According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a recall of ready-to-eat beef has been spurred by a listeria outbreak that claimed the life of an infant in California.
The pregnant mother of the kid also contracted listeria. Although testing did not reveal listeria in that infant, the child’s twin also passed away.
Eleven cases of infection were documented in four states between October 2021 and July 2024, according to the CDC. The baby’s death date remained unclear.
Yu Shang Food Inc. recalled ready-to-eat pork items this month as a result of the incident.
The South-Carolina-based company recalled more than 72,000 pounds of food after its products tested positive for listeria on 21 October.
California recorded seven cases, Illinois two, and New York and New Jersey one each.
According to the CDC, the actual number of ill persons is “likely much higher” and the outbreak might not be that specific.
Since it often takes three to four weeks to identify whether a sick individual is part of an outbreak, more recent illnesses may not have been reported yet, and some patients recover without medical attention and are not tested, according to the health department.
Listeria is bacteria that can contaminate food and cause listeriosis, a dangerous sickness that mostly affects pregnant women, babies, elderly individuals, and others with compromised immune systems.
Fever, headache, muscle aches, stiff neck, disorientation, loss of balance, convulsions, and occasionally diarrhea and gastrointestinal symptoms are all indications of listeriosis.
Listeria infection is the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness in the US, the CDC said. According to the organization, there are 200 fatalities and 1,600 cases of listeria infection every year.
