Three people are now dead, and 43 have been hospitalized in connection with a listeria outbreak from Boar’s Head sliced deli meat, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Boar’s Head Provisions Co., Inc. issued a recall on July 26 of approximately 207,528 pounds of deli meat products that may have been infected with Listeria monocytogenes. The recall was expanded on July 30 and included 71 products made between May 10 and July 29 under the Boar’s Head and Old Country Brand names.
The items included meat intended for slicing at retail delis as well as some packaged meat and poultry products sold in retail stores. The expansion included an additional 7 million pounds of meat.
The recall came after a Missouri couple filed a lawsuit in July alleging the company’s deli meats made one of them, an 88-year-old woman, “deathly ill.” On Aug. 1, a proposed class-action suit was filed in a New York federal district court.
Most of the infections have occurred in New York, according to CDC data. None have been reported in Florida to date, but a pregnant Minnesota woman has sued Boar’s Head, claiming she “nearly lost her unborn child” after getting sick from meat bought at a Florida Publix while on vacation.
Here is what to know about the listeria outbreak and Boar’s Head recall.
What products were included in the Boar’s Head recall?
Here’s a searchable database of the products that were included in the Boar’s Head recall.
What should I do if I bought any of the Boar’s Head recalled meat?
You should throw away or return any Boar’s Head product that has been recalled. If you purchased any of the recalled meat, you should also clean your refrigerator to prevent the risk of cross-contamination.
What is listeria?
Listeria are a bacteria that can contaminate foods. The CDC estimates that listeria is the third leading cause of death from foodborne illnesses in the U.S. Listeria infection is known as listeriosis.
Listeria can cause a mild intestinal illness, but infection can become more serious when it spreads beyond the intestines. The CDC refers to this type of infection as invasive.
Is listeria dangerous?
Listeria are especially dangerous to pregnant women, newborns, adults aged 65 and older and people with weakened immune systems.
Invasive illness in pregnant people is usually mild, according to the CDC. However, invasive illness during pregnancy usually leads to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection of the newborn. Infection during pregnancy results in fetal loss in about 20% of cases and newborn death in about 3% of cases.
Anyone can become infected with listeria, but it’s rare that they become seriously ill.
What are listeria symptoms?
Listeria symptoms vary depending on the person infected and what part of the body was infected, according to the CDC. Symptoms usually present themselves within two weeks after eating contaminated food, but they can start as early as the same day or as late as 10 weeks after.
Invasive listeria symptoms in pregnant people
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Fever
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Muscle aches
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Tiredness
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Other flu-like symptoms
Invasive listeria symptoms in people not pregnant
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Fever
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Headache
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Muscle aches
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Fatigue
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Stiff neck
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Confusion
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Loss of balance
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Seizures
Intestinal listeria symptoms
How is listeria diagnosed?
Listeria is diagnosed with laboratory tests.
How is listeria treated?
Most listeria infections are treated with antibiotics, but treatment can vary depending on the severity of the illness.
What should I do if I ate food that might have been contaminated with listeria?
The CDC recommends contacting a health care provider if the following applies to you:
However, the CDC says that if you’ve eaten food that is possibly contaminated and don’t feel sick, you may not need tests or treatment.
Contributors: C.A. Bridge and Cheryl McCloud, USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Boar’s Head listeria outbreak recall: Three people now dead
