Listeria found in deli meat at Maryland store. Shopper says she got "sick from it."
BALTIMORE -- A Maryland woman said she was treated for listeria after she bought some liverwurst from a store.
Patty Mead told WJZ she felt sick, went to her doctor, and began treatment for listeria.
"I seldom buy deli meat, and of course the first day I do, I get sick from it," Mead said. "I'm not going to change [anything]. By the next time I see some deli meat, I'm sure it'll be a whole fresh crop."
Deli meat recall expanded
A nationwide recall of Boar's Head deli meat has greatly expanded as health leaders investigate a listeria outbreak that is sickening dozens of people across the country.
Boar's Head is taking several meat products off the shelves nationwide after the Maryland Department of Health discovered listeria in ready-to-eat meat at a store in Baltimore.
So far, the outbreak has impacted impacting consumers in 13 states and hospitalized dozens. Two people died from consuming contaminated meat, according to the CDC.
Tons of Boar's Head meats have been removed from store shelves after the Maryland Health Department found listeria in a liverwurst sample in an unnamed store in Baltimore.
The company expanded its recall to include several brands of meats made between mid-May and mid-July.
"Out of an abundance of caution, we decided to immediately and voluntarily expand our recall to include all items produced at the Jarratt facility. We have also decided to pause ready-to-eat operations at this facility until further notice. As a company that prioritizes safety and quality, we believe it is the right thing to do," Boar's Head said in a statement.
Baltimore resident Christopher Honey said he will steer clear of deli meat until the recall is over.
"I'm not going to be buying deli meats without thinking twice in the meantime," Honey said. "I feel pretty safe about buying food in the United States."
Some of the recalled products include:
- Virginia Ham
- Olive Loaf
- All Natural Traditional Ham
- SmokeMaster Beechwood Smoked Black Forest Ham
- Skinless Beef Franks
- Natural Casing Pork & Beef Frankfurters
- Rosemary Sundried Tomato Ham
- Liverwurst Paté
- Canadian Style Bacon
- Garlic Bologna
- Old Country Haberno Ham
- Old Country Black Forest Ham
A complete list of products included in the recall can be found here.
What is listeria?
Listeria, a foodborne bacteria illness, is treatable, but hard to diagnose, according to Dr. Cynthia Sears, who is a professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University and an infectious disease expert.
"It's always hard in those early phases to know if this someone's getting a cold, or could this be listeria," Sears said. "It is treatable but obviously when it gets more advanced or in involves the brain or that is very serious."
Symptoms of listeria infection can be wide-ranging and include fever, muscle aches, vomiting and diarrhea. People who are 65 or older, are pregnant or immunocompromised are at higher risk of a severe infection.
"Bacteria are everywhere in our environment," Sears said. "This is just one that that when we eat it as part of a food, we can become sick."
What to do with recalled products
If you have any products in your refrigerator that fit this recall, throw them away.
Also wipe down your refrigerator and cooking surfaces because listeria can survive and grow in cold environments, which could contaminate other foods.
