chances of having this from Deli meat?

Question

I'm 7 months along and I have been eating deli turkey off and on through out this pregnancy. Not until now did I hear it causes a serious sickness to the baby if caught (listeria). I guess it's very easy for pregnant women to catch. So, now I'm worried for my baby, what are my chances of having it?? It can happen w/out symptoms...I also wonder why some doctors like mine don't tell you not to eat deli meat if this is such a serious illness???

Answer 1

Pretty low. There are about 500 cases of Listeria per year in the US, not all in pregnant women.

Many doctors, and in fact certain countries, do not believe the risks of listeria from deli meats are high enough to warrant excluding them from a pregnant woman's diet. Listeria can also be found in water, soil, and on vegetables.

EVERY food has a potential for food poisoning, one has to weigh the risks and be reasonable.


http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/iyh-vsv/food-aliment/listeria_e.html
Listeria is widespread in the environment - found in soil, vegetation, water, sewage, silage and in the faeces of humans and animals. Animals and humans can carry the bacterium without knowing it.

Plants and vegetables can become contaminated with Listeria from the soil, water and manure-based fertilizers. Farm animals that appear healthy may also carry Listeria and contaminate foods such as meats and dairy products.

Unlike most bacteria, Listeria can survive and sometimes grow on foods being stored in the refrigerator. Moreover, foods that are contaminated with this bacterium look, smell and taste normal. Listeria can be killed by proper cooking procedures.

Listeria is more likely to cause death than other bacteria that cause food poisoning. In fact, 20 to 30 percent of foodborne listeriosis infections in high-risk individuals may be fatal. However, it should be noted that listeriosis is a relatively rare disease in Canada.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Listeria
Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium commonly found in soil, stream water, sewage, plants, and food.[1] Each bacterium is Gram-positive and rod-shaped. Listeria are known to be the bacteria responsible for listeriosis, a rare but lethal food-borne infection that has a devastating mortality rate of 25%[2](Salmonella, in comparison, has a less than 1% mortality rate[3]). They are incredibly hardy and able to grow in temperatures ranging from 4°C (39°F), the temperature of a refrigerator, to 37°C (99°F), the body's internal temperature[1]. Furthermore, listerosis's deadliness can be partially attributed to the infection's ability to spread to the nervous system and cause meningitis.[1] Finally, Listeria has a particularly high occurrence rate in newborns because of its ability to infect the fetus by penetrating the endothelial layer of the placenta.[2]

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/concen/cause/listeriae.shtml
Although the risk of listeriosis associated with foods from deli counters, such as sliced packaged meat and poultry products, is relatively low, pregnant women and immunosuppressed persons may choose to avoid these foods.

Answer 2

Listeria has to be PRESENT on the deli meat in order for you to become infected by it.

You should only buy deli meat from a reputable butcher. Don't buy pre-packaged stuff -- don't buy anything that was not cooked in the last day or two. If you want to be extra safe, eat your deli meat sandwiches HOT, not room temp or cold. You have to heat the meat up to 150 degrees (use a meat thermometer).

I had a good friend who caught listeria while pregnant and it sent her into premature labor. She was only 24 weeks, and her baby lived but had a really rough start, as you can imaging. SInce you are already 7 months along, you'd be in a better place if you did go into labor now, but it's not worth the risk IMHO.

Find a good deli counter that will tell you when the meat was cooked, clean the slicer off carefully and cut to order for you. BTW, listeria can also be present in pre-packaged salads (lettuce, potato, etc.) so avoid those, too.

Answer 3

Chances are you are ok. I have to admit, I am guilty of having a deli sandwhich every now and then, even though it is recommended to avoid this. Your doctor should have told you. It would be best to bring this up at your next appointment and let your doctor know that you have been eating it all along and JUST found out you maybe should not have been. If you or the doctor is concerned, I am sure there is some kind of blood test they can do to make sure you don't have listeria. Good luck!

Answer 4

The risk is fairly low. And that's why doctors do not tell you about it. Unfortunately, many doctors these days believe they have the right to make the decision for you as to whether a risk is worth taking or not. To me, even the very low risk isn't worth it, so I'm glad I found out about it early in pregnancy. But don't worry about what you've already done - it can't be undone. And you probably would have noticed by now if your baby had gotten sick from the bacteria. But, don't eat anymore deli meat in the future while pregnant! Women are most susceptible to contracting literiosis while in the third trimester.
For more info about it, you can go here http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancycomplications/listeria.html

Answer 5

The chances of catching listeriosis from deli meat that has been properly stored are less than the chance that you will be in an accident the next time you get in your car and drive somewhere. Many doctors agree that pregnant women worry excessively about food and nutrition. Don't be fanatic, but do be cautious. If you want to avoid the risk of infection altogether, either avoid deli meat altogether or heat it until steaming (150 degrees). Best of luck and congrats.

Answer 6

It is a very real concern, but listeria is rare.

Lots of women don't know about this, eat deli meat without heating it, and never get listeriosis.

Now that you know, take better precautions (ie heat the meat to steaming first), and mention it to your doctor at your next visit.

Some doctors hand out a package with this type of info when you are confirmed to be pregnant, others seem to assume you'll do that type of research yourself.

Answer 7

The doctors I have worked for have notified people of the dangers of Listeriosis and there is a handout that we would give the patient so that they could be informed. Listeriosis is a bacteria that can be found in some lunch meats and cheeses (that are unprocessed). You and baby are probably fine as it is typically not something many people have. You can get a blood test to make sure that you have not been exposed and that should make you feel much better. Good Luck! Also let your doctor know how you feel! They may make improvements so that this doesn't happen to someone else.

Answer 8

I am 6 1/2 months pregnant tomorrow and I knew about this early on so I did my research...now you can have deli meats and hot dogs....but they have to be heated up and I mean steaming hot. They need to be heated up to at least 160 degrees. All you can do now is change the way you eat and pray...hopefully everything will okay. Don't worry yourself into a panic but definitely ask the doctor about it next appointment. Good luck and God bless!

Answer 9

The reason is that the food has to be contaminated with the bacteria to be harmful and the recalls for the sandwich meats couldn't have been predicted by your doctor.
I would just check to brand you have been buying against the recall lists to see if they are part of the recall and may have had the bacteria. Other than that just ask your doctor, thats all you can rely do.

Here is a link to the recall list I found :

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/recalls/prelease/pr098-2002exp_products.htm

Good luck and I hope all is ok!

Answer 10

my doc didnt tell me anything about it either and i just heard about it last week. im going to ask him when i go for my 4 month check up next week...