Avoid ready meals and processed food, pregnant women told

23 Jul 2008

Women who are pregnant can avoid contracting Listeriosis if they steer clear of processed food stuffs.

Advice issued earlier this week by Ireland's Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) and Safefood indicated that avoiding things like ready meals, pates, smoked fish and soft cheeses.

This is because the bacterium Listeria can sometimes be found in these types of foods and consumption can lead to Listeriosis.

Listeriosis is not particularly dangerous for healthy adults but it can be very dangerous for the vulnerable, which includes unborn children.

As such HPSC and Safefood has warned expectant mums that they should be cautios about what they eat.

Dr Thomas Quigley of Safefood commented: "Listeria is a bacterium found in many types of food. Infection in healthy adults usually produces no symptoms, or a mild flu-like illness.

"However, in certain people including unborn babies, people with weakened immune systems and elderly people, it can cause very severe illness, or even death."

Please click here for pregnancy advice and pregnancy information.

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