Pregnant Women Warned on Dangers of Listeriosis

Pregnant women are being warned to be extra careful when eating certain types of food due to a rise in the number of cases of listeriosis.

The bacteria that causes listeriosis is found in many types of food but usually does not affect healthy adults. However, in pregnant women listeria bacteria can cross the placenta and cause very severe illness in the unborn baby, premature birth or miscarriage.

Listeriosis is most often associated with ready-to-eat, refrigerated and processed foods, such as pre-prepared cooked and chilled meals, soft cheeses, cold cuts of meat, pâtés and smoked fish. All women who are pregnant, or who are thinking of becoming pregnant should avoid high risk foods until they have given birth.

“Pregnancy is a time when expectant mothers take a lot of care with many aspects of their lives. Simple measures such as ensuring that the fridge is in good working order with the temperature between 2-5 degrees Celsius, eating food that is well within its use-by date, so that harmful bugs will not have had time to grow and practising good general food hygiene will reduce the risk of listeriosis,” said Dr Paul McKeown of the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC).

The recent increase in pregnancy-associated listeria cases has primarily affected women who have recently entered Ireland from Eastern Europe, Asia and sub Saharan Africa. These groups are particularly at risk.

During 2007, 9 cases of pregnancy-associated listeria were reported in Ireland, five of these were among women for whom English was not their first language.

New leaflets warning of the dangers of listeria and how to avoid it have been issued by Safefood, the food safety promotion board and the HPSC. The leaflets are available in several different languages to ensure the message reaches non-Irish nationals.

Copies of the leaflet are available from safefood by calling 1850 40 4567 or from www.safefood.eu.

Posted Monday 28th July 2008