Listeria hysteria? I think not

I’ve got to tell you; this listeriosis thing has people worried. I’ve seen in the last couple of weeks notices on restaurant doors and in supermarkets informing consumers whether an establishment has encountered any recalled product in the past or if it was sold and/or in stock when the outbreak began.

That’s responsible and about the only thing an organization can do, especially when it appears this situation came pretty much out of the blue and caught Maple Leaf, Health officials, retailers and consumers by surprise. Some folks will likely think I’m naïve to believe that, but I shudder to think otherwise because that’s even scarier than what’s going on now.

I get e-mails nearly every day updating the list of foods recalled, most of which don’t carry the Listeria bacteria and were pulled primarily to ensure public safety.

I was doing okay concerning my own level of concern, but all that changed when our young man got sick last week. He started running a fever Tuesday night and that got the wheels turning.

It was nothing serious I guess; about 100.4F at its apex. I’m sure most health professionals would consider that a low-grade fever, recommend Tylenol, rest, plenty of fluids and go from there. Of course, he’s fine now and I’m just a big worrywart, but when you think how fragile a child’s immune system is and how delicate the balance, the hype doesn’t seem so dramatic, does it?

Funny, too, how circumstances can play tricks on you. He was still warm Wednesday morning and we kept him home, his temp topping out at around 100F. It wasn’t going up, so that was good news, but then I got a headache that just wouldn’t quit. Damned if I didn’t start to wonder what was up. As in comedy and life, timing is everything.

So I checked Maple Leaf’s website www.mapleleaf.com) and discovered 179 different products on their eight-page recall list, updated Aug. 31, 2008. Apparently, as of this rendering, that list has grown.

Nothing looked familiar, but you never know, right? Stuff gets mixed together and turns up in something else and whammo! What was once considered remote and elsewhere comes home.

I browsed the Centre for Disease Control’s website to get some information and then read a CBC question-and-answer session online with a doctor that dealt specifically with the outbreak. A lot of people are worried, if I gauge the mood correctly.

The literature suggests, however, healthy people shouldn’t have a problem. The Listeria bacterium usually has consequence for only specific segments of the population. Healthy people might experience some symptoms, but generally a healthy individual is capable of fighting off the bacteria.

Still, you wonder. Especially when you have a headache and your little man is running a fever. Coincidence? Likely, but it’s hard not to be concerned, especially when it feels like nothing’s safe anymore.

You wonder ‘What if?’ and think, ‘What’s next?’ This outbreak is one instance. Have there been others and we just don’t know about them? Clearly we should demand more information on how this happened, explore preventative measures and ensure it can’t happen again. Indeed, we are no more insulated or protected here than anywhere else and the current situation merely underscores the point. Unless we require accountability up and down the line in the future, I can’t help but think we’ve seen only the tip of the iceberg. And that, my friends, is profoundly disturbing.