Certain Bacteria Present in Food Can Cause Abortions, Study

A latest research revealed that nearly 10 percent of the fresh cheese, sausages and meats sold in markets and on the streets are contaminated.

The study conducted in the ICAS Culiacan found that 10 percent of the fresh cheese, meats and sausages sold in the markets and streets of Culiacan, Sinaloa, are contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an organism that triggers diarrheal infections as an initial symptom. In aggressive situation it leads to miscarriages and meningitis.

The health system in Mexico have never reported cases of listeriosis. In the new investigation led by Christopher Quiroz Chaidez of ICAS, the team began to search for the bacteria.

"The only reference is a review from 1982 to 2006, a period in which only 14 cases were reported but not diagnosed because they do not associate diarrheas, miscarriages or meningitis with Listeria monocytogenes," said the researcher.

Recently, the emergence of outbreak of listeriosis in the U.S. was linked to the consumption of Chinese melon from Mexico. 

In this case, various dairy products, meats and sausages in various markets were sampled. In the lab the samples were analyzed by culture media and molecular methods. After several tests, the researchers detected five serotypes of Listeria monocytogenes, mainly 4B that is the most aggressive out of the lot.

"We found it in greater amounts in the chicken, with a percentage of 23 percent; sausages by 11 percent; cheeses with nine percent and eight percent meat, "says Quiroz Chaidez.

They concluded that 10 percent of the diary products, sausage and meats available in market and on the streets have bacteria in them.

Human listeriosis is the disease which has the highest death rate i.e. 20-30 percent that causes severe diseases like meningitis, septicemia and miscarriages. It is known to target the immunocomprised humans, pregnant women, elderly and children.

It is spread through fecal-oral route of animals to humans and from pregnant women to fetus. One of the mains sources of infection is contaminated food due to poor hygiene practices.

"Upon entering the body, the bacteria travels through the bloodstream, making it easy to reach the meninges, in addition to having the ability to cross the placenta and harm the unborn product," warns Quiroz Chaidez.