Two dead and 34 fall sick after listeria outbreak linked to recalled Boar's Head deli meat

A multi-state listeria outbreak linked to tainted deli meat has now sickened at least 34 people and killed two, sparking a massive recall.

Grocery store mainstay Boar’s Head is pulling 100 tons (207,000lbs) of meat from deli counters nationwide.

An investigation found traces of the bacteria on samples of liverwurst, which were also processed alongside other kinds of meats which may have led to cross-contamination.

Infection from listeria, called listeriosis, can be deadly, especially for pregnant women, unborn babies, seniors and people with weakened immune systems. 

A sample of Boar's Head liverwurst came back positive for listeria. The liverwurst was processed alongside other meats such as turkey, prompting a massive recall of more than 200,00 pounds of meat

Symptoms range from fever and chills and nausea to headaches, stiff neck, and convulsions.

All but one of the 34 illnesses have required hospitalization. The CDC maintains that the outbreak is likely far larger than their investigation has shown because some people will recover without medical attention or testing for listeria.

USDA food safety regulators updated the case count earlier Friday in an announcement of the massive Boar’s Head recall, which will affect every major grocery store chain in the US.

The outbreak has affected at least 13 states so far, according to the USDA, though the CDC only shows 12: Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service said: ‘The problem was discovered when FSIS was notified that a sample collected by the Maryland Department of Health tested positive for L. monocytogenes.

‘The Maryland Department of Health, in collaboration with the Baltimore City Health Department, collected an unopened liverwurst product from a retail store for testing as part of an outbreak investigation of L. monocytogenes infections.’

CDC investigators began taking samples from sick patients on May 28 and have been conducting interviews about the foods they ate in the month before they got sick.

Of the 18 people CDC officials were able to interview, 16 reported eating meats sliced at a deli, most commonly deli-sliced turkey, liverwurst, and ham.

The bacteria can spread from one surface to another, from deli meat to slicing tools to countertops, and health officials are urging people to santize all of their kitchen surfaces as well as the insides of their refrigerators.

Around 1,600 people become sick with listeriosis every year and about 260 die. Eating improperly processed deli meats and drinking unpasturized milk carrying the bacteria is the primary means of infection.

Cases of listeriosis have been detected in 12 states. Two people have died - one in New Jersey and another in Illinois. The CDC believes the outbreak is likely larger than what officials have recorded 

Healthy people are less likely to experience severe, life-threatening illness than seniors and pregnant women.

Pregnant women, who are 10 times more likely to get listeriosis compared to other adults, are especially susceptible to it because of changes in the immune system during pregnancy, which makes it easier for infections to take hold and harder for the body to fight them off.

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When a pregnant woman is infected, the bacteria travels to the fetus. When it does, it can cause widespread infection in the fetus, leading to premature delivery, miscarriage or stillbirth.

Symptoms can come on quickly or as late as 10 weeks after exposure to the bacteria in contaminated food.

If it spreads to the nervous system, listeria can also lead to severe brain inflammation, blood poisoning, convulsions, and brain swelling. Early diagnosis and treatment with antibiotics is crucial to avoiding the worst possible outcome.

This is not the only recall linked to listeria to be announced this year. Earlier this month, Ohio based Wiers Farm Inc. voluntarily had said some of their whole and bagged salad cucumbers sold at select Walmarts in Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio may have been compromised.

Pulled items include green beans, peppers, zucchini, jalapeños, and more - as the recall was expanded to also include green beans and jalapeños sold under the banner of Freshire Farms, an Aldi brand.

In total, 27 products were affected, with some sold individually or in bulk at Walmart, Krogers and Save-a-Lots across the country.