NEW YORK — Amidst an ongoing investigation into a deadly listeria outbreak by U.S. health officials, a warning has been issued to certain vulnerable groups. Pregnant individuals, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems are being advised to refrain from consuming deli-sliced meats unless they are thoroughly reheated at home until steaming hot.
Despite the severity of the situation, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has not issued a food recall as of early Saturday. The reason being, it is still uncertain which specific products are contaminated with the bacteria responsible for two deaths and 28 hospitalizations across 12 states. This implies that the contaminated food might still be in circulation, and consumers should assess their personal risk before consuming deli meats.
On Friday, federal health officials expressed concern that the actual number of illnesses could be higher than reported. This is because individuals who recover at home are less likely to get tested. Consequently, the outbreak could have spread beyond the states where listeria infections have been reported, primarily in the Midwest and along the U.S. eastern coast. As of Saturday, no cases have been reported in Utah.
According to the CDC, New York has the highest number of known cases — seven. The fatalities were reported in Illinois and New Jersey.
From the individuals interviewed by investigators, “89% 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 reported.
Genetic analysis of samples collected from victims between May 29 and July 5 shows a close relation to the bacteria.
The CDC stated on its website on Friday, “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.”
Listeria infections typically manifest as fever, muscle aches, and fatigue, and may cause stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions. Symptoms can appear rapidly or up to 10 weeks after consuming contaminated food.
Diagnosis of listeria infections is usually done by testing bodily fluids, primarily blood, and occasionally urine or spinal fluid, as per the Mayo Clinic.
The CDC warns that listeria infections pose a significant risk to individuals over 65 and those with weakened immune systems. The age range of the victims in this outbreak is between 32 and 94, with a median age of 75.
For pregnant individuals, listeria can heighten the risk of miscarriages. One of the victims in the current outbreak was pregnant but did not miscarry, officials reported.
Intestinal listeriosis, where the infection is confined to the gut, can often be treated without antibiotics, according to the CDC. For instance, extra fluids might be needed during bouts of diarrhea.
However, invasive listeriosis, where the infection spreads beyond the gut, is extremely dangerous. It is typically treated with antibiotics to reduce the risk of blood infections and brain inflammation, as per the Mayo Clinic.
So far, there have been no reports of people falling ill from prepackaged deli meats. For those at risk who have deli slices in their refrigerator, these can be made safe by thorough reheating. The CDC states, “Refrigeration does not kill listeria, but reheating before eating will kill any germs that may be on these meats.”
This advice is not new. The CDC has always recommended that those at higher risk for listeriosis either avoid eating deli-sliced meats or heat them to an internal temperature of 165 Fahrenheit or until steaming hot before consumption.
It’s worth noting that some products implicated in past listeria outbreaks cannot be reheated, such as cheeses, bean dips, milk, mushrooms, packaged salads, and ice cream.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group.
Disagree – This is concerning news, but I’m not too worried about it.
Disagree – This is a serious issue that needs to be addressed immediately.
Agree – It’s crucial for the CDC to investigate and prevent further spread of this outbreak.