Symptoms Of Listeria

Fever

In its mildest form, the only sign of a listeria infection may be an increased temperature. This change in body temperature will be sudden instead of gradual. A person may feel fine one hour and experience a fever in the next hour. The higher temperature occurs as the immune system becomes more active and works to fight off listeria. If you are an otherwise healthy adult, your temperature may just raise a degree or two, and you might not experience any other symptom. However, if the person infected with listeria is already ill, they may end up dealing with a dangerously high fever. Individuals who are seriously ill with listeria may have a temperature ranging around 103 degrees Fahrenheit.

Headache

Individuals with listeria often report feeling generally achy and uncomfortable during their infection. Headaches show up early in the infection and may come and go until the patient is well again. The type of headache associated with a listeria infection is typically described as being quite severe. Patients may find they are very sensitive to light and sound, and the headache can be bad enough to trigger other symptoms of a migraine. An ache in the head most commonly occurs among pregnant women. It is imperative for a pregnant woman to seek treatment if she suspects she has a listeria infection, since this bacteria can be potentially life-threatening to a fetus, or it can cause a child to develop a dangerous listeria infection right after birth.