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.

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Norovirus

Norovirus is a contagious virus that causes nausea, stomach pain, diarrhea, and vomiting. Patients are contagious for a few days after recovery, and even two weeks after. Norovirus is more common in the winter months, spreading more easily indoors and in enclosed areas with concentrated groups, such as cruise ships, schools, and offices. It is spread through contact with infected individuals, by eating contaminated food or drink, and through touching contaminated surfaces then touching your face, mouth, or nose.

Prevention methods include thorough and regular hand washing, thoroughly washing fruits and vegetables, and thoroughly cooking meats and seafood, avoiding food preparation for others when sick, and staying home when sick.

Although health departments are not currently required to report individual cases of norovirus, they are encouraged to report outbreaks to established reporting systems. There is a definite jump in numbers of illnesses from this virus in 2009, from one thousand in 2008 to over two thousand in 2009, and yearly upward progression since then.

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