Third person dies in listeria outbreak tied to recalled Boar's Head deli meats

AT 430, WE’RE GOING TO TAKE A DEEPER DIVE INTO THE BREAKING NEWS THAT WE’VE BEEN FOLLOWING DELIS ALL ACROSS JUST MASSACHUSETTS. BUT BUT IN MANY AREAS ARE CLOSING BECAUSE OF LISTERIA CONCERNS. SO HERE TO GIVE US SOME INSIGHT IS DOCTOR TODD ELLERIN, DIRECTOR OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES AT SOUTH SHORE HEALTH. SO DOCTOR, IT’S ALWAYS GREAT TO SEE YOU. YOU WE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT BEFORE, BUT LET’S EXPAND BECAUSE IT CONTINUES TO BE THERE. THE SUPERMARKETS ARE SHUTTING DOWN DELIS TO DO WHAT THEY CALL A DEEP CLEAN. SO CAN YOU KILL AND WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO KILL LISTERIA? OF COURSE YOU CAN KILL LISTERIA, BUT IT IS HARDY. AND ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT IT THAT’S INTERESTING, LISTERIA CAN SURVIVE AT LOWER TEMPERATURES SO IT CAN SURVIVE IN OUR REFRIGERATORS, WHICH IS ONE OF THE WAYS WE THINK WE KEEP OUR FOOD SAFE. SO WHAT YOU REALLY HAVE TO DO IS, IS HIGH HEAT. LISTERIA DOESN’T LIKE HIGH HEAT. AND SO THAT’S ONE OF THE WAYS YOU CAN KILL IT. IT’S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE ALWAYS TELL PREGNANT WOMEN AND IMMUNOCOMPROMISED PATIENTS TO AVOID UNPASTEURIZED CHEESE THAT PASTEURIZATION IS THE HEATING PROCESS. WHEN YOU SAY HIGH HEAT, I MEAN LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU GOT PASTRAMI IN THE DELI, HEAT IT UP. AND THAT WOULD JUST TAKE THE THAT WOULD SIZZLE IT UP. RIGHT. IF YOU HEAT UP ANY OF THESE DELI MEATS TO 165°F, THAT KILLS THE LISTERIA, THAT WOULD KILL THE LISTERIA. OKAY, A QUESTION TO AND MANY PEOPLE HAVE LET’S SAY YOU BOUGHT DELI MEAT AT ONE OF THE STORES, NOT BOAR’S HEAD, BUT YOU BOUGHT DELI MEAT. IS THAT SAFE? THESE ARE THE SIGNS, BY THE WAY, THAT HAVE BEEN OUT IN DELI DEPARTMENTS AROUND HERE TODAY. AND AGAIN, BACK TO THE QUESTION. YOU BOUGHT DELI MEAT. IT’S NOT BOAR’S HEAD. IS THAT DELI MEAT SAFE TO EAT? WELL, I THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE A YELLOW LIGHT THERE. RIGHT. LET’S FACE IT. I MEAN, BOAR’S HEAD JUST RECALLED 250,000 POUNDS OF DIFFERENT DELI MEATS, INCLUDING LIVERWURST, HAM ACROSS THE COUNTRY. BUT THIS IS AN ACTIVE INVESTIGATION. SOME OF THE 33 PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN INFECTED SO FAR SAID THAT THEY EAT A TURKEY. WE HAVEN’T HEARD ABOUT RECALLS, SO IT’S POSSIBLE THAT THERE’S POTENTIALLY ANOTHER TYPE OF MANUFACTURER OR SUPPLIER THAT THAT HAS INFECTED DELI MEAT. AND THE OTHER THING IS, REMEMBER, THERE COULD BE CROSS CONTAMINATION. SO SOME OF THAT EQUIPMENT IN THE DELI COULD BE INFECTED. SO I THINK RIGHT NOW WE WANT TO BE VERY CAREFUL. THE STORE IS A VERY A VERY RESPONSIVE TO THAT THAT VERY POINT OF YES. EVERYTHING IS IN THE SAME POOL. SO WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL OF THAT. JUST ONE THING REMINDER THAT THE CDC SAYS PREGNANT WOMEN, COMPROMISED PATIENTS, ELDERLY SHOULD AVOID FRESH DELI MEAT. AND REALLY IT NEEDS TO BE HEATED. GOOD POINT. YEAH. OKAY. SO YOU’RE SITTING AT HOME. YOU’RE HEARING THIS. YOU’RE A LITTLE CONCERNED. SO IF YOU DID EAT DELI MEAT RECENTLY, WHAT SHOULD YOU LOOK FOR. RIGHT. SO REMEMBER AGAIN THERE’S ONLY BEEN 33 CASES. ALL RIGHT. SO THIS IS LOW NUMBERS. BUT LISTERIA SYMPTOMS THAT TYPICALLY CAN OCCUR WITHIN TWO DAYS TO A FEW WEEKS AFTER EATING FEVERS CHILLS, HEADACHE, SIGNS OF MENINGITIS, CONFUSION AT THE AT THE EXTREME END, SEIZURES, THINGS LIKE THAT. AND IN PREGNANT WOMEN YOU CAN HAVE SORT OF FLU LIKE ILLNESS. IT CAN BE A LITTLE BIT MILDER, BUT IT CAN BE DANGEROUS FOR THE FETUS. SO AGAIN, IT IS A SERIOUS CONDITION, BUT IT’S RARE. MHM. DOCTOR THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR ANSWERIN

Nine additional cases of listeria infection have been linked with the Boar’s Head recall of over 7.2 million pounds of deli meat products, bringing the total number of illnesses to 43, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday. All of the people sickened were hospitalized, and three have died.Last month, officials informed the company that its Strassburger brand liverwurst was linked to the listeria outbreak, and its recall was expanded to include all deli products, including prepackaged deli products, produced at its facility in Jarratt, Virginia. The illnesses were reported in 13 states, and the three deaths linked to the outbreak were in Illinois, New Jersey and Virginia.Listeria bacteria can cause listeriosis, the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness in the United States. Symptoms usually include fever, muscle aches and fatigue. Infection may also cause a headache, a stiff neck, confusion or seizures. Listeria poses a significant threat to pregnant people, seniors 65 and older and those with compromised immune systems.According to the CDC, listeria can quickly spread in delis, moving from equipment to surfaces, hands, and food.“Listeria can grow on foods kept in the refrigerator, but it is easily killed by heating food to a high enough temperature,” the agency said.Consumers are advised to avoid eating recalled deli products; dispose of them or contact stores about returns. People who have Boar’s Head products should check product labels for “EST. 12612” or “P-12612” inside the USDA mark of inspection.Those at higher risk of severe illness should avoid deli-sliced meats unless heated to an internal temperature of 165 F or “steaming hot” just before serving. The CDC also recommends that consumers clean refrigerators, containers and surfaces that may have touched sliced deli meats.Businesses that received recalled meats should take extra precautions by cleaning and sanitizing their facilities and disposing of opened sliced meats and cheeses in delis.If you notice symptoms of listeria after consuming deli meats, contact your health care provider.Those with questions about the recall can call Boar’s Head customer service at 1-800-352-6277, and those with food safety questions may contact the USDA at 888-674-6854.

Last month, officials informed the company that its Strassburger brand liverwurst was linked to the listeria outbreak, and its recall was expanded to include all deli products, including prepackaged deli products, produced at its facility in Jarratt, Virginia. The illnesses were reported in 13 states, and the three deaths linked to the outbreak were in Illinois, New Jersey and Virginia.

Listeria bacteria can cause listeriosis, the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness in the United States. Symptoms usually include fever, muscle aches and fatigue. Infection may also cause a headache, a stiff neck, confusion or seizures. Listeria poses a significant threat to pregnant people, seniors 65 and older and those with compromised immune systems.

According to the CDC, listeria can quickly spread in delis, moving from equipment to surfaces, hands, and food.

“Listeria can grow on foods kept in the refrigerator, but it is easily killed by heating food to a high enough temperature,” the agency said.

Consumers are advised to avoid eating recalled deli products; dispose of them or contact stores about returns. People who have Boar’s Head products should check product labels for “EST. 12612” or “P-12612” inside the USDA mark of inspection.

Those at higher risk of severe illness should avoid deli-sliced meats unless heated to an internal temperature of 165 F or “steaming hot” just before serving. The CDC also recommends that consumers clean refrigerators, containers and surfaces that may have touched sliced deli meats.

Businesses that received recalled meats should take extra precautions by cleaning and sanitizing their facilities and disposing of opened sliced meats and cheeses in delis.

If you notice symptoms of listeria after consuming deli meats, contact your health care provider.

Those with questions about the recall can call Boar’s Head customer service at 1-800-352-6277, and those with food safety questions may contact the USDA at 888-674-6854.

Third person dies in listeria outbreak tied to recalled Boar's Head deli meats

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