Debosmita Ghosh • 20 Jul 2024
CDC Reports Listeria Outbreak Linked To Deli Meats Resulted In Deaths, Know About The Foodborne Illness
CDC Reports Listeria Outbreak Linked To Deli Meats Resulted In Deaths
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that two people have died due to a listeria outbreak across 12 states in the US. This outbreak is likely linked to sliced deli meats. The agency also said that a total of 28 people have been infected and hospitalised with the disease as of Friday in an outbreak that began in May.
The infection has been reported in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts. The two deaths were reported in Illinois and New Jersey.
A report in NBC News says that people who got sick reported to state and local officials that they ate “a variety of meats sliced at deli counters” in the month before they got sick. Officials have also spoken to 18 people and 16 of them said they ate meats sliced at a deli and found they most commonly ate turkey, liverwurst and ham.
CDC said, “This information suggests that meats sliced at the deli are a likely source of this outbreak. However, at this time CDC doesn’t have enough information to say which deli meats are the source of this outbreak.”
CDC also said that the number of people who have been infected in the outbreak might be higher than reported as some people recover from the infection without medical care.
What is Listeria Infection?
Also known as listeriosis, this is a foodborne illness. Listeria monocytogenes cause listeriosis and it is commonly found in soil, groundwater, rotting vegetation and animal faeces (poop). Most people get infected from eating contaminated foods. It usually takes one to two weeks to show symptoms, however, in some cases, it can be as short as a couple of days or as long as three months.
The infection can be deadly for pregnant women, people older than 65 and people with weakened immune systems. Healthy people rarely get ill but the disease can be fatal to unborn babies, newborns and people with weakened immune systems.
Symptoms of Listeria Infection
Here, take a look at some of the common symptoms of listeria infection.
- Fever
- Chills
- Muscle aches
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
When the infection spreads to your nervous system, it can cause the following signs and symptoms.
- Headache
- Stiff neck
- Confusion or changes in alertness
- Loss of balance
- Convulsions
Here, take a look at the symptoms during pregnancy and in newborns
During pregnancy, a listeria infection is likely to cause only mild signs and symptoms in the mother. Mayo Clinic says that the consequences for the baby, however, can be devastating and the baby can die in the womb or have a life-threatening infection within a few days of being born.
Signs and symptoms of a listeria infection in a newborn can be subtle, but can include:
- Little interest in feeding
- Irritability
- Fever
- Vomiting
- Difficulty breathing.
Causes of Listeria Infection
The bacteria can be found in soil, water and animal faeces. People can get infected when they eat the following:
- Raw vegetables that have been contaminated from the soil or from contaminated manure used as fertilizer
- Contaminated meat
- Unpasteurized milk or foods made with unpasteurized milk
- Certain processed foods such as soft cheeses, hot dogs and deli meats that have been contaminated after processing
- Unborn babies can contract a listeria infection from the mother.