GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - In response to the fact that the feared listeriosis infection is becoming more and more evident in South Africa, the Mossel Bay Advertiser contacted the Western Cape Department of Health for feedback on the current situation.
The Eden District Municipality also issued a public health warning.
According to Health Department spokesperson Nadia Ferreira: "Outcome information is only available for a limited number of cases which we have been able to follow up or for which we received completed information from the field.
By 16 January, 767 laboratory-confirmed listeriosis cases had been reported in the country, of which 101 were in the Western Cape."
Most cases have been reported from Gauteng province (60%, 462/767) followed by Western Cape (13%, 101/767) and KwaZulu-Natal (7%, 55/767).
Cases have been diagnosed in both public and private healthcare sectors.There have been six laboratory-confirmed listeriosis cases in the Eden district of which two people have died.
The cases are spread across the district and are not contained to only one small geographical area.
Good hygiene, especially when preparing food, is important to minimise the risk of contracting this disease.
What is listeriosis?
Listeriosis is a serious disease that can be treated and prevented. The disease is caused by the bacterium, listeria monocytogenes.
The bacterium is widely distributed in nature and can be found in soil, water and vegetation.
Listeriosis is linked to a wide variety of foods, including dairy products, meat products, vegetables, fruit, and ready-to-eat products.
Infection with listeria usually results in gastroenteritis with diarrhoea and vomiting.
Symptoms can range from mild to severe.
Most at risk
Anyone can get listeriosis. The age groups that are most affected are babies (37%) and the age group between 15 and 49 years (33%).
The two groups comprise 70% of all cases.
Those at high risk of severe disease are:
Newborns, the elderly, immunocompromised individuals, pregnant women and their unborn babies and those with underlying conditions such as HIV, diabetes, cancer and chronic liver or kidney disease.
In persons with weak immunity, listeriosis can lead to meningitis or septicaemia. In pregnant women, listeriosis may result in miscarriage or meningitis of the infant.
Signs and symptoms
In the average healthy adult, infection is usually asymptomatic (showing no symptoms). Symptoms may include fever‚ muscle pain‚ restlessness, and sometimes vomiting or diarrhoea.
If you or somebody you know is showing symptoms you need to get medical help immediately.
In at-risk patients‚ the spread of infection to the nervous system can cause meningitis‚ leading to headaches‚ confusion‚ a stiff neck‚ loss of balance or convulsions.
The presence of bacteria in the blood‚ also known as bacteraemia‚ may also occur. Pregnant women may present with mild flu-like illness associated with headache, fever and myalgia.
Infections during pregnancy can lead to premature births, infection of the newborn with permanent disability, and miscarriage or stillbirth.
More information
For more information contact the Outbreak Response Unit or the Centre for Enteric Diseases (for use by healthcare professionals only).
Medical / clinical related queries: NICD Hotline +27 82 883 9920,
Results enquiries: NICD Specimen Receiving Laboratory: +27 11 386 6404.
ARTICLE: www.westerncape.gov.za
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