ST. LOUIS – Missouri and Illinois have been added to the list of states affected by Listeria, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) map.
The CDC reports that “Listeria is especially harmful to people who are pregnant, aged 65 or older, or with weakened immune systems. CDC always recommends people at higher risk for listeriosis avoid eating meats sliced at the deli or heat them to an internal temperature of 165°F or until steaming hot before eating.”
The investigation is still active, but the CDC is still collecting information to determine the specific products that may be contaminated. As of now, any products that are sold at the deli, especially sliced or prepared at the deli, can be contaminated with Listeria, according to the CDC. Refrigeration does not kill the bacteria, but heating the food to a high enough temperature before eating will kill any germs that may be on the meats.
At least two people have died and more than two dozen were hospitalized in an outbreak of listeria food poisoning linked to meat sliced at grocery store deli counters, federal health officials said Friday.
At least 28 people in a dozen states have gotten sick, though the largest number, seven, were in New York, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The people who died were from Illinois and New Jersey. Samples were collected from May 29 to July 5 and so far, all of the people known to be part of the outbreak have been hospitalized.
Many of the people in the outbreak reported eating meats that were sliced at grocery store deli counters. So far, there’s no information showing that people are getting sick from prepackaged deli meats, the CDC said. People most commonly reported eating deli-sliced turkey, liverwurst and ham, officials said. CDC doesn’t have enough information to say which deli meats are the source of the outbreak.
Listeria infections typically cause fever, muscle aches and tiredness and may cause stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions. Symptoms can occur quickly or to up to 10 weeks after eating contaminated food. The infections are especially dangerous for people older than 65, those with weakened immune systems and pregnant people, who can have miscarriages. This outbreak includes people aged 32 to 94, with a median age of 75. One pregnant person got sick, but retained the pregnancy, officials said.
