Listeria Is The 3rd Most Deadly Foodborne Disease In US, Know All About It

An infant died and ten adults were infected in a four-state listeria outbreak linked to ready-to-eat meat products, according to officials.

According to a CDC bulletin issued on Friday, the disease is linked to ready-to-eat meat supplied by Yu Shang Food, Inc. of Spartanburg, South Carolina.

There was one sick individual in each of New York and New Jersey, two in Illinois, and seven in California, including the dead child. According to the CDC, they all identify as Asians.

The infant who died was a twin, and his sibling had also died, but his death was not caused by listeria. As per the CDC, their pregnant mother was also ill, but she recovered.

"Listeria was found in a sample from the mother and from one of the twin infants, but it could not be found in a sample from the other infant," the update stated.

Another infant, apparently not related to the twins, became ill and also recovered, it said.

Of the eight people sickened, seven shopped at markets where Yu Shang Food products are sold, and two said they recalled eating Yu Shang Food chicken, the CDC update said.

US Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspectors detected contaminated commodities during a regular inspection of the Yu Shang Food plant on October 21, prompting a recall on November 9 and an expanded recall on Thursday, according to a USDA statement.

The USDA reported that inspectors discovered Listeria monocytogenes on meat items produced by the company.

A Yu Shang Food spokeswoman stated that the company ceased operations and issued a recall after the USDA discovered tainted foods during a monthly normal sample test.

As per the CDC, Listeria are bacteria or germs that can contaminate many food and those who eat can get infected with the bacteria. CDC mentions that it is rare, however, could be serious, though there exists steps to prevent this infection.

It is a foodborne illness caused by the bacteria L. monocytogenes. Symptoms include fever, chills, and headache. It can cause invasive illness and intestinal illness. It is also the third leading cause of deaths from foodborne illness in the US, with 1,600 people infected each year, out of which 260 die.

Pregnant women, persons over the age of 65, and people with compromised immune systems are most vulnerable to Listeria. This is due to the fact that Listeria is more prone to move from the gut to other areas of the body, culminating in invasive listeriosis, a serious illness.

Listeria can cause pregnancy loss, early birth, or a life-threatening infection in newborns.

Listeria frequently causes hospitalization and, in some cases, death in those aged 65 and older or with a weakened immune system.

Symptoms often appear within two weeks of consuming Listeria-contaminated food, but can appear as early as the same day or as late as ten weeks later.

A fever, muscle aches, and fatigue are common symptoms of pregnancy.

People who are not pregnant usually have fever, muscle aches, and tiredness. They may also get a headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or seizures.