France: Bacterial infection outbreak possibly caused by a type of soft cheese

Arab Sea Newspaper - Special

Arab Sea - Agencies: The French Ministry of Agriculture announced on Tuesday that 21 people in France have been infected with listeriosis, a foodborne infection, and two people have died, one of whom had pre-existing health problems. The ministry explained that the infections may be related to the consumption of soft cheese produced by a French company, noting that many cheese products from this company have been withdrawn from the markets. The ministry specifically called on pregnant women, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems to pay attention to symptoms such as fever, headache, and muscle pain, stressing that listeriosis can take a dangerous course, and the incubation period can extend up to eight weeks. Listeriosis is an infectious disease caused by Listeria bacteria, which are commonly found in nature. In people with healthy immune systems, the disease rarely leads to infection, and if it does, it appears as flu-like symptoms, vomiting, or diarrhea, and the infection often goes unnoticed.