Listeria Outbreak Kills Three in Washington State, Local Health Authorities Say

Listeria monocytogenes. Courtesy of U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Three people have died from a listeria outbreak in Washington state, according to state health authorities.

The Washington State Department of Health, Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, and Thurston County Public Health and Social Services announced on July 21 that they were investigating the cases of five adults over 60 years of age who developed severe infections of listeriosis—which is caused by Listeria monocytogenes—including the three who died.

All five became ill between Feb. 27 and June 30 and had “compromised immune systems,” the health department said.

A common food source has yet to be officially identified during the ongoing investigation.

Listeriosis is a serious bacterial infection that commonly comes from contaminated food, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

About 1,600 people develop listeriosis each year in the United States, resulting in about 260 deaths.

Two of the infected adults were female and three were male, with four from Pierce County and one in Thurston County in Washington.

The individuals likely contracted the infection from the same food source based on genetic fingerprinting results, according to the statement.

The state Department of Health said it was “working with Pierce and Thurston County local health jurisdictions to gather information from interviews with patients and their families to help identify any common exposures.”

Threat to Pregnant Women, the Elderly

Those most at risk include pregnant women, newborn babies, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems, while people outside those categories rarely display symptoms, the CDC stated.

Common symptoms among pregnant women include fever, muscle aches, fatigue, and other flu-like symptoms. The bacterial infection could cause miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, or potentially fatal infection in the baby in severe cases.

Other groups may experience headache, stiff neck, balance problems, seizures, and confusion.

Among those who are not pregnant, the death rate from listeriosis is about 5 percent, according to the CDC.

Intestinal illness, including diarrhea and vomiting, can also occur for one to three days within 24 hours of eating contaminated food.

Diagnosis of listeriosis is confirmed via testing of blood, spinal fluid, or placenta and can normally be treated by antibiotics.

To prevent infection, the CDC says that people in high-risk groups should avoid eating foods that are more likely to be contaminated. These include soft cheeses, meats, cheeses and salads from delis, deli meats, cold cuts, hot dogs, fermented or dry sausages, pâté or meat spreads, cold-smoked fish, sprouts, melons, and unpasteurized milk and raw milk products.

Foodborne Bacteria Recalls

There have been several food recalls in the United States in recent months over possible bacterial contamination.

Earlier in July, Cooperstown Cheese Company in New York recalled 1,400 pounds of cheese that had been purchased, sold, or distributed from June 21 to July 10 after an inspection found possible listeria contamination.

Several cheeses were distributed in New York State and were sold to customers through farmers markets, restaurants, and retail stores.

The company has since ceased production, while company officials and the FDA continue to investigate the problem. No illnesses were reported.

In November 2022, a listeria outbreak caused at least one death and one pregnancy loss across six states, with sixteen confirmed cases.

That outbreak was linked to infected deli meats and cheeses, the CDC reported.

And in March, the seafood company Seven Seas International USA recalled several of its smoked salmon products due to concerns about listeria contamination.

The firm based in St. Petersburg, Florida, recalled 295 cases of Biltmore Smoked Sockeye Salmon because of the potential presence of the bacteria.