Death Toll From Multistate Listeria Outbreak Related to Deli Meats Rises to 9: CDC

An electron micrograph of a Listeria bacterium in tissue, in a 2002 image from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Elizabeth White/CDC/Reuters

Six more people have been hospitalized after a multistate listeria outbreak linked to contaminated meat, according to an Aug. 28 update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

So far, nine people have died and nearly 60 have been hospitalized due to the outbreak, which relates to Boar’s Head deli meat, specifically Strassburger Brand Liverwurst. The company first recalled the product on July 25.

The six additional deaths occurred in five states: one each in Florida, Tennessee, New Mexico, and New York, and two in South Carolina, according to the CDC.

The agency said it is the largest listeria outbreak since a 2011 incident linked to cantaloupe.

“On July 25, 2024, we voluntarily recalled our Strassburger Brand Liverwurst because it had the potential to be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes. As a precaution, we also recalled nine other products made on the same line and on the same day as our liverwurst,” Boar’s Head said in a statement on its website.

The company said that once a link between the liverwurst and the outbreak was established, they recalled every item that was produced at the same facility in Jarratt, Virginia, four days later, on July 29.

“We enacted this broad and precautionary recall totaling seven million pounds because we believed it was the right thing to do,” the company said.

The company apologized to customers and expressed regret at the loss of life and sickness caused by the contaminated product.

“We deeply regret the impact this recall has had on affected families. No words can fully express our sympathies and the sincere and deep hurt we feel for those who have suffered losses or endured illness,” it said.

According to data from the CDC, the listeria outbreak affected other meats sliced at delis, since the bacteria is easily spread among deli equipment, surfaces, hands, and food.

While refrigeration does not kill listeria, heating meat and poultry products to over 165 degrees F, or until steaming hot, will destroy the bacteria.

Customers who bought the contaminated products have been advised to either throw them out or return them to the store for a full refund.

Eating food contaminated with listeria monocytogenes bacteria can lead to listeriosis, a serious infection that can cause symptoms including high fever, headache, diarrhea, and nausea, although the severity of symptoms depends on the individual infected and which part of the body is affected.

Listeriosis is especially dangerous for pregnant women and people aged 65 or over, or for those with a weakened immune system, according to the CDC.

From NTD News