United States
The CDC is investigating a Listeria outbreak in which most of the sick people in this outbreak live in or traveled to Florida about a month before they got sick. Up to June 30, there have been 23 people reported sick from 10 states. 22 people have required hospitalization and 1 death has been reported. A specific food item has not yet been identified as the source of this outbreak.
Among 10 people with information who did not live in Florida, 8 traveled to Florida in the month before getting sick. Listeria symptoms usually start within 2 weeks after eating food contaminated with Listeria. CDC advises that if you are at higher risk for Listeria infection and have symptoms, especially if you recently traveled to Florida, talk to your healthcare provider.
Listeria is most likely to sicken pregnant people and their newborns, adults aged 65 or older, and people with weakened immune systems. Other people can be infected with Listeria, but they rarely become seriously ill.
Some CDC recommendations to prevent Listeriosis:
- Do not eat raw or lightly cooked sprouts of any kind (including alfalfa, clover, radish, and mung bean sprouts).
- Don’t let juice from hot dog and lunch meat packages get on other foods, utensils, and food preparation surfaces.
- For people at higher risk avoid eating hot dogs, lunch meats, cold cuts, other deli meats, or fermented or dry sausages unless they are heated to an internal temperature of 165°F or until steaming hot just before serving.
- Only consume pasteurized milk and milk products, including soft cheese, ice cream, and yogurt. Look for the word “pasteurized” on the label. If in doubt, don’t buy it!
- Eat cut melon right away or refrigerate it. Throw away cut melons left at room temperature for more than 4 hours.
In case you are experiencing Listeria symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, it is important to report it. It can help to detect & resolve outbreaks early and prevent others from being harmed, and it enables better surveillance. If symptoms persist, seek medical care. If symptoms persist, seek medical care.
Source:
www.cdc.gov
