UNITED STATES, — A deadly listeria outbreak linked to Boar's Head deli meat has swept parts of the U.S. as 13 states report nearly three dozen cases of the foodborne illness.
Two deaths have been reported, and almost everyone who tested for it was hospitalized, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What is listeria?
Listeria is a foodborne bacteria that can contaminate food and infect people when eaten, according to the CDC. The infection is called listeriosis.
The disease is the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness in the United States, the CDC estimates. It mostly affects people who are pregnant and their newborns, adults aged 65 or older and people with weaker immune systems.
RELATED: Boar's Head expands recall to include 7 million more pounds of deli meats tied to listeria outbreak
What are listeria symptoms?
Listeria can be an invasive or intestinal illness. Invasive means the bacteria spread beyond the gut, according to the CDC.
Symptoms of invasive illness in people who are pregnant typically include fever and flu-like symptoms, like muscle aches and fatigue. People who are not pregnant may experience a fever, flu-like symptoms, headaches, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and seizures.
Invasive illness shows symptoms in people who are pregnant that are mild but usually lead to a miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn.
Symptoms in non-pregnant people can be more severe, as the CDC reports that almost 1 in 6 non-pregnant people with invasive listeriosis die.
What happened with Boar's Head?
A liverwurst sample by health officials in Maryland from the deli meat company tested positive for listeria.
Seven million more pounds of sliced deli meat and poultry from the company was added to a previous recall of more than 200,000 pounds.
The recall includes liverwurst, ham, beef salami, bologna and other products made at the firm's Jarratt, Virginia, plant.
Consumers who have the recalled products in their homes should not eat them and should discard them or return them to stores for a refund, company officials said. Health officials said refrigerators should be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized to prevent contamination of other foods.
