Listeria in cold cuts: Two dead, 28 hospitalized
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a listeriosis outbreak alert on July 19. This bacteria was contaminated in cold cuts from the deli section of grocery stores, reports CNN.
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Two people died and at least 28 were hospitalized. However, the CDC says the true number of cases is likely higher because some may have had a milder form of the disease and were not tested for listeria. There is also a time lag between when the disease begins and when scientists can link it to an ongoing investigation.
Officially, seven cases of the disease were reported in New York, six in Maryland, and two each in Georgia, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey and Virginia. One case each was identified in Illinois, Minnesota, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Deaths were reported in Illinois and New Jersey.
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Of the 18 people interviewed by state and local health officials, 16 reported eating meat cut from the deli section in the month before becoming ill. There are no reports of infections following consumption of packaged meat.
The CDC does not yet know which meat is responsible for this listeriosis outbreak. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the US Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service are investigating, but no recalls have been issued.
Most people who became ill reported eating turkey or liver sausage, while some reported eating ham. The meat came from various deli sections of grocery stores. Tests using DNA profiling showed that the bacteria in the patients were genetically similar. This suggests that people likely became infected from the same product.
The CDC said the timeline for this outbreak spans several months. The first person fell ill at the end of May, and the last case of infection was registered on July 5.
Listeria bacteria can cause listeriosis, the third leading cause of foodborne illness deaths in the United States. Symptoms usually include fever, muscle pain and weakness. The infection causes headache, neck tension, confusion, and seizures, among other things. Pregnant women may experience miscarriage or premature birth.
As the CDC explained, listeria spreads easily in delicatessen departments: the bacteria spread from equipment to hands and food. The bacterium survives in refrigerators, but can be killed by heat.
Pregnant women, people over 65 and those with weakened immune systems are advised to avoid cold cut meats. They should be heated to at least 80 degrees Celsius.
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If you have stored sliced meats from the deli section in your home, clean the refrigerator and any containers or surfaces that may have come into contact with it.
Anyone who develops symptoms of listeriosis should seek medical help immediately.
The CDC urges people with listeriosis to cooperate with local health authorities. Specialists will contact patients to find out what they ate in the last month and take their receipts or leftover food to identify the source of the disease.
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