Foods That Are Most Likely To Give You Food Poisoning - Health Digest

If you've got a cheese addiction, you may want to switch to the "hard stuff," particularly if you're pregnant. That's because soft cheeses are one of the foods most likely to cause listeriosis. According to the CDC, listeriosis is a relatively uncommon but potentially very serious form of foodborne illness caused by the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes. There are about 1,600 cases of listeriosis in the United States each year, although many more may go undocumented. That's because most individuals' bodies can clear the bacteria before they cause any harm. Pregnant women, newborns, those over 65, and people with weakened immune systems, however, can all experience symptomatic listeriosis. In these vulnerable groups, the bacteria spread from the GI tract to other parts of the body (known as invasive listeriosis), which requires hospitalization and can become life-threatening.

The CDC noted that symptoms of listeriosis appear one to four weeks after exposure. For pregnant women, the condition is usually relatively mild, with fever and flu-like symptoms such as muscle aches and fatigue. But the bacterial infection can lead to severe illness or death for her unborn baby. Older adults and those with a weakened immune system will also have a fever and flu-like symptoms, but may also experience headaches, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions. In addition to soft cheeses, common food sources for listeriosis that pregnant women are cautioned against eating include sprouts, hot dogs, deli meats, smoked seafood, and unpasteurized milk.

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