A listeria outbreak linked to sliced deli meats has resulted in two deaths and 28 hospitalizations in the Midwest and East Coast, federal health officials said.
People are believed to have become sick from the bacteria that can cause foodborne illness, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday. The cases sampled were collected between May 29 and July 5.
One person died in Illinois, the only case reported in the state, and another person died in New York, which leads the nation with seven cases in this outbreak, according to CDC data.
Listeriosis is especially concerning for pregnant women, people 65 years of age or older, or people who are immunocompromised. In pregnant women, listeriosis can cause miscarriage. Other people can also become infected with listeriosis, but rarely become seriously ill, according to the CDC.
In which states has listeria been reported?
- New York: 7
- Maryland: 6
- Missouri: 2
- Virginia: 2
- Georgia: 2
- Minnesota: 1
- Wisconsin: 1
- Illinois: 1
- Pennsylvania: 1
- North Carolina: 1
- Massachusetts: 2
What meat did they eat?
CDC officials said 16 of the 18 patients ate sliced meat from deli sections, primarily turkey, liverwurst and ham.
The health agency is investigating what types of meat might be contaminated, but said there was no evidence that prepackaged deli meats transmitted listeria to people.
How old were the patients?
The ages of those who have been sick range from 32 to 94, with the median being 75, according to CDC data.
The majority (72%) of patients identified as white while 23% identified as black or African American and 5% as Asian.
What is listeria?
Listeria is a genus of bacteria that cause serious illness when they spread from the intestines to other parts of the body.
Symptoms, which usually appear one to four weeks after eating contaminated food, include headache, neck stiffness, confusion, loss of balance and seizures, fever and muscle aches. Symptoms can also appear as early as the same day or up to 70 days later.
People at high risk of listeriosis should avoid eating sliced meat from the deli section unless the meat is heated to 165 degrees or is piping hot, the CDC recommends.
Anyone experiencing symptoms of listeria after recently eating sliced deli meats should contact a healthcare professional.
Contributor: Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY
