An outbreak of food poisoning linked to cured meats and cheeses left 16 people ill, including one death in Maryland, US health officials reported Wednesday.
Most of the intoxicated people were hospitalized and one of the cases led to the loss of a pregnancy, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, for its acronym in English) reported.
Many reported eating meat or cheese from deli counters where researchers detected listeria on open packs of meats and in the environment. The bacterium was found at two NetCost Market locations in New York, but health officials said it probably isn’t the only source of the listeria outbreak because some sufferers didn’t shop at the store.
NetCost did not immediately respond to a comment email.
Patients are from New York, Maryland, Massachusetts, Illinois, New Jersey, and California. The death was reported in Maryland, the CDC said.
Eleven of those who have fallen ill are of Eastern European origin or speak Russian, and researchers are trying to understand why.
Listeria is a persistent germ that can be difficult to eliminate from surfaces and equipment. Symptoms of listeria poisoning include fever, body aches, nausea, and diarrhea. It is especially dangerous for the elderly, pregnant women, and people with compromised immune systems.
