What are Listeria? What you need to know
Learn about Listeria, its symptoms and important preventive measures to protect against foodborne illness.
Five additional deaths and 14 new hospitalizations were reported as a result of Boar’s Head’s multi-state listeria outbreak, the Centers for Disease Control said Wednesday.
According to health officials, listeriosis infections from the recalled deli meat have resulted in at least 57 hospitalizations, including eight deaths, in 18 U.S. states since the CDC began its investigation on July 19.
These numbers are above an August 8 report that recorded 43 hospitalizations, including three deaths, in 13 states.
Of the five new deaths, one occurred in Florida, one in Tennessee, one in New Mexico and two in South Carolina. Since the beginning of August, infections have also occurred in five other states, including Florida, Arizona, New Mexico, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Boar’s Head has recalled 71 products since July 26, which equates to about 7.2 million pounds of sausage. The brand is also facing legal action, with at least one class-action lawsuit pending since early August. The family of one victim, an 88-year-old Holocaust survivor from Virginia, previously spoke to USA TODAY about his death and plans to take legal action.
The human balance: His father died from listeria, which was linked to Boar’s Head meat. He had to tell his story.
Which Boar’s Head products are being recalled?
Boar’s Head initially announced a recall of 207,528 pounds of liver sausage and other sausage products on July 26, followed by an expanded recall on July 30 that included over 7 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products.
In a company statement on July 30, Boar’s Head said it had initiated an expanded recall of all products manufactured at its Jarratt, Virginia, plant after learning that its Strassburger brand liver sausage had been linked to the nationwide listeria outbreak.
Recall of ready-to-eat liver sausage products from Boar’s Head
- Produced between June 11, 2024 and July 17, 2024 and with a shelf life of 44 days
- “Boar’s Head Strassburger brand liver sausage, made in Virginia”
- 3.5-pound loaves in plastic wrap or sliced in various weight packages at the deli
- The best-before dates range from 25 July 2024 to 30 August 2024
Other sausage and meat products from Boar’s Head
Boar’s Head has also recalled all deli products, including pre-packaged deli products. Look for “EST. 12612” or “P-12612” within the USDA inspection mark on product labels.
Listeria outbreak in several states claims five more lives since early August
Since the last wave of information on August 8, the CDC has added five more deaths, 14 hospitalizations, and five new states to the outbreak case count.
According to CDC data, the age of those affected ranges from 32 to 94 years, with a median age of 75. The eight deaths occurred in Illinois, New Jersey, Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, New Mexico and South Carolina.
The CDC and USDA are currently aware of 18 states where infections have occurred as a result of the outbreak.
These states include:
- New York: 17
- Maryland: 8
- New Jersey: 5
- Virginia: 4
- Massachusetts: 3
- Florida: 3
- Missouri: 3
- Georgia: 2
- South Carolina: 2
- Minnesota: 1
- Wisconsin: 1
- Illinois: 1
- Pennsylvania: 2
- North Carolina: 1
- Indianapolis: 1
- Arizona: 1
- New Mexico: 1
- Tennessee: 1
Symptoms of listeriosis or listeria poisoning
Listeriosis, or listeria poisoning, is a food-borne bacterial infection most commonly caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. It is considered a serious condition and can be dangerous or life-threatening, especially for older adults, people with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women.
According to the USDA, symptoms include:
- Fever
- Muscle pain
- Headache
- Stiff neck
- confusion
- Loss of balance
- Cramps
- Diarrhea
- Other gastrointestinal symptoms
- Miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth and/or life-threatening infection of the newborn
- Death
People in higher-risk groups who develop flu-like symptoms within two months of eating contaminated food should seek medical attention and tell the doctor about eating the contaminated food, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said.
How to stay safe
The CDC advises pregnant women, people age 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems to take special precautions to prevent illness.
People at risk should do the following:
- Do not eat recalled cold cuts. Throw them away or contact the stores to arrange a return.
- Also, don’t eat any other sausage you get sliced at the deli counter unless it is reheated to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) or until it is steaming. Let it cool before eating.
- Listeria can grow on foods stored in the refrigerator, but is easily killed if the food is heated to a sufficiently high temperature.
- Clean your refrigerator, containers and surfaces that may have come into contact with sliced deli meat.
- This is especially important if you have purchased one of the recalled delicatessen products.
- Call your doctor immediately if you experience any of these symptoms:
- People who are not pregnant usually experience fever, muscle aches, and fatigue. They may also experience headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or seizures.
- Pregnant women usually suffer from fever, muscle aches and fatigue. However, listeria can lead to miscarriage or premature birth. In newborns, it can also cause serious illness or death.
