Listeria Outbreak from Deli Meats and Cheeses Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again. × Search search POPULAR SEARCHES SUGGESTED LINKS Join AARP for just $9 per year when you sign up for a 5-year term. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. Leaving AARP.org Website You are now leaving AARP.org and going to a website that is not operated by AARP. A different privacy policy and terms of service will apply. Close
Deli Meat Cheese Linked to Listeria Outbreak by CDC
Investigators work to identify contaminated products or delis
Angelica Heine / Getty Images . Health authorities are working to pinpoint specific products or delis linked to the outbreak. The contaminated meats may include cold cuts, lunch meats, hot dogs or pâtés. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. Investigators said a tainted meat or cheese probably introduced the outbreak strain into delis in multiple states. Listeria can easily spread among countertops, deli slicers, surfaces and hands. “Listeria is a hearty germ that can be difficult to fully remove once it is in the deli,” the CDC said in the outbreak announcement. “It can survive and grow at cold temperatures in the refrigerator.” Infections by the numbers
From April 17 to Sept. 29, 16 infections were recorded in people 38 to 92 years old. Of the 14 infected people with information available, 13 were hospitalized, one died and one person lost their pregnancy. Illnesses have been recorded in California, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York. The CDC said the total of infected people and states involved in this outbreak is probably higher than the reported amount because some people recover without medical care and are not tested for listeria. Advice to consumers
People who are 65 or older, have a or are pregnant have a greater risk of severe illness from listeria. If you are at high risk for infection, the CDC advises you to: Avoid eating meat or cheese from any deli counter, unless it is reheated to , to kill the bacteria., containers and any surfaces that may have touched meat or cheese from a deli.Call your health care provider if you have any symptoms of severe listeria illness after eating meat or cheese from a deli. Symptoms of a listeria infection
Listeriosis, the infection caused by eating food contaminated with the listeria bacteria, may cause serious and sometimes fatal illness in people 65 and older and those with weakened immune systems. Pregnant women and newborns are also at risk of serious infection. The CDC says a listeria infection can cause a range of symptoms, including: Stiff neckConfusionLoss of balanceConvulsionsFeverMuscle achesFatigue Pregnant women usually experience only fever, fatigue and muscle aches. However, listeria can lead to premature birth or pregnancy loss and can cause serious illness or death in newborns. Anyone who experiences symptoms of severe listeria illness should call their health care provider. About 1,600 people in the U.S. get listeriosis each year, resulting in an average of 260 deaths, the CDC estimates. Americans 65 and older are four times as likely as others to get a listeria infection. Aaron Kassraie writes about issues important to military veterans and their families for AARP. He also serves as a general assignment reporter. Kassraie previously covered U.S. foreign policy as a correspondent for the Kuwait News Agency’s Washington bureau and worked in news gathering for USA Today and Al Jazeera English. MORE FROM AARP AARP NEWSLETTERS %{ newsLetterPromoText }% %{ description }% Subscribe AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Restaurants offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS