Two people have already died in a deadly outbreak across America.
The outbreak is a micro-parasite called Listeria which is known to inhabit meat in particular.
Ongoing Investigation
There is an ongoing investigation by the FDA and CDC into where this outbreak started and why.
So far, 34 people are known to have got sick, and 33 of those have been hospitalized, with two of them dying from the infection.
Slow Moving
Listeria is a slow moving infection which is making the investigation harder.
It can take anything from a few hours to several weeks for an infection to manifest, by which time it can be hard to track which food caused the illness.
13 States Affected
So far, 13 states have been affected by the outbreak, including New Jersey and Illinois where the fatalities were.
More states are expected to be affected, however, as the products which have so far been identified as a risk are shipped nationwide.
Products Recalled
In an effort to combat the outbreak and identify the source, a raft of food products have now been recalled.
The most prominent of these is Boar’s Head Liverwurst. This was the first product identified in the investigation.
Recall Expanded
That initial recall has now been expanded to include many other companies and products.
These include Supreme Produce, Freshire Farms, Snowfruit, Stutz Packing Company and Wiers Farm.
Foods Affected
Some of the foods recalled include shelled walnuts, butternut squash, bell peppers and cucumber.
Most of these products have been recalled out of “an abundance of caution” according to the FDA website and people haven’t got sick from them, but they are at risk of containing Listeria.
What To Do
The full list of recalled products is available on the FDA website.
If you have a recalled product in your fridge or freezer, the advice is to destroy it and clean out the fridge or freezer.
Am I Sick?
The symptoms of listeriosis include, fever, muscle aches, vomiting, diarrhea, stiff neck, headaches, confusion and seizures.
If you have any of these symptoms, you should seek medical attention immediately. Listeria is of particular risk to those with compromised immune systems and pregnant mothers. Listeria can result in premature birth or the loss of the baby.
Third Leading Cause of Death
Listeriosis is the third leading cause of food-related illness in the US.
This is why no chances are being taken by the FDA and the food companies which may be at risk of contamination.
