Listeria is a type of bacteria that is harmful and can spread to your baby. You are much more likely to get the disease caused by listeria – called listeriosis – when you are pregnant. It can be given to the baby while you are pregnant even if you do not have symptoms. 

To prevent listeriosis: 

• Do not eat hot dogs, lunch meats, bologna, or other deli meat unless they are reheated until steaming hot. 
• Do not eat refrigerated pâté, meat spreads from a meat counter, or smoked seafood found in the refrigerated section of the store. 
• Foods that don’t need refrigeration, like canned tuna and canned salmon, are okay to eat. Refrigerate after opening. 
• Do not drink unpasteurized (raw) milk. Do not eat foods that have raw milk in them. 
• Do not eat salads made in the store such as ham salad, chicken salad, egg salad, tuna salad, or seafood salad. 
• Do not eat soft cheese such as Feta, queso blanco, queso fresco, Brie, Camembert cheeses, blue-veined cheeses, and Panela unless it is made with pasteurized milk. Check to make sure the label says, “Made with pasteurized milk.”