Two people have died following a listeria outbreak in 12 states, likely linked to deli meats, according to the CDC.
A total of 28 people have been infected and hospitalized with the disease as of Friday, in an outbreak that began in May, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Listeria infections have been reported in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts.
The two deaths were reported in Illinois and New Jersey, according to the CDC. The agency also noted that a pregnant woman had listeriosis and remained pregnant after recovering.
People who became ill reported to state and local officials that they had eaten “a variety of deli-sliced meats” in the month before they became ill. Officials surveyed 18 people, 16 of whom reported eating deli-sliced meats, and found that they most often ate turkey, liver pate and ham. The deli-sliced meats came from a variety of supermarkets and delis, according to the CDC.
The CDC said it compared foods eaten by people infected in this outbreak to foods eaten by people with listeria who were not involved in the outbreak, and found that people affected by this outbreak were “more likely to eat sliced turkey and deli liverwurst.”
“This information suggests that deli-sliced meats are likely the source of this outbreak,” the CDC said. “However, at this time, CDC does not have enough information to determine which deli meats are the source of this outbreak.”
According to the CDC, there is no information that shows people are contracting listeria from prepackaged deli meats.
The agency noted that the actual number of people infected in this outbreak is likely higher than the number reported and that the outbreak could occur in other states without known illness.
That’s because some people recover from listeria without any medical care and are never tested for the illness, the CDC said, adding that recent illnesses may not have been reported because it takes three to four weeks to determine if a person with listeria is part of an outbreak.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service is working to identify the supplier of deli meats that were later sliced in grocery store aisles and purchased by sick people during this outbreak, the CDC said.
The CDC recommends avoiding eating deli meats sliced at a deli counter unless they are reheated before eating and advises people who are pregnant, 65 or older, or have weakened immune systems to contact their doctor if they have symptoms of listeria, which can include fever, flu-like symptoms, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and seizures.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
