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Listeria Outbreak in UK Hospitals Under Investigation by UKHSA
11 months ago •source food-safety.com
United Kingdom
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is investigating a listeria outbreak linked to desserts supplied to National Health Service (NHS) facilities. The outbreak has resulted in five illnesses and three deaths. The desserts have tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes, but the connection to the outbreak is yet to be confirmed. The patients affected by the outbreak, aged between 68 and 89, were all hospital inpatients with pre-existing health conditions. The illnesses occurred between May and December 2024, with patients located in Yorkshire and the Humber, the North West of England, the West Midlands, and Wales. Of the three fatalities, one was directly attributed to listeriosis, while the other two patients were infected with L. monocytogenes at the time of their deaths.The outbreak was identified during routine surveillance in February 2025 at an NHS hospital in the South West of England. The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) is currently investigating Cool Delights-brand desserts, specifically a chocolate/vanilla mousse and a strawberry/vanilla mousse, as the potential source of the outbreak. Although these desserts tested positive for L. monocytogenes, the level of contamination was below the legal threshold considered harmful to healthy adults. As a precautionary measure, these desserts have been withdrawn from the supply chain pending further investigation.
In a related development, a similar listeriosis outbreak is under investigation in the U.S., linked to nutritional shakes served in healthcare facilities. This outbreak has resulted in 38 illnesses and 12 deaths across 21 states. The shakes, produced by Sysco Imperial and Lyons ReadyCare, have been voluntarily recalled. L. monocytogenes poses a significant risk to vulnerable groups such as the elderly, newborns, pregnant women, and those with compromised immune systems, who are often residents of long-term care facilities and hospitals.
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