The United States is being alerted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to an epidemic of listeria that has sickened over twenty-six people in twelve states and may be connected to deli meat.
According to the federal health office, as of Friday, 28 persons had been ill, all of whom were hospitalized; two of the deaths were from Illinois and one from New Jersey.
With seven cases, New York has the highest number of cases, followed by Maryland with six. Illinois, Georgia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wisconsin are among the other states where cases have been documented.
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated in its Friday statement, “The true number of sick people in this outbreak is likely higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses. This is because some people recover without medical care and are not tested for Listeria. In addition, recent illnesses may not yet be reported as it usually takes 3 to 4 weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak.”
“Of the 18 people able to be interviewed, 16 reported eating meats sliced at a deli, most commonly deli-sliced turkey, liverwurst and ham. Meats were sliced at a variety of supermarket and grocery store delis,” the CDC stated.
According to CDC data, cases were reported between May 29 and July 5. The age range of the patients is 32–94, with a median age of 75. Of the patients, 72% consider themselves to be white, 23% Black or African American, and 5% Asian.
Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a dangerous infection that can occur when a person consumes infected food. The CDC states that when the bacteria go from the gut to other areas of the body, this can develop into invasive listeriosis.
According to the CDC, symptoms of a serious sickness can appear as early as the same day or as late as 70 days after consuming the tainted food, although they typically appear one to four weeks later.
Each year, an estimated 1,600 people contract listeriosis, and roughly 260 of them pass away. The most vulnerable groups are those who are immune system-compromised, 65 years of age or older, and expectant mothers and babies.
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It is common for non-pregnant individuals to encounter symptoms including fever, headache, aches in the muscles, exhaustion, stiff neck, disorientation, or difficulty maintaining equilibrium. The only symptoms that pregnant women are likely to have are fever and flu-like symptoms.
For people who are more susceptible to listeriosis, the CDC advises against eating meat that has been sliced at deli counters unless it has been cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit or until it is extremely hot right before serving.
In addition, the government advises contacting your physician if you have symptoms of listeriosis and have recently eaten sliced meat at a deli counter.
