MICHIGAN, USA — One person from Michigan and another from Nevada are now hospitalized after being infected with Listeria, says the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
According to the CDC, Listeria, also known as invasive listeriosis, can cause severe illness when bacteria spreads beyond the gut and into other parts of the body. The disease prevention center says almost all cases result in hospitalization and at times death.
After interviewing the sick individuals and doing lab testing, the CDC has found that specific brands of enoki mushrooms contaminated with Listeria are the cause of the outbreak. Their last investigation involving the mushrooms was in 2020, where the FDA and other public health officials from several states did a recall of 20 different brands.
There's a chance others may be sick as well from either Michigan and Nevada or other states, but have not been reported.
The CDC says this could be because it usually takes three to four weeks to determine if someone is part of an outbreak, and they could have not had medical treatment and not been tested for Listeria.
The groups most vulnerable to a Listeria outbreak is pregnant people, adults 65 or older and those with weakened immune systems.
Symptoms
Symptoms of severe illness normally begin within two weeks after eating food like enoki mushrooms that are contaminated with Listeria. They can also start the same day or even 10 weeks after, says the CDC.
If they only have a severe illness, the CDC says that pregnant people usually have a fever, fatigue and muscle aches. When they're infected with Listeria, the experience can increase to a miscarriage and premature birth. Newborns can get severely sick and can even die.
Others will have headaches, stiff necks, confusion, loss of balance, convulsions, fever and muscle aches.
Those not listed above may experience symptoms similar to mild food poisoning, diarrhea and fever. The CDC says those individuals can recover without treatment.
Prevention
If pregnant, 65 or older and have a weakened immune system, the CDC advises:
- Thoroughly cook enoki mushrooms
- Keep them away from foods that won't be cooked
- Wash hands and clean areas that touched raw Enoki Mushrooms
- If you believe you have symptoms, call your healthcare provider
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