Infected melons kill three people in Australia

We always talk about the importance of washing food before consuming and letting buy products without origin, as these can be determining factors for contamination of a disease

Since the beginning of the year, the intake of yellow melon has caused several cases of bacterial infection in Australia. Listeria is a microbe that can be contracted through food and through contact with contaminated animals and individuals.

According to the National Health Service (NHS), the UK public health system, it is common to find this bacterium in milk unpasteurized and its derivatives in creamy cheeses such as brie and camembert in pâté and sausages. In addition, listeria can be contracted by the consumption of other foods handled by a contaminated person who has not washed his hands properly. Contamination can also occur with the proximity of farm animals, especially cows and sheep that are giving birth.

In Australia, 15 cases of people infected with listeria were confirmed, and three of them died. According to the BBC, the origin of the bacterium may be in a melon plant in the state of New South Wales in south-east Australia.

The country's health authorities have reported that all people who listeria had eaten the fruit. The product has been removed from all Australian supermarkets to control the outbreak, which began in January this year. "Vulnerable people should discard any melons purchased before March 11," said Vicky Sheppeard, director of communicable diseases at the New South Wales health authority.

The alert is only valid for people in this region, so residents of other countries do not need to avoid the fruit.

Listeria symptoms

Many people carry the bacteria and never have symptoms. Listeria is not a lethal microbe at first, but may affect children and the elderly with a weak immune system.

Therefore, you should only worry about listeria if you have consumed any of these foods and have the following symptoms:

Fever

Diarrhea

• How to avoid
• To try to reduce the risk of contagion by this bacterium, NHS makes the following recommendations:
• Wash hands regularly with soap and water
• Always wash fruits and vegetables before eating them
• In case of pre-cooked food, always read the information on the packaging where it is how to keep it in order to keep it in good condition

Ensure that food to be consumed hot is at the right temperature

The NHS also warns that overdue food should not be ingested, even though its appearance and odor appear normal .

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