Two Deaths in Massive Listeria Outbreak Linked To Sliced Deli Meat

By: Stephanie Bontorin | Published: Jul 22, 2024

Currently, two people have been reported dead with dozens ore sick and in the hospital due to a single listeria outbreak that appears to be linked back to sliced deli meats.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention note that the deli meat was sold across a dozen states as they try to mitigate the infections.

The Fatalities

The two deaths were recorded in Illinois and New Jersey after both patients were hospitalized due to the listeria outbreak.

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Variety of sliced deli meats on a chopping board

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In total, 28 people across 12 states have been admitted to hospital with a listeria infection since May.

What Is Listeria?

Listeria is a food borne bacterial illness that can be extremely serious for pregnant women,  people older than 65, and people with autoimmune diseases.

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An up-close view of a wooden charcuterie board featuring an arrangement of sliced cheeses and salami. Cubed and sliced yellow cheese are neatly placed beside round slices of red salami

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The bacteria is commonly found in deli meats, unpasteurized milk products and pre-sliced fruits and vegetables.

What Are the Symptoms?

If you develop a listeria infection you might begin to experience fever, chills, muscle aches, nausea, and diarrhea.

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A doctor stands next to an elderly patient in a hospital bed

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The symptoms can be felt up to 30 days after eating contaminated foods while the infections works its way through your body.

Serious Issue To Watch For

There are some telltale signs that listeria has spread to the nervous system. In this case, a person experiencing these symptoms should seek medical help immediately.

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An image of an older man lying in a hospital bed

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Some of the more serious side effects are headache, stiff neck, confusion or changes in alertness, loss of balance, or convulsions.

Symptoms in Pregnant Women

One of the most at-risk groups of people for a listeria outbreak are pregnant women.

Toddler in a hat is kissing their mother’s pregnant stomach outside

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Listeria can be devastating for the mother as it can cause a quick death of the baby in the women during a life threatening infection. Pregnant women should try to avoid commonly infected foods for this reason.

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Where Did the Infections Occur?

The CDC noted that “Many people in this outbreak are reporting eating meats that they had sliced at deli counters.”

A woman stands in front of a shelf at a grocery store filled with processed meats

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So far, severe illnesses have been reported in New York, Maryland, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin.

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Matching Samples

The CDC was able to discover where the infections started form as patients gave samples and tested positive for the same strain of listeria between May 29 and July 5.

A counter filled with several deli meats and sliced cheeses with mayos, mustards, and fresh veggies

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The affected people ranged from ages 32 to 94 with one pregnant woman who thankfully recovered fully already with no harm to her unborn baby.

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Inspection Found the Culprit

The CDC expedited a health inspection of the suspected deli meat using a national database of DNA fingerprints of bacteria that cause food borne illnesses.

Several items of meat, fish, and dairy are displayed on a table

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Through whole genome sequencing, it was quickly discovered that the listeria came from suppliers of meats, sliced at deli counters.

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Why Is Listeria Common in Delis?

The reason why listeria outbreaks are so common with deli meats and delis in general is that “Listeria spreads easily among deli equipment, surfaces, hands and food,” the CDC says.

A woman in a motorized scooter looks at a product in front of a large deli counter

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The group also noted that “Refrigeration does not kill Listeria, but reheating to a high enough temperature before eating will kill any germs that may be on these meats.”

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Common Reason for Illnesses

Currently, listeria infections are the third leading cause of death from food borne illnesses in the United States.

A sandwich with crusty bread and sliced meat

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Other common bacteria found in food are salmonella and e. coli infections.

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Two People Dead From Ice Cream This Year

Health authorities in Canada reported that two people died from a listeriosis outbreak due to contaminated plant-based ice cream earlier this month.

A scoop being inserted into a container of vanilla ice cream, with the ice cream showing a creamy texture

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Dozens of ice cream products were recalled by the manufacturer of Totally Cool after the Food and Drug Administration warned of a possible listeria outbreak.

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