Bonitas Member Magazine 2018 - B-Living Issue 1 | Page 30

contamination can take place at farms, food processing plants, at supermarkets and shops as well as during food preparation at home. What are the symptoms? Symptoms may begin a few days after you’ve eaten contaminated food, but it may take as long as 30 days or more before the fi rst signs and symptoms of infection begin. If you develop a listeria infection, you may experience: • Fever • Muscle aches • Nausea • Diarrhoea • Weakness If the infection spreads to your nervous system, signs and symptoms may include headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and septicaemia. If you are very ill with high fever, severe headache, stiff neck or confusion, consult your doctor immediately. These signs and symptoms may indicate bacterial meningitis, a life-threatening complication of listeriosis. Diagnosis and treatment A blood test is often the most eff ective way to determine whether you have listeriosis. In some cases, samples of urine or spinal fluid may be tested as well. There is no vaccine or pre-exposure prophylaxis for preventing infecti