Listeria

What Causes It? Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium that is found in soil and water. Animals carry this bacteria around without exhibiting any signs of being infected. They can then contaminate food that we consume such as meat and dairy products. Symptoms Fever, Muscle Aches, Possible Diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms Characteristics of Illness In pregnant women, Listeria can lead to loss of the fetus, stillbirth, the baby having meningitis, or a premature delivery. Other people affected might experience headaches, convulsions, stiff neck, and/or loss of balance. Onset People with weak immune systems, serious diseases (cancer, diabetes, liver/kidney diseases), pregnant women, older adults, & those with AIDS are more likely to develop Listeria and become critically ill than healthy individuals. Duration It can take up to 90 days for a person to develop Listeria, and once the illness is confirmed, it can take the individuals up to 30 days to be back to normal health again. Control/Preventative Measures Following the basic food preparation rules will help reduce ones risk of developing Listeria. Additionally, washing and scrubbing melons before cutting them and keeping cut melons refrigerated will also help reduce the risk of developing Listeria.

Salmonellosis
What Causes It? Salmonellosis is caused by the Salmonella bacteria. There are many different kinds of Salmonella bacteria, but the two most common found in the United States are serotype Typhimurium and serotype Enteritidis. Salmonella is found in the intestinal tracks of different animals, and, in most cases, it is spread to food when food comes into contact with animal feces. Symptoms Diarrhea, Fever, Abdominal Cramps Characteristics of Illness People experience pretty severe diarrhea which can cause them to become dehydrated enough to require hospitalization in order to get rehydrated. Salmonella can also spread from the intestines to the bloodstream which makes it more difficult to deal with. Onset Infants, elderly, and people with weakened immune systems are more likely to develop Salmonella. It is estimated that there are up to 1.2 million cases of Salmonella that arent diagnosed each year because the symptoms can be attributed and related to other things. Duration It takes anywhere from 12 to 72 hours for symptoms to occur after being infected by Salmonella, and it then takes about 4 to 7 days for the person to fully recover from the disease. Control/Preventative Measures

Following the basic food preparation rules will help reduce ones risk of developing Listeria. Being to wash hands after being in contact with animal feces, birds and lizards, and not allowing infants or those with weakened immune systems to be in contact with reptiles will also make it harder to come in contact with the bacteria and contract the disease.

Rotavirus
What Causes It? Rotavirus is a virus that moves from ones body to the environment through feces. It is passed from one person to another in a fecal-oral manner, so it has to be shed by an infected person and then ingested orally by someone else. Symptoms Vomiting, Fever, Severe Diarrhea, Abdominal Pain Characteristics of Illness The severe diarrhea and vomiting that is experienced with this disease can lead to those affected becoming severely dehydrated. When this happens, the person infected usually has to be put into the hospital in order to receive the fluids necessary to curb the dehydration. Onset Rotavirus is more apt to develop in infants and young children, but it can also be contracted by older people as well, especially those that have life-threatening diseases or have a weakened immune system. It can be easily spread through toys, food and water, and hands. Duration It takes around 2 days for the symptoms to appear in those that have come into contact with the disease, and then it can take anywhere from 3 to 8 days for the diarrhea and vomiting to stop. Control/Preventative Measures Having good hygiene (washing hands consistently, etc.) will help keep the disease in check, but because it spreads so easily, cleanliness isnt enough. There are two different vaccines available that are given to infants between the ages of 2 months and 4 months of age. They are given orally and have been shown to be anywhere from 85% to 98% effective.