CDC Listeria Outbreak 2022: Symptoms explored amid Deli meat and cheese investigation 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has announced that people are dying from a Listeria outbreak that has spread across six US states. At the time of writing this article, the disease infected 16 people.

The first case was reported on April 17, 2021, and the most recent case occurred on September 29, 2022. Out of the 16 cases, 13 people have been hospitalized, one died from the outbreak in Maryland and another pregnant person, who became ill, lost their child due to the outbreak.

At the time of writing this article, three cases were reported in Maryland, two in Illinois, two in Massachusetts, one in California, another in New Jersey, and seven in New York.

The CDC announced that 11 of the reported cases were found in people who speak Russian and were of Eastern European descent. They also announced that they were investigating to understand the cause of the outbreak.

Out of the 12 people they interviewed, 11 stated that they had eaten meat and cheese from deli counters. However, the exact reason for the Listeria outbreak is yet to be determined. The CDC said:

“It is difficult for investigators to identify a single food as the source of outbreaks linked to deli meats and cheeses. This is because Listeria spreads easily between food and the deli environment and can persist for a long time in deli display cases and on equipment. A contaminated food likely introduced the outbreak strain of Listeria into delis in multiple states.”

---

What must one do to avoid Listeria contamination?

The CDC advises customers to clean one’s refrigerators if they have purchased deli meat or cheese. The containers and surfaces that the meat or cheese may have touched must also be cleansed with hot soapy water.

It is also advised to reheat the deli products at a temperature of 165°F or until it is steaming hot.

If one has contracted the infection, they may experience symptoms including diarrhea and similar gastrointestinal symptoms, headaches, a stiff neck, fever, muscle pain, loss of balance, convulsions, and confusion.

The symptoms are often visible just four weeks into the contamination. However, it can also take up to 70 days for the infection to appear. The CDC recommends visiting a medical practitioner if they seem to be experiencing the symptoms after consuming deli meat or cheese. They said:

“Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any symptoms of severe Listeria illness after eating meat or cheese from a deli.”

The infection is hazardous for pregnant women, those with weak immune systems, and senior citizens who are 65 years old and older. According to the CDC, pregnant women are 10 times more likely to contract the infection.

Moreover, they can experience flu-like symptoms if they have the infection. The disease can also lead to danger to the fetus. A miscarriage, premature delivery, or stillbirth can occur if the person contracts the infection. Newborns who have contracted Listeria can also develop meningitis, blood infections, and other serious life-threatening complications.

If one experiences the symptoms or has the infection, they can be treated with antibiotics.