No one should take listeria lightly.
This foodborne germ sickens about 1,600 people in the U.S. each year, with an estimated 260 of those people dying, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). More than 90% of people infected by listeria wind up being hospitalized, often in intensive care units.
The CDC says that compared with other foodborne illnesses, listeriosis — caused by bacteria known as listeria — “is rare but very serious.”
Even though listeriosis is uncommon, the CDC routinely investigates listeria outbreaks. In the summer of 2024, for example, CDC experts looked into a listeria outbreak linked to Boar’s Head deli meat. As of August 2024, the outbreak was tied to 43 illnesses and three deaths.
CDC investigators have focused primarily on Boar’s Head liverwurst. Due to this listeria outbreak, Boar’s Head recalled more than 7 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products, including liverwurst.
What is listeria?
The listeria germ triggers listeriosis, a foodborne bacterial illness. Listeria infections are caused mostly by eating improperly processed deli meat and unpasteurized milk products (like cheese and ice cream), according to the Mayo Clinic.
Aside from improperly processed deli meat and unpasteurized milk products, the Cleveland Clinic and the FDA say foods that might contain listeria germs include:
- Hot dogs
- Sausage
- Raw or smoked fish and other seafood
- Fresh vegetables
- Fresh fruits (particularly melons)
However, almost any improperly prepared or handled food might be infected with listeria.
Why is listeria dangerous?
The Mayo Clinic says healthy people rarely come down with listeriosis. But it can be dangerous — and even deadly — for pregnant people, unborn babies, newborns, people older than 65 and people with weakened immune systems.
“Prompt antibiotic treatment can help curb the effects of listeria infection,” says the Mayo Clinic.
The Mayo Clinic notes that you can’t contract listeriosis from another person, unless a pregnant person passes it along to a fetus.
Symptoms of listeria infection can last several days or several weeks, the FDA says.
Mild symptoms of a listeria infection include:
- Fever
- Chills
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Muscle aches
Severe symptoms of a listeria infection include:
- Headache
- Stiff neck
- Convulsions
- Loss of balance
- Confusion
- Changes in alertness
“During pregnancy, a listeria infection is likely to cause only mild signs and symptoms in the mother,” the Mayo Clinic says. “The consequences for the baby, however, can be devastating — the baby can die in the womb or have a life-threatening infection within a few days of being born.”
Symptoms of a listeria infection in a newborn include:
- Lack of interest in feeding
- Irritability
- Difficulty breathing
- Fever
- Vomiting
How to prevent listeria infections
The Mayo Clinic warns that listeria can survive refrigeration or freezing. Therefore, people at high risk of serious listeria infections should not eat the types of food associated with the bacteria.
Here are other tips for preventing listeria infections, courtesy of the FDA, Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic:
- Wash cutting boards, countertops and utensils that may have come in contact with contaminated foods. Then sanitize them with a solution of 1 tablespoon of chlorine bleach to 1 gallon of hot water, and dry them with a clean, unused cloth or paper towel.
- Wipe up spills in the refrigerator immediately.
- Thoroughly clean your refrigerator on a regular basis.
- Wash your hands with warm, soapy water before and after handling or preparing food.
- Scrub raw vegetables. Clean raw vegetables with a scrub brush or vegetable brush under lots of running water.
- Cook food thoroughly. Use a food thermometer to make sure meat, poultry and egg dishes are cooked to a safe temperature.
- Avoid cross-contamination between human food and pet food.
- Stay away from unpasteurized dairy products and juices.
- Heat leftovers until they’re piping hot, and don’t eat any leftovers if they’re several days old.
- Tightly wrap leftover food in plastic wrap or foil, place it in sealed plastic bags or put it in clean, covered containers before the food goes into your refrigerator.
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