CDC continues to note illnesses despite product recalls and asks consumers to check for recalled foods in Listeria outbreak linked to prepared meals

A CDC food safety alert regarding a multistate outbreak of Listeria infections has been posted:

Key Points:

• 7 new illnesses, including 6 new hospitalizations and 2 new deaths have been reported since the last update. One death from Hawaii and one from Oregon.
• Investigators are working to determine if these new ill people ate previously recalled foods or if other foods may be contaminated.
• CDC encourages everyone to double-check their refrigerators and freezers for recalled foods. Do not eat them.
• See the outbreak notice for food recalls which are still within use by dates.

What You Should Do:

• Do not eat recalled foods. Throw them away or return them to where you bought them.
• Clean your refrigerator, containers, and surfaces that may have touched the recalled foods. Listeria can survive in the refrigerator and can easily spread to other foods and surfaces.
• Call a healthcare provider right away if you have symptoms after eating the recalled foods.

Listeria Symptoms:

• Listeria is especially harmful to people aged 65 or older, women who are pregnant, or people with weakened immune systems. This is because Listeria is more likely to spread beyond their gut to other parts of their body, resulting in a severe condition known as invasive listeriosis.
  • For women who are pregnant, Listeria can cause pregnancy loss, premature birth, or a life-threatening infection in her newborn.
  • For people who are 65 years or older or who have a weakened immune system, Listeria often results in hospitalization and sometimes death.
• Symptoms usually start within 2 weeks after eating food contaminated with Listeria but may start as early as the same day or as late as 10 weeks after.
  • Pregnant women usually have fever, muscle aches, and tiredness.
  • Other people may have fever, muscle aches, and tiredness They may also get a headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or seizures.
• For more information about Listeria, see the Listeria page.

If you have questions about cases in a particular state, please call that state’s health department.

If you are a member of the media, please fill out this Request for Comment form to submit your media inquiry to CDC.

Thank you,

CDC News Media Branch