A listeria outbreak tied to deli meat and cheese has sickened 16 people in six states, including Massachusetts, U.S. health officials said Wednesday.
According to authorities, most of those sickened were hospitalized. One illness resulted in the loss of a pregnancy, and one illness resulted in death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
According to officials, preliminary information shows that deli meat and cheese purchased at deli counters in multiple states are the likely sources of this outbreak. However, investigators said, it's difficult to identify a single food as the source of outbreaks linked to deli meats and cheeses.
Two of the people sickened were from Massachusetts, the CDC said. The others were from New York, Maryland, Illinois, New Jersey and California. The one death was reported in Maryland.
The CDC cautioned that the true number of sick people is likely higher than the number reported and other states could be impacted because some people recover without medical care and are not tested for listeria. In addition, recent illnesses might not have been reported yet, as it usually takes three to four weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak.
What Caused the Listeria Outbreak?
The sick people range in age from 38 to 92 years, the CDC said. Eleven of those who fell ill are of Eastern European background or speak Russian and investigators are trying to figure out why.
The CDC said state and local public health officials are interviewing people about the foods they ate in the month before they got sick.
Listeria Symptoms and Treatment
Listeria is a persistent germ that can be hard to get rid of from surfaces and equipment.
Symptoms of listeria poisoning include fever, muscle aches, nausea and diarrhea. It is especially dangerous for the elderly, pregnant women and those with compromised immune systems.
Listeria is usually diagnosed when a bacterial culture grows listeria from a body tissue or fluid, such as blood, spinal fluid or the placenta. People with invasive illness are treated by antibiotics, but those with intestinal illness usually recover wtihout antibiotic treatment.
