Deadly U.S. Listeria Outbreak Is Linked to Deli Meat

Key Takeaways

• The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is investigating an outbreak of listeria, a type of bacteria that can cause life-threatening illness.
• The CDC has traced the outbreak to meats sliced at a deli counter.
• The CDC is advising people to heat any meat sliced at a deli counter to 165 degrees F or until steaming hot, then letting it cool (if desired) before eating it.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has linked sliced deli meats to a multistate listeria outbreak responsible for at least two deaths and 28 hospitalizations.

So far, there has been one death in Illinois and one in New Jersey, the CDC said in its July 19 statement. Seven people in New York and six individuals in Maryland have been hospitalized due to listeria linked to deli meat, the CDC said. There have also been two hospitalizations in Georgia, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey and Virginia, as well as one hospitalization in Illinois, Minnesota, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

"The true number of sick people in this outbreak is likely higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses," the CDC said in the statement.

"This is because some people recover without medical care and are not tested for listeria," the CDC said. "In addition, recent illnesses may not yet be reported as it usually takes three to four weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak."

Illnesses have occurred over several months, with the first case dating back to late May and the most recent case reported on July 5, the CDC said.

CDC Has Connected the Outbreak to Sliced Deli Meat

The CDC investigation is ongoing and the exact source of the contaminated food remains unclear. But all but 2 of the 18 individuals that public health officials interviewed as part of the investigation into the listeria outbreak reported eating sliced deli meats at some point in the month before they got sick, the CDC said. Investigators have not identified any cases of people becoming sick after eating prepackaged deli meats.

Among those interviewed as part of the investigation, most people said they recalled eating turkey or liverwurst sliced at a deli, and a handful of people also reported consuming ham, the CDC said. They all got meat from different types of grocery store deli counters, according to the CDC. But they all appeared to be infected with a similar strain of bacteria.

The CDC noted in the July 19 statement that listeria spreads easily among deli equipment, surfaces, hands, and food. Refrigeration doesn't kill listeria, the CDC noted. But cooking deli meat at high heat can kill any germs that may contaminate these products.

For this reason, the CDC warned people against consuming uncooked deli meats. Instead, the CDC recommended heating any meat sliced at a deli counter to 165 degrees F or until steaming hot, then letting it cool before consumption if a cold sandwich is preferred.

"It is not surprising to find listeria contamination of deli meats," says Nancy Freitag, PhD , a professor and the head of pharmaceutical sciences at the college of pharmacy at the University of Illinois in Chicago. "The sources of contamination can vary, but often come from food-processing facilities. Listeria has long been associated with deli meats and soft cheeses ; but more recent contamination has been found with a variety of foods, including ice cream and produce ."

She adds, "The best way to avoid listeria is to cook your food, which unfortunately is not always practical" - as with ice cream, for instance.

Symptoms of Listeria Infection Can Range From Mild to Severe

Listeria monocytogenes can cause a serious infection known as listeriosis. People may become sick a few hours after exposure, or it may take up to 30 days for symptoms to appear, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Symptoms of listeriosis include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, according to the CDC.

Most people who become infected experience only brief, mild illness, but people with autoimmune conditions and those older than 65 can develop deadly infections in the bloodstream or brain. Pregnant people may experience some flu-like symptoms , but are also at risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, or premature delivery, or life-threatening infections in their newborns.

Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking

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Sources

1. Listeria Outbreak Linked to Meat Sliced at Delis: Investigation Details. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . July 19, 2024.
2. Get the Facts About Listeria. U.S. Food and Drug Administration . August 3, 2020.
3. Listeria (Listeriosis) Questions and Answers. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . August 23, 2023.

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Lisa Rapaport

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Lisa Rapaport is a journalist with more than 20 years of experience on the health beat as a writer and editor. She holds a master's degree from the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism and spent a year as a Knight-Wallace journalism fellow at the University of Michigan. Her work has appeared in dozens of local and national media outlets, including Reuters, Bloomberg, WNYC, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times , Scientific American , San Jose Mercury News , Oakland Tribune , Huffington Post, Yahoo! News, The Sacramento Bee , and The Buffalo News . … See full bio See Our Editorial Policy Meet Our Health Expert Network