Listeriosis, toxoplasmosis and other infections caused by dangerous foods in pregnancy

Listeriosis is an infection caused by the bacteria Listeria monocytogenesado with serious consequences in pregnancy, but it is not the only infection that can be transmitted through contaminated food.

Since food poisoning during pregnancy can seriously affect the health of the baby and the mother, it is essential to avoid eating with food with all safety guarantees. We delve into infections caused by foods that are more dangerous in pregnancy, and how can we prevent them.

Listeriosis

This foodborne bacteria is widely distributed by nature (soil, dust, water), and can be found in various animal and plant foods.

Pregnant women are 20 times more likely to suffer from this disease. that other people and the infection can be very serious for babies, as it crosses the placental barrier, causing premature birth, abortion, delivery of dead fetus, or full-term children with serious sequelae, especially neurological.

How to prevent listeriosis

To prevent it, you should not drink fresh unpasteurized milk or cheese and desserts made with this milk. You should also avoid those moldy cheeses such as roquefort or cabrales, and fermented cheeses such as feta or cambembert (even if they are pasteurized milk).

Avoid meat products, such as sausages, pates, cold cuts, sausages, etc., unless they are reheated to the point of emitting steam. Cook all foods very well, and especially meats, seafood and fish, and reheat all leftovers very well.

Before the least warning symptoms, see a doctor, since detecting it in time is key for the treatment to work.

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Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by the infection of a parasite called toxoplasma gondii that can live inside the cells of human beings and animals, especially cats and farm animals.

The risk that the pregnant woman who gets the infection can infect the fetus is 40 percent. But much depends on the moment in which it contracts, because in the first trimester it is less frequent than in the second trimester and in this one less than in the third trimester, however, during the first trimester of pregnancy it is when greater damage causes in the baby.

If the parasite crosses the placenta and infects the baby, it could cause serious damage to the brain and eyes, loss of hearing, learning problems, and even the death of the baby.

A cat that lives at home is very strange to contract the parasite because this happens when eating infected raw meat or being in contact with feces or infected soil. Anyway, it is recommended to ask another person to clean the cat's bathroom or, if not possible, wear gloves and wash your hands very well after doing so.

How to prevent toxoplasmosis

The most common route of infection is by eating meat infected with the parasite that is raw or has not been cooked enough. Cook the meat well and not eat raw or undercooked meat (including sausages), or fruits or vegetables that are not peeled or washed, and always carefully wash knives and kitchen utensils that have been in contact with raw meat and fruits and unwashed vegetables.

Another way to get the parasite is raw milk, especially goat milk. Avoid drinking unpasteurized milk or any dairy product made with unpasteurized milk.

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Anisakis

Anisakis is a parasite that can be housed in the digestive tract of fish, cephalopods and marine mammals. We can find it in fish that we usually consume such as cod, sardine, anchovy, herring, salmon, haddock, hake, whiting, mackerel, bonito or horse mackerel, and cephalopods such as sepia, squid and the octopus.

Anisakis infection or anisakiasis It occurs when live larvae penetrate the digestive tract of the pregnant woman, adhering to the mucosa and causing symptoms such as severe gut pain a few minutes or days after consuming infested fish, vomiting, diarrhea and even digestive bleeding.

The anisakis does not directly affect the unborn baby, but the infection in the pregnant woman can affect her immune system and medications to treat the infection could harm the baby.

How to prevent anisakis infection

The most effective measure to kill anisakis larvae and prevent their spread is avoid eating raw fish and buy frozen fish directly (deep-sea deep-freezing), or freeze it at home for a minimum of 72 hours at -20º.

If you buy it fresh, you should cook it at a temperature that ranges between 55 and 70ºC for at least 10 minutes.

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Salmonella

Salmonellosis is a gastrointestinal infection caused by a group of bacteria called salmonella and is the most common cause of foodborne illness.

Salmonella bacteria can be found in the raw poultry, eggs, beef, milk and sometimes in some fruits and vegetables They have not been washed properly. It is also possible to be transmitted through some pets, particularly reptiles, such as snakes, turtles and lizards.

Salmonellosis usually spreads more easily in hot weather, when 30 degrees go by, although it disappears when there are high temperatures, such as when cooking food.

How to prevent salmonellosis

To prevent it, you should wash your hands frequently, especially before eating and handling food and after using the bathroom; wash fruits and vegetables very well, and preferably peel them; Cook food of animal origin such as eggs, poultry and meat well and wash kitchen utensils and surfaces that are in contact with raw food very well.

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E-coli

The one known as E. Coli is a bacterium called Escherichia Coli It normally lives in the intestines of animals and people. It is a fecal bacterium that in principle is harmless to the organism and even constitutes an essential part of the human bacterial flora, however there is a variety of strain that is not harmless and can cause serious diseases.

The bacteria usually come from contaminated feces, animal fecal waters, or they can be accidentally found in the meat packaging if not done properly.

You can stay in the udder of the cow (hence the recommendation not to drink milk directly from the animal) and vegetables can also be infected with this toxin by contact with the surface of the plant.

There is no evidence that E-Coli infection causes malformations in the fetus, however the diarrhea it causes can cause dehydration in the pregnant woman. In very severe cases it can cause bleeding and there may be a risk of spontaneous abortion, premature rupture of the membranes, premature delivery or low birth weight.

If the infection is in the vagina, infection of the baby can occur during delivery.

Further, 85% of urine infections, very common in pregnancy, are caused by the E-coli bacteria. It usually appears in the first trimester, and if it is not treated, between 25-30% of these women will develop pyelonephritis or acute kidney infection in the second or third trimester, which could lead to premature birth and other complications.

How to prevent E-coli infection

To prevent infection, you should wash your hands with soap and water after using or cleaning the bathroom, changing diapers, handling dirty towels or sheets, or touching animals or items around animals. Also after touching raw meat, wash fruits and vegetables well, cook the meat well and avoid unpasteurized products.

Video: Listeria in Pregnancy: Erins Story (March 2024).