Symptoms Of Listeriosis (Listeria)

Fatigue

Individuals with listeriosis often feel unusual fatigue, which may be coupled with a fever. The combination of fever and fatigue may make individuals feel like they have the generic flu. Even if they get the recommended eight to nine hours of sleep, they may still wake up feeling tired. Their concentration and reaction times may be impaired. If any food an individual has recently eaten has been recalled due to listeria, they should pay attention to their exhaustion levels. They should also be aware foods like poorly heated deli meats, undercooked hot dogs, and foods containing unpasteurized milk are all at risk for carrying the listeria bacteria.

Stiff Neck

A stiff neck is a very serious symptom because it indicates the listeriosis has spread to your nervous system. It's rare for individuals to experience a nervous system infection due to listeriosis, but the symptoms and progression can be potentially life-threatening. Not every stiff neck is caused by a nervous system infection. Sometimes an individual's neck may be stiff just because they slept at a strange angle. But if an individual knows they've eaten potentially-contaminated food, they should seek emergency medical treatment if they experience a stiff neck, especially if it's combined with other cognitive symptoms or a high fever. If individuals have developed bacterial meningitis due to the infection, they may become permanently disabled or even die. Bacterial meningitis is especially dangerous to infants and toddlers.