Virginia resident becomes third person to die after eating contaminated deli meat sold in stores nationwide

A third person has died from food poisoning after eating deli meat contaminated with a deadly bacteria.

The deaths were caused by listeria infections linked to Boar's Head meat sold across the country, in places like Target, Walmart and other grocery stores.

The CDC revealed today that the latest victim was from Virginia, with the other deaths occurring in Illinois and New Jersey.

Since the last update at the end of July, nine more cases have been reported bringing the total to 43. All 43 people have been hospitalized.

The multi-state recall for listeria contaminated products

Sue Fleming, 88, and her husband Patrick, 76, are suing deli meats manufacturer Boar's Head and the shop where they purchased the meat after Ms Fleming became 'deathly ill' from listeria. She has survived the illness

Boar's Head expanded its swepping recall on July 30 to now cover around seven million pounds of deli meats, both prepackaged and the kind freshly sliced at the deli counter. 

Four days previously, the recall affected around 200,000 pounds of meats.  

The items range from beef, bologna, ham, liverwurst and salami, among others. 

According to the CDC: 'The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets’ Division of Food Safety and Inspection collected unopened Boar’s Head liverwurst products from retail stores and the New York State Food Laboratory identified Listeria monocytogenes.'

It was the same strain currently driving a multi-state outbreak of listeria infection, which is especially dangerous for seniors and pregnant people, as well as those with already weakened immune systems. 

Most people who get listeriosis do not get severely ill. But approximately 1,600 people in the US develop serious listeria infections, known as listeriosis, every year — and about 260 of those infections are fatal. 

Boar's Head has recalled over 7 million pounds of deli meats, up from slightly over 200,000 pounds that were recalled last month

Pregnant women are 10 times more likely to get listeriosis compared to other adults 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. 

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. 

In addition to causing flu-like symptoms, listeriosis can cause nausea, diarrhea, and stomach cramps. This was the case for Sue Fleming, 88, who lives with her husband Patrick, 76, in High Ridge, Missouri. She ate a Boar's Head liverwurst late last month after buying it from her local grocery store.

She was rushed to hospital, where tests confirmed a listeria infection — according to a lawsuit she filed against the company. 

Mrs Fleming spent nine days in intensive care and 11 in rehab, but claims she still suffers from neurological symptoms and is yet to regain her full strength. 

Listeria lives in soil, meaning it comes in contact with anything that touches or is rooted in the soil, such as animals and the vegetables we eat. 

Mrs Fleming [right] is yet to recover from, has taken the joy out of their life and damaged their marriage. They are pictured above holding a book the pair wrote on how to heal trauma from past abuse

The CDC began tracking cases of listeriosis in May when officials determined that 16 of 18 people who tested positive for the bacteria had eaten the now-recalled deli meats

It can also survive for a long time on counter tops, because it forms a biofilm that sticks around on hard surfaces, making it tougher to ensure the food we eat is safe. 

The CDC has not specified which of the now-43 infections required hospitalization, but when that tally sat at 34 cases, all but one require care in a hospital. 

The CDC began sampling deli meats in May in response to a smattering of cases. The meats that have been recalled were distributed across the US and has sickened people in Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Read More

Cucumbers sold at select Walmart in several states recalled due to listeria concerns

The wide-ranging Boar's Head recall is not the first that federal officials have had to contend with this year. 

In July, Ohio based Wiers Farm Inc. recalled some of their whole and bagged salad cucumbers that were sold at select Walmarts in Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. 

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. 

Also last month, the USDA recalled 2,000 pounds of chicken kebabs and patties on Friday after a routine inspection found the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes at the producer's Canadian manufacturing facility that then exported products to the US.