ONONDAGA COUNTY
7/8/2005
SYRACUSE (AP) – Three Syracuse-area residents have been diagnosed with listeriosis – a rare and potentially fatal bacterial disease caused by eating contaminated food.
Onondaga County health officials said the three women, ages 48, 70 and 77, have been hospitalized and one is “quite ill.” Officials have yet to determine the source of the infection.
Listeria is found in soil and water. Unpasteurized milk and cheeses have been associated with outbreaks in the past.
The disease is not contagious and can be treated with antibiotics.
Symptoms include fever, muscle aches, and sometimes nausea or diarrhea. If the infection spreads to the nervous system, symptoms also might include headache, stiff neck and confusion.