptible. This means older and younger animals, or those already sick, can contract the disease easier than healthy animals. But what about humans? We can get listeriosis from contaminated food and from being in close contact with infected animals. Symptoms of listeriosis include fever, diarrhea, headache, confusion, loss of balance, convulsions, and muscle pain. Pregnant women who get infected usually only show flu-like symptoms, but the disease can cause miscarriage or stillbirth. Symptoms usually begin anywhere from a week to eight weeks after exposure to the bacterium. Lab work is needed for diagnosis, and it is treated with antibiotics.

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