Listeria Outbreak Possibly Linked to Florida, CDC Says – CNET [CNET]

One person has died and 22 others have been hospitalized. The source of the outbreak is still not known.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday that a listeria outbreak it’s investigating has a possible link to Florida.

A total of 23 illnesses have been reported. Twenty-two people have been hospitalized and one person has died from the outbreak. Five of the people who got sick were pregnant, the CDC said, and one patient’s fetus died. Illnesses were reported from January 2021 to June 2022 across 10 states. Listeria infection, or listeriosis, is caused by a bacteria that’s usually foodborne, and it typically causes illness in older adults, those with weakened immune systems, pregnant people and their newborn babies. 

A food source hasn’t been tied to the outbreak yet. Of the 22 people with information, 20 reported having lived in or traveled to Florida in the month before they got sick, according to the CDC, though the significance of this is “still under investigation,” the agency said. 

The true number of cases is likely higher, the CDC said, and newer cases probably haven’t been detected yet because it takes three to four weeks to link an illness to an outbreak. 

Listeriosis is one of the most serious kinds of foodborne disease, according to the World Health Organization. And unlike other bacteria that cause food poisoning, the listeria bacteria can survive in low temperatures in the refrigerator. Foods with a long shelf-life in the fridge (like deli meats) and other foods that haven’t been cooked have been associated with listeria in the past, the WHO says. It’s also found in nature in soil and water. 

Listeria that only causes mild, intestinal illness like diarrhea and vomiting is rarely diagnosed, according to the CDC, though symptoms usually start within 24 hours of eating an infected food. People who get sick with severe, invasive listeria infection (when it spreads beyond the gut) are typically people with weakened immune systems, older adults, newborn babies and pregnant people. Signs that it has spread typically develop within two weeks of eating an infected food, but symptoms can show up earlier or later. 

Pregnant people with listeria infection usually only experience flu-like symptoms like fever, muscle aches and fatigue, but the infection can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth and premature delivery or infection in newborns. That’s why health care providers sometimes advise people to avoid some foods (like soft cheeses) during pregnancy. Symptoms of listeria in people who aren’t pregnant include headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, in addition to fever and muscle aches. 

If you’re at higher risk for listeria and think you have symptoms, call a health care provider, especially if you’ve recently traveled to Florida. The CDC also suggests people with symptoms write down as many foods that they remember eating as possible within one month of symptoms starting.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.