Deadly Listeria Outbreak Linked to Ice Cream

By Cara Murez and Robin Foster HealthDay Reporters
HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, July 5, 2022 (HealthDay News) – The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has linked a latest Listeria outbreak to ice cream made by Florida-based Big Olaf Creamery.

One individual has died within the outbreak involving 10 states, whereas 22 have been hospitalized.

The company stated that well being officers interviewed 17 of these those that acquired sick and 14 reported consuming ice cream. Among the 13 who remembered the kind of ice cream they ate, six recognized the model as Big Olaf Creamery or a location that served that kind of ice cream.

On Friday, the corporate started voluntarily started contacting retail areas to advocate in opposition to promoting their ice cream merchandise, the CDC stated.

On Sunday, the corporate issued its personal assertion on social media in regards to the outbreak.

“For now it’s only hypothesis as it’s an ongoing investigation, our model has not been confirmed to be linked to those instances…,” the corporate acknowledged. “The authentic report we acquired from the Florida Department of Health on Friday July 1st, was that there are 23 instances reported… 6 out of the 23 sufferers talked about having consumed Big Olaf ice cream, however nothing has been confirmed.”

The assertion added that the corporate has been cooperating with state and federal well being officers as quickly because it was knowledgeable in regards to the state of affairs.

Listeria is a micro organism that may trigger extreme sickness when it spreads past the intestine to different elements of the physique, a situation often known as invasive listeriosis.

Consumers who’ve Big Olaf Creamery model ice cream, which is just offered in Florida, ought to throw it away, the CDC stated in its alert. Clean any areas, containers or serving utensils which will have touched the ice cream. Retailers who’ve bought merchandise from the model mustn’t serve it till additional discover. Any tools, ice cream scoops, serving utensils or areas which will have come into contact with the ice cream must be cleaned.

While most individuals don’t turn into severely sick from Listeria, it may be harmful for pregnant girls and their newborns, individuals ages 65 and older and people with weakened immune techniques.

Symptoms of extreme sickness sometimes begin inside two weeks of consuming the contaminated meals, however can even begin the identical day or as many as 70 days later.

Symptoms can embody diarrhea and fever, in addition to headache, stiff neck, confusion, lack of steadiness, muscle aches and convulsions.

Pregnant girls sometimes expertise solely fever, fatigue and muscle aches, however the an infection can result in miscarriage, stillbirth, untimely supply or a life-threatening an infection of the new child.

More data

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has extra data on Listeria.

SOURCE: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, information launch, July 2, 2022