Outbreak of Listeria Infections Linked to Deli-Sliced Meats and Cheeses

Final Update

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Posted September 26, 2019 at 12:00 PM ET

This investigation is over. This outbreak is a reminder that deli products, such as sliced meats and cheeses, can have Listeria bacteria. People who are at higher risk for Listeria infection should avoid eating hot dogs, lunch meats, cold cuts, and other deli meats, unless they are heated to an internal temperature of 165°F or until steaming hot just before serving.

CDC and several states, along with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, investigated a multistate outbreak of Listeria infections linked to deli-sliced meats and cheeses. A single, common supplier of deli products was not identified.

Final Outbreak Information
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At A Glance

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  • As of September 26, 2019, this investigation is over.
  • 10 people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria were reported from 4 states.
    • All 10 were hospitalized, and 1 death was reported from Michigan.
  • Epidemiologic and laboratory evidence indicated that various meats and cheeses sliced at deli counters might have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes and made people sick.
  • In interviews, ill people reported eating different types and brands of meats and cheeses purchased from and sliced at deli counters in different retail locations.
  • The outbreak strain was identified in samples taken from meat sliced at a deli and from deli counters in multiple stores.
  • The investigation did not identify a single, common supplier of deli products.
  • This outbreak is a reminder that deli products, such as sliced meats and cheeses, can have Listeria bacteria. People who are at higher risk for Listeria infection should avoid eating hot dogs, lunch meats, cold cuts, or other deli meats, unless they are heated to an internal temperature of 165°F or until steaming hot just before serving.
Advice to Consumers and Retailers
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People who are at higher risk for Listeria infection should avoid eating lunch meats, cold cuts, or other deli meats, unless they are heated to an internal temperature of 165°F or until steaming hot just before serving.

  • Listeria bacteria can spread easily to other foods and surfaces. Consumers and retailers should clean refrigerator shelves, kitchen countertops, utensils, and other surfaces that touch deli-sliced products.
  • You can take steps to prevent Listeria infection:
    • Don’t let juice from lunch meat and hot dog packages get on other foods, utensils, and food preparation surfaces.
    • Wash your hands after handling deli meats, lunch meats, deli cheeses, and hot dogs.
    • Store opened packages of meat sliced at a deli no longer than 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator.
  • Retailers should clean and sanitize deli slicersexternal icon frequently and other areas where deli products are prepared, stored, or served. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for sanitizer strength and application to ensure it is effective.
    • Regularly clean food surfaces, equipment, and utensils in direct contact with deli products, such as cutting boards, tables, cheese slicers, and knives.
    • Make sure food contact surfaces, such as cutting boards, are smooth, sealed, non-porous, and easily cleanable.
    • The FDA website has printable materials and more information about sanitizing commercial deli slicersexternal icon.
Symptoms of Listeria Infection
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  • Listeriosis can cause different symptoms, depending on the person and the part of the body affected.
    • Pregnant women typically experience only fever and other flu-like symptoms, such as fatigue and muscle aches. However, infections during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection of the newborn.
    • People other than pregnant women: Symptoms can include headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions in addition to fever and muscle aches.
  • People with invasive listeriosis usually report symptoms starting 1 to 4 weeks after eating food contaminated with Listeria. Some people have reported symptoms starting as late as 70 days after exposure or as early as the same day of exposure.
  • Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics.
Investigation Details

September 26, 2019

CDC and several states, along with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), investigated a multistate outbreak of Listeria infections linked to deli-sliced meats and cheeses.

Public health investigators used the PulseNet system to identify illnesses that may be part of this outbreak. PulseNet is the national subtyping network of public health and food regulatory agency laboratories coordinated by CDC. DNA fingerprinting is performed on Listeria bacteria isolated from ill people by using a technique called whole genome sequencing (WGS). CDC PulseNet manages a national database of these DNA fingerprints to identify possible outbreaks. WGS performed on Listeria isolated from ill people in this outbreak showed that they were closely related genetically. This means that people in this outbreak were more likely to share a common source of infection.

As of September 26, 2019, a total of 10 people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes were reported from 5 states. A list of the states and the number of cases in each can be found on the Map of Reported Cases page.

Listeria specimens from ill people were collected from November 13, 2016 to June 20, 2019. Ill people ranged in age from 40 to 88 years, with a median age of 64. Fifty percent were female. All 10 people (100%) were hospitalized. One death was reported from Michigan.

Investigation of the Outbreak

Epidemiologic and laboratory evidence indicated that deli-sliced meats and cheeses might have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes and made people sick.

In interviews, ill people answered questions about the foods they ate and other exposures in the four weeks before they became ill. Of 8 people interviewed, 5 (63%) reported eating products sliced at a deli counter, including meats and cheeses. Delis where ill people shopped served many brands of products and there was limited information available about the brands ill people bought.

USDA-FSIS and FDA evaluated records collected by state inspectors from delis where ill people ate to determine whether a common meat or cheese product was served at the delis. The analysis of the available documentation did not identify a common product.

The outbreak strain of Listeria monocytogenes was identified in samples from meat sliced at a deli, and from deli counters in multiple retail locations in New York and Rhode Island. WGS showed that the Listeria from these samples was closely related genetically to the Listeria from ill people. This result provided more evidence that people in this outbreak got sick from eating deli-sliced products. The investigation did not identify a common product that was sliced or prepared in the delis.

This outbreak is a reminder that deli products, such as sliced meats and cheeses, can have Listeria bacteria. People who are at higher risk for Listeria infections should avoid eating lunch meats, cold cuts, or other deli meats, unless they are heated to an internal temperature of 165°F or until steaming hot just before serving.

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