Transmission occurs mainly through contaminated food or water. Possible sources include undercooked beef, raw milk or products made with unpasteurized milk, and contaminated fruit or vegetables. Ruminants, especially cattle, are among the main reservoirs of these bacteria. Infection can also occur through direct contact with carrier animals or, less frequently, from one infected person to another.
Symptoms usually appear between three and eight days after exposure and may include severe abdominal pain or cramps, vomiting and diarrhea, which may contain blood in some cases. The severity of the infection varies, and many people recover within five to seven days. However, some patients may develop a serious complication known as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which can affect the kidneys.
A CASE OF LISTERIOSIS AND SHIGELLOSIS
The Epidemiological Bulletin also reports a case of shigellosis in Teruel province and another case of listeriosis in Zaragoza this week. Both are infectious diseases that must be reported and are subject to monitoring by health authorities.
Shigellosis is an intestinal infection caused by bacteria of the genus Shigella. It is transmitted mainly through the fecal-oral route, either through direct contact with an infected person or by consuming contaminated water or food. Common symptoms include diarrhea, which may contain blood, fever, abdominal pain and nausea.
Listeriosis, meanwhile, is caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes and is usually contracted by consuming contaminated food. Although it may cause mild symptoms in healthy people, the infection can be more serious in pregnant women, newborns, older people and patients with weakened immune systems.
