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Three Australians have recently died from eating rockmelons contaminated with listeria, and 12 others have fallen ill due to this outbreak. At least 13 out of these 15 people diagnosed with the listeriosis infection were reported to have consumed rockmelons, or cantaloupes. These 15 people are also the elderly, most of whom have significant pre-existing health conditions. Owing to this rockmelons from Australia being sold in Singapore have been recalled.
“People vulnerable to listeriosis should discard any rockmelon purchased before 1 March,” said Vicky Sheppeard, the director of communicable diseases for the New South Wales Health.
Besides the elderly, pregnant women and their newborns, and those with weakened immune systems are particularly susceptible to listerosis.
So, what is listeriosis and how might it affect all of us in Southeast Asia?
What is Listeriosis?
Listeriosis is a bacteria infection “caused by eating foods contaminated with the Listeria monocytogenes bacterium”. It is said to mainly affect people on either extreme in age, namely foetuses and the elderly. However, healthy children and adults can also be infected with listeria, although they rarely fall severely ill from it. Listeria bacteria can be contained in unpasteurised milk or dairy products, meats, pre-cooked and pre-packed food like sandwiches and salads, and processed foods such as cold cuts and soft cheese.
Symptoms of listeriosis
Early stages of listeriosis infection begin with flu-like symptoms such as fever and chills. Other common symptoms of listeriosis include muscle aches, nausea or diarrhoea.
In severe cases, it can lead to convulsions and shock. If the infection spreads to the nervous system, symptoms like headache, stiff neck, and loss of balance might appear. For pregnant women, listeriosis can sometimes lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, or life-threatening infection of the foetus.
However, it is important to note that eating food containing listeria bacteria will not necessarily make you ill.
Prevention of Listeriosis
The best way of preventing listeriosis is by handling food safely. This includes: 
- separating raw meat, poultry, fish, and other food items from each other
- washing your hands before food preparation
- washing every single food item before cooking
- using separate cutting boards and knives for vegetables and raw meat/seafood
- cooking food and reheating leftovers until steaming hot
- throwing away suspicious-looking or suspicious-smelling food
Impact of listeriosis on the world
In 2011, the US faced a similar crisis when over 30 people were killed from eating listeria-contaminated rockmelons. Furthermore, more than 170 people in South Africa have also been killed by listeriosis.
So, what does this mean for the future of Southeast Asia?
Currently, about US$20 million value of Australian rockmelons are exported to various parts of the world every year, including Singapore, Hong Kong, Brunei, and the United Arab Emirates. Last week, two consignments of rockmelons from an Australian farm linked to this listeria outbreak were imported to Singapore but were shortly recalled from supermarkets.
In 2015, Malaysia has also recalled the Gala red and Granny Smith apples from the US due to a listeria scare, a ban which they have since lifted.
This goes to show that the outbreak of listeria might be closer to us than we think, which is why we in Southeast Asia must also do our part in adhering to food safety and hygiene.
If you ever suspect yourself of having food poisoning, do not hesitate to visit the doctor’s. You can easily find a GP near you with GetDoc today.
References
by waiyee
Film junkie. Matcha drinker. Dog lady. Will write for food. View all articles by waiyee.
