What is listeria? | The Sun

LISTERIA is one of the most dangerous foodborne organisms when consumed by mouth, with up to 20% of clinical infections terminating in death. 

These bacteria typically infect those with immature or impaired immune systems, causing serious disease and death.

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What is listeria?

Listeria infection is a foodborne bacterial disease that can be fatal in pregnant women, persons over the age of 65, and those with compromised immune systems. 

Eating inadequately prepared deli meats and unpasteurized milk products are the most prevalent causes of the illness.

Listeria infection is seldom lethal in healthy adults, but it can be fatal in unborn babies, newborns, and people with weaker immune systems, according to Mayo Clinic. 

Listeria bacteria can withstand freezing and even refrigeration. 

What foods are likely to contain listeria?

Some foods that people should be cautious around when eating to avoid listeria, according to Mayo Clinic, include: 

• Mexican-style cheeses and soft cheeses: eat soft cheeses like feta, brie, Camembert, or blue cheese, as well as Mexican-style cheeses like queso blanco and queso fresco, only if the package clearly states that the product was manufactured with pasteurized milk.
• Hot dogs and deli meats: unless they’ve been reheated until they’re boiling hot and/or cooked, stay away from them. 
• Seafood that has been smoked: nova style, lox, kippered, and jerky can be used to describe these goods. They’re fine to consume cooked.
• Sprouts: raw or mildly cooked Sprouts of any sort should be properly cooked.

Was there a listeria outbreak?

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) started investigating a multistate epidemic of listeria infections in coordination with state and local partners, according to FoodSafetyNews.com.

As of December 2021, ten people were contaminated with Listeria in eight states: Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, according to the website. 

A new outbreak in Florida was reported by the CDC on June 30, 2022, but the specific food causing Listeria cases is unknown.

Fresh Express voluntarily halted production at its Streamwood, Illinois, facility and issued a recall of select kinds in reaction to the sample results and the current outbreak investigation. 

The CDC says as of June 30, the number of people diagnosed has increased to 23, 22 people have been hospitalized, and one person has died.

According to the CDC, the majority of people diagnosed across the ten states with outbreaks had either travelled to or live in Florida.