CDC Confirms 3rd Death in Multi-State Listeria Outbreak Connected to Recalled Deli Meats

A third person died and 10 more people have been hospitalized in connection to an outbreak of listeria, the agency says.

This 2002 electron microscope image made available by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a Listeria monocytogenes bacterium, responsible for the food borne illness listeriosis. Elizabeth White/CDC via AP, File

A third person died and 10 more people have been hospitalized in connection to an outbreak of listeria tied to Boar’s Head deli meats, said the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

An individual most recently died in Virginia from the Listeria monocytogenes bacteria in addition to the two prior deaths in Illinois and New Jersey, said the CDC in an update Thursday.

Since late July, 43 people have been hospitalized with listeria across 13 states including Indiana, Georgia, North Carolina, Missouri, Minnesota, Illinois, Virginia, Wisconsin, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Massachusetts, the agency said.

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Boar’s Head last month issued a recall, which it expanded to include all of its deli meat products a liverwurst sample collected by health officials in Maryland tested positive for listeria. The CDC said Thursday that a New York health officials tested a liverwurst sample and confirmed the same strain of listeria.

The recall includes more than 70 products, including liverwurst, ham, beef salami, and bologna. They were made the company’s facility in Jarratt, Virginia.

Boar’s Head faces two lawsuits over the outbreak, one in a Missouri court and the other a class action suit in federal court in New York.

“The true number of sick people in this outbreak is likely higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses,” the CDC said. “This is because some people recover without medical care and are not tested for Listeria.”

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The meat was distributed to stores nationwide, as well as to the Cayman Islands, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Panama, said the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

“People who are at higher risk for getting sick with listeria, such as those who are pregnant, are aged 65 or older, or have a weakened immune system, should always avoid eating meats sliced at deli counters, unless heated to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F or until steaming hot just before serving,” the CDC said.

Health officials say listeria can cause a severe form of the infection that can spread beyond the stomach to other parts of the body. It also warned that pregnant women infected with the bacteria can suffer a miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or a life-threatening infection of the child.

Others may have symptoms including a fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, officials warn. Symptoms of a severe form of the illness generally start between one and four weeks after eating the contaminated food, although the symptoms may start much earlier or as long as 70 days later.

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The CDC estimates that around 1,600 people per year get food poisoning from listeria, while about 260 of those people die.

Consumers who have Boar’s Head products should check the product labels for “EST. 12612” or “P-12612” in the USDA mark of inspection.

People with questions about the recall can call Boar’s Head at 1-800-352-6277, and those with concerns or questions may contact the USDA at 888-674-6854.

Officials with the CDC and USDA warn that consumers should not eat the recalled meats and should discard them or return them to the store for a refund. Listeria bacteria can survive and grow in the refrigerator, so officials say people who had recalled products should thoroughly clean and sanitize the fridge to prevent contamination.

In an unrelated listeria outbreak in February connected dairy products, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said that it was connected to an outbreak that dated back about a decade. That outbreak led to 26 states across 11 dates, including two deaths and 23 hospitalizations before it was closed by the FDA last year.