Listeria outbreak: Recall issued as US says infant died

Seven ill people were reported in California, two in Illinois and one each in New York and New Jersey.

The CDC said the true number of sick people is “likely much higher” and the outbreak may not be limited to those states.

Some people recover without medical care and are not tested, while more 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, the health agency said.

Listeria are bacteria that can contaminate food and lead to listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, people with weakened immune systems, pregnant women and newborns.

Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions, and sometimes diarrhoea and gastrointestinal symptoms.

Listeria infection is the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness in the US, the CDC said. The agency estimates that each year, 1,600 people are infected with listeria and 200 die from the infection.