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	Podcast:		UC Science Today
	Episode:		New insight into the cause of a foodborne disease that affects pregnancies
	Category:		Science & Medicine
	Duration:		00:01:03
	Publish Date:		2017-02-12 18:00:00
	Description:		Researchers have discovered a molecule that triggers Listeriosis, a foodborne infection caused by Listeria bacteria. The illness makes hundreds of Americans sick every year and pregnant women are especially vulnerable, since the infection can result in miscarriage and pre-term birth. "The bacterium Listeria is actually ubiquitous. We can find it in the environment, in any kind of food products. And it can cause an occasional disease or it can cause outbreaks. There have been outbreaks associated with cantaloupes, with hotdogs.” That’s microbiologist Anna BakArdjiev of the University of California, San Francisco. She explains their finding debunk previous theories that a pregnant woman’s weakened immune system could trigger the disease. By identifying the culprit as a bacterial protein, Bakardjiev says researchers now have more tools to fight Listeria. "Could we use this protein and vaccinate people with this protein so the bacteria that infected the mother can be eliminated before they get into the placenta if they express the protein?"
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