Health Investigators Link Listeria Outbreak to Florida - AARP
An investigation is underway to identify the food source responsible for a multistate outbreak of listeria infections primarily involving people who either live in Florida or traveled there prior to becoming sick.
As of June 29, a total of 23 cases of listeriosis, a bacterial infection usually caused by eating food contaminated with listeria, were recorded in 10 states, causing 22 hospitalizations and one death.
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Foods commonly contaminated with listeria
- Unpasteurized soft cheeses
- Unpasteurized milk
- Raw sprouts
- Melons
- Hod dogs, patés, lunch meats and cold cuts
- Smoked fish
Source: CDC
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 20 of the infections were reported from people who are Florida residents or who traveled to Florida the month before they became ill. The "significance" of this connection to Florida is still under investigation, the CDC said. The other states involved in the outbreak are Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.
Sick people ranged in age from under 1 to 92, with a median age of 72. Illnesses started to be reported between Jan. 24 and June 12. Public health officials are continuing to interview infected people about the foods they ate the month before they got sick. So far, a common food source has not been identified. It takes up to four weeks for health officials to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak.
Meanwhile, some Vidalia onions distributed to several states by A&M Farms and marketed under the Little Bear brand were recalled on June 30 over concerns that they may have been contaminated with listeria. However, the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have not linked the recalled onions to the outbreak investigation, and no illnesses have been tied to consuming the recalled onions. The Little Bear brand of Vidalia onions subject to the recall were sold at some Wegmans stores in Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania, as well as at some Publix stores in Florida and Georgia.
Advice to older adults
Adults 65 and older are four times more likely than others to get infected with listeria, according to the CDC. Other high-risk individuals include those who are immunocompromised or pregnant. A listeria infection can cause a range of symptoms including headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions, in addition to fever and muscle aches. Anyone who is at high risk of an infection and has these symptoms is advised to contact a health care provider.
To help find the source of the outbreak, the CDC is asking those who believe they may be infected to write down as much as they can about what they ate the month before getting sick.
People usually report symptoms one to four weeks after eating food contaminated with listeria. But some people have reported symptoms as late as 70 days after exposure and as early as the day of exposure. About 1,600 people in the U.S. get listeriosis each year, resulting in 260 deaths, the CDC estimates.
Aaron Kassraie writes about issues important to military veterans and their families for AARP. He also serves as a general assignment reporter. Kassraie previously covered U.S. foreign policy as a correspondent for the Kuwait News Agency's Washington bureau and worked in news gathering for USA Today and Al Jazeera English.
Also of Interest
- Salmonella outbreak linked to backyard chickens
- Dole issues another recall of packaged salads
- Nationwide peanut butter recall
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