• Posted July 22, 2024

CDC Warns of Listeria Outbreak Tied to Deli Meats

At least 28 people have been hospitalized and two have died in a multi-state outbreak of listeria linked to deli meat, U.S. health officials warned.

In an investigation notice posted Friday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the true number of illnesses is likely higher because there is often a lag time in reporting cases and some people may have had milder illness and not been tested for listeria.

So far, seven illnesses have been reported in New York; six in Maryland; two each in Georgia, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey and Virginia; and one each in Illinois, Minnesota, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

The deaths were reported in Illinois and New Jersey. The first person got sick at the end of May, and the latest case was reported on July 5.

At this point, it isn't clear exactly what deli meat may be to blame for the outbreak, so no recalls have been issued, the CDC noted. But the agency stressed that high-risk groups, including pregnant women, those 65 and older and those with weakened immune systems, should avoid eating sliced deli meat unless it’s been heated until it steams or reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Of the 18 people whom public health experts have been able to interview during the outbreak, 16 reported eating meats sliced at a deli in the month before they got sick. There are no reports of people getting sick after eating packaged deli meat, the CDC added.

Most of the people who fell ill reported eating turkey or liverwurst, while some reported eating ham. The meats came from a variety of grocery store delis.

"However, at this time CDC doesn’t have enough information to say which deli meats are the source of this outbreak," the agency noted.

Still, DNA tests showed the bacteria from the sick people was genetically similar, suggesting they probably caught the illness from the same food, the CDC said.

Listeria bacteria can cause listeriosis, the third-leading cause of death from food-borne illness in the United States. Symptoms typically include a fever, muscle aches and fatigue. Infection may also cause a headache, a stiff neck, confusion or seizures. Pregnant women may experience pregnancy loss or premature birth.

More information

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has more on listeria.

SOURCE: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, news release, July 19, 2024