Deli Meat Could Be Linked To A Deadly Listeria Outbreak. Here's Why There's No Recall

This past week it was reported that several dozen people have fallen sick with listeria that has been potentially linked to deli meat, with several fatalities, yet as of now no recall has been issued. According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 28 people have been hospitalized as the current outbreak of listeria has spread to 12 states on the East Coast and the Midwest. As with many outbreaks, the true number of people who have gotten sick is likely much higher, and the outbreak may be spread over a larger area because people who don't seek medical treatment aren't tested for listeria and would not be counted in the reporting. Listeria can also take several weeks to be identified, slowing any reporting. The CDC is working with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), to narrow down the source of the outbreak, but the investigation is still ongoing, holding up any potential recall. 

The CDC was able to interview 18 of the 28 hospitalized listeria patients, of which 16 confirmed they had eaten meat that was sliced at a deli. So far no cases involving prepackaged deli meats have been identified. The most common meats found so far are turkey, liverwurst, and ham, which were obtained across a variety of grocery stores and supermarkets. However, beyond this the CDC does not have any more specific information.

While the CDC continues its research, the USDA is in the process of trying to narrow down the deli meat supplier that could be linked to the outbreak. Delis are especially susceptible to listeria as the bacteria can easily spread among all the equipment, surfaces, and people that are interacting with numerous types of deli meat. Listeria is not affected by the cold refrigerated environment of deli counters, it needs heat to be killed. The CDC is currently recommending that anyone over the age of 65 and anyone with a weakened immune system not consume any deli meat they got sliced at a counter. You should also clean your fridge and any surfaces or containers which that deli meat came into contact with.

So far two deaths in New Jersey and Illinois have been linked to the current outbreak, so anyone who has consumed deli meat should be very aware of the symptoms and seek treatment right away if they are showing any signs of infection. The most common symptoms are fever, muscle aches, and tiredness, with headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and even seizures being possible. Pregnant people should be extra cautious as listeria can cause serious illness or death in newborns. Symptoms usually show within two weeks, but can take as long as 10 weeks or happen as quickly as within one day.